Thread: Guns Guns and MORE Guns

Nice! I always wanted a 1911. AND a Hi-Power as well. Convinced I wasn't meant to have those.
Too rich for my blood. Boy! You paid a pile for that in '78!

I always resist calibers I don't have. Nothing .45
I AM nostalgic on those 1911's, though.
My grandad had one I think was a Singer. My Brother absconded with it and the Colt Woodsman (and more) on the day of the funeral.
No. We don't talk much..

Anyhoo, I grew up around them too. I remember the small-town cops all had them.
Hammer was always back with a leather strap in there. Fascinated me.
By then, it was ingrained you only pulled the hammer back if you intended to shoot.
Otherwise, it was down.

Finally had the huevos to ask Mutt Barlow (DS working the football game security)what was up with the hammer back.
He explained the grip safety to me. I said 'OH'.
I figure it to be the only firearm that should shoot that ,45ACP, although lots do.

Anyhoo, I did acquire a nice '38 Woodsman. One down!

The Colt I get nostalgic over is the Python. It was one of the first pistols I bought when I got into handgun shooting in the early 70s. The fit and finish was top notch. The bluing was to die for as was the trigger. Looks aside, it shot like a dream with both 38 wad cutter target loads and and full house 357 rounds. Very happy to have been able to own and use one.

Bob

Originally Posted by STF

Ha , you and me both Bob, I haven't even seen a gun since i left the army in 1985 that wasn't stuck to a Canadian cops hip.

I'm with you Steve. I have not been into the shooting sports since the late 90s. I used to reload and still have a loading bench full of presses, dies, and cartridge parts. All sitting idle for a long time now.

I reloaded 38/357, 9mm, 380, and 40 Smith and Wesson. I do have dies for 45 cal, and actually owned a 1911 Colt for a while, but sold it quickly and never reloaded 45.

I sold 95 percent of my firearms over the years. I only have a Smith and Wesson Sigma 40 cal automatic, a Taurus 357 revolver, a Remington 12 gauge pump, a few 22 caliber bolt actions and a small Taurus 22 cal automatic kit gun (8 shot mag) that you could literally put in a dop kit it's so small. It's probably been 20 years since I fired them.

The only firearm I may buy is a lever action 357. I can reload 38/357 with my eyes closed. I still know the grains of powder and nuances of that cartridge. It's an easier cartridge to find at a firearms store and reload than a necked rifle cartridge, and ballistically a decent rifle cartridge - all things considered. I had a nice Marlin 44 magnum lever action that I sold and always regretted it. It's hard to find a 357 Lever thses days, but Henry makes them and you can find a Henry if you look. I may get one just to have my beloved lever action back. And besides, I want a rifle in my gun safe, not just a shotgun.

Funny sidebar story. I used to be friends with an X Navy Seal. He only had two guns when I was collecting dozens. I think he had a Colt 357 revolver and a 12 gauge pump. Nothing else. That struck me as odd for a Navy Seal. So I asked him, "What's the deal with you only having two guns? You were a Seal. I thought you guys were supposed to be prepared for anything. What would happen if we got ito a national emergency and you needed more guns?"

He gave me a smirk and said, "With the two guns I have, I can get all the guns I'll ever need."

That's a Navy Seal talking.

I used to load for, iirc, 22 Hornet, 6.5X57, 6.5X54 MS, 280 Ross, 303 British, 308 Win, 30-06, 8X57 Mauser, 338 Win Mag, 375 H&H and 444 Marlin. Sold most of the reloading gear some time ago.

The mention of lever rifles brings back an incident at the range. The Ministry of Natural Resources was doing a statistical study and had the use of the DND range for it. Life size moose targets were set up at 100 yards and hunters were invited to come and try their luck. I got there late afternoon and shot at 100 yards with my 30-06 Brno with a fixed 4X scope and my 444 Marlin with open sights. Business was slow so the Ministry guy suggested going to 200 yard for a go. I did well with both rifles and then going to 300 yards was suggested. We did and no problem putting one in the boiler house standing up of the moose target with the 30-06 and scope combo. I went to try the 444 Marlin and found the front bead covered the whole body of the moose target so I held the front bead over the back of the moose with a beads width of daylight showing between it and the moose's spine. Silently said a Hail Mary and squeezed of a round. There was a long pause before they confirm I had actually hit the target in the brisket. Should have seen the look on the face of the guy next to me that had had trouble getting a good shot in with his 300 Win Mag and 3-9 power scope. Made my day seeing that look. However, I would never have taken that shot on a live moose at that distance as I don't think the 444 Marlin would have had enough steam left at that distance to do the job cleanly. With the 30-06 that is another story.

Bob

@BobH

You hit on a great point, when I was really Hunting in Colorado, I would be on the range at least once a week tweaking loads until they (and I) earned the right to go hunting

I learned uneasy truths at that range above Colorado Springs usually in the month before the opening of Rifle season

I would sit at the well-made and constructed benches of that 100 yard range a settle into my shooting and occasionally would watch the other hunter's targets

They would load in a few rounds from their Green Boxes and Red and White boxes fire a few shots usually landing well outside the 1 inch circle (of acceptable accuracy) usually in a spread of about 4-6 inches AROUND the bullseye.. They would get up from the bench, saying to the group "Yep that is close enough"

Oddly I hardly ever saw any of them try even one shot offhand


I think it was the second year after they built that range that I began bringing my scope mounting tools along to help anyone that asked..

Of course, some of those guys were probably much better "Hunters" then I am and could sneak in on their Deer and Elk, I knew my limitations and my biggest weakness was as a "Hunter", so I maximized my strength as a "Shooter"
Intersting days at the range hehehe

I had forgotten about the Python, Bob. I had bought one from my brother in '78 when he was on leave as he had gotten involved with a 'town whore' and needed dough.
Sweet pistol, 6 inch barrel. Very nice shooter. High quality fit and finish.
Next time he came in on leave, he stole it and sold it at a pawn shop. Pawn broker laughed when I went to retrieve it.

Should have known what he would do when grandad passed.

The new ones don't seem to have a following like the old ones

@gssixgun

Yupper, that seems to be the universal North American hunter. I don't know about now but years ago the favourite calibre for moose seemed to be the 300 Win mag and many times in a Browning BAR. My guess is the logic was if a 30-06 won't put down a gut shot moose then a 300 mag in an auto loader would do the trick. Most couldn't handle the recoil of a 30-06 never mind the 300 mag so you either miss harder and faster or ruin more meat. Got to love those hunters who expend 10 or so rounds a year to sight their rifles in for the season. It should be mandatory that to get a hunting permit you have to pass a practical shooting test every year. That should separate the wheat from the chaff.

Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2DWPYaKhug

400 lb Hog taken out using a subsonic .22 40gr round, it's all about accuracy and shot placement, I use this same round a CCI 40gr .22 Subsonic round with a moderator on my own.22 LR, never underestimate what a .22LR can do.

So I inherited a Last Ditch Arisaka a friend's dad brought back at the end of WWII. Could not find ammo anywhere.



Ordered a few boxes of 150 grain from Steinel Ammo which might be 6 months out according to the site.

A nice fellow on another forum found me some 180 grain Norma.

Both came in on the same day 2 weeks later!
If someone wants to give it a try, I will slip the 180 in on them!

Not affiliated, but Steinel specializes in obsolete and hard to find stuff. Great reviews.
Worth a look.

A friend has a 7.7 Jap

Found 20 rnds for it a military gun and knife show.

Nice rifle, would've hated having to be Asian, and carrying it all day.

Damn thing was twice their size.!