Almost A Nice Pair:

 You can't beat holding a nice pair eh ..

ALMOST a pair - the sharp eyed will spot 12mm difference in barrel length and the hammers don't really match.

I found them maybe a year apart, - both smooth-bore .44" Pocket Pistols were battered, rusty, corroded messes and both were offered on trademe New Zealands on-line Auction site. - When received these were really in 'relic' condition.

A lot of my time has gone into RUST removal and restoration. - Well it's more than that .. I have re-finished these old muzzle loading antiques - and they needed it. - Both had crushed nipples seized in place .. that were a pig to extract - and had awful surface corrosion, pitting, filing marks and gouges.  .. And these two pistols have been my first try at using Oil of Wintergreen as a rust remover and penetrating oil.

Expert collecters will be jostling for space to tell the world that I have RUINED these guns value . but they were well ruined before they came to me.

I've tried to stop the corrosion and to diminish the worst damage - while retaining an aged character and "patina" while restoring them to working condition. - I also 'matched' their curves & profiles a little into conformity.

I like to think that these unmarked antiques both came from the Birmingham England outworkers groups of the 1850s and '60s and have enough of a family resemblance to be almost a pair of plain guns .. despite one seller describing the longer barreled pistol as "French". But they might easily be from Belgium (or France). I'm just guessing but I like the feel of both. When I was new to buying collectibles I didn't much like the look of those 'bag shaped' grips - preferring the slab sided stocks .. but when gripped as for firing, in the hand - the rounded bagshapes are very comfortable.

They might be the sort of low cost tool sold with powder & ball in a paper bag, on the Aussie harbourside wharves to 'new chums' headed for the gold diggings.

PAIRS of PISTOLS are also known a 'A brace of pistols'. - If one is good then TWO has to be better eh. The fastest reload has to be grabbing a spare backup gun. Buccaneers & Pirates are often depicted as being well armed for their jobs ..

I think fancy pairs of embellished pistols have long been gifted to the Master as bribes while matched pairs were needed for "fairness" back when Dueling was fashionable.

Are You a Fit and Proper Person?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

P.S. I just read again this piece by Elmer Keith. It's BRILLIANT so give it a read ..

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/keith-article-on-cap-and-ball-pistols-long.11474/

Beaumont Adams Pocket Pistol ..Best of British?:

Police Te Tari Pureke say that more than a third of all firearms licence holders have registered their firearms, with New Zealand’s Firearms Registry recording its 400,000th gun now linked to an individual licence holder. Te Tari Pureke – Firearms Safety Authority, says the 400,000th firearm was one of more than 1000 guns added to the Registry in one day, on 1 May. These firearms are held by 81,400 individual licence holders, or 36 percent of licenced gun owners in New Zealand.

In other words - around two thirds of NZ Licensed Firearms Owners continue to avoid registering their legally owned guns.

WILL POLICE PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW A LIST OF LEGAL FIREARM SERIAL NUMBERS AND THEIR LOCATIONS ACHIEVES ANYTHING - OTHER THAN A SHOPPING LIST FOR CRIMINAL HOME INVADERS, THIEVES & NUTTERS:

 - WOULD TE TARI PUREKE COLLATE A LIST OF ALL SWORN POLICE OFFICERS & THEIR HOME ADDRESSES TO ADVANCE CRIME FIGHTING?

____________

I seem to have bought a well used antique English 'Beaumont Adams' five shot 4" revolver made by London Armoury Co. .. which indicates it's manufacture date to 1856-59 - claimed to be .31" blackpowder caliber, - but I measure the chambers at 0.335"- and the rifled muzzle bore at .340 inch.

Caliber: 120 bore aka .338" or .340" ?- Depending on who you read ..

This suggests Hollow base .34 Conicals required to be historically correct .. and a chamber reamer needed (or some fine abrasive paper wound around a dowel) as - for accuracy, the chambers ought to be slightly larger than the rifled bore.

 The trigger return spring was 'at fault' (missing) - but I have made one from a 4 mm wide steel strip off an old hacksaw blade, cut, heated & bent into a fitted Vshape. - Fixed.

- Yeah I know it's yet another one - don't tell my wife (ex). - It's an old mans' indulgence.

That 'SAW HANDLE' makes for a Comfortable Grip:

I am learning as I go here - BUT it seems that old timers made their guns in 120 Gauge, .34 inch caliber, as well as .28 inch and .40 inch - not forgeting the more standard .36 inch (Navy) and .44 inch (Army) guns. - I read that Allen & Wheelock 'pepper-box' pistols were commonly .34".

- Might this confusing mix of ball sizes account for some of the CHAINFIRE incidences - that may have been caused by flame leakage ??

____________

- NZ Police Arms & Ballistics Officer G G Kelly writes in Chapter 12 of his book 'THE GUN IN THE CASE'  about a Deane & Adams Revolver taken from a museum exhibit seventy-five years after the Maori Wars in Taranaki - The revolver had sat in storage for decades with two chambers loaded .. until a sixteen year old boy experimating with mixed percussion caps in an attic, after nicking the gun, set-off the old powder & the heavily oxidized lead bullet with unintended but deadly impact into his own temple. - Two loaded chambers had remained "live" in the cylinder perhaps for as long as 75 years.

- That's an interesting book if you find one at a school fair ..

Robert Adams 1810-1870 was a very active revolver designer and manufacturer of the mid 1800's. He may have been a difficult man to work with, as he changed partnerships many times - but his Revolvers were the very first "self cocking revolvers" and were highly successful and reliable - to the extent that Sam Colt failed to take-over the British market because they preferred the Adams's.

 This revolver is a Beaumont-Adams - but I'm thinking that there are sliding links between English makers Adams, Deane - to Deane, Adams & Deane - to Beaumont-Adams, - London Armoury Company, to Tranter & Kerrs & then to Kerr's Patent Revolvers .. In 1867 Robert's cousin? John Adams left 'London Armoury Co' to set-up 'Adams Patent Small Arms Co.' .. other associated names later are Kynoch Gun Factory (Aston Arms Factory) (& Tranter Brothers Gunmakers) and Kynoch/Schlund - then on again to BSA British Small Arms. (note: Kerr & Adams were cousins.)

You might say that these English gunmakers had flexible incestuous relationships .. working together to the extent that Adams often relied upon frames manufactured by William Tranter to manufacture his own revolvers! 

The U S link seems to be Civil War sales, with several hundred Adams guns made under licence by the Massachusetts Arms Company 1857-61 - while Adams revolvers were made on the European mainland in Belgium by, for one, PIRLOT FRERES (brothers).

When in 1867 - Robert Adams brother?/cousin? John Adams set-up in competition - with a freshened, cartridge design, it was adopted by the British Military as the official sidearm for the army until 1880.

There is a variety of progressively developed "Adams" type revolvers out in the antique collectors world .. enough to spend lots of $$$$ on while searching for examples. Then there are the later breech loading Cartridge guns ..

As pointed-out by a mate .. I do seem to be building up a sizable collection of antique sidearms and pocket carry pistols eh.

Note: The early Adams revolvers were made without levers to ram home the bullets, so the bullets had to be pushed into the chambers by hand - these projectiles used "spiked" pills to hold a waxed WAD of leather or wool felt to the base, that was meant to lock the loose fitting projectiles in place in the chambers ..

ARE YOU A FIT AND PROPER PERSON?

- ARE NZ POLICE 'FIT AND PROPER' PERSONS?

- They are not ..

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

 

Have you seen this? You Wanna NEEDLE Someone?

 You won't be interested in this as it's only an airgun-blowgun ...

But I bet the 3D-Printer backroom boys are working on their m/cs 24 hours a day ..

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?pc=carousel-about-en#sent/QgrcJHrtpqcXgCqmVWWSPbvHZhQzgDwzTqb?projector=1

What got my attention initially was that this thing is a PEPPERPOT PISTOL - and I've just 'won' a 170 year old English antique collectible ..

170 years old - v brand new ..

Watch the video linked to see what this thing can do while considering the variations the bad boys are going to dream-up.

Bear in mind this technology is LOW TECH, low-pressure - powered by toy shop CO2 cartridges or spring power whatever ..

The projectile 'needles' are made by cutting-up wire to length with a bit of plastic stuff to push it.

- You could use spitballs and cardboard.

Anyone can see that a heavier needle is an option for a heavier hit. - And, don't those "Taser" stun guns fire needles at their targets?

No doubt the politicians will BAN these from sale ..

WHAT A CAN OF WORMS

Are You Fit and Proper?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER PERSONS'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

Stakes Followed by Steaks ..

After starting school in 1949 I came across kids in class who were lying little shits. - Being 'properly brought-up' I avoided them and ignored anything they said or did. The decent teachers made these snots sit at the front under their supervision - Sad to say but right now in River City we got trouble - Those lying, cheating shits have ripened and slithered out of their slime and are now running our nations as "leaders" - presidents and prime ministers.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TOTALLY WEIRD ARE THESE "LEADERS" - WHO ARE IN CONTROL? - Check this out ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-boYD47gmh4

You wanna be a girl? - Sure 

..Discipline is OUT .. replaced with 'Positive Reinforcement' .. Dwaine, aged twelve years, with the writing ability of a two year old - "I'm rewarding you with a special GREEN STAR for the lovely crayon colours you choose." 

- In my home - the only positive reinforcement given is every time I've used the microwave to reheat my leftovers - the machine tells me that I am  COOL.

“…no amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory party that inflicted those bitter experiences on me. So far as I am concerned, they are lower than vermin.”

Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, 1948

On the 4th of July, 1948, on the eve of the creation of the National Health Service in Great Britain, ex Health Minister Aneurin (Nye) Bevan delivered a vitriolic attack on the Tories.

_____________

Over in USA - "felons" are prohibited from owning 'firearms' - so a few of these jokers get hold of muzzleloading 'no license needed' 'old-tech' guns (original or reproduction) as the next best thing .. Here in New Zealand all we citizens are forbidden from lawful gun ownership unless they can undertake costly processes to meet preventative laws and licence requirements. These imposed 'Rules' include rebuilding your home to make it "Burgler Proof" and installing an approved built-in SAFE.

Our current kiwi rules treat reproduction blackpowder guns as 'Firearms' the same as "modern" cartridge arms - but old original antique guns, made before 1899 are legal to own as collectibles of interest .. exempted from Firearms LAW .. in much the same way that our Police have exempted themselves from all prohibitive firearms legislation and LICENCE requirements.

Weird Rules ..

Naturally our NZ Police Service claim that while you are legally permitted to own antiques .. you must not under any circumstance fire the things. - Not even to test their mechanical safety.

- Back in the U S 'CallmeSirJack' says:

Lots of rural folks had black powder percussion cap revolvers well into the 1930's. No need to upgrade when what you already have on hand is "good enough."

There is a fun blackpowder Range competion where a team of shooters compete to cut a wooden stake in half against the clock and other teams. Much like 'Bowling Pin' shooting it can be a barrel of laughs ..

I took part in a few "stake shoots" over the years. Usually as a team, but sometimes individual. A piece of post (the stake) must be shot between two marks until it is cut off and the top falls over. At 25 yards, the stake marks would be about 5 inches apart. A hit above or below disqualified. Again it combines accuracy with reloading.

The splintered timber can later be used to fire up a barbecue for burnt steaks and sausages with a cold drink.

I get it that for many folk - OLD STUFF is simply outdated and useless crap from the olden times - But I like to point-out that the old mechanisms and methods STILL work despite being time proven.

RADIO - invented in 1896 - still works well for entertainment & information while we can be busy working .. and fists & feet still injure. - FIRE was utilized by mankind 500,000 years ago - it still burns.

Black Powder 9mm. A Recipe For Squibs? Jake at Everything Blackpowder tests loading 9x19 with his home made powder .. Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RyKT5o3_wM

 

I've owned and shot guns since they taught me AT SCHOOL - on the school rifle range aged 14 in 1958. 

- IT IS NOT GUNS THAT ARE DANGEROUS - IT IS UNDISCIPLINED, POORLY TAUGHT, SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED LOW IQ NUTTERS & PSYCHOPATHS THAT ARE THE PROBLEM.

Are You a Fit and Proper Person?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

Pepperbox Percussion Pistol:

Peter Piper Proper Person Packed a Percussion Pepper Pot Pocket Pistol in his Purse - Preparing to Piss-off a Politician .. Problem is did the Pepper Pot Pistol Propellant he Personally Packed Put it's Plumbum Pill Projectile into the Proper Place on Paper - Prior to being Prohibited by Police's Te tari Pureke - Puna Kōrero mō te Pū ?

I now have an English marked antique original Pepper-Pot or Percussion Pepperbox Pocket Pistol in decent condition as below: 

                                                        Pepperbox - As trademe Offered

Mark Twaine humorously opined on Pepperbox Pistols - from his book 'Roughing It'  ..

"George Bemis was our fellow-traveler.

We had never seen him before. He wore in his belt an old original "Allen" revolver, such as irreverent people called a "pepper-box." Simply drawing the trigger back cocked and fired the pistol. As the trigger came back, the hammer would begin to rise and the barrel to turn over, and presently down would drop the hammer, and away would speed the ball. To aim along the turning barrel and hit the thing aimed at was a feat which was probably never done with an "Allen" in the world. But George's was a reliable weapon, nevertheless, because, as one of the stage-drivers afterward said, "If she didn't get what she went after, she would fetch something else." And so she did. She went after a deuce of spades nailed against a tree, once, and fetched a mule standing about thirty yards to the left of it. Bemis did not want the mule; but the owner came out with a double-barreled shotgun and persuaded him to buy it, anyhow. It was a cheerful weapon - the "Allen." Sometimes all its six barrels would go off at once, and then there was no safe place in all the region round about, but behind it."

Well, my "PeePee" is in decent (antique) condition - now that I've cleared the bores of obstruction detritus .. but I'm undecided as to should I give the barrel cluster a 30 minute boiling or just keep on drenching it in Wintergreen Oil? - Dunno.

"PeePee"

English V & P Proof Marks between barrels ..

It would be great if I could unscrew the nipples and clean-up their locations - but first I need to make a 'Key' or Wrench to fit those wee slots.

A Repco 5mm Socket voluntered to be adapted - but so far hasn't shifted anything - the nipples are well stuck .. the longer 3/16th socket works for the cones on Ruger Old Army 44s.

Current opinion suggests that if the right size, properly fitting #10 or #11 percussion caps are used with soft balls, sized to leave a leaden ring when inserted onto the powder charges, there should be little risk of a chainfire - while aiming at close combat ranges will yield satisfactory results on target.

Cleaned & Clear

Caliber: 120 Bore aka .338" or .340" 

.. So that would be a 60 grain round ball charged with between 20-50 grains of gunpowder - six barrels. Good enough in times of need.

- I'd suggest this is a similar energy load to a 'TwoTwo' Long Rifle, at around 133 foot pounds (180 joules) energy from each barrel at 1,000 feet per second.

Question: Does anyone have any clues about double-balling loads in blackpowder shooting? This is what I understand as a 'Duplex Load'. Two round balls would weigh similarly to a 'conical' bullet and provided they both are solidly seated on the charge no issues.

In NZ this might be regarded as 'unlawful' ?

- My research suggests this is known throughout history as useful at medium-close ranges. Thompson Centre Arms used to list double ball loads in their paperwork ..

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/double-balling.43584/

Are You Fit and Proper?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER PERSONS'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

RUGER'S 76 Years - Earthy Treasures:

"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, - which is just long enough to become president of the United States."    Spike Milligan.

What we call 'Ruger' started 76 years ago in 1949 making affordable long lived, decent quality, strong firearms ..

Lipsey's Ruger SP101 Three inch Barrel in 327 Federal Magnum Caliber Revolver.

Naturally - this particular model will not be available in New Zealand due to it having a three inch barrel - deemed by NZ Police to be too short for purpose.

Mind you .. my Police annual home security checker / Approver stated that my four inch 327 stainless revolver did not exist - because there was no such thing as 327 Federal Magnum caliber .. and he should know, he being a police firearms expert. - He also wanted to fail my security because my houses' brand new, double glazed aluminium doors had hinge pins visible outside ..

I treasured my specially imported 327 SP101 as it was a fine performing versatile tool - and I was devastated by having to dispose of it at auction around a decade later. - Someone got an absolute bargain. My loss.

So, - the British Crown Jewels, which are held in trust by King Charles & Queen Camilla, - are understood to be worth between 4 to 6 Billion Dollars .. BUT some of you might be happy to know that the York Lloyds Bank Coprolite - believed to be the very largest fosssilised TURD measuring some 20x5 centimeters - Six inches long by Two inches diameter, is said to be MORE VALUABLE:

"This is the most exciting piece of excrement I've ever seen ... In its own way, it's as irreplaceable as the Crown Jewels" - In 1991, Andrew Jones, a York Archaeological Trust employee and palaeoscatologist, made international news with his appraisal of the item for insurance purposes:

Sad to report though that somebody dropped this hard English turd when showing it to visitors .. and it broke into three pieces ..

Isn't it TRAGIC when careless ignorant people are able to do stuff that fecks-up the lives of so many ..

- Like when people who know nothing about firearms are put in charge of them and make the rules about having them eh ..

Are You Fit and Proper?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER PERSONS'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

WHAT A MESS - World & Barrels ..

 We ALL know that the very first thing you must do when handling a gun is                                  CHECK THAT IT IS UNLOADED AND SAFE TO HANDLE.

- Yeah it's another antique - but can you tell me what else should anyone spend their cash on - when the crazed president of America is demanding that Iran "Unconditionaly Surrender" after having been attacked and bombed by Israel with American supplied aircraft & ordnance?

- Anyway, this was couriered to my front door early today and after unwrapping, - I checked its bores with a dowel to find four of the barrels were blocked around half - to a quarter of an inch at the bottom, chamber ends ..

It didn't feel like a lead ball (too soft) so I got to picking out the obstructions ..

Even the 'clear' bores had some scrapings but I can't say what it is .. sort of fiber maybe? - perhaps oily-rusty fiber from cleaning patches jammed in the bottom of the chambers?

This fresh purchase 'PEPPERBOX' antique is fully functional once I can clear the nipples and it has a strong spring action and overall decent condition. 

I think it measures to be Caliber: 120 Bore aka .338" or .340" with two & three quarter 2 3/4 inch barrels stamped with Birminghan proof marks - six shot, double action only

That's an easy shot with my phone .. but trying to get light at the bottom, now that I can blow air through is bloody impossible .. I need a borescope.

Dunno what that grunge blockage is - BUT I do know we should all be considering what best to do - to prepare and protect our loved ones from this criminal warfare POLITICAL INSANITY .. 

Trump is threatening to join Israel's attack against Iran .. and either this conflict, or the Ukraine slaughter could easily escalate into NUCLEAR DEVASTATION.

I suggest that the very least you can do is try prepare by stocking-up on storable foods and liquids for your family's use and maybe consider buying iodine or seaweed tablets - MRE packaged foods - and gas or charcoal fueled barbecue cookers - camping stoves for future use.

A loaded pantry and full petrol tank on your vehicle won't cost anything long term and could prove helpful in any disruption to come. A simple sack of potatoes is better than nothing ..

It is politicians who are banning citizens from gun ownership - while killing us by the tens of thousands around the world ..

Are You Fit and Proper?

Are NZ Police 'FIT AND PROPER PERSONS'?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.