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A Penny For Your Thoughts!
For some time, I've been adding 25
and 32 caliber models to my design offerings. Medium powered models
... suitable (I think) for a vast array of usage and enjoyment.
But ... are they REALLY?
I've been testing a new slug in a new
rifle over the weekend. Having alot of fun with it.
I was shooting some groups ... that's
3 shots @ 12 yards ... my new 25 caliber 31.5 grain slug.
So's that ...
And it dawned on me ... we've had that
ongoing discussion regarding shooting off point of aim so I didn't
shoot out the aim spot ... but ...
I clicked the scope over alittle to
show you that it can be done. That's 3 more slugs @ 12 yards.
Same 25 caliber 31.5 grain slug.
Well, that's not too shabby ... so
I cast about looking for something "fun" to shoot at.
I decided to tack a penny on a board in front of the bullet trap.
Couple of brad nails under it - just
sit it there loose against the board. Board in clamped in a loose
sitting vise there. The board extended out maybe two feet from
the vise so - a pound or two of force on that two foot lever would
spin the vise easily. I figured maybe I'd hit the thing and bend
it alittle. Thought the spruce board and it's loose mount would
absorb some of the energy and maybe the coin would drop there.
So ... I shoot and the penny disappears....
And I can see where it was driven against
the board. But how did the slug shrapnel get embedded like that?
Must have been a pretty quick flip ...
Well, I looked around at the base of
the trap ... but no penny. I thought I may find it years from
now ... haha. Walked back to the bench and saw something in the
path half way back to the bench ... the penny!
Now THAT was unexpected! I'd faced
it with the monument out ... (didn't want to be accused of shooting
Lincoln ... ;?)
Well ... I'll be. These little pea
shooters pack a punch!
So - that only encouraged me you can
imagine ... my devious mind presented me with an immediate shop
drawing of a set of tooling to explore this farther.... ;?)
I took all of ten minutes (coffee break
time I assure you) ... and made up a steel tube with a slight
shoulder back an inch inside the opening. And, lest I be accused
of building a funnel at the mouth ... ;?) ... I shaved it back
the other way ... chisel edge shearing away from the opening.
Clamped the tube in the vise. The tube
is about 8" long and I wanted to capture the shrapnel ...
so ... I got about an 8" length of cold rolled shaft to loosely
fit up inside the back of the tube. That closed the tube ... but
I left a couple of inches between the penny and the shaft inside.
I was ready!
BANG!!!
Yes ... OF COURSE I hit it ... for
Pete's Sake ...
There's the tube (upper) and the shaft
(lower).
I pulled the plunger (which was driven
back a few inches) and inside was
..
Not a bent up penny ... but "Penny
Crumbs". C-R-U-M-B-S.
The rest are smeared with the disintegrated
slug on the end of the shaft.
Would someone else point out please
... (my modesty forbids it) ... point out that the slug is centered
on the shaft end. That you can note the spot on the base of the
slug which is placed there by the bolt during loading.
Some may say that these 25 caliber
Barnes Carbines and pistols we shoot at the Cup shoots are of
interest.
2;?)
Follow-up:
That's right ... pennies used to be
solid copper. I just happen to have a few (thousand ...), let's
see ... 1973, 1972 ... ahh ... 1961.
Found the penny and the slug. Neither
one remained in the tube tooling - but were, again, halfway back
to the bench.
Sort of turned that 1961 into a nice
turtle shell. ;?) You'll note the reverse letters (from the other
side) on the slug.
The fine print on this side of the
slug hemisphere. E*PLURIBUS*UNUM ... (LATIN
FOR - FROM THE MANY, ONE)
And the base of the slug.
Yes ... I hit it again! The penny on
the plank - shot #1, the zinc penny in the tube #2, and the copper
penny #3. Whodovthunkit?
Yes - I'll bring
the tooling to the Snob Cup Shoot ... we'll play with it.