This holster is a work in progress. Someone cut the holster shorter to fit a shorter barrel length. I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up the holster and burnishing the cut end of the holster. I need to do some edge work on the end that was cut.

I ordered a leather edge tool I’m waiting for that item to arrive. Then I can finish dressing up the holster. I like the design of these older Alessi holsters. The pull through retention snap is a very nice touch. One of my bargains for 5 bucks, I could not pass on the holster. The K frame model 66 now has a new home.

Update before and After
I used items I had laying around the house I edged the holster with black leather dye. I need to order some edge paint. Then go over the edges. Good enough for now 5 bucks and about an hour playing around with the holster. I have a useable holster.

 

Haven't posted in a while. Some new toys for you to see.


Lone Star Arms 1911


9mm pistol upper.

 

Y'all wanna go to the range, just for a relaxin' time?

Some .22 rifle fun at the local club range a few days ago.

Remington Model 33 bolt-action single-shot .22 rifle having a Remington date code on its barrel indicating January of 1935 production.




Rifle has a crystal bright perfect bore. Trigger is on the heavy side of decent. Ejection is interesting on this rifle and has to be a result of the rifle's design. Operate the bolt in a leisurely fashion after a shot and the empty case flies what appears to be straight up about four feet, but is actually arcing to fall about eight inches to the right the barrel, about mid point of its length. The cartridge cases could all be collected in a Dixie cup on the ground beside the bench, ejection pattern is so consistent. It's very satisfying.



Two five-shot groups at 25 yards with a five shot group at 50 yards at top.


Decent four-out-of-five at 100 yards using the original sights. One shot went high. All shots sorta sagged off to the right of center. Bullet hole nick at bottom of the target was one out of a previous five-shot attempt that dropped off the target due to misjudging the amount of elevation required. So, a trek back to the bench rest and a do-over was called for.


Was closing in on 11:30 by the time I wound up shooting it with the 100 yard attempts. The sun was bright and the tin bead on the front sight could have had some glare. Then again, it could have been the shooter's ability to hold 'em and squeeze 'em. Couldn't blame the breeze for there wasn't any.

Ammunition used was CCI Standard Velocity 40 grain lead.

Semi-automatic .22 rifles are kept on hand, including a Ruger 10/22. Somehow they're not as gratifying though. They're the quartz watch of the .22 rifle world.

 

@noelekal thats a great looking rifle and nice shooting. I wish I had my first 22, was my first firearm. I had a Savage lever action single shot, load one round in from the top, lever ejected it lol. My dad let me pick one out but it had to be a single and I thought the lever looked like his 30-30 so it was the one. I think it was my 8 yr old birthday we went to get it.

@voere really liking the holster project, looks great the way it is now even.

@larryganz What do you carry in the 360? I’ve found 38 + P to be the sweet spot with the small grip.

 

I carry the Barnes Tac XP 125gr .357 Mag - I'm right on target with it, and while the recoil with full power loads is stout I know that I'll hit whatever I have in my sights. I also picked up some double tap bonded 125gr at full power 357 mag, that I'll give a try. When I'm in bear country (my street after dusk) I fill it with 158gr for the excessive penetration.

The first target is with 10 rounds of 158gr Grizzly Ammo brand copper HP, and what my thumb looks like after the punishing recoil with the cylinder release hitting my thumb after a few shots.

The 158gr groups are not as tight as with the 125gr Barnes Tac XP rounds in the last target. (don't worry, the middle photo with finger on the trigger is after emptying the 5 round cylinder into the target, and it's pointed downrange.)



Below with the 125gr Barnes Tac XP solid copper HP

 

Waxing nostalgic over my Marlin 1881 45-70 lever gun. Weighs about 10lbs. An absolutely awesome machine back in 1881, the year of the gunfight at OK corral.

It's an interesting history....John Marlin worked for Samuel Colt until he started his own company in 1863 (at 27yrs old).

Most people think of Winchester when it comes to old west lever actions, usually the 1873 which is legendary, and then the 1876, which was not chambered in 45-70, the most popular large bore cartridge available in the old west (used in the single shot Trapdoor). Due to this, it left the door open for Marlin to create a superior rifle in 45-70 in 1881, the first lever that could handle the power. Winchester then caught up quickly with the John Browning designed 1886 model, which due to market momentum, sailed past the fine 1881. Only 20,000 Marlin 1881s were made between 1881 and 1892. Only a quarter of which were 45-70.

This fine fellow is an indian trade gun, which if it could speak would be in a language unknown to us. It works perfectly, shoots to point of aim, and operates smooth as buttah. I've a few smoke poles in my collection, but this is one that will stay with me.

I taught my nephew how to shoot a couple years ago, starting with a 22rifle, and working up over the course of the day to this fellow. The look on his face after firing is quite a memory. I'm sure he won't forget it either.

 

Whoo Larry! That revolver is a real meat eater!

This is the funnest firearms thread on the internet, the way it meanders along, gathering up great photographs of fine firearms of all kinds along with lore and information.

I'd love some old Marlin rifles to play with. Marlin is a maker which is much more than a cipher to the development of the American West.

Here's an original Winchester Model 1873 in .38-40 out for some exercise at the 100 yard bench rest. Handy to have a Speedmaster to help hold a target exhibiting the results of a five-shot effort on a breezy day.



Here's a Winchester Model 1886 in .45-90, the model that represented the competition to Wryfox's Marlin Model 1881. This one was manufactured in 1887.

 

Guys, look at these cross cut Mammoth ivory grips I just received for an upcoming 1911 bbq build. These are from Gunner grips. Very very deep blue with cream. He backs them with carbon fiber plates, can use them on a shooter too.

 

Just finished doing a clean and lube after this mornings range session. These Seecamp's need to be kept clean and lubed properly. Same as any gun however I keep this one super clean. The Seecamp ran 50 rounds of silvertip's and didn't miss a beat. One of my favorite pistols for deep concealment

 

Those 1911 stocks look so modern to be so prehistoric. Thanks for showing those to us Mtek. I've never seen mammoth ivory like that before.

 

Ya, this cross cutting of the tusks is becoming popular. The blue tones I don’t see a lot, most are brown.

Cross cut mammoth tusk:

 

I have a vintage Crosman SA6 six shooter, a copy of the Colt SAA.
It has dark grey grips with a swirling white grain running through it.
I never could figure out why they didn't use a realistic wood grain plastic as on some versions or the plastic staghorn look used on others.
Finally I found images of an antique Peacemaker with grips made from Abalone shell, the look was the same as my grips.

Here's an image of one with original and replacement wooden grips.


Mine has original box and manual. The plastic cover for the under barrel CO2 cylinder is missing as these almost always are.
I found swabbing the cylinder with aluminum black works nicely.
The valve had to be reworked to use modern CO2 cylinders. The original sealing was an O-ring that engaged a shoulder on the neck of old style cylinders, new ones don't have that shoulder.
My SA6 is very accurate but not very powerful compared to my other .22 CO2 pistols.
It eats gas due to the longer travel through its complicated valve body. About 30-35 good shots are all you can expect from these.

Apparently before realistic dummy guns were widely available the SA6 and C38 Crosman revolvers were often used to fill the holsters of extras in Western and Police TV series productions.

 

Wry, I refinished the stock on my venerable old 94 a year or two ago and decided that since I'm an Indian it should have a little flair.

 

1873 in 32-20. This one took me a while to save..bought it in 'barn found' condition at a gun show in San Antonio (one of the best things about San Antonio is the gun shows). It spent some time in a bath of various chemicals to loosen the crud and free the action. Then the disassembly which found the mainspring had been replaced with a square framing nail.....I guess you did what you had to out in the prairie. Anyway, the bore is lost to time but it does function and shoot so not bad for a couple hundred bucks.

 

Speaking of Indian Trade Guns...here is a bit of an oddity....a Remington Rolling Block in 43 Spanish. Imagine the route this one took to make it back to the plains of the midwest.

 

More you say?...well alright. Here is an 1853 Enfield Locks musket. Note the Indian cent on the stock, and the barber dime soldered onto the end of the ramrod. The stock was replaced and handcarved from a sapwood at some point during the period, I think southern pine. It is all functional, so one day when I'm in a blackpowder frame of mind I'm going to let her breath fire again....I think she's up to it.

 

I tried to read the dates on the coins. The Barber dime is too worn. I can't quite make out the Indian Head cent.

That Remington Rolling Block in .43 Spanish is chambered for a real early bird center fire cartridge. Like some time between Appomattox and 1870.

 

Yeah, barber dime is too worn, but likely 1890s. Indian cent is 1859 (the first year) and as first us coin depicting an Indian would have been a popular trade item.

The 43 Spanish was used from 1869 to 1889 by Spain (and Argentina from 1870s)Virtually, but not quite, the first center fire cartridge. It was approx equal to 45-70. Somehow it came back from overseas to land in the Midwest and still be serviceable as a trade item, probably in the 1890s. Heck of a cartridge to find or load for. Obsolete for 130yrs now. Gotta roll your own and be careful with these old iron receivers. Bores back then were quite variable so had to slug barrel and cast my own. Was supposed to be 439 cal but is actually 446. Yikes, though I've read that the early bullets were paper wrapped so that might explain the oversize.

Interesting birds these old guns, dripping with history one can only imagine....

 

I love the info. and pictures that go with these "old west" guns.

 

Just picked up my first 10mm, a Dan Wesson Razorback. I’ve missed the feel of a 1911 style pistol, and the trigger pull that go with them.