Show us your Guns!

[Stearmen]

I finally scratched my itch - a .72-caliber rifle. The silly rear sight will go as quickly as I can regulate the barrels. I intend to mount one of Brockman's all machined steel wing-protected adjustable aperture sights. And the steel butt plate will metamorphose to a solid rubber recoil pad - 600-grain bullet with 150 grains of FFg is not something to look forward to with delight.

If you go to this sight Nitro Express Forum, they have lots of advice for the best load to regulate your Kodiak double!http://forums.nitroexpress.com/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=muzzleloaders

 

[shortbow]

That's a cool link Stearmen. BTW, Naphtali, what's the twist in that thing?

 

[matrioshka]

I said I wouldn't buy another one, guess I was wrong...

This came into my hands this morning, a Winchester Model '07 Self Loader. According to the serial number it was made in 1952. Check out the buttplate and sling swivels, was this the law enforcement version? You can't really see it, but the buttplate is flat steel and checkered.

The scope is a Weaver KV:

It came with a partial box of 60's era green box Remington ammo, two 5 round mags and....

A 10 rounder. Pretty neat, I think.

I'm now going to have to buy some .351 ammo, grumble, grumble

M

 

[Silver Dollar]

These are my guns that I like to play with.

 

[kampkatz]

Silver Dollar, is that 50 cal. in a B-26 or something different?

 

[Silver Dollar]

These are my guns that I like to play with.

I took that shot at the Air Force Museum last week. I think it was the B-26 called Shooter. I took so many dang pictures, I don't remember what was what. I'm only 2 and a half hours from the museum and I'm there at least 2 to 3 times a month. The lady at the gift shop already knows me by name. It feels like a home away from home sometimes. As an aside, the books and music you can get there are just incredible. I can't find them anywhere else. If you're into Air Force history, you can never seem to get enough of it at that place. Sometimes I go there just to sit and reflect.

 

[Stearmen]

B-26

These are my guns that I like to play with.

Definitely B-26 Marauder! Its the only one with those low down and close waist gunners. I always wondered how they could shoot, without running into each other, or falling out?

 

[Diamondback]

Most logical guess would be some kind of lifeline to strap themselves to the airframe while still allowing enough mobility to operate the gun.

----------------
Now playing: John Williams - Scherzo For Motorcycle And Orchestra
via FoxyTunes

 

[Silver Dollar]

In the B26 waist, the guns are way too low to stand up and shoot. You're generally just about on your stomach. You didn't fall out because your gun was in the way. Still, a number of positions did involve some type of safety strap. The B17 ball turret was one of them. The gunners did run into each other in the early B 17's and 24's but they solved the problems in the later bombers by staggering the waist doors so you weren't back to back with the other gunner.

 

[Undertow]

Finally got around to getting some picture up so I could show off my M4 (and reloading bench - okay, and my M9A1):

 

[Naphtali]

Naphtali, I will be some serious impressed if you can manage to regulate those barrels to hit same poi without using different loads, a job considered the province of only the most skilled in Britain. Please keep us posted. I will be very interested to hear how you manage it. Good luck.:eusa_clap

Why would I want to avoid the crutch of using different loads? So long as I have loading block(s) include powder charges, reloading both barrels will be the same procedure regardless of load. This is a significant advantage of the double-barreled muzzleloader over cartridge doubles.

Of course, I have in my stash of tweaks several that allow adjustment of a barrel's point of aim/impact. And while I have a .715 round ball mold - I've cast 100 balls 30:1 - that will begin my testing and regulating process, I'm probably going to obtain a bullet mold that will be lubed and sized in my Star sizer. I must be sure that my custom die maker can create such a die, and my [sizer and] sizer die maker can function with such large O.D. bullet.

I suspect that all that need be done to create a procedure to load first barrel fired is to create single-load loading block FOR RIGHT BARREL ONLY. My first shot will be right barrel.

The rate of twist is 1:72.
***
The cost of replacement parts is so high and so uncertain that I "plunged" and bought a .58-caliber Kodiak Express as a "parts gun." Having perused the parts-price list of distributor, I now understand why there are auto thieves whose business is parting out exotic cars. I will not embarrass myself by identifying how little I paid for my parts gun.

 

[rumblefish]

Finally got around to getting some picture up so I could show off my M4 (and reloading bench - okay, and my M9A1):

Cool!

Looks like my bench, except the components on mine are RCBS green.
I even have the ashtray with the unwanteds in it.
Where's your trickler?

 

[shortbow]

Thanks Naphtali, neat info. Do you think a 1/72 twist will stabilize a conical? Sure looking fwd to seeing some targets.

 

[Story]

The gunners did run into each other in the early B 17's and 24's but they solved the problems in the later bombers by staggering the waist doors so you weren't back to back with the other gunner.

Was curious and went looking for pics, found this symposium

http://www.twinbeech.com/gunnerysymposium.htm

 

[Naphtali]

Thanks Naphtali, neat info. Do you think a 1/72 twist will stabilize a conical? Sure looking fwd to seeing some targets.

Greenhill's Formula calculates that a short bullet can be used. Part of my problem to solve is to identify the velocity of a [given] bullet. The lower its velocity, the closer to bore diameter must be the length. So my calculations have bullet lengths from approximately .87 to 1.01 inches. give me some time and I'll have more nearly precise maximum usable bullet length.

 

[Undertow]

Cool!

Looks like my bench, except the components on mine are RCBS green.
I even have the ashtray with the unwanteds in it.
Where's your trickler?

Haha, it's funny you mention that because when I finished reloading a bunch of .30-06, I thought, "Huh, I need a trickler," but I haven't gone out to pick one up yet.

I've been using the Lee series of equipment, and after some fiddling with powder graphite, I was able to get the powder measure to throw grains within xx.x accuracy. As much as I like their manual scale, I found a cheap digital scale on Amazon for $17 that works extremely well.

You know, I thought of the ashtray thing because the guy that got me into shooting (and reloading) used to smoke while he reloaded and would dump out misloads into the ashtray. Every once in a while, you would hear a loud hiss, see a flame and he'd jump back. Haha, sounds crazy...and it was. But that's where I got into the habit because it just felt right.

 

[rumblefish]

You know, I thought of the ashtray thing because the guy that got me into shooting (and reloading) used to smoke while he reloaded and would dump out misloads into the ashtray. Every once in a while, you would hear a loud hiss, see a flame and he'd jump back. Haha, sounds crazy...and it was. But that's where I got into the habit because it just felt right.

lol Then the basement would smell like the shooting range, right?
My dad did the saaaame thing. The ashtray was the bottom of a brass 5" shell with a nickle brazed into the primer pocket and two cigarette holders on opposing sides. His trench art from the Navy, I still have it.

 

[MKL]

Here is my latest: (a summer carry)

 

[carebear]

MKL,

What sort of leather are you thinking of?

 

[MKL]

Matthew,

I would like to get a galco tuck-n-go when they have them in stock. Presenty just a cheap one. It conceals rather nicely. For my full size I use a fobas paddle. I tried a crossbreed but it was never comfortable for me.

Mark