Paco Kelly's Acu'rzr

As I recently posted, in another post of the same name, Paco Kelly has updated/improved his Acu'rzr and I ordered one.  Paco must have jumped on my order 'cause I've already got the tool and it is a gem.  He also sent me one of the early tools.  Now, I'm all set. 

One of the chambers I got on my new tool is for the Short cartridge.  I'm going to use it on CB caps as well as shorts.  A big wide nose really helps those light loads perform better.

Paco Kelly's Acu'rzr

Paco has been making his Acu'rzr for a while. Neat tool, that works, and well worth the $58 or so he charged. Materials costs have upped his expenses and instead of simply passing on the cost he's got a new an improved version. You should read the product test at GunBlast.com but here's what Paco says:

I'LL GIVE THE SHORT EXPLANATION... 2 YEARS AGO OR SO A ROD OF 7071 BRASS (THE STRONGEST MADE) WAS $90, MY LAST PURCHASE THE SAME ROD WAS $333 I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS TODAY. THE LAST THREE RODS I PURCHASED 6 MONTHS AGO COST WELL OVER 1000 DOLLARS. ALSO EVEN THOUGH THE U.S.MAILS HAVE GONE UP A FEW CENTS PER STAMP... PACKAGES HAVE DOUBLED IN COST... SO HAS PACKAGING MATERIAL.... I JUST CAN NOT MAKE AND SEND OUT TOOLS AT $58 POSTPAID ANY LONGER.... AND THAT BOTHERS THE HECK OUT OF ME BECAUSE WE HAVE ALWAYS TRIED TO OFFER AN EXCELLENT TOOL AT A REAL LOW COST. SO STUCK WITH THIS COST PROBLEM, I DECIDED TO ALSO TAKE CARE OF ANOTHER PROBLEM... AND MAKE A WHOLE NEW DESIGNED TOOL. OVER THE YEARS MANY FOLKS HAVE HAD TO PURCHASE MORE THAN ONE TOOL BECAUSE THEY HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FIREARMS IN 22 RF. EVEN 22 SHORTS. THE NEW TOOL CALLED THE PHASE FOUR DELUXWILL HAVE FOUR CHAMBERS INSTEAD OF THE USUAL TWO. SO A PERSON CAN GET THE NEW TOOL IN .222 THROUGH 225 WHICH TAKE CARE OF 98% OF AMERICAN 22 RF GUNS INCLUDING SLOOPY CHAMBERED REVOLVERS. OR IF THERE IS A CUSTOM OR EURO BARREL INVOLVED .221 THROUGH .224. OR ANY COMBINATION OF CHAMBER SIZES, INCLUDING THE 22 SHORT IF NEEDED... ALL I NEED TO KNOW IS THE FIREARMS INVOLVED... I HAVE ALL THE BORES SIZES FOR MOST GUNS... EVEN THE CHINESSE AND RUSSIAN ONES. THE NEW TOOL IS $75 DOLLARS POST PAID... THE FORMING RODS HAVE ALSO BEEN REDESIGNED USING ANGULAR RINGS SO THAT AFTER A SHORT TIME OF USE THEY FIT THE TOOL VERY FIRMLY. SINCE I COULDN'T HELP BUT RAISE THE PRICE, I ADDED MORE MACHINING TIME AND MADE THE ACU'RZR EVEN BETTER THAN IT WAS... THE WRITE UP ON THE NEW TOOL WITH PICTURES WILL BE POSTED ON JEFF AND BOGE QUINS' SITE GUNBLAST.COM SOON... ALSO WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO FINISHING OUR NEW 22 MAGNUM RF TOOL... LET YOU KNOW WHEN THAT IS READY. A NASTI-NOSE FORMED 22 MAGNUM RF WILL CUT A RABBIT IN HALF... THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE BEEN SO KIND TO PURCHASE MY TOOLS.... PACO P.O.BOX 1170 CORTARO AZ. 85652

I think that the writing is on the wall with raw material and fuel prices driving costs up. It might just be that soon, the ammo you shoot will be what you can get and not necessarily what you want. Such a tool can improve substandard ammo and make it perform better. This could be invaluable. I've got my order in, you should, too.

To reiterate, order by sending a USPS MO for $75 and your address to PACO P.O.BOX 1170 CORTARO AZ. 85652. Include a letter telling him for which guns you'll be using the altered ammunition.

Kimber .22 Conversion Set

I received my Kimber .22 Conversion set from Simply Rugged. I haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet. Rob said he'd never shot it. I plan to determine the best ammo for it, get a brick of that ammo, clean the unit to spotless, get a second magazine and gift it to my son-in-law for his birthday this September.

.22 LR Conversions for 1911s

Conversion units for the Colt 1911 and later model/variations in .45 ACP have been around for quite awhile and the concept has been around longer than the pistol with some limited conversions being made for Webley revolvers. While the cost is often seemingly prohibitive since a simple .22 LR pistol can often be had for less money, the conversions allow something purpose built .22 pistols don't. That is, they allow practice with the same trigger, safety and grip as the self-defense arm but at a considerable savings in ammunition cost. However, I can't see that practice with something that provides less than stellar accuracy is really practice at all. Certainly it can't build confidence! Clearing jams is also a practice best left to the full-size combat cartridge due to the peculiarities of both cartridge and slide operation which, of necessity, must differ. So, the conversion units must be accurate and reliable and spare magazines available. Otherwise the effort would seem pointless.

Seems to me that there used to be only one .22 LR conversion set for the 1911 pistol and that was made by Colt.

The Colt .22-.45 (later the Coltmaster) conversion unit was a development from their Ace then Service Ace products. The system featured a floating chamber from "Carbine" Williams in order to make the little .22 LR function like the .45 ACP n the big pistol. Combined with the lack of hand fitting, these conversions might and might not be wonderful. In addition, and this is the big bugaboo I'd always heard about, the floating chamber would severely foul in as few as 50 rounds. Then, these units are also getting up there in price. I don't think this is what I should be looking for, after all, I'm a shooter, not a collector!

Advantage Arms has a 1911 Conversion Kit (the standard kit is shown, there is also a Target Kit) which appears to be made by Ceiner and repackaged for the Advantage Arms brand. Price for this kit is $349 with $25 for each additional magazine. As you can see, Advantage Arms has tried to differentiate their product by offering it in a higher quality case and with cleaning equipment. That doesn't seem to warrant the additional cost over the Ceiner marketed unit, for me, but I suppose they sell some. The Target Model differs in that it has adjustable sights and a "rib" over the top of the upper assembly.

Ceiner has taken a shot at making some money from the market with their kit. Price on these is $199 direct from Ceiner and the 15-round magazines are $35. Like the others (other than the Colt), I've no direct experience but it seems to me that if you build solely on price point, you get what you pay for. In some way or another, I can only imagine that these aren't going to come up to the same standard as those units built with more of an eye to durability and less of an eye towards price.

There is also the Kimber rimfire target conversion kit. I've read or been told that Ceiner makes these kits, but I don't know that. I'd love to see them all side-by-side to see for myself! These are $314 for either the blue or silver (for stainless guns) and extra magazines are almost $26. You can order them direct from Kimber but you can get them from MidwayUSA for $299. Kittery Trading Post has them on offer for $289! I have committed to buying one of these used and will see how it does. I'll probably buy a second magazine before giving it a detailed cleaning and wrapping it up for the son-in-law.

Marvel has their 1911 .22 LR Conversion Unit. They say

The Marvel .22 Conversion Unit converts any caliber 1911 Semi-Auto with no fitting required. Installation time is under a minute, even if you're taking your time. It fits Government, Commander and Officer Model 1911 Frames. Magazine fits all those models also, but will extend below the bottom of the grip on the Officer Model.

Each conversion kit comes with one tested steel magazine and a foam-padded, soft-side nylon case.

The Marvel unit is $408 direct from the manufacturer and magazines are a whopping $47 each. John has written a review of the unit that is worth reading and he has follow-ups! Good job John.

Tactical Solutions has one that was completely reviewed by Gunblast. It sure looks good and I know that Jeff and Boge Quinn tell it like it is. That gives me a lot of confidence in the product without ever seeing one. I like, also, that I can use it on the Commander as well. Currently listed at $400, this seems to be a quality item. I don't see a listed price for the magazines. This is the one that the experts recommend. While they say they are out of stock they are taking orders and making these units to order with delivery in about 8 weeks from date of order. I have pretty much decided to get one of these units. As one can also get, as Mr. Quinn did, the barrel threaded for the suppressor, and that is just what I'm going to do. No, I don't have a suppressor and I might not ever have one. But it is worth doing just in case and it doesn't change the price.

Wilson Combat has a .22 conversion unit as well. I've been told these are made by Ceiner with a couple of changes but the magazines look nothing like the Ceiner product. Perhaps it is just the uppers? Maybe one of you can clue me in on this. Price for the Wilson product is $319.95 and extra magazines are $42.95.

Of course this is all about making this Colt 1991A1 just a shade more versatile and useful, you know, if I have to cut back for some reason. "Just in case" seems to be more and more a justification that I can live with as we approach the election this November.

Marlin 39A Mountie

Once upon a time I looked at the Ithaca 49R Saddlegun and lusted after this perennial advertiser in the boys magazines. Then a friend of my father's managed to drop his guard and let me close enough to his Marlin Mountie to initiate the drool response. Although it was many years until money and a rifle were co-located in my life, the drooling never stopped. I had other, fully capable, .22 Long Rifle chambered rifles but still, the trim lines, lever and balanced layout of the Mountie continued to cause a Pavlovian response in this poor boy.

The Marlin 39 began as the 1891 and through improvements (models 1892, 1897 and 39) finally evolved into the 39A. One of the models of the 39A was the straight grip Mountie with a 20" barrel. The gun has further evolved into the 39AS with rebounding hammer and crossbolt safety (which are completely unneccesary complications to this fine design).

As is my habit, I buy Williams Foolproof Receiver sights for guns I'd like to have someday. It was my good fortune to find a poorly and inaccurately described sight for the Marlin 39. Joy of joy, I got the sight (and some others...) for about $30 delivered. Ever closer to my dream, I stored the sight in my parts box in the basement and went on with life.

But I never lost my dream. One day I was perusing Gunbroker.com with the reckless abandon born of empty pockets when I spied this Marlin 39A Mountie with a buy-it-now price of just $200. Obviously, there must be something wrong with it but at $250 delivered and background check it couldn't be that bad. It wasn't. Scrambling through the wallet, emptying the change jar, and the money was scraped together. Off it went together with the necessary FFL copy and in a matter of days the gun was delivered into my hands.

With, finally after 41 years, a Marlin Model 39 Mountie in my hands, I was as happy as I could be with a new-to-me gun. This one was made in 1956 which I knew because the serial began with the letter "N". The gun had one issue in that the latch/muzzle end of the mag tube is a bit buggered but a new mag tube was ordered (although I've yet to install it).

Of course, the first thing I did was install the Williams Foolproof Receiver sight (you can see in the photo that I tend to a certain pattern) and go to the range. I took along some Aguila Super Colibri, CCI CB-Long, Winchester Dynapoint (both modified to the SGB point and unmodified), Winchester PowerPoint and Aguila SSS (with the 60 gr. bullet) but forgot the chronograph. I don't know the velocities of the various loads from this gun but all proved to be usably accurate with the PowerPoints and SGB pointed Dynapoints being the most accurate. I was also very surprised to discover that the Marlin would stabilize the long Aguila 60 gr. bullets in the SSS load. None of my other .22s would do so. I converted a few to the SGB point and they were even more accurate but not so much as to be a critical difference at 25-50 yards. Perhaps at 100 yards the accuracy difference would be notable.

I then had to take it squirrel hunting. It was a treat. There is nothing like toting a classic rifle made of wood and steel into the woods after game. I was in a sort of heaven and shortly so were two of the local gray squirrel population. (They were excellent when cut up, stir fried and served over white rice...) The gun was everything I knew it would be. I only wish I'd been able to share the experience but, as usual, I was hunting alone.

I'm looking forward to many happy years with this fine .22 rimfire rifle.

Ruger Single Six .22

When I was a kid the best shows were the westerns, the best screen heroes were the Lone Ranger and the Cisco Kid. Of course, we had cap pistols but the goal was to someday own a real western revolver, a single-action sixgun. As I got older, practicality took over and a .22 rifle was more useful than the revolver, dittos for a shotgun and a Marlin .30-30 which took all my available money, the handguns would have to wait!

Then, I went into military service and on my first assignment in the Republic of Korea had as my supervisor Specialist 4th Class (now 1SG USA Retired) Verne H. who happened to have a photo of himself with his Single-Six and a Winchester 1901 10 ga. leveraction shotgun.

That got my interest up even though I'd been reading about them for years. Still, I didn't buy one. Well, I almost did. While stationed at Fort Hunter-Liggett, CA I was offered one I turned down. This one had had the serial, ummm, "altered" and in just a couple of days the "owner" was arrested for theft of the gun.

Later, I got the urge for a .22 pistol again. By that time I'd shot the Ruger Government models of their .22 auto and was more disposed to buying a semi-auto. Still the Single-Six occupied a space in my consciousness and when I finally resolved to buy one, two came my way in the space of a week. The first was a Single-Six chambered in .32 H&R and the other is the .22 version about which this post is written.

Here's my gun side-by-side with my New Vaquero. You can see that the grip frames are very similar and the guns are of a similar size but the layout of the frame/receiver is different due to the different requirements of the different cartridges. I felt the single-Six would be a good understudy for the bigger New Vaquero. That has been true to a point. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to shoot either gun as much as I would have liked. That's getting to be, unfortunately, normal around here.

I tried the gun with all the ammo I had on hand and, as seems to be the trend, the SGB point modified Winchester Dynapoints and the Winchester PowerPoints proved to be the most accurate. The Aguila Super Colibris don't shoot for beans in this gun and it won't stabilize the 60 gr. bullet of the SSS load either.

Of course this gun has a .22 WMRF cylinder as well and that ammo had to be tested. Well, "tested" is a bit optimistic, truth be told. But some preliminary range work seems to show that the premium ammo is all usably accurate to 50 yards or more and the most accurate load might be the Remington 40 gr. SP load. I also want to try out some of the 6000 rounds of Remington made .22 WRF (.22 Rem Special) ammo I recently procured but just haven't had the range time. I've yet to shoot anything with the Mag cylinder other than paper targets or plastic drink bottles.

Links:
- Ruger Parts Booklets
- Ruger New Serial Number History (all models)

S&W M34-1 2 Inch

I recently got this gun because another blogger, Xavier, had posted about his find in a pawn shop. I don't think I got away as cheaply as Xavier but it is a fine little gun. It came to me with Pachmayr rubber grips but I didn't like them and after trying several others ended up with configuration of the standard grips plus a Tyler "T" grip adapter. That is until that grip set-up was moved to my 642 and the "bananas" went on it (as shown). These feel just like the standard grips with the Tyler-T adapter but are a bit longer.

The "J" frame kit guns were a development from the Bekeart "model". San Francisco gun dealer Philip Bekeart placed a special order with Smith & Wesson for a .22 caliber revolver built on a .32 caliber "heavy frame" with 6" barrel, target sights and a special extended grip. Smith & Wesson obliged and produced a limited run of 1044 revolvers. Philip Bekeart received 292 from this first production and the balance went to other dealers. Later, more "kit" guns were made up on the "I" frame and then when the "I" frame was superseded, on the "J" frame.

I'd wanted one for a long time and had settled for the S&W M422 as more practical/less expensive and the Ruger Single-Six as more useful but still wanted one. Xavier's post sent me over the edge and I actually went looking for one. In the process I learned a lot about some sellers across the country and the vagaries of pricing. I think his post got a lot of others "thinking" too as there were a number of guns available before the post and many fewer after. I'm certain that he drove the price up. Anyway, I found this gun on GunsAmerica and made the necessary arrangements and sent off the money.

I was pretty happy when I got it and couldn't wait to shoot it. First thing through it was some Aguila Super Colibri. That ammo worked pretty well and I was able to keep walnuts rolling at 10-15 yards with no need to wear hearing protection. However, with standard rimfire ammo such as the Winchester PowerPoints or Dynapoints (modified to SGB profile, of course) this gun barks pretty good! However, I never got it to the range until 12 September 2007 when I finally managed to take this gun and my Bearcat to Hite Hollow Range and see how she does with some different types of ammo. Aside from unmodified Dynapoints, I tried some old, Russian-made, steel cased Junior.

Shooting small groups at 25 yards is an exercise with these guns requiring perfect sight alignment and very consistent trigger control. Single action I was able to keep almost all rounds in about a hand's breadth. One unanticipated problem was that the Junior ammo sometimes didn't "go" quite as vigorously. In other words, some rounds didn't have "full power". So, every once in a while, a round will sink considerable away from the group.

One other problem, common to the S&W kit guns is that as the gun got dirty it became harder and harder to extract all cases. This Junior ammo is particularly dirty and sometimes it appeared that I must have a small fire in my hands because the smoke really rolled! Of course that fouled the pistol quickly and so I had to clean it up in order to continue shooting.

As usual with the Winchester PowerPoint ammo, groups were consistent and among the best that this gun delivers. It is hard to tell, but this gun might just give better groups with the Winchester Dynapoints modified to SGB configuration. With this gun's short sight radius there's just enough doubt about my consistency to make me wonder which ammo is best. This is where the use of a rest like the Ransom would give one a definitive answer as to which ammo is more accurate and eliminate that nagging doubt over one's own abilities on any given day.

Links:
Marshall Stanton SGB

.25 Stevens Rimfire

I remember reading Elmer Keith and his comments about the .25 Stevens (which I think he liked for small game). Recently I bought Rimfire Rifleman and in the back is a drawing of the .25 Stevens rimfire. That only served to excite me a bit and I started to do a little research.

It seems that most authorities agree that the .25 Stevens was introduced in 1900 despite some references which would seem to indicate 1890 or so. In any "case" this was a joint development of J. Stevens and Peters Cartridge. Stevens chambered the the "Crackshot" No. 15 and "Favorite" rifles for the cartridge. Remington and Winchester also chambered rifles for the cartridge.

The original load was a 67 gr. lead bullet over 10-11 gr. of blackpowder. Later loads were offered with both semi-smokeless and smokeless powders the later being used exclusively when the round was discontinued in 1942 (likely due to to the war). The inside lubricated bullet was offered in both solid and hollow point ersions. In response to the calls by many gun writers for a high velocity load, Remington reputedly did development work on an improved version, the .267 Remington Rimfire, with a rumored MV of 1400 fps with the 67 gr. bullet. Unfortunately, nothing came of it and with the introduction of the .22 WRFM, there was little need.

The cartridge had a very good reputation, even Elmer Keith liked it, on small game without ruining meat. The negatives were the relatively high cost and high trajectory.

Of course, the high cost being a consideration, there was also a .25 Stevens Short which initially used 4.5-5 gr. of BP. It could be fired in any rifle chambered for the longer .25 Stevens.

Interestingly, there were even empty primed cases offered. I'd like to read of actual experience(s) of those who used these and why. I know I've often read of shooters who wanted to try loading their own .22 WRFM or 5mm Remingtons. They almost always seem to believe that they could develope more accurate and effective loads if only they had the chance. Perhaps that was the reasoning here and the ammo company saw a chance to make a sale.

This would be about an ideal small game cartridge, especially today. However, I'm not so unrealistic as to think that the tooling and marketing costs would be prohibitive. Certainly, no new rifles (other than custom conversions of exhisting guns) would be made. Even Contender couldn't be used because the bigger diameter of the rim moves the rim away from the firing pin. I do think that ammo could be sold for the existing guns then again, that may be the last vestige of my rifle loonie self hoping for the best that will never come. After all, if Elmer Keith couldn't make it happen...

Rimfire Rifleman by Edwards Brown

I recently found Rimfire Rifleman by Edwards Brown and after briefly examining it noted that the book had quite a bit of information about competitive smallbore rifle shooting. Noting the publication date, I thought it would be pretty dry. It isn't. The authors use a story about a typical post WWII family, their neighbors and shooting buddies to provide the information they'd like to provide about smallbore (.22 rimfire) rifle shooting. I think that is a pretty neat aspect of the book.

Although it reads a bit like the screenplay for an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" sans Eddie Haskell, it reads well and it is easy to understand the shooting information provided. One might think it is a bit dated due to the 1947 era information provided, but the basics are all applicable to the current smallbore game. Indeed, some shooters are still using the same equipment.

I really like the book and I'm glad I bought it. I'm hoping that I'll get my grandchildren to either read it or perhaps, I'll read it to them...

Ruger MK II 10 Inch

I've got to thank both my dad and my friend, Mike Mays, for this gun. Mike was the "original" owner (so far as I know) and he traded the gun to Dad for leather working tools Dad was no longer interested in using. Then Dad (and I) enjoyed the gun for a few years before Dad passed and now I have it. So, now I have a gun that really has a connection to a couple of people that I really liked. Makes every time I take it hunting a very special experience.

The Ruger .22 pistols are great guns. Bill Ruger had a great idea and his execution is nearly flawless. These things, in any configuration, are more accurate than most shooters. The 10" guns were intended for silhouette shooters but they are the bee's knees for squirrel and rabbit hunters, too.

Mike got the gun to hunt turkeys. Yep, turkeys. I'm not exactly sure why he abandoned the idea but at about that time he was not a good handgun shot and was semi-convinced that handguns were pretty much useless. One day I took him to Dad's and we shot a few handguns along with the deer rifles and he had his outlook altered by the experience. Soon after all things were possible but I think this was stretching it a bit. Anyway, he then traded the gun to Dad for a potful of leather working tools.

Dad really liked this pistol. I got him some Pachmayrs which better fit his big hands and then one of those swinging metal disk targets. For a while he'd sit on the front porch and shoot at the disks out at about 25 yards. He was doing pretty good until macular degeneration caught up to him and he couldn't see well enough to shoot (or to see what was downrange in the impact zone).

After that he let me take it out squirrel hunting a couple of times and it was a treat. One day he asked if I could find a buyer and I told him he had a buyer, me. He refused! I didn't see the gun again until after he'd died. We, all three of us, Dad, the pistol and me, went squirrel hunting and had a heck of a time. Well, I do believe Dad was there in spirit. If possible, I just don't think he missed that.

I've now removed the Pachmayrs and re-installed the factory grips. These fit my hands just as well or better and I don't find them slippery as some do.

Favorite loads? Well, most anything shoots well in this gun which is pretty interesting but my favorite loads are Winchester Dynapoints run through my Hanned Line SGB tool and the Winchester 40 gr. PowerPoint load. Both rounds are dependable killers out of handguns.

Over the years many squirrels have fallen to this gun and I've always felt camaraderie with my dad and Mike when I'm hunting with this gun. What surprises me is how many folks don't think that you can hunt anything with a handgun.

One day of squirrel season in 1999 (the year Dad died) I was hunting up near Elkhorn Lake. I'd snuck around for about an hour including the 15 minute walking time and bagged a couple of squirrels with the MKII and Winchester PowerPoints. While I love to squirrel hunt nobody in my family is big on eating squirrel and two will make a plenty big stir fry for me. So, I headed back to the truck. I came out on the road about 1/2 mile from my Dakota and started down the road, pistol in one hand (I didn't have a holster yet) and squirrels dangling from the other. I heard a vehicle coming and hied over next to the ditch and it comes by me really slow and both guys in the car were just a staring at me. That was enough to make me a bit cautious as they were headed towards my truck which I could see. Then they pulled in right next to it and didn't move! Well, I just strolled on up there (the pistol was still loaded) and they clambered out of their compact sedan.

Well, long story short, they recognized me from high school. No, I didn't recognize them until they started talking about families and such. You see, at the time, I hadn't put on the weight they had. We sat and talked hunting and such for about 20 minutes and they just couldn't get over the fact that I had killed those squirrels with a handgun. About that time another fairly big old gray gets up in a tree about 35 yards from us and was hanging upside down on the trunk scolding us for disturbing his afternoon reverie. One of the fellows suggested that I demonstrate how it was done by taking him.

Now, I was looking at a full plate already but I couldn't help showing off and without moving from my seat on the tailgate I picked up the Ruger and nailed that old boar squirrel at 35 yards. At the shot he just fell right off that tree. Of course the distance had to be paced off and another 20 minutes was spent ooohing and aaaahing as the bullet had entered his head just above and between the eyes! No, I can NOT guarantee such a shot. I wish I could but it made for a great day and I know those guys told that story 'round and about.

Now the Ruger handguns I have didn't all come with boxes, or at least boxes I felt were suitable for storage in the crowded safe, so I started getting boxes for the guns including this one. The first box I ordered was the correct cardboard box but the fellow sent me a box for a stainless gun. That just bothered me so I bought a plastic box from Ruger for the gun. That box is NOT correct for this gun but it does a good job of protecting the gun.

I've also got a couple of extra magazines for the gun and one of the HK tools to make loading them easier.

Winchester Model 62A and 06 (1906)

These guns have a lot in common. Both are developed from the Model 1890, Winchester's premiere pump action rimfire rifle. Both are chambered for the .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle rimfire ammunition. Both are operated exactly the same way. Both now have the same type of sights, notably the tang peep sight. Both came from grandfathers albeit different grandfathers. Both spent most of their service lives dealing with garden pests. Both are now mine and both will likely be passed to my grandchildren. That would be 5 generations of service for these guns.

The first which I became familiar was Grandpa P's M62A. Every summer we would trek up from West Virginia or Kentucky to visit him near Fly Creek, NY and I would be sure to get a shooting lesson and later to help keep the woodchuck/groundhog population down. We did a lot of shooting with .22 Shorts because there was a real economic advantage to using the little cartridges. However, Grandpa used LR hollowpoints on the groundhogs. What I can't say for certain now but I remember more of the H headstamp for Winchester ammo. Grandpa used that same ammo to keep the rabbits out of the garden but I think it was "Uncle" George who taught Aunt Gigi and Dad to shoot.

Dad taught me to shoot with this gun and that was the highlight of every summer trip, for me. I think for Dad as well as he only hunted woodcock and grouse a couple of times while I was growing up. It wasn't until I was 12 that we got a bird dog and Dad took the time to get a license or go hunting. He started me on coffee cans at about 20 yards and we moved up from the cheap .22 shorts to using the .22 LR on game. By the time I was 10 I was allowed to take Grandpa's gun out woodchuck hunting on my own. I killed many with that gun to Grandpa's delight. He hated woodchucks so much I've seen him swerve, near to running off the road, trying to hit them with his car.

Dad told me once that this was the only new gun that Grandpa ever bought and I believe he had the Lyman #2 tang sight on it from the beginning. It is a great combination and if you miss it is some problem other than the sights. The serial dates this gun to 1949 and I think that Grandpa was making good money on the farm at that time with all the kids gone and out of college so he had extra to spend.

The 1906, made in 1920 was Grandfather F's gun. I think that he most certainly bought it used and he spent no more on it than he needed to. I'm the one who mounted the Marble's tang peep. He didn't take care of the rifle either. Once upon a time he decided that the open sights weren't helping him kill the garden pests easily enough and he borrowed his veterinarian's scoped Mossberg rifle for that job. The 1906 was put away and never again brought out. My Grandmother F was a virulent anti-gun person and she banned the guns from the house proper. Grandfather put them all in the attic where they remained, apparently untouched, for nearly 40 years. Unfortunately, Grandfather wasn't as serious about house maintenance as he was about boat maintenance and the guns had various amounts of rust damage. The 1906 had quite a bit of rusting over all of the outside, apparently from condensation. I stripped it and had it fine bead blasted and reblued so the finish is not original but it won't deteriorate further.

So I've two of Winchester's pump guns and this has got me wanting an 1890, preferably in .22 WRF. But I'm glad for what I have. The 62A has not been rezeroed and I use Winchester PowerPoints in it and it does go squirrel hunting now and again. The 1906 is currently zeroed for the Aguila Colibris and it is used for light, no hearing protection plinking with Dad's old swinging metal target. Great fun, the both of them.

Winchester pump-action rimfire series began with the Browning designed 1890. The 1890 became the quintessential gallery rifle and many thousands were made for that purpose as well as for field use. The 1906 was an attempt to make a lower price-point firearm for the younger shooter. Stocks were shorter and the gun lighter. Perhaps most importantly, this is when the design of the lifter was changed so that the guns could operate with .22 shorts, longs and long rifle cartridges interchangeably. The Models 62 and later 62A were the result of slight alterations to facilitate manufacture and reduce production costs. Like the Marlin 39s, all these (except for some early solid frame guns) are "takedowns". This makes them convenient for transportation and storage. However, I don't think ours have ever been taken down except for cleaning. According to Schwing Winchester originally intended to chamber the rifles for .32 caliber cartridges and to make a lever action version. Although there wasn't the market demand to move Winchester to do that, Taurus has seen fit to produce the lever action version. It would be great if they followed up on Winchester's earlier vision and actually produced the .32 H&R version.

But before the gas and recoil MGs there were...

the manually operated guns like Dr. Gatling's invention. Here is one of the .22 LR guns with the Accles drum. These things are just too cool. They are cool mechanically, cool as an example of the machinists art, and cool as an expression of frivolity. There is absolutely no practical use for such a thing. Thank God we're so blessed as to be able to be frivolous.

I Love Firearm Oddities

Come on, that's what Tippman's scaled down 1919A4 is, let's face it. Absolutely no practical use but it does appear to be fun and a fine way to further the shortage of .22 LR ammo. Enjoy!



and another...

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire Ammo

Before I was distracted by a fantastic offer on a rifle (carbine) for which I've been waiting pretty much my whole life (see the blurb on the Winchester 1876 NWMP SWC)I was busy pulling together some .22 Winchester Rimfire Magnum ammo. I use the stuff in my Single-Six and Contender 16" barrel. Pretty handy around Mom's place for eliminating various pests in the .5-20 lb range. Properly placed from less than 50 yards it might do well on animals (e.g. coyotes) up to about 40-50 lbs live weight.

Right now I'm using the Remington 40 gr. PSP (Pointed Soft Point). Somewhere along the line I picked up a box and it shot pretty well so the other day I bought a brick. Not sure it is my favorite .22 WRFM load but we'll see.



I'd already used most of a box of this really expensive Remington fodder with the VMAX bullets. Oh, it did a number on the groundhogs and it is accurate but it sure is expensive. Hard to justify a quantity of this as it is nearly $50 a brick more expensive than the PSP ammo.


Some time ago I got a promotional box of 200 rounds of the Winchester 34 gr. HP ammo as shown here. It came in a plastic, MTM type box but the latch broke when I first opened it. It will also do a number on Mr. Woodchuck. However, with the Winchester rimfire plant in East Alton, IL not yet replaced by their Oxford, MS plant, you just have to get what you can where you can find it. A friend reported buyin 1000 rounds for $50, I'd say he got a great deal as this ammo is retailing for more than $10 a box of 50.

Both CCI and Federal are producing a premium .22 WRFM load using the Speer 30 gr. TNT bullet. The Federal load is pretty darn accurate in my contender carbine but I've never used the CCI product pictured here so can't report on it. I'm sure the bullet works well but a good load is more than a bullet. The price of the CCI is comparable to other premium .22 WRFM ammo or about $10 a box of 50 rounds.

Winchester .22 LR Power-Point

The Winchester .22 Long rifle Power-Point ammunition is my favorite .22 Long Rifle ammo. The ammunition is consistent, the bullet quality is excellent, the design is effective and it is accurate in a number of my guns chambered for the .22 LR. It is the ONLY effective .22 HP in the short barreled pistols and revolvers. However, Winchester has closed the rimfire ammo plant in East Alton, IL and moved to Oxford, MS. The ammo is hard to find and costs an arm and a leg when you do find it. Midway USA shows the item out of stock and no backorder. They expect to have stock the first of June. I wonder. I'd buy a case (or two or three) of this stuff if I could.

In any "case" I've been buying .22 LR ammo. I can either shoot it or, if worse comes to worse, trade it. Prices are certainly rising on all ammo and it is a good thing to lay in a supply against possible shortages/controls.

Winchester Model 72

In looking for background on the M72 I found this in "The Winchester Book" by George Madis.

For years dealers had been asking Winchester to make a reasonably priced tubular magazine repeater. Clip-fed magazine repeaters have the objection of a loose magazine to lose and rarely feed the Short, Long and Long Rifle cartridges interchangeably. In 1939 the model 72 was introduced to fill this demand.

At first production was on a standard rifle with two standard sight combinations. After production of less than one year, a "Gallery Special" was added to the listing. Standard rifles have 25 inch barrels. Gallery Special rifles are the same as the standard models but were chambered for the 22 Short only and are so marked.

Barrels of this model are made separate from the receiver and are threaded into the receiver. A sliding safety was provided. Earlier rifles will have the bolt handle bent downward, later arms have the handle bent downward and to the rear.

Earlier arms have a stock which is 1-5/8 inch thick. When production began after WWII, the stocks were 1-3/4 inch thick and forends were more rounded and tapered with a slightly more beavertail shape in some issues. Production of this model, as with some previous models, ceased in 1941 due to the war and began again in late 1946. Three quarter length magazines are found on this model. Some longer magazines, extending to within six inches of the muzzle, were assembled. Standard magazines are 7-5/8 inches from the muzzle. Attractive bolt handles (knobs) of ovoid shape are standard on this model. The first rifles made had the handles of round shape, but this was changed after production of a few hundred guns (sic).

Also...

Pistol grips and composition shotgun buttplates were standard. All steel parts except bolt fronts were blued.

Barrel markings are the same as the 69-A with the model marking changed. Latest of the rifles have a barrel marking:

WINCHESTER - MODEL 72A -
TRADEMARK - 22 S.L. OR L.R. -
MADE IN U.S.A.

A few barrels have the "made in U.S.A." following the model marking.

After production reached nearly 100,000 guns, triggers were grooved.

Early in production two sight combinations were offered. First was the number 32 open rear barrel mounted and series 75 front: A tin bead was attached to the front sight. Second to be announced to dealers was the rifle with a series 97 hooded ramp front with an 80A receiver moutned peep sight.

And...

In 1959 the model 72 and 72A were discontinued when production passed 161,000.

This model 72 Winchester was Dad's. I had thought that he may have bought it new after coming home from the Army (the first time) in 1947 but it seems to be an early gun. As you can see this seems to my eye to be a round bolt knob and it isn't swept back. However, the stock is about 1-3/4" wide. The barrel marking is also of the earlier type. The mag ends 6-7/8" from the muzzle. Does this gun exhibit a mix of features or was Winchester's production so varied that this is completely normal? Unfortunately for me, these rifles are unserialed and so it is yet more difficult to date. Hindsight being 20/20, I wish Dad had told me more of the history of these guns as I'm trying to do for my grandchildren.

To my mind the Model 72 is nearly the epitome of the bolt-action .22 LR. The trigger is more than adequate and the stock is comfortable in both carrying and shooting. Complete with the factory peep sight, this gun has taken numerous squirrels and rabbits, more than a few groundhogs and given many years of pleasure to two generations.

I Couldn't Help Myself

No, I couldn't help myself. I've been wanting to have an example of the Ruger Bearcats but really preferred getting one of the older guns. Yesterday, I happened to walk in on Nuckoll's Gun Works and they had one, serial B2XX! Not great condition. There is considerable blue wear to the left of the barrel and a couple of scratches. But, there is no rust, no dings in the trigger guard, no chips or dents in the stocks. I got it for $245. I'll amend this post with photos as soon as I can get the gun in front of a camera.

This first year gun may not be in the best of condition but it is a treat. There is something to be said for Bill Ruger's marketing savvy. When I was a kid and saw one of these on display it was certain to elicit drooling and nose prints on the display case glass. When I actually got to shoot one I was old enough that I'd come near to completing my physical growth and didn't get to enjoy the tiny revolver for what it is for young people, a revolver scaled to work for young people. Oh, it is a joy for us older and/or larger folks but for kids, what joy it must have been. I just know the grandkids will love this little gun.

William B. Ruger, in an interview with James Bequette, said of the Bearcat,

"Always admired Remington’s percussion revolvers. They felt better to me than the Colts. The Bearcat was obviously developed after the Remington design. It was a smaller version than the Remington Army. More like the Police revolver. We used some radical ideas, having an aluminum frame for example, to produce it more efficiently."

I understand that there are quite a number of variations of the old model, 1958 to 1970, the Super Bearcat, from 1971, and new model, 1993 and later, that a complete collection of Bearcats requires one to obtain well over 40 guns.



Links:
Steve Fjestad the author and publisher of The Blue Book of Gun Values discusses the value of a Ruger Bearcat revolver.

Smith and Wesson 422

The Smith & Wesson 422 is an outgrowth/follow-on product from the Escort line of concealable .22 pistols. There was considerable charm to the unique Escort but it wasn't of a size to give adequate velocity to the .22 LR cartridge for hunters nor for a long enough sight radius for most shooters. There are all-stainless & alloy frames, long & short barrels, adjustable & fixed sights, 10 & 12 round magazines, plastic & wood stocks. The S&W 41 magazine is fully interchangeable. Wolff makes a reduced power recoil spring.

The action is unique in that the recoil spring is over the barrel so that the barrel sits low in relation to the hand and recoil, while mild, is more straight back and muzzle "flip" is reduced. The magazine release is absolutely ambidextrous as it is in the center of the forward grip frame. The safety is in the same position and identical in up front function to the Colt 1911 (I know, not INTERNALLY). The grip angle is similar to the Colt but not identical. The gun is easy to take down and clean. Some report lots of parts breakage but I haven't experienced that at all. At the time the pistol was introduced it was touted as being designed for modern manufacturing techniques to hold prices down but afterwards the Glock polymer frames were introduced and frame production became yet simpler, and cheaper. I think this is what pushed the gun out of production.

True, the Ruger .22 LR pistol is generally more accurate but not always and it is heavier except when compared to the all-stainless models. However, the 422's accuracy is fully squirrel capable as seen here. This is my favorite squirrel pistol to date and I have a Ruger MK II 10" barreled gun that shoots like a rifle. Why? Because it is light, because of how the safety works, and because it is sufficiently accurate for squirrels to 30 yards or so, about as far as I shoot at squirrels anyway. Both pistols and the Browning Buckmark have grips intended for full-sized/adult hands.

My favorite load for this pistol is the Winchester Dynapoint modified with a Hanned Line Small Game Bullet (SGB) tool to have a nice flat point. These kill squirrels dead with little to no meat loss and they are as accurate or more accurate than any other ammo out there in my pistol.

Prices vary widely due to the negative things said about the gun by the unknowing ranging from $75 to $300 depending on condition (of course) with some very good but dirty guns going for very low prices because the owner doesn't know how to take the gun down for cleaning. I've posted a quick "how to" on assembly disassembly of the S&W 422. Just click on the link to see it.

Mossberg Model 40

This rifle is another gun that was stored in Grandfather's attic for over 40 years. A bolt-action rifle chambered for the .22 Short, Long and Long Rifle cartridges, this gun has a tubular magazine under the 24 inch barrel. Apparently he got this from Doctor North because Grandfather couldn't see the sights on the Winchester 1906 well enough to shoot the groundhogs on his 12 acre farm. I can't imagine Grandfather keeping something that wasn't his but Mom told me that he'd borrowed the gun from the good doctor and never returned it. Of course all the principles are deceased.

In addition to the open sights, this gun has what is an apparently factory installed Mossberg scope sight and mount. This thing is interesting in that the adjustments are all made to the mount. The scope itself has no internal adjustments. Also the scope still has the original rubber eye cup. I would have thought there would have been a lot more deterioration in the attic where temps ranged from 0-150 degrees and humidity likely varied quite a bit as well. The reticule is fine wire crosshairs which are usable in the squirrel woods.

The gun also came with a stowable peep sight which went here. I used to have, might still have it, but I can't find it. Don't know what happened but I may have put the assembly in a "safe place". It is supposed to look like the one shown in this next photo. The two slots are matched by "ribs" on the back of the sight. The bolt screws into the hole shown. It is not click adjustable but that isn't to be expected on a lower price point item. Because of the age and "darkness" of the old scope sight, a peep sight would be welcome.

This image is of the correct sight. Even if I find mine, I know it isn't complete. If you happen to know where I could get such a sight or have such a sight for sale, please contact me.

My gun has the original varnish finish. Extremely practical and probably a cost saver for Mossberg at the time, it really isn't all that good looking.

The magazine is interesting in that the follower and spring protrude so that the follower can force the cartridges through the feeding mechanisms angles to a postion under the bolt. Interesting indeed as I don't know of another rifle that does this.

The action is attached to the stock with a single bolt. This is more than sufficiently strong for this sort of firearm and permits rapid disassembly for cleaning or moisture removal in the event of a good soaking. If it is overly tight, a coin makes a handy "screwdriver" for removal.

The Western Field .410 bolt gun has the exact same attachment method.

As you might be able to tell from this photo the bolt is very similar to the Western-Field .410 bore bolt-gun. The bolt knob is properly placed for rapid manipulation, if required. Again, the similarities continue in the stock design and finish (the aforementioned varnish). Those finger-grooves on the forearm are on both guns. The safety works identically to the Western Field bolt -action shotgun. The trigger guards may actually be the same part! You have to remember that these guns were produced to fill a lower price point and that profitability came from production cost savings made easier by commonality of parts.

Here is a photo of another Mossberg Model 40, not mine, with the complete and correct aperture sight. It makes for an interesting comparison.



...and here is the only schematic I've been able to find so far.


Links:
- National Mossberg Collectors' Association
- Havlin Sales and Service - Mossberg Parts

Winchester Model 320

This was the first gun I ever bought all on my own. A day or two after I turned 18 I hied myself down to Nichols department store in Harrisonburg (or actually just south of Harrisonburg before annexation) and bought this brand new Winchester Model 320 bolt-action .22 LR chambered rifle for $53 and change out the door. Back then even a just barely legal, pimply faced kid with the readies in his pocket and his driver's license could walk into the store, fill out the form(s) and walk out (unescorted) with his rifle or shotgun and a box of ammo. Oh, life was grand. My buddy Ron was also sucked into the joy of the moment and bought a Savage .22. You can tell what our priorities were because this was a FRIDAY night. $53 was a big chunk of change to me. I'm thinking it was a couple of weeks' earnings.

The next day we went out to a farm on which I had permission to shoot. I introduced Ron and we went to the back 40 to try out our new guns. Great fun for me. I sometimes wonder if Ron still has his rifle after a career in the Air Force and two marriages.

So, I've had this rifle for 34 years. For many of those years it was my only .22 LR. I used it to take groundhogs, squirrels and rabbits. It wore just the open sights for a while, then I got a cheap 4x for either birthday or Christmas and then sold that about 1981 or 1982 and got a Bushnell 3-7X rimfire scope. With Winchester Power Points I've made some fantastic shots, this is a good shooting gun. I used it to try to teach my brother to shoot. It was a bit long in the stock for him though and he sometimes had a bit of a problem. Unfortunately, he never had the opportunity to get really good. We never thought that he would be taken so soon.

It is because of that connection to my brother, not because of my attachment to the gun, that it hasn't gone down the road in extreme times of financial stress. I have had a couple of "opportunities" which I've passed on selling this gun. I'd like to give this gun to my grand-son as a connection to his late great-uncle. I'm thinking that I'll give it to him on his 8th birthday. That's how old my brother was when he died.

I have 5 of the 5 round magazines but could never get myself to pop for the 10 rounders even when they could be had from Numrich/Gun Parts Corp. for a very modest amount. (Now they are an expensive item!) If someone would care to give me one of those 10 rounders that would be fine but I'm still not interested in buying one! 5 rounds is plenty with this gun. If you must have a 10-rounder you can buy a Triple K after-market magazine from AmmoClip.com or from Cheaper-Than-Dirt.

As you can see from this photo of the left side of the receiver, the gun is drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. I almost bought a Williams Foolproof (now that I regret) and would take one if I could find it. Unfortunately I haven't seen but one. I believe the Williams would be the FP-320. If you know where one is or have one to sell, feel free to contact me.

You can also see the strong, simple mount on the scope sight. It works well even though it hangs over the action opening. Ejection is not hampered as you might think it would be. I had to mount it that far forward for me, but it could be mounted a bit more to the rear of the action if that is what you want. There is a lot of flexibility here.

The Winchester 310 (single-shot) and 320 (clip fed) were made from 1971 to 1974 and about 27,000 were produced (about 13,544 of each). The MSRP was $44.95 and $57.50 respectively (so I got a pretty good deal!). Today a NIB 320 is asking $695! Most will trade hands for $200-350 depending on condition with the 310 getting something less. There supposedly is a 325 in .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire but I've never seen one. The guns are supposedly very similar to the Kimber Model 82 rifles as the actions were made by the folks who later started Kimber, Omark (Sportco) in Australia. The action was originally designed and built by Jack Warne who sold out to Omark and then moved to the USA to start up Kimber Arms. I used to hear these describe as a poor man's Kimber (which sold for over $500 new or 10 times the cost of the 320). They share the same magazines with those for the 320 being with plastic rather than the aluminum followers.

Bought Some More .22 LR Today

With metal prices rising and the Dem/S seemingly hell-bent to give Iran all the time they need to destroy us I feel like this is what I need to concentrate on for the time being. That is, accumulating ammo and practicing. This "old" man might be in a panic but I think that the terrorists coming to these shores with a nuke from Iran and destroying our economy is tremendously more likely than humans affecting global climate change. I am worried about it and taking steps to mitigate likely negative effects on my family.

Meanwhile, Winchester rimfire ammo seems to be becoming non-existent. I wish Winchester would get their new Oxford, MS plant up and running.

Winchester and .22 Rimfire Ammo Non-Availability

I suppose that I am pretty dense. I only recently discovered that there was little Winchester .22 Rimfire ammo available out there, most of it stuff I don't want. Availability date of new stocks unknown. Why? Because Winchester is relocating .22 rimfire ammo production from East Alton, IL to Oxford, MS. Unfortunately they have apparently neglected to actually set up production at the new site before leaving the old site. Thus, no new ammo. Oh joy. Let me get all my .22s sighted for something other than the .22 Powerpoint HP and just see if I come back to you.

Aguila 60 gr. SSS .22 Long Rifle

Once upon a time I bought a couple of boxes of the much hyped Aguila 60 gr. Sniper SubSonic .22 Long Rifle ammo. The ammo is basically a 60 gr. swaged lead bullet loaded in a .22 short case. I tried the round in many rifles and pistols. Accuracy in my Winchester 62A, 1906, 72, and 320 was poor even at 25 yards because the bullets wouldn't stabilize. Likewise in the Ruger and S&W .22 semi-autos. Feeding wasn't an issue.

However, in the Marlin 39A Mountie made in 1956, the bullets not only stabilized but were actually accurate. Accuracy was improved after running the ammo through the Hanned Line SGB die (now discontinued). With the rifle zeroed at 25 yards using Winchester PowerPoints, the Aguila SSS is right on the money. This could be a valuable circumstance. Unfortunately, I've yet to actually use these on any game. Perhaps afterwards I'll be motivated to buy more of this unique product.

The J-frame "Banana" and theS&W 34-1

Shown is my new-to-me S&W 34-1 with the factory "banana" grips. These grips were purchased from CDNN Investments and are blems. On these grips there is a bit chipped on the right grip near the trigger. Not a big thing to modify the grips and refinish to remove the blem and the price was a huge $14.99. These are very comfortable grips and provide a grip similar to that when using the Tyler-T grip adapter.

What I don't like about them, and why they aren't on the gun as I type this, is that these grips extend beyond the revolver grip frame. Additional bulk. I'm trying to avoid that. So, I've been thinking of cutting these off short but even with the grip frame. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a gap, inside around the butt. If I cut them off there would be a gap between the front of the grip frame and the inside of the grips. I could glass bed these eliminating the gap... I can see this being more work than is cost effective.

For what its worth, I have ordered 2 Tyler-T grip adapters. Takes them a bit to deliver despite the fact that they have the adapters on hand and charge your card immediately. It took so long for them to deliver the first order of one that I called thinking they'd lost the order (mailed because I couldn't get them on the phone). Then I thought they might just be able to modify the order and send both adapters for one shipping price ($7+). Not so. Now I'm waiting to see if they arrive in the same package.

I've seen these at yard sales, but, I thought, I'll never need that. No more, I'm getting them when I can. Having extra on-hand doesn't seem such a bad idea any more.

The S&W 34-1 NICKELED is like a little jewel. I really didn't want a nickeled gun and passed this one by several times and delayed buying it solely because it was nickeled. However, when I gave in and that got it in hand I was smitten. All the more so after removing those Pachmayrs. Now it is so darn cute. Yep, I'm looking for a blued and a stainless (M63) version. I like them.

UPDATE - Well now that is interesting. I received the POLISHED Tyler-T grip adapter for the 34-1 today, but I've yet to receive the BLACK one I ordered 4 weeks ago for my M36. While Cathy (IIRC) told me there was no production delay so that I wouldn't change my order, I've yet to receive the product! One has to wonder what's up with that!

FWIW, the Tyler-T on the 34-1 DOES feel almost exactly like the banana grips. Just shorter. I like it, a lot! The gun seems all business to me. If I get a M60, I'll have to get another polished Tyler-T.

The S&W 34-1

After reading the incomparable Xavier's Thoughts about the S&W 34-1 2" he had bought at a pawn shop, I had to have one. I can't say why exactly but it simply appealed to me. More than that, I became obsessed with having one. I've had several opportunities over the years and turned them all down, but now I had to have one. Of course, they are now generally priced out of this world. Recently, NIB blue guns have gone for $500+ and shooters have gone for $400+, the 63s and nickeled guns will go in the $450 range. I was most fortunate, after "settling" for a nickeled gun, to get mine for $325. Of course you have to add in shipping and transfer fees which brought it to $372. Still, that seems to be a pretty good price, all things considered. Not to worry, in 2 weeks I'll have forgotten the money and in 2 years it will be easily worth more (in case my heirs have to sell it).

I took it with me to Mom's this afternoon and with Colibris it was more than worrisome to a rampant walnut at 20 yards. A couple of cylinders full kept the errant nut rolling. Since then I've been carrying it loaded with Winchester PowerPoint but suitable test targets haven't come my way. Secured in the Simply Rugged Silver Dollar Pancake it has ridden strong side and cross draw while doing yard work including mowing about 2 acres.

I will be replacing the Pachmayrs with factory grips for now (maybe some ebony later) and a Tyler T grip adapter as I like the compactness of those grips over the Pachmayr. The only problem with the Pachmayr is the bulk. With the added bulk, I might as well carry the Single Six.

The Saga of the S&W 34 Quest

That slick old Xavier posted about a S&W 34-1 2" and it ignited a craving that is without reason or rational cause. Then Lady Tam posts about her great fun with hers and so do some folks o