Mama said "No, way"

[greener]

Over the weekend in a moment of weakness, I told my son that I was thinking about passing along his grandfather's .38 special (Military & Police?). A 750 mile drive followed by a dram or two of Glenmorangie and some serious grand-daughter time has strange effects on us weak-willed individuals. I compounded the errors of my ways by finally convincing my bride that a bit of time at the range would be fun. My wife has almost no pistol-shooting experience, but did a lot of 3-position small bore shooting a long time ago. After a few flyers with my .22 pistols she got the hang of it and did quite well even though I kept changing pistols and ammunition. I finally medication out the .38 and made the mistake of telling her that it looked like she had the front sight too high after the first 6 rounds. We then spent a while admiring groups and counting rounds in the 10-ring. On the way home, I told her of my plan to give her favorite son his grandfather's pistol, which was followed by some words like "not now," "in your will as long as I'm the Executrix" and "he really wouldn't appreciate it like you do." Called my son and told him that I finally got his mother to the range. When I mentioned the .38, there was a resounding "No, way" from across the room.

She is allowing me to take her back to the range. She likes the way I load magazines for her and tend to the .38 brass.

Anyone know where I can get a late '20's nickel-plated .38 special? It may be the only way out.

[toyfj40]

you should be a writer for 'Everybody Loves Raymond',
sounds just like a situation he'd get himself into...
-or-
Put the shovel down! time to stop digging...

[Bullseye]

Sounds like your wife found herself a "Gun Bunny!"

Keep getting her out to the range, having a common hobby is good therapy for a healthy marriage.

R,
Bullseye

[greener]

At least it gives me an idea for an anniversary present. After 37 years it's tough to come up with something original. Gives me a "reason" to go to the gun show this weekend.

The last time I was a gun bunny the single-shot firearm weighed 7 tons and shot 95-lb bullets. This is less strain on the back.

[bearandoldman]

At least it gives me an idea for an anniversary present. After 37 years it's tough to come up with something original. Gives me a "reason" to go to the gun show this weekend.

The last time I was a gun bunny the single-shot firearm weighed 7 tons and shot 95-lb bullets. This is less strain on the back.

Definetely not a CCW weapon, did it have wheels or tracks? Must have been fun to shoot though and definetely could see where you hit.

[Bullseye]

My bride would never buy the "I'm really going to the gunshow for you" routine. She didn't buy my commenting on the last three pistols, "Look how well they fit your hand Hon." Mine would see through that excuse like celophane camouflage.

I don't know about the "less strain on the back" comment either. Last I knew, you only fired those big guns when you needed to. Mine keeps going off endlessly with the, "Honey do this, Honey do that." If my back had a choice, the 95 pounder is looking better all the time.

R,
Bullseye

[greener]

Definetely not a CCW weapon, did it have wheels or tracks? Must have been fun to shoot though and definetely could see where you hit.

The only "CCW" was moving at night with no lights. M114's and M198's (155 mm) were towed (wheels). M110's (8") were tracked and came with 204-lb bullets (less powder). Getting 18 of them to arrive at the same target at the same time was a hoot. By the time we got around to M198's, they decided that I was of too lofty a rank to have any real fun.

[greener]

My bride would never buy the "I'm really going to the gunshow for you" routine. She didn't buy my commenting on the last three pistols, "Look how well they fit your hand Hon." Mine would see through that excuse like celophane camouflage.

I don't know about the "less strain on the back" comment either. Last I knew, you only fired those big guns when you needed to. Mine keeps going off endlessly with the, "Honey do this, Honey do that." If my back had a choice, the 95 pounder is looking better all the time.

R,
Bullseye

Think "Look how the pink grips fit your hand" would work any better?
Nice thing about artillery ears is that I have an excuse for selective hearing.

[Bullseye]

I guess you'll be looking for something like this:





R,
BUllseye

[bearandoldman]

M110's (8") were tracked and came with 204-lb bullets (less powder). Getting 18 of them to arrive at the same target at the same time was a hoot.

Now that would definitely qualify as a big bore super magnum. Some guys have all the fun and Uncle buys the ammo. What kind of group would that be?

[toyfj40]

M114's and M198's (155 mm) were towed (wheels).
M110's (8") were tracked and came with 204-lb bullets (less powder).

I missed-out on military service, but dad said his time in WW2 counted
enough for both of us... anyway, being only recently self-taught on
.22LR and .223 and some 9mm, I have an 'artillary/mortar' question.
First, my guns just go boom to propel the lead "bullet" to a target for the damage.
Bombs are complex devices, some with propulsion, guidance, triggers, etc.
but the simple, mass-produced 'mortar' sized bomblet is propelled
several hundred yards (and more) from the bazooka, Tank, howitzer
platform to it's target and explodes at the target...

my question: what is the basic design of such a 'bomblet' that it can
withstand the sudden-thrust of propulsion to launch...
and have some impact-trigger that makes them reliable (95+% ?)
to detonate... ? (web-page diagrams and illustrations welcome).
To minimize transport incidents, do some/many have triggers
attached at launch-time ?
Thanks for the insight, just something I never had occasion to learn.

I guess you'll be looking for something like this:
((image of Taurus PT22 removed))

Somehow, I don't expect a membership in Pink Pistols
would be a good idea...
Hmmm my RoseWood grips are not THAT "Rosey".

[Bullseye]

There's actually some good basic descriptions here :

http://science.howstuffworks.com/rpg.htm

At the bottom of the page are links to more info about mortars and rockets.

That whole military section isn't bad.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/military-channel.htm

One of my personal favorites with some interactive animations.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/machine-gun.htm

R,
Bullseye

[greener]

bear: In artillery a 50 meters is considered an acceptable group. You can tighten that up considerably.

[greener]

my question: what is the basic design of such a 'bomblet' that it can
withstand the sudden-thrust of propulsion to launch...
and have some impact-trigger that makes them reliable (95+% ?)
to detonate... ? (web-page diagrams and illustrations welcome).
To minimize transport incidents, do some/many have triggers
attached at launch-time ?
Thanks for the insight, just something I never had occasion to learn.

see http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land ... sld021.htm for pictures.

The point of the projectile is the fuze, which has a firing train that detonates a supplemental charge (TNT) which makes the projo go bang. The firing train is blocked by a pin that is pushed back and spun out when the round is fired.

To fire the 155mm round you assemble the parts. You screw the fuze (point detonating, or time for air burst) into the round, ram the round into the gun. Powder (seveal types depending on range) is then placed behind the projo. Powder comes in cannisters. Each powder cannister contains all the increments (charges) of the full powder. The amount of powder is determined by range. IF the range fired calls for 5 charges, you remove the bags labelled 6 and 7 from the powder and put 1-5 into the gun. You close the breech and put in the primer which looks like a .38 blank. On a towed 155mm gun the crew does all the ramming, powder placement, firing, bore swabbing by hand. A good crew can fire up to 12 rounds/minute for short periods.

The self-propelled guns have much of that done mechanically. The SP 155MM guns look something like flat-backed tanks. You may have seen them in the news coverage of the mid-east war.

The projectiles come in all types like high explosive, anti-tank and mines, anti-personnel bomblets, illuminating flares, smoke rounds and the like. The 8" and 155 could even fire low-yield nuclear war heads. The 155 range is up to about 30kilometers. If you get precise gun and target locations and make adjustments for powder, projo, weather and the like, you are much more accurate than the 50 meters I mentioned above. With the new fin-stabilized rounds, very, very accurate.

105 mm rounds look like big bullets. Powder and primer comes in a steel or brass case. All the other mechanics are similar.

Howitzers shoot arced trajectories. Tanks shoot flatter trajectories. With all the high-tech stuff in a tank, if you can see it, you can hit it the first time even while the tank is moving.

[bearandoldman]

bear: In artillery a 50 meters is considered an acceptable group. You can tighten that up considerably.

50 meters is pretty close at that range, especially with something that goes BOOOOOOOOOOOM and leaves a large hole in the ground where you butt has been, time to have your aide get you your brown pants.
Greener, I am oldman, Bear is my good looking Golden Retriever and we both answer to those names when called.