I'm Back

[Dai.S.Loe]

Took me a while.

Its been the year of turmoil.

New house, bike accidents, change of job and all the other little things that happen to make life sucjh a varied thing.

I've been shooting all my rifles out the back on my 100 yard range and the local farmer has allowed me to use his land for middle and long range shooting (up to 1500 yards if i want).

Havent made it to a competition since March.

Finally finished my rolling block project. Now putting together the bits to make the rounds.

I wont be away for as long as I have been, in the future. I honestly didnt know if i wanted to carry on with CAS.

It has been that sort of year.

Been sort of deserted by all the other cowboys over here so I am completely out of the loop with regards to where and when the competitions are or who is going. Sort of takes the heart out of the sport when others forget about you.

Anyway, Sharron and I have decided that this year is for us and our home. We will not be running around after anyone else.

BTW As a teaser I thought that I would share with you my latest aquisition.

No photos yet but let me give you the run down

I started a new job and iI was announced to all the other empolyees with my hobbies as motorbikes and firearms.

About a week later I was approached by one of my fellows and they asked me if I would be interested in an old rifle.

Immediately i said yes.

It turns out that this woman and her husband had bought a house about 30 years ago and had it torn down to build a new one.

In the cavity that surounds the fireplace they found an old rifle. The spoke to the gentleman who they bought the house from (he was born and raided there and was at the time 70 years old), he knew nothing about it.

My fellow worker took the rifle and had it oiled and greased then she put it away as she doesnt have a license.

There it has sat wrapped up for 30 years in a box.

I am now the proud owner of a Snider carbine in .577

This carbine is complete and because of where it was stored has still all of its blueing and such.

95% original finish. Even the woodwork is very very good. Has the cavalry sidebar and ring still on it also.

Apparently in the 1860's and 70's Sniders were issued to the pioneers in NZ during the Maori Wars. They were supposed to be handed back when they finished but it seems the owner of this one decided not to do so and boarded it away in the wall where it stayed for over 100 years.

I have just been in touch with a gentleman here who turns out brass for the Snider and I have arranged to purchase 20 of them.

Now I need to find out what bullet it used and what powder loading it needs.

I now have two carbines from the same era.

One ( a Ballard from 1861) from the US civil war

the other  from the Maori Wars of the 1870's in NZ

Both rifles have seen action and both have a history.

Bloody weird how things just turn up

The Snider cost me NZ $600 (US$400) I think this was a real buy..


Chris

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Nice, Dai
Don't stay away so long this time.............Buck

[RattlesnakeJack]

Nice acquisition, Chris!

For all the help you'll likely ever need on loading for, and shooting, Snider-Enfields and other old British Empire military firearms, this is the place:
http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/

Lots of past postings on the Snider-Enfield forum to review, and very friendly folks to answer questions!

[Forty Rod]

Welcome back, Cousin Dai.

My grandfather brought a British-marked Snider rifle home from Switzerland in 1896.  It disappeared when my grandmother died in 1973.  One of the relatives took it, I'm certain, but I'm the only gun nut in the entire extended clan.

Sure would like to have it.