Pedersoli Gibbs rifle.

[BPJONES]

Rebuilding carbs is fun isn't it

I had a Moto Guzzi T5 (850cc) that I put a lot of miles on. Rebuilt the carbs on it at the 50,000mi mark. New rings on the pistons, adjusted valves, replaced rear end gearbox, rewired it when I put in a new alternator, etc, etc. Lots of periodic maintenance on those things.

That's only getting broken in. I have an 81 Honda Silverwing Interstate 500 cc with 206,000 miles on it, lol.

[charlie b]

You are right. It had over 100,000 miles on it a few years later. It was my last motorcycle too. Got rid of it just after I retired for good.

[sharps4590]

For me, rebuilding SU's and Stromberg's is rather enjoyable. I will never, ever, touch another Holley or Quadrajet as long as I live....but the odds of that happening are as remote as me winning the lottery.

When I retired I kept the best of my work trucks and with only 126K on it, I suspect it will see me through....although I do know where there is a nicely restored Morris 1/4 ton pick-up that would satisfy my pick up/hunting/fishing vehicle needs....but Momma has threatened to slit my scrotum with a dull deer antler if I make any moves to acquire it....and I don't think my Husky would approve. He thinks the pick-up is his.

[charlie b]

I really hated 4bbl carbs of almost any kind. A bad solution for big power from huge engines on the street.

SU's and the various motorcycle carbs were simple to work on. Sync work could be a bit frustrating if you had 4 to do.

I got rid of my last pick up a few years ago. We no longer live in the country, don't hunt anymore, and don't have a fifth wheel to haul around so no reason to have one. Don't miss the size of them or the relatively poor gas mileage.

[sharps4590]

Yeah, sometimes I felt as if I needed 2-4 sets of eyes just to watch the linkage.

We still live in the country, no longer raise beef but still garden on a fair sized scale. Haven't hunted off the place since we moved back from Wyoming 17 years ago, never had a 5th wheel...or any other camper. Don't fish like I used to....don't do a LOT of things like I used to!!! For no more than my pick-up gets driven mileage is immaterial but, it does get about 22 mpg. Not bad for a small V-8. It's as good or better as any of my MG's...lol

I hate to be without something I need. I don't use the PU a lot but when I need one, I need one. Kinda like my oxy/acetylene torch. I don't use it one time in three years, usually but, it's been paid for for decades, tanks are near full, doesn't eat when not in use....and I'm not selling it. Time was I used it a lot!!

[charlie b]

Yeah, that was how I ran when we lived out of town. Truck, 2 cars and 2 motorcycles, three trailers. And wife didn't drive much. Tools enough to fill a garage and do major projects.

When I retired we decided to go full time in an RV. We had one for years that we used for vacation travel. So, when we moved into the big fifth wheel we downsized dramatically. Sold off almost all the tools (including a medium size vertical mill, 12x36 lathe, arc and gas welders) all the extra vehicles and trailers, all the furniture, etc. Really found out what minimal was

After a few years we are back in a house mostly due to medical conditions. I went back to hand tools for wood and metal work. Except for a drill press. I can't drill a straight hole no matter how many jigs I made up Things take longer but I have plenty of time

[sharps4590]

Wow!!...talk about a life style change!!! How did you handle that? My mill and lathe aren't nearly as big as you had...and honestly, I know just enough to barely use the ones I have but, I learn something every time I turn on the switch on one of them. 'Course, when you know next to nothing you oughta learn something!!

We've talked about buying a summer home or a winter home but both of us have decided we want to be where our "stuff" is....lol!! That and we've both already had medical conditions. All is well right now, praise God!! However, we've attained the age where the next one could be tomorrow.

I can't drill a straight hole or cut a straight line...and when it comes to wood, I am a master at making 3 things, sawdust, kindlin' and firewood. Beyond that...it's best I stay away from wood. Metal work I don't do too bad.

[charlie b]

ROFLMAO. Father-in-law was a master machinist so learned most from him, but, not nearly enough to be good at it. Just enough to make some stuff as I needed it. We also shared an interest in guns and reloading. He died before he could do one of his dream jobs, a Sharps from scratch. He used to say the milling machine and lathe were just fancy ways of making piles of metal chips. And, his father worked in a piano factory keeping all the saw blades sharp. Learned some wood working from him before he passed. I learned to love working with planes and hand saws.

It was a huge change in lifestyle. Also really good that we liked each other's company We enjoyed it a lot for a while but complications came into play that made it just not a good thing for us anymore. Thankfully the medical issues have not been major, but, they are ongoing, which means having regular doctor visits. Just emphasized the other things that you give up when living in a small space.

[sharps4590]

I've always looked in awe at those who had a summer and winter home and, as yourself, lived in an RV and were footloose and fancy free. My late mother-in-law and her second husband did the RV thing for several years until Dave passed away. They did keep their house to use as a base. I just don't think we could do either. In years past, planned vacations of more than a week didn't last the whole time before we were ready to come home....lol!! One time we were in South Dakota and had 5-6 dyas left that we'd planned. Got up in the morning and looked at each other. I asked Momma if she was ready to go home and she didn't hesitate with her "yes". I was ready too....lol! We like to travel but evidently in small bites. Ol' homebodies I guess...lol!

If it had an engine, Dad could fix it. From great big 16 cylinder, vertical, HO, diesel generators at the little power plant where he was the Superintendent...of a 3 man crew...to little 2 cycle engines. I'd probably do ok on the big diesel but all 2 cycle engines are demonically possessed.

[charlie b]

"all 2 cycle engines are demonically possessed."

I spit water all over my keyboard

Father-in-law was on diesel subs back in his Navy days. He and his engineering crew did a rebuild of the Fairbanks Morse diesels while underway one year (they were past due for overhaul but had to complete a mission). They were opposed piston two strokes, yes, two crankshafts. Apparently it was the only time it was ever attempted and the Captain got kudos for getting it done. I can't imagine doing something like that while bobbing on the surface. He did say when it came time for the touchy stuff (like winching the upper crankshaft in place) the captain would submerge so they weren't being tossed around.

We had already travelled a lot in our smaller fifth wheel, sometimes for a month or more. So, we knew we could do it for at least 'short' periods. We had already decided to sell our house in the country. It was just too big and more maintenance than I wanted to do for the rest of my life. And, if I happened to pass before my wife she would have to sell it anyway. Going to the RV was for the simple reason that we didn't know where we wanted to live. I was in the Army and we lived many places. Kids were in SC and WA. Wife's family in NM, mine in AZ. Friends in NC, MI and NY. So the RV was a way to see all of them and visit some other places we had always wanted to see. It kinda worked. We found where we wanted to live, it just came a lot sooner than we thought

[sharps4590]

Subs? Nope, not me, wouldn't happen. All I have for those guys is awe and gobs and gobs of respect.

We used to tent camp and float our Ozark creeks and rivers a lot...back when sleeping on a gravel bar didn't bother me. I think I remember that far back. We neve did do an RV though we talked about it. We also had a 22 ft. sail boat we would stay on for a few days. I suppose that could loosely be considered a type of RV...lol!. I enjoyed that immensely. Sailing is so peaceful....as long as the wind is steady and gentle.

[charlie b]

As far as I am concerned staying on a boat qualifies as an RV Probably even more confining and difficult to 'manage'. I don't like open water and never cared for the wave motion much. I fish in boats every now and then but not my favorite thing to do.

We used to tent camp a lot when the kids were little. I grew up tent camping quite a bit. When the kids left we decided to get a small RV and we used it to get away from the heat on weekends. We had some sort of RV off and on for 25 years. I will still go out by myself on fishing trips and I just sleep in the back of my car (small SUV).

[indian joe]

[QUOTE=charlie b;4988530]"all 2 cycle engines are demonically possessed."

I spit water all over my keyboard

I woulda too - he's right..........................

[sharps4590]

Yes I am....if I'm the one trying to work on them!! Dad could give one a dirty look and it would run better.

[charlie b]

I am pretty good with them, mostly because I used smaller ones on model airplanes. But, when one gets 'stubborn' I can get quite creative with my language Now days I use electric motors in all my models.

[sharps4590]

I'm on a first name basis with the guy at the service counter at the shop I take my 2 cycle's to.... Since I started using ethanol free premium our visits have become less frequent. The last time I tried to work on, and when I swore off ever trying to learn, a weed eater went airborne for about 30 feet out the garage door. At that time in my life I have every confidence my language was at least colorful....at worst, downright profane. The wife sarcastically asked if I got it fixed.

[Buckshot]

..............I have a Pedersoli Whitworth, and it is a very fine shooting rifle. But I do not have sights on it for truly long range. I HAVE shot it at relatively largish rocks at lasered ranges of about 600 yards Great fun!



Later on I ordered a English Rigby Sporting rifle 'kit' from Pecatonica River ( http://www.longrifles-pr.com/ ).



The rifle kit came with a Green Mountain octagon bbl 34" longm 45 cal / 18" twist. I had them install a breakoff breech and plug, set up for a drip bar.



For a front sight I used a windage adjustable front sight from a Swedish AG42B semi auto rifle. Well I had to adapt it for use on an octagonal barrel. The rear sight had very limited windage adjustment.



I had to make up a new base for the sight to make it removeable, and at the same time have a means to remain upright in a repeatable position for shooting. There is a groove in the base attached to the tang. This allows a plunger to ride in the groove, and to retain the sight in an upright position. Within the sight base is an extractor plunger from an M1 Garand to hold the sight blade in the upright position. If you look VERY CLOSELY you can 'JUST' make out the tip of the plunger in the fixed base on the tang.



The tang of the provided break off breech was only about 2" long, which was way too short. I removed it and welded on a longer piece of common piece of 1/2"X 1/8" common 1018 steel, and MiG welded it to the breech. Then finished up it's shape with other well known but unmotorized instruments of metal manglement.

..................Buckshot

[sharps4590]

Buckshot, a dear friend of mine has a Whitworth and the hexagonal mold for it. Could I bother you to ask for your load and the procedure you use for PP'ing the bullet or, if you do? He brought it out to the house and our results were not very good. I've been shooting ML's since the early 70's but literally only PRB's. That Whitworth is a different beast. I tried to apply a little BPC knowledge but that didn't seem to work very well either.

[charlie b]

Beautiful rifle. I love your work on the sights.

I'm on a first name basis with the guy at the service counter at the shop I take my 2 cycle's to.... Since I started using ethanol free premium our visits have become less frequent. The last time I tried to work on, and when I swore off ever trying to learn, a weed eater went airborne for about 30 feet out the garage door. At that time in my life I have every confidence my language was at least colorful....at worst, downright profane. The wife sarcastically asked if I got it fixed.

ROFLMAO. When building model airplanes I sometimes get one that frustrates me during the build. When that happens the airplane performs a "flight" into the nearest wall. I've also had tools magically disappear. Has not happened since I retired.

[Buckshot]

Buckshot, a dear friend of mine has a Whitworth and the hexagonal mold for it. Could I bother you to ask for your load and the procedure you use for PP'ing the bullet or, if you do? He brought it out to the house and our results were not very good. I've been shooting ML's since the early 70's but literally only PRB's. That Whitworth is a different beast. I tried to apply a little BPC knowledge but that didn't seem to work very well either.

...............You said your friend has "The Hexagonal mould for it". Which mould would that be, as there is/was 3 I'm aware of. When I bought mine there was a company in Tennessee which manufactured a 2 piece/block swaging arrangement. Their instructions were to lay a 50 cal lead bullet into one half, place the other half on top and then put it into a vice to "SWAGE" the hapless cringing fat cylindrical boolit into submission...... I mean 'Hexagonal' shape That was actually no bueno por ca-ca, lemme tell ya. At least, NOT following THEIR rather simplistic instructions.

So, about the easiest way to get a Whitworth shooting, and shooting quite well is to cast some regular boring old 45 caliber (.458") round size slugs, and work from there. You'd cast the slugs for your Whitworth using very soft lead and some tin. I didn't say PURE lead as you'd have to be one REALLY lucky person to happen on to actual real "Pure" lead. So to your very soft lead (And it WOULD be nice to actually know how hard/soft your lead was) you'd likely need to add some tin,, maybe. However I'd simply try it simply using your soft lead to start, as it might just be fine as-is.

Then using a series of Lee type push through (Swaging type) size dies, after lube-sizing to .458", you'd reduce your unassuming projectile to about .454" and try it in the muzzle. I say .454" just to cover bases. My Whitworth likes them to be .452", and so might yours. Mine is a Parker-Hale. Since this isn't a paper patched affair, you'll need to place a card wad down the bore atop the charge, then a 1/8" lube cookie (makeup and thickness subject to modification). Then slide the slug down the barrel. After a few shots you may have to apply a tad of effort to seat. A good starting place is 70.0 grs of 2Fg BP.

For paper patched slugs, I swage them to an OD of .446" and then 2 wraps of 9# paper. This yields an OD of right at .452" they won't 'Fall' down the bbl of their own weight but setting the ramrod on them will carry the slug to the bottom, even after many shots.



Before and after patching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRBk-1PPzoI This video is fun.

............Buckshot