Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Create Account now to join.
  • Login:

Welcome to the NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.

DPT Alpine


User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 5 12345 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 71
Like Tree133Likes

Thread: Another Vintage project and what happens when .....

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327

    Another Vintage project and what happens when .....

    So the Vintage Rifle scene has been pretty quiet on the forum lately and it falls to me to stir things up

    So what happens when that crazy old rifle guy ( old rifle not old guy ? ) buys a SHOTGUN

    Well me buying a shotgun is about as out of character as my buying a Martini rifle !

    Now I have several forum members to think for my getting this shotgun.
    One alerted me to its availability to be purchesed
    One did the pick up from the vendor and held it for me
    Another did the final pick up and transport to CHCH where I finally got to see my prize, after being told by all that I would be delighted when I finally saw it.

    Oh and they weren't wrong.

    So what I had brought was and Army & Navy ( from now referred to as A&N ) back action hammer single barrel 16 gauge shotgun.
    Why would I buy such a thing ?
    Well this A&N is made by Webley. A&N were a retailer and the vast majority of their single barrel rifles were made by Webley. Actually we can date the Webley singles ( records lost in WW2 ) from the A&N data base because thye used the Webley serial numbers.

    Well I brought it because the 16 gauge is made on the exact same frame as my Webley 500 3" BPE

    Name:  A&N from front wide .jpg
Views: 766
Size:  3.42 MB

    I thought it would be nice to have and see if the frames were the same of similar sizes.
    Turns out they are as near as identical as they could be allowing for them being maybe made 5 to 10 years apart

    Name:  A&N side wide .jpg
Views: 778
Size:  3.62 MB
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  2. #2
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    The A&N is in nearly 100% condition externally and definitely 100% mechanically and bore.

    The stock was a little dull and dirty.
    But a quick solvent clean and 20 coats of stock oil brought it back to life

    Name:  A&N stock .jpg
Views: 746
Size:  3.39 MB

    Metal work needs nothing done

    Name:  A&N above action .jpg
Views: 745
Size:  2.75 MB

    Name:  A&N action sides close .jpg
Views: 744
Size:  3.09 MB
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    The 'Naki
    Posts
    2,497
    Gorgeous!
    I know a lot but it seems less every day...

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    So what use is a mint vintage nitro proofed 16 gauge shotgun ( to a rifle guy ) that only weighs 4 3/4 pounds ?

    Actually not much !
    It came with half a box of Winchester 16 gauge 3/4 oz solid slugs.
    They were remarkably accurate from the beaded barrel with no sights .... BUT the recoil was ferocious. Very fast recoil velocity and massive muzzle flip

    The frame and barrel breech face are identical to my original 500 3" BPE which weighs 7 1/2 pounds and is quite lively with a full working load in that

    Name:  A&N frame .jpg
Views: 732
Size:  2.42 MB

    Name:  A&N barrel faces .jpg
Views: 722
Size:  2.15 MB
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Central South Island
    Posts
    569
    Wow! thats a nice looking shotgun. Theres no reason you couldnt turn up some 16g brass cases and sort out a light load for busting bunnies or having fun.
    Micky Duck likes this.

  6. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    Group at 50 yards was under 4" and well low of point of aim

    Name:  20240413_115901.jpg
Views: 668
Size:  2.87 MB
    Micky Duck, SixtyTen and 40mm like this.
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  7. #7
    Caretaker
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Hawkes Bay
    Posts
    9,297
    Crikey
    A big fast bullet beats a little fast bullet every time

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    Sadly a Nitro cylinder bore 16 gauge shotgun under 5 pounds is of no use to anyone
    I knew that when i brought it
    But was curious to see if ( as it looked ) it was built on the same frame as my 500 3"

    Which it is

    So i now have two new 458 32" Long barrel blanks
    And again thanks to another forum member I have dies incoming for a 45 cal modified case that i intend putting into this 16 gauge barrel

    Why 458 ? Well i calculated a liner would add just over 2 pounds and I would be at around 7 pounds even
    458 is always a good idea for any rifle

    There is one small niche in my collection that needed to be filled
    A vintage light nitro bush stalking rifle
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  9. #9
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    First thing I did in the conversion process is solder on a period correct front sling eye
    This needs to be done before the liner is fitted an epoxied into the barrel

    Name:  20240419_143614.jpg
Views: 664
Size:  2.30 MB

    Now wait for a block of quality workshop time to start on the barrel blank, wildcat dies, brass and chamber reamer
    Micky Duck, SixtyTen and 40mm like this.
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    16 gauge nitro frame

    Name:  20240413_151354.jpg
Views: 621
Size:  2.63 MB

    VS 500 3"BPE frame

    Name:  20231004_170502.jpg
Views: 520
Size:  652.6 KB
    Micky Duck and csmiffy like this.
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  11. #11
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Taupo
    Posts
    1,453
    Could this be the 577-450?

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    Quote Originally Posted by Ross Nolan View Post
    Could this be the 577-450?
    That would have been nice but it wouldn't be nearly heavy enough when finished
    A 7 pound even 577-450 would not be the nicest rifle to shoot well

    But @Ross Nolan I like your thinking
    Micky Duck and BushChook like this.
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  13. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Christchurch
    Posts
    674
    Someone. Cough cough... With a significantly heavier frame in the shoulder area... Cough cough... Could test it for you
    Just saying
    akaroa1, 40mm and Husky1600#2 like this.

  14. #14
    Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    canterbury
    Posts
    6,327
    Quote Originally Posted by Boxton View Post
    Someone. Cough cough... With a significantly heavier frame in the shoulder area... Cough cough... Could test it for you
    Just saying
    Noted @Boxton
    But aside from it being a bit light for a 577-450 the area of the head of that case is much larger than the area of the head of a 45-70 case.
    So the force exerted on the breech face will be greater assuming similar pressure loads.
    And the 577-450 being such a big diameter case the liners chamber minimum wall thickness numbers just don't work

    Also I am not silly enough yet to build a rifle so powerful that i wouldn't test or shoot it myself ... but the day will come
    john m and Boxton like this.
    The Church of
    John Browning
    of the Later-Day Shooter

  15. #15
    Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Taupo
    Posts
    1,453
    45-110?
    45/120?
    450 BPE?

 

 

Similar Threads

  1. Vintage Scopes
    By gilly in forum Firearms, Optics and Accessories
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 14-02-2023, 04:49 PM
  2. Vintage Equipment
    By nevada in forum Reloading and Ballistics
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 20-03-2014, 06:49 AM

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Welcome to NZ Hunting and Shooting Forums! We see you're new here, or arn't logged in. Create an account, and Login for full access including our FREE BUY and SELL section Register NOW!!