Sporting Clays

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by charlie cleveland

steve just dont decide go for it...reloading is not just about saving a buck its the inner reward thats worth it...you know that feelin you get with reloading a rifle shell and gettin a big buck with well that feelin comes with loading shotgun shells and just shootin tin cans or maybe a pine cone.. charlie

Well, I'm not going to rush off right now and start reloading shotshells, but it is something I'm going to do eventually. Since I shoot so many old doubles, I think custom loads would be much cheaper to make than to buy, and making them would be fun as well.

I'm no longer a deer hunter, still shoot birds though. I'm also a sage rat shooter. However, if one is a deer/elk hunter there are a lot here. I don't want to shoot, drag, cut up, etc. anymore.

I reload for esoteric rifle/pistol rounds, the 43 Mauser, 8mm Lebel, 30 Rem, 50/70, 222, Hornet, Makarov, 6.5 Swede and of course the 243, '06, 45/70 and a few more. I own a slew of antique rifles/pistols and enjoy shooting them. Muzzle loaders, of course, most originals.







I am therefore, a busy shooter and am enjoying it in my retirement. My work, you see, is having fun - shooting.

[charlie cleveland]

those are fine lookin shootin irons...i too love old guns... charlie

[todd allen]

Steve, that's some cool stuff there. What is the autoloader in the 2nd pic?

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by todd allen

Steve, that's some cool stuff there. What is the autoloader in the 2nd pic?

That is a Remington Model 81 a re-do of the earlier Model 8 that was nearly identical. These rifles were considered nearly junk 20 years ago and I bought this one for something like $165. Today they are pricey....maybe $800 for one like mine, which is nearly new.

One of the neat things about 8's and 81's, to me, is that Frank Hammer shot Bonney and Clyde with one in 1934. His was a Model 8 and a highly engraved one. That rifle was in 30 Remington, and mine is too. The round is identical to a rimless 30/30 and I use those dies and data to reload for it.

The Model 8/81's are a Browning design, similar, sorta to a Browning Auto5/Rem model 11. These Model 81's are heavy and kind of blocky feeling. The barrel is short. Shooting one it is kind of like shooting a semi-auto Tommygun. Neat. Pretty accurate and a great pig gun. It is a gas/recoil operated weapon, the bull barrel is the gas cylinder. You can get them in 300 Savage, but I load my 30Rem with 150 grain pointed bullets and it shoots hard enough. Oh, they are all take-downs! That's cool. I can easily pack it in my little camper.

At one time you could buy a removeable magazine for these, least I've read that. You can load it with a stripper clip from the top, but I just jam them in their with my thumb. The bolt release is on the left side. The safety looks like the one on an AK47 and I've wondered if the Soviet dude who made that rifle copied the good old Remington/Browning Model 8/81.

If you are a fool for neat old guns, like I am; you need one of these Remington Model 8s or 81s. They come in 25, 30, 35 Remington and 300 Savage. I think 35 Remington is the best, but you seldom see them. I'll just stick with mine.

[todd allen]

That is definitely a cool looking rifle! I will have to find a way to take a closer look at one.
Back to the other guns, I have an original Sharpes in 50/70, and I have a Civil War Springfield (1864, I think) muzzle-loader made by Colt. Looks a lot like the one in the bottom picture.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by todd allen

That is definitely a cool looking rifle! I will have to find a way to take a closer look at one.
Back to the other guns, I have an original Sharpes in 50/70, and I have a Civil War Springfield (1864, I think) muzzle-loader made by Colt. Looks a lot like the one in the bottom picture.

I recall a guy who had one of the Colt rifled muskets and it was like new. Does you gun have the same hammer as my Springfield '61? They made and issued those rifles in the white. When a unit was issued blued muskets sometimes they polished of the finish, thinking that the silver guns would flash in the sun.

When they were actually in line of battle, blazing away, I think they removed their bayonettes because they got in the way of the reloading process.

The soldiers seldom came into direct physical contact. There are records of, very, very few bayonette wounds. Way under .5%. If they got within a few feet of one another I think one side would usually break and run.

Have you shot your Colt and Sharps 50/70?

[gman]

My dad has an 1862 colt where he is the forth owner. It is deadly accurate at 200 yrds and on a sunny day you can see the bullet traveling to the target. We have the bayonet and gun is all original. I would love to find a bayonet sheath. My dad machined a new nipple so we would not wear out the original.

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by Eric Grims

My dad has an 1862 colt where he is the forth owner. It is deadly accurate at 200 yrds and on a sunny day you can see the bullet traveling to the target. We have the bayonet and gun is all original. I would love to find a bayonet sheath. My dad machined a new nipple so we would not wear out the original.

Gosh, I'm sure your dad's machined nipple is great, but you buy relicas and even originals...Dixie used to have them, probably still do.

Original leather is harder to find than is original steal, and the leather that you find is usually flaking away. You can however find old scabbords. I suggest you look at the site of the guys who found those Martini Henry's In Napal a few few years ago. They do have some old leather. You might google, Napaleze (sp?)Martini Henrys for sale and you'll get to it. I'm sure Dixie has replicas for sale.

If you clean your musket after firing it, I don't think you can hurt it, but treat it with respect. I clean my BP guns with hot soapy water, the hotter the better. Then I oil them. They were made to be shot after all. Most of those Civil War guns were made of iron btw.

[todd allen]

Steve,yes, I have shot them both. I killed a buffalo with the Sharps. I'll post a pic of the Colt when I get home. (tomorrow)

[Stepmac]

Originally Posted by todd allen

Steve,yes, I have shot them both. I killed a buffalo with the Sharps. I'll post a pic of the Colt when I get home. (tomorrow)

Well, that is neat! Did you mount the buff's head? How was the meat? Buff steaks are supposed to be more nutritious than beef and I believe it.