|
Post by Diane Merkel on Feb 8, 2006 18:32:55 GMT -6
It's nice to see you again, GAC! I hope you'll stay around for a while this time.
|
|
|
Post by Diane Merkel on Feb 28, 2007 17:13:10 GMT -6
Webley, the brand name for shotguns and air rifles, will be relaunched today – exactly 12 months after it was bought from the receivers.
The Birmingham maker of guns – including pistols for General Custer – was bought by Airgunsport for £1 million last year after falling sales triggered the collapse of its Rubery-based operations. Article: tinyurl.com/26x8vp
|
|
|
Post by markland on Feb 28, 2007 20:20:31 GMT -6
Gracious, I had forgotten how informative this thread was and how it featured many contributors who I wish posted more often!
Many thanks Diane!
Billy
|
|
|
Post by Diane Merkel on Feb 28, 2007 22:12:16 GMT -6
It really is a walk down memory lane, isn't it?
I noticed that we had 72 -- 72! -- people on the boards at one time a couple of weeks ago. I like to think that some of our old friends are still checking in.
|
|
|
Post by Jas. Watson on Mar 2, 2007 14:34:27 GMT -6
I thought I would mention something about this thread that was not brought up--but to me is obvious. It seemed that at least one poster was really pushing for their use of repeaters--mainly the Henry rifle. And was using every opportnity to praise them and postulate how things would have been different had they had them and wonding why the army didn't adapt them etc.etc. The problem stems from only 'book learning' about these weapons--sure, rate of fire, range, accuracy, and all that seems impressive for a close in hot fight.....but....there is a reason the army didn't adapt these things--a good reason. We all tend to think of the Winchester '94 which the Henry ultimately became--the state of the art weapon of the 19th century--well and good...but we're talking the Henry here.
I am probably one of the few on this forum who has fired a Henry in 'combat' conditions--a fire fight type envronment in the field in a sustained situation. And I can tell you first hand--the thing is JUNK! Someone asked hypotheticly which gun would you rather have in an Indian fight...well I sure wouldn't take a Henry!
They put out some awesome fire for the times (we had over a dozen of them all shooting at once)--VERY impressive. For a while. After a magazine or two fully one half of our Henry's were jammed beyond working at all. Another magazine or two and only a couple were still capable of firing. By then it was usually the lever wouldn't be able to be worked at all. A good healthy dose of oil (I mean really splashing it all over--not something that should be done) would get another magazine worth out then it would be totally gunked up--the only advantage there was that later it was easier to clean. They also picked up the least amount of sand or grit and jammed (right there a big reason not to slather the oil). And in the long run the brass block would get dented and ultimately broken through--this was the problem of the Winchester '66 and '73 too. They will still work this way, but need to be 'jiggled' into place when they are like this.
In my own personal field trials I would say the Henry is definitely NOT the rifle to have. I sure wouldn't want to be facing a passle of angry Indians with a jammed up Henry.
As a side note, I have beat the hell out of an old ratty Springfield (not collector quality) and (with modern brass) have never had a single problem...ever.
Jas~
|
|
|
Post by markland on Mar 3, 2007 13:19:34 GMT -6
Jas, does this mean that "The Rifleman" was a fraud? Darn it, if I had known that, I could have saved myself a crease in the skull when younger caused by trying to cock my BB gun like Connors did his Winchester. Of course, that was also the age that I realized that the rubber suction cups on the end of the arrows would come off and that the wooden arrow fitted perfectly into a pencil-sharpener. My butt still hurts remembering Dad discovering that little modification!
Billy
|
|
|
Post by AZ Ranger on Mar 4, 2007 17:11:28 GMT -6
Jas- I am curious about you combat conditions. What were they shooting back at you with? Did you have an original Henry and ammunition or reproduction? Where did you find the rimfire ammunition used at that time? I thought production had ceased.
AZ Ranger
|
|
|
Post by Mike Powell on Mar 5, 2007 16:18:38 GMT -6
Jas,
Following AZ Ranger's question, you refer to the "brass block" which would get dented. I assume you refer to the brass frame of the receiver as featured on the Henry and 1866 Winchester, but you mention this as also a problem on the 1873 Winchester, which I thought had a steel frame? I'm guessing the henry's in the shoot were replicas? Were you using smokeless or black powder loads? Sounds like an interesting day.
Yours,
Mike Powell
|
|
|
Post by Diane Merkel on Mar 6, 2007 22:08:20 GMT -6
In case anyone is trying to track who owns which of Custer's guns . . . . [William] Koch, the president of a Florida-based global mining and energy firm whose boat America3 won the 1992 America's Cup, said in an interview that he believes he was duped because his wine expertise stems from taste rather than a connoisseur's eye for the label color, cork consistency or bottle shape.
Experts recently sifted through his lavish wine collection and discovered numerous fake bottles, said Koch, a history buff who also owns a hunting rifle once used by Gen. George A. Custer, who was killed by Lakota and Cheyenne Indian warriors at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. Article: www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/06/america/NA-GEN-US-Wine-Probe.php
|
|
|
Post by elisabeth on Mar 7, 2007 1:15:35 GMT -6
You have to wonder if he was fooled over the hunting rifle too ...!
|
|
|
Post by Diane Merkel on Mar 7, 2007 19:54:14 GMT -6
;D ;D ;D I hadn't thought of that.
I have to wonder about some of the world-famous auction houses. At one point a Certain House put a photo up for auction, claiming it was WeiR. My husband contacted them and told them It was not Weir, and the pulled it immediately from the auction. Taking the word of a Stranger Told me that they eIther had not botherEd to research the photo and/or they hadn't cared about hiStorical accuracy as long as it would sell.
It's all about the money.
|
|
|
Post by harpskiddie on Mar 7, 2007 20:13:02 GMT -6
If all of the Custer guns now in private hands and museums were gathered together, it would be possible to reasonably well arm a regiment of cavalry and the warriors to fight them at the Little Horn. I know mine are authentic, because Custer signed each of them in long-lasting ballpoint pen.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by AZ Ranger on Mar 7, 2007 22:07:04 GMT -6
Mine have consecutive serial numbers
|
|
|
Post by harpskiddie on Mar 8, 2007 12:28:57 GMT -6
Look again, Steve. Those numbers are not consecutiove - they're identical. That's what you get when you deal with Franklin Mint.
Enjoy your June visit. I'll miss you by about a month. But hope to see you in Flagstaff.
Gordie
|
|
|
Post by AZ Ranger on Mar 11, 2007 10:34:35 GMT -6
Your right. I have 3 more $99.99 payments to make.
|
|