Thumbcocker
Active Member
Mrs.Thumbcocker and I went retro this week and took some vintage iron to the range. I had cast a bunch of 358495s and loaded them over 3.0 of promo in Winchester wadcutter brass. The guns were a pre model 10 2" with tacky but vintage Franzite grips born in 1948, a model 15 with Roper (I think) grips born in 1969, and the newly acquired model 14 that was born in 1970.
Mrs.Thumbcocker shot at 7 yards with the 14 and 15 at the same target. 5 shots from each. She pronounced the model 14 to be "SWEET!" and like the 25 ok. For giggles I tried the snubby with Lee 125 rnfps over 4 grains of promo at 25 yards. Once I figured out it was sighted in for a 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards (a thousand curses on the fiend who decided that fixed sights should be set 4-5" high) I did ok. I think that old gun is capable of sub 3" groups with a lot of snake eyed concentration. I shot the 14 at 25 yards . First shot was high (I wiggled) making me think I needed to hold low. Second shot was low. Held dead on for the last 3 and they were all in the bull.
We got to talking with a nice guy about our age (we are 64) and asked is he would like to shoot the 14 with wadcutters. Told him to cover the bull with the front sight. At 7 yards he put 6 into or touching the bull. He was thrilled. I gave him his target and he left holding it like a diamond.
I suprised Mrs.Thumbcocker by taking her down to the rifle range. I blew up 2 red 8" balloons (put a piece of 9mm brass in each one), placed them on the 50 yard berm. I told Mrs.Thumbcocker that the gun didn't care how far the target was and to put the front sight on the balloon and squeeze the shot. The result was 2 popped balloons with 3 shots fired and a wife with a mile wide grin. It was a good day.
Mrs.Thumbcocker shot at 7 yards with the 14 and 15 at the same target. 5 shots from each. She pronounced the model 14 to be "SWEET!" and like the 25 ok. For giggles I tried the snubby with Lee 125 rnfps over 4 grains of promo at 25 yards. Once I figured out it was sighted in for a 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards (a thousand curses on the fiend who decided that fixed sights should be set 4-5" high) I did ok. I think that old gun is capable of sub 3" groups with a lot of snake eyed concentration. I shot the 14 at 25 yards . First shot was high (I wiggled) making me think I needed to hold low. Second shot was low. Held dead on for the last 3 and they were all in the bull.
We got to talking with a nice guy about our age (we are 64) and asked is he would like to shoot the 14 with wadcutters. Told him to cover the bull with the front sight. At 7 yards he put 6 into or touching the bull. He was thrilled. I gave him his target and he left holding it like a diamond.
I suprised Mrs.Thumbcocker by taking her down to the rifle range. I blew up 2 red 8" balloons (put a piece of 9mm brass in each one), placed them on the 50 yard berm. I told Mrs.Thumbcocker that the gun didn't care how far the target was and to put the front sight on the balloon and squeeze the shot. The result was 2 popped balloons with 3 shots fired and a wife with a mile wide grin. It was a good day.
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