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ISSUE #4

COMMON GUNSMITHING QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED

PROPER MAINTENANCE OF EXTRACTORS

A TRUE PIONEER 'S STORY WACKY WWII INVENTIONS Learn about weapons like this

TIS THE SEASON Check out our recommendations for holiday gift-giving CONTENT ISSUE #4

3 SRM MODEL 1216 When a gun maker brings us something that can offer modern features without causing too much unwanted attention from the firearm police, it is time to take a closer look.

A TRUE PIONEER OF THE FIREARM INDUSTRY

4-6 Samuel Colt is one of the most well known and respected names in the firearms industry, but what many may not know is that he is also highly regarded as a pioneer of industry as a whole.

EXTRACTORS 7 There are only a few parts that will actually come in contact with each and every round that is fired, and these items should be periodically inspected to prevent failure. Extractors are one of these busy little parts.

UNIQUE FIREARM INVENTIONS OF WWII 8 - 9 The period surrounding WWII saw an abundance of creative inventions. This was especially true in the area of firearms.

ASK THE 10 We have the answers to your most-asked and common gunsmithing questions.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDES 11 Can't think of what to get that one person on your holiday gifting list? Check out our guide recommendations for the best ideas.

2 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS

SRM ARMS MODEL 1216

In this day and age of innovation, we are seeing a constant influx of uniquely designed firearms that are being offered with more firepower, convenience, style, and just plain cool features. However, with more and more restrictive gun laws being placed on firearm owners, many of these guns remain inaccessible in some parts of the country. Stocks are too short, capacities are too high, or they are just too scary looking for the common shooter to own. So when a gun maker brings us something that can offer some of these modern features without causing too much unwanted attention from the firearm police, it is time to take a closer look. Such is the case with SRM Arms Model 1216.

This bulky looking, but yet surprisingly comfortable shotgun will impress from its first trip to the range. The 1216 shotgun has a unique rotating tube platform that offers four times the capacity of a traditional tube fed shotgun. Each tube holds four 2-3/4” or 3” shells giving it total capacity of sixteen rounds, which is still a bit too scary for some areas, but most municipalities will take no issue with it. For added versatility each of these tubes can be loaded with a different ammunition type, which truly makes it a full utility use shotgun.

The action is a delayed blowback semi-automatic, which has a bolt hold open function on an empty tube, and automatically chambers a round when the magazine has ammunition to feed. The sturdy one-piece magazine snaps in and out with ease, and the gun weighs just over seven pounds.

Its manual safety, charging handle, and ejection port can be relocated to either side making the SRM 1216 a completely ambidextrous shotgun. It also comes in two smaller and slightly more restricted versions, an 18” barreled 12-round Model 1212 and an NFA regulated 10” barrel version.

Sure SRM doesn’t yet have the name recognition of some of the larger shotgun manufacturers, such as Mossberg, Remington, or even Kel Tec, who makes the KSG dual magazine tube shotgun. However, if SRM Arms keeps making guns with innovative and creative designs like this one, it won’t be long until the world knows their name.

3 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS SRM ARMS MODEL 1216 SAMUEL COLT

A TRUE PIONEER OF THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY

Let's take a look back at how Samuel Colt contributed to the progression of industrialization, and some of the that helped make him a firearms legend. 4 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS Samuel Colt is one of the most well known and However, the setback was costly because young respected names in the firearms industry, but Sam Colt didn’t have a lot of money, and the cost of what many may not know is that he is also highly gunsmith’s services weren’t cheap. His father who had regarded as a pioneer of industry as a whole. Colt’s helped him initially had become financially strained, contributions to the manufacturing process and his so with no one else to turn to, Samuel Colt had to find prowess in marketing created a standard by which other ways to fund his firearm endeavor. many others would follow. A great number of historians even credit the original Colt factory in Through a friend of his father, Sam secured a job Hartford, Connecticut as being the model for the traveling to the largest cities in the United States and Industrial Revolution. Canada, giving lectures on the use of newly developed nitrous oxide (laughing gas). He took on the stage Colt was essentially the first firearm manufacturer to name persona of Dr. Coult of Boston and Calcutta and use a successful assembly line, and was also the first managed to earn enough to continue the work on his gun maker to manufacture . gun. Colt was well spoken and charismatic and several He only lived to the age of 47, but in his lifetime he archived newspaper articles from that time show that managed to establish a legacy that will not be soon his lectures were well received and entertaining. Colt forgotten. Thanks to his creative thinking, he learned a lot about showmanship and appealing to the developed some of the world’s earliest successful consumer while being on the road. These were skills revolvers, and did so in fairly rapid succession. that he would later use to become successful in the gun industry. The primary problem that many faced with firearms in those days was that they took too much time to By 1832 Colt had managed to fund two more guns reload. This left the shooter exposed and vulnerable, built by Anson Chase, a pistol and a rifle. Both had and those were terrible things to be for a soldier incorporated Colt’s revolving mechanism. It should standing on a battlefield. Colt was determined to also be quickly noted that the advancements made change that and in time he certainly did. between to percussion caps are what allowed Samuel Colt’s idea to work in the first place. However, So let's take a look back at how Samuel Colt for the sake of staying on topic, it is probably best that contributed to the progression of industrialization, we save those details for another story. and some of the revolvers that helped make him a firearms legend. Anyhow, during his travels, Colt would also seek the help of other to work on his Many books on Colt conclude that the idea for this mechanism. It is believed that there were actually revolver mechanism first came to him as a teenager. many that were possibly consulted, but not credited After causing an accidental fire at his school, his father with much, although they may have actually sent him off to learn the trade of a Seaman. While contributed to his ultimate success. However, it is aboard a ship sailing from Boston to Calcutta, he would well documented that during his time on the road is have an epiphany that inspired him to build a wooden when he first established a working relationship with model of a revolving pepperbox pistol. He was not gun maker John Pearson of . the first to attempt such an invention, but the idea of revolving a with a pawl attached to a hammer, Even as Colt traveled, he would correspond with, was uniquely his. and send money to Pearson to keep his firearm work going. Letters sent between the two of them showed Upon his return to the states, Colt immediately set out that Colt was eager to secure the ownership of his to build a working prototype of his revolver. He was idea with a patent. But, at the advice of his father’s able to secure the aid of a locally renowned gunsmith close friend who was coincidentally the U.S. named Anson Chase in Hartford, CT. Colt worked Commissioner of Patents, Henry Ellsworth, Colt closely with Chase to build the very first metal version of patiently waited until he and Pearson had his his gun, but when he attempted to fire it, the revolver invention complete and fully functioning before exploded. The reason for the mishap was that they pursuing legal ownership. had failed to incorporate a separation between the nipples of each , so when one was fired, it would light the chamber next to it as well. Luckily for him, this was just a mere learning experience and the only injury was to the prototype itself. And then, in 1835, the time had finally come, he gave Well the first thing to consider is the timeframe that up his job and traveled to Europe to register the first all this is taking place. Colt received his patent just two patent for his invention. He then returned to the days after the Battle of the Alamo began. The United States and filed for the patent here. The reason Wars between the Native Americans and the U.S. behind this was again due to advice he had received Army had been going on in Florida for years, and the from Ellsworth. He advised Colt, that because of the Mexican-American War was already brewing, and way that European patent laws were structured, he would begin just a few short years later. wouldn’t have been completely protected from infringement if he filed in the U.S. office first. His So, as we just mentioned, Sam Colt managed to get his patent in the U.S. was issued on February 25, 1836. guns in the hands of soldiers, albeit by untraditional means. A number of the men that were fighting the With his patent fully protecting his rights on the four Seminole Indians were among those carrying the Colt key principles of his mechanism through 1857, Patterson Revolvers. Their accounts of superior Samuel Colt was able to obtain financial backing from firepower in battle quickly became the best word of his cousin Dudley, a New York City Attorney, and a few mouth that Colt could have ever hoped for. of Dudley’s friends who were also successful NYC businessmen. This would be the start of the Patent Arms The Natives had grown accustomed to fighting against Manufacturing Company of Patterson, New Jersey. the single shot arms of the Army and would often wait until the soldiers were forced to reload before By the summer of that year the New Jersey factory attacking. The 5-shot Patterson, however, came as a began producing pistols, rifles, shotguns, and carbines. surprise to the charging warriors and aided the Army Each would use a revolving cylinder that held no less in achieving victory even when they were vastly than five shots. However, the most significant gun to outnumbered. come out of the factory was its namesake, the Colt Patterson revolver. These stories, along with some first hand accounts, led to correspondence between Samuel Colt and Captain Samuel Hamilton Walker of the Texas Rangers. Walker would make a personal request to Colt to build a more powerful for his Rangers. Walker asked that the gun be at least 6-shots and have enough stopping power to kill a horse. He could also make a guarantee to Colt that if he could accomplish this, an order of at least one thousand pistols for the military would be Colt Patterson forthcoming.

Colt agreed to work on the pistol with Walker, but the problem was that he no longer had a factory. So, Sam Colt repeatedly attempted to get his guns accepted Colt sought out the help of Eli Whitney III (son of the by the military, hoping that a contract with the cotton gin inventor). Whitney already had plenty of government would assure his success. But this never money and a working factory in Whitneyville, got beyond the politicians and decision-makers, so he Connecticut, so once the two savvy businessmen began using his skills learned on the road to eliminate ironed out the details, which included naming Whitney the middleman. He started selling his arms directly to as the recipient of the military contract; the massive the consumer, the men doing the fighting. This strategy Colt Whitneyville Walker went into production. wasn’t going to bring Colt great wealth, but it would certainly help him gain some recognition for his repeating arms.

The Patterson factory ultimately did not fair well financially, and in 1841 was forced into bankruptcy. By 1842, the factory was closed down for good. Now, if the factory only existed for seven years, you may be wondering how anything they produced could have been all that significant?

5 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS The Colt Walker was a single-action revolver that The first few hundred revolvers made in Colt’s Hartford held six .44 caliber black powder charges. The revolver factory began the transition from the Whitneyville weighed four and a half pounds and had incredible Walkers to the first type Dragoons. An effort was made stopping power out to one hundred yards. However, it to iron out some of the issues soldiers found with the was much too large to be carried on the hip, so it was Walkers, such as better securing the ramrod below the typically holstered on the saddle of the horse. In 1847 barrel. This transition was done with the input of another the Colt Walkers began being issued in sets of two to military officer named Captain William H. Thorton, and the U.S. Mounted Rifles (Calvary). Each pair of guns soon Sam Colt’s revolver began to evolve. The cylinder came with the loading tools and a powder flask. The Colt and barrel were shortened, which made the revolver Walker would be the most powerful handgun ever made more manageable than the larger Walkers. During the and it remained as such until the 1930s when the .357 experimental stage these guns were built on two Magnum was invented. different frames, and those first few hundred revolvers produced in Hartford are now often referred to as the Sadly that same year, Captain Samuel H. Walker would Transition Walkers. be killed in the final battle of the Mexican-American War. Just shortly after receiving his own custom set of Colt would go on to produce a total of three Dragoon pistols from Colt. Rumor has it that they were found still generations that each had some design changes. We will holstered alongside his saddle after his death. quickly summarize a few of the differences below.

However, the revolver baring the Walker name would Samuel Colt also produced an 1848 Pocket Pistol that mark the turning point in Samuel Colt’s career. In the is often referred to as the “Baby Dragoon”, which would summer of 1847, Sam Colt secured an order for another become his most popular selling pistol to civilians during 1,000 revolvers for the military, and began the task of his lifetime. reestablishing a factory of his own in Hartford.

Designs of Dragoons

3The 1st Dragoon is identifiable by its oval cylinder stops and squared back guard. It has a 1 V-shaped mainspring and there was not yet a roller on the rear of the hammer.

The 2nd Dragoon is identifiable by the rectangular cylinder stops and squared back trigger guard. The early revolvers still used the v-shaped mainspring, which was later replaced with 2 a flat leaf mainspring. In addition, a hammer roller was added to the bottom rear of the hammer to lessen the friction between the hammer and the mainspring.

The 3rd Dragoon is identifiable by the rectangular cylinder cuts and a rounded trigger guard. 3 It also had cuts in the frame to accommodate a shoulder stock, horizontal loading latches, and folding leaf style sights. Previously we discussed how the events of the era helped During the Crimean War, which pinned Russia and Turkey establish Colt’s initial success and the same can be said against one another, Colt Revolvers were in the hands of for his continued prosperity. In 1849 the California Gold troops on both sides of the battlefield. Rush began and Colt pistols were in high demand, even fetching a premium well above their cost from the factory, He also managed to secure orders for thousands of his if they were sold in the far western territories. The Navy Model revolvers from the British Army, but was Western Expansion was at its peak throughout the middle unable to land an actual British Military contract, and so of the nineteenth century, and a firearm remained the after just three years, he considered the factory a failure. most necessary commodity for new settlers. Then there He closed the London plant and arranged for all remaining was the Civil War, and despite the fact that Sam Colt inventory and machinery to be sent back to America. would die just a year after the conflict began, his arms were already being stockpiled well in advance by the In 1855, he used his newly found wealth to build the Colt Union Army. Armory in Hartford, it was a factory that was much larger than his first. In June of 1856, he married Elizabeth Jarvis As his offerings of new guns grew, so did Sam Colt’s and constructed their Manor, which they named ability to sell them. He pioneered new methods of . marketing, such as using celebrity endorsements to appeal to the civilian market. Colt also found that by As an employer, Colt established the 10-hour workday spending a dollar to have a revolver engraved could net with a mandatory one-hour lunch break. He built his him ten dollars on its final price. He would gift some of employees a clubhouse called Oak Hall, where they could these finely finished guns to the likes of , enjoy their downtime. He built libraries and established Brigham Young, the King of Siam, or Czar Nicholas of educational programs. Colt’s treatment of his employees Russia, and in return they would praise Colt’s work. was groundbreaking, as he was setting a new standard of business where employees were looked at as an Colt established a workforce of sales representatives and investment in the company's future, and a true asset began running flashy artistic newspaper ads that would towards its success. suddenly make the task of selling his guns even easier. He purchased a 29-page layout in what was the most popular All of these things showed that Colt was a caring and periodical prior to the Civil War, The United States compassionate man, however, it has also been said that Magazine & Democratic Review. In those pages he Sam Colt could be a strict disciplinarian and had little profiled his Hartford Factory and showed the readers his patience for laziness or tardiness. He may also have advanced mass-production techniques, which incorporated developed a bit of an ego, as he grew more successful. an assembly line and steam powered machinery, and This can be assumed in the case of , who Colt’s use of interchangeable parts. Up until this point, had presented him with the idea of the bored through people had not experienced such a creative approach to cylinder. Shortly after Sam Colt refused the idea, White marketing or manufacturing, and Samuel Colt quickly was fired. Rollin White would later sell his idea toSmith became one of the most recognizable names in world. & Wesson, which helped them launch their start with the Model 1 Revolver. Hoping to expand his international recognition, Colt traveled back to London where he opened a factory along the River Thames, and began producing guns on January 1, 1853.

6 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS The that was built in 1855, in Hartford, CT.

In the final years of his life, Samuel Colt enjoyed a great Colt’s heirs continued to rely on their most capable success and experienced a horrific tragedy. He had grown gunsmiths in their employ to continue Samuel’s life work. to be the wealthiest man in America, but he and Elizabeth Eleven years after his death, their commitment would Jarvis had lost two daughters and a son who had all died become obvious with perhaps one of the company's in infancy, before finally having a healthy second son, greatest milestones, the introduction of the 1873 Single Caldwell Hart Colt in 1858. Action Army (Peacemaker). A gun that would warrant such demand and receive so much praise that it continues Samuel Colt was laid to rest on the Colt property in to be produced in some capacity to this day. To read more Hartford on , 1862. He left the bulk of his about the Peacemaker, click here. estate to Elizabeth and their son Caldwell. A fixed sum of money was also willed to his nephew, Samuel Caldwell As usual we had to sort through a lot of information to Colt, and his professional responsibilities were entrusted formulate our timeline of Samuel Colt’s life, and of course to his brother-in-law, . this means that inevitably some interesting details have been omitted. We chose not to include many theories of After his death, Colt’s gun company would continue to conspiracies, some dramatic events, or the heartbreaks of thrive. With the demand of the Civil War and continued his childhood. However, the good news is that there have expansion of territories in the West, guns remained an been many attempts made to clearly document the life absolute necessity. Elizabeth Jarvis would stay in Armsmear of Samuel Colt, so even if your particular interest was not with their son, making certain that her husband’s legacy covered here, it shouldn’t require much effort to uncover continued on. Even after a fire destroyed the Colt Armory what you are looking for. in 1864, she had it quickly rebuilt, demanding that it be constructed more resilient than before. Don't take your extractors for granted

Proper maintenance and operation of a firearm is because they are not functionally meant to handle any paramount to the longevity of all its moving parts. There real stress. However, this doesn’t mean that any improper are only a few of these parts that will actually come in use couldn’t lead to failure. This can happen by causing contact with each and every round that is fired, and these unnecessary strain due to repeatedly hand loading single items should be periodically inspected to prevent failure. rounds into the chamber of a semi-auto firearm and Extractors are one of these busy little parts, and are often allowing the breech to slam closed will cause the overlooked and taken for granted, because they do not extractor to bang into the back of the before handle any of the stress involved in actually firing the it snaps in place over the rim. Overtime such use could round. An extractor just hooks on and pulls out the spent weaken the integrity of the extractor. Mishandling it casing after all the excitement is over. On firearms such during cleaning or improperly installing can also easily as break-action shotguns, an extractor might be fine for result in a broken or damaged extractor. decades or much longer in many cases, because these are typically heavy-duty steel parts that often function as the Rapid-fire guns like those used in the military will cycle ejector as well as the extractor. Although failure to keep many more rounds than those already mentioned, so it this area oiled and well maintained my cause a mishap, it should be expected that an AR15 extractor, even those will not always require replacement of the actual for civilian use may need replacing more frequently than extractor. your bolt-action or semi-auto 22.

Semi-auto pistols and rifles and some bolt-actions on the On a positive note, when an extractor is broken it usual- other hand can use a variety of extractor styles, and many ly is easy to figure out the problem. The spent case isn’t of them are manufactured out of much thinner and more going to come out of the chamber on its own, and most vulnerable metals. Marlin extractors, for example are extractors are easy to see, so a broken one won’t be often thin one-piece band style types that wrap around hard to spot. Thankfully shopping for a replacement can the bolt, Savage extractors can also sometimes be be just as easy because here at Numrich Gun Parts we designed with the same thin metal clip-on style. With carry extractors of all shapes and sizes, for many types of proper care and handling this works out just fine firearms.

7 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS AR Extractor, 9mm New Factory Original for AR15, M16

Remington Extractor, 550-1A, 550-1, 550-2G, 550-A

Do you think you know Marlin Extractor, 600, 660, 700, your extractors? 740, 742, 760, 788, 40 XB CF, 40 Guess each one in the XC & Marlin MR7. space to the right.

Click "REVEAL ANSWERS" to see how well you did. Ruger Extractor 10-22, 10-22 MAGNUM

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Savage Right Extractor, 6A, 6AB, 6B, 6, 76A, 87A, 87AB, 87AT, 87B

Browning Extractor, Buckmark, and Challenger III

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Remington Extractor, Model 33 and 34 Unique Firearm Inventions of WWII

The period surrounding WWII saw an abundance of creative inventions. This was especially true in the area of firearms. It was the first war to see the use of sub-machine guns, such as the Gun, the Thompson, and the unusual looking Owen from Australia. However, these guns were hardly the most unique additions to the battlefield, and although they elevated the small arms firepower, they didn’t significantly decide the battle in favor of one side or the other. So it became the paramount task for all of the nations involved in the conflict to keep searching for something that could make their army superior.

Some inventions were clandestine, while others were large and hard to keep hidden. There was creativity and ingenuity abounds on both sides of the conflict. Allied and Axis forces were placing their finest minds to the task of developing the next game changing, or should we say war changing, invention.

Ultimately, there were so many ideas pursued that it would amount to far more than what we could cover here, so we chose just a few of these odd inventions that were unique in both their appearance and purpose.

The first small item that we would like to discuss is a pistol that was built for only a very brief period during WWII. Not many people outside of gun collectors and other interested parties knew anything about it, until much later when it gained the interest of those looking to recreate it. This gun was a rustic and impractical weapon that was built for one very specific purpose in mind.

8 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS THE FP-45 LIBERATOR PISTOL For six months in 1942 the factory ran around the clock with 300 workers assembling these crude guns. An The Liberator Pistol was a cheaply made, pot metal gun unprecedented one million Liberators rolled off the line in that was contracted out to and manufactured by the Guide that time. Lamp Division of General Motors. The task that the Allied Armies had in mind for these cheaply made pistols was to However, once the project was completed it was realized have them air dropped across the European countryside, that air dropping a million pistols into occupied territories in the hopes that they could be used by civilians and was easier said than done. Most of the guns were handed resistance fighters to take out Nazi soldiers. This in theory over to the OSS (today known as the CIA), with only about would allow them to obtain the more powerful weapons 25,000 actually being air dropped by the British to French being carried by their targets. They also believed that just resistance fighters. Some of the pistols also found their the knowledge that an assassin’s pistol existed and could way to Greek resistance fighters and about 100,000 were be in the hands of civilians would curtail the bold sent to China and the Philippines. confidence of the German troops. But sadly, many of the guns were never used at all and The Liberator was comprised of 23 crude parts that could were simply disposed of to free up space. They were either be completely assembled by factory workers in a matter of destroyed or dumped into various seas around the world. just a few moments. It was once said that it is the only gun in history that could be built faster than it could be reloaded. The life span of the Liberator was estimated to be between 25 and 50 rounds. So, many of the pistols that did actually The concept for the Liberator was first presented by the get fired began to fall apart rather quickly. The welds would Polish Military Attaché, but it was the Americans that break free and parts would warp or bend, so they were would ultimately pursue the idea. Credit for the design of truly just designed for the single task, and were otherwise this simple pistol goes to a General Motors designer named disposable. With most of the guns falling to one of these George Hyde. fates, it is easy to see why a functioning sample would be a highly sought after addition for anyone attempting to At the time, the project was a secret and was called the complete a WWII era weapons collection. “Flare Projector 45”, hence the FP-45 designation. The deception with the name was to keep its true purpose Next up: is a bizarre looking add-on device that did make it hidden from anyone that may discover that the auto into combat and much to our surprise can still occasionally manufacturer was building weapons. be found in its original form on online auction sites.

The pistol was constructed from sheet metal and had a cast zinc cocking knob, which also contained the firing pin. The barrel was spot welded to the frame and the grip was left hollow to accommodate ten rounds of .45 ACP ammunition. Once assembled, the pistol was packed into a paraffin-coated cardboard box along with a wooden dowel that was to be used as an extractor for the single shot pistol. It also included an instruction sheet that was created in the form of a comic strip, so that anyone no matter what language they spoke would be able to understand. The total cost for the completed pistol, ammunition, wooden dowel, and storage box was $2.10. KRUMMLAUF BENT Even with these smaller rifles, the design was The troops were bogged down in trench not perfect and the projectile would fragment warfare and someone thought to consider a BARREL ATTACHMENT as it traveled through the bend of the curved barrel to fire from inside the trench. The Germans may just have invested more attachment, creating a shotgun-like effect. But However, it didn’t amount to much of an time and energy into technological this was deemed to be acceptable, since the advantage, and the Krummlauf was far more advancements than perhaps any of the guns were going to be primarily used for close advanced than those early attempts. other countries involved in the war. This was range and mainly to keep enemy soldiers from especially true when the outcome appeared climbing on and disabling German tanks. After the war this idea continued to be bleak for Hitler’s forces. They aggressively researched and reinvented and copies were sought out any idea that could provide them The Krummlauf featured a periscope sight made by the Russians, Americans, and the an edge over the enemy. So, in Germany with a mirror that allowed the shooter to Japanese. None of them ever saw any real many strange and unusual things began to see around obstacles. They built 30º barrel production or wide spread use. take shape. (known as Vorsatz-J) for foot soldier use and a 90º barrel (Vorsatz-P) that was used for Today there is a much more logical and Some were done on a grand scale like the vehicle protection. advanced weapon used to shoot around Gustav Gun, which stood four stories tall obstacles. This device is known as the and measured 155’ long, and weighed 1,350 The Krummlauf device attached directly to CornerShot, which is an apparatus fitted with tons. The Gustav had a 98’ barrel and fired a the barrel, locking over the front sight of the a GLOCK pistol, a high-resolution camera, and projectile weighing 10,000 lbs. This gun was rifle. It was then secured in place with an a 2.5” color LCD monitor. The CornerShot can completely impractical and of course was L-shaped bolt. The rifling in the device began also be equipped with a grenade launcher, easily located and destroyed by Allied Forces. after a small bored out section, which allowed flashlights, and other tactical gear. So what the bullet to jump from the rifle barrel to the originally appeared to be a weird and even Some other German inventions weren’t quite Krummlauf and re-center itself. Gas ports dangerous idea, actually lead to the development so massive, but still unusual in their own right. were added to relieve some of the pressure, of a another pretty sophisticated device. One of these odd looking things was the but these proved to have little effect in Krummlauf (curved barrel) attachment. The preserving the projectile’s integrity. first efforts to create this contraption were tried using a 20mm tube attached to an 8mm Just like the Liberator, the Krummlauf had a caliber rifle, but this was found to be clumsy short life span. Although, they would last two and inefficient. The bullet could not be aimed to three times longer than the disposable and it would simply tumble uncontrollably pistol, the rifles fitted with the Krummlauf through the air. device were large and unbalanced and offered absolutely no advantage over a standard rifle However, they did quickly discover that using during man to man combat. a smaller projectile and tightly rifled barrel would get them closer to the desired result. As incredible as it seems, the idea of affixing So they developed the Krummlauf to work a curved barrel to a rifle and fitting it with with their 7.92 caliber rifles - the a periscope was not first envisioned during Maschinenpistole 43 (MP43) and the WWII. There were actually attempts made to Sturmgeschütz 44 (STG-44). use this bizarre technology as early as WWI.

9 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS THE PISTOL magazine-fed, pistol. The There is also a modern pistol that is closely magazine that it uses is a modified 8-round based on the original design known as the The final weapon in our discussion was Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless box magazine VP9 (Veterinary Pistol 9mm). The VP9 is designed for much the same purpose as the that is covered with a very hard rubber known produced by a Swedish company named Liberator. However, its quality is far superior as ebonite. The magazine doubles as the grip Brügger & Thomet. This pistol comes with and it has a much greater chance of standing when installed. This allows the weapon to be two interchangeable suppressors that can be the test of time. easily disassembled, and alters its appearance maintained by replacing the rubber washers, to look more like a bicycle pump than a gun. which is something that couldn’t be done with Have you ever wondered where they came up the original pistol. The VP9 is meant for the with all of those cool secret weapons for the A knurled knob at the rear of the tube purpose of humanely putting down sick or James Bond films? Well it would seem that operates the bolt. Inside the tube, just beyond wounded animals, or at least that is the claim the British may have always had a knack for the bolt face is a 3.25” barrel, followed by made by the manufacturer. (Insert wink here.) developing such intriguing gadgets and their an expansion chamber with a series of metal fictional top secret laboratory that is seen in baffles and rubber wipes (discs), which acts as The few weapons that we discussed here the films may just have been loosely based on the suppressor and creates the effect. really only scratch the surface of what came some real life inventors. out of the arms race of WWII. The The MKI Welrod model used the .32 ACP innovations and ideas during that period were Way back in 1943, the designers at Station IX caliber, which contains only a small amount of many and helped advance certain technological of the S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) powder charge and is not terribly loud in the understandings worldwide. They definitely were tasked with building top-secret weapons. first place, so it worked out perfectly for this changed how nations approached war and It was there that they came up with this odd Hollywood quiet assassin’s pistol. The MKII opened the door of possibilities for future looking, but effective assassin’s pistol. Welrod was basically identical but used the inventors. 9x19 Parabellum ammunition. Major Hugh Reeves was the mastermind As always we will suggest to our readers who behind this silent and deadly Welrod Pistol The Welrod was found to be such a promising possess a genuine interest in the topic, to and BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company) tool that it never really went away. It is still do further research and discover for yourself is believed to be the original manufacturer, used by certain agencies in allied countries just how embedded firearms have been in all although they do not openly take credit for it. for specific reasons even today. (Yeah that aspects of the World’s history. statement was vague on purpose.) Much like the Liberator, the Welrod was intended to be air dropped to resistance troops during the war. The Welrod is a ASK THE GUNSMITH

I have see a number of shotguns at my club Q that have stuck choke tubes. What is your advice to keep from having a choke tube stuck in the barrel?

In most of the cases I have seen, the owner never A cleaned or lubricated the threads of his choke tubes. In some cases this leads to rust developing in the threads of the tube and/or the barrel. In other cases I’ve seen, the threads gall or deform because of a lack of lubricant. NOTE: The following content first appeared in Shotgun I believe that you should remove the choke tube after News in 2010. It is from a featured section titled Ask each shooting session. The threads on both the tube the Gunsmith, where readers were able to submit their and the barrel should be cleaned to remove any carbon questions to master gunsmith Reid Coffield. or fouling that may have leaked around the choke tube. Once cleaned a good grease or tube lubricant should be applied to the threads. Then when the tube is installed, How often should I replace the no more pressure should be used than the minimum recoil spring on my 1911 .45 Auto? necessary to ensure that the tube is fully seated. I have ? Q seen several tubes that were damaged by excessive I do quite a bit of shooting with it. I seating force. generally run through 100 rounds or so every couple of weeks and all of It is also a good idea to periodically check the seating of this is full power, factory or military your choke tube. If you do need to re-tighten the choke ammo. tube, make darn sure the gun is unloaded before you begin work on the muzzle end of the barrel. I would suggest you swap out the recoil Also, there’s a reason choke tube tools are made of spring every 2000 to 3000 rounds. Recoil plastic or thin metal; you don’t want to overtighten the A springs are not that expensive, and the way I tube in the bore. Turning too tight can damage the tube look at it, it’s a very economical and easy way or jam it in position. to help prevent damage to a very expensive pistol frame.

10 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS Where should the touch hole on a I recently bought a new Savage Model Q flintlock be located relative to the pan? Q 40 in .22 Hornet. It shoots good and I like it. My question has to do with the bedding. Should I bed the The touch hole which leads from the lock to receiver? As you probably know it the bore, should be located slightly above the has an extremely long round receiver A bottom of the pan. If it is located at the bottom of the pan, the priming powder must and has a laminated wood stock. Do burn down until it reaches the opening of the you think bedding would help it? touch hole before you will have ignition. This ? leads to slow ignition, which can make shooting a flintlock even more of a challenge. A properly I would definitely bed it. Properly bedding located touch hole can make ignition much A the receiver is extremely unlikely to have any faster. negative consequences or degrade the accu- racy of your rifle. It can, however, insure that your receiver is perfectly seated in the stock with no stress or tension placed upon it. This What is the value of the windage clicks alone could and most likely will enhance the on my 1903A3 Springfield rear sight? Q accuracy potential of this rifle. Again, I would bed it!

The windage knob on the 1903A3 is designed to provide 1 minute of an angle or approximately A 1 inch of horizontal movement for each click or increment of adjustment. Holiday Click any item to shop for it online

for the Gift Guide D.I.Y. Gunsmith

1911 TEKMAT The perfect cleaning and repair mat for your firearm. The exploded view drawing and accompanying parts list make repairs, disassembly and/ or basic cleaning much faster. The soft polyester top protects your firearm from scratches while the non-slip neoprene rubber backing protects your workspace from chemicals and oils.

MG-42/34 ARMORER'S TOOL / CLEANING KIT These are original Armorer's tools and cleaning parts with accessories. Includes spare parts, cleaning tools, brushes, jags, oil and solvent cans, pouch and an extra canvas pouch. Used, in good to very good condition.

NEEDLE FILE SET Set includes five steel files,various shapes, with rubber handles. 7" long and packaged in a vinyl case.

11 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS Gift Guide Your favorite firearm-fanatic friends and family members need gifts for this holiday season too. But as you know, they are not always the easiest people to shop for. That’s where we come in.

We compiled a list of our top gifts for every type of gun enthusiast. From the authentic military surplus experts to those just starting out in the tactical world, we have the best suggestions to keep them satisfied and smiling this December.

25 METER (1000 INCH) TARGETS Targets with several aiming points for different UNIVERSAL caliber or bullet weights. Military surplus. Pack CABLE GUN LOCK of 25 Targets. New cable lock for use with most firearms. Includes keys and instructions.

for the SILICONE TREATED LONG GUN STOCK This gun sock is designed to safely store and protect scoped or non-scoped long guns up to 54" long. The black gun sock is manufactured from silicone treated knit fabric to provide Beginner maximum moisture resistance. Holiday Gift Guide

.50 CAL. "FAT 50" AMMO CAN

This legendary U.S. military surplus ammo can originally hold two belts of M249 SAW 5.56mm ammunition. Olive drab, steel can measures 7-1/4" x 12-1/2" x 8-1/2" and weighs approximately 7 lbs. Works great for carrying rifle cartridges or shotgun shells to the range.

GERMAN POST WWII M35/40 HELMET for the Original steel helmet with rolled edges. The original liner assembly has been replaced with a re-riveted, Finnish-made liner stamped size 56 Military or 58. Helmet is used, fair condition with extensive outside finish wear and dents. Note: Liners and straps may History vary in color. Fan

RPG-7 ROCKET LAUNCHER The perfect cleaning and repair mat for your The RPG-7 is the most widely produced portable rock- et-propelled 40mm grenade launcher in the world. It shoulder-fires a wide variety of warheads, most capable of a maximum effective range of 920 meters (1000 yards).

Fully inert original RPG-7 rocket launcher which has been properly deactivated as per ATF regulations. Measures 37-1/2" long and weighs approximately 14 lbs. Features a complete opera- ble trigger housing, pistol grip, flip-up sights, heat shields, scope rail, and rear deflector flange.

It is good to very good condition. Note: In some cases the rear flange may contain minor dents.

11 | NUMRICH GUN PARTS Need more ideas? Check out the full list of gifting suggestions on our website here.

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STOCK, OIL FINISH, UNCHECKERED WALNUT Manufacturer: REMINGTON Model: 600, 660

BREECH BOLT HANDLE, NEW REPRODUCTION Manufacturer: MARLIN Model: 88, 89C, 98

SLIDE ARM EXTENSION W/6" TUBE, NEW FACTORY Manufacturer: STEVENS Model: 320