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Joined: Jun 2004
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
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Later H&R single shots were available in 270 Winchester which is loaded pretty hot. They don't fail at the hinge. Guns with steel frames don't fail at the hinge. Nonetheless, the advice to avoid hotrodding these guns is sound advice. GD
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,206 Likes: 26 |
I've owned a Merkel single-shot K1 .308 Winchester break-action rifle for close to 20 years now. It has an aluminum receiver, but the bearing/locking parts are steel, which lock up very well. Have not only shot a bunch of factory ammo in it but handloads that may have exceeded the SAAMI pressures by more than a bit. It's just as tight as when purchased, and weighs 6-3/4 pounds with a Meopta 6x scope, despite having hunted with it in various parts of the world in widely-ranging temperatures. You might investigate how the Merkel action works before generally condemning "aluminum actions."
Have also owned an aluminum-receiver Sauer drilling, a 16x16/7x57R. It worked fine with "modern pressure" 7x57 loads, and still does for its present owner, a good friend.
Aluminum is NOT necessarily a "weak" metal for centerfire rifles, if the engineering is done right--and I have yet to encounter an aluminum-receiver German gun that failed due to the "inappropriate" metal. And neither have any of my friends who've owned a bunch of break-action German guns with aluminum receivers, whether rifles or combination guns.
Have you ever fired one? Or even seen one?
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Nov 2013
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,945 Likes: 23 |
That tilting block (or whatever it’s called) used in the Merkel and others is very clever. Sometimes I fantasize about selling a bunch of rifles and putting the money into one of those for my old age, but as a practical matter, I now have several bolt guns that run about 6.5 pounds all up and won’t break my heart if I drop them.
Not quite the same thing, but similar in principal are all the bolt and semi autos that use an aluminum receiver as a shell to hold the steel breeching. I suppose eventually we’ll see polymer used more frequently for that. Wonder if anyone had tried engraving polymer?🤔
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Jun 2004
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,197 Likes: 6 |
I have not owned one, MD, but I have seen many and fired some. I don't necessarily condemn the use of aluminum for this or any other purpose, but in this particular instance, it is the aluminum frame which failed. Perhaps it failed due to an overload; perhaps it failed due to a flaw in that particular frame. I don't honestly know. On the gun, the bearing points are steel but the hinge pin is supported by the frame which was the point of failure. It's just an observation. This is not quite the same as a bolt gun using an aluminum receiver because in that situation there is no stress on the receiver. In a tip up action, stress is transferred directly to the hinge pin, and thence, to the frame. There are numerous designs which do have additional contact surfaces in addition to the hinge pin, but I can't see that this one does. I would like to know what load or pressure was involved. I didn't intend to be a pot stirrer! GD
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,793 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,793 Likes: 7 |
Hate to see that when all he had to do was get a bigger rifle. And in general I have found "a bigger rifle" (or cartridge) makes less difference than many hunters believe.... I think the point he was trying to make is that a bigger, more powerful rifle with a stronger action would have been a more prudent and desirable option than pushing this rifle and blowing it up. He wasn't trying to get into a "general" debate. Just my take. Right. I was just trying to say, “don’t try to turn a 222 into a 220 Swift or an ‘06 into a 300 Wby”. Whether it makes any difference or not, if you want extra velocity, more cubic inches is the easy way to go.” 😊
Last edited by navlav8r; 05/30/23.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2006
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Dwayne, Thanks for your comments! Mule Deer; Good morning to you sir, I hope you and Eileen are well on this Memorial Day Monday. Thanks for that experience with Eileen's drilling rifle, I remember now reading about it before, but it made me wince just a little bit this time - again. Other than seeing the odd drilling at the local gun show, we just don't run across them up here so it's all a foreign thing to me, in all senses of that definition. Way back in the '80's we ran into a German chap a couple times who had I want to say a Zoli combination rifle - likely either a 6.5x57R or 7x57R with a 16 gauge under it - again if memory serves from 35 years back and so help me it might not. One time I ran across a fellow with a Cape Gun which was .577/450 on the left side and 12 gauge on the right. I want to say that was a Belgian made one and quite old, but again that's a long time ago. Anyways John, yet again I appreciate you and the rest here adding to my education by sharing your knowledge and direct experience with stuff I've never messed with. All the best to you both. Dwayne Thanks for your comments! However, Eileen's gun is not a drilling, but an O/U combination gun. Here's a photo of the first deer she took with it: Our friend Bruce (luv2safari) handled it in person a few years ago during a visit, and really wants it. (However, he wants to buy just about every good combo gun he sees, and Eileen doesn't want to sell it....) With the 1.5-5x20 Leupold it weighs exactly seven pounds--and six with the scope detached. She's used it with the scope off to take a number of upland birds. Good hunting, John Yeah I want it! It's a gorgeous little BBF, a delight to hold. I also want your JRS drilling now that it has a better scope.
Hunt with Class and Classics
Religion: A founder of The Church of Spray and Pray
Acquit v. t. To render a judgment in a murder case in San Francisco... EQUAL, adj. As bad as something else. Ambrose Bierce “The Devil's Dictionary”
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,206 Likes: 26 |
Bruce, I suspect some of your "want" involves the detailing of her "little" gun, aside from its superb balance and light weight:
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,793 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 15,793 Likes: 7 |
Any idea when it was made? That’s a real beauty.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
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Joined: Jul 2001
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
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Not exactly. The proof marks don't include a year, just general era from their specific style. I would guess its pre-WWI.
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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That should be Mine! Eileen should have a nicer one. Judging from the engraving it sure does look pre-WWI. It's too old and is dangerous. There's no ammo for it. A BF is much nicer to carry than a BBF. Kisses to Lena ...no more head pats for Eileen...
Hunt with Class and Classics
Religion: A founder of The Church of Spray and Pray
Acquit v. t. To render a judgment in a murder case in San Francisco... EQUAL, adj. As bad as something else. Ambrose Bierce “The Devil's Dictionary”
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