Contents:

• Baltimore Show 15-16 March.
• Ammunition Tidbits:
• Introduction to .30-06.
• Is My Ammo Corrosive?
• Dangerous 7.62x54R ammo.
• Mannequins for Uniform Display.
• Two Polls for our Newsletter Subscribers.
• Book Review:Billy Pyle's The Gas Trap Garand.
• Military History Trivia.
• Darwin Award Nominee.
• Featured Collector Group  (Winchester Arms Collectors Association)

Feature Article:
 

This is a good time to adjust your work and play schedules to ensure that you get to the "Baltimore Show" March 15-16, 2003 at the Fairgrounds in Timonium, MD, just off the interstate.  Easy to get to from anywhere from Maine to Miami, and worth the trip if you live anywhere from Kalifornia to Kansas as well.

This is the finest gun show in the United States, held once a year by the volunteers of the Maryland Arms Collectors since 1955. Tables are almost impossible to get, but just attending the show during public hours is a great experience.  Bring the family, as they have really superb food, not the usual gun show hot-dogs.  Next to the food area will be many entertaining and educational demonstrations by living history groups, and great displays from public and private museums and collections.  Springfield and Harpers Ferry are usually there with special items, and there is usually a cannon collection to enjoy.

Post 1898 handguns are NOT ALLOWED in the building.  No beef jerky, no camouflage or surplus junk.  Just 800 tables of really neat stuff from pricey antiques from the elite dealers to modestly priced guns, bayonets, parts and accessories from club members.  Check out the photos from last year's show in the "photo gallery" at http://www.baltimoreshow.com/

If you are a member of the Society of American Bayonet Collectors, don't forget that their annual meeting is held Saturday night with a nice dinner and great "show and tell" session afterwards that even spouses seem to enjoy.  (SABC members also get special rates at the Holiday Inn, if you need another incentive to join.)

While at the show, stop by table M29 and say  "Hi" to John Spangler.  If you have some stuff to sell or trade, bring it along.

Introduction to .30-06:

Many gun collectors overlook the fact that without ammunition even the most modern rifle is useless except as a bayonet holder which makes it a poor substitute for the pike used from the earliest conflicts through the mid 18th century.  Ammunition is a vital part of the weapons system, and there is often an amazing variety of types available.  To really delve into the details of a single caliber such as the .30-06 you could read a 382 page book, called ".30-06".  However, a great introduction to .30-06 ammunition by the same author is now available on line. It also has lots of color photos to show the details.  Much of it is focused on U.S. military .30-06 ammunition, but foreign and sporting cartridges are also included.  It will take a while to read it completely, so wait until you finish this Newsletter before you go check it out on the International Ammunition Association website http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/30-06intro/

Is My Ammo Corrosive?

Lots of new collectors and shooters are getting rifles from the CMP program and finding out that part of the fun is to shoot them.  Unfortunately, many younger collectors and shooters are unaware of the hazards of shooting "corrosive primed" ammunition.  In simplistic terms, corrosive priming is nasty stuff that will make your barrel rust and rot in a matter of days and turn it into worthless junk if not cleaned properly.  That means cleaning with hot soapy water or the old foul smelling GI bore cleaner for three days in a row, starting no later than the day you shoot corrosive ammo.  If that is too much work, or too big a risk, then make sure you use NON-CORROSIVE ammo.  Courtesy of the U.S. Army, we have a neat table showing the exact lot number and date U.S. military makers made the change.  You can use that to see if that cheap U.S. surplus ammo you got is okay.  Check it out at http://www.cartridgecollectors.org/30-06intro/ammo-nctable.htm.  We regret that we cannot help with any foreign ammo, but if you are not sure, treat it as corrosive. 

Dangerous 7.62x54R Ammo:

BRASS CASED 7.62x54 Hungarian or Bulgarian rifle ammo with a number 10 on the base and painted YELLOW Tips- It has been reported by some users that this ammo is dangerous and will blow the bases off. Apparently this is some kind of super ball ammo and will function okay in Moisin Nagants but may be dangerous in Dragunovs and Tokarevs.  (Thank to Al in Phoenix for this tip.)

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Mannequins For Uniform Display:

We mentioned these last time, but finally got the info posted.  If you want to display one or more uniforms without spending a fortune on museum quality or department store fixtures, here is a great option.  This info is located on the Utah Gun Collectors Association website and you may enjoy looking around on the rest of the site as well.  The mannequin info is at http://www.ugca.org/03jan/gusinstructions.htm.

Two Polls For Our Newsletter Subscribers:

Please take a minute and give us your vote on these two topics. Here are the questions for you to think about, and the link to the polls is after the questions. Please vote. Your input will help us serve you better. (All responses are confidential and anonymous, and will not raise the price of your free newsletter.)

Question 1: How can we make it easier to find the guns you are looking for?

We expect to be adding about 250 guns from a very nice collection, heavy on military arms, ranging from some common surplus and DCM/CMP guns up to some exceptionally nice or rare specimens of desirable sniper models or scarce variations like a Johnson and a number of exotic Lee Enfields.  We want to try to organize the collectible gun sections of our catalogs to make it easy for you to find things.  (Okay, honestly, we really want you to find all this good stuff and BUY it!)  The non-collectible modern guns will remain on a separate page. We have listed several options for the collectible arms below. Which of the following would you like us to use for the collectible guns?

• CURRENT Division:
  • Collectible Handguns
  • Collectible Longarms
• NATIONALITY Division:
  • US Handguns
  • Foreign Handguns
  • US Longarms
  • Foreign Longarms
    
• AGE Division:
  • Pre-1899 Antique Handguns
  • Post 1898 [FFL/C&R FFL Required] Handguns
  • Pre-1899 Antique Longarms
  • Post 1898 [FFL/C&R FFL Required] Longarms
    
• AGE And NATIONALITY Combination:
  • Pre-1899 Foreign And US Antique Handguns
  • Post 1898 Foreign And US [FFL/C&R FFL Required] Handguns
  • Pre-1899 Antique US And Foreign Longarms
  • Post 1898 US [FFL/C&R FFL Required] Longarms
  • Post 1898 Foreign [FFL/C&R FFL Required] Longarms
    
• I really don't care because I don't plan on buying anything.

 

Question 2: How old are you?

What are gun collector age demographics, and is there an age difference between the folks who get our newsletter and those who just visit the page?  
We will be asking the age question again on the main page of OldGuns.net in a week or so. If you answer here, please do not vote again there, as we want to see if there is an age difference. (All responses are confidential and anonymous.  No insurance salesman will call.)

The polls are located at the following address: (It only takes a few seconds to vote, see the results and return here)

http://www.oldguns.net/newsletter/nl8polls.htm

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Book Review:

The Gas Trap Garand

by Billy Pyle
296 pp. 8.5" x 11" Collector Grade Publications, 1999, $59.95

Billy Pyle is a dedicated researcher with an obsession for accuracy and minute detail.  This book is the definitive study of the "Gas Trap" Garand, which is exceptionally rare now.  Although about 50,000 were made, nearly all (with maybe 50-100 exceptions) were upgraded to the "gas port" configuration that is now immortalized as the "finest battle implement ever made" (according to George S. Patton.)  Far from merely a checklist of technical details for a collector fortunate or optimistic enough to see a "gas trap" in their collection, this is a superb history of the painfully slow development of the Garand and its final adoption as the U.S. service rifle in 1936.  Additionally it is loaded with insights into the intended functions of many seemingly simple parts that play an important role in making it function.  These are provided by Art Tuttle, who was the "troubleshooter" for John C. Garand, as liaison with the manufacturing folks, and who probably knows more about the details of the M1 Garand than any person except Garand himself.  As usual with "Collector Grade Publications", it is loaded with excellent photos and well laid out.

I found it especially interesting to read this fine book right after Bruce Canfield's excellent study of Melvin Maynard Johnson and his rifles (reviewed in our last OldGuns.net Newlsetter).  Johnson constantly complained about how he was being treated unfairly and his hastily developed rifle was not being adopted after one or two trials because of Ordnance Department favoritism or corruption.  However, Pyle's study shows that Garand's design was not an instant success, and endured considerable criticism and many trials and subsequent modifications before it was adopted, and even more minor improvements as it was placed into production.  The "not invented here" factor undoubtedly worked against Johnson and supported the Army's desire to stick with the Garand.  However it is important to remember that Johnson's rifle was offered at a time when the Garand was already in production at Springfield, at a time when U.S. entry into World War II seemed inevitable, and Remington and Savage were being flooded with rifle orders from the British.  However badly this hurt Johnson's foundering gun making business aspirations, or his feelings as a member of a wealthy family with helpful political connections, it appears that the Ordnance Department was acting in its traditional bureaucratic ways, and, indeed, seeking the best possible rifle for our troops.  Perhaps if Johnson's design has begun at the same time as Garand's work, and they had both endured the same number of trials and opportunities for improvement the outcome may have been different.

For the serious collector or student of history, it is essential that you read BOTH of these fine books.  Then for an entertaining, but meritless, contrary view that the Ordnance Department never liked anything new or did much worthwhile, you can read an execrable diatribe called "Misfire".  I forget the author, and would take issue on most of his contentions, but mention it anyway.  Find a copy in a library rather than wasting money on it, if your masochistic tendencies impel you to inquire further.

I just learned that Pyle has released a second edition of his Ordnance Tools, Accessories, and Appendages of the M1 Garand.  While I have not seen a copy yet, I love the earlier edition and encourage everyone interested in Garands to get a copy of this book as well.  This will identify numerous neat items from slings and saddle scabbards to grenade launchers and ordnance depot tools and rifle racks that you MUST have to complete your collection.  (Show it to your spouse in case they doubt your word on such matters.)
Review by John Spangler

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1. Following a massive naval bombardment 35,000 US and Canadian troops stormed ashore at Kiska, in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska. 21 troops were killed in the ensuing firefight. It would have been worse if there had been any Japanese left on the island.

2.  During the Spanish American War, a U.S. Navy ship entered the harbor of the Spanish controlled Island of Guam, and fired several shells at the fort.  The Spanish Commander promptly sent a boat out and apologetically announced that he was unable to return the salute, as he had no ammunition.  He was unaware that the U.S. and Spain were at war, but promptly surrendered when informed that it was not a "salute" that was being rendered.

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Darwin Award Nominees:

(Two Grenade stories-  Moral of these is- don't mess with explosive stuff that is loaded.  We would not want to embarrass your family by printing a story about you!)

(Note: Darwin Awards are earned by those who remove themselves from the gene pool by extraordinarily stupid actions, demonstrating the survival of the fittest members of a species.) Used courtesy of http://www.darwinawards.com

Saw a Grenade 
2002 Darwin Award Nominee
Unconfirmed by Darwin 

(July 2002) This story was told at a symposium dinner, by two Austrian pathologists who work together in Germany. A deceased male was brought to them for a post mortem. He had suffered severe head trauma. According to police reports, the man wanted to see how a German World War II hand grenade was constructed. His curiosity led him to clamp the grenade in a vise, and cut a thin band around the center with a circular saw, so that he would be able to crack open the two halves. Unfortunately, the man cut a little too deep, and detonated the grenade. The pathologists stated that the man had very little brain material when he was brought to them; however, they were not sure if that was a result of the explosion!

DarwinAwards.com © 1994-2002

Short Arm of the Law 
2002 Honorable Mention
Confirmed True by Darwin 

(May 2002, Pakistan) Usually it's the criminal, not the judge, who attempts to take himself out of the gene pool. But not in this twist of a familiar tale! A man accused of possessing a hand grenade challenged police to produce it at his trial. When the police brought the grenade into the courtroom, the defendant claimed it was not real. The judge absentmindedly took the grenade in his hand while listening to arguments -- and pulled the pin! He was injured, but survived, no doubt with improved judgment.

DarwinAwards.com © 1994-2002
Submitted by: Mani
Reference: AFP, Khaleej Times, Herald Sun

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Featured Collector Group:

Main Area of Interest:     Winchester Arms Collectors Association (WACA) was founded in 1977 and is devoted to everything Winchester, although understandably most of the action seems to center around the lever action rifles.

Geographic area of members:  Large international organization, with over 2,000 members worldwide, the vast majority from the U.S.

Publications:

• The Winchester Collector, published quarterly.  About 40 pages filled with an eclectic mix of excellent articles, news tidbits (sometimes a bit stale), and lots of advertising from various dealers and collectors. Lots of photos and also a listing of Winchester related books available to members at a discount. Quality of publication is somewhat erratic, always nicely done,but often the content has less meat than one would hope.
• Website http://www.winchestercollector.org has contact information and background on the group as well as several sample articles from the publications, and a brief FAQ section.

Meetings:  WACA sponsors two shows a year. The premier show is in Cody, WY and provides an excuse (as if one is needed) to visit the famous and magnificent Buffalo Bill Historical Center which happens to be home of the Cody Firearms Museum, which had its origins in the factory collection established by Winchester. The Cody show will be June 20-22, 2003. (Note: Another group usually has a show in Cody a week or two from the WACA show.) Their East Coast show is held in conjunction with the show at the "Big E" in West Springfield, Massachusetts and will be held October 4-5, 2003. They sometimes have a West Coast show in conjunction with the "Big Reno Show".

Prominent Members: Pick up any book on Winchesters and the author is probably a WACA member.  George Madisis probably the best known and as the premier authority on the subject, he encourages high standards of accuracy among others.

Who should belong:  Anyone who collects anything in the Winchester field, from flashlights (yes, and you would not believe the collection one member has, with probably 50 different types, many new in the box, with correct batteries, store displays,etc!) to all the Winchester firearms.

My observations/comments/recommendations: Amazing amount of knowledge presented, and gladly shared among members via the publications, at at their meetings and shows.  Beginners welcomed as well as advanced collectors.  A fun group, from extremely diverse backgrounds, ages, interests. If you like Winchesters, you should be a member. Despite the size, I sense that the group is somewhat struggling, as is often the case with groups that depend on volunteers to do most of the work. It has been much better in the past, and I expect that it will regain its vigor again.

NOTE: There is a similar group called the Winchester Club of America which is a splinter group formed about 10 years ago when some Winchester collectors got in a peeing contest over who was in charge of WACA. Each group claims they are the good guys and the other folks are not quite as good. WACA is the older, and in my personal view, the better of the two. I expect that eventually the two will merge again, but there are a lot of egos and agendas and emotions involved, so maybe not.

Membership Applications:  Submit application available from website.
(Note: John Spangler is a member and will be happy to sponsor new members and send applications to you).

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This is the end of the OldGuns.net Newsletter

We hope it was useful or interesting.  We invite you to visit Antique and Collectable Firearms and Militaria Headquarters, http://oldguns.net when you are ready to add to your collection, or even if you decide to sell all or part of it.
John Spangler & Marc Wade

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