Classic Rifles, Pistols and Cartridges:

Shooting and Restoring Vintage Sporting Arms

Introduction

Assembled here are several pages describing what has become my consuming interest in collecting and shooting firearms: the vintage sporting arms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Golden Era of firearms development and innovation, as well as contemporary interpretations of those classics.

While most of the shooting and hunting world chases after faux "tactical" rifles, the latest flavor of the month overbore ultra-magnum or beltless short action magnum (here today, gone tomorrow), or yet another "modern sporting rifle" variation on the AR-15, I will savor the marvels of yesteryear - the firearms and cartridges that are genuine, enduring classics.

Although I lack the financial resources and the time to build and maintain a collection of all the fascinating rifles that have come along, I will from time to time acquire, clean and restore, test fire and report on some of these - and then pass them along to another admirer. After I have sorted out the technical aspects of the loads and obtained good accuracy with a firearm, I am ready to move on to the next discovery anyway. Some of these present special challenges - I call them my problem children - but the challenge is part of the fun.

Table of Contents

Rebuilding the 1910 Mannlicher-Schoenauer 9.5 x 57 mm Sporting Rifle The most obscure (and interesting) of the original Mannlicher rifles is reborn - NEW February 2023
Shooting the Westley Richards .577/.450 Martini-Henry Sporting Rifle An involved project to breathe new life into a well used African rifle in the quest to find a modern recipe for ancient and arcane ammunition - NEW February 2023
The Marlin Model 1893 Lever Action Rifle: .32 Winchester Special Shooting a vintage example of one the best lever action designs ever in a classic woods hunting chambering - NEW February 2023
Shooting the Legendary Shansei .45 Auto Broomhandle I finally collect a pistol that I have been wanting to acquire since 1985 - NEW February 2023
Restoring and Shooting the Classic .256 Mannlicher Model 1895 Sporting Rifle My brother rebuilds a mutilated clunker and an arsenal queen into fine sporting rifles - Updated with new load data February 2023
Shooting the Westley Richards 1869 Model .450 Number 1 Carbine Sporting Rifle I conduct an exhaustive investigation of nitro-for-black loads for this obscure and venerable light rifle-cartridge combination
Shooting the Webley Mk VI .45 Auto Rim Revolver I develop loads for this post-war British import that are safe and duplicate the original Webley ammunition
Restoring and Shooting the BSA-W. W. Greener .303 Lee-Speed Sporting Rifle My brother restores a vintage 1895 sporting rifle and I wrestle with making it shoot again
Retro-Vintage: Re-Making the Ruger M77 Mk II Magnum Express Rifle .416 Rigby A custom rifle building project wherein a stock Ruger Magnum Express is transformed into a more traditional and functional classic big-bore - Updated February 2023

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