Dangerous times even in small town

[Fuddy1952]

My brother made a small cannon in the 50s (as you say...imagine that now) but it was strong enough and he even welded angle iron cross pieces for support.
He made blasting powder and poured some in, then would use a 1 inch ball bearing then paper wadding packed tight.
There was a middle aged fellow who would sneak down to our lake, fish and throw beer bottles along the shoreline.
Dad got tired of picking up all the trash and broken glass so he ran him off.
Brother and I look down a few days later and the guy ignored Dad...he's fishing again drinking beer.
Brother and I hide behind the woodpile, and he loads his cannon, carefully aiming it, and supports it with a few cinder blocks.
We light the fuse and hold our ears!!!!!
"BOOM!!!!" It goes off...and the ball bearing lands right at the end of the guys bobber!
I'm telling you...to this day I've never seen a short fat guy run that fast! Up the hill and through the woods! Never saw him again.
I still have his tackle box and Zebco fishing rod!

 

[MossRoad]

The gun is worth more if you didn't send it back to get it fixed per the transfer bar.

I don't see the issue as being "unsafe", just that what they came up with was more idiot proof with the transfer bar so less shiteheads would accidently shoot themselves carrying the hammer on a live round.

See below, quoted from a 2010 ruger forum on this SAME subject...

DON'T convert that great Old Model to the transfer bar - that would be a downgrade, not an upgrade.

It will significantly lower it's value both as a collector piece and as a shooter.

If you send it to Ruger to be downgraded the trigger will come back not as light and crisp as it now.

If you're uncomfortable with it as is I humbly suggest that you sell it to someone who will appreciate it's original condition, then buy one of the myriad of Single Sixes made in the last 30 years with the transfer bar. If it's a family heirloom retire it to the safe and buy a transfer bar shooter, if that's what you want.

There is absolutely nothing unsafe about an Old Model so long as you always load it so that it is carried hammer down on an empty chamber - just the way God and Colonel Colt intended.

That makes it a single five, doesn't it?

 

[deserteagle71]

I've got two Single sixes with .22 mag cylinder. Don't have a .22 mag round in the house.

Bought my Ruger Single-six in 1969 brand spanking new with both cylinders when the Navy stationed me in Nevada. Never did send it back to Ruger for the transfer bar modification, just carried it with the hammer on an empty cylinder. I even have the box it came in - and the little red felt bag the .22 mag cylinder was packaged in. Great shooter - but I never could understand why it was more accurate shooting .22 mags than .22 long rifles. Won quite a few turkeys with it shooting the magnum rounds. Now its mainly my "tractor gun" - I pack it when mowing to shoot ground squirrels that pop up out of their burrows to see what the racket is all about.

 

[plowhog]

I never could understand why it was more accurate shooting .22 mags than .22 long rifles.

Must be that the .22 mag got to the target more quickly before the wind could blow it off course.

 

[MossRoad]

I've got two Hi Standard 9 shot .22LR revolvers. One short barrel and one long barrel. The short barrel came with a magnum cylinder. The magnum in the short barrel cracks pretty darn sharp and loud. The long barrel one in LR is very accurate. I've hit quart gatorade bottles at 100 feet pretty easily. Not so much with the short barrel (none at all, for that matter)

 

[two_bit_score]

And for the record, we really really really need a sarcasm font.

.

:drink:

 

[bcp]

Great shooter - but I never could understand why it was more accurate shooting .22 mags than .22 long rifles.

A rumor at the time was that 22 Magnum barrels and bullets were 0.224 ID while 22LR barrels and bullets were 0.222 or 0.223 ID. So the convertible pistols used the 0.224 barrels which were a bit loose for 22LR.

Another reason may be that jacketed bullets were more consistent than lead bullets.

Bruce

 

[Wood_Butcher_Dav]

A rumor at the time was that 22 Magnum barrels and bullets were 0.224 ID while 22LR barrels and bullets were 0.222 or 0.223 ID. So the convertible pistols used the 0.224 barrels which were a bit loose for 22LR.

Another reason may be that jacketed bullets were more consistent than lead bullets.

Bruce

With my ruger single six 22 with interchangeable cylinders I notice no difference in accuracy. The Magnums do have more bang and little bit of kick.

Dave

 

[prof fate]

really?
Ever shoot a shotgun at close range?
you gotta aim.


It IS more intimidating to the intruder to see double 12ga barrels vs a 9mm pistol i'd think.

You壇 probably be better off with a short barreled 12 ga shotgun.

 

[prof fate]

Shot placement trumps all - BUT you gotta place that shot.

And trust me - under IDEAL conditions most people can't do it. Add in surprise and stress and forget about it.

Rabbits run (hop I guess) and stop..hop and stop..groundhogs stay lower and keep moving. MUCH harder to hit in my experience. And the rabbits, as well as the ground hog, i've gone for center mass - rib cage area.
Rabbits always drop in 1 shot. hogs..no. 223, yes, 22LR, no. Well, the 223 was a head shot...so maybe that's not a fair comparison.

About 40-50 yards for all those critter shots.

I shoot competitively, locally mostly but a few national level matches, i've seen newbie shooters to champions, from 22lr to 308, pistol rifle shotgun - from appleseed to weekly leagues. Damned few are naturals, and not many more seem to practice to get any better.

our club has 1100 some odd members. I helped during rifle sight in days, we're open to the public as well - 55 folks came to sight in their deer rifles. Some were completely clueless on how and missed 4x4 foot targets at 25 yards...from a bench.

I've seen practice vs competition...just the stress of being on the clock throws folks off something terrible - even experienced shooters can get flustered.

It's like in the movies...100 rounds and nobody gets shot (well, some movies)

Pretty much any groundhog will go down within 50 yards with a 22LR with a head shot. Myself, the only two I've shot were killed with a .22LR within 50 yards. Believe it or not, I'm pretty certain the same thing for cats as well, although I've never shot a cat, so I can't speak from first hand experience.

Hard to believe as well, but one man did foil a 4 man terrorist operation who were armed with AK's and, that one man was stood trial for the killing of one of the terrorists with his sidearm (because of the country where it happened). His sole gun? A .22LR Berreta.

In no way am I saying the .22LR is a best all around caliber for either hunting groundhogs or self protection, but it's all about shot placement and in some cases per self defense, "luck" of the draw. The best tool you have for self protection is your brain. Use it and there is a good chance you won't have to use your gun.

Believe it or not, I'm a big caliber kind of guy, who believes the bigger and deeper the wound channel, the greater chance of a quicker death for the intended target, but I don't laugh or look down on any person for whatever kind of gun they feel comfortable enough for self defense.

As noted, I don't care what the caliber is, if I'm the intended target, I'd prefer not to be shot at all.