THE TEN MANLIEST FIREARMS (I know it's not Friday but...)

Arthur's Hall ^ | 1/1/2007 (appox) | Michael Z. Williamson (Crazy Einar)

[tcostell]

This was a hard piece to write, because guns by definition are manly, except for Berettas, gold-plated TEC9s, .25 caliber pistols or anything made by the French. To simplify things, I have limited it to modern cartridge firearms a man might, can, and should collect and shoot. There are certainly other manly weapons, and you may have a different list. As long as the list contains nothing French, gold-plated, .25 or with pearl grips (which Patton correctly observed are the mark of a New Orleans pimp), it is a good list.

[dangerdoc]

bump

[Doomonyou]

Later!

[Forward the Light Brigade]

French Guns not Manly? I always thought JEB Stwart’s LeMat was a manly pistol?

[Vaquero]

the lever gun is an 1873 model.

[Sam Cree]

Thanks, my bad.

[petro45acp]

Heard in the wild regarding the rifles of WWI, and this is paraphrased:

The Americans brought a target rifle, the 1903 Springfield.

The Germans brought a hunting rifle, the K98.

The British brought a battle rifle, the Enfield.

MMMMMMMMMMMM bolt guns!

[Sam Cree]

Your 1873 is probably cooler than the model 94, however the model 94 probably still belongs on the list ;-)

I’ve got an old model 94 with a barrel that’s half octagonal, half round, and a Marlin 336 in .35.

[Vaquero]

I bought my son a nice pre 64 model 94 for christmas a few years ago...and I too have the 336 in .35 rem.

All great American firearms.

The 73 I have was made in 1882 and I have shot thousands of rounds through it at cowboy action shoots since I got in 2000. A couple of springs busted along the way, but there is a surprising amount of parts available on line....and it is pretty rugged if you keep the loads light.

[Professional Engineer]

NOTHING on earth can match the sound and feel of a big bore muzzle-loader going off

THESE are MANLY weapons.

My wife's handgun.

[Sam Cree]

"The 73 I have was made in 1882 and I have shot thousands of rounds through it at cowboy action shoots since I got in 2000."

Very cool.

[ZULU]

Now THAT is HANDGUN!!!!!

What’s the bore size?

[VeniVidiVici]

Corbon makes a 440gr bullet for the S&W500 that goes down range at 1625fps.

It, too, is a blast to shoot.

[P8riot]

I know, I've fired a friend's 500 (with the 10-1/2" barrel) and it was easier to handle than my .475. Probably because it was twice the weight of my Bowen Redhawk.

No doubt it would put a hurtin' on whatever it hit though.

[VeniVidiVici]

I have the two inch version too. Haven’t gone over 275gr with it though. Trying to work my way up ;-)

[tcostell]

Gotta love the waterproof lock. A little alcohol every once in a while and you can shoot it in the heavy rain.

[Professional Engineer]

It’s 40 caliber.

[Professional Engineer]

I must plead ignorance. I have no idea how to tell it’s waterproof.

[tcostell]

You see the frizzen? (the plate that the flint strikes when you pull the trigger) On the bottom of it where it fits into the flash pan there is a small ridge cut around the edge of the lid. That's so the pan and pan cover seal up tight with a corner for protection, hence, it's waterproof.

Black powder doesn't absorb water so much which is good, but the ash that it leaves after burning really does. So you clean the pan really carefully with alcohol making sure you get all the ash, then add a priming charge and close it. Then so long as you keep it out of the direct rainfall by covering it with a rag or something, you can hunt in the rain for several hours and it will still fire.

Some designs are more waterproof than others, but many took a shot at it. That looks like a copy of the Durs Egg or John Bailes style of lock for pistols which was pretty common in the late 1700's. That design was particuarly interesting because it would still fire one last shot if the internal tumbler arm were to break during cocking.

Technically, it's considered a semi-waterproof pan, but still very manly.

[ZULU]

Good enough.

[Inyo-Mono]

No, I didn't build it. Bill Rooks of Pennsylvania Longrifles built it to my specs as per the rifle one of my ancestors used in the Revolutionary War era. Curley maple stock, .50 cal 47" Getz swamped barrel (balances perfectly), button rifling (for easy loading), curly maple stock, and yes, I do put a bit too much 4FG in the pan, but I love the flash. And nice pistol Professional Engineer! Only a real man (or woman) could fire one of those.