Since I work at a large gun club every week with 200 acres of property and multiple ranges, it is possible to shoot as much as I want. There are ten handgun ranges, five rifles ranges, six trap ranges a skeet range and an international trap range. I mostly work on the handgun and rifle ranges. Each week I try to shot a different firearm. My favorites are the various .22 caliber rifles with scopes and can try different ammo. Sometimes I take our military and sporting rifles and try my reloads. Other shooters usually come by to look at what I am using. Most people cannot identify Mauser, Enfield, Schmidt-Rubin, Mosin Nagant, Springfield or Krag rifles. I believe it is important to "use the best china". When I am gone others may sell or trade my collection. I really enjoy burning powder in these classic arms. All the best...
Gil

Gil, you have a dream job mate. Testing, or simply just shooting, different brands/types of .22 rimfire ammunition in different rifles is cheap, fun and very satisfying. I would happily blast through a brick of different ammos just for the sheer pleasure of shooting mate.

It's good to pull out the older, less used rifles and blow the dust of them. Recoil therapy at its finest.

Reminds me I just went to a local gun show and it's a collector's show, plenty of beautiful oldies I'd love to get my hands on. German and Swiss makes I'd never heard of, it was the largest gun show I've been to. Spent most of my time talking to old guys that had collected for decades. Was really interesting to hear from guys that knew their guns history well. I'm really fascinated by the various iterations of mechanical ideas they came up with after the cartridge was invented and the transition time from black powder mussel loaders to single shot cartridges. Conversions of bp guns to cartridge was widespread in time of need and they really had to think quick to make something work reliably during war.

To top it all off you can imagine the hand work involved had to be precision and voluminous to be able to outfit the troops. Makes me sick to hear people bad-mouth guns when in fact it was guns that got us where we are today.


Suz

Suzanne wrote:

...I'm really fascinated by the various iterations of mechanical ideas they came up with after the cartridge was invented and the transition time from black powder mussel loaders to single shot cartridges.... Suz

Do mussel loaders fire shells?

English Mike wrote:

Suzanne wrote: ...I'm really fascinated by the various iterations of mechanical ideas they came up with after the cartridge was invented and the transition time from black powder mussel loaders to single shot cartridges.... Suz Do mussel loaders fire shells?

Hey Mike, over this way mate, the ladder is clear, but I’d be quick, Suz has just grabbed a big switch mate...RUN.