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The Great Remington Rolling Block Buffalo Gun Project, Part 2 By Dave Morelli


After I fitted the barrel, I wanted to shape and taper it for looks and to reduce the weight.
After setting up the mill, I used a facing tool to remove a great deal of material — about 1 pound of metal was shaved off — and to give the barrel a more streamlined shape. I still had to draw-file and sand the barrel, but I liked the resulting look much more than when it had a slight taper from the box. It also took off some of the front weight.
I cut off about 4 inches — giving me a 30-inch barrel — and dialed it up in the lathe to face and crown the muzzle. A flat face was machined and it was crowned with a deep 45-degree taper. Brownell’s sells crowning tools that can be used without a lathe, but the lathe was handy, so I used it for the crowning job. Whichever method you use, the crowning job is critical for accuracy. The face of the rifle must be perfectly perpendicular to the bore so the bullet exits the pipe evenly. The crown recesses this edge to protect it from damage.
Proof Testing
With the barrel chambered and installed, I wanted to proof-test my work. Headspace depends on the base of the case sitting against the rolling block and how tight the block fits against the hammer surface. This is the base of the action’s strength. I was happy with the way everything fit, but I still wanted to proof it, so I put the old stock on the rifle.
My proof-tester is simple: I use a spare tire as a base and strap the action to it with ratchet tie-downs. Then, I point the muzzle into a safe backstop and fire the action from a distance with a string. I had to load some new cases because the cartridges I had for my Sharps were not full-sized, and apparently, its chamber is a bit larger than the new chamber in my Rolling Block.
I loaded four of my pet smokeless loads and carefully measured the cases for a comparison after firing. The proof-test went well, and the cases measured out, showing no signs of headspace problems or excessive pressure.
Stock Work
It was time to stock the rifle. TreeBone Carving has some of the prettiest wood I’ve seen for rolling blocks. I told George Peterson, owner of TreeBone, I was trying to duplicate a Rolling Block Sporting Rifle but also wanted to shoot cowboy long-range events and possibly hunt with it. He recommended a walnut stock with a shotgun-shaped butt.
I could inlet the original buttplate or put a plain metal buttplate on the rifle to be historically correct. I ended up putting a rubber recoil pad on the rifle to protect it (and me) and will probably have to make a hard, more authentic buttplate for shooting cowboy events.
Brownell’s carries TreeBone’s walnut version of that stock, so I figured I could always fit a prettier piece of wood on the gun later. I didn’t really want a high-gloss finish.
TreeBone stocks require about 90 percent fitting to the action, and almost anybody with some tools should be able to do the job. Rolling block actions differ a bit in stock fit, and this one was more difficult. I have a Danish action with a flat-angled fit, in which the action meets the gripped part of the stock. The Remington No. 5 has two angles that must be negotiated.
The stock slipped up almost to home position before I did anything. My most important tools were a triangle file, flat file with one blank edge, fordum or dremel tool, and a variety of sandpaper matched to a sanding block. You can’t see some surfaces when fitting the stock, and candle soot helped me find where the high spots had to be relieved.
I put soot on the action and filed a bit off where the stock rubbed it. With a lot of fitting and filing, the stock will eventually slide up tight and right. After it’s in place, you can drill the receiver tang-screw hole in the right spot.
The forearm grip comes cut to fit an octagonal barrel. It was very close to the barrel I shaped but needed some minor fitting. The forearm was not drilled for an attaching screw, and I had to position and drill it. A brass escutcheon was then bedded in the stock where I planned to put the screw — and a hole was threaded into the barrel.
It’s critical that you make the threaded hole in the exact spot, or it won’t fit correctly. I used a drill press to create the hole. Be careful not to go too deep; there’s enough meat in the barrel, but it’s very easy to make it too thin. You can set up a drill press or mill to stop at the correct depth.
Find the center of the barrel flat more precisely by using the calibrated table on a mill. After I found the hole and drilled, I used a bottom tap to tap the hole to the correct thread right in the mill vise. The bottom tap allowed me to cut as many threads as possible into the shallow hole.
After the hole was completed and the forearm screwed to the barrel, I wanted to strengthen the stock on both pieces by glass-bedding it where it fit to the metal.
The glass fills voids in the wood from carving and provides a stronger, tighter fit. The finished fit of a glass-bedded stock gives a rifle a professional look. Acraglas with a bit of coloring for the finished stock shade was the ticket.
I knew I would shoot the rifle before I did the finish bluing, and I didn’t want to stain the stock with dirt, sweat and cleaning solvents, so I put a couple coats of Tru-Oil on it for protection. That also gave me an idea of what shade to tint the Acraglas. I also fit the stock with the recoil pad so it would protect the butt and my shoulder in pre-finish shooting sessions. The rifle was really starting to take shape, and I liked the look of the stock.
Sighting Up
A set of sights was the only thing I still needed. Most cowboy long-range rifle side matches are 500 yards or closer. Still, I needed some drop compensation for longer work.
I studied sporting rifles in Remington Rolling Block Firearms by Konrad F. Schreier Jr.. This book features vintage Remington rifle ads, including options. The rear sight common to the guns was the Rough and Ready sight on the rear, which was an open-notched sight with a flip-up peep that can be adjusted 1.5 to 2 inches for elevation.
A blade front sight was common in the day, and Remington also made a Beech sight, which was a blade with a flip-up hooded post that could be used with the peep rear.
Montana Vintage Arms makes many quality sights, but its Rough and Ready replica seemed to be the right choice. I complimented it with the company’s version of the Beech front sight.

The front sight comes with a dovetail fit, and the Rough and Ready can be dovetailed or screwed in place. I used the screw-down model for my rifle, but if I had it to do again, I’d go with the dovetail model because it gives you some windage adjustment on the rear sight.
The front sight is dovetailed, so I adjusted my windage there. Montana Vintage Arms also makes high-quality long-range Soule sights and old-time scope sights it calls MVA scopes.
You can easily cut dovetails on a mill with a dovetail cutter. I measured the dovetail on the combination Beech front sight, and then took a couple of passes with the mill to cut the slot slightly smaller than the base.
The fit was finished by hand with a file, and it was perfectly tight. I have fitted dovetails without a mill by cutting the slot in the barrel with a hacksaw. Then, I’ve roughed the slot out with a file and finish-fitted it with a triangular file to create the dovetail. It takes longer, but if done carefully, it’s just as precise
With the sights on, it was time to put the gun together and see how it shot. The rifle still needed to be final polished and blued, and the stock had to be sanded and stained, but I figured a range session would tell me if I chambered and muzzled it correctly. If figured it would be better to redo metal work before the final finish.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The first session was a rough sight-in affair using a proven smokeless load. I discovered that the bullet I had cast was long enough to touch the rifling, as evidenced by marks on the lead when I took a live round out of the chamber. At 100 yards, the gun required just a small sight adjustment to make fist-sized rocks disappear. It was time to develop a pet load for the rifle and put it on paper. It had a good start.
For the second session, I loaded some of the LaserCast 500-grain bullets with a semi-wadcutter nose. I loaded them to the same length as the cast round-nose bullet, but the taper nose of the wadcutter was narrower and did not quite touch the rifling. The bullets showed promise in the rifle. The combo was tried on the 200-yard gong after a cowboy practice match.
After figuring the adjustment for the drop, hitting the gong consistently was just a matter of pulling the trigger. I’m really looking forward to developing a load, because the gun is accurate enough to make it work.
Finishing Touches
I planned on finishing the rifle so it looked like something from the rolling block’s heyday. I went with a plain walnut stock, which would have been standard on hunting guns. Some engraved custom guns had nice wood on them, but those were more common at uppity gun clubs or target matches. The original stock on my gun had a very dark stain, which seems common for firearms from that time.
I sanded the Tru-Oil off of the stock and darkened the wood with Mini Wax Dark Walnut Stain. Tru-Oil is a great finish, and I use it often. However, it would not darken the wood as much as I wanted.
After the first coat of Mini Wax, I saw many scratches and tool marks I couldn’t see when the wood was plain sanded. It took several coats and some sanding to get all the scratches out, and the multiple coatings filled the wood grain with the stain and protectants.
The Mini Wax retained the dull look I was seeking, and some light work with steel wool gave me the finish I wanted. Taking the time to apply several coats alternated with fine sanding did the job.
I really had a dilemma with finishing the metal. Many of the original rolling blocks came with a case-colored hardening on the receiver. I could send the action to a shop for that finish.
However, I had recently seen a rifle with a shiny blue receiver and a less shiny finish on the barrel, and I liked how that looked. A dull blue finish and glare-free barrel would be practical for hunting and sighting, but the shiny finish really stuck in my mind.

Finishing metal is easy and can be done with emery cloth and steel wool. I view polishing as gradually putting finer scratches in the metal until they have a mirror finish. I started with 80-grit sandpaper to remove tool marks on the barrel and some bad pits on the receiver.
Actually, I removed three really bad pits with a file and then formed the metal back with sandpaper. I was careful not to change the lines of the receiver or wear any writing. The only factory writing on this action was on the tang, which had no huge pits, so I got away with some minor polishing there. It’s easy to round off corners that should remain sharp to keep the original look of the receiver. I then went to 120- , 220- and 320-grit paper.
I took the flats of the barrel down to a 400-grit polish so it blued out shiny, but less so than the receiver. It also will produce less glare on the top flat when sighting. I used a polishing wheel and compound on the receiver to get a very shiny finish that will blue out like a deluxe finish on a custom gun. It’s easy to vaporize a number, letter or lines on the gun with even the finest polishing compounds, so take care.
Polishing is the most important part of the finishing process. Pits left in the metal will appear as white dots, and scratches will make you wish you had taken more time.
The screws on my gun were boogered up a bit, so I carefully filed and sanded the damaged areas and polished them to the same gloss finish as the receiver. I also sanded and blued the rolling block and hammer.
I use hot blue for everything but touch-up efforts. Brownell’s and DuLite Corp. salts provide good results. Hot bluing is a book in itself, but it’s the most durable bluing finish I’ve used.
Worth the Effort


When building your own firearm from an antique — whether sporterizing an old military Mauser or rebuilding a buffalo gun — you take pride in shooting an animal or winning a competition with the finished product.
With the availability of tools and products to make the job easier, anyone can complete a project like this. Even if you farm out some of the work to a pro, there will still be part of you in every hunting trip or shooting expedition with your project gun.
— Dave Morelli is a retired policeman, having served as a patrolman, trainer, SWAT operator and a SAR tracker/trainer. He currently lives in Idaho and writes about various topics, including firearms, hunting, tactical gear and training.
Gun Digest is the national bi-weekly source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Our in-depth editorial, exclusive price guide and new product features, brings valuable information to our high profile subscribers. Subscribe Now!

 

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Movies for Gun Guys: Den of Thieves

den of thieves movies for gun guys

Overview: To quote Dave Merrill, “Den of Thieves is a love letter to Heat.” This is a classic bank heist flick that pays due homage to Michael Mann’s seminal caper film. From assembling the crew, to casing the joint, to dodging the dogged detective that’s constantly breathing down their neck, Den of Thieves weaves together all the classic themes of the romanticized robber story.

What We Like: The leader of the heist crew, Ray Merriman, is billed as a “Force Recon MARSOC FAST Marine” who “specializes in soldiering.” (Sorry, Jarheads. It made us cringe, too.) Despite clumsily slapping together three different Marine Corps units to set his experience, it does establish Merriman as a consummate professional operator who runs a tight ship and doesn’t shy away from using tactical deception or violence of action to score his big payday.

The opening sequence, an armored car heist (thanks again, Heat), ends with a shootout with cops that includes team-communication, effective covering fire, and the use of improvised munitions to sterilize their vehicle of all forensic evidence. But the crown jewel of Den of Thieves’ gunslinging action is the final firefight between Merriman’s crew and the robbery task force led by Detective “Big Nick” O’Brien, played by Gerard Butler.

The shoot-out happens in a quintessential L.A. traffic jam and is initiated when Merriman himself opens up on the detectives with a Paratrooper SAW laid over the hood of their black Suburban. What ensues is a textbook exercise in team-based bounding, both closing-to-contact by the cops and breaking contact by the robbers. Neither team is left unscathed as emergency reloads, weapons transitions, cover-versus-concealment, and body armor are all displayed in a slightly more realistic manner than we’ve seen in other movies.

Gun Guy Highlights: There’s no disputing the giggle factor of watching the bad guy you’ve been secretly rooting for open up with a belt-fed through vehicles to lay covering fire for the initial attempt to break contact. In the same scene, Gerard Butler gets style points for rocking an unobtanium SCAR-16 in a sea of kitted-out ARs and short shotguns. Perhaps even more noteworthy, when that runs dry, he transitions to an FNX-45 equipped with a C-More red dot. Even in today’s day and age, it’s still disappointingly rare to see anybody employing dot-equipped pistols.

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Three Generations of Iver Johnson Pistols

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All About Guns Soldiering The Green Machine War

Training America’s First Aerial Gunners by TOM LAEMLEIN

Air Gunnery Lewis 1918
Getting the feel of it: Before live fire exercises, trainees use a wooden mockup of a Lewis Gun, sighting on a hand-cranked model that simulates a rocking and jinking aerial target.
National Archives And Records Administration (N.A.R.A.) photograph.

The First World War introduced a wide range of military technologies that we take for granted today. Probably the most important of these deadly innovations was the marriage of the aircraft and the machine gun. Beginning with particularly crude modifications and lash-ups, combat aviators on both sides rapidly advanced the effectiveness of the firearms of the first air war. In April 1917, the month that the United States entered World War I, the air war had progressed to such a level that the Royal Flying Corps labeled it “Bloody April,” losing 245 aircraft and more than 400 airmen. The aerial killing machines had become so efficient that the life expectancy of new pilots was measured in just a few days.

1)	Aerial gunnery training begins: Cadets skeet shooting with Winchester Model 1897 shotguns at the University of Illinois during the spring of 1918. National Archives And Records Administration (N.A.R.A.) photograph.Aerial gunnery training begins: Cadets skeet shooting with Winchester Model 1897 shotguns at the University of Illinois during the spring of 1918. National Archives And Records Administration (N.A.R.A.) photograph.

From First To Worst
In 1917, America was almost completely unprepared for a modern war. Upon joining forces with the Allied nations, the U.S. military found itself without many of the firearms that European combatants already took for granted: heavy artillery, tanks, machine guns and, quite notably, combat aircraft.

Just a decade before World War I, America had pioneered the motor-powered aircraft (December 1903) and, within a few years of the war, became the first nation to fire a machine gun from the air (August 1912). But America’s world-leading military aviation potential was undone with the pen rather than the sword, as the general staff decided that the airplane was only fit for scouting—aerial combat or even bombing wasn’t considered important. Military aviation in the U.S. quickly stagnated, and even though the scouting planes attached to Gen. Pershing’s Mexican Expedition received high praise for their work, when America entered World War I, the U.S. military was without combat aircraft. Even worse, there were no combat-ready airmen or the schools to train them.

Skeet shooting continues: Shotgun shooting with the Winchester Model 11SL at the U.S. Army Air Service training center at Issodoun, France, during April 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.Skeet shooting continues: Shotgun shooting with the Winchester Model 11SL at the U.S. Army Air Service training center at Issodoun, France, during April 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

The transcripts for the Army budget hearings in early 1917 show that America’s political and military leaders had little understanding of the airplane and the gun. Chief Signal Officer Gen. Scriven responded to the Chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs in the House of Representatives:

The ChairmanHow are the aeroplanes armed?

Gen. ScrivenThat is another question that is very difficult of solution. They are carrying now merely the service rifle and pistol. Some men think that a short riot gun, a shot gun, should be used; others think that a gun of the Lewis type or some other such type may be well used.

The ChairmanYou have not equipped them with the machine gun at all?

Gen. ScrivenOh, yes; experimentally, we have tried some. We have used the Lewis gun, but they are not mounted. The Lewis gun weighs only 27 pounds and can be used from the shoulder. It is a very good gun.

Mr. KahnAre they all armed with Lewis guns?

Gen. ScrivenThere are some down there; 14, I think.

Mr. KahnHave you ever used any other machine gun, except the Lewis gun?

Gen. ScrivenThe Benet Mercie gun was used. We tried it out. I think there are some down there now. We have tried them all out thoroughly.

A trainee in a special turret stand equipped with a Scarff mount—featuring a special adapter to attach a Winchester Model 1897 shotgun. Selfridge Field, Mich., 1918.A trainee in a special turret stand equipped with a Scarff mount—featuring a special adapter to attach a Winchester Model 1897 shotgun. Selfridge Field, Mich., 1918. Author supplied photograph.

Most members of the committee were completely unfamiliar with the entire concept of air combat or the use of automatic firearms aboard airplanes. Lieutenant Colonel George Squier was recently back from London, where he had been America’s military attaché. Using his first-hand knowledge of the air war in Europe, Colonel Squier explained:

Mr. KahnThese aerial battles are all fought with machine guns? 

Col. SquierAbsolutely. On that point one might add the angle of view of the machine gun as it appears to our Aviation Section. If you will eliminate the demolitions, for instance, where you drop bombs, or the incendiary bomb, and take the pure case of a fight between aeroplane and aeroplane, it would appear that what we want is not a large gun with a few number of rounds, but a small-caliber gun with a large number of rounds, for the following reason: You get the upper berth and come at the opponent by gravity, shooting through the propeller, and you only have a very short time in which to shoot. You then go by him at the rate of a hundred miles an hour, and you come back again, if you are faster than he is. So that if you had a large gun with only one shot and did not hit him at all, your shot would do no good; but if you had the same weight of lead in a hundred shot you would be more apt to hit him; and the aeroplane is so vulnerable at present, that he would be disabled as much by that small shot as by the large one.

Mr. GreeneCol. Squier, I understand that the theory of this combat in the air is to gain control of that territory, for the other purposes for which the aeroplanes are subsequently to be used in it?

Col. SquierYes, sir.

Mr. GreeneThe fighting itself has no particular military object?

Col SquierWell, it is to kill the other man.

Mr. GreeneWell, to kill him, but is it in order to get control of the air zone?

Col. SquierYes, sir.

In the classroom: U.S. aviation cadets learn the Lewis gun inside and out while blindfolded. N.A.R.A. photograph.In the classroom: U.S. aviation cadets learn the Lewis gun inside and out while blindfolded. N.A.R.A. photograph.

America’s fledgling aviators may have been woefully behind in combat aviation technology, but they did have the advantage of being able to learn from several highly experienced allies—the British, French and Italian air services all contributed modern aircraft and veteran pilots to serve as instructors. As American industry began to produce aircraft and aerial firearms at a greater pace, airfields and flight schools sprang up around the nation. The U.S. Army Air Service was quickly taking shape.

Machine Guns Of The Aerial Gunners
The combat aircraft of World War I were not particularly sophisticated—at least in the early stages of the war. Consequently, the relationship between the airman and the machine gun he carried aloft was as tight knit and vital as any machine gunner and his firearm on the ground. America was late in developing machine guns, but trainees in the U.S. Army Air Service were still able to handle two of the prime firearms of the Allied air forces along with a new machine gun that would only see combat aboard American planes.

In the School of Military Aeronautics at Georgia Tech: Aero cadets learn the basics of machine guns. A U.S. .30 -cal. (Savage Arms made) Lewis Gun is seen at the left, and a Colt-Browning Model 1895 is at the right. N.A.R.A. photograph.In the School of Military Aeronautics at Georgia Tech: Aero cadets learn the basics of machine guns. A U.S. .30 -cal. (Savage Arms made) Lewis Gun is seen at the left, and a Colt-Browning Model 1895 is at the right. N.A.R.A. photograph.

The Lewis Gun
The Lewis was an American design, but Col. Lewis couldn’t convince the U.S. Army to adopt his light machine gun. By early 1914, the Lewis was working with the Birmingham Small Arms Company, and the gun was made in England (in .303 British). Ultimately, the Lewis would become the preeminent defensive firearm for Allied aircraft in World War I—used as a “flexible” or “free” gun for the observer. In some aircraft, the Lewis gun was mounted on the top wing to fire above the propeller arc. There were never enough Lewis guns to truly meet Allied demands for the firearm on the ground or in the air, and some Lewis gun production came back to America. Savage Arms Company produced Lewis Mark I guns (chambered in .303 British and called the Model 1915) for Canadian forces. As America entered the war, Savage produced the .30-cal. M1917 ground gun—some of which were modified for use as aircraft guns. Finally, Savage created the .30-cal. M1918 Lewis, a purpose-built aircraft MG, stripped to save weight and equipped with a bulb-like muzzle brake. By the middle of 1918, the M1918 was mounted on most U.S. and French bombing/observation aircraft.

The Vickers Machine Gun was the predominant forward-firing firearm on most Allied combat aircraft. The Colt-made U.S. M1915 Vickers .30-cal. was used for training in the U.S., and many of the aircraft guns were used by both French and American squadrons. This is a standard infantry gun, seen at Ellington Field near Houston, Texas, during the summer of 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.The Vickers Machine Gun was the predominant forward-firing firearm on most Allied combat aircraft. The Colt-made U.S. M1915 Vickers .30-cal. was used for training in the U.S., and many of the aircraft guns were used by both French and American squadrons. This is a standard infantry gun, seen at Ellington Field near Houston, Texas, during the summer of 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

The M1915 Colt-Vickers
The Vickers machine gun was the dominant Allied forward-firing aircraft gun of World War I, and this, too, was made in the U.S. in some numbers. The Colt-Vickers U.S. Model 1915 (chambered in .30-‘06 Sprg.) was destined to serve in small numbers with U.S. troops in Europe, and some of the M1915 guns were modified for use as synchronized aircraft MGs. To meet the great demand for Vickers guns, Colt then created the “U.S. Vickers Aircraft Machine Gun, Caliber .30, Model 1918,” which equipped many aircraft in the U.S. and French air services in 1918. Colt also rechambered about 1,000 of the Model 1918 guns to 11 mm French for use against observation balloons. The 11 mm round provided a useful incendiary cartridge (at least the French thought so), and these MGs were called the “Gras Vickers” or the “Balloon Gun.” American aviation cadets often became acquainted with the Vickers gun by using tripod mounted M1915 Colt guns on the target range.

Training equipment was created alongside new firearms. Here, a crude gunnery trainer (equipped with a Marlin aircraft machine gun) is set up at a stateside flight school during 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.Training equipment was created alongside new firearms. Here, a crude gunnery trainer (equipped with a Marlin aircraft machine gun) is set up at a stateside flight school during 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

The M1918 Marlin Aircraft MG
The Marlin-Rockwell Corporation acquired the rights to produce the old Colt-Browning M1895 MG, and designer Carl Swebilius redesigned the gun, replacing the “potato-digger’s” swinging arm lever system with a straight-line, gas-actuated piston. The result was the Marlin M1917 and M1918 aircraft gun, which were faster firing (at 650 rounds-per-minute) and about eight lbs. lighter than the Vickers aircraft guns. Unfortunately, synchronizing gear and ammunition-feed systems were not ready for the new guns, and this delayed the Marlin’s combat debut until the late summer of 1918. Even so, many trainees had the opportunity to work with the Marlin gun in the U.S., and there was some familiarity with the firearm when it began to reach France in quantity. Although its service life was short, the Marlin made a very favorable impression on U.S. pilots and air crews, and it would have replaced the Vickers if the war had continued.

A Curtiss Jenny mounting a M1918 Lewis aircraft MG equipped with a vane sight. Texas, summer 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.A Curtiss Jenny mounting an M1918 Lewis aircraft MG equipped with a vane sight. Texas, summer 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

Aerial Marksmanship
America was born as a nation of riflemen, and that foundation of marksmanship carried over to the fledgling pilots and aerial gunners training in America. One of the biggest problems that the Air Service faced, particularly in 1917, was an embarrassing lack of machine guns. Most of the Lewis guns made in America (by Savage Arms in Utica, N.Y.), were being sent to Canada and France for use with their squadrons. As more U.S.-made Lewis guns became available, many of these were used to train American infantry units.

Photos from the era show that some U.S. airmen began their gunnery training with wooden mock-ups of Lewis guns. Aviation cadets often used the elderly Colt-Browning Model 1895 MGs to get their first live-fire experiences with an automatic firearm. Colt stepped up its production of .30-cal. U.S. M1915 Vickers machine gun, and the tripod-mounted Vickers also helped air cadets get some experience with contemporary machine guns. Knowledge of the Vickers and Lewis guns was particularly important, as once in combat, these were the primary aircraft firearms on U.S. Army Air Service aircraft—the Vickers as the synchronized, fixed, forward-firing armament and the Lewis as the flexible defensive guns for the observers.

In response to shortages of aircraft machine guns and ammunition, the Hythe Mark III gun camera was introduced in 1918 to simulate the size and weight of the Lewis Gun while providing a series of images that showed the trainee’s aiming points. N.A.R.A. photograph.In response to shortages of aircraft machine guns and ammunition, the Hythe Mark III gun camera was introduced in 1918 to simulate the size and weight of the Lewis Gun while providing a series of images that showed the trainee’s aiming points. N.A.R.A. photograph.

Shotguns played an important role in training America’s first air gunners, and skeet-shooting was thought to be a good way to help cadets become adept at hitting fast-moving targets at a variety of angles. Pump-action shotguns, particularly the Winchester Model 1897, were favored for this training, although some early semi-automatic scatterguns, like the Winchester Model 11 SL, were also used.

Photos and films from the era show various “simulators” built to provide fledgling pilots with the rocking, buffeting and bouncing sensations that would affect their aim. In addition, various targets were constructed—ranging from simple silhouettes of German aircraft on paper targets to scale models made of wood, some used in a hand-cranked pulley system. Some pilots did a little training with their M1911 pistols or M1917 revolvers—potting away at clay pigeons or fast-moving paper targets with .45 ACP slugs.

Some U.S. pilots and observers were trained by the British. This British sergeant provides instruction on using the common ring-and-bead sights attached to a Lewis Gun. England, June 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.Some U.S. pilots and observers were trained by the British. This British sergeant provides instruction on using the common ring-and-bead sights attached to a Lewis Gun. England, June 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

“The Spectacular Elements Of Air Combat”
In the U.S. Army’s detailed 1978 report, “The U.S. Air Service in World War I: The Final Report and a Tactical History” the unsung heroes of the first air war are succinctly described:

1918 has clearly demonstrated the fact that the work of the observer and observation pilot is the most important and far-reaching which an Air Service operating with an Army is called upon to perform.

The report goes on to say that the truth of the preceding statement was not even close to the general or public impression of the air war. In short, everyone seemed to be fascinated with the story of the Great War’s fighter aces, and the indispensable work of the observer/bomber crews was generally overlooked.

The spectacular elements of aerial combat, the featuring of successful pursuit pilots, and the color of romance which was attached to the work of men whose only business was to fight in the air, combined to create a popular idea of the importance of pursuit duty. 

The Hythe Mark III gun camera was used to assess both observer and pilot gunnery skills. N.A.R.A. photograph.The Hythe Mark III gun camera was used to assess both observer and pilot gunnery skills. N.A.R.A. photograph.

How many of us dreamed of being a successful fighter pilot? How few of us imagined becoming a bomber pilot or an observer sitting in the “back seat?” As it turns out, the observer’s job was complicated, difficult and dangerous—and as completely unglamorous as it was vitally important. Not only did the observer have to be able to read maps and plot artillery fire, he also had to be a capable photographer as well as a marksman who was completely familiar with his Lewis gun—shooting it and maintaining it. The Air Service report notes:

The large percentage of the men who failed to qualify for observer work is the result of two factors: the very high standard required for the modern observer, and the fact that it is impossible to instruct a student in this extremely technical and arduous duty unless he himself desires earnestly to serve in this capacity. In the last phase of the war the work of the observer was constantly becoming more diversified, more important, and more difficult.

Ongoing Training
As important as the stateside introduction to aerial gunnery was, combat experience proved to be the best teacher. Once American airmen reached France, they were in for more intensive training in a completely unforgiving environment—even after the men received their postings to combat squadrons, gunnery training continued during every available moment.

Learning the nuances of an aircraft machine gun: Aviation cadets at Princeton observe the workings of the Marlin aircraft machine gun. N.A.R.A. photograph.Learning the nuances of an aircraft machine gun: Aviation cadets at Princeton observe the workings of the Marlin aircraft machine gun. N.A.R.A. photograph.

Changes in aircraft and firearms mounts brought on the need for updated training. Pursuit pilots transitioned from the nimble-but-fragile Nieuport 28, with two Vickers MGs mounted on the port side of the engine, to the fast and sturdy SPAD XIII, with its twin Vickers mounted directly in front of the pilot atop the engine.

For the observers, the availability of more Lewis guns meant more twin gun mounts, which provided more defensive firepower but created a much heavier rig for the gunner to maneuver inside his cramped position. Some gunners chose to fly with a single gun, feeling that it sped up their reaction time to fire on an incoming German fighter. The Air Service report comments on the value of accurate shooting, particularly in combat at a great height without a parachute:

The idea that a fighting airplane should be regarded mainly as a moving platform for a machine gun has been fully demonstrated, and it is hardly too much to say that the length of a pilot’s life at the front is directly proportional to his and his observer’s ability to shoot.

In the combat zone: Continued training kept veterans sharp and helped new men stay alive. Here an observer works out with a twin-Lewis mount, commonly found on the Breguet 14, Salmson 2 A.2, and DH-4 recon/bomber aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Service. Issoudon, France, summer 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.In the combat zone: Continued training kept veterans sharp and helped new men stay alive. Here an observer works out with a twin-Lewis mount, commonly found on the Breguet 14, Salmson 2 A.2, and DH-4 recon/bomber aircraft of the U.S. Army Air Service. Issoudon, France, summer 1918. N.A.R.A. photograph.

America’s “Ace of Aces” Lt. (later Capt.) Eddie Rickenbacker, of the 94th Aero Squadron. Rickenbacker stands by his first mount, a Nieuport 28—he scored the first six of his 26 victories in this type. Twin Vickers guns are mounted on the port side of the cockpit. N.A.R.A. photograph.America’s “Ace of Aces” Lt. (later Capt.) Eddie Rickenbacker, of the 94th Aero Squadron. Rickenbacker stands by his first mount, a Nieuport 28—he scored the first six of his 26 victories in this type. Twin Vickers guns are mounted on the port side of the cockpit. N.A.R.A. photograph.

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Colt Lawman Mk III

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Philadelphia Derringer 45 caliber

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Uberti 1860 Richards Army .45 Colt 3.5″ Barrel

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The Origin of the Species: The Model 602 M16 by WILL DABBS

Today’s latest M4A1 Carbine is the end result of more than half a century of martial evolution. From morphology to metallurgy, the Carbines our boys and girls carry into combat today bear little semblance to those primitive M16 rifles their grandfathers wielded in the early stages of the Vietnam War. While forearm rails and electronic optics are de rigueur these days, it can be a fascinating exercise to look backward and see where it all came from.

In the Beginning…

The origin story is foundational dogma for gun nerds like us. George Sullivan incorporated the ArmaLite Corporation in 1954 as a tiny little subsidiary of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. Operating out of a modest machine shop in Hollywood, California, Sullivan envisioned ArmaLite as a think tank to explore cutting-edge concepts in small arms. Their first serious effort was a small takedown survival rifle intended for use by downed military aircrew.
While out test firing this prototype rifle on a local firing range Sullivan bumped into Gene Stoner. A World War 2 Marine veteran, Stoner had a vision to incorporate aviation technology into the field of small arms. A friendship was born and Sullivan hired Stoner as his chief design engineer. As of 1956, ArmaLite had a grand total of nine employees.
The resulting guns were indeed radical. Employing aircraft aluminum receivers and phenolic synthetic furniture, these early ArmaLite rifles were justifiably compared to the science fiction weapons of the day. Employing a gas-operated, magazine-fed action and inline architecture to help manage recoil, these earliest black rifles were shadows of the great things that were to come.

This modern retro replica of a Model 602 M16 is almost but not quite perfect. It is amazing how lightweight these old guns were before we started hanging so much stuff off of them.

The AR10 fired 7.62x51mm ammunition and was exceptionally lightweight. That earliest prototype weighed a mere 6.86 pounds empty. This radical rifle was briefly pitted against the T44 and T48 in the contest to select the US military’s new Infantry arm. The T44 became the M14, and the T48 was an Americanized version of the FN FAL. While the AR10 fizzled in 1957, events were unfolding in both Washington DC and Southeast Asia that were destined to tie the ArmaLite design to the United States Military for generations to come.
The AR10 was built under license in the Netherlands for a time and saw action with Portuguese Special Forces in Africa. Eventually, the basic AR10 action was scaled down to accept a .223 cartridge for what was called the CONARC trials. CONARC stood for Continental Army Command, and these tests sought to select a new lightweight combat rifle that would be both easy to carry and controllable on fully automatic. In 1958 ArmaLite submitted ten rifles and one hundred 25-round magazines for the tests. Though the compact bantamweight weapons performed well, internecine political squabbles conspired to torpedo the lithe little gun. Frustrated with the lack of progress, ArmaLite sold the rights to the AR10 and AR15 off to Colt.
A lot of fairly tedious political stuff happened at this point that we will ignore in the interest of brevity. Ultimately the new type-classified M16 made its way to Vietnam for troop trials. Those earliest M16’s fell into several broad developmental categories based upon various arcane technical details. With the recent interest in everything retro, a cottage industry has arisen around sourcing parts to build modern-day replicas of these exceptionally rare guns. The rifle we will dissect today is most closely described as a semi-auto replica of a Model 602 M16. Some of the details are not quite perfect, but it is awfully close.

Early Morphology

From nose to butt our replica Model 602 M16 sports a three-prong duckbill flash suppressor. There were two major variants, and the one on my rifle is the first. Early barrels sported a 1-in-12-inch twist rate and were not chrome lined. Front sights had a round cross-section and could technically be adjusted for elevation using the nose of a bullet. There were tiny variations in gas block markings, but I cannot dredge up enough enthusiasm to care.

This first model duckbill flash suppressor sports open prongs that were notorious for catching on stuff in the jungle.

The triangular synthetic handguards were initially painted green before being ultimately left black. They came in dedicated left and right-hand versions and included pressed steel heat shields. The furniture on my rifle is original early Colt and was painstakingly sourced. Those early slip rings were straight-walled and fairly difficult to manage.

These original early Colt triangular handguards include steel heat shields and are secured via a straight slip ring.

Early upper receivers lacked a forward assist device and included a simple flip-adjustable peep sight. This sight was adjustable for windage via a bullet tip. An aluminum carrying handle was formed as an integral part of the upper receiver assembly.

The original slab side M16 receivers lacked a raised fence around the magazine release catch. The forward pushpin was also not captive.

The lower receiver was flat on both sides, lacking the elevated fencing around the magazine release with which we are familiar today. The forward pivot pin included a detent in the pin itself but was not positively retained, so it could be easily lost. The charging handle had a fairly small triangular gripping surface. The bolt and bolt carrier were hard chrome plated, and the firing pin retaining pin was a specifically manufactured component rather than a standard cotter pin.

Very early charging handles had a small-ish triangular serrated gripping surface. Later versions are much easier to use.

The buttstock was solid and lacked a trap for cleaning gear. The earliest rear sling swivels pivoted, while later versions were rigid. The earliest Edgewater buffers included a series of washers not found on subsequent designs.

The first M16 buttstocks lacked a trap compartment for cleaning supplies and sported a freely mobile rear sling swivel.

While those earliest M16 magazines were straight-walled and carried twenty-five rounds, the first general-issue mags were imbued with a waffle pattern and took twenty. Early AR10 magazines sported a similar design. Followers were short and prone to tilt.

The singular best improvement to the M16 over the years has been in its magazine. From left to right, an early 1950’s-era 20-round AR10 waffle mag, a later AR15 20-round waffle magazine, a Vietnam-era Colt 20-round M16 box, and an Information Age 30-round P-Mag.

Trigger Time on the 602

It is amazing how lightweight these old rifles were before we started hanging stuff all over them. This primitive M16 clone weighs just a hair over what an M1 Carbine might while throwing a much more effective round. Recoil is mild, and follow up shots are fast. While my retro clone is semiauto only, I have run a few zillion rounds through similar GI full auto M16A1 rifles back when I was young, bulletproof, and immortal. Those guns do not well suffer sloth when the Happy Switch is set to the Hallelujah position. However, if you lean into the rifle, use proper technique, and keep your bursts to a reasonable length the gun remains a formidable close combat tool.

The earliest model M16 rifles used in Vietnam sported three-pronged open flash suppressors and lacked a forward assist device.

The simple flip-adjustable peep sights seem crude compared to modern electronic optics, but they were light years ahead of most World War 2 designs. Adjusting the sights while zeroing the rifle was a chore without a dedicated aftermarket sight adjustment tool, but I kept one in my LBE (Load Bearing Equipment) that I was always willing to share. The general layout of the M16 interfaces unnaturally well with the human form. While much about the gun has changed, the basic switchology remains the same.

Men of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, fire from old Viet Cong trenches

Back when I had good eyes I could consistently shoot expert out to nearly half a kilometer with a rifle very similar to this one. Running a few rounds through this nifty little gun brings back lots of memories. The distinctive twang sound as the buffer cycles millimeters from your face is like the voice of an old friend.

So Why Did They Change Everything?

The three-prong open-ended flash suppressor was great for prying open the wire around ammo crates, but it was notorious for catching on vines and such when moving through thick brush. If you’ve never had the pleasure of humping the boonies with a weapon for real you develop a oneness with the environment that really has no civilian parallel. I once saw a young man unwittingly carry a dead lizard that was nearly twelve inches long around in his BDU shirt for half a day. It was simply that he was so filthy he did not realize the unfortunate creature had crawled down his shirt and then been crushed to death by his rucksack. That poor guy looked like he was having a seizure when first he realized he had been walking around all night with a foot-long dead reptile curled up in his armpit. I don’t know about anybody else, but I first joined the Army for the glamor.

Early M16 rifles were by all accounts very successful in the hands of Special Forces and indigenous troops in Vietnam. Subsequent changes to ammunition propellant and the lack of proper maintenance gear and training precipitated a disaster.

Those thin raw steel barrels have been beefed up, chrome-lined, and had their rate of twist tightened. The many-splendored impact this has had on lethality would fill a textbook. Bullet design has evolved substantially since then as well, but nobody will ever be happy with it all.
The triangular handguards were slippery when wet and prone to breakage. The newer round versions we used before everybody bought forearm rails were tougher and interchangeable, so it was easier on the supply guys. The straight slip ring grew a taper, so it was easier to manage.

US Army Special Forces serving in Vietnam were some of the first American troops to use the M16 operationally. Note the three-pronged flash suppressor and slab-sided upper receiver.

Modern M4 rifles traded their carrying handles for Picatinny rails, so our current crop of kids serving downrange can see farther and shoot faster than old geezers like me ever could. Modern iron sights are much easier to adjust without tools, though I have not personally ever seen anybody use them as intended at long ranges. Today’s bolt carriers are not so shiny as was once the case, and stepped-up extractor springs are hugely better than they used to be. Today’s charging handles are much grippier than those earlier sorts, and the rigid rear sling swivel always looked to me like it would carve somebody’s face off if you used it for a proper butt stroke.

Once the M16 rifle had matured somewhat and was subjected to proper maintenance it became a reliable and effective combat tool.

I have had an errant tree branch center punch my mag release while crawling through brush and drop my magazine, but the raised fencing makes that unfortunate event much less likely.
Anything that comes off the rifle is something you can lose. Today’s captive takedown pins are an enormous improvement. The 1911 pistol is indeed an inspired contraption. However, I once saw a young stud launch his recoil spring plunger into the stratosphere while stripping the weapon in the field. That thing is still likely out in space somewhere orbiting the sun.

The lack of cleaning gear and basic rifle maintenance training resulted in poor performance for the M16 early in its operational life.

90% of the many stoppages I encountered with those old M16A1 rifles stemmed from that repugnant stubby magazine follower. Those early magazines were notorious for allowing the round stack to tilt and produce a bolt over base stoppage. Compared to those old boxes a P-Mag is an incalculable improvement.

Ruminations

This particular rifle has an interesting story. The gentleman who built it acquired the various components from a dozen different sources over months of searching. The end result is a simply superb semiauto rendition of an early Model 602 M16. However, this guy had the profound misfortune to live in the People’s Republic of California. The laws changed, and he had to sell the rifle to somebody living in the Free States. I felt like I was taking receipt of an abandoned child.

Today’s modern M4A1 Carbine stemmed from the original 1956-era AR10. This gun was built up from an imported Dutch parts kit on a domestically produced receiver.

Today’s state-of-the-art M4A1 sprouts lights, lasers, and holographic optical sights unimaginable a generation ago. The beating heart is the same simple direct gas impingement operating system that you either love or hate, but most everything else about the gun is fresh, new, and different. The changes we have seen in the M16 platform over the past half century are well-reasoned and effective. Until the BlasTech E11 Stormtooper blaster becomes widely available the venerable M4 will still keep soldiering along. More than most any other contemporary mechanical contrivance, in the M4 we see the most overt evidence of martial evolution in action.

The 1960’s-era M16 rifle has come a long way in half a century. While the beating heart is unchanged, the external morphology is all but unrecognizable.

Technical Specifications

Model 602 M16
Caliber                  5.56x45mm
Action                  Direct Gas Impingement
Barrel Length        20 inches
Overall Length      39.5 inches
Weight                  6.37 pounds
Feed System         20-round Detachable Box Magazine
Rate of Fire           700-950 rounds per minute

Performance Specifications

Model 602 M16
Load                               Group Size (inches)        Velocity (feet per second)
American Eagle 55gr FMJ                 1.6                        3091
American Eagle 50gr JHP                  3.6                        3372
HSM 55gr Sierra Blitzking                 1.2                        2976
SIG 60gr HT                                         5.6**                    2605
**These rounds seemed to keyhole. Apparently, the old slow twist barrel was inadequate to stabilize them.
Group size is the best four of five shots measured center to center and fired from a simple rest at 100 meters. Velocity is the average of three shots fired across a Caldwell Ballistic Chronograph oriented ten feet from the muzzle.

These Vietnam-era rifles are on display in the National Firearms Museum. This collection includes a prototype ArmaLite AR10 as well as a pair of early M16 variants.

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