Feedback;

kirk — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 17:23:04 +0000

Some Feedback from happy folks with items supplied by By Sword & Musket;

A Happy Springfield buyer came back with;

Kirk, I thought I’d let you know how I got on shooting the Springfield ’03 at Bisley today in small club competition. It was only at 100yds and everybody was shooting service rifles from the bench using a rest, not how I would have liked to shoot, but they talked me into it!. I shot a 46.1 using the rear sight in the upright position set low using the hole as opposed to the “V” with quite a bit of wind-age !. Everybody from the club wanted to try the rifle and the second highest score was set by somebody else using the rifle. Oh I forgot to say I shot the highest score using it!.

Cleaning both the Springfield ’03 and my Winchester P17 at home today after shooting , I am so impressed how much better built the Springfield is compared to the Winchester, just closing the bolt is such a pleasure compared to the Winchester.

Once again I am so pleased with my purchase from you, many thanks.

Regards Terry

A Winchester collector said,

“I found doing business with Sword and Musket a pleasure as they were friendly, knowledgeable and gave a great service. The website is very easy to navigate and the information factual, rather than the usual sale pitch. The main issue with the website, is that the items are so nice, you will end up spending money”.

Japanese Rifle collector said;-

“By Sword and Musket have imported a number of antique rifles from the United States for me and I have been very impressed by their efficient and friendly service.”

A Nice early sweed which didn’t even get to the web site!

“Hi Kirk

Just thought you might like to know that I shot the sweed for the first time today at 200yds on the NRA 200 yd target. First shot was an inner at 8 oclock, and others followed with a group forming between 7 o’clock and nine o’clock. The barrel is clearly a good un. I was using Privi Partisan ammo and I reckon that with home loads it will shoot even better. I have also got an Elit target backsight which I hope to mount soon. Many thanks again. I hope to have a lot of fun working up a really good load. Best wishes”

A British No4 T .303 Sniper;

Hi Kirk

I thought you might like some picture’s of the no4 mk1 T I purchased from you a bit back . I’m happy to say it functioned and shot well on the day , I used a mixture of factory ammo & home loads .

I was very pleased with the quality of this classic rifle you sourced from the bore to the rifle’s overall finish it was excellent for something dated 1944 with all the right markings and all the numbers matching fantastic .

Your description was exactly as described , and if you buy anything second hand you’ll know just how important that little statement is , I waited over 20 year’s to own a no4 mk1 T and it take’s pride of place in my collection of classic military rifle’s Kirk.

I have changed one thing and that’s the BOYT .44 leather sling that came with it as you can see I put a modern reproduction sling on it incase I damaged the original .I hope to see you again soon keep well.

Kind Regards

A Swiss Vertelli Rifle in 6.5mm

Hi Kirk,

I thought you might like some pics of the Vetterli on the range! The round nose rounds have original bullets that I pulled from some 1943 dated Itallian surplus ammo that I found after some detective work (and great expense!)

The 6.5mm Carcano has a bullet that is of a bigger diameter than almost all other 6.5′s
(0.268″ as opposed to 0.264″ – the only other 6.5 that had the same 0.268″ diameter
bullet was the 6.5mm Mannlicher – the problem is that the only 6.5 Carcano loads
available (Prvi Partizan and Norma… use the 0.264″ bullet, and that is 0.004″ undersize,
which is why people think that the 6.5 Carcano rifles are not accurate!)

Having said that, I did also make up some loads using 0.264″ bullets (some Lapua
bullets that I shoot in my Swedish Mauser) and the groups were only a bit larger than
those using the 0.268″ bullets.

Hornady do make a 0.268″ round nose bullet for the 6.5 Carcano but it’s an exposed
lead soft nose…. so it’s classed by Midway UK as a section 5 bullet in the UK even
though the Midway site and even Hornady say ‘Minimal’ expansion!

But, it does shoot, it goes ‘bang’ – it feeds like shit from the chargers though… (there’s
one in the ‘photo) which came all the way from Australia!) – the chargers wobble about
in the ‘magazine’ well – the only other charger loading rifle I have is an M95 8mm
Mannlicher and that works, and it works well.

Regards

Hi Kirk,

Finding out even more about ballistic properties.

The No 4 is exceptional, very consistant and smooth as silk. The 1903 develops some serious energy and I need the right powder and mix to tame it. Both got good reviews at my club but I must get down to Bisley and put them to work on a proper range.

Bear me in mind for any 1ww, or earlier, dated variant with proper stock and cartouche when it comes in.

See you at Brum next time.

Dave

What was it like to Shoot a Bolt Action Service Rifle in the War

kirk — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:52:28 +0000

As time passes by it becomes more and more difficult to find the kind of brave fellows who stood up to be counted in conflicts from days gone by and did that exact thing. What was it like to actually pick up a rifle and point it at a fellow human being and pull the trigger in the full knowledge that the direct result of your actions would be the immediate or even painful end to a life filled with promise and expectation. Today we can if we wish, and thats an important point, “if we wish” join a club for recreational purposes and posses and old service rifle for the purposes of target shooting. Then, before too long we can find ourselves handling the very same weapon that some brave or scared witless soul has had to that same thing, but, when “we have a go” the most damgerous thing we have to contimplate is the actual gun in OUR hands, Not the one in the other fellows hands, pointing at us at the same time. Skill? Sheer guts? Determination? Fear? Which acts first? At the target range we have all the time in the world to pull the trigger, this would have not been so in the past, split second decisions from very ordinary people plucked from the ranks of Joe Public and put in an extrodinary situation where they experience life, death, elation, sadness & releif all packed into a few moments or days all behind the sights of an Enfield or a Mauser for example. I have nothing but respect for these fellows on both sides of the field of battle. I’ve tried it – its not easy – even when nobody is shooting back! You may not beleive in the whole activity and wonder why anyone should dabble in such things, I say because it has given us ALL the choice to have an opinion and take a stand one way or another. Many old chaps that were there will not talk about it, that gives us a clue as to what it was like and probably says more than many words. Respect.

Kirk Emmerich » Debate