by James Downey | Sep 5, 2020 | .45, BBTI, black powder, Discussion., flintlock, Gunbroker, Mendi, reviews, technology, testing, video, wheellock, YouTube
I was surprised when one of the other BBTI guys said that he had found a reproduction wheellock on Gunbroker recently, and that it wasn’t even horribly expensive. This one: Wheellock with Diablo double-barrel pistol. I was surprised, because there aren’t...
by James Downey | Sep 4, 2020 | 6.5 Swedish, 6.5x55 Swedish, 7.5x55 Swiss, ballistics, Discussion., Forgotten Weapons, historic rifles, reviews, Schmidt-Rubin Model 1911, Swedish Ag m/42B, Swedish Automatgevär m/42B, technology, testing, YouTube
Two last battle rifles today: the Swedish Ag m/42B in 6.5×55 and the Swiss Schmidt-Rubin Model 1911 rifle. Swedish Ag m/42B in 6.5×55 Swedish Automatgevär m/42 We should have done our homework on this. Why? Because we had no idea about how to operate it....
by James Downey | Sep 1, 2020 | .22, .22 lr, .22Magnum, .22WMR, .25 ACP, .357 Magnum, .357Magnum, .38 Special, .380 ACP, 9mm Luger (9x19), Anecdotes, ballistics, BBTI, Brass Fetcher, Data, Discussion., keyholing, reviews, Revolver, S333 Thunderstuck, technology, testing, video
This is the Standard Manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck revolver: It’s an innovative, 8-round revolver which fires two rounds of .22WMR (.22mag) with one pull of the trigger. OK, if you like this not-so-little handgun, you might not want to read this review. Just...
by James Downey | Aug 31, 2020 | .30-06, .303, ballistics, Discussion., historic rifles, Krag-Jørgensen Rifle, Lee-Enfield, M1903 Springfield, Martini-Henry, reviews, SMLE, technology, testing, YouTube
You can probably guess which ones I mean. Yeah, that’s how big of an impact they had on history. The M1903 Springfield and the Lee-Enfield (specifically, the SMLE No.1 Mk III). Both bolt-action guns (actually, both derived from the G98 Mauser design). Both...
by James Downey | Aug 30, 2020 | ballistics, Discussion., historic rifles, Krag-Jørgensen Rifle, reviews, technology, testing, YouTube
Man, I’m happy that I took a lot of images last weekend when we shot these rifles. OK, as I’ve noted, I’m not really a “rifle guy”. And especially not a “historic rifle guy”. Oh, I can generally ID most of the major designs in...
by James Downey | Aug 29, 2020 | .45 Colt, Discussion., historic rifles, Remington Rolling Block Rifle, reviews, Spencer Repeating Rifle, Springfield Model 1873, technology, testing, Trapdoor Springfield, Winchester Model 1885, YouTube
As part of our historical rifle weekend, we shot 4 different reproduction rifles all dating to the latter part of the 19th century. In rough chronological order, these were the Spencer Repeating Rifle, the Remington Rolling Block Rifle, the Springfield Model 1873, and...