The I LOVE THIS GUN Thread

[crazydrummerdude]

Originally Posted by Cumminsman76

You need to shoot my Ed Brown.

Yes, I do.

[skysailor]

Got a fired shell casing with my new Ruger 1911. This is to prove it goes "bang", right? Does the factory put one round through every new pistol before they ship it?
This thing fits my hand so well, I can't wait to fire it. It's a natural pointer. No bloody wonder they're so popular.
Lyle

[ttpete]

Originally Posted by skysailor

Got a fired shell casing with my new Ruger 1911. This is to prove it goes "bang", right? Does the factory put one round through every new pistol before they ship it?
This thing fits my hand so well, I can't wait to fire it. It's a natural pointer. No bloody wonder they're so popular.
Lyle

There are states that require that the dealer submit a fired case to them from every new gun sold. So far, it's never been effective in identifying a weapon used in a crime.

[Dysco]

Originally Posted by Juanjo_NY

quick question,
I tried for the first time 200 yards with my 17HMR and wasn't able to get target (3" steel plate) and all bullets hit the back metal plate withing 4 inches of each other. That sounds pretty bad.

My question is, when shooting at that distance is a MUST to shot with a shooting rest?
Any tip to improve my grouping.!
I was just using a V in the front barrel and the back to my shoulder.

Thanks in advance.

Improve your grouping with that rifle by moving the target closer or moving it indoors.

For accuracy, you want the heaviest bullet possible, a 20gr, and you can't expect miracles outdoors past 100 yards because wind can cause some pretty big swings. Our range usually has a big crosswind and I'm usually inside of a 2" circle at 100, and I'm happy to be on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper at 200 with a 17gr bullet here.

[Dooga]

Outdid myself macho-dude-testosterone-wise: out riding XRL while legally concealed-carrying my Glock G26 IWB in my PJ Holster. Bikes and guns. Now that's a great day.

[straightrod]

^ That is why I train left handed so I can putt around in second gear on forest trails casually blasting away with my Desert Eagle
.44mag! (just kidding)

[buildit]

Black weapon Friday

[CodeMonkee]

Originally Posted by ttpete

There are states that require that the dealer submit a fired case to them from every new gun sold. So far, it's never been effective in identifying a weapon used in a crime.

Maryland.

[Otis the Sasquatch]

Who knows 1863 Springfields?



I was gifted this gun. It will never be for sale, so I don't care about Value except for insurance.

The PO's mother purchased it for him at age 13 in 1935. He told me he used to sit on the front porch of the farm and shoot marbles out into the field. Of course the first thing he did was (lightly) carve his initials in the stock, but I forgot to get a pic of that.

Never did get the "burn story'.... and too late now. might have been there when he got it.





He did say that the rear sight had always been missing. I guess the screw hole goes all the way through, because someone filled the hole.


cont....

[Otis the Sasquatch]

Can't find a serial #, though. In this pic, you WANT to see a number. But the closer I look the less it looks like a number. Is this where it should be?



Other markings.














cont...

[Otis the Sasquatch]

And...







Looks like it's had a rough life. And yes, I did get out the q-tips and finish dusting it off.


But I would like to shoot it, eventually. Maybe just w/ marbles.

First problem; shined a flashlight down the bore and... no light at the nipple hole. Ruh-Roh. Then I put the loading rod down the bore, and it hit something hard near the bottom. Loaded maybe? Now what? guess I'll get or borrow a borescope and see what's going on in there.


Anyway, any thoughts y'all have would be appreciated. I have been trying to find a Gunsmith 'round here that KNOWS these guns AND isn't backed up 6 months! If I do, I'll get it gone over and maybe add a reproduction rear sight.


Thanks!
Otis

[Rustynuts]

My son having a little target practice with the Springfield Armory Socom 16....

[buildit]

Wish my dad had taken more time to teach me about loading and care of the Springfield. However, this is one of the few I've seen with a bayonet.

[tony the tiger]

Originally Posted by Rustynuts

My son having a little target practice with the Springfield Armory Socom 16....

Nice - always wanted one a'them.

[Fire Escape]

Originally Posted by Otis the Sasquatch

And...









But I would like to shoot it, eventually. Maybe just w/ marbles.

First problem; shined a flashlight down the bore and... no light at the nipple hole. Ruh-Roh. Then I put the loading rod down the bore, and it hit something hard near the bottom. Loaded maybe? Now what? guess I'll get or borrow a borescope and see what's going on in there.


Anyway, any thoughts y'all have would be appreciated. I have been trying to find a Gunsmith 'round here that KNOWS these guns AND isn't backed up 6 months! If I do, I'll get it gone over and maybe add a reproduction rear sight.


Thanks!
Otis

Muzzle loaders are not my strong suit - way too much work and cleaning after use, haven't owned one since I turned 21 and could own a cartridge handgun. Still, the basics haven't changed much......

First, run that ramrod or something similar back down the bore. Carefully (more or less) mark it at the muzzle when it bottoms out then remove it and compare on the outside to see where the rod ended relative to the nipple. If it is less than or about 3/8" forward of the nipple, it probably isn't loaded just stuffed with crap/rust. Anything much more than 3/8" could allow room for it to be loaded. It could be loaded with just a projectile (not too unusual for someone to forget powder) or a full load. Said full load might or might not still contain viable powder.
Under normal conditions the nipple is removable, that one might be but it isn't going to be easy. I don't have any knowledge of values or rarity about Springfields, guessing that the bore isn't a lot better than the outside, I have doubts that it has collector value (I know, you are not looking to sell but sometimes doing anything at all to an old gun ruins value, you would not want to 'destroy' it) but certainly can't confirm one way or the other.
Back to whether or not it is loaded,
If the ramrod test shows nothing to be in the bore you could try clearing the nipple hole with a small drill bit and pin vice, the actual hole may be considerably smaller than the rusted/eroded end of the nipple would indicate so start very small and be gentle enough as to NOT break off a drill bit in the hole! Don't overdo the depth, that hole only goes down to the center (well just beyond) of the horizontal hole which is filled with a screw (hardly discernible on your gun but readily apparent in 'buildit's' photos. We will come back to that screw shortly.
If the ramrod test does indicate it being 'loaded' there are a few options, a soft projectile (i.e. lead) can usually be 'pulled' by use of a worm which can be either a screw or a couple of 'twisted wires' that screw onto the end of a (probably not the one that came with the gun) ramrod and are then threaded into or around the projectile. IF the bore is not too rusty the projectile can be withdrawn although it might take several tries. If it is one of his marbles still in there it isn't going to work unless the (external type) worm somehow gets a good grip on some cloth patching material.
Lacking the ability to pull the projectile, the alternative is to push. In the old days, when a ball or bullet was loaded without powder the answer was to try and work enough powder behind it to 'shoot it out', this wasn't too hard if no one was shooting at you at the time and IF that screw we talked about earlier would come out. Trying to get powder down through the nipple would be bad enough, getting it to take that right angle turn (behind the rusted away screw) and end up behind the projectile will be more challenging.
I would be inclined to try and use air pressure instead of powder to remove whatever might still be in the gun. This is not without some measure of risk but mostly in regard to where the projectile might end up should it suddenly become 'unstuck'. The results for anyone in front of the muzzle could indeed be lethal.

It is an interesting project, I hope that you are a patient man. Good luck!

Bruce