Guns & Gun Related Stuff

[OLDE CUTLER]

I dont intend on gettin into a pizzen contest here but!.. I used to have a quite large ruger collection, just under 200 total. Some bonafide hard to come by pieces including the convertible bearcat. All the old red pad 77s, 35 SA revolvers, and a whole host of others. The 77s were mostly good shooters, some excellent, depending on who made the barrels. Ruger made no barrels then, only the actions. Most need trigger work. the 358 was probably the least accurate. The ruger precision in 243, 6mm and 6.5 mm creedmores were all top notch.Out of the box great. We have 4 ruger americans and every one is top notch, the newer ones have the better triggers. With some loads the 243 and 6.5 creed will hang right with the precisions. I tjhink they are top notch rifles. I do know one guy who got a real stinker tho in 308. As a matter of fact my bro had a 308 which was total scrap!
The American rimfire is a very good little rifle for general work. I wouldnt consider it a target rifle. I dont know about the ruger American rimfire precision but have talked to a couple guys who are happy with theirs. Now the new model American?? I dont like it much, for looks and ergonomics but I dont know a thing more than that about them?

I bought the Ruger American rimfire as a hunting rifle. But after all was said and done what good is a hunting rimfire rifle used for lets say squirrels at 50 yards that shoots a 3 and 5/8 inch group. And that is only with not hunting ammo but CCI STD VEL. Someone suggested that I send it back to Ruger, but why bother. I traded it off, took the loss and learned a lesson.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Over the past couple of years, I have been on the lookout at local gun shows for a 22 rimfire project rifle. In particular I was looking for a underlever falling, rolling, or tilting block by Remington, Stevens, or other makers. Well I finally found something at the local gun show last weekend. Check out this beauty. It is a Stevens Model 44 underlever in 22 LR. By the appearance of it, it has already been someone else's project rifle. A lot of these model 44s were made in calibers that are no longer in existence, such as 32 rimfire. This one in my opinion was when new a 32 rimfire that has had the barrel bored and a 22 LR liner installed. The firing pin and the extractor have also been modified to handle the 22LR cartridge. The bore is perfect because it is new. the barrel is 24 inch half round, half octagon, .962 inch at the octagon and .802 inch at the muzzle. The markings on the barrel indicate that this was made in the 1907-1916 year range. As you can see, it has the curved metal buttplate that was commonly used at that time. It has a couple of issues that need attention, but it will definitely shoot a group with CCI STD VEL ammo.

[Mumbleypeg]

OC, that's a great find and a worthy project. It will make an outstanding "cordless hole puncher".

Ken

[doglegg]

OC, that's a great find and a worthy project. It will make an outstanding "cordless hole puncher".

Ken

Totally agree.

[steve99f]

Great old Stevens you have there OC, good luck with your project.

[OLDE CUTLER]

Anyone own one of the new rimfire rifles in the caliber 21 Sharp? Just saw the new Savage rifles in that caliber and Winchester ammo for 27 cents a shot at my local gunshop.

[gsmith7158]

Don't know anyting about 21 sharp but I just got this new Mini14 about a month ago and boy is it fun to shoot

[OLDE CUTLER]

Great old Stevens you have there OC, good luck with your project.

I was able to fix a couple of issues relating to misfires with the Stevens 44 I pictured above. As I mentioned, it was someone else's project gun before me, and I believe it was either a 25 or 32 rimfire that was being converted to 22 LR by relining the barrel. The firing pin has to have a little work on it to strike in the correct place when doing this conversion, and the previous owner did not have success. So I ended up making a new firing pin from 3/16" rod, and after studying the mainspring and how it worked I discovered that a new mainspring had been installed, but an incorrect one. This is an early model 44 and it had the later spring which has the wrong shape. So having some 1075 spring stock on hand that I use for knives, I also made a new spring. Now it shoots great. It does have some worn internal parts, so I will be shopping for those spares at the gun show here in 2 weeks.
New spring I made at top, incorrect spring it came with bottom.

New main spring installed

[doglegg]

OC, you are amazing. Great work. And great save.

[Colonel26]

OC, that is a fine old Stevens and an outstanding save for the old gun by converting it to 22lr.

I have a soft spot for old Stevens/Springfield/Savage guns.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have a couple of older 22lr guns and from reading on various rimfire forums on the internet on what ammo is best for old guns made before the advent of high velocity ammo, a conclusion many have made is to shoot CCI Std Velocity in old guns. After some experimentation with this I am starting to doubt that wisdom. Just because it is standard velocity, that does not mean it has less pressure. Some if the posts I have seen relate how various shooters have contacted CCI to get a statement from them as to what the pressure is for Std Vel. CCI will only say that their ammo conforms to SAAMI specs. SAAMI lists the 22lr cartridge as having an average chamber pressure of 24,000 psi, and 22 shorts have 21000 psi. The two pictures I have included below show a CCI 22lr Std Vel, and a Federal Automatch that I recently shot in the Stevens Model 44 shown above. The CCI std vel fired case shows a big bulge where the pressure forced the brass to expand down into the extractor, extraction was difficult with with the CCI ammo. The second case is the Federal Automatch. It shows just a minimal amount of bulging into the extractor. Extraction was much easier with the Automatch. I think I will change my preference for CCI std vel after seeing this and noting a very similar thing in my Colt Officers Model, which was made in 1939. Note, I am not saying the Federal has less pressure, other factors such as brass thickness and hardness of the casing can contribute to this. But these are nice old guns, why beat them to death.

CCI STD Velocity

Federal Automatch

[Mumbleypeg]

Don't know anyting about 21 sharp but I just got this new Mini14 about a month ago and boy is it fun to shoot

Here ya go Greg https://gundigest.com/gear-ammo/ammunit ... winchester. Maybe more than you wanted to know but……………..

Ken

[doglegg]

I have a couple of older 22lr guns and from reading on various rimfire forums on the internet on what ammo is best for old guns made before the advent of high velocity ammo, a conclusion many have made is to shoot CCI Std Velocity in old guns. After some experimentation with this I am starting to doubt that wisdom. Just because it is standard velocity, that does not mean it has less pressure. Some if the posts I have seen relate how various shooters have contacted CCI to get a statement from them as to what the pressure is for Std Vel. CCI will only say that their ammo conforms to SAAMI specs. SAAMI lists the 22lr cartridge as having an average chamber pressure of 24,000 psi, and 22 shorts have 21000 psi. The two pictures I have included below show a CCI 22lr Std Vel, and a Federal Automatch that I recently shot in the Stevens Model 44 shown above. The CCI std vel fired case shows a big bulge where the pressure forced the brass to expand down into the extractor, extraction was difficult with with the CCI ammo. The second case is the Federal Automatch. It shows just a minimal amount of bulging into the extractor. Extraction was much easier with the Automatch. I think I will change my preference for CCI std vel after seeing this and noting a very similar thing in my Colt Officers Model, which was made in 1939. Note, I am not saying the Federal has less pressure, other factors such as brass thickness and hardness of the casing can contribute to this. But these are nice old guns, why beat them to death.

CCI STD Velocity
IMG_5879.JPG
Federal Automatch
IMG_5880.JPG

OC, these are what I shoot in my old 22s. Both very low velocity. T

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have a couple of older 22lr guns and from reading on various rimfire forums on the internet on what ammo is best for old guns made before the advent of high velocity ammo, a conclusion many have made is to shoot CCI Std Velocity in old guns. After some experimentation with this I am starting to doubt that wisdom. Just because it is standard velocity, that does not mean it has less pressure. Some if the posts I have seen relate how various shooters have contacted CCI to get a statement from them as to what the pressure is for Std Vel. CCI will only say that their ammo conforms to SAAMI specs. SAAMI lists the 22lr cartridge as having an average chamber pressure of 24,000 psi, and 22 shorts have 21000 psi. The two pictures I have included below show a CCI 22lr Std Vel, and a Federal Automatch that I recently shot in the Stevens Model 44 shown above. The CCI std vel fired case shows a big bulge where the pressure forced the brass to expand down into the extractor, extraction was difficult with with the CCI ammo. The second case is the Federal Automatch. It shows just a minimal amount of bulging into the extractor. Extraction was much easier with the Automatch. I think I will change my preference for CCI std vel after seeing this and noting a very similar thing in my Colt Officers Model, which was made in 1939. Note, I am not saying the Federal has less pressure, other factors such as brass thickness and hardness of the casing can contribute to this. But these are nice old guns, why beat them to death.

CCI STD Velocity
IMG_5879.JPG
Federal Automatch
IMG_5880.JPG

OC, these are what I shoot in my old 22s. Both very low velocity. T20241219_144554.jpg20241219_144525.jpg20241219_144324.jpg

Floyd, will those go 100 yds?

[doglegg]

I have a couple of older 22lr guns and from reading on various rimfire forums on the internet on what ammo is best for old guns made before the advent of high velocity ammo, a conclusion many have made is to shoot CCI Std Velocity in old guns. After some experimentation with this I am starting to doubt that wisdom. Just because it is standard velocity, that does not mean it has less pressure. Some if the posts I have seen relate how various shooters have contacted CCI to get a statement from them as to what the pressure is for Std Vel. CCI will only say that their ammo conforms to SAAMI specs. SAAMI lists the 22lr cartridge as having an average chamber pressure of 24,000 psi, and 22 shorts have 21000 psi. The two pictures I have included below show a CCI 22lr Std Vel, and a Federal Automatch that I recently shot in the Stevens Model 44 shown above. The CCI std vel fired case shows a big bulge where the pressure forced the brass to expand down into the extractor, extraction was difficult with with the CCI ammo. The second case is the Federal Automatch. It shows just a minimal amount of bulging into the extractor. Extraction was much easier with the Automatch. I think I will change my preference for CCI std vel after seeing this and noting a very similar thing in my Colt Officers Model, which was made in 1939. Note, I am not saying the Federal has less pressure, other factors such as brass thickness and hardness of the casing can contribute to this. But these are nice old guns, why beat them to death.

CCI STD Velocity
IMG_5879.JPG
Federal Automatch
IMG_5880.JPG

OC, these are what I shoot in my old 22s. Both very low velocity. T20241219_144554.jpg20241219_144525.jpg20241219_144324.jpg

Floyd, will those go 100 yds?

Both say dangerous to a mile and a half but even 100 yards would be a big arch.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I got to handle one of the new Savage Revel lever action 22 rifles yesterday at the gunshow. Look really interesting. Anyone own one yet?

[peanut740]

Picked up this unusual Savage model 101 single shot pistol at the Ohio Gun Collectors show this past weekend. Looks like a revolver, but the cylinder pushes open to the right and you load and eject the gun that way.

[treefarmer]

Picked up this unusual Savage model 101 single shot pistol at the Ohio Gun Collectors show this past weekend. Looks like a revolver, but the cylinder pushes open to the right and you load and eject the gun that way.

I remember those and always wondered why?
They are probably rare this day and time.
Glad you got it.
Treefarmer

[bighomer]

Bet they never caught on with the plinker bunch.

[doglegg]

As I remember their strong point was selling price.

[peanut740]

As I remember their strong point was selling price.

I'm sure they weren't expensive.

[OLDE CUTLER]

I was sorting some stuff related to my cartridge collection today and ran across this 303 British that I had picked up off the ground last simmer at the gun club. The headstamp is GB 55, so I assumed it was military. I disassembled it to see what the powder was like and discovered that it was loaded with Cordite. Cordite was an early smokeless powder used extensively by the British from 1892-the 1950s. Those of us that reload are familiar with the "stick powders" used to reload rifle ammo as made by IMR and others. While the IMR powders are very short sticks, this is truly the "stick powder" that started it all. The 49 sticks of powder were tightly stuffed into the case with a thin card wad sitting between the powder and the 173 gr FMJ bullet.

[FRJ]

I was sorting some stuff related to my cartridge collection today and ran across this 303 British that I had picked up off the ground last simmer at the gun club. The headstamp is GB 55, so I assumed it was military. I disassembled it to see what the powder was like and discovered that it was loaded with Cordite. Cordite was an early smokeless powder used extensively by the British from 1892-the 1950s. Those of us that reload are familiar with the "stick powders" used to reload rifle ammo as made by IMR and others. While the IMR powders are very short sticks, this is truly the "stick powder" that started it all. The 49 sticks of powder were tightly stuffed into the case with a thin card wad sitting between the powder and the 173 gr FMJ bullet.

IMG_5902.JPG

That is really interesting. I've never seen that kind of load before. I have not been involved in hand loading.
Thanks for the education.

[Steve Warden]

I was sorting some stuff related to my cartridge collection today and ran across this 303 British that I had picked up off the ground last simmer at the gun club. The headstamp is GB 55, so I assumed it was military. I disassembled it to see what the powder was like and discovered that it was loaded with Cordite. Cordite was an early smokeless powder used extensively by the British from 1892-the 1950s. Those of us that reload are familiar with the "stick powders" used to reload rifle ammo as made by IMR and others. While the IMR powders are very short sticks, this is truly the "stick powder" that started it all. The 49 sticks of powder were tightly stuffed into the case with a thin card wad sitting between the powder and the 173 gr FMJ bullet.

IMG_5902.JPG

That is really interesting. I've never seen that kind of load before. I have not been involved in hand loading.
Thanks for the education.

Neither have I.
Very cool, OC!

[bighomer]

I had no idea they made spaghetti gunpowder.