Saga of the Asperly Aimless

[fecmech]

ust another sign of the times. Some quicker, more astute buyer snatched it up immediately. I'm sure they'll be back to normal availability soon.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. The Aimless was in the new New York Safe Act as a prohibited weapon and could very well be in Feinsteins new assault ban!

[Reg]

As I recall, the final reason for the demise of such a fine weapon was the Professor was a far seeing type and just knew that he had to be first on the market with a lawyer proof trigger. Guess he was just too far ahead of his time. The 16 pound four stage trigger, not unlike some current Rugars, was simpley not accepted back then but now of course, it is accepted as standard.

[9.3X62AL]

I wouldn't be too sure about that. The Aimless was in the new New York Safe Act as a prohibited weapon and could very well be in Feinsteins new assault ban!

No wonder the Asperley Aimless has disappeared from retailer shelves! There's no better marketing scheme for a firearm system than to have it focused upon by Dianne Of The Castro District.

[Blacksmith]

I have a rare Asperley Aimless Mount which I believe is used to join two Asperly Aimless's together in order to double the randomness factor. It is of heavy steel construction with square holes perfect for holding the Asperly stock weights referred to in earlier posts. I have found a picture of a similar one on the internet here:
https://www.progressiverailroading.c...e-Plates--5445

However I was wondering if anyone had a picture of one in use with the Aimless guns. I am currently using mine to keep my truck bed mat from flapping but if I am ever stuck with two Asperlys at the same time I might try it out.

[Bad Water Bill]

Just another sign of the times. Some quicker, more astute buyer snatched it up immediately. I'm sure they'll be back to normal availability soon.

Wasn't the ASPERLY one of the most dangerous on the NOT SO FINE STINE list of banned firearms but also on her list of to be DESTROYED ON SITE?

[waksupi]

The Asperly is generally only dangerous to the nut that pulls the trigger.

[Bad Water Bill]

What about the fruit(cakes) that show up at a gun show with more money than brains and spend the REQUIRED 7 figure amount to purchase a firearm as rare as an ASPERLIE?

Not worried about the fruits,

just do not want to see a true piece of AMERICANA destroyed.

[Blacksmith]

It's been 6 months and we have a lot of new members that have not learned of the saga of the Asperly Aimless or the outcome of Donnas wooden leg holding up the potting bench. So bump to the top.

[Bad Water Bill]

Just to inform some of the MILLIONS that have paid their exorbitant fees to join our exalted membership

here is the start of the Saga of the Asperly Aimless as reported by one of our internationally renowned casters BUCKSHOT

...........Note: The idea came from an early "Handloader" or "Rifle" magazine, and the title of the article therein was the 'Asperly Aimless'.

My iteration consisted of 3 posts on the "Single Shot" forum at the old Shooters.com BB. These were dated from Jan 12th to Jan 16th, 1998.

..........I recently came across the name of Proff Brutus Asperly in some casual reading, and recalled his remarkable firearms invention, the Asperly Aimless series of rifles. In fact I had been almost successfull in expunging from my memory the fact that I did in fact still own one. I felt that by now I might be safe in re-aquainting myself with the piece.

I then went outside and removed the Asperly from where it was propping up a corner of my wife's potting bench. As I stood there holding it, my mind went back to when it had become mine. I'm sure all of you can recall such incidents yourselves. I had the 'Need', and you know how that goes. The haggleing was long and drawn out. Both the owner and I were growing weary of the back and forth offers and counter offers. It was becoming acrimonious and I could get him to go no higher.

Giving up, I pocketed his hard earned $30 and shouldering the Asperly, I went home. Reference material on these is scarce to the point of being non-existant. I suppose it wasn't well advertised and owners may have been reluctant to mention owning one?

Regardless, I have done my best in determining the model of which I became the owner. I have come to beleive that this is the Asperly Grande Deluxe Spontaneous Model, MkII. The Target version at that. I further believe it had been owned by a target shooting team, as the initials AT&SF are branded into the stock. As further evidence of it being a target model, what I thought at first were spare cartridge recepticals are in fact places for addition weight.

There are 4 such places and after much experimentation I have found that cheap and easy to come by railroad spikes fit handily into each hole. This allows weight regulation. The stock is also very well weatherproofed. The stock is also fully checkered in what appears to be the rasp and hammer method, an early forerunner of the more common impressed type checkering.

Beyond assertaining it to be the Target version, strong evidence of it being also of Grande Deluxe lineage (and the MkII at that) is how the stamped sheet metal breech block and cotter key breech locking device are both fully engraved. Bear in mind too that the cotter key is retained by a BRASS bead chain. The engraving is very tastefully done with what was apparently a prick punch and single jack.

As an example, on the side of the action, what some have thought to be a dog pointing at a turkey, is in fact a dog pointing. However under close examination it comes to light that he is using his left rear leg to point not at a turkey but a bush. There must be quail under it. Scenes of this type are not often seen on the more mundane firearms.

To leave the firearm for a moment, we should know the reason for the good proffessors developement of these rather unique firearms. While not a hunter or even a 'Gun Guy' himself, he felt that there was no longer any real sport in game hunting with the modern cartridges available. Add to that the magic of rangefinding scopes, scent killing clothes, etc and etc. In addition to that, with such things, the poor hunter's entire experience is over way too fast. So our exceptional Prof Brutus Asperly conjured up a means to give both the game animal and the hunter a much richer experience.

In the next installment I'll explain and describe the rather unusual sights, loading proceedure, and if I feel up to it we might even fire it.

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

[Blacksmith]

Asperly Aimless the original Rail Gun!

[fecmech]

Asperly Aimless the original Rail Gun!

Could this be one of the early .45-70 models?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlpUO5aMtYk

[1Shirt]

Almost bought one once, but like making mistakes in buying guns, thought I made one once but was mistaken!
1Shirt!

[HABCAN]

I recently received an eMailed offer of a genooine Asperley Aimless from a doctor's widow who had located it in the bank of a tributary river to the Bight of Benin. It could be mine if only I would requite her great passion and incidentally marry her. I declined, telling her how lucky she was to have a genuine artifact from the days of more-enlightened exploration, and she was on no account to even dream of returning it to these shores. She called me an unfeeling racist. I told him I didn't need his attentions, but that he should seek solace with the widow who claimed ownership of a priceless artifact guaranteed to make his fortune if parlayed to the right party. Keep checking Gunlist................? It might turn up and one of you aficionados can snatch it before someone gets seriously hurt.

[9.3X62AL]

".....tributary river to the Bight of Benin." Any word on the trout fishing? I know the investment opportunities are legendary.

[montana_charlie]

Wasn't the ASPERLY one of the most dangerous on the NOT SO FINE STINE list of banned firearms but also on her list of to be DESTROYED ON SITE?

Pretty sure that it was the first rifle ever built that incorporated the shoulder thing that goes up.

[onceabull]

Thank goodness for the warning, as less than an hour ago we caught a call from what claimed to be a human..The accent was so unique I couldn't readily determine this ones sex or even guess at a race..BUT,finally got them to spell out what the were selling...An exquisite ,unmolested ,Aspxxxxy Aimxxxs...!! STAY ALERT...Onceabull

[Bullshop Junior]

I wanna see photos. I am fascinated.

[Wayne Smith]

Solly, photo impossible - camera break!

[shooter2]

I guess I have led a very sheltered life. I have never heard of it nor seen one. How about some pics?

[Blacksmith]

In some jurisdictions the mere possession of an image of an Asperly Aimless will get you locked in the pokey or worse, they may even have one and make you take it home. However once you have seen one you can never completely erase the image from your mind. Sort of like the pictures of girls the Bullshop junior used to post before he was threatened with Girty's retribution.

Of course we astute firearm aficionados are always interested in further technical details and load data for these classics of firearms history. Hopefully someday there will be enough information for someone to write a book, or at least a magazine article, maybe an ad on craig's list.

I have seen a report that Richard Lee tried to develop a Lee Loader for the Asperly Aimless but since this was before the era of the Flat Rate Box from the post office there was no economical way to ship them other than a dedicated Great Big Double Clutching "E" Flat Semi Tractor Trailer Truck which is not very economical.