Spiking Cannon:

I've been reading a book written in 1922 about the NZ Maori wars and came across several instances (on both sides) where withdrawing forces - faced with abandoning cannon - had to 'spike them' to stop the ordnance being used by the other side against them.

- These old black-powder cannon might be effectively rendered useless by merely hammering a spike into the touch-hole.

The small touch-holes that are loaded with fine powder to ignite the main powder charge behind the projectile(s) were vulnerable to this kind of blockage. - Accidental 'spiking' might occur in the heat of action if the ram rod was pushed down the bore when a vent-pick was being used to clear the touch-hole of debris. the tip of the pick might be forced back by the ram and the bent end would prevent the pick from being withdrawn.

The gun might be further disabled by loading a ball into the bore without any powder charge presenting a hell of a job to remove it.

Small Cannon (1 inch bore) repaired by boring a further ignition Hole.

San Antonio.

 

More modern artillery pieces might be "spiked" by removing the breech-block or totally destroyed  by charging with double charge of some kind designed to blow the barrel when remotely fired (using a pull cord ).

 

A spiked gun would need careful expert repairs as any projecting sharp metal remains (of a drilled-out spike) or even sharp iron burrs might ignite a powder charge when being loaded by the crew.

 

Serious stuff this ordnance and artillery work - and the bigger the gun the heavier the risks incurred by careless or poorly trained gunners.

 

The book that I'm working-through is 'The New Zealand Wars and The Pioneering Period' by James Cowan - 1921. - It is well written (archaic(ish) style) but has been simply scanned into the free Kindle edition and needs some thought to unscramble too frequent "nonsense-words". - Well illustrated with sketches and period photographs.

 

Some excellent references to the period weapons - and the author makes good comparison between the historic fighting here in New Zealand and the many similar encounters between first peoples and the European pioneers of America.

- Back then it was all about land as a resource - now it's all about hydrocarbons !
 

 

Maori 'PATITI' (Hatchet) With Carved Decorated Handle.

Marty K.

Lever Action Pistol - part 2 - VOLCANIC:

Rod (gundoc@xtra.co.nz) has responded to the piece about lever-action handguns and 'Mares Legs' by saying that there is a Volcanic Pistol of 1854 that "grew" into the 1860 Henry Lever Action Rifles and the 1866, 1873, and 1876 Winchester Rifles.

Volcanic / Smith & Wesson 1854-55 Pistol.

 

Wikipedia relates how S&W / Winchester forced the Volcanic outfit into closing and bought them out - transferring their assets to the New Haven Arms Company (Connecticut). B Tyler Henry was employed there as superintendent and after leaving he further developed the Volcanic pistol and rifle design into the Winchester rifle using the then new rim-fire cartridges and that company was formed.

 

 

 

- Well I never !  - If I knew my Winchesters I should have known that eh.

 

Thanks again Rod. (- Rod still makes truly accurate De-Lisle Carbines.)

 

Marty K.

 

 

Rare Bittner Lever Action PISTOL & Mares Legs:

I "tripped-over" this Bittner Lever- Action Pistol (1893)  while researching 'mountain man guns' !

- don't know about you - but I'd never heard of a handgun having a lever action - unless you count the Steve McQueen 'Mares Leg' cut-down rifles of  T.V.-movie fame (infamy?) ("Wanted - Dead or Alive")

Rossi 'Ranch Hand' - both Chiappa & Henry make a 'Mares-Leg' too.

 

The Bittner is rare as less than 500 were built - they had a six inch octagonal barrel in 7.7mm calibre - when cocked by the trigger ring the bolt stayed back until the trigger ring was moved to the rear releasing the bolt to strip and chamber a round then the trigger was pressed as it entered the ring through a slot in the rear circle.

 

Built by Gustav Bittner in 1893 - he called them the " Repetir - Pistol"

The magazines (clips??) are rare - and the cartridges are apparently like hens teeth (or 'Rocking-Horse Poo)

Bittner Repetir-Pistol - few photographs and even less information - I doubt that there's any youtube Bittner video! - Well I had to check!...

Good taste in side-arms & a "Mares Leg" - "Oh Yeah - That's what I'm Talking About".

"Big Daddy"

 

New Zealand Law defines any firearm shorter than 762mm (30 inches) as a pistol - the Henry Mares Legs are 'bout 25 inches.

Marty K.

A Neat 22RF Revolver - Ruger SP101:

I was bemused(?) to note that my post ending with the Ruger 22LR revolver finally reaching home was my 200th effort.

I really like the look of the original equipment grips - the wooden inserts are  very nicely done - but they are not a good fit in my large(ish) hands. - They are not comfortable and leave my pinkie scrabbling for a home right on the bottom edge. - So the first job was to exchange them for a Hogue Monogrip (- that NZ Customs were told to release to me by NZ Police).

Mmmm, that's Better - Hogue Monogrips Fitted.

 

You can clearly see the difference in grip size eh, - and take a look at that front sight.

 

 

That "day-glow" optical fibre insert is a modern wonder - it really shouts at you in sun-light.

 

True - I'm no photographer and had problems trying to line-up the camera with the back sight, front sight, and the dark curtain while keeping the sight in the sun-light !

 - I'm useless at that test where you have to rub your stomach in a circle with one hand while patting your head with the other hand (go on then - try it!) - but I think you should be able to see how the front sight can stand-out visually.

The gun seems well made and the 'brushed finish' to the stainless-steel is OK commercially but possibly a little coarse - I guess that the 'up-side' there is that any scratches I add will be less obvious! - Double-Action trigger pull should lighten-up some with use but doesn't seem to be a problem for me - but then again - I was brought-up on Glocks - not tuned Colt .45" 1911s. -  Grip the gun!

Interesting to note - but there is an envelope in the Ruger plastic moulded container with a test-fired .22 shell case - this is date stamped 12 June (2014/06/12) - so I can't blame the Auckland gun-shop Reloaders Supplies for the slow service - when it seems that the gun was not completed and test-fired in Connecticut  until two months after the order !

Certainly I am surprised? / disappointed that neither the factory nor the NZ Importing Agent had stock - this may go some way to explain why Ruger handguns are rare on club ranges here in New Zealand.

Hickok 45  has fun with the .22 SP101 - but has reservations about that bright front sight:

Life is good.

Marty K.

Ruger SP101 8 Shot 22LR:

I Think it's Murphy's second law that 'Everything takes longer than you think it will'.

On 11 April 2014 I ordered one Ruger SP101 revolver from R........ S....... (Auckland) and paid a deposit directly into their account

- Having negotiated a price they stated "It will take 8-10 weeks to get one."

I then visited my Club Secretary to obtain a "pinkie" - a form that states to the police that I am in good standing with the club and entitled to apply to purchase a restricted handgun - this form was lodged with the Arms Office at District Police Headquarters on the basis that they might action it and issue the Permit To Procure later - when the revolver was landed - as it was only valid for 30 days.

- On 30 June - when it was due two months and two weeks later - having enquired as to where it was, - I was told that they had checked with the Ruger agents and " it is due to leave the US in a few days and will be here in four weeks."

On 29 July they answered my next enquiry saying " It landed in New Zealand yesterday .. it will probably be ten days or so before we have it and get it registered.."

On 13 August they responded "I have your revolver here. It is not on our licence yet, so you cannot get the permit yet. As soon as it is I will let you know."

20th August - one week later - they responded that it had been registered with Auckland police on the previous Monday and I might now get my Permit To Procure activated - which I did - and I paid R........ the full amount outstanding into their acct.

On 27th August - another week later -  R........ e-mailed "Scott has checked our account and we have not received the outstanding payment. When did you do the transfer please?..

Then after I told them again that I had transferred the funds back on the 20th - they duly responded "I can confirm receipt of the balance - but the courier has been today so your pistol will not now be sent until tomorrow."

28 August they e-mailed saying that they went to courier my revolver but couldn't - because " the permit expired on the 21st."

It seems that the permit had been incorrectly completed by the Arms Office with the current days date in the Expiry Date Box !

The Arms Office, when telephoned, arranged with R......... S........ to mail them another Permit.

                   I think that it should look something like this when you take it from the box - but my memory is getting poor as I get older..

 

Waiting For The Mail. 

September 2nd .. I got a phone call from Dan of R........  S............

September 3 - The Courier delivered a parcel.

 

Marty K

 

Jim Bridgers Guns and Gear:

Jim Bridger (1801-1881) became one of the best known American trappers and 'mountain man' who worked well into his old age as a scout / guide.

 

 

Jim Bridgers name was first heard in American pioneering history as one of the two men who abandoned Hugh Glass to die - after he suffered terrible wounds when attacked by a Grizzlie she-bear - that fed some of his flesh to her cubs - when they stripped the badly wounded man of his equipment and left him - under threat of indian attack. Bridger was later chased-down by Glass who had crawled for days to a fort - but was forgiven due to his youth.

 

A Trade Hatchet.

 

 This description of Bridger in his sixties comes from the letters of the eighteen year old son, Caspar, of Col. William O Collins - writing to his mother on a journey from Fort Leavenworth in May 1862:

 

Colt Navy Model 1851.

 

 " These old Mountaineers are curious looking fellows... they nearly all wear big white hats with beaver around it; a loose white coat of buck or antelope skins, trimmed fantastically with beaver fur; buffalo breeches, with strings hanging for ornaments along the sides; a Mexican saddle, moccasins, and spurs with rowels two inches long, which jingle as they ride. They have bridles with , sometimes , ten dollars worth of silver ornaments on, Indian ponies, a heavy rifle, a Navy revolver, a hatchet and a Bowie knife. they have a rawhide lasso (lariat) tied on one side of the saddle, to catch and tie their ponies."

 

 

Early 'Bowie' Knife.

 

" It was amusing to see Old Major Bridger cooking his supper. He would take a whole jack rabbit, and a trout about eighteen inches long, and put them on two sticks, and set them up before the fire, and eat them both without a particle of salt; and drink about a quart of strong coffee. He says when he was young, he has often eaten the whole side of ribs of a buffalo."

 

 

 

Bridgers Hawken rifle is held in the Exhibit Room of the Montana State Historical Society at Helena.

- It is thought that he sold it for sixty-five dollars to Pierre Chien in 1865(-67?)  - as he could not see the sights any more and would not need it where he was going (home - he was retiring).

 

 

There are many instances where Bridger fed the parties he was guiding by shooting buffalo - probably with this .50" calibre rifle.

 

Bridger is known to have used other guns - including a superimposed double-barrel rifle by John Shuler, Liverpool, Pa, made 1830. (not confirmed - possible a swivel barrel?)

 

Bridgers Hawken rifle had a thirty-four inch barrel.

 

A Young JIM BRIDGER.

 

Well worth reading about Bridger and those exploration days - There were some tough people.

 

Marty K 

Vector CR-21 - Space-ager South African Bullpup 5.56x45:

I thought that my 9mm NATO 'Just Right Carbine' was a bit "Spacie Looking" until I came across the Vector CR-21 on-line.

VECTOR CR-21 in 5.56x45 NATO - An AK in drag?

 

Designed 1997 by Denel Land Systems in South Africa as a possible replacement arm for the SANDF it is also being offered for export sales. Wikipedia has it as a prototype 'Bullpup' design currently suitable only to be shot by the 80% right-handed due to its ejection characteristics.

 

The action is gas-operated rotating bolt developed from the time-tested AK-47 (via Galil) and the polymer butt-stock has a storage compartment for standard cleaning kit.

 

The integral sight is described as a 1x optical sight with an illuminated reticle that does not use batteries and is easily changeable to other options.

 

 

The front sight is removable to fit a grenade launcher and the CR-21 uses 35 round R4 / Galil magazines.

 

"Sexy" as it looks - my first (opinionated) opinion would be that it might prove more useable if fitted with a standard picatinny tactical rail system (MIL-STD-1913 Rail) and was ambidextrous (I personally maintain that my left-handedness doesn't mean that I'm completely useless!).

 

 

My Just Right Carbine Comes with Tactical Rail System.

 

- Still - They both are pretty eh.

 

Marty K.