Testing members tastes for firearms

[Henk]

Firearms aren't my field. But looking at the pictures of these weapons, I must admit they have an atraction.
As always I'm willing to learn. During collecting you see many weapons. Learning about it, broadens your horizon.

[Jim McDougall]

Actually my interests get broader every day, and firearms of these earlier periods very much interest me. I especially like these 'trabuco's' as I always knew them from Southern California where I grew up....close to us was a location known as "Trabuco Canyon'. One cannot discount the romantic allure of these powerful guns, and I always think of "The Highwayman".
I once had a great 1880's 12 guage 'coach gun' and had great visions of these discouraging the inevitable bandits. There is something incredibly intimidating about a sawed off shotgun......and for a surprise 'visitor' in the wee hours of the morning, that unmistakable sound of a pump 'guage'!!!

[fearn]

Hi Jim,

Do you know the story about Trabuco Canyon and other nearby trabuco landmarks? Apparently, some poor grunt of a soldier in the Portola expedition lost his blunderbuss around Trabuco Creek, and they not only named Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Mesa after the incident.

Ouch. Lesson is, don't lose your piece when on an expedition of discovery.

The story

Blunder on!

Fearn

[kahnjar1]

Hi Fernando---yes I believe that firearms DO have a place here. My collection over the years has had may firearms of different types in it, but now, due mainly to space available, is not mostly composed of blades. I do still have one item which compliments my collection of Arabian Peninsula blades. It is an old 577/450 cal Martini Henry Rifle, which is decorated in silver. This item came from Oman.
I do keep an eye out for firearms still, and if something particularly took my fancy and was not at a crazy price, I could well be tempted.
There is not (as far as I know) a Forum of this type for old firearms, though if there is, perhaps someone can publish the details.
Maybe a further sub heading on this Forum??
Pics attached.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

... There is not (as far as I know) a Forum of this type for old firearms, though if there is, perhaps someone can publish the details.
Maybe a further sub heading on this Forum??
Pics attached.

Hi Stuart,
I reckon my tastes favour specimens prior to center fire ... more to the muzzle loading version ... percussion or, if available and affordable, flint.
It's already quite fine that this new Forum was born ( or reborn) and things are not so bad this way. While the main ethnographic Forum now covers also firearms, we have in this one European firearms, which implicitely cover edged and also firearms.
It just about does it. We just have to hope there are members interested in feeding this section; even if just a fraction of the quorum that assists the main discussion one ... well, a decent fraction
Fernando

[chevalier]

personally i prefer firearms from 1900 on.


springfield 1903 in 30.06

m1 garand

mosin nagant 7.52 mm

m-14

modern automatic weapons (fun to fire) (G-3/G-36, SIG 550, AK5, MP5, ect)

[fernando]

The days i enjoyed firing modern weapons are gone; Military service and guerrila warfare was just about enough for me. I actually try to forget it now.
I guess that what motivates me to collect is a cocktail of abstract fantasy from youth ( the only then available American culture influence, westerns and so ), curiosity for mechanisms and the charm of antiquity.
No pleasure in shooting any more.
I take it that this Forum is for antique stuff, rather than active specimens; for the late i'm not to be counted in.
Fernando

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Fernando---yes I believe that firearms DO have a place here. My collection over the years has had may firearms of different types in it, but now, due mainly to space available, is not mostly composed of blades. I do still have one item which compliments my collection of Arabian Peninsula blades. It is an old 577/450 cal Martini Henry Rifle, which is decorated in silver. This item came from Oman.
I do keep an eye out for firearms still, and if something particularly took my fancy and was not at a crazy price, I could well be tempted.
There is not (as far as I know) a Forum of this type for old firearms, though if there is, perhaps someone can publish the details.
Maybe a further sub heading on this Forum??
Pics attached.

Outstanding example of the Martini-Henry!! and actually one of my favorites as far as vintage military rifles.These can still be found at reasonable prices (beware of growing number of these of questionable integrity exiting Afghanistan from what I have heard).
There is most definitely a place where antique firearms can be discussed....right here! no need for a subforum as this forum is intended to provide a place for comprehensive general discussion of arms and armour from early to end of the 19th century, sorry Chevalier The 'modern' firearms, while exciting to shooting enthusiasts ,are better discussed in a more specialized medium not focused on historical weapons.
As Fernando has noted, modern firearms sometimes present a decidedly different connotation, one that many of us choose to not recall, and prefer to focus on the historical examples.

Fearn, excellent reference to the Trabuco Canyon story! Thank you!
I always thought 'Trabuco Canyon' had a most romantic ring to it, and here is a good example of the contrast between antique and modern.....imagine if a more familiar weapon was lost and we named it "12 Guage Canyon"
Just not the same.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Outstanding example of the Martini-Henry!! and actually one of my favorites as far as vintage military rifles.These can still be found at reasonable prices (beware of growing number of these of questionable integrity exiting Afghanistan from what I have heard).


Just noticed your comment re this. This is not a "real" Martini Henry, and the story goes that this is one of many which were "built" in Pakistan and traded or smuggled to various Middle Eastern countries. This one in 577/450 cal is very early and the later ones were .303. It has no marks of any sort but despite being a "copy" is surprisingly well made. Collected in the Oman during the time of the Yemeni incursions by a friend of mine who was a mercenary in the Sultans Armed Forces and subsequently smuggled out again when he left there for NZ. (Exporting of firearms was absolutely banned at the time.)
I believe that the backyard builders of firearms can make you anything you want including the AK47. When you consider that the machines which make the real thing are not available, I think they do very well!!!


There is most definitely a place where antique firearms can be discussed....right here! no need for a subforum as this forum is intended to provide a place for comprehensive general discussion of arms and armour from early to end of the 19th century, sorry Chevalier The 'modern' firearms, while exciting to shooting enthusiasts ,are better discussed in a more specialized medium not focused on historical weapons.
As Fernando has noted, modern firearms sometimes present a decidedly different connotation, one that many of us choose to not recall, and prefer to focus on the historical examples.

Fearn, excellent reference to the Trabuco Canyon story! Thank you!
I always thought 'Trabuco Canyon' had a most romantic ring to it, and here is a good example of the contrast between antique and modern.....imagine if a more familiar weapon was lost and we named it "12 Guage Canyon"
Just not the same.

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