Featured Old Guns

Neat.

I've always been amazed of the accuracy you can get out of a well made black powder piece. And also astounded that men fought wars through the haze of black powder smoke.

 

I'd like to have one of these: an 1857 Colt revolving shotgun.

 

I'm going with this:
http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/tipologia-prodotti.asp/l_en/idt_45/rifles-kodiak-express.html

Plus a thermal sight so I can see through the smoke for that follow up shot.

 

Time for my "the one that got away" story.

I was at a huge swap meet type place. Checking out one vendor's tent, and he had a beautiful Springfield Model 1873. After I walked out, the guy stopped me outside, said he was really a Winchester collector who ended up with the Trapdoor in a trade. Offered me a stupid low price on it, something I could pay now without batting an eye, but at the time I was just too young and too broke. Oh well.

 

Yeah, I can't complain. I've definitely had my share of good finds.

 

If the British had been armed with these in large numbers, it is doubtful we would have won our independence...The Ferguson rifle, a breech loading flintlock.

 

Wow!

 

More than one flaw actually. The stock was weak and the mechanism (breech plug) was thought to need cleaning too often, but the rate of fire for an experienced user was about 6 shots per minute. Super fast in those days. And tests on later "replicas" have shown it would fire about 60 shots before it needed cleaning. That's acceptable in the battles of the day. With more use design flaws might have been corrected.

The main problem, and the reason the British did not pursue more use of the gun was the ultra slow rate of manufacture and the cost.

 

Detailed photos show this as a six-shot revolving shotgun.

One thing to remember is the cylinder gap on such an arm is rather inconvenient. The clearances could not be held to close and repeatable measurements as later times allow. (Presumably, it will be better in time to come.) So the side blast from the gap is substantial - which is why revolving arms of both shotgun and rifle calibers did not achieve commercial success.

The other important consideration is six shots of black powder in one place is quite - uh - impressive. I have an old Damascus barreled, side by side, 12 bore. I shoot it with Pyrodex substitute from time to time and those two shots - on a still day - obscures both me and my vision. Having a six-shooter like that requires either a rather windy day or movement (running or riding a horse).

Reloading it - percussion gun - could also be time consuming.

Still cool.

 

I collect .32 ACP (7.65mm Browning) pistols from the 'Art Deco' period (1900 to 1940 or so). I do not have that particular pistol yet. But I have a reasonable number of others.

See my blog at " oldmanmontgomery.wordperfect.com " for some articles on the pistols (and WWI rifles) I have.

It's a fun field of collecting. Great volumes of history involved.

 

I've been a shooter and collector for some fifty years now. I now have a pretty decent collection of modern and 'older' arms.

Searching and finding them is at least half the fun.

If one finds EXACTLY what one seeks, buy it! It will be gone if you dally.

Unless damaged, 'old' guns do not depreciate in value.

We do not have enough time, enough beer (or coffee) or enough hankies to talk about all the guns I've either sold in a moment of weakness or financial crisis or errantly 'passed on' in my life.