Why The Saying “Old Is Gold“ Is Some Times Actually True

[Major Khan]

This morning ... I had the good fortune to go on a magnificent duck shikar with my good friend and fellow forum member , @Panther Shooter in the North .

As usual , I brought along my “ Old Belgian “ and 2 boxes of cartridges:
> Winchester Australia 12 Bore 2.75 inch 32 gram AAA cartridges ( Which hold 42 pellets to the cartridge) .
> Eley Alphamax 12 Bore 2.75 inch 36 gram #4 Bird Shot cartridges

We hunted 2 species of ducks :
> Chawkha ( Left of top photograph )
> Shorali ( Right of top photograph )

The Winchester AAA cartridges performed splendidly on the Chawkha ( Providing an excellent pattern out to 52 yards , from the fully choked left barrel of my “ Old Belgian “ ) , while the Eley #4 cartridges hammered the Shorali with utter impunity . I could not help but notice the superiority of these older pattern “ 1 Piece Compression Formed “ Winchester cartridges ( I mostly prefer Eley 12 Bore cartridges ) . A few years ago , I had the good fortune to trial some currently manufactured Winchester 12 Bore cartridges ( Shot size : #5 ) and I must say that I was rather unimpressed . The “ Modern “ Winchester 12 Bore cartridges do not even hold a candle to the “ 1 Piece Compression Formed “ Winchester cartridges from the days gone by . At least ... Not to me , anyway .

The old pattern “ 1 Piece Compression Formed “ 12 Bore cartridges , the humble Silver Tip and the pre 64 Model 70 ... reinforce my belief that some of Winchester Western’s older innovations , were actually their best .

 

[Saul]

Through your posts, I have come to fall in love with your Old Belgian. The stories that gun would tell if it could talk.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

My neighbor told me just the other day,
“When I was a kid quality was normal.” I tend to agree with him.
it looked as if you and PS had a good morning!

 

[fourfive8]

Major Khan,
Nice bag there with the mallards and the other hard-to-ID spp ! Looks like a couple of mallard drakes, something similar to a gadwall and brace of what looks like tree ducks?? but not sure

I absolutely agree with you about the Winchester compression formed hulls. They were by far the best foundation on which to build and test custom, high performance shot shells when I was doing that. There were quite a few pretty good, one-time-use (or at most few-time-use) factory shot shells developed in that era but the Winchester compression formed was the one that offered real advantage for reloading and testing. Shot shell ballistics really advanced during that period and was coincidental with the primary development and testing of steel and other non-toxic shot shells.... late 60s through the late 80s, IIRC. Federal was another leader at about that time, spending large amounts of R&D time and money on super effective and consistent, heavy hunting type shot shells. One especially good shot shell developed by Federal for large bird wing shooting was their 3 inch 12 ga, copper plated and buffered magnum lead BB load. Of course relatively short lived in the US market because of the requirement to use non-toxic shot for most bird hunting. Unbelievably effective, long range shot shell out of a good full choke gun for pass shooting sandhill cranes and Canada geese

 

[Newboomer]

Like the old saying,"They don't make them like they used to." Consider all the 100 plus year old guns still in use and shooting as good as they did back then. They had beautiful lines and workmanship, fabulous wood, meticulous fitting and engraving. Unlike the ugly black clubs of today that look like some conglomeration out of a science fiction nightmare. I had one of those abominations in 5.56 NATO and gave it to my son in law, got me a nice bolt gun. Same caliber with a laminated stock and stainless barrel. Not like walnut and blue steel, but it's OK. At least it looks like a real rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Like the old saying,"They don't make them like they used to." Consider all the 100 plus year old guns still in use and shooting as good as they did back then. They had beautiful lines and workmanship, fabulous wood, meticulous fitting and engraving. Unlike the ugly black clubs of today that look like some conglomeration out of a science fiction nightmare. I had one of those abominations in 5.56 NATO and gave it to my son in law, got me a nice bolt gun. Same caliber with a laminated stock and stainless barrel. Not like walnut and blue steel, but it's OK. At least it looks like a real rifle.

@Newboomer
With a little bit of love and attention some of the hundred plus year old guns shoot better than they ever did and some even better than the new stuff available today.
I have 2 that are proof tho this and one is close on 130 years old the other is a baby at a mere 107 years old.
Bob