Week 31 2023

 This Week in Firearms History:

July 30: In 1866 New Orleans Democratic government orders police to raid a Republican Party meeting, killing 40 and injuring 150. In 1916 German Saboteurs blow up a munitions plant on Black Tom Island New Jersey. 

July 31: In 1777 Marquis de Lafayette is made a Major-General in the Continental Army; in 1917, the Third Battle Yreps aka Battle of Passchendaele begins.

August 1: In 1876 Colorado joins the Union as the 38th State; in 1914 Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany declares war on his nephew Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. In 1941 the first Jeep is produced.

August 2: In 1776 the U.S. Declaration of Independence is signed by 56 men; in 1876 Wild Bill Hickok is murdered while playing cards.

August 3: In 1492 Christopher Columbus sets sail on his 1st voyage; in 1914 Germany invades Belgium and declares war on France.

August 4: In 1790 The US Coast Guard is formed; 1906 Daniel B Wesson dies; in 1914 Britain declares war on Germany.

August 5: In 1305, William Wallace is captured by the British; in 1864 the Battle of Mobile Bay Rear Admiral David Farragut yells "Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!"; in 1884 the corner stone for the Statue of Liberty is laid.

Gun of the Week:  Marlin model 60

Few firearms have reached the level of success of the Marlin model 60. In fact, it is the only 22 rifle in the top ten most produced guns in the history of firearms.

More than 11 million model 60s were produced during its 60 years of production.

The gun was introduced by Marlin in 1960 (thus the name) and was brand labeled for nearly every sporting goods, department and auto parts store chain in America and Canada. Many different names were applied to the barrel, the most common was Marlin's own "Glenfield" name.

The gun was an improvement in design and manufacturing costs over the model 99 which was introduced in 1959.

The action is semi-automatic, blow back, the cartridges are fed from a tubular magazine mounted under the barrel.

The gun was amazingly accurate (thanks to its micro-groove rifling) and was very affordable. Very few gun collectors do not own at least one model 60 (I own 3 + 1 model 70P).

In 1967 a box magazine fed model was introduced, called the model 70 and then a take-down version of the model 70 was created in 1986 called the model 70P. The model 70 transitioned to the model 795.

Production ended in 2020 after 60 years, it was produced in the old New Haven plant, the North Haven plant and at least two of Remington's plants.

Marlin is now owned by Ruger, who produces the biggest competitor to the model 60, the 10/22. It is still unknown if Ruger will bring the model 60 out of retirement.

Read more about this rifle here

Cartridge of the Week:  270 Winchester 

The 270 Winchester owes much of its popularity to one man, a Mr. Jack O'Conner.

Often called "270 Jack", O'Conner was a gun writer, big game hunter and reloader who would talk up the 270 cartridge ad nasuem.

The cartridge was introduced by Winchester in their model 54 rifle in 1925, having developed it over the two years prior. It was developed to be a flatter shooting version of the 30-06 Springfield. The .277" bullet is most often loaded at 130 grains, it can be had in weights from 100 grains to 150 grains.

While it never replaced the 30-06, it did displace other cartridges and became one of the most popular medium to large game calibers.

Gun Quote of the Week:

"Nothing says goodbye like a bullet" - Phillip Marlowe

Bubba Gun of the Week:

Multiple hardware store trips were required to build this fine AR rifle. The submission comes from Tommy Tronks of Beaver Lick, Kentucky and was featured in our 2021 competition for Gunsmithing.

  

Gun Sticker of the Week:

This Dr Suess inspired sticker is available here

Gun T-Shirt of the Week:

Here is a shirt for fans of WWII guns, buy them from Forged From Freedom.