The Raven’s Consequences

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore — While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door "‘Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door — Only this and nothing more." – Edgar Allen Poe I’ve apologized to the old masters before and will again. Why do I include this poem?

This was my fate one rainy night not too long ago as I poured over a volume of quaint and curious lore, specifically the Shooter’s Bible No. 55, 1964 Edition. The cover shows a black grizzly roaring atop a mountain and the 576 page soft-cover book retailed for $2.95. How long ago that seems. Was the gunsmith’s life really that simple and uncluttered back then? There was a Mauser or Enfield to drill and tap for scope mounts. A military barrel needs turned down to finish sporterizing.

Fitting a stock means just that, making sure the wood was within a hairline of the metal, and good checkering goes on every one. A peep sight needs to be added to the action with the help of the Forster jig and an ivory bead ramp sight fitted to and soldered on the front of the barrel. A dovetail needs to be cut, a recoil pad installed, Poly Choke and middle bead placed on the old shotgun. No problem. Soldering, welding, and making a screw or a pin—sure thing. You couldn’t put a scope on a handgun.

Scopes weren’t for handguns, with the exception of the space age Remington XP-100 .221 Fireball introduced in 1963 and retailing for $99.95. Touch one off in low light and you’ll quickly understand its moniker. Bushnell offered its 1.3 power Phantom going for $29.50, suitable for mounting on the XP-100. According to Bushnell, no drilling or tapping was needed to mount the Phantom on such revolvers as S&W, Colt, and Ruger. Extra mounts for the XP-100 were sold for $5.00.

I couldn’t find any other scope listed that was suitable for handgun mounting. I can’t remember any articles of the era documenting the use and longevity of the Phantom on heavy recoiling big-bore handguns and, having never owned one, can’t comment on its worth. Leupold advertised three scopes, 3X, 4X and a 3-9X variable. That was it. The wonderful little 2X long eye relief optic that I later mounted on my own Fireball had not yet been invented. You couldn’t put a scope on a shotgun, as far as that goes.

True, guns fitted with rifle sights like the High Standard Flite King Brush model going for $86.95 could be ordered if you wanted or needed to hunt deer with a smooth bore. Scopes? You’ve got to be kidding. Remington carried the 870 Slug Gun and Ithaca had the Deerslayer in several grades, but no scoped guns. Somebody might have been scoping their smooth bores but I can’t document the practice. What would you want to shoot at a hundred yards with a shotgun? Tactical?

What the hell is that? "Of the nature of or pertaining to tactics; pertaining to the art of military and naval maneuvers, also characterized by showing cleverness or skill in tactics," according to my copy of Webster’s dictionary. Well, I didn’t have much use for military or naval maneuvers while I was stalking through the pines hunting whitetail deer. The old lever-action 94 or Remington 760 pump was as tactical as I needed.

I thought tactical was the fast second shot we get at a deer’s rump when we flub the first one. Semi-auto rifles were the Garands, Remington 742’sand .22 rimfires. Clearly, those new plastic AR rifles wouldn’t be around very long as and they’re not good for anything. Even the guys in ‘Nam hate ‘em. There were specialists (just like today) that made the service rifles works of accurate art to compete in the matches at Camp Perry and other ranges.

Most of them were military armorers with great machinery and the monetary backing of the good old USA. If you want one of these guns to shoot well enough for the intense competition we have now, trust these service gunsmiths to provide it. You shoot a pistol with one hand and the other in your pocket. Hearing protection is for sissies. This relatively new .44 magnum tears the skin off your hands if the grips are checkered. They all come back for trade in with six fired rounds out the new box. What good is it?

You can’t even hunt deer with a handgun in most states. The first practical matches at Big Bear were coming soon, as defined by Jeff Cooper, Jack Weaver, Thell Reed, Ray Chapman, and my other heroes, who pioneered The Modern Technique of the Pistol. The Colt Gold Cup National Match in .45 Auto and

Reading such archaic literature gives usa real sense of history, where we’ve been and an insight to where we’re going. Jon-e is still made today. The hand warmer in upper right of picture used burn sticks to supply heat. .38 Special sold for $125 while the Government Model and Commander retailed for $82.50. The great royalblued, finely-finished Pythons could be obtained by plunking down $125, which might as well been a million dollars to me.

All these guns came to me later in life, but a boy should have other wish books than only the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Gil Hebard was the first prominent shooter to use hearing protection. Most of us had been advised to put .38 caliber empties in our ears. One day, Gil wore a pair of radio headphones while competing at Camp Perry. When he first stepped to the line he was ridiculed, however, as soon as he started winning everybody mysteriously sprouted earphones like the title character in My Favorite Martian.

All of us oldtimers who have that horrible malady labeled tinnitus give him credit. Too bad we didn’t know about ear damage sooner. Remington is represented in my curious volume by Model 760 pump action rifles, the .22 Speedmaster auto and Fieldmaster pumps, as well as the Model 700 bolt actions and 742 autos. A model 700 in those days retailed for $114.95 as compared to a Winchester Model 70 for $139.00. I got a kick by reading about the Remington Nylon 66 with its "controversial" stock material.

What I had for- Hunters now had a practical handgun. The scope is a Lobo, also supplied by Thompson-Center. Nothing else could compare to the Remington XP 100. This one is chambered in the original .221 Fireball made specifically for this gun. Remington also shocked us with the Nylon 66 .22 rimfire, but the switch from wood stocks to synthetics was still a few years down the road. gotten was that it was also offered in a Model 76 lever action and Models 10, 11, and 12 single shot and repeating bolt actions.

I’ve never seen one of those. They are rare enough to tempt collectors and, indeed, I understand Model 66’s are difficult to find. A Model 66 could be ordered in "Mohawk brown", "Apache black" (featuring chrome plating), or a gallery special chambered in .22 short

These records were of 45 RPM persuasions. Olt was and is a leader in the marketplace. I was the envy of all my friends. only. "Real" hunting rifles with stocks other than wood were scarcer than fat guys on the beach brave enough to show up in Speedos. As I have stated before, I like anecdotes. In the late seventies or early eighties I chanced upon a shooter trying out his new Remington 700 rifle chambered in caliber .308 sporting a muted red fiberglass stock.

I had seen these rifles offered by a local gunsmith at his shop and knew where this guy obtained it. I asked how it was going and got a sour answer about how putting this piece of plastic on his gun hadn’t improved its accuracy one bit. He said the whole setup cost about $700, including the gun. He was very dissatisfied and apparently his old walnut-stocked version hadn’t shot that well anyway. He expected all problems to go away with the addition of the new stock.

This was a perfect example of the early thinking concerning synthetic stocks. They were supposed to cure all ills. In reality, the real benefit of these so-called "plastic" stocks was to increase the stability and consistency that was an iffy proposition with traditional water-drinking wood stocks. A synthetic stock couldn’t cure the accuracy woes of a rifle that wouldn’t shoot well in the first place but it would help you shoot in the same place time after time if your rifle wasn’t a dog.

Serious hunters in wet places like Alaska soon warmed to the new fangled materials and the market for the synthetics was forced by demand to include the major manufacturers like Remington and Winchester. Even Weatherby was an early proponent of the new technology. A real plus was if you dinged one up under hunting conditions, so what?

Your wood stocked rifle with that expensive, exquisite checkering didn’t have to wear the ugly scar that appeared after the horse rolled down that hill full of shale with your rifle stick- Advances in bullet design had a ways to go. Keith’s 429421 250 grain slugs were the best and are no slouches today. ing out of the scabbard. It was as easily fixed as the fiberglass body on the Corvette. Today, most of the hunting public understands.

It’s easier to find anew rifle fitted with a synthetic stock than it is to scare up a good piece of walnut. This is a perfect example of market-driven trends and is a good thing in my opinion. If it didn’t work and we didn’t need it nothing else could have made this happen.

Jumping back in time, Savage was represented by the 110 boltaction and the Model 24 over and under rifle and shotgun combo as well as the Model 99 lever-action of which a standard model chambered in .300 Savage, .243 and .308 Winchester could be picked up for a nominal $102.50. Anschutz, High Standard, Marlin are represented in my curious volume, all with great guns, many no longer available. You could purchase a standard grade Ithaca Model 37 shotgun for $97.95. Mr.

Ruger had his Model 44 .44 Magnum semi-autos advertised. The Model 77 and magnificent Number Ones were just figments of his imagination then. Of course, you could buy a single shot Hawkeye

chambered in .256 Winchester for $87.50 and a .22 Bearcat for $37.50. All you collectors weep. This turning point year for Winchester would be the big change to their iconic "Rifleman’s Rifle." I noted they offered a varmint configuration of the Model 70 that sported a 26-inch stainless steel barrel with no other changes to the stock chambered in .220 Swift and .243 Winchester. That was a little before the time when every manufacturer had a varmint rifle in their lineup.

I later purchased a Model 70 in similar configuration chambered in .22-250 Remington that shot like a house afire, such as 20 shots at two hundred yards that could fit under a quarter. Lie? I still have that target around here somewhere. I wish I still had that rifle but I gave it to a friend. Well, so what? Those days are gone and black rifles rule the roost. Everything else is passé and worthless. Au contraire!

I submit that even in an old man’s midnight ramblings The gun is pitted from using "traditional" cleaning methods. The knife is as sharp as ever. one sometimes must look over his shoulder to see where he is going. There is still work to be done in the old school. In fact, some customers demand it and I expect the demand will be there for many years to come.

Look at the wonderful examples of old lever actions with magnificent case hardened receivers, chambered in archaic cartridges as the .50-90 Sharps such artisan like Doug Turnbull are making. I doubt if he can produce enough to keep up with demand. How about the craze of Cowboy Action shooting that has 44 Magnum.

Even though deer hunting using a handgun wasn’t allowed in many states, where legal, we soon found out this revolver would do the job. swept the country necessitating the remanufacture and reintroduction of a plethora of old (or old-looking) sixguns, rifles, and shotguns and all the necessary accouterments and regalia to go with it? Many a gunsmith has found a place in the hearts of such bandits as Evil Roy by slicking up the actions of Ruger Vaqueros and replica Model 97 shotguns for the demands of competition.

There are other more mundane niches where a gunsmith can comfortably dwell. At my club, and probably thousands of others all over the country, we have a shotgun shoot every month and give away hams and shrimp and beef quarters to the closest to the center or the most holes in a 4×4 card.

Some of the matches are supposed to be limited to stock factory guns, but boys being boys (and girls being girls) will try and bend the rules as much as they can by back boring and modifying this and that, all which require the services of a gunsmith. I sometimes can’t believe some of the unlimited guns that

come to the shooting line. The hard core guys will spend big bucks on replacement barrels and all kinds of bells and whistles for these games, sometimes investing thousands of dollars in a gun designed to win a hundred dollars worth of meat! Handgun Metallic Silhouette is still a viable game. Competitors will shell out hard-earned dollars to anyone who they think can earn them an extra ram. I am far from being a rich guy.

Some of the people I’ve ran into at these matches seem to believe that cost is no object when it comes to their pet competition pieces and I am not the one to dissuade them. That brings up another point. I suggest you frequent shooting events in your area. Get to know what the shooters want and also get to know what they really need (which is often not the same thing.) If you can help someone win a match, you will have found a good friend and customer.

It’s also a good idea to check out the guns worked on by your competitors. You can always get some new ideas and meet great people at the same time. Too much time spent in your shop doing the same thing day after day will make you crotchety and disagreeable. Get out and see what’s been happening in the world of shooting. You won’t regret it. Having said that, I must remind you to not neglect the everyday bread and butter jobs that will come the way of a practicing gunsmith.

If a shooter comes to me and asks me to help and I look down my nose at the job or the request, heaven help me for I will be much poorer both financially and spiritually from the result. An anecdote. I was standing in a local gun store talking to the clerk when a guy came in and asked if they had a .260 Remington in stock. This was in 1997, about the time when this cartridge was introduced. I thought I remembered something about Jim Carmichael using it in rifle silhouette but really didn’t have a clue.

The clerk smirked as if the potential customer didn’t know what he was talking about. There was no such thing the clerk politely told him. I’m glad I kept my mouth shut, because that guy turned out to be much more knowledgeable than we were. Don’t be a know-it-all. Just because your customer isn’t working on guns doesn’t mean he is a dunce.

With the new cartridges that have been introduced since that day in 1997, such as the short magnums from Winchester and Remington, the long action Ultra Mags, the 6.5 Grendel, the .300 AAC Blackout, the .30 Marlin, 6.8 SPC, .300 Whisper, .450 Bushmaster, .500 Beowulf, all the .17s, along with too many others that I can’t think of right now, I’ll pass on being the encyclopedia type. By the time this article is published a couple more rounds may pop up.

I keep Frank Barnes’s Cartridges of the World by my bedside but even he has to put out anew edition every year or two. Here’s another one that almost broke my heart. I have a friend whom I haven’t seen for many years, but in those days we sometimes met in the woods. We had permission to hunt some of the same places and I knew his haunts as he knew mine. He seemed to be an excellent hunter since he regularly brought in game. He also out fished with me on my own home water.

I attributed this to him having more time to fish and hunt than I did, since he worked sporadically—and also as a sop to my slightly wounded pride—but this fellow was likeable and I suspected knowledgeable about guns. Knowing I worked on firearms, he brought in his pride and joy, a Remington Model 760 .30-06. The rifle was serviceable but a little beat up. He explained that he had always wanted a gun like this and, yes, he might have paid a little too much for it but was well pleased.

I had bought one sometime before that was almost perfect for less but I complimented him on his good looking rifle and asked what the trouble was. He replied that he’d heard I had one of those cleaning rod things and he wanted me to clean his bore. Here I was with a man I respected as an outdoorsman that just told me he had never used a cleaning rod. I remembered the way my old grandpap had trained me to clean my shotgun by tying a tight patch on one end of a string and a nail on the other.

Drop the nail down the bore and pull the patch through. His other advice was that a box or two of shells should last all season, so we didn’t have to clean that much anyway. I recently checked out grandpap’s old double barreled 16 gauge with a bore scope. The bore is severely pitted, so much so that I recommend that family members not shoot it. I can’t completely blame the old man. Some of his other grandsons are notorious for dumping a gun in the corner and leaving it untended until next season.

Despite grandpap’s advice, one of the first accessories I added to my kit was a Sears and Roebuck cleaning kit that came with a three piece aluminum rod, patches, cleaning fluid and a tube of grease, all housed in ared tin container. I felt I was really on the way to becoming a pro with that outfit. I smiled at my friend and said I’d be happy to help with his Remington. As he watched, I took some extra pains to make sure I had his barrel as clean as I could get it.

I also went over the rest of the gun, checking it out and applying a little lubrication here and there. It wasn’t really that dirty, having shot only five rounds during initial sighting in and losing the rest of that first box after they bounced off his car hood. I told him to come back anytime he thought he needed to and didn’t charge him. I think after the mystery of the cleaning rod thing had been debunked he might have bought one of his own. I don’t know since I lost touch with him over the years.

I just hope he didn’t buy one of those jointed screw-up-the-barrel aluminum monstrosities, like the one that was included in my red Sears and Roebuck tin case. AG