What is the life of a rifle barrel?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I think you#'ll find it's tampion, Jason

Neil

[Martin King 2Participant @martinking2]

Errrr.. Tompion…..

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

In the 1970's my father had a .243 and a .270 made by the London gunsmiths Rigby **LINK** He still has them and uses them on a regular basis. Beautiful pieces of engineering they are and lovely to shoot.

In the early 80's they made a .375 Holland & Holland magnum for him. While it was of course a beautiful tool it was 'orrible' to shoot. ………….. Bloody hurt.! Not so bad from the standing or kneeling position but shooting it prone was most unpleasant. – He did not keep it long.!

Nick

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Martin King 2 on 23/02/2016 19:03:21:

Errrr.. Tompion…..

OED uses both spellings

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

I take the spelling

But to be true the tale was told to me not read.so I concede the spelling to the pronounced word of some stoker

Here’s a link to another source http://www.msac.org.uk/wrecks/affray.htm

Funny I have read more than one reason for the abandonment of the ( 12″) gun.
I recall the word Washington convention given as the reason ..
But then that was about thirty years for me

[herbert punterParticipant @herbertpunter99795]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 23/02/2016 19:48:16:

Posted by Martin King 2 on 23/02/2016 19:03:21:

Errrr.. Tompion…..

OED uses both spellings

Wasn't he a clock maker?

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

The .375 H & H was/is the lower limit for shooting the big five. True, it had a heavy recoil and I have seen an FMJ bullet go through an Elephants head. A lot of big game shooters use 450 No 1's and 450 No 2's. These are side by side guns ( I was alongside a game warden when he fired one and the barrel split) Other guns used are the .458 Win. Mag. .470 : 45/70: and Paradox guns ( shotgun, very heavy with the last 6" of barrel rifled)

Smaller game is shot with 8 x 57 JRS and 8 x 60S. 7 mm is popular too. .22 LR is not allowed on game, only for birds like Guinea fowl etc. Also 20 gauge and 12 gauge shotguns for birds only. American and European hunters come into Kenya with all sorts of guns, some very expensive, considering that a full safari with a White Hunter guide and crew could cost £20000. One white hunter who I knew well, accepted some reloaded leftover 270 rounds when hi customer left. The he went after a Leopard on Mt. Kenya, sighted on it and fired, whereupon his rifle exploded driving the telescope into his left eye. Never fire rounds that you do not reload yourself!

Cape Buffalo are one of the most dangerous animals as more people are killed by Buffalo than any other when hunting. ( I have also seen bullets bounce off their tough horns, knocking the animal sideways and starting to get up when the killing bullet was fired)

I spent 3 years in Kenya and tried everything, climbing mountains and hunting for food and fishing, caught a Nile Perch of 167 Lb. which was my weight as well. Even the wife caught a 100 lb Perch. For £50 you could fly up to lake Turkana and fish all weekend and fly back Sunday evening. Quite difficult to own guns in Kenya unless you had a game licence, I could book a shooting area about the size of Yorkshire for £3.00 and only I was allowed to shoot designated game there. Mainly I would shoot Guinea fowl, yellow necks and Francolin.

Clive, the trout fishing was superb, browns, rainbows.

[VicParticipant @vic]

What about one of these for your next "bench rest" rifle?!

**LINK**

[Author]

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