SHOOT! Magazine Editorial - Vol. 4, April/May 2000

I have been struggling with what subject to write this issue's editorial about. I finally settled on a subject that I don't think really receives enough attention, the safe operation of firearms. Hmm, what do I mean you wonder? Well, pardner, when was the last time you used different ammunition for your rifle and your sixgun? Have you ever put the wrong ammunition in your gun? How about that old double barrel or Marlin hammer pump shotgun you are shooting smokeless powder in? Is it really safe to do so? You say you're shooting a first generation Colt. What load are you using? Is the pressure generated too high for the sixgun? Oh, you've got a Winchester '97. Wow! What length shells does it take? Do the 2 ¾" shells jam sometimes?

If you shoot a Henry, Winchester '73 or ‘66 rifle, there are a number of questions to ask oneself. Even a new reproduction is still of some concern as the toggle action is weak, and high-pressure loads are not recommended. A brand new one shouldn't be any problem, with factory ammunition recommended for these rifles, but if you have a used one check the toggle action out and always keep the pressure within the cowboy load range. Oh, you are shooting an original? Sounds great to me. I've got an original shooter I'm fixing up to shoot black powder with. Uh, you are using smokeless powder in an original. I'd be very, very careful. How full is the cartridge case in your hand-loads? Does the powder lie completely below the bottom edge of the primer when the case is level? Do you listen for squib loads when you shoot before jacking another shell in the chamber and firing again? Have you checked your cartridges to ensure that there aren't any high primers or that the crimp is adequate to keep the bullet in under recoil? On a related area, what type of shooting glasses do you use? Oh, you don't, you just use your regular glasses or sometimes the new special made cowboy round lenses. Unless your regular prescription or cowboy lenses are polycarbonate safety lenses, your eyes are unprotected. A piece of airborne debris can shatter regular glass lenses. Hmm, what about at the corners of your eyes? There isn't much protection there, is there?

Yep, these are some of the areas I'd like to talk briefly about, though many of them deserve an article addressed just to that one item.  I have used different ammunition for my rifle and for my sixguns at times. On a stage that required a one-round rifle reload I pulled a .45 Colt round out of my belt and put it into my .38-40 1893 Marlin. Yep, it jammed up tight. An easy fix, but it opened my eyes. Using the same ammunition for both rifle and sixgun will prevent accidents such as this. However, some of us do not always want to do this as we have an interest in shooting older style cartridges like .44 Colt in our revolvers and .44-40 in our rifles. The best thing to do in this case is to wear two belts. Each with different ammunition, and keep your ammo boxes color-coded. Other shooters may have some helpful hints here that they may have used. Please write in and let us know your insights.

There are a lot of people using smokeless powder with antique, old double barrels, some even that have Damascus barrels. The general recommendation is that only black powder be used with these firearms. Have any antique firearm checked by a competent gunsmith before firing, and just as important, ask what kind of ammunition the gun is capable of safely firing. Light smokeless loads, such as 2 ¾ Dr. Eq. With 1 1/8 os. Shot trap or skeet loads, may be all right to use in a shotgun not designed for smokeless powder. However, it is not recommended, and you should be extremely careful.

The Marlin 1898 hammer, pump/slide shotguns were made in a variety of models some marked "Special Rolled Steel barrel" and others "Special Smokeless Steel barrel". Marlin has stated in writing that a number of models are not safe for use with current smokeless powder loads. The action on this shotgun was not as strong as the Winchester '97.

The Marlin 1898 was made from 1898 to 1905 with a total quantity estimated at 55,000. I have seen a number of shooters use smokeless powder in ones that are in excellent condition with no problems. However, check yours out with a good gunsmith, and remember that the manufacturer does not recommend smokeless powder.

Ah, the feel of a real Colt, especially a first generation is like no other. Remember though, the black powder frame was made for black powder, NOT smokeless. Considering the value of a first generation Colt, even a shooter with mismatched serial numbers, it is probably not wise to shoot it continually in competition anyway. However, if you do, it is black powder you should use.

The Winchester '97, though strong, reliable, and a gun that can take a lot of abuse, was originally made to take 2 ½" shells. 2 ¾" shells will get stuck in the ejection port on many an occasion and may not slide easily into the chamber. Companies such as Wolf's Custom Guns will specialize in lengthening the chambers and forcing cones providing you with a more reliable firearm for your cowboy shooting competition.

The toggle action of the Henry, Winchester '73 and '66 are inherently weak actions. All antiques should be used with black powder only and only after being okayed by a good gunsmith. Modern ones can certainly use cowboy loads though I would be somewhat reluctant to work up a heavy hunting load in, say, .45 Colt and use it in even the newer ones.

The controversy over low powder, low recoil loads is still going on strong. Though never proven under laboratory conditions to cause an explosion, there is still some speculation that they have. Take a look at a cartridge, say a .45 Colt with a 250-grain FP bullet and 5.4 grains of Tight Group. How does the powder lie in the case when the gun is in the firing position? The powder lies below the primer. This is not only a load that a lot of cowboy shooters use, but is also one listed in a number of manuals. It is a load that I am also in the process of testing. I guess I will only test it in Rugers, and not Colts due to the strength of the Ruger. Anyway, be aware of your reloads and how they perform in various firearms. Keep in mind that some recommended loads have powder levels that are controversial in regards to how much empty space is left in the case.

I have seen high primers lock up a sixgun numerous times causing a person to miss shots, lose time, and on occasion, mishandle their sixgun. Check your primers out. I have even on occasion tried every round in the sixgun's cylinder after removing the cylinder from the firearm. Different firearms have different tolerances relative to what height of the primer will stop the cylinder from rotating.

Personally, I believe all cartridges should have a nice solid crimp. It starts the powder burning and it keeps the bullet from being pushed down inside the case. This is especially true for repeating rifles with tubular magazines. Though our cowboy loads do not normally produce a lot of recoil that would cause the bullet to come loose from its case, I can always be sure there will be no problems of this type with a good crimp.

I have started to wear wrap-around shooting glasses (when I remember) over my regular glasses. A number of times I have been hit by splatter on the face. One time, I got hit an inch away from the side of my eye as I was turned sideways from the shooting range. No damage then, but if it had been another inch and gone in the eye it would have been a major catastrophe! It seems glasses that also protect from splatter coming in from the sides of the eyes is a wise thing to wear.

Well, cowboys and cowgirls, that's my spiel this month on the safe operation of firearms. I hope it was worth it. I'll see ya on the trail, so keep your powder dry and stay safe! Chucky

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