The pearly gates, slammed by the Big Guy

Coinneach · November 27, 1999, 01:56 AM

Even though I'm not a member of any organized religion, I had something like a religious experience today.

I took my Enfield to the range.

I was expecting a sharp smack in the shoulder, much like a 12-ga pump. Nope. Smooooth. That is, when the milsurp ammo I picked up at Long's would fire.

That was weird in itself. *click*-pause-BLAM! Super-hard primers, I spoze, or just freaky ammo (dated Sep 1966). A couple of carts took 3 hits before they'd fire. Berdan primed, too. Feh.

The Remington 180-gr that I fed my baby went through perfectly. Hoo-yeah, that .303 is some seriously good stuff.

The best part, besides the mild recoil and the accuracy (2" groups at 50 yards standing unsupported), was the report. Oh my. I heard it echoing off the berms, even through earplugs. I'd never heard a rifle report quite like that: not overwhelmingly loud, but very... authoritative. Like the topic title says, it sounded like G*d slamming the gates.

The range owner said he could hear it even over the shotguns on the trap range, when he was right next to them. Apparently I scared the hell out of the folks on the pistol range next to the rifle area; they wanted to know what kind of elephant gun I was firing.

So now I know why the Enfield has been so successful on the battlefield: whoever is being shot at hears it and says, "F*** this! I surrender!"

------------------
"The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property,
or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.."
Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

Hal · November 27, 1999, 06:46 AM

I love the sounds of fall at the outdoor range. The black powder hunters show up to sight in their big boomers with full house hunting loads. My oh My do those baby's boom. It's a real contrast to the sharp crack of the benchrest guys that usually frequent the 100 and 200 yard ranges. Is the report a crack or a boom on the .303? Sounds like something of great interest to a noise maker like myself.

------------------
CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
Do what you C.A.N.

http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

Coinneach · November 27, 1999, 12:27 PM

It's a boom. No, make that BOOM.

Hal, if you can get an Enfield, it's about the best noisemaker below .50BMG that you'll find.

------------------
"The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property,
or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.."
Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

cornered rat · November 27, 1999, 03:25 PM

I shot my P14 again this week. The report was less loud to me than .223 with Guatemalan surplus ammo.

I shot some 1941 cordite British surplus and though shoulders of some were eroded, it worked fine. However, I let a friend try ten rounds and he reported two hangfires (I wasn't around to see them).

Accuracy with Greek non-corrosive, British and S&B was all the same (at 25m)...about half of the groups I got with HBAR15. Could be a difference of finer front sight posts).

Just yesterday, I tried a fully stocked original P17 (mine is a sporter with a free-floated barrel) and it was fun. In spite of steel butt plate, recoil wasn't hard and accuracy...at 50ft, one hole, at 75ft, sill touching. Sweet! Hardly any muzzle flash on either 303 or 30-06 and not that much noise.

Also tried a German Mauser from 1891. It was sporterized well but left in a damp basement for a decade. Argentinian 7.65 ammo keyholed at 7 yards, badly. Soft point hunting ammo (Norma) worked fine. What gives? Damaged barrel crown? I also suspect that the scope reticles shifted on recoil...my POI were within two feet from each other!

Tried other neat items (full auto Bushmaster conversion, HK MP5, scoped 77-22mag (want one!)), full report forthcoming. Ran into some folks who will teach me to shoot better come spring...the local high power competitors.

Long Path · December 1, 1999, 01:08 AM

Which SMLE do you have? I've always found the stock smellys to have a butt shape that thumps me a tad, even though the rifle is heavy and the load moderate.

You wanna talk about LOUD from an Enfield? Try hearing the sound made when your roommate takes his and is practicing dry-firing, racking the bolt, and dry-firing again, only to keep it up after a practice re-charge from stripper clips:

"<rack-rack, click>
<rack-rack, click!>
<rack. Strip! rack.> "NO, BILL!" >[b] BA-WHOOM!!!>

[Distant ringing]"

180 Remington soft point went through the wall, the outside siding, and into the neighbor's house, rested in the neighbor's 11 year-old son's wall, directly above his bed, where he was reading comic books. Wanna talk loud? My Gawd. Neighbor was amazingly cool about it. He got 4 cases of Bud Lite (his favorite) delivered to his front door over the next month, and his boys never wanted for fresh-baked cookies. Bill was pretty darned sorry...

Coinneach · December 1, 1999, 01:21 AM

Jeez, LP, I've seen doubletaps aplenty, but never a quad!

Good story, though, and you got the sound down perfectly. Not a crack, not a bang, not a boom, BA-WHOOM!!!

(mental note: take tape recorder to the range next weekend and set enfield.wav as my Winders startup sound).

------------------
"The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property,
or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.."
Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

George Hill · December 1, 1999, 01:44 AM

Hey - that was cool LP... You fired a 4 post burst. [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]? I cleaned off the 3 extras for yas. No prob.

cdf · December 4, 1999, 02:45 PM

I recomend you guys see the movie Zardoz. A giant stone head flys around and distributes Enfields to a bunch of savages. This should happen more often.

George Hill · December 7, 1999, 12:05 AM

ROTFLMAO!

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
Hey - have you seen the new Ultimate Super Tactical Match Gun?

Dr.Rob · December 7, 1999, 02:27 PM

You should see the looks at the cherry creek range when I:

Fire a black powder double on the skeet range: KA-WHOOOOOSH (rang officer comes running.. guy sitting in front of $50k SUV damn near drops $5k beretta shotgun, his wife spits coffee onto range bag and a sweet acrid cloud of white smoke rolls across the plain the kid next to you smiles) ahhhhhh. Oh its YOU again.

Fire a 12 guage 870 stoked with 3 inch 1 ounce slugs on the 50 yard target with rifle shooter on one side and pistol shooters on the other. EVERYONE flinches. The gun recoils so hard the action opens itself and ejects the spent shell. You shake your head and shoulders and reload for another shot... everyone but you grits thier teeth....

Fire a 223 AK with wolf ammo and it doubles.. look around sheepishly.. was that me????? (super sharp report from the muzzle and the AK74 brake seems to make it noisier)

I never noticed the enfeild to be that loud, though i recall the jungle carbine had a sharp report like a bell (maybe the reflection off the flash suppressor?)

ALL muzzle breaks make guns noisy.. even those fancy BOSS system ones.

Safty tip NEVER EVER stand next to a guy at an indoor range with a desert eagle 50.. i literally had to set my revolver down and WAIT until he was done I was flicking so bad everytime he pulled the trigger.

Have fun and stay safe...

Dr.Rob

1S1K · December 12, 1999, 11:02 PM

I had a friend dry-firing his 9mm in his appment we had no idea he was doing it when we went up the stairs. When he heard us coming up he put the gun down opend the door and returned to practice. HE FORGOT HE PUT THE CLIP BACK IN. We were ten feet in front of him, That was loud The round went through his TV two walls and was stoped by a craftsman tool box.
I once spoted for a guy with a 300 win mag and a brake on it. never agin.

OkieGentleman · December 19, 1999, 10:27 PM

I was at the Oklahoma City Gun range many years ago and watched a guy shooting a .458 American on an Enfield(?) action. After watching him shoot it for about 5 shots, he asked me if I wanted to try it. No Thanks was the reply and the same from the guy with me. The knuckles on the guys right hand were bloody from the trigger guard biting him. Only gun someone offered to let me shoot and I turned down the chance. And I am still not sorry I said no!

Oleg Volk · December 24, 1999, 01:11 PM

Guess that's why so many Superredhawk .44 mag users are flinching...trigger guard beats up your left hend and the topstrap your right hand...who designed that junk, I can't guess. Sharp edges might look neat but they make the actual firearm hard to use.

And don't get me started on the moron who was trying to MAKE his wife shoot a BAR in 7mm Mag in spite of her protests.

George Hill · December 27, 1999, 04:04 AM

Now - you dont have to live with sharp edges.
you can round them off with some strips of sand paper. Cut strips and make like your shining a shoe. You dont have to remove much metal to smooth out the offending area.
Refinishing is another story... God Bless Stainless!

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud

November 27, 1999, 01:56 AM	#1
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	Even though I'm not a member of any organized religion, I had something like a religious experience today. I took my Enfield to the range. I was expecting a sharp smack in the shoulder, much like a 12-ga pump. Nope. Smooooth. That is, when the milsurp ammo I picked up at Long's would fire. That was weird in itself. click-pause-BLAM! Super-hard primers, I spoze, or just freaky ammo (dated Sep 1966). A couple of carts took 3 hits before they'd fire. Berdan primed, too. Feh. The Remington 180-gr that I fed my baby went through perfectly. Hoo-yeah, that .303 is some seriously good stuff. The best part, besides the mild recoil and the accuracy (2" groups at 50 yards standing unsupported), was the report. Oh my. I heard it echoing off the berms, even through earplugs. I'd never heard a rifle report quite like that: not overwhelmingly loud, but very... authoritative. Like the topic title says, it sounded like Gd slamming the gates. The range owner said he could hear it even over the shotguns on the trap range, when he was right next to them. Apparently I scared the hell out of the folks on the pistol range next to the rifle area; they wanted to know what kind of elephant gun I was firing. So now I know why the Enfield has been so successful on the battlefield: whoever is being shot at hears it and says, "F** this! I surrender!" ------------------ "The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.." Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

November 27, 1999, 06:46 AM	#2
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	I love the sounds of fall at the outdoor range. The black powder hunters show up to sight in their big boomers with full house hunting loads. My oh My do those baby's boom. It's a real contrast to the sharp crack of the benchrest guys that usually frequent the 100 and 200 yard ranges. Is the report a crack or a boom on the .303? Sounds like something of great interest to a noise maker like myself. ------------------ CCW for Ohio action site. http://www.ofcc.net Do what you C.A.N. http://thematrix.acmecity.com/digital/237/cansite/can.html

November 27, 1999, 12:27 PM	#3
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	It's a boom. No, make that BOOM. Hal, if you can get an Enfield, it's about the best noisemaker below .50BMG that you'll find. ------------------ "The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.." Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

November 27, 1999, 03:25 PM	#4
cornered rat Junior member Join Date: November 30, 1998 Location: Minnesota Posts: 920	I shot my P14 again this week. The report was less loud to me than .223 with Guatemalan surplus ammo. I shot some 1941 cordite British surplus and though shoulders of some were eroded, it worked fine. However, I let a friend try ten rounds and he reported two hangfires (I wasn't around to see them). Accuracy with Greek non-corrosive, British and S&B was all the same (at 25m)...about half of the groups I got with HBAR15. Could be a difference of finer front sight posts). Just yesterday, I tried a fully stocked original P17 (mine is a sporter with a free-floated barrel) and it was fun. In spite of steel butt plate, recoil wasn't hard and accuracy...at 50ft, one hole, at 75ft, sill touching. Sweet! Hardly any muzzle flash on either 303 or 30-06 and not that much noise. Also tried a German Mauser from 1891. It was sporterized well but left in a damp basement for a decade. Argentinian 7.65 ammo keyholed at 7 yards, badly. Soft point hunting ammo (Norma) worked fine. What gives? Damaged barrel crown? I also suspect that the scope reticles shifted on recoil...my POI were within two feet from each other! Tried other neat items (full auto Bushmaster conversion, HK MP5, scoped 77-22mag (want one!)), full report forthcoming. Ran into some folks who will teach me to shoot better come spring...the local high power competitors.

December 1, 1999, 01:08 AM	#5
Long Path Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 1999 Location: N. Texas Posts: 5,899	Which SMLE do you have? I've always found the stock smellys to have a butt shape that thumps me a tad, even though the rifle is heavy and the load moderate. You wanna talk about LOUD from an Enfield? Try hearing the sound made when your roommate takes his and is practicing dry-firing, racking the bolt, and dry-firing again, only to keep it up after a practice re-charge from stripper clips: "<rack-rack, click> <rack-rack, click!> <rack. Strip! rack.> "NO, BILL!" >[b] BA-WHOOM!!!> [Distant ringing]" 180 Remington soft point went through the wall, the outside siding, and into the neighbor's house, rested in the neighbor's 11 year-old son's wall, directly above his bed, where he was reading comic books. Wanna talk loud? My Gawd. Neighbor was amazingly cool about it. He got 4 cases of Bud Lite (his favorite) delivered to his front door over the next month, and his boys never wanted for fresh-baked cookies. Bill was pretty darned sorry...

December 1, 1999, 01:21 AM	#6
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	Jeez, LP, I've seen doubletaps aplenty, but never a quad! Good story, though, and you got the sound down perfectly. Not a crack, not a bang, not a boom, BA-WHOOM!!! (mental note: take tape recorder to the range next weekend and set enfield.wav as my Winders startup sound). ------------------ "The right of no person to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person and property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall be called into question.." Article 11, Section 13, CO state constitution.

December 1, 1999, 01:44 AM	#7
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11,546	Hey - that was cool LP... You fired a 4 post burst. [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color]? I cleaned off the 3 extras for yas. No prob.

December 4, 1999, 02:45 PM	#8
cdf Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 1999 Location: richmond, virginia Posts: 137	I recomend you guys see the movie Zardoz. A giant stone head flys around and distributes Enfields to a bunch of savages. This should happen more often.

December 7, 1999, 12:05 AM	#9
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11,546	ROTFLMAO! ------------------ "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud Hey - have you seen the new Ultimate Super Tactical Match Gun?

December 7, 1999, 02:27 PM	#10
Dr.Rob Staff Alumnus Join Date: July 28, 1999 Location: Denver Posts: 2,454	You should see the looks at the cherry creek range when I: Fire a black powder double on the skeet range: KA-WHOOOOOSH (rang officer comes running.. guy sitting in front of $50k SUV damn near drops $5k beretta shotgun, his wife spits coffee onto range bag and a sweet acrid cloud of white smoke rolls across the plain the kid next to you smiles) ahhhhhh. Oh its YOU again. Fire a 12 guage 870 stoked with 3 inch 1 ounce slugs on the 50 yard target with rifle shooter on one side and pistol shooters on the other. EVERYONE flinches. The gun recoils so hard the action opens itself and ejects the spent shell. You shake your head and shoulders and reload for another shot... everyone but you grits thier teeth.... Fire a 223 AK with wolf ammo and it doubles.. look around sheepishly.. was that me????? (super sharp report from the muzzle and the AK74 brake seems to make it noisier) I never noticed the enfeild to be that loud, though i recall the jungle carbine had a sharp report like a bell (maybe the reflection off the flash suppressor?) ALL muzzle breaks make guns noisy.. even those fancy BOSS system ones. Safty tip NEVER EVER stand next to a guy at an indoor range with a desert eagle 50.. i literally had to set my revolver down and WAIT until he was done I was flicking so bad everytime he pulled the trigger. Have fun and stay safe... Dr.Rob

December 12, 1999, 11:02 PM	#11
1S1K Member Join Date: October 29, 1999 Location: Ohio Posts: 58	I had a friend dry-firing his 9mm in his appment we had no idea he was doing it when we went up the stairs. When he heard us coming up he put the gun down opend the door and returned to practice. HE FORGOT HE PUT THE CLIP BACK IN. We were ten feet in front of him, That was loud The round went through his TV two walls and was stoped by a craftsman tool box. I once spoted for a guy with a 300 win mag and a brake on it. never agin.

December 19, 1999, 10:27 PM	#12
OkieGentleman Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 1999 Location: OKC Metro Posts: 521	I was at the Oklahoma City Gun range many years ago and watched a guy shooting a .458 American on an Enfield(?) action. After watching him shoot it for about 5 shots, he asked me if I wanted to try it. No Thanks was the reply and the same from the guy with me. The knuckles on the guys right hand were bloody from the trigger guard biting him. Only gun someone offered to let me shoot and I turned down the chance. And I am still not sorry I said no!

December 24, 1999, 01:11 PM	#13
Oleg Volk Staff Alumnus Join Date: December 6, 1999 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 7,022	Guess that's why so many Superredhawk .44 mag users are flinching...trigger guard beats up your left hend and the topstrap your right hand...who designed that junk, I can't guess. Sharp edges might look neat but they make the actual firearm hard to use. And don't get me started on the moron who was trying to MAKE his wife shoot a BAR in 7mm Mag in spite of her protests.

December 27, 1999, 04:04 AM	#14
George Hill Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 14, 1998 Location: North Carolina Posts: 11,546	Now - you dont have to live with sharp edges. you can round them off with some strips of sand paper. Cut strips and make like your shining a shoe. You dont have to remove much metal to smooth out the offending area. Refinishing is another story... God Bless Stainless! ------------------ "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud