by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Webley Mark II Service air rifle.
This report covers:
- Eley Wasps
- JSB Exact RS
- RWS Superpoints
- What to do?
- Barrel removal
- Trigger pull
- Cocking effort
- Other neat things
Before I begin today’s report, here is another reminder about the Texas Airgun Show, on Saturday, August 27 at the Arlington Sportsman Club. Find information here. And don’t forget the Pyramyd AIR Cup, that’s held September 9-12 at the Tusco Rifle Club in Dennison, Ohio. I will be at both events, so come out and say hello. Now, let’s take a second look at the Webley Mark II Service air rifle.
There was a lot of interest in this rifle in the first part of the report. We will look at velocity today, and I’ll also show you things several readers asked about. This should be an interesting report, so grab your coffee and let’s get started.
I told you that I felt an air leak at the breech when the rifle fires. It’s a major leak that affects velocity more than a little. After I show you how the rifle did I’ll discuss what I can do about it.
Eley Wasps
I thought the first pellet I should try is one that is somewhat vintage in its own right. The 5.56mm (head) Eley Wasp was discontinued many years ago and I bought several tins when I saw it happening. I save them for older British airguns like Webleys, because they fit those slightly larger bores well.
The first shot went out at 589 f.p.s. and was very loud. I’m sure it was a detonation, both because of the sound and also because of the oil smell after the shot. After that I fired 10 more shots that averaged 308 fp.s. Let me show you the string.
Shot…………………………Velocity (f.p.s.)
1………………………………….345
2………………………………….333
3………………………………….329
4………………………………….361
5………………………………….315
6………………………………….296
7………………………………….281
8………………………………….280
9………………………………….272
10………………………………..272
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see a pattern in this string (Where is Rocket Jane Hanson these days?). The gun is steadily loosing velocity. If it was a pneumatic I’d suspect a leak, but spring guns aren’t supposed to do this.
The blast of air coming from the breech is significant. If the breech were sealed better I think the rifle would shoot this pellet in the high 400s or even the low 500s all the time.
JSB Exact RS
Next I tried some JSB Exact RS pellets. Not only are they lighter than the Wasps, they are also softer and have thinner skirts. I have a lot of hope for them.
They averaged 325 f.p.s. in the rifle. The low was 315 and the high was 339 f.p.s. so the spread for 10 shots was 24 f.p.s. That’s reasonable, given how poorly this rifle is currently doing.
RWS Superpoints
The last pellet I tested was the RWS Superpoint, whose thin skirts usually seal the bore when needed. Superpoints averaged 297 f.p.s. with a spread that went from 282 to 316 f.p.s. That’s 34 f.p.s. between the slowest and fastest pellet.
What to do?
This rifle needs a new fiber or leather breech seal, which is fortunately available . I ordered one from John Knibbs (www.airguspares.com) in England, along with a new metal piston ring. Will that fix the rifle? I’m not sure, because there is a design weakness that may prove fatal. It’s in how how the barrel is attached to the action.
The breech seal is either fiber or leather with a brass pipe running through the center. This one is worn out.
Barrel removal
When I mentioned that the barrel was removable in part 1, there was a lot of interest. In fact, it doesn’t just come off — it is the fastest, easiest barrel to remove that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, it’s also a weak spot in the design.
To remove the barrel on the Webley Mark II Service air rifle, open the bolt and raise the rear of the barrel. Then press a spring-loaded button on the left side of the barrel hinge and pull the barrel straight out of the barrel hinge. The entire operation takes about 5 seconds or less. Installing is the reverse or removal.
Push in on this spring-loaded button and pull the barrel out of the rifle.
The “secret” is a keyway in the barrel hinge that interfaces with a key machined on the barrel. And this is where the weakness lies. Not in the key or keyway, but in what it’s attached to.
There is a half-round slot machined into the key that the spring-loaded pin fits into. That fit is tight, but the hinge mechanism that holds everything to the gun’s action is itself loose. You can grab the barrel and wobble it side-to-side. The sporting rear sight is mounted to the barrel and will cancel some of the slop, but the peep sight is mounted to the receiver, where any barrel movement (that also moves the front sight) will be magnified.
This key aligns and positions the barrel in its hinged mount. Even if the fit is exact, the hinge it fits into wobbles from side-to-side, destroying accuracy potential.
Trigger pull
The non-adjustable trigger is single-stage and releases at 4 lbs. 12 oz, which is not that heavy but for some reason, feels fairly stiff. It might be because it is single-stage.
Cocking effort
Cocking this rifle has a unique feel. At first it feels heavy until the mechanical advantage overcomes the effort, then it becomes lighter. By all rights it should feel easy, as the maximum effort is just 25 lbs., but once again, it feels heavier than the number suggests. The barrel does not break open very far because the piston stroke is so short.
With that long barrel out, the rifle is quite compact.
When cocked the barrel does not break down very far.
Other neat things
When I went looking for the breech seal I discovered that Airgun Spares also manufactures Mark II Service barrels to the original specification. They even make a .20 caliber barrel. Each new barrel comes with a front sight and costs 250 British Pounds, which is about $363.00. All calibers except .20 are out of stock at the moment, but I got on the list. I would pay that much for a .177 barrel, and perhaps for a .25 barrel at some time in the future. They also make the sights and other critical parts that are next to impossible to find, so this site is an incredible resource for the Mark II Service.
That’s it for today. Next time we will look at accuracy, unless the breech seal has arrived. If it has, I’ll install it and retest the velocity before moving on to accuracy.
What makes you think this will benefit from a new piston ring and not just a new breech seal?
He may be able to get away with just a new breech seal, but this rifle is pretty old. It is a pretty good idea to go inside and see if you have any other issues.
RR,
I’m probably not going inside this one. The mainspring is well lubricated, so I think someone has been in there already.
B.B.
Siraniko,
I don’t think the rifle needs a new piston ring. I simply bought one because it was available. I don’t plan to installing it now. I’ll just keep it with the gun for the future.
The breech seal is the big thing.
B.B.
B.B.,
Very cool mechanicals on this one. I hope you get the ol’ gal running good.
Off topic, but when you did your 100 test with your M-rod, you had issues with the pellets tipping. 25.39’s I believe. Just an FYI, but I had no 25.39’s tip and (only 1 group) of the 33.95’s tip. All 10 were tipped with the tail pointed at 7-8 O-clock, but that was the only one. I just finished the first 500 of the 33.95’s.
Like Gunfun1 drove home the point pretty well, it may have just been effects of wind. At any rate, I just wanted to mention it incase you get it back out and try doing some more with it. Mine is still stock and was getting around 900 with the 25.39’s and 800 with the 33.95’s without re-checking my notes.
Chris
Chris,
I am really glad to see you having so much fun with your rifle. I am several months behind schedule, though. I have tested stacking up and there is no free time for unschediuled things. Between unseasonable rain and medical issues I haven’t been to the range in two months.
B.B.
B.B.,
Thanks,… yes,.. it has been a bunch of fun. I just thought you might be interested as I believe that you said that it was one of your “go to guns”. The tipping at 100 would have put me off a bit too. I did check the baffles early on for “clipping”, none at all. I think they fixed that issue. You have to admit, the recent testing and “contest” have to have you thinking pretty hard. 😉 It amazed me then,.. and still does.
Good luck on getting caught up. Most of all, that “fun” would not be possible without you, the blog and the great people here. Thanks!
Chris
Chris USA
The tipping as you and BB cal it is from a lower power at at a given distance. Usually the longer the more it will look that way.
It is from the trajectory. A pellet with less power to weight ratio will have a more angle of attack. You know how the pellet has more of a arch looking trajectory with a heavier lower powered pellet.
With a higher powered lighter weight pellet the trajectory will be flatter.
If you had tryed different pumps out at 50 yards you would see what I mean. With less pumps on the same pellet the trajectory angle will be higher.
Try it and see. And of course you know you will have to put more holdover with less pumps to stay on target.
Try and see what I mean.
Gunfun 1
I’ve never done any airgunning at those distances. Does a pellet tip over in flight at those ranges? I mean, does the axis of rotation of the pellet change as it travels along the curved trajectory so it arrives nose first or does the axis stay the same so it arrives point up?
Would bullets designed for firearms work better at long range than the diabolo shape? The original Sheridan pellets were designed for hunting and high impact and accuracy at what was then considered long range. That’s one reason the chose a proprietary .20 caliber.
Fido3030
Fido3030
If you have a flat shooting trajectory the pellet will remain more level in flight.
As the pellet reaches the end of its flight it will be a gradual pointing of the pellet nose down.
Throw a spear at a longer distance and watch what the spear does. The spear doent stay flat and level till it hits. As the velocity runs out. The nose will progressively start pointing more and more down till it finally contacts the ground or whatever.
If a pellet is fly with its nose pointed up or down or to the right or left that means for some reason it left the barrel that way. Of course unless it clipped something like a twig or something in flight to change the axis of the pellet.
Gunfun 1
I thought maybe the rotation from the rifling would make the pellet act like a gyroscope and keep the same orientation from muzzle to target. Thanks for the clarification
Fido3030
Chris USA
Meant for you to try it with the 760. You will see.
GF1,
Yea,… you lost me real quick on “the pumps”,…. glad you clarified. Yea, that all makes sense.
Still, BB should get the same results that I have had, seeing as we are at the same power level.
I know I mentioned it before, I have had the TX,.. or the LGU?,… notes?,…Where are my notes?,… 😉 , do the same at 30 yds. “What the heck one group?”,…. and all returns to normal the next. Only one or 2 times, but still,… it happened.
Chris USA
Oh and you mentioned the pellet clipping the baffles or whatever.
Usually if you have a pellet clipping situation you will be lucky if you hit your target. Usually the shots hit erratically.
Sometimes though if the pellet is verily clipping something you can get semi good groups. But most of the time not.
GF1,
I do not remember for sure, but BB did check for that. Not sure if he did anything, if even he needed to. They probably just upped the ID on the baffles.
BTW,… struck out on the local machine shop on getting a weight made. Too busy. At least I have 5 oz. in there now,… better than nothing at all.
Let me see?,….. I have this Syn-Rod stock just laying around,…collecting dust,… taking up room…. Mmmmm? 😉
I will check Mc Master Carr for goodies and see if I can come up with something.
Chris USA
Maybe the little bit of different air pressure the pellet is getting hit with from the psi for those given shots. Maybe a little different valve hit happens because of fill psi. One point it’s ideal then it changes and upaets the pellet leaving the barrel in that free area inside the shroud before the pellet enters the baffles or your weight.
The higher pressure hit to the pellet helps the skirt seal. You rember that link I did a while back when Hector soft retrieved pellets and the pellet was actually exspanded and blown up from the hit of air.
Maybe your gun and BB’s fun is right on the edge of not making enough power to seal the skirt equaly. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it ain’t.
Chris USA
If it was trajectory in a normal flight path the skirt would be up and the nose pointed down at a angle.
GF1,
That makes sense. Odd that it did it only once though with 300 + pellets downrange at 100 yards. All the rest were “clean cuts”.
GF1,
Yup,… I remember the link. So,…. what you are saying is that me and BB need more power,…. right? Spoken like a real “tuner”,…… 😉
Yea,… 33.95’s at 100 might,… just might,…. be on the “edge”.
Chris USA
And I do think I remember you saying the skirt was pointing down at the 7-8 o’clock position when you got your tipped pellet groups.
So maybe it is the pressure that your gun is making behind the pellet and when it leaves the barrel before the shroud affecting your pellets flight sometime.
I think you need more power for the distance your trying to shoot at.
GF1,
Yup,…. more testing,….. and perhaps tuning,…. is needed.
Chris USA
Yes.
BB,
Are you sure there is no way to tighten up on the hinge point? It seems hard to believe that these things are relegated strictly to the collector pile.
Webley would not have made this air rifle if it would not shoot. It was a target rifle. The way this thing is built, I feel certain it can be fixed.
RR,
I have been looking for a way to tighten the breech. I agree it should be there, but I haven’t found it yet.
B.B.
Just a WAG, but would putting some plumbers tape help tighten the fit of the barrel to the sleeve? It’s that or there is a wedge that should be there.
Siraniko,
The barrel fits the sleeve tight. The sleeve is in the hinge mechanism that is loose.
B.B.
BB,
From your pictures it appears that the pivot is a pin. Perhaps a bit of compression of the ears of the breech block could help. That is what is done with the newer air rifles that suffer from this issue.
RR,
Or shims?
B.B.
BB,
On second thought, just forget about it. Finish up your blog on it, box it up and send it to me. I will pay you what you got in it.
B.B.,
The subject of extraordinary craftsmanship has been brought up here before, but please indulge me. Your close-up photos of the detail of the breech and pivot areas have me quite impressed (with the Webley — though your photography is impressive, too! ;^) I’m not a machinist, but even I can tell really fine work. Man! Close up it looks like detail of a steel sculpture.
It makes me think that ninety years from now close-up pics of a TX that is in need of maintenance will appear on a blog (or whatever replaces blogs), and a reader like me will comment that even though the rifle was made back in the dark days of plastics and pot metal, it was a work of exceptional elegance, even as well-made as those antique Webley Service Rifles.
Michael
Michael,
Good observation. No doubt it is on the mark.
Yes, this is a superbly crafted air rifle. No doubt about that. The question is whether the design is as robust as it should be. We shall see.
B.B.
No one has mentioned that it looks by the photos, the spring arrangement is reversed from modern guns, it cocks by pulling the piston towards the front of the rifle, not pushing it rearward like modern springers.
It seems that would make the shot cycle feel weird to anyone used to a modern springer.
I may be wrong, but it looks that way.
Oh, by the way, I am not really a springer guy, I can shoot them, but prefer gas and air…
45Bravo,
That is how it works, but I don’t feel anything different when it fires. The pistols that do the same thing do feel a little different, because the recoil is to the rear instead of away from the shooter.
B.B.
B.B.,
I’d be surprised if it didn’t have a lot of piston bounce in .25 caliber. Still I suppose it would be nice just to have the full set of barrels.
BB
I do like the way the barrel changes. Hope you can come up with a way to tighten the hinge up.
Maybe there’s a bushing inside the hinge point that can be changed?
GF1,
I have been thinking about that.
B.B.
BB
Have you searched to see if you can find a drawing of the gun for parts ordering? There has to be something out there I would think.
GF1,
Not yet.
B.B.
BB
Maybe this will help.
https://www.airgunspares.com/store/category/64/465/WEBLEY/Webley-Mk2-Service/
I know you mentioned the website above. But didn’t know if you actually seen the parts list. I’m guessing you probably did.
And don’t know if you noticed. But you can click on the blocks to see the part.
GF1,
That is the page from which I ordered everything.
B.B.
BB
Ok I figured that.
Look at the parts though. It looks like the hing point screw is threaded. I could be looking at the wrong thing though.
GF1,
That’s not where it’s loose. Where it’s loose is down in the spring tube, where it is pinned. Shims are the way, I think.
B.B.
BB
Here this part.
https://www.airgunspares.com/store/product/9887/Webley-Mk2-Barrel-Joint-Screw-Part-No.-116CSCREW/
BB
Sorry and this part too.
https://www.airgunspares.com/store/product/9870/Webley-Mk2-Barrel-Joint-Pin-Part-No.-116C/
GF1,
This is the only part that matters. But mine is okay.
B.B.
BB
Hmm ok. Sounds like the joint srew needs to be figured out how to be tightened.
Think there should be a way without shimming.
GF1,
It’s NOT THE JOINT SCREW! It’s the bottom of the fixture that screw goes through. That part is PINNED insde the spring tube and that joint is loose.
B.B.
BB
Well then that pin and linkage might be worn.
I’m sure you will find out sooner or later. Because if it’s wore now it ain’t going to get better.
Time will tell.
Getting a set of barrels at $363 each is a smart investment.
I don’t know what you paid for the rifle, but having the set does increase the value greatly.
Both for shooting enjoyment, and potential sales/trades for the NEXT bucket list item..
45Bravo,
The rifle was just under a thousand. At today’s going rate, it’s a $1250-1500 airgun. The additional barrels will increase the value by what they cost. If I put everything into a smart wooden case it might be worth as much as two grand.
B.B.
Thank you for sharing that.
But I truly wasn’t asking what you paid.
I feel that is like asking whats someone’s salary, it’s none of my business.
The investment is in the enjoyment you derive from owning an item.
And passing it on.
I have a Mac1 modified Crosman Mark1, a completely stock Mark 1 with amazing factory finish, and a soon to be refinished Mark 2.
All of them early models.
I get great enjoyment from shooting them, and I am working on making them a nice velvet lined cased set to give to my grandson when he is older.
I hope he will enjoy them as well.
The third try is a charm, I hope! I have vaporized 2 attempts to reply so far.
The price of a new barrel seems a little high, but considering the value of the gun, it would be a good investment. I have been trying to improve the accuracy of my Disco at 50 yds. and beyond and checked, just for grins, on the price of an FX smoothtwist barrel. They had one that had been machined for a Disco but had turned purple in the bluing process and the customer didn’t want it. I could have bought it for $ 300 but the whole gun, new, was only $270. Probably not the smartest investment. I would love to be able to shoot 50 yd. groups that were less than 1 inch but I seem to have hit a wall at that range. Now we all know it can’t be me and my abilities,
BBB,
Vaporized?,….. I can relate. You do a nice long post, full of info., very polite, etc., etc.,…. then POOF! 🙁
Watch that little symbol in the lower corner that looks like a monitor with a little square in the corner. If it is “sleeping” or a “caution” symbol, (don’t) hit send. Other than that, good luck.
Cool that you trying to push past 50 yards, really cool! 🙂 If ya’ got the coin, get a Shoebox and a tank, unless you do not mind the exercise. You will kick yourself in the butt for not getting one sooner. 300$ barrel,… pass. +FPS will get you past 50,… just sayin’,….. 😉 PCP is a good choice, as you know.
Chris
Chris
I bought a 92 cu. in. CF tank atthe time I got the gun since I’m old and broke down and the dive shop is 10 minutes away. I’m shooting 18.1 jsb’s at 740 ft/sec. and get 18 shots with just under 18 spread. I start at 1850 and shoot down to 1200. It’s only a 135 ci reservoir on the gun so for consistantcy that’s about the best I can wring out of it. BUT!! I still can’t shoot groups much under 1 in.! What’s wrong? It just couldn’t be me……. could it?
BBB,
Big laugh! 😉 Of course it is not you,… I tell myself that,… ALL the time! 🙂 As for getting more out of what you got,….. I am not the guy to ask. Heck, I am still figuring out what does what on my first PCP. 🙁
Da’ Gunfun1 might be up to the task though. Glad you have a tank too. That is a good step.
Shoebox,…. hook it up,…. sip coffee,… watch the AM news,… sip coffee,… fix breakfest,…. finish coffee,….. (of course),….. it is usally all done and over with on somewhere between the first coffee and during the news. Just sayin’. Sa-weet.
Chris
Didn’t post my full reply! Should have read-. Now we all know it can’t be me or my ability, so a new barrel will make me a top notch shooter, right? LOL! I have put just over 9000 rounds thru my Disco since December, 7500 of them at 15 yds. in the back yard. I finally found a place to shoot out to 85 yds. and I found out that I’m not as good as I want to be! Back to the practice range!
Bruce
BBB,
9000,…. wow! I have not done that yet,… at least I do not think so anyways. Glad to see you “streatching it out”. I am thinking,…. maybe a new gun is in you future? Just sayin’,……. 😉
Did ya’ see that Gunfun1 got 13/16″ with 9 of 10 at 100 yards just this weekend? My best is is 1 5/16″ at 100 yards with 7 of 10.
Glad to help,… 😉 ,….. Chris
Chris,
As you found out, not long before I did, it is a whole new thing at long range with an airguns! New gun? Yes! I would like to have an fx Royals 400 or an AA s510 ultimate sporter but my foreseeable budget says a Marauder or a Hatsan Bullboss or at 44 long qe is what I should be looking at.
Everything in it’s own time, I guess.
Bruce
BBB,
All good choices. The M-rod is good. Plus, you can play/tune the heck out of them. That is cool, for me anyways,…. it is like having 2 guns at once. Mild or Wild.
As Buldawg said, it is like the GM 350 Cu. In. engine,….. no limits on what you can do.
Best of luck on getting it all figured it out. I am still working on all of that myself.
Chris
Chris
I really like the “tinkering on it” thing but I’m a little bit Leary of the m-rod in. 22 as I have heard of some accuracy issues in that caliber early in production. I don’t know if they have overcome that in the later runs or not. Maybe I should just make the jump to.25 cal(i have thougjt about it already) and just not worry about it! In the mean time, I am enjoying the challenge of my disco since there is a lot
BBB,
Yea, I have “heard” the same on the .22. I can not say for sure. A .22 would have been better in terms that I have a bunch of pellets and the shot count may be higher. I think, and Buldawg76 could answer this better, but I think some people are getting 120 shots from a fill on the M-rod in .177. Real flat fps curves and low fps spreads. I am not sure about the others you mentioned, but the M-rod has 3 basic adjustments. Striker stroke, Hammer spring pressure and Port flow adjustment. With those, you can make it go from higher power and less shots to less power and more shots.
When I first got it, I did a lot of chrony work. Gunfun1 mentioned that just to get outside and shoot it at a target. I think 45 yards put me in the 1″ kill zone the longest per Chairgun on the Hawke scope website. I first got 8 good shots before the POI started to shift. By 12 shots for sure. After messing with the adjustments, I got 32 shots before the POI started to drop with any significance. A simple adjustment of the Port screw can stretch that even further.
Those adjustments can be a blessing as well as a curse. Infinite variables. A .25 will punch clear through a steel can at 100 yards. I think I remember that you have done some pesting with the Disco. A .25 will allow you reach out further and still pack a big wallop. Plus, you can go after bigger pest. It is not all about fps. A .25 will allow a much greater retained energy, fpe, at target. Really, that is what it is about if you want to pest.
As many here will say, ask yourself what you want it for. Good luck. I know that I still need it. 😉
Webley is one of those storied names in British firearms, like Enfield and Vickers, that I must know more about. I only know about it indirectly through references. One is in a Walter Mitty fantasy. Another is through WWI videos where British troops going over the top are always accompanied by an officer holding a revolver which I believe is a Webley. The life-expectancy of these officers was amazingly short.
Thanks for all the responses and kind comments over the weekend. I’m not sure what has been keeping me away, not any one thing in particular. I suppose much of it has to do with recovery from my foot and an uncharacteristic surge of activity at work. I am sorry to miss the blogs, especially the one last week about a spotting scope. With all the gear that I wear to the shooting range, I accidentally let my spotting scope fall off a table. It didn’t seem like a problem, but it didn’t work afterwards and it has a jangling sound of broken parts. I had my hearing protection on when it fell or I probably would have heard an expensive crash. However, my cheaper replacement seems to have better optics.
45Bravo, interesting how lack of use can cause the greatest damage to guns. My piano teacher told me the same about pianos, and I could never understand since it seems like the friction and impact of playing could only wear out the parts. As for guns, I suppose the drying out refers to the seals. That shouldn’t apply to firearms or else my surplus guns would be in trouble. But that is a reminder for me to oil them.
Brent, I’ve heard of the Hall breechloader. I wouldn’t expect the 1950s movie industry to be that scrupulous about the facts, but they were clearly striving for something like that. They certainly took a lot of liberties with the Seminole Wars which were apparently like Vietnam without the technology on our side and were truly nightmarish.
PunchinHoles, thanks for asking about my private range. Unfortunately, the news is not good. I’m reminded of a David Baldacci novel where a gigantic gangster is leaning against a car and reloading his pistol while the body of one of his members floats away down a river. “Know what my problem is?” he asks. “Finding decent help.” This is true beyond the gangster world. The person who invited me to the range never called back. So, I’ve suspended my collection of pine cones and am thrown back on my imagination. But that’s okay as it can be very entertaining.
The other night, I was drying firing my Enfield No. 4 rifle and marveled again at the sights. They seem crude and the front sight too thin. However, that thin sight somehow synergizes with the smooth bolt action for rapid fire. You just want to keep poking that thin sight into the target and working that action in a kind of frenzy. Poke, poke, poke. This confirms my sense that there is a lot to be done in matching the reticle to the target to create an ideal sight picture. I tried shooting a slow fire pistol target for 25 feet on my five yard range. The bull was too large and I sighted on the top, bottom, and both sides of it with mediocre results. But then I pasted an orange dot right on the bull. My sights showed up perfectly in contrast, and I blasted out the center.
I’ve also developed a new interest in getting period web gear to match my surplus rifles. This will really get me in character for my dry firing. Wearing it out to the range might be a bit much. Anyway, the stuff is kind of expensive. Even a skeleton version with belt harness and cartridge pouches will run you over a $100 at the least. However, this is definitely a goal to work towards. In particular, I want to perfect my speed reloading of the Garand. I’ve found that you cannot rapidly withdraw a clip from the bandoleers which seem more for storage. But I could see myself ejecting a clip, then drawing a clip lighting fast from the cartridge belt for the reload.
Matt61
Matt 61
Did u know in WWI the average British officer was 6 inches taller than the average enlisted man? The difference was because of the different nutrition levels of the British class system. Maybe that’s one reason why officers didn’t last….easier targets, easier to identify.
Also, there’s an organization called the Grand Army of the Frontier (GAF). They do reenactments with period dress and weapons. Maybe a resource for go-with stuff.
Fido3030
On another note, I’ve found myself interested in safaris. I’m not much of a hunter, but there is a dangerous game animal that one doesn’t often hear about, the hippo. Are they even considered one of the Big Five? However, they are the most dangerous animal in Africa in terms of the number of people killed. Part of their secret is their great speed. It turns out that they can’t swim, but they run along the bottom of rivers. And they can continue on land up to 30 mph for short bursts. Just think of those tiny legs churning away. To see this in action, have a look at this, and see if you can find the hippo underwater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZAXHVW2F8k
Matt61
Matt61,
Yes I have also read where they are extremely dangerous in and out of the water, along with being very territorial.
It takes more horsepower to go the same speed on water than it does on land.
Can you imagine the strength involved to move that much mass and bulk through the water that fast?
Think how slow you run when only waist deep in water, compared to on dry land.
Pure muscle!
Matt61,
I do believe that I heard of a Drug Lord having Hippos in his “moat” that surrounded the compound. Most likely he was onto to the fact that they are nothing to mess with. Like getting hit with a Buick and getting ate by a T-Rex. The latter, being an assumption.
Chris
Matt 61– When I was in Zimbabwae in 1994, my wife and I spent 1 week in a fishing camp on the Zambezi river. We saw hippos and crocks up close every day while fishing on the river. At night, hippos and elephants walked around our hut ( it was a few yards from the river.)My guide told me that 2 weeks before we arrived, a hippo had overturned a fishing boat ( they used bass boats). the guide got his client onto the land, but he was bitten by a crock before he could get out of the water. They had to fly him to a hospital. I dont know if he survived. The people who live there are as worried about hippos about the same way as big city people worry about taxis and busses. They know that they can be dangerous, they respect them, and go about their lives without getting paranoid or hysterical. Ed
And tipping the boat is how a Hippo gains the title of “Most Lethal Wild Critter” in Africa by drowning, not necessarily chomping, the ‘never learned to swim’ crowd. Like the “Most lethal Wild Critter” in the US is Bambi.
Yup, or at least so they say, your basic wild, free range deer kills more humans every year than all the mountain lions, bears, rattlesnakes, scorpions, etc. combined.
Of course, to be fair, that requires the cooperation of the humans and their propensity to outrun their headlights while overspeeding on foggy nights. 150 pounds of venison through the windshield of the Beemer at 90 per (KM or MPH) will do the trick nicely, if with some mess involved for all concerned.
Upon moving into our nice new (old) house in an urban area but bordering on a regional park, a young buck was nailed by a clueless yuppie with enough force to total the BMW while lofting the furry sack of fresh venison almost 100 feet nearly to our front porch. Fortunately for the yup, Mr. Buck went OVER the Beemer, not IN.
But then there was that pesky DUI conviction for the yup to deal with… Not to mention rejecting the claim for the [Way Expensive] Beemer. Meaning, “You were drunk. Claim Rejected, you get to pay for it.”
It’s always interesting to contemplate…do the deer and/or hippos do this on purpose…kill the human…or cost a vast increase in insurance rates…? Which is more painful to the yup?
Matt 61– Did you get my comments re the rifles that you saw in the movie? Ed
BB,
Thought you might like to correct the web address listed here, “from John Knibbs (www.airguspares.com) in England”. You dropped the “n”. It’s not hard to figure out the correct address, but some new readers may have difficulty.
Thanks for another educational blog.
Tom
Tom,
Thanks.
B.B.