Owen Guns Bulletin April 2009 No 14
Welcome to the Fourteenth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
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Scroll down for another Free Firearm Manual
We are currently publishing our new website at www.owenguns.com
Where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast. Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
Any Inquiries on any products phone 07 54824099 or 07 54825070
Monthly Specials
Not “I” pods but Bipods by Remington
Bi-pods that telescope and fold under your rifles forearm, (made famous by Harris,’Patents ran out’) fit to QD (Quick Detachable) Swivel Stud. Ten years ago they retailed for over $150 now while stocks last.
Half Price $79.
As used to win all the GOLD in 1936 Olympic Games, originally made by Walther in Germany and subsquently copied by Russia and China. These are the Chinese version, used in Pistol Clubs the world over.
The Norinco pistols are all high quality steel, there is no alloys or plastics they are all carbon steel, except for the wooden hand grips which have been checkered like the original to give the best possible grip, not looks.This batch of hand guns are Brand New never been fired, however they have slight imperfections in the bluing mainly near the corners as shown on the photographs above.They are excellent value at
$220 plus post.
Ian Skennerton has spent more than four decades of world-wide research and study, evolving through two prior editions and many other related titles. The Lee Enfield has proven itself as the finest battle rifle of all time. No other firearm has served for so long at home and abroad with such a proud record. This study encompasses all aspects of the Century of Lee-Enfield development & production… Britain, America, India, Australasia, South Africa & the Far East. Rifles, carbines, bayonets, parts, tools, accessories & ammunition are arranged into specific groups & chapters. There are five new chapters
• Preview, Model Identification
• Lee-Enfield Hybrid
• Serial number Production Ranges
• Component Parts Evolution
• An Ammunition Summary.
The Pattern Room collection has been the primary source for samples and records. With the larger format, this presentation sets a new standard for collectors, students & shooters of the venerable Lee-Enfield… indeed, for all arms books. While the ‘Lee-Enfield Story’ has long been accepted as the definitive tome on the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifle series, this new volume increases the record from 504 to 608 pages and features improved photographic detail, larger illustrations and an improved layout.
Special Price for this month only $79.00
The Norinco JW 105. in .223 Remington
This is the (Jain Way) JW Model 105, Sometimes called Norinco. These rifles are made in the same factory that manufactures the now famous JW 15 .22 rifle (the Brno Mod One Copy) if you have had a JW15 or know of anyone who had one, you will know that they shoot sometimes better than the rifle they imitiated. These JW105 s are in .223 Remington calibre and have a five shot detachable magazine. They also come with Weaver style mount bases and Quick Detachable studs for QD sling swivels If you look carefully at the close up photograph you will notice a shiny silver colour, at the breech face,the camera has picked up the chrome plating from inside the chamber. The Chinese are the only non-military manufactures that can afford the chrome process of plating the Barrels and Chambers. They have also chromed the forward section of the Bolt. Chrome plating gives the best protection against erosion and corrosion than anything else besides regualr cleaning. The JW 105 is a copy of the Gevarm that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, they were very good quality but I believe that Gevarm had to stop making them as the were too expensive to produce.
These are the best value .223 Remington centre-fire, repeating rifle on the market.
Brand New $460
TASCO RED DOT SCOPE
Red dot sights use refractive or reflective optics to generate a collimated image of a luminous or reflective reticle.This collimated image appears to be projected out to a point at infinity, which makes the image of the reticle appear to the user to be projected onto the target. Due to the fact that the reticle image is collimated, magnifying the image of the target is impractical, as it would make the sight too hard to hold steady. The RED DOT sights are very usefull for fast moving shooting in poor light conditions. No need to get your eye on the middle of the cross hair, point and shoot when the RED DOT lines up with the target. The collimated image does have its advantages,however, as the scope can be placed at any distance from the eye without distorting the image of the target or reticle. This makes red dot sights suitable for use on pistols, rifles, or shotguns.
Other Built-on dovetail rail to fit standard centre-fire weaver-style bases .
Finish Black Matte
Weight (grams) 6.7 oz.
Length (inches) 3.75in
Eye Relief (mm) Unlimited
Optical Coating Rubicon .multi- layered, fully coated
Focus Type fixed
Parallax Setting 50 yards.
Price $190.
Bushnell Rifles Scopes 3–9 x 40
These Asian manufactured rifle scopes made for the big companies in the USA are improving there quality, constantly closing the gaps between them and their Eupropen competitiors. The only thing that seperates most top end scopes these days is the price.
Special Price $90. plus postage.
Barsaka 3-9×50 Huntsman
The Huntmaster combines high quality optics and rugged construction with accuracy and ease of use. Huntmaster scopes feature fully-coated optics for bright clear views, rugged 1” monotube construction and are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof. Huntmasters are suitable for all types of general purpose hunting. 50 millimetre objective lens all for
$135 plus postage
Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
Leupold® riflescopes are built to endure the worst the wilds have to offer, and still make the shot of a lifetime. Bright. Clear. Rugged. Waterproof. Accurate. Dependable. And of course, Guaranteed for Life. That Leupold Golden Ring® tells you everything you need to know.
$325
plus postage
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
Throws consistently accurate charges reload after reload. Powder pours uniformly from measuring cylinder into case, thereby eliminating the hazards of “overloads” caused by clogging when charges are dumped”. Changes easily from charge to charge without emptying powder hopper. Numbered measuring screw is used for reference to find a given charge at a later date. The measuring cylinder has precision ground surfaces and slides into the honed main casting for a precision fit. Standard 7/8 14 thread inch. Includes stand plate, drilled for easy mounting on a bench or under a reloading die lock ring. Two drop tubes for .22 caliber and upwards are supplied. The Uniflow Powder Measure is fully capable of accurately measuring all three major powder types – ball, cylindrical, and flake. It will even cut the cylindrical powders so that a precise charge can be obtained. NOTE: The Uniflow Powder Measure should be used in conjunction with an accurate powder scale for setting the original charge and for checking charges occasionally during the run.
Special Price RCBS Uniflow Powder Meausure, $120 plus post
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
Firearm Design
More on Barrels. Attaching The Barrel to the Receiver
The best and the most common method of securing the barrels of rifles and pistols to their receivers is by means of a screw thread. The outside of the breech of the barrel is cut with a heavy thread, and above the thread there is an ample square shoulder. The receiver ring is likewise tapped with a corresponding thread. The barrel is then screwed into the receiver.
The threads must be accurately cut, and it should be possible to screw the barrel into the receiver with strong hand pressure until it stops about 1/8 in. from screwing completely up to the shoulder stop. Then the receiver is placed in a strong and specially made (for that action) vise, and a special wrench with a handle about three feet long is clamped on the barrel, and with heavy pressure on the long handle the barrel is screwed tight into the receiver until the index lines, which are stamped on both receiver and barrel, coincide. Then final chamber reaming and testing with head space gauges.
Or more often than not these days if the barrel comes pre -chambered, (with no sights) then the barrel is screwed tight until the headspace gauge ( which is a go and no go gauge) is within the tolerance, sometimes the square shoulder has to be reduced so that the chambers relationship with the bolt face gives the correct headspace tolerance. The barrel is then extremely tight on the receiver, and cannot be unscrewed without the aid of the special vise and wrench. There is no danger of such a barrel coming loose in the receiver.This is the only proper method when reliability and consistent accuracy is desired.
About 1905 a fashion was introduced of cutting the barrel and receiver threads without such a tight fit, and sometime with interrupted threads, so they could be screwed together by hand. The owner could then screw out the barrel, to which the forearm was attached, and pack the arm in a satchel or trunk, and it would go in any container which had an inside length equal to that of the barrel. Rifles constructed in this manner were called “Take-down” rifles.
Other rifles were made to take-down by screwing the barrel tightly into the receiver, but making the receiver in two pieces—the upper and barrel portion containing the bolt or breech block, and the lower or guard portion containing the trigger and carrier mechanisms.
The two portions fitted together with a sliding dovetail or tenons, and a thumb or coin slotted screw on the left side of the receiver secured them. By unscrewing this screw the receiver would be pulled apart, and the taken down rifle could be packed in a container with inside length equal to that of the barrel and receiver.
Because of their convenience in travelling and in packing, such take-down rifles became popular among a class of sportsmen who were not particularly interested in the accurate rifle shot but needed the compactness. Many had seen to many James Bond movies or the Day of the Jackel as 90 percent of it is hype, if you have to pack a rifle into a suitcase for travel most would just remove the stock or the butt.
It was soon found that if the takedown rifle with a removable barrel was one using a cartridge of greater power than the .22 rim fire, no reliance could be placed on its consistent shooting. That is, it would not consistently shoot in the same place. With a constant sight adjustment and aim the location of the centre of impact varied considerably, particularly when the rifle was fired in different position, or held with even a little variation in tension or pressure. The take-down rifle would also vary in where it shot from day to day because the tension of holding was not the same from day to day even when the same kind of a firing position was assumed.
Over the years I have tested many take-down rifles of various makes and types, with most of them it was possible to fire a fairly small group of shots provided that no change was made in the firing position from shot to shot, and great care was taken to assume exactly the same position, with equal tension of holding, from shot to shot. But the least change of position enlarged the group considerably. If a group was fired, and then the shooter changed position, or even if he relaxed, got out of position, and assumed the same position again, and fired another group, the second group was just as liable to center on the target ten inches away from the first group at 100 yards as to center in the same place. Thus even when the hunter did his part correctly he could not rely on even striking the body of an animal at a greater range than about 75 to 100 yards with a high-power take-down rifle.
However, there are a new generation of European take down centre-fire rifles that even have the ability to change the barrel, bolt and magazine. They have the same stock and receiver, and can receive another set of barrel, bolt and magazine, so changing the calibre. Such as a .308 win to a .223 rem, not having a spare $3000 to $4000 I have not had the pleasure of testing them. Hopefully for this sort of money they have engineered solutions to these 100 year old inherent faults that were designed by salesman not engineers.
It made no difference whether the rifle was taken down between days or shots, or whether it was always kept tightly assembled. This unpredictable variation in centre of impact would occur very frequently—so frequently that no reliance could be placed on the shooting of the rifle. It was due to a relatively weak joint in the vital center of the rifle. Centre weak or loose joints made the rifle jump (vibration) excessively, and the least variation in holding caused the jump to vary greatly. To jump or vibrate consistently when fired a rifle should be very stiff, as stiff as it can be made, from muzzle to butt. There must be no loose place such as slightly loose threads between barrel and receiver, or looseness in the receiver, or loose tangs attaching the stock to the receiver, or tang screws not turned up very tightly.
However, with rifles shooting .22 rim fire cartridges the effect of the take-down was not nearly so apparent. It would be apparent enough to be very undesirable on a .22 match rifle, but for the ordinary plinking or hunting .22 rifle it is not prohibitive as the variation in location of centre of impact at 50 yards is scarcely ever more than three-fourths of an inch when the rifle is fired in various firing positions unless one uses a tight rifle sling in one position and not in another position, when the variation may be greater. Many of the cheaper .22 rifle and European .22 target match rifles have gone to a the cheaper method of eliminating the threads and fixing the barrel in place by the use of one or rarely two, cross pins. The barrel shank is machined in a lathe to the corresponding dimensions of the parallel orifice at the front of the receiver with a very tight tolerance. It is pressed into position then the cross pin holes are bored and then the pins are pressed into place.
Shotgun barrels are all made to take-down conveniently, as no similar objective occurs here because variations of the center of the pattern of even as much as 10 inches at 100 yards would mean absolutely nothing in a shotgun, except for the extreme range of rifled slugs, and anyone that had that requirement should be advised to acquire a rifle.
Next edition on Chambers.
Understanding Reloading Ammunition
POWDER AND BULLET SCALES
Scales used by reloaders to weigh powder and other items are nothing more than simple beam balances, most with weights sliding on the beam. Most have weight markings on the beam so that there is seldom a need for check weights except when zeroing or when damage or error is suspected. Generally they are easily accurate to 1/10 grain, or better but this depends considerably on the skill and attention of the reloader.
There are many electronic powder scales on the market but accuracy and reliability seem to cast a large shadow on them for the purposes of reloading. The necessity to weigh extremely small weights with a tolerance of less than .01 of grain and the factors that affect electronic scales being a tin roof, proximity of electricity transformers, iron loadstone, static electricity from polystyrene and plastic in the area, all which seem to effect the electro magnetic responses of the electronic scales. All powder scales can be affected by draught or any air currents and have to be protected from vibration but electronic seem to be plagued by external problems if they are working for you great stick with it, but being behind the gun shop counter since 1975 has made me a bit gun shy of selling them as we constantly have customers complaining of reliability problems. In our establishment in Gympie we have a huge transformer on a pole outside and as well as a tin roof we have a steel inner roof. So when we want to weigh powder or bullets its out with a ‘beam balance’ scales. As with spring regulated kitchen scales which will not be discussed here as they not suitable for the very small increments required for powder, it seems electronic scales are more suitable for kitchen scales or bathroom scales, but for Australians reloading in a tin shed or steel garage they do not seem to be winning many of the reliability awards.
Most reloading books do not mention scales and give much more attention to product selling bullets or equipment or leaving blank pages for Notes but powder scales are the real core heart of reloading ammunition as without them its all guess work, your skating on thin ice, blindfolded in to a maelstrom of pain and trouble. Make your own press, make your own dies, save money on anything else but without scales your flying on a dangerous pursuit maybe leave a note, so the firearm does not get a bad name at the inquest.
There are three main factors in shooting which are worth noting as they eliminate uncertainty and from those certainties all other required information can be determined;-
1. How much powder,
2. How much Velocity,
3. How accurate at the target,
For 1 you need a set of scales, for 2 you need a chronograph for 3 you need a ruler. You can live without the chronograph and the ruler but the scales are essential.
Scales are the most delicate instrument in the reloaders necessary range of a equipment. This instrument is not as throughly understood as it should be. What is more important to know is it can not stand very much abuse without losing its sensitivity. As always learning a new field is large matter of learning the terminology used by the so called experts. With the scales or a beam balance various manufactures use an assortment of terminology to describe the performance of various scales or balances. They refer to the instrument’s “sensitivity,” “sensibility,” or “accuracy,” interchanging those terms indiscriminately. Not knowing that there is a difference.
It is incorrect to refer to the “accuracy” of scales. A set of scales is not “accurate” it is “sensitive.” On the other hand, the weights used with the balance to check zero or to check the weight of your powder are not “sensitive,” they are “accurate.” The degree of accuracy will vary greatly in weights, but in the top quality brands of these necessary accessories the manufactures must supply the certain class of
International standard that they comply with.
No powder measure yet devised and that includes the most complicated machine measuring devices in use at the ammunition manufactures factories can compare with the precision possible in the assembling of handloaded home made ammunition. Powder charges in factory ammunition will vary far more than most people believe, until they get inquisitive enough to check it. Having unloaded and checked many different types and brands of ammunition I have found in some variations of up to 3 or 4 grains in government loaded ammunition and between 2 to 3 grains in sporting ammunition but over all most of it would be within 1.5 of a grain. Some brands are predominately better and other brands are random
. 
Of course in use, powder is consumed in volume and converted to gas in volume and weight does not come into it, but when it is possible with the scales to get that accuracy to within one tenth of a grain the proof is ‘in the pudding’ and the smaller target groups prove that the smaller that variation in weight/volume is, the smaller is the group at the terminal end of the process. Many years ago it was a requirement for full bore competitors to all use the same military ammunition, there of course was much discussion about who had the best batch but most of the best results were scored by those who did the hard yards and for the 900 yard event always used ammunition that had been pulled the bullets and powder charges weighed, resizing the necks and reseating the bullets with a uniform tension in the necks.
It must be understood at this point that there are many other factors of uniformity which also control the effects and produce a tightly shot group. These include the uniform seating of primers, if the bullets are crimped, that they are a uniform crimp, uniform case size, uniform neck tension, uniform bullet weights, the correct sort of powder and primer. These issues will be discussed in other chapters of this tome. If precision handloads are assembled with attention to detail in the choice and preparation of all components, including the weighing of the powder charges, no machine loaded ammunition of equal ballistics can possible compare with the hand loaded ammunition from an accuracy point of view. It has long been an accepted custom among reloaders that all powder charges should be held within a tenth of a grain variation.
It is also possible to be within this tolerance when using the many modern powder measures sold to the home reloaders when tubular granulations of powder are NOT used and the use of the powder measures are regulated regularly by the operator checking the procedure by weighing with scales. Tubular granulations in the slower burning powder need more attention to get uniformity of charges. Powder measures are not an essential tool in reloading they just make it quicker to produce more of it, they also contain a very large element of human error which has to be added to the designed mechanical error. Powder measures will be throughly discussed in future chapters but just to state the obvious, I do not recommend the use of a powder measure for any loads which are close to the maximum recommended for any firearms. When working up loads and getting near these limits only use the best set of powder scales that you can afford. They are expensive but it is impossible to produce accurate and safe ammunition without them.
Reloaders rely on their powder scales to accurately weigh safe powder charges and check the charges thrown by their powder measures. Correct readings are essential to safe reloading.
Although most reloading scales are designed and built to provide accurate readings, they should be checked at the beginning of each loading session. If the scale is not covered, dust or bits of grit can accumulate in the bearings and go unnoticed. The result can be an inaccurate reading. A quick check with accurate check weights for the range being used will assure the scale is providing correct information.
Check Weight Sets are ideal for the handloader who wants to have the ability to check a
.5 gr. 1 gr. 2 gr. 5 gr. scale across its entire range. This is particularly important for shooters who sorts bullets or cases by weight.
How to use.
Make sure the scale to be verified has been properly levelled and has a zero reading with no weight in the pan.
Using the forceps (tweezers), set a check weight or a combination of check weights on the scale pan. Move the poises on the scale to correspond with the amount of weight that was placed in the scale pan. The scale beam should return to a zero reading. Next Edition much more about weighing charges of powder.
Thought for the Week !
The thought for the last week,“Who would you vote for Bligh or Boadicea??” might have been the reason for the three “Unsubscribe” or might be the reason for the seventy five and still coming ‘Subscribes’ that add to this mailing list after every edition. Or maybe it was because of the other articles or the gun adverts. Some people just look at the pictures. Some might not have a thought from one week to the next, too busy or frantic trying to keep there families and lives together, this is the time that tries mens souls. Hopefully, as we now are taking ‘Letter to the Editor’, and putting them on www.owenguns.com under the ‘Magazine’ heading we can now all communicate and help one another. Over 2000 people have subscribed, and many pass the Bulletin around their email lists.
Last night on CNN one of the talking Barbi dolls was criticizing a proposal of allowing American cities to issue their own money. Of course the idea was killed by a row of wailing banshees feigning to be economists. During the four years I was a local Councillor on our local government, to solve the eternal problem of urgent public works which desperately need to be supplied and the absurdity and inability of the population to have any further resources wrung from their debt levels.
I proposed that as we had the unemployed, we had the rock and resources, the only thing that was missing was the tickets (money) to make it happen that we issued the tickets and redeemed them in councils rates and charges, charges for the infrastructure. I gave them endless lists of where this Credit system had worked. Of course the staff and local newspaper were horrified. They all complained about its illegality and it would cause ‘inflation’. Of course in the USA with our current economic state the local governments will be in a similar situation to the local governments of Manchester and Glasgow in the 1970s with people not being able to afford to pay the rates, they abandon the properties and the Councils are left with a desolate waste land, further more, the people have no where to live. So they live in old railway tunnels or illegally squat in the once proud mansions.
The talking Barbi dolls on the television, take the politically correct line that this would magnify the perceived disaster of ‘Freddy Mac’ where lending societies lent money to people who could not pay it back. When in fact the cause of all this depression was that the Big Banks wanted physical assets property instead of electronic digits, defrauded as money on a computer screen. That now after casting the net the huge international banks were again drawing the net tight around the people necks. That the banks created money with a finger on a computer key, but the money that they create is created as a Debt and that Debt has interest charged and that interest acting like removing ‘musical chairs’, removed the real printed currency in circulation so that there is never enough for people to repay there interest, never mind the debt it self. The more money the banks create the greater the interest factor and the less money is available for people to finance their own business or survive. It is a system organised to bring misery and failure to the human race. That is why the Australian banks, the big four, will not pass on the interest rate cuts, the money means nothing, because they want more foreclosures and repossessions of property, then they have tangible assets and power.
That’s how they gain control of the Newspapers, the Oil and Fuel Companies and all major Political Parties. Big banks hatch little banks and buy their Debts, then they foreclose on there customers and steal their wealth in exchange for electronic digits. Imagine the Trillions of dollars created by the big banks of issue who lend it at interest to most of the governments of the western world so that they can bail out or nationalize the small banks which originally belonged to the Big banks. Local governments could not get anywhere near those inflationary figures. Also as the Council ‘Tickets’, or (call it anything you like) after building infrastructure and circulating in a local community can either be cancelled by a time limit or gathered in and burnt, it is not inflationary at all. It’s the Big banks and governments that will turn your savings into worthless South Pacific Pesos. Ron Owen
FREE FOR ELECTRONIC DOWNLOAD
Operators Manual for Thompson 1927, Assemble Dis-Assemble Part numbers, Exploded views,
Email : OwenGuns@spiderweb.com.au and it will be sent to you in .pdf format free of charge.
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Owen Guns Bulletin March 2009 No 13
Welcome to the Thirteenth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
STOP PRESS
Scroll down for another Free Firearm Manual
We are currently publishing our new website at www.owenguns.com where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast. Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
Any Inquiries on any products phone 07 54824099 or 07 54825070
Monthly Specials
Prostaff 3-9×40. Nikon
Prostaff 3-9×40. Nikon have been manufacturing the worlds most sort after Optical lens since the 1960s. Now you can own one of their Rifle Telescopic Scopes for:-
$355.00
The Norinco JW 105. in .223 Remington
The Norinco JW 105. in .223 Remington.
This is the (Jain Way) JW Model 105, Sometimes called Norinco. These rifles are made in the same factory that manufactures the now famous JW 15 .22 rifle (the Brno Mod One Copy) if you have had a JW15 or know of anyone who had one, you will know that they shoot sometimes better than the rifle they imitiated. These JW105 s are in .223 Remington calibre and have a five shot detachable magazine. They also come with Weaver style mount bases and Quick Detachable studs for QD sling swivels If you look carefully at the close up photograph you will notice a shiny silver colour, at the breech face,the camera has picked up the chrome plating from inside the chamber. The Chinese are the only non-military manufactures that can afford the chrome process of plating the Barrels and Chambers. They have also chromed the forward section of the Bolt. Chrome plating gives the best protection against erosion and corrosion than anything else besides regualr cleaning. The JW 105 is a copy of the Geveram that was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s, they were very good quality but I believe that Gevarm had to stop making them as the were too expensive to produce.
These are the best value .223 Remington centre-fire, repeating rifles on the market.
Brand New $460.
Stockman Rifle. 7.62 x 54 Russian
The idea for this rifle came from one of those discussions that are held round the camp fire or after the barbeque. It became known at this discussion that there was a requirement for a rifle that shot well priced military ammunition, powerful enough to shoot, Bulls, Cows Horses, Camels, Donkeys, Deer, Roo’s, Pigs, Dingo’s and knock over a Ram or two at the 500 metallic silhouette range. Of course as it was a knock about rifle for the working man to keep in the truck it had to be very rugged and have the stock designed with a high comb to use a scope to suit off hand shooting. The stock also had to absorb a lot of recoil from a powerful calibre without transferring too much of it to the shooter and also be bulky enough to protect the rifle. (many rifle which have a stock like a knife edge leave the scope and mounts very vulnerable if dropped) It had to be drilled and tapped to take Weaver style bases on top of the receiver. The Barrel had to be heavy, free floating from the stock and be still short and handy. Of course they wanted it to hit a fly on there prize bulls nose without hurting the bull.
Well there was a lot of bull around that night but all were seriously firm that it had to sell for less than $400. So Enfield Arms worked particularly hard and had the MAB barrels fitted to Mosin Nagant receivers, the bolt handles were modified to suit a scope the receivers were drilled and tapped and modified to take the mounts on top of the receiver. Wow, what would Vasily Zaytsev (Enemy at the Gate) have been able to achieve with a top scope mounted Mosin- Nagant action instead of his off set side mounts? Then Enfield Arms made a synthetic stock with a recoil pad made from absorb-athane. A soft dense polymer utherane ( Maybe got the spelling wrong) that has greater properties of absorbing recoil than rubber. They also have a five shot magazine. So except for the reconditioned reblued modified receiver they are a new rifle.
For $395.00
WORLD CLASS 6 X 40
Tasco is a leading name in the optical industry for eons, Tasco’s World Class Scope hs been an industry standard since the 1990s it is the scope that many others are judged against and found lacking. The World Class due to its World Class forever Guarentee is rarely used we have sold thhousnads of them and I have been dealing with Tasoc since 1975. The vision is quality, the adjustments are precision and the cross hairs are the right sized for target or hunting. They were selling there for $188. Now
Special $105.00
Bushnell Elite Rifles Scopes 3–9 x 40
These Japanese manufactured rifle scopes made for the big companies in the USA are improving there quality, constantly closing the gaps between them and their Eupropen competitiors. The only thing that seperates most top end scopes these days is the price.
Bushnell Elite Rifles Scopes 3–9 x 40
$335.
![Genesis_airgun[1]](http://www.owenguns.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/genesis-airgun1.jpg)
Remington Genesis 1000 fps.
Idea for Dad and Son, An Adult Air Rifle. Practice Target Shooting in the Garage. Includes a 3-9×40 Variable Air Rifle Scope and Air Rifle Mounts.
(Air Rifle Scopes have to be EXTRA shock resistant for High powered Air Rifles) . These single shot spring air Genesis pellet rifle feature ultra Hi ergonomics in its soft, synthetic pistol style grip and sculptured cheek piece, 28 pounds of cocking force gets up to 1000 fps. Other features include aTwo stage Adjustable trigger, Ventilated rubber recoil pad, Precision rifled steel barrel, Crossblock trigger blocking mechanism, Ambidextrous safety, made in the USA.
$398.00
1911A1 Frames, Brand New Australian Made, (Gympie)
They look stainless but just have a high chrome content, (they all need oil anyway) bare 1911A1 frames that take all the standard parts the lower photo shows one of the Enfield Arms frames with Norinco parts fitted, a few external modifications, flat bottom and flat trigger guard in case anyone wants to fit further add ons. These frames are not cheap Asian cast frames all are machined on a CMC machining centre. The one assembled above has .45 ACP configuration but .22 LR, 38/40/ 9mm Para parts can all be fitted to this basic frame. No Limit to how many you can order, No Stocking Permits required, just a copy of your dealers licence. We can even help you acquire the other parts. Just Phone 07 54 825070 of 07 54 824099.
$395 or $750 for two
Barsaka 3-9×50 Huntsman
The Huntmaster combines high quality optics and rugged construction with accuracy and ease of use. Huntmaster scopes feature fully-coated optics for bright clear views, rugged 1” monotube construction and are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof. Huntmasters are suitable for all types of general purpose hunting. 50 millimetre objective lens all for
$135.
Second Hand Swedish Mauser calibre 6.5 x 55
A Model 38 Swedish Mauser, with Lynx Mounts, a ‘Light’ Variable 4–12 x 40 rifle scope. Quite a neat rifle for $300. The previos owner considered he needed a pistol grip to improve his perfomance, so that explains the woodend growth. Good Swedish Mausers are getting hard to find and the prices are going up fast.
$300.
Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
Leupold 3-9×40 Variable Riflescopes
Price $349.
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
RCBS 502 Scales
Big-scale features and capacity with an affordable price. Two-poise design lets you weigh up to 505 grains with 0.1 grain accuracy. The 5-0-2 also sports our magnetic dampening system for fast readings, maintenance-free movement and a rugged die-cast metal base. Tip-proof aluminum pan for loading convenience. Ounce-to-grain conversion table on the base for handy shotshell reference.
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More on Barrel Specifications.
The World standard test for accuracy is a 10 shot group. Many modern day shooters, given expectations on what they read in journals and advertising, have come to firing 5 shot groups, perhaps for economy and that’s okay for testing loads and other changes . Some shooters will quote groups and we find they are 3 shot groups. Unfortunately they often publish these 5 or 3 shot groups as indicative of the accuracy of rifle and load. A 3 shot group or 5 shot group bears no relation to a 10 shot group, almost invariably it will be very much smaller, and such 5 shot groups cannot be compared with bench rest official competition results and neither can authoritative 10 shot groups made in ballistic laboratories and fired from machine rest with which all human error is excluded. The late Dr. F. W. Mann is quoted as saying “that a 5 shot group did not prove accuracy, that there was too much of an element of luck in it, but it could prove if a rifle or ammunition or both were inaccurate and not worth proceeding further with.”
The late Sir Charles Ross (who designed the World War One straight -pull service rifle) made the barrels for his .280 Ross rifle ( he was an early fan of the 7mm bullet) with a peculiar, part slope, part step shape between points A and B, Figure I, (see in last edition) which was reported, as having slightly more barrel up-jump (vibration) with cartridges having slightly lower muzzle velocity, and slightly more down jump (vibration) with cartridges having slightly greater velocity than normal. It was hoped thereby to compensate for small variations in muzzle velocity in the same batch of cartridges. It probably worked out only for one certain cartridge load, and not with any other loadings. It is questionable whether such a property in a barrel is worth striving for as good modern ammunition is wonderfully uniform in velocity, and in any event it would probably work out with only one load. Nearly all serious ‘switched on’ shooters reload anyway and if they have variations then they only have themselves to blame. On the other hand such a feature might be an advantage to the all around hunter who used the same rifle with full charged cartridges for big game and reduced loads for small game, in that it might permit him to use the same sight adjustment at shorter ranges for both loads. Lot of messing about working out loads but could be fun.
Remington in the 1930s manufactured a peculiar shape of barrel in their Remington Model 30 high power bolt action rifle (sporting version of the M17) it was retained for a long time as a selling point as with various .30/06 factory loaded Remington cartridges loaded with 110, 150, 180, and 220 grain bullets, with velocities from 3400 to 2300 f.p s. shooting with practically the same sight adjustment landed the bullets in the same area at 200 yards. Most shooters think that those Remington very concave shape from A to B was rather ugly, and it is questionable whether Remington did not lose more sales by reason of the ungainly barrel shape than they gained from any ballistic convenience but unfortunately fashion takes its part with firearms and ‘there is nothing new under the sun’ . What is popular now changes and returns within forty years or so you just have to be alive to see it.
Military Mauser Rifles and Barrel Steps.
Model 1898, and many other Mausers Rifles have been made with several rather abrupt shoulders from breech to muzzle, where the barrel changes considerably in diameter. Mauser spent lifetimes of man hours testing and calculating the best barrel contours for different calibres that he was selling and has shown that these steps are in different places to suit different calibres. The Swedish Mauser 1896 has proved that he knew what he was doing in firearm design but we have to feel very sorry for him, as when it came to orders and that great conundrum “Military Intelligence” which is a contradiction in terms. Most likely the Generals with the cheque books made him re-design those steps to facilitate fitting sight bands and sleeves, and bayonet fitting for rifle drill and such things which they think is more important than accuracy. Paul Mauser proved that the stepped barrel provided the most ridged barrels for the least weight but stepped barrels on sporting rifles have never been popular so efficiancy is again sacrificed for vanity.
Practically all our barrels are now turned to a round circumference or shape, concentric with the bore. Our old gunsmith makers of muzzle loading rifles almost invariably make their barrels octagon, or eight sided in shape, most probably because none of them had a modern lathe with which they could turn them truly round, and they found it easier to make the barrel uniform by forging or grinding it into an octagon. An octagon barrel has but one advantage—it calls attention to any canting, or sideways tilting of the rifle when in the act of aiming, and it may have a disadvantage in that it may not expand equally when it heats up from firing. Many think that an octagon barrel presents a great deal of beauty, and it is doubtful if the disadvantages would be at all apparent in a heavy barrel, but the cost of making such a barrel today is rather excessive.
Our old gunsmiths also started the practice of fitting sights to barrels by cutting a dovetail slot across the barrel, and forming a similar male dovetail base on the sight; the sight was then driven into the slot. Sometimes a similar method was used to secure the forearm and tubular magazine to the barrel. Some of our present manufacturers still use this method of fitting sights to their cheaper .22 caliber rifles, and to some lever and pump action hunting rifles, but the practice is decidedly not a good one, and should never be permitted in a high grade target rifle. It weakens the barrel, makes it less stiff, and much more subject to excessive and varying vibrations or flex, which therefore makes for poorer accuracy, although a slot for front sight may not be objectionable in a historic octagonal or heavy barrel. Scope mounts should be attached to the receiver, forearms attached to the butt stock nothing should touch the barrel. If a screw is used on a barrel, its threads should be particularly well fitting, and it should be driven home tightly otherwise it may gradually loosen due to the vibrations of recoil, and give unaccountable errors.
We sometimes see special barrels, particularly of European manufacture, with raised matted ribs on top of the barrel. Theoretically such a rib prevents the even expansion of the barrel when it heats up, and it is possible they suffer some disadvantage. I have only shot a few rifles equipped with ribbed barrels and maybe due to the high quality barrel manufacturer they have surprised me, by not showing any ill effect. I can hypothesize that ‘maybe’ the rib makes the barrel stiffer and improves performance, I believe that many shooters feel that they improve the looks of the firearm and don’t care about the huge extra cost. Men have sought beauty in arms for three thousand years or more so, it is an integral part of human beings which cannot be criticised. It makes me laugh a little though when I see them on very expensive European firearms fitted with a telescopic sight as the only small advantage of them would be for quick alignment of open sights for a snap shot such as on a big game rifle.
Next Edition Securing the Barrel to the Action
Reloading Dies.
(Warning never place an unlubricated case in a die, it might never come our, furture articles will cover case lube)
Reloading dies are the heart of the game. They perform the necessary work on the case, with the press furnishing the power and framework to make it possible.
The resizing die screws into the press to meet the shell holder and is shaped inside just like a barrel chamber of the same caliber. However, inside it is a bit smaller in diameter throughout, so that the soft brass fired case will be reduced in size when it is pressed into the die. This cavity is surface-hardened and smoothly polished to reduce friction. All resizing dies function in exactly this same manner, regardless of make or design.
A decapping pin is provided in all bottle-neck caliber resizing dies and some others. It is situated on the end of the expander rod or a separate decapping rod, positioned so that as the case is pressed into the die, it enters the flash hole and forces out the fired primer which then falls clear.
Typical resizing die in section. Most have the expander plug rigidly installed on lower end of decapping rod. In this die plug is threaded and may be moved vertically on stem to suit individual preference.
An expander button is attached to a rod passing down the center of the die cavity. The expanded case neck passes freely over it into the die and is then reduced. The neck is then pulled over the expander on its way out of the die, thus brought up to proper and uniform inside diameter. Straight-case caliber dies carry the expander rod and decapping pin in a separate die.
The bullet-seating die body is shaped just like the resizing die, but with the cavity large enough to freely admit a new resized case. Yet, the cavity fits the case closely enough to guide it with reasonable accuracy. At the top of the cavity an adjustable plug, profiled to match the bullet point, is fitted. The case, with bullet set on or in its mouth, is pressed into the die; the bullet meets the plug and is halted; the case is forced on over it, seating the bullet in the case to the proper depth. Some seating dies, notably those in revolver calibers, are further fitted with an internal shoulder which turns the case mouth into the bullet or into a cannelure (groove) on the bullet to form a crimp.
Full Length Resizing must be done if the case is to be used in a different firearm than the one it was last fired in, even if the firearm will be the same caliber and make. All chambers vary in a small degrees and the case will expand as the chamber allows it. Consequently the case must be full length resized to be chambered in another rifle. Full length resizing works the brass more than neck sizing does. But full length resizing dies do not return the case to its size as when new as this would work the brass too much and is not necessary for re-chambering and re-firing. I have reloaded and full length sized each time and had over a 100 reloads with each case. So do not assume working the brass is going to wear out your cases more quickly than neck re-sizing.
Lever action, slide or pump action, and semi-automatic rifle owners should full length resize, but may sometimes find that even full length resizing will not be sufficient for good results. For these rare instances, small base dies are available if ordered from the local gunshop. These dies go beyond the full length dies in reforming the case nearer its original size. Insufficient Resizing will cause a number of problems, one of which is chambering difficulty.
If the sizing die does not reform the case shoulder sufficiently the case will not seat in the
chamber correctly. Stiff extraction of the case after firing may also be attributed to insufficient resizing. It may be necessary to replace the die if it is not doing its job, but adjustment usually corrects this problem. Insufficient resizing can sometimes be detected by bright shiny marks on the case which are caused when the case is forced into the chamber during loading. Adjustment of the dies can be done with the help of smoking the cases or marking blue. To smoke a case take a kerosene lamp or a candle and smudge the shoulder and neck of the resized case. Then chamber it in the rifle and extract it noting where the case
was marked by the chamber wall. Smudge one time only. Adjust the die until the chamber no longer creates new marks on the case. If die adjustment does not solve the stiff extraction, you may want to check the chamber itself, or that your loads are not to hot or overloaded.
Headspace is another huge subject, worthy of a book all on its own, but this is all that you need to know at this early stage. Headspace is the distance from breech face to that part of the chamber which stops forward movement of the cartridge case. Insufficient headspace interferes with closing the firearm because it leaves insufficient room for the cartridge. Excessive headspace permits the cartridge case to be unduly stretched or even separated by the gas pressure in firing.
The simplest and most effective headspace arrangement is for cartridges having a rimmed head. The headspace is the distance between breech face and rear end of barrel (including rim counterbore if there is one), a short and easily controlled dimension in both firearm and cartridge.
However, smooth functioning through magazine firearm mechanisms generally requires doing away with some or all of the projecting rim. When no projecting rim is retained, the stop must be supplied by some other part of the cartridge case. This, and the corresponding headspacing point in the chamber, must be farther from the breech and so are less easy to control. Also, the stop may be less positive. These conditions necessitate the maintenance of accuracy in chamber and ammunition dimensions to prevent cartridge case troubles on discharge.
A shoulder bulge on the cartridge case is caused by a chamber defect in the firearm. The only solution for this case defect is re-chambering your firearm and discarding the defective cases. When fired, the case expands as much as the chamber allows it. If the chamber has been reamed incorrectly or off-centre, the case will not seat properly, gases will create uneven pressures around the bullet and accuracy will be affected. Chamber defects can also be identified by uneven case shoulders. Although very difficult to detect, an uneven shoulder is one clue to an accuracy problem. Shoulder Collapse results when there is too much freebore in the chamber and your load is with a slow burning powder. Another cause of shoulder collapse is foreign material, dirt, or unburned grains of powder loose in the chamber which wedge between the chambered round and the chamber wall. When the round is fired, the gases escape back around the neck and force the collapse of the case shoulder. Any case with a collapsed shoulder should be discarded.
Next Edition Powder Scales.
Thought for the Week !
Who would you vote for Bligh or Boadicea??
We can all learn from the past so we do not repeat the mistakes in the future, but there is nothing new under the sun and it happens even when the best intentions oppose it. We have just had the Queensland elections and everyone again voted for their own enslavement, as they were told to by the media opinion manufactures. They vote every time for tweedledum and tweedledummer, the people put there own chains on and welcome their jailers. Freedom died decades ago, sacrificed on everyone’s backyard Sunday barbeque, with the chant of the sixties ‘Peace and the easy life’, playing in stereo. Some people are waking up but never enough to make a difference. 2000 years ago a lady by the name of Queen Boadicea, drew a line in the sand, the not so friendly Romans who were supposed to be her allies, raped her and her daughters, gave her a flogging and abused her people who had been softened by generations of peace. Even worse the Romans sent the bankers in to repossess property for debt. Queen Boadicea put together a large untrained un equipped Army, wiped out a Legion (60,000 men) bunt Colchester, St Albans and London. Eventually military technology beat her, the Romans could always bring in another Legion, she could not afford to lose once, after the Battle of Wattling Street her Army was destroyed and the Queen and her Daughters poisoned themselves rather than fall into Roman hands and the revolt was over. The only people left to write the History was the Romans, they made the Britons sound like wild savages, they forget that they had more than once offered the Olive Branch of peace and one Roman General had fallen on his sword rather than go in to battle against her. Dion Cassius a war correpondent/ historian of the day reported something out of context, maybe this is more of a truthful description.
Queen Boadicea quote,
“I rule not like Nitocris, over beasts of burden, as are the effeminate nations of the East, nor like Semiramis, over tradesmen and traffickers, nor like the man-woman Nero, over slaves and eunuchs – but I rule over Britons, little versed, indeed, in craft and diplomacy, but born and trained to the game of war; men in the cause of liberty stake down their lives, the lives of their wives and children, their lands and property – Queen of such a race I implore your aid for freedom, for victory over enemies infamous for the wantonness of the wrong they inflict, for their perversion of justice, for their insatiable greed; a people that revel in unmanly pleasures, whose affections are more to be dreaded and abhorred than their enmity. Never let a foreigner bear rule over me or over my countrymen; never let slavery reign in this island.”
Dion Cassius
Obviously educated, but sadly it took hundreds of years before that fighting spirit returned. Can we see our own island, can we see lost liberty, can we see people “that inflict their perversion of justice, for their insatiable greed that revel in unmanly pleasures”. Or can we see the other side of the coin a Western civilisation, based as always on Military technology gradually declining, weakening under the debauchery of our ‘Nero like’ leadership, until the chains break and the barbarian hordes sweep it all a away and us with it. Elections seem to be part of our Chains not our Choice. Win or lose we wait for Boadicea’s return.
Ron Owen
FREE FOR ELECTRONIC DOWNLOAD
Swedish Mauser Rifle Manual
Operational manual translated from the 1977 Swedish Army Manual specifications.technical details, Ammuniotion, Function,Zeroing, Maintainance Night vision sights. Details on snipers scope. With Assemble and Diss-assemble methods.
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Magazine February 2009 No 11
Welcome to the Eleventh Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
STOP PRESS
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Where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast. Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
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Thought for the Week
We have enjoyed many years of Western civilisation and when people in the future reflect on our on our period hopefully it will be adequately recorded. History repeats itself to such a degree of regularity and uniformity that is disgusts and frustrates thinking people, who are helplessly placed to do anything to prevent it. Our politicians fiddle while Rome burns.
The decline and fall of the Roman Empire was not like the sedate decline of the British Empire with the American Empire taking over the caring ‘White Mans Burden’. It was an onslaught of barbarians hordes, the soft Roman cities, market places,churches, craftsmen, professors of literature, were wiped out, murdered, enslaved. Where for four hundred years there had been law and order, respect for property and an educated middle class. It was torn down burnt and disappeared.
What will inherit the American Empire? The Goths and Vandals of the third world? The West has grown soft too dependent on luxury and technology. Its like the Roman Empire, it has reached a stage where it has lost the will to accept human losses in warfare. It tries to compete with an Iron Age culture who have no need of mobile phones, I pods, hi technology, or democracy and has the will to accept any amount of human losses. The Modern Goths and Vandals are happy with an AK 47 and a home made bomb. They are now aware of there inspired superiority. The decline of our civilisation may be read in the morning papers the cracks occurring at an ever increasing rate. The Americans and the rest of Western civilisation now have to make a decision, either to succumb into a third world economic wreaking lot, or a diametrically change, fight the immigration invasions, fight for national markets against free trade, fight for its natural resources. As it will never get out of the hole it has dug for itself until the people stop the banks from burying them in debt and war driven stock markets. Everyday it dithers, it reduces its chances of winning. Ron Owen
Monthly Specials
Prostaff 3-9×40. Nikon have been manufacturing the worlds most sort after Optical lens since the 1960s. Now you can own one of their Rifle Telescopic Scopes for:-
$375.00
plus registered post.
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Norinco Model 213 ‘Tokargypt’ 9 shot Semi Auto
The Model 213 original basis was designed by John Moses Browning, the world famous firearm designer. In the late 1920s the Colt /Browning mechanism was redesigned by Russian, Feoder Tokerev, simplified for mass production and chambered in the powerful 7.62×25. It used the Mod 1911 swinging link, short recoil system.
To enable easy maintenance the hammer and lock mechanism can be removed as a single assemble. To improve the Browning feed system the ammunition feed lips are machined into the frame rather than relying on pressed tin. Which on a battlefield where magazines lips do not get the best attention is a great advantage in reliability and makes the magazines cheaper to produce. It was an extremely tough, reliable and powerful pistol and was later modified by Hungary for export to Egypt this was known as the Tokagypt. The pistol differs from the Tokarev in being chambered for the 9mm Parabellum, a fitted safety catch (WHICH SHOULD NEVER BE RELIED UPON) as well as the half cock safety.
It has a plastic wrap around grip stock, instead of the Tokerev ‘bakelite’ and a finger piece type floor plate on the magazine, which improves your chances of quickly getting it out and getting another one in after someone has rammed one in covered in mud. The M 213 Chinese version of this also has a chrome plated barrel shown in the above photograph. These are brand new unfired but have the usual scratch marks and rough corners as shown in the photographs. As standard the barrels are a millimetre short for club licences so are fitted with a slightly longer barrel. The steel is excellent and once a few surfaces, such as slides, are polished they are a slick an easy pointing pistol. Eight rounds in the magazine.
One for $275
Two for $500
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Tasco 4 x 32
Thirty years ago we would have paid a $1000. for the same quality of vision and precision, a guaranteed leading optical manufacturer who warranties their products all over the World. They have a light gathering clarity that would have made those old dark Pecar’s appear like looking through a knot hole in fathers wooden leg. What’s more they are Waterproof. In 1970 during a storm in the Victorian mountains I can remember emptying my Pecar like a jug. It had a steel tube but it leaked like a sieve.I was so disappointed I hunted Samba for years with open sites as I wanted reliability. I took the low priced option then and will always follow that example, at this price I could afford to buy a spare one.
4 x 32 Silver Antler Rifle Scope $40.
plus Post
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This book originally printed by the War Office, was intended for use by officers under instruction at the British School of Musketry at Hythe. It is a complete examination of everything needed to be known about smallarms, ammunition and ballistics. It looks at rifles, swords, lances and bayonets, as well as revolvers, grenades and machine guns. There is a section dealing with small arms ammunition (including pre-.303inch ammunition) which is very comprehensive. The book also looks at the ballistics of this ammunition. The book is amply illustrated with photographs, line drawings and tables, and forms a complete record of the weapons and ammunition that were in service between the two World Wars. It was the Text Book Bible referred to by all the 20th Century Gun writers such as Hatcher, Ackley, and Askins. 430 A4 pages.
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Big-scale features and capacity with an affordable price. Two-poise design lets you weigh up to 505 grains with 0.1 grain accuracy. The 5-0-2 also sports our magnetic dampening system for fast readings, maintenance-free movement and a rugged die-cast metal base. Tip-proof aluminum pan for loading convenience. Ounce-to-grain conversion table on the base for handy shotshell reference
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Savage /Stevens Model 200 Synthetic Stock Bolt Action Centrefire Rifle
Brand New in the Box
25-06 Remington
$550Plus Freight
| Stevens® Centrefire | |
|
Stevens Model 200 – Long Action |
|
|
Caliber |
(25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD) (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
|
Overall Length |
42.75 inch (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)44.75 inch (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
|
Barrel Length |
22 inch (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)24inch (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
|
Weight |
6.5 lbs |
|
Magazine Capacity |
4 rounds (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD)3 rounds for (7MM REM MAG, 300 WIN MAG) |
|
Stock |
Gray synthetic with positive checkering, dual pillar bedding |
|
Sights |
No sights. Drilled and tapped for scope mounts |
|
Rifling Rate of Twist |
1 in 9.5 inch (7MM REM MAG)1 in 10? (25-06 REM, 270 WIN, 30-06 SPFLD, 300 WIN MAG) |
|
Features |
Standard trigger, blued barreled action, free-floating and button-rifled barrel, top loading internal box magazine, and swivel studs. |
|
Special Price |
$550.00 |
History of Gun Barrel Steels.
A Wilkinson Revolver, a good example of a Forged Damascus Barrel.
The outside diameter of any firearm barrel must be large enough so that its wall thickness is sufficient to sustain the breech pressure of the discharging cartridge without expanding or disrupting. The greatest breech pressure occurs at the breech of the barrel, particularly at that portion (chamber) which contains the cartridge, and for perhaps an inch forward of this portion, therefore the barrel must be thickest at the breech. As this portion of the barrel is also threaded to screw it into the receiver, the threaded portion must also have sufficient thickness. Hand guns and shoulder arms shooting light cartridges which give low pressures can have thin and light barrels even at the breech, but rifles using high pressure cartridges require much heavier barrels for safety if not for other reasons such as accuracy.
Of course barrel diameters also depend upon the physical properties of the steel used. A soft steel lacking in tensile strength and elastic limit would be compressed and enlarged in interior diameter, even if it did not burst, with the high pressures of certain modern cartridges, so that we must consider the various steels used for the barrels of small arms.
Forged Steel. (Soft Steel)Normal charges of black powder give relatively low chamber pressures, seldom exceeding 25,000 pounds per square inch in the largest rifles, or 10,000 pounds in revolvers. In the days when black powder was the only propellant, that is before about 1892 , barrels of all small arms were generally made of wrought iron or a simple, soft, carbon steel. Breech pressures were hardly a factor, the chief consideration was a metal that could be easily machined, which could be economically internally worked to a smooth, even uniform finish and rifled with the cutting tools then available. Such simple and soft steels of relatively low tensile strength answered all the requirements for rifle and pistol barrels in black powder days.
Such soft steels are also still perfectly satisfactory for barrels of rifles and pistols using .22 calibre rim fire cartridges, and many such barrels are still made of these steels, because they can be so economically machined.
Shotguns have very large bores, and if their barrels were made of such steels as the above they would have to be given considerable wall thickness, that is be very large in diameter in order to stand the pressure, and the gun would be much too heavy. A 12 gauge shotgun barrel can hardly have a wall thickness greater than 3/16 inch at the breech and 3/32 inch at the muzzle, and still make up into a total gun weight not exceeding the limits already given. A tougher steel or greater tensile strength was needed. In early days the metallurgy of steel was not well understood, and our gun makers arrived at the desired toughness and strength in shotgun barrel material by taking small strands of wrought iron and steel alternately, twisting them into a rope, flattening the rope into a band, and then winding and forging this band around a mandrel of slightly smaller than bore diameter. The mandrel was then withdrawn, leaving the rough bore in the centre of the welded tube, which was then reamed out smoothly to bore diameter. The resulting barrel showed the finely interwoven bands of light and dark coluored steel and iron, and the attractive pattern which is characteristic of the Twist, Laminated, and Damascus barrels seen on our older shotguns. Such fabricated barrels answered requirements perfectly in black powder days, but they do not have the tensile strength necessary for use with modern high speed and high velocity smokeless shotgun shells, and are decidedly unsafe with such modern ammunition. Today shotgun barrels, even made by the cheaper Third Word gun manufacturers, are made of modern alloy steels having high strength and elasticity.
With the advent of high power cartridges none of the above steels would suffice for rifle barrels. High power cartridges at the smaller end of the spectrum give breech pressures of about 38,000 pounds per square inch, and with some of our more modern cartridges pressures now reach 55,000 pounds. These pressures were way above the tensile strength and elastic limit of the older steels. Also the new cartridges used bullets jacketed with cupro-nickel or a copper-zinc alloy without lubrication, instead of the lubricated lead alloy bullets used in black powder arms, and the friction of these modern harder bullets quickly wore out the rifling in the old soft barrels.
The invention of Ordnance Steel allowed for more of everything. More Pressure, more heat, more projectile and more velocity produced more range.
Ordnance Steel. It was not long before firearm engineers developed a new barrel steel to meet these higher requirements, which became known generally as Ordnance steel.Thanks to the work of Sir Henry Bessemer, F.R.S who invented the ‘Bessemer Steel Process’, Ordnance steel was quickly adopted and used by most British and American manufacturers of high power rifles, including Enfield, Springfield Armory, the Remington Arms Company, and the Savage Arms Corporation, until the beginning of World War II, that is until about 1939. It proved to be a very satisfactory steel for all kinds of rifle barrels (except perhaps for the most ultra high intensity cartridges) and for shotgun barrels, being easily machined, having high tensile strength, and excellent wearing qualities. Its composition was: as percentage
Carbon 0.45 to 0.55
Manganese 1.00 to 1.30
Phosphorus (max.) 0.05
Sulphur (max.) 0.05
After being partly fabricated, the barrel is heat treated to increase its yield point and ultimate strength, which in the case of barrels manufactured at Springfield Armory for the .3006 cartridge must be at least 75,000 and 110,000 pounds respectively.
Nickel Steel was used by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company for all high power rifle barrels from about 1896 to about 1930, and also extensively by certain custom barrel makers, and it was used extensively in England. It has, perhaps, slightly greater tensile strength, slightly better wearing qualities, and very slightly better resistance to corrosion than Ordnance steel. On the other hand it is more difficult to machine, and consequently more expensive. Rock Island Arsenal also used this nickel steel during a portion of the time that Model 1903 Springfield rifles were being manufactured there. It contained 3.5 percent nickel and 0.30 to 0.40 percent carbon, and was made by the acid open hearth process.
Early Stainless Steel. Certain stainless or rust-proof steels were developed in and used to a certain extent in Germany from about 1910, to 1920. The more common ones were the Poldi “Anticoro” steel, and the Boehler “Antinit” steel. Neither of them was entirely rust-less, but would give much greater resistance to corrosion than ordinary steels. Most of the corrosion at the time was due to the corrosive (mercury based mixture) in the cartridge primers. For several years prior to 1930 the Winchester Repeating Arms Company supplied a “stainless” steel to a limited extent. It was really not a steel but rather a high chrome iron, its approximate composition being chromium 13 percent, carbon 0.10 percent, and copper 1.50 percent. Certain intricate heat treatment was necessary to make it both machinable and rust proof. It could not be successfully blued and was copper plated outside and then subjected to a treatment which turned the copper black. High cost of production and the advent of non-corrosive ammunition led to its discontinuance. As modern small-arms ammunition is now nearly (always got to be careful to check) all non-corrosive, the quest for a true Stainless barrels ceased in the 1950′s and early 1960′s and did not re-emerge again until the 1990′s as a sales promotion to give the appearance that they do not need cleaning and harder wearing. Both theories proving baseless.
All steel barrels from reputable manufacturers are made from an alloy of Chrome Moly most use 4140.
Chrome Molybdenum Steels. About 1930 the chemists and metallurgists of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company undertook a study of their barrel steels, resulting in a complete revision of their specifications, and that study is continued until the 1960′s with a view to utilizing the most recent knowledge of metallurgy to provide the best steels possible; which is as it should be. These steels are termed “Winchester Proof Steel” which title does not mean any particular kind of steel, but rather “the best steel which Winchester has been able to find for the particular purpose.” Thus the Winchester Proof Steel used in .22 caliber rim fire barrels may be entirely different from that used in high power cartridge barrels.
It is understood that the Winchester Proof Steel now being used in high power rifle barrels is an alloy steel containing chromium and molybdenum, heat treated to give the required physical properties. It is claimed, and it is believed to be a fact, that in all its qualities this steel is slightly superior to Ordnance steel and nickel steel. Chrome-molybdenum barrels have also been used to some extent for the past ten years by most of our custom barrel makers.
The .220 Swift cartridge erodes the barrel faster than any other commercial cartridge at present made, due to the heat and pressure evolved by the charge. To withstand this erosion better and give a longer barrel life, Winchester has in the 1970′s developed a new steel which has considerably increased the life of barrels for this cartridge. Whether this is an entirely new steel, or merely a different heat treatment of their chrome molybdenum steel, is not known.
It is probable that the wonderful military Ordnance activity and metallurgical research of World War II assisted in the development of better barrel steels, and all manufactures continue to make improvements.
This RWS Titan uses a different alloy to make the steel seem Stainless. It might never go brown but will still corrode.
So Called Stainless Steel specifications seem to keep changing as the fashionable popularity of so called modern stainless barrels which are still not truly stainless, still need the guilding (copper)metal cleaned out ,still eroded by burning hot powder and still corroded by condensation and moisture that collects between the guilding metal and the surface of the metal bore. To manufacture barrels the alloy steel needs a certain amount of carbon and when stainless barrels corrode they may not go brown as in rust but they pit in thousands of little holes which do the same damage in the bore as the rust pitting does, it ruins the finish and ruins accuracy. Barrel manufactures can more easily get a finer finish on the internal surfaces of Chrome-moly steel barrels than Stainless and that should be reflected in their respective performance, but no matter how good either is, once they are pitted by corrosion both will be equally as bad.
Next Edition, Diameters and Shapes of Barrels.
Understanding Reloading Ammunition.
The “O” Press.
The “O” type press is a variation of the “C”. The open side is simply closed to form a more rigid and distortion free link between ram and dies. One side of the “O” is usually offset or the entire area rotated somewhat to provide more finger room for handling cases. In other forms, the “O” is rotated a full 90° for the same purpose.
The Press that all others are judged by, the RCBS Rock Chucker, the most famous
A classic example of the “O” press is the RCBS Rock Chucker which inherited from its predecessor, the A-series, a form of compound ram linkage in place of the simple toggle already described in the “C” press. The “O” press, at the lower pivot point of the toggle it is supported on swinging arms and is not fixed. Consequently, greater power may be generated by the same force application; in other words, the design produces a much greater mechanical advantage. This feature was patented by Fred Huntington of RCBS, and as the patent ran out many years ago can be found on nearly all other makes and models.
Heavy cast “O” presses are the least subject to distortion and are best for heavy work such as swaging bullets. The “O” press is found in another variation called the “H” type press. It consists of a heavy base and die head joined by two (occasionally three) vertical rods. A plate-like ram or riser bar carries the shell holder and rides on the rods between base and head. A large shaft passes through the base, carrying a toggle arm on each end. They are attached to a second pair of arms pivoted on the ends of the ram. All this forms a pair of typical toggle joints operated by a handle attached directly to the shaft in the base. Unless the die head and ram are unusually thick in section, the “H” press uses a fixed vertical primer punch beneath the ram. Some makes and models provide a cam-operated shield to keep falling primer debris from clogging the sleeve. One useful variation is found in the Bonanza Co-Ax press with its cam-operated, multiple-calibre shell holder and slotted rather than threaded die seat.
The Forster Co Ax Press sometimes referred to as a 'H' due to the two vertical steel rods and the cross piece but the design still reflects the 'O' shape Press.
All reloading equipment is designed to be simple operated they are not complicated even what once was the Bonanza H Co Ax Press is now the Forster Co-Ax Press which may look the most complicated is still simple while still delivering precision ammunition. They are expensive and not seen much these days but everyone that has one will never have anything else. Sort of a cult worship thing, that you get when people have to have a Holden of a Ford.
The Co-Ax Loading Press comes with several unique features that help make it truly one of a kind, including: Snap-in and snap-out die changing. You can actually change from sizer die to seater die in two seconds. A positive spent primer catcher system which passes all spent primers and dirty carbon through a tube and into a container. That helps keep all working parts free of dirt and abrasives. Dual floating guide rods to help ensure perfect alignment.
Because there is absolutely no torque on the head of the Co Ax Press, long life is the rule rather than the exception. (The old Super Simple used to get a bit of wear in the head but never heard yet of anyone wearing out a Rock Chucker.) Due to the design of the linkage and pivots, all forces are in equilibrium whether the press is at maximum work load or at rest.
Forster claims that Co Ax Press has three times the mechanical advantage of an ordinary “C” press. It’s so effortless, full length sizing can actually be accomplished by operating the handle of the press with the little finger! All that could also be said about the Rock Chucker.
The Co-Ax Press delivers perfect alignment of the die and the case because the shell holder jaws are designed to float with the die, thereby permitting the case to centre precisely in the die. It has no frame supports or swinging primer arms to interfere or cause an obstruction, the Co-Ax Press provides plenty of elbow room for both right handed or left handed operators.
The Co-Ax Press accepts any standard 7/8″ X 14 reloading die, some with existing locking rings.
Numerous minor variations of the foregoing presses will be encountered and rather exaggerated claims are made for same. Nevertheless, they are all based on the C, O, or H types, differing only in price size and small details.
Next Edition Multiple Station Presses followed by Progressive Station Presses.
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Manual for Glock Pistols Models 17,17L,19,20,21,22,23,24
Operators Instruction Manual,Exploded Drawing and listed Parts numbered, photographs, specifications and details of all types and different Models. With Assemble and Diss-assemble methods.
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Owen Guns Bulletin Jan 2009 No 8
Welcome to the Eighth Edition of the Owen Guns Bulletin.
STOP PRESS
Scroll down for another Free Firearm Manual
We are currently publishing our new website at www.owenguns.com
Where we are in the process of listing 1000s of rifles,shotguns, handguns, accessories, and gun parts that we have for sale. Visit the website now. We also have shooting articles and important firearm information for the gun enthusiast.
Take away free gun photos and free firearm images for your gun gallery collection. New firearm related material being added every day.
Have A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year from all of the team at Owen Guns.
Any Inquiries on any products phone 07 54824099 or 07 54825070
Monthly Specials
Quality Photographs of the famous Ron Hayes collection of hand guns, the most complete Australian collection. A deluxe compilation of handguns from all around the world, the subjects are conveniently cataloged into National and Manufacturer classifications. The twenty six groups utilise each letter of the alphabet, introduced with a brief description of each particular category. 592 large format pages.
Special Price for this Month Only $99.00
FN Custom Mauser
Commercial Walnut Stock, Famous FN Mauser Action. Bedded and Free floated, Custom worked trigger guard and magazine floorplate. Commercial Adjustable Trigger and Safety Catch. Commercial Striker. 3-9×40 Simmons scope, Simmons Steel Mounts. Comes with 25/308 cases. All finished and deep blued by a Local Custom Gunsmith.
Only
$800.
Email owenguns@spiderweb.com.au for more & bigger photos, its worth it.
Bushnell Sportsman 3-9×40 Variable Riflescope at a once only price of
$90.00
Ian Skennerton has spent more than four decades of world-wide research and study, evolving through two prior editions and many other related titles. The Lee Enfield has proven itself as the finest battle rifle of all time. No other firearm has served for so long at home and abroad with such a proud record. This study encompasses all aspects of the Century of Lee-Enfield development & production… Britain, America, India, Australasia, South Africa & the Far East. Rifles, carbines, bayonets, parts, tools, accessories & ammunition are arranged into specific groups & chapters. There are five new chapters • Preview, Model Identification • Lee-Enfield Hybrid • Serial number Production Ranges • Component Parts Evolution • An Ammunition Summary. The Pattern Room collection has been the primary source for samples and records. With the larger format, this presentation sets a new standard for collectors, students & shooters of the venerable Lee-Enfield… indeed, for all arms books. While the ‘Lee-Enfield Story’ has long been accepted as the definitive tome on the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield rifle series, this new volume increases the record from 504 to 608 pages and features improved photographic detail, larger illustrations and an improved layout.
Special Price for this month only $79.00
plus postage
Idea for Dad and Son, An Adult Air Rifle. Practice Target Shooting in the Garage.
Includes a 3-9×40 Variable Air Rifle Scope and Air Rifle Mounts. $385.00
(Have to be shock resistant for High powered Air Rifles) . These products will all be 20 % dearer as Distributor prices went up 1st December due to dollar.
Four left in stock
The single shot, .177 cal. spring air Genesis pellet rifle features ultra hi-tech ergonomics in its soft, synthetic pistol style grip and sculpted cheek piece. 28 pounds of cocking force gets up to 1000 fps. Other features include:
• Two stage adjustable trigger
• Ventilated rubber recoil pad
• Precision rifled steel barrel
• Crossblock® trigger blocking mechanism
• Ambidextrous safety
• Made in the USA.
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Anschutz 1450 10 shot 22 Long Rifle
This second hand .22 rifle is a high quality item still in top condition, (open sights are missing) has been used for .22 Silhouette competition with a good scope. Last owner was a winner and up graded. The Ten Shot magazine would be worth $120. This rifle is a bargain at
$250.
This book originally printed by the War Office, was intended for use by officers under instruction at the British School of Musketry at Hythe. It is a complete examination of everything needed to be known about smallarms, ammunition and ballistics. It looks at rifles, swords, lances and bayonets, as well as revolvers, grenades and machine guns. There is a section dealing with small arms ammunition (including pre-.303inch ammunition) which is very comprehensive. The book also looks at the ballistics of this ammunition. The book is amply illustrated with photographs, line drawings and tables, and forms a complete record of the weapons and ammunition that were in service between the two World Wars. It was the Text Book Bible referred to by all the 20th Century Gun writers such as Hatcher, Ackley, and Askins. 430 A4 pages.
Special for this Month Only $59.
plus postage
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
RCBS Great Prices, Get the Best Reloading Tools for the Lowest Price.
Throws consistently accurate charges reload after reload. Powder pours uniformly from measuring cylinder into case, thereby eliminating the hazards of “overloads” caused by clogging when charges are dumped”. Changes easily from charge to charge without emptying powder hopper. Numbered measuring screw is used for reference to find a given charge at a later date. The measuring cylinder has precision ground surfaces and slides into the honed main casting for a precision fit. Standard 7/8″- 14 thread. Includes stand plate, drilled for easy mounting on a bench or under a reloading die lock ring. Two drop tubes for .22 caliber and upwards are supplied. The Uniflow Powder Measure is fully capable of accurately measuring all three major powder types – ball, cylindrical, and flake. It will even cut the cylindrical powders so that a precise charge can be obtained. NOTE: The Uniflow Powder Measure should be used in conjunction with an accurate powder scale for setting the original charge and for checking charges occasionally during the run.
Special Price RCBS Uniflow Powder Meausure, $120.plus post
EMAIL Or PHONE 0754824099
For More RED HOT PRICES
EMAIL Or PHONE 0754824099
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GUN LAWS
The Hoplophobe
by Dr. Bill Rogers
WRogers@KeepAndBearArms.com
Jeff Cooper coined the term “Hoplophobe” to describe a person who lives in fear of an inanimate object. The Hoplophobe does not recognize that there is a living, breathing human being in possession of the inanimate object. (See: Bad Gun – Liberals attack the gun issue.) Therefore the Hoplophobe chooses to have a relationship with an inanimate object rather than with the sentient being in control of the object. Such a person is, by definition, irrational. Such a person is, by association, insane.
In our merciful culture, the insane are granted special dispensations. They are not considered responsible for their own well-being. Public money is often used to house, clothe and feed them. They are not allowed to serve on a jury. They are not allowed to vote. (And when they do manage to sneak into the voting booth, the rational among us are not surprised that they often “dimple” rather than “punch” a ballot, despite written instructions to the contrary.) They are not allowed to serve in the military, and they certainly should not be allowed to make public policy that will put their neighbors at risk of being injured or killed.
We in the RKBA community have spent countless hours and dollars attempting to educate the Hoplophobes. This is hopeless. It cannot be done. These poor folks have a condition known to the medical specialty of neurology as “anosognosia.” That is: they don’t know, and they don’t know that they don’t know. A sure sign of such a deplorable condition is that when education is attempted, the Hoplophobe responds with anger.
So, I recommend that we finally give up on educating these unfortunates. Let us instead shift our efforts to controlling them and disenfranchising them. They must be treated like the mentally retarded who are allowed to make only limited decisions in the world of “grownups.”
Hoplophobes don’t like to be angry, because it frightens them to be angry. So, our attack on them should be one of frontal assault.
Let us boldly call them what they are: socially retarded children who, when left alone to participate in the making of public policy, are getting people killed. It is time for us to start taking them on directly. We have simply been “too nice” to these social retards. The worst that will happen when these people are confronted directly is that they will cry and run away, trembling and calling us names as they run.
Politically correct witnesses to our frontal assault will doubtlessly call us ugly names and tell us we are being “cruel.” And that, my friends, is the exact moment when we win the debate, because that is when we turn and point to a homicidal shooter, like the one recently captured in Massachusetts, and we say:
“No, DAMN YOU, HE is the cruel one! HE is the one who shot the sheep, some of them in the back as they frantically scrambled for their lives because they had nothing with which to fight back! HE is the one that no one shot down while he was fumbling to change magazines or reload his shotgun!”
Yes. It is time we came out of our own little closets and began telling our fellow citizens:
“Any man (or woman) among you who is physically able and yet who does not learn to shoot and carry a defensive weapon at ALL times, is a deadbeat who deserves…DESERVES…whatever comes your way.”
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Dr. Rogers is a psychiatrist practicing in Tyler, TX. He is a member of the KABA Board of Directors and he is the Director of Doctors For Sensible Gun Laws
……………
Gun History
William Ellis Metford
Rifle Engineer
William Ellis Metford
Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Volume 140, 1900
William Ellis Metford was the elder son of William Metford MD of Flook House, Taunton, by his marriage with Miss M E Anderdon, and was born on October 4th, 1824. He was educated at Sherborne and afterwards became a pupil of Mr W M Peniston, then Resident Engineer under Mr Brunel on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, and from 1846 to 1850 was employed under Mr Brunel on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway. He subsequently worked for Mr T E Blackwell in connection with schemes for developing the traffic of Bristol and afterwards for a short time acted as engineer under Mr Peniston who was contractor for the Wycombe Railway.
During this period of his life he made many friends in the profession and in 1855 became acquainted with Mr William Froude who at once recognised his ability and skill and became his most intimate friend.
Mr Metford devised a form of theodolite with a traversing stage and a curved arm upholding the transit axis, which is described in the Proceedings of the Institution for February 1856. He also invented an improved level in which the upright stem of the level telescope terminated in a sphere resting on the lower plate of the level and gripped by a ring grip tightened by four screws pulling downwards and having spherical nuts. The instrument could then be adjusted accurately even if the plates were as much as 25 degrees out of the horizontal. Mr Froude suggested a further improvement – that the sphere should not rest on the bottom plate, but should have an internal hollow sphere resting upon a small sphere concentric with the outer sphere.
Early in 1857 Mr Metford, who had married a daughter of Dr Wallis of Bristol, obtained a very important appointment on the East Indian Railway under the present Sir Alexander Rendel. This he obtained largely through the recommendation of Mr Blackwell and Mr Brunel. He arrived at Monghyr, on the Ganges, in May of that year, the mutiny having just broken out. Here there was every probability of an outbreak; the town of 50,000 native inhabitants contained no troops but a handful of Sepoys belonging to a mutinied regiment. The Europeans, some seventy or eighty in all, were taking no active steps to organise defence. If they fled, as was possible by boat, the town would be given over to anarchy and violence. Mr Metford decided to remain and, with his railway staff, took in hand as well as he could the organisation of patrols and other repressive measures. His task was difficult, for he had no official position as leader. The old fort was ruinous and too large to be defended by so few; a house was accordingly fortifiedand provisioned in case of need. Patrols and guards were organised and it became known that ‘Metford Sahib’ was making explosive shells and other murderous inventions. Besides taking his turn on guard duty, he superintended every measure of defence and could scarcely rest night of day.
In the Indian Mutiny some building were fought over more than once. 2000 Sepoys were killed defending this building, due to wild dogs only the large bones were left.
It was the most trying part of the Indian hot weather and not until the beginning of August could English soldiers be spared to garrison the town. Had it not been for Mr Metford’s determination another massacre might have been added to the story of the Mutiny. The heroism of the man who prevented it has remained unrecognised and almost unknown.
The strain of this terrible time left him seriously ill – suffering from inflammation of the membrane lining of the brain – and after some months of rest and an attempt to resume his work at Monghyr he returned home after a little more than a year’s absence from England, and was obliged definitely to abandon the profession. Much of the work which he afterwards accomplished was done under the strain of continual depression and headache.
He soon resumed his old hobby – experiment in rifle work. As early as 1852 Mr Metford had carried out experiments at the long distance of 1,200 yards. About the end of that year he suggested a hollow-based bullet for the Enfield Rifle which was brought to the notice of the Committee on Small Arms in 1853 by Mr Pritchett, and adopted by them. Both at this time and afterwards, he made many experiments on alloys of lead, tin and antimony and on the changes in hardness which take place in them with time.
In 1854 he investigated the disturbance of the barrel by the shock of the explosion, which affects the line of flight of the bullet, a difficulty which has led to much misunderstanding. About this time he designed a form of telescopic sight which he afterwards used a great deal and which was a decided improvement on existing patterns.
He gave much attention to the problem of making an explosive rifle bullet and in 1857 sent in his invention to the Select Committee who found it the best of those offered to them. It was not adopted however until 1863, when it had successfully competed against Colonel Boxer’s and General Jacob’s shells. It was very cheap and easy to manufacture, the explosive being a mixture of sulphur and chlorate of potash, and the hollow a simple one at the nose of the bullet. The Convention of St Petersburg in 1868 put an end to the use of explosive rifle bullets; but the superior accuracy of the hollow-fronted bullet led to its retention for the Service rifle.
The Volunteer movement of 1859-60 had led to a great revival of interest in rifle work, and at the Wimbledon Meeting of 1862 Mr Metford made the acquaintance of Sir Henry Halford, hence-forward his friend and assistant in his experiments. Together they competed, with rifles specially designed by Mr Metford, for the prizes given by the National Rifle Association in 1864-5 for shooting at 2,000 yards. In both these years Mr Metford’s rifles were successful. He now made many experiments to determine the velocity of the bullet at different points in its passage along the barrel and was able to lay down a curve for such a spiral as would give the bullet equal increments of rotation in equal times – the only scientific basis for an increasing spiral. This invention, though it proved to be less important than was at first supposed, formed the subject of a patent. A new form of ballistic pendulum, with double suspension, suggested partly by Mr Froude, was of great help to Mr Metford in his experiments.
Mr Metford’s chief distinction in rifle progress however is that he was a pioneer of the substitution of very shallow grooving and a hardened cylindrical bullet expanding into it, for deep grooving and bullets made of soft lead. No one before him had realised that the expansion of a bullet under the blow of the powder was ample and instantaneous and that deep grooving served to accumulate fouling, while soft lead created unnecessary friction. The Whitworth system of polygonal grooving gave far more grip on the bullet than was needed to give it proper spin. Mr Metford found that a bullet could be spun with rifling only 0.0005 inch deep, and that a depth of 0.004 inch was ample for all practical purposes. In 1865 his first match-rifle appeared, having five shallow grooves and shooting a hardened bullet of special design. It immediately achieved prominence in the hands of Sir Henry Halford, and in a very few years Mr Metford’s rifles, and those made on the same principles, had left all others far behind.
The Martini action, in combination with the Henry barrel, was adopted in February 1869, by the Small Arms Committee who had before them the work of all the prominent rifle-makers of the day, but not Mr Metford’s, and in 1870 he embarked seriously on the production of a breech-loading rifle. He saw that the solid-drawn brass cartridge-case was, for strength and simplicity, far ahead of the compound rolled case adopted for the Service; and that, considering the needs of hot climates and other practical conditions, lubrication of bullet or cartridge was inadmissible. Every detail of the barrel and cartridge received close attention and especially the form of the chamber and of the ‘entry’ conducting the bullet from the cartridge into the rifling. The adoption of a grooving of segmental form was also found to give great advantages in preventing the accumulation of fouling. It was not long before Mr Metford’s first experimental breech-loaders made their appearance and at Wimbledon in 1871 two rifles and a limited supply of home-made ammunition were used. With one of these Sir Henry Halford won the principal prize for military breech-loading rifles – a single prize of £50 – given by HRH the Duke of Cambridge and shot for at 1,000 yards
In 1872 a match at Wimbledon between teams armed with breech-loaders and muzzle loaders proved that while the latter was certainly still superior, the Henry match breech loader was quite out-classed by the Metford military rifle with match sights attached. By 1877 the rifle and ammunition had passed out of the experimental stage and were made by makers of repute, to whom great credit is due for the good workmanship which was an indispensable condition of the success of the rifle. From that time the record of the military rifle is an unbroken series of triumphs; and in the whole 23 years up to 1894, when military rifles of larger bore than 0.315 were no longer recognised by the National Rifle Association, the Metford rifle only four times failed to win the Duke of Cambridge’s prize, while it took a preponderating share of the other prizes. The Martini-Henry, adopted so recently by the Committee on Small Arms as the best breech-loader, soon found its level and after 1882 absolutely disappears from the long-range prize lists for the military breech-loader class. The superiority of the Metford rifle was notably shown in the matches with the military rifle between the Volunteers of Great Britain and the National Guard of the United States in 1882 and 1883 when the American rifles proved to be decidedly inferior to the British, notably at the long ranges, and almost the whole of the British teams used the Metford rifle.
The rapid advance in military small arms abroad, especially as regards quickness of loading, caused the appointment of a Committee to deal with the question of an improved British rifle in February 1883. Mr Metford designed, at the request of the Committee, the detail of the barrel of 0.42 bore for the rifle provisionally issued for trial at the beginning of 1887. But just at this time the question of further reduction of calibre was raised, as a result of Continental experiments, and the outcome was the adoption of the present 0.303 barrel and cartridge for the Service. Mr Metford’s unique knowledge enabled him at very short notice to lay down the proper proportions for the grooving, the pitch of the spiral, the shape and dimensions of the ‘entry’, and the ‘clearances’ to be given for the cartridge, all so satisfactory that though he himself verified them at much trouble and cost and the Committee also tried them exhaustively, it was found that no modifications could improve them, either as regards accuracy, convenience in use, or ease of manufacture. The 0.303 was first used for black powder, for which his segmental grooving was almost essential, and it was only the rapid destruction of the bore by the smokeless powder afterwards adopted which made it advisable to return to a very obvious form of grooving which had been used by Mr Metford twenty five years earlier. The adoption of the name of Lee-Enfield for the 0.303 magazine rifle with the altered grooving obscures the fact that the shape of the groove was only one of many details connected with the barrel, chamber & cartridge, which are due to Mr Metford’s skill. The form of the bullet, for instance, is one which he found to meet with less resistance from the air than any previously invented.
The Lee-Metford Rifle
Rifle work was by no means the only subject in which Mr Metford took an active interest. He was something of an astronomer; was an authority on the making of fireworks; and knew much about kite-flying. He studied thoroughly the questions involved in the cutting of precious stones, and at the Exhibition of 1862 showed some jewels beautifully cut by a mechanism of his own invention. He was an interested reader of books on many subjects.
A return, in 1892, of his old illness in an acute form put an end to Mr Metford’s active work and after some years of failing health he died on October 14th 1899. Those who knew him will always remember specially his kindness, his deep and genuine nature, his wide sympathies, his extreme accuracy of mind as well as of hand, and his untiring thoroughness of his work.
Mr Metford was elected an Associate of the Institution on 4th March 1856
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INFANTRY SMALL ARMS OF CHINA
152 Full Colour pages, photographs, specifications and details of all types of Infantry Firearms and Ammunition.
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