Search Results for: shotguns

Letter Re: Assessment of Coach Guns?

James: In reference to your January 16th post, have hunted extensively with side-by-side (double barrel or “SxS”) shotguns throughout my life. They are my first choice for upland game and waterfowl. There are many brands of SxS shotguns. Some are valued at a price higher than most reasonably priced homes with 10 acres of ground, others are priced in a race to the bottom. I like the Spanish doubles as a mid-priced SxS. Mine have proven to be as reliable as a hammer, and have good fit for the money spent. Be warned though, double guns of all types have inflated rather dramatically in price over the last decade. Since I am not writing this for a hunting site, but rather, a survival site, I will focus on a couple things I believe relevant: 1. Ease of use. A working double (with internal, NOT external hammers) is almost as easy…


Black Powder for Self-Reliance – Part 1, by M.B.

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…from the time of powder and patched ball are limited to one or two shots, although a few guns, like the revolving carbines, offer more firepower. The lever actions designed in the era of black powder in cartridges are very capable defensive rifles that are still among the go-to choices in places where semi-auto rifles are banned. These include the strong, handy Winchester 1892 or the fast and smooth Winchester 1873. Double barrel, break-open shotguns were originally made for black powder. Whether side-by-side or over/under, they work very well with black powder shells and are fairly easy to clean as most of the fouling goes down the barrels. Modern, pump-action shotguns are simple and easy to clean, and their robust actions can handle black powder fouling fairly well. Shotgun performance is not significantly degraded when using black powder, as black powder velocities are similar to typical shotgun velocities, and good…


Home Repair of Pre-1899 Guns – Part 1, by SwampFox

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…firing pin on an old revolver that pierced a primer and blew backwards. Working with tools also has its own hazards. I’ve had some burns and cuts over the years that might have been prevented by being more careful. Use common sense and do not take risks. Pre-1899 cartridge firearms are divided primarily into three groups: Revolvers, rifles, and shotguns. There were a few semi-automatic pistols available in the 1890s, but they are expensive and uncommon. I have no experience working with these. Multiple barrel cartridge pistols such as derringers were also available, but are frequently high-priced collector items. Neither have I worked with these. Rifles were primarily of three types: Bolt action, lever action, and single/double breechloaders. Shotguns were mostly break-open, although the Winchester 1897 pump action shotgun is a notable exception. Again, these are generalizations for the purpose of this article. There are many unique and interesting firearms…


The Illogical “In Common Use” Legal Standard

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…in 1937, militias did not issue shotguns with barrels measuring less than 18 inches, so, therefore, Mr. Miller’s constitutional rights were not infringed by the National Firearms Act of 1934. That was a specious argument. Instead of addressing the constitutional issue squarely, they deflected off into “in common use” semantics. The Miller decision was bad law, and more recently the Supreme Court has compounded the Miller decision’s error, by echoing it in the Heller ruling. Heller’s “in common use” test has been debated by legal scholars for the past 12 years. A piece authored by Nicholas J. Johnson published in Harvard Law and Policy Review is fairly typical. But both the Supreme Court and later analysts have overlooked a key logical flaw in this standard. The flaw is this: The “In Common Use” standard ignores the potential common use by the citizenry that failed to develop because of previously-enacted unconstitutional…


Economics & Investing For Preppers

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Retired cop Really? A British article about the best shotguns in the world? Or course, since Britain is stuck in the 19th century, firearmswise, it only covers SXS and over unders. Also, that’s just about the limit on firearms you can own in th UK. And of course, Britain is the world….kind of a waste of space for this blog, isn t it? Just my thoughts. James Wesley Rawles From an investment standpoint, shotguns made by firms like Purdey and Holland & Holland have seen their prices go up substantially, over the past 20 years. Their owners have seen FAR MORE gain than with shotguns from any American maker. I’d be thrilled if I stumbled into one of these guns at an estate sale or at a gun show. John Many older Americans are living a desperate, nomadic life: good article and I requested the book, Nomadland from my local…