Sporting Notes

HENRY RIFLE
Alexander Henry hammerless single-shot rifle, chambered for the .450 Express 3¼”. An elegant rifle of flawless workmanship.

Notes on Alexander Henry

When we think of British riflemakers, the names that usually spring to mind are Holland…
Typical shooting at long-range targets in formal tactical competition. Fun for what it is, it does not translate to practice for hunting, nor does it pretend to be. The targets are 500-700 yards and barely visible to the naked eye.

Hit and Miss

Last week was educational in a number of ways. I was at a gathering in…
GUNS
The Smith & Wesson Model 16-4 (top) and the Ruger Single-Six are about the same size. They will shoot any of the four cartridges shown. From top left, the .32 ACP, .32 S&W, .32 S&W Long, and the .32 H&R Magnum. Because the .32 ACP is semi-rimmed, it will not work in all revolvers, and should be tried only in strong, modern guns.

Bigger, But Not Better

A couple of weeks ago, I realized an ambition that has been lurking for 32…
rifle
If ever there was an American classic, this is it. This rifle brought $7,475. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction

The Latest From Rock Island

Rock Island holds three premier auctions every year. These are the sales where you see Wild…
Most of the guns mentioned, clockwise from left: High Standard derringer (.22 WMR), High Standard derringer (.22 LR), North American Arms revolver (.22 LR), BJT derringer (.38 Spl.) and the S&W Airweight (.38 Spl.) The J-frame Airweight is not much bulkier than the others, but is immeasurably better in every way.

Ya Gotta Wonder

A couple of years ago, I wandered into a gunshop and what should my wondering…
Strong? Here’s how strong: This filter contains two complete grinders full of freshly, ultra-finely ground, French roast. It will yield a little over one mug full to start the day.

One Last Remaining Vice

George Orwell is remembered as the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four and Animal Farm, but before…
The Sierra ZZ wood-burning stove. With the fire out, you can see the construction. Air is blown into the surrounding chamber, and then into the furnace through holes in the walls. That pile of firewood is enough to cook a couple of meals.

Cooking With(out) Gas

In 2008, I drove to the Yukon to go hunting with my old friend George…
Progression to the 11.15x51R, from left: Original .43 Mauser case, cut down to 2.1 inches, and then to 2.0 inches. The bullet is a 370-grain hollow-base from a custom mould, cut to duplicate the original UMC bullet for the .43 Mauser and .43 Spanish. Note the convex base of the cartridge case, known in Germany as the Type ‘A.’

An Odd Cartridge in an Odd Rifle

Gun collectors are a strange lot, and that’s putting it mildly. For example, a collector who…
The wherewithal of a Rigby rising bite double. It is one of the finest, but also one of the most difficult to make. In resurrecting the rising bite, Marc Newton and his staff at John Rigby & Co. in London have accomplished something truly fine. Photo courtesy John Rigby & Co.

The Apprenticeship News

As the late, great American essayist, A.J. Liebling, once wrote of boxing, “You can trace…
Joseph Harkom rook rifle — the same pattern as Holland & Holland’s “The Ross,” and likely made by the same manufacturer in Birmingham.

And the Winner Is …

In the interests of keeping readers abreast of the odd, the unusual, and the unexpected,…
T.J. Mortimer’s maker’s mark, in silver.

The Trials of Clan Mortimer

The name “Mortimer” pops up periodically throughout English and Scottish history. The earliest I ever encountered…
Alaska, 2013, and a late-season moose hunt. Fire is the most comforting — and sometimes life-saving — of mankind’s discoveries.

Fire

Among literary critics, there are usually two candidates for the title of greatest short story…