I started many years ago trying to teach some of my grandkids some of the history of firearms as they also learned to handle and shoot them. It actually started with my sons, but in those years I did not have the means to have a lot of examples. With the grandkids I have picked up examples of old actions, etc. from an inexpensive flintlock, to percussion, in long guns and handguns, to early revolvers, up through WWI and WW2 guns as well as current stuff that I had for myself.
In prep for that a few years ago I ran across a very good deal on a used, but certainly unfired Uberti / Taylor's top break revolver in 38sp. Beautiful blue and pristine in the box with all and not a powder burn to be found. The action was a bit gritty but for the price I bought it, took it home and cleaned the action out, oiled it and put it away. It sat there for about a decade until the latest crop of grandkids got to the age to get them started. I have 16 total from 2 sons and there was a few years gap between the first batch and the second.
So, anyway, got it out last week, wiped it down, put a little oil on it, and picked up a box of lead 38sp target loads (the only one I could find) since all I had for myself was +p hollow points. We took it to the range with several other guns.
I was amazed how accurate this thing is even with cheap round nose lead 38's. The very first shot from 20 yds hit exactly dead center of the 6" Shoot-n-see target we were using. Took out the orange center. I should have quit there and walked away because the groups weren't THAT impressive but still excellent! I wish I had taken a picture of the target but I didn't. We put 50 rounds though it out to 25 yds and when my 13 year old grandson shot it from a rest he was getting 1"-1.5" holes in the center of the target with the old fashioned V rear and VERY thin front blade.
Needless to say I will be picking up some more standard pressure 38 for future trips. They were able to see and practice loading 1-skip 1- 4 and understood why since it has the fixed, needle point firing pin on the hammer and they could see it protrude over an empty chamber.
We had a good day. An antique teaching kids about antiques.
Different day and different gun, but the 13 year old is turning out to be a natural.
In prep for that a few years ago I ran across a very good deal on a used, but certainly unfired Uberti / Taylor's top break revolver in 38sp. Beautiful blue and pristine in the box with all and not a powder burn to be found. The action was a bit gritty but for the price I bought it, took it home and cleaned the action out, oiled it and put it away. It sat there for about a decade until the latest crop of grandkids got to the age to get them started. I have 16 total from 2 sons and there was a few years gap between the first batch and the second.
So, anyway, got it out last week, wiped it down, put a little oil on it, and picked up a box of lead 38sp target loads (the only one I could find) since all I had for myself was +p hollow points. We took it to the range with several other guns.
I was amazed how accurate this thing is even with cheap round nose lead 38's. The very first shot from 20 yds hit exactly dead center of the 6" Shoot-n-see target we were using. Took out the orange center. I should have quit there and walked away because the groups weren't THAT impressive but still excellent! I wish I had taken a picture of the target but I didn't. We put 50 rounds though it out to 25 yds and when my 13 year old grandson shot it from a rest he was getting 1"-1.5" holes in the center of the target with the old fashioned V rear and VERY thin front blade.
Needless to say I will be picking up some more standard pressure 38 for future trips. They were able to see and practice loading 1-skip 1- 4 and understood why since it has the fixed, needle point firing pin on the hammer and they could see it protrude over an empty chamber.
We had a good day. An antique teaching kids about antiques.
Different day and different gun, but the 13 year old is turning out to be a natural.
