Tag: Guns and such

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Worthy Additions

The Gun Thing

Just the other day I was sauntering in a desultory fashion along the well-trodden (by me) byways of Teh Intarwebz, and happened upon Collectors Firearms Cruffler pages.  (For my Furrin Readers and others unfamiliar with the term, it stands for guns classified as curios and relics — C&R firearms — and the licencees thereof are known as Crufflers.  They are mainly people like me, although I’ve never had a C&R license.)

Anyway, here’s the page;  and if you follow the link, you’ll see that almost all the fine old beauties listed show signs of age — e.g. “some frosting in the barrels”, “slight pitting” and “dings and scratches”, to name but some.

Most alarmingly to my eyes, however, are the prices, which seem to be mostly in the > $1,000 stratosphere (and some a great deal more than that).

And yet, amidst all that carnage are to be found some excellent bargains, namely, some of the excellent Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Model 1911 straight-pull rifles and carbines (here, here and here).  Note the prices, which are well under that magic one-grand number.  Here’s the 1911 (long) rifle (one of which I once owned, and still wish I’d never sold):

Indulge me for a moment while I ramble on about these rifles.  Here’s what I said about them in my Great War Rifles post:

First introduced in 1896 and improved in 1911, chambered for the powerful 7.5x55mm Swiss cartridge, the Model 1911 had a straight-pull bolt action, and was unquestionably made to the highest quality standards of any rifle of the time (and higher even than many production rifles of today).

The Mod. 1911 is a marvel of functionality, its workings intricate and precise, its accuracy outstanding.

(For the whole story, feel free to diverge from this post and watch Othias and Mae’s take, and if you’re too impatient, just watch Mae shooting the thing.)

To work the Mod. 1911’s action is to experience poetry in engineering, and the rifle, even with that forward-mounted rear sight, is more accurate than 90% of the people who’ll ever shoot it.  (The later K.31 shortened the action and moved the rear sight back towards the breech.)

Let me be succinct:  if one takes into account the quality of workmanship, ease of use, smoothness of the action, efficacy of the ammunition, and finally price, I cannot see a better bargain in the firearms market than these three rifles.

So:  what about the ammo?

Sadly, the original RUAG-made 7.5x55mm (or GP 11) ammo ended production in the 1990s, but apparently has since been restarted as of 2016.  I say “apparently” because I suspect it’s being made purely for domestic use in Switzerland as I can’t find it for sale anywhere in the U.S. of A.  Here’s what it looks like:

It was the only ammo I ever used when I still had my 1911 rifle, so I have no idea how other brands will perform.

“Did you say other brands, Kim?”

Indeed I did.  A quick perusal at Ammoseek brought forth these options (click to embiggen):

I know, it’s a little spendy at $1.20+ per pull, but to put it in perspective, that’s cheaper than the current price of .30-30 I’ve been seeing.  (I would go with the Czech Sellier & Bellot, just because I’ve had excellent results with their other calibers before.)

Here’s my suggestion:

For just under (or a little over, depending on your choice) $1,000 you can get your hands on one of the best bolt-action rifles ever made, one that still shoots as well as the day it left the factory, along with 200 rounds of ammo to feed it.  It will almost certainly outshoot all the other C&R rifles listed at Collectors, and most likely a whole bunch of the other rifles they sell, too, not just the mil-surp ones.

Just in case you have a spare grand burning a hole in your pocket and a desire to own something special.

I don’t have the grand, but the desire to own a Schmidt-Rubin 1911 again is burning a hole in my heart… and I am not lying.

By the way:  yes, the later model K.31 was a shorter rifle (e.g. how the Germans changed the Gew. 98 into the K98k), but:  the 11’s receiver was forged, and the 31’s cast.  I happen to prefer the ring! of the 11 to the clack! of the 31, just as I prefer the sound of the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 over their successors (for the same reason).  There’s nothing wrong with the K.31 — and it loses over 2lbs off the Mod. 1911’s 10.  Yes, the older rifle is heavy;  but you’re not going to go on any route marches or parades — and whether in offhand or bench modes, that extra weight tames the stout recoil of the GP 11 cartridge.

Fighting Off The Bully

Mocking Furriners, Pussification Parade, The Gun Thing

Apparently, dogs attacking people is becoming a thing in Britishland.

Here’s one to make you wonder:

Fighting off an XL bully is nearly “impossible,” according to a martial arts expert. Self-defense tycoon Matt Fiddes, 44, has called for a ban on the beasts and said that if anyone finds themselves confronted by one then do your best to run away.

Run away from a dog?  Yeah, that’ll work.  The exercise will just make him hungrier.

Of course, Over Here we don’t have to listen to bullshit like this because we have recourse to fine tools like this one:


…loaded with your choice of .410 goodness (I’m kinda torn between #2 and #5, but I can be persuaded, in Comments):


Of course, the Brits could use pepper spray — no wait:  “Carry and use of pepper spray by common citizens is banned under Section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968”.

What about tasers or stun guns?  “Stun guns are considered firearms, and as such are also controlled under the Firearms Act 1968”.

Looks like they’re stuck with:


…although they’re probably also banned under the “Dangerous Club Act 1968”, or something.

Sure must be nice to live in such a state of fear — hooligans, thugs, dangerous dogs etc. — all because of stupid laws.

I prefer living in the state of Texas, thank you.

Dept. Of Righteous Shootings

Righteous Shootings

From Reader Brad comes this extraordinary tale from Chicago:

A suspect who entered a Northwest Side home without permission was shot Monday afternoon.

A 26-year-old man was in the home in the 2100 block of North Meade Avenue a little before 1 p.m. when an unknown suspect entered without permission, police said.

The man, who has a FOID card, fired a gun in the direction of the suspect, hitting him twice in the chest.

The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Alexis Quiles by the Medical Examiner’s Office, fled and was found nearby. He was taken to Loyola University Medical Center and was listed in serious condition and was later pronounced dead.

Ahhh… nothing says “You’re goin’ down!” like a double-tap to the chest.

As for the “extraordinary” part:  in Chicago, Righteous Shootings are very much out of the ordinary — but there’s always hope that it will become more popular.

Welcome To The Club, Huskers

Good Stuff, The Gun Thing

Finally, some good news for the Second Amendment:

It’s a new day in Nebraska, where after years of struggle lawful gun owners can now bear arms in self-defense without having to first obtain a government-issued permission slip.

Gov. Jim Pillen signed LB 77 into law back in April, declaring that the bill upheld the promise made to voters to “protect our constitutional rights and promote commonsense, conservative values” and praising state Sen. Tom Brewer for championing the bill year after year, slowly making progress until the legislation finally had the votes to cross the finish line.

“Nebraskans should not have to pay the government a fee or ask permission for constitutional rights,” said Senator Brewer. “This bill finally delivers on the promises in Nebraska and United States constitutions. I am proud to help Nebraska join twenty-six of our sister states in removing this obstacle to the right to keep and bear arms.”

While the bill was signed into law months ago, its provisions didn’t officially take effect until today, making Nebraska officially the 27th state to recognize the right to bear arms in some form or fashion without the need for lawful gun owners first receive a license.

Why did it take so long?  After all, one would think that in a rural state like Nebraska, they would have been one of the first, not twenty-seventh in line.

Alas, as with so many — maybe even all — states, Nebraska has to deal with two large socialist enclaves:  metropolitan Omaha (home of, for example, devout anti-gunner Warren Buffett), and the college town of Lincoln, home of the Usual Wokist Academia.

I’m just glad to see that the gunnies (take a bow, Tom Brewer) took a leaf from the anti-gunner assholes and never gave up, chipping away at the gun nannies’ position until victory came a-calling.

Easy Fix

The Gun Thing, Vermin

…just not in Britishland:

Giant rats the size of ‘small dogs’ have turned a street in Glasgow into a no-go zone for refuse workers.

Film has emerged of rodents running down children’s slides, scampering across lawns, feasting from bins and getting into fights with seagulls.

Chris Mitchell, GMB convenor for Glasgow’s cleansing workers [garbage men — K.] said some staff had needed hospital treatment after being bitten or scratched by rats in other areas of the city. Vermin infestations in Glasgow rose by 31 per cent from 2021 to 2022, with 10,323 reports.

Am I the only one who gets an itch in the index finger when reading about this stuff?

The way I see it, there are two decent options, both in .22 LR:


…loaded with .22 shot shells, as indicated.  Or, if you want to keep things quiet:

Of course, because the above rat problem is in Britishland, neither of the above is possible because stupid Brit gun laws.

That said, if the rats are getting into fights with seagulls (a.k.a. winged rats), there’s at least some entertainment value to be had, before whacking both.

My Five

Gratuitous Gun Pics, The Gun Thing

The headline was interesting:  Five Rifles You Should Shoot Before You Die, but as it’s behind a paywall, I couldn’t get to read it.

However, seeing as opinions are ubiquitous (like paywalls, it seems nowadays), here are Kim’s 5 Rifles You Should Shoot Before You Die.  I’ve stuck to centerfire cartridge rifles for the purposes of brevity.

1.) 1885 Browning / Winchester High Wall (preferably in a “buffalo” cartridge chambering e.g. .50-70, .45-110 or .45-70 Govt)

Some might argue that the Sharps would be a better choice, but there is no feeling in gundom quite like closing John Browning’s “bank vault” action.  Unless it’s working the bolt of the

2.) Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) in .303 Enfield

Once again, many could argue that the Krag-Jorgensen (.30-40 Krag) is an equal thrill — and I won’t refute that, because it’s fine too — but the SMLE’s action is wondrous.

3.) Schmidt-Rubin K.11 / K.31 (7.5x55mm Swiss)

It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that the venerable Schmidt-Rubin rifles are better made than 90% of any rifles ever made;  it’s a marriage of Swiss watchmaking precision with a straight-pull bolt action, and it’s a feeling like few other.

4.) Winchester 1894 (.30-30 / .30 WCF)

The Marlin’s action is similar, but the Winchester is the preferred choice.  In the hands of a practiced shooter, the lever action can be worked with such speed as to make it sound like a semi-auto.  And speaking of semi-auto rifles, here’s my last choice:

5.) M1 Garand (.30-06 Springfield)

The Garand tames the recoil of the powerful .30-06 like no other rifle, and not only is it a pleasure to shoot, but it gives you a lovely little sonic ting!  to tell you that your ammo is all gone.

Honorable mentions:

Ljungman AG-42 (6.5x55mm)

The Scandi equivalent of the Garand, and it’s amazing.  Like the Schmidt-Rubin, its quality of workmanship is astounding, and the gentler-recoiling (but no less effective) 6.5x55mm Swede cartridge makes the Ljungman very close to the Garand in the pleasure of its shooting.

Mauser 1898 (G.98, K98, K98k) in 8x57mm

Of course, one could argue for the inclusion of many of the 98’s clones (e.g. the Springfield ’06) on this list, but the fact that Mauser still makes the 98 action today, unchanged, says it all.  Like the 1885 High Wall above, the closing of the Mauser’s action is a bank vault sound, and it makes you confident that no matter what, that bullet is going to leave the rifle when you squeeze the trigger.  (For those who are leery of the recoil of the 8x57mm, you can substitute the smaller 7x57mm Mauser — in, say, a Venezuelan mil-surp Mauser — and still get the same feeling.)

Now some may say, “But Kim, what about modern rifles?  Aren’t they as good, or even better than the old ones you’ve listed?”

Here’s my response.

One of the joys of shooting old rifles is not just the act of shooting, but the fact that when one does so, there is a feeling that one is touching a piece of history.  In one swoop, one is experiencing our shooting heritage and firing a beautiful rifle,  It is a feeling like no other.

Of course, I like shooting new rifles just fine.  The CZ 550, (pre-’64) Winchester Model 70, Sako 85, Remington 700… I’ve shot them all, enjoyed them all, and would take any of them into the bush with me with complete confidence.

But everyone should shoot one of my Top 5 rifles before they die.  If you haven’t already done so, it’s a bucket list to be pursued, I promise you.

And I have no idea how this list compares to the linked paywall list (perhaps someone could tell me, in Comments), but I’ll stand by my choices, regardless.