CaptainBeaky

I suspect more modern ones will eat anything you give them, but this is a piece of 1950's Americana, so possibly a little more fussy. I'll with work around the CompX issue, and get some Fiocchis to feed it in the meantime.

Ah. Wish I'd known that before buying a thousand! Still, they work fine in the o/u and sxs, so they'll get used up, if I don't put then up for sale on pw.

Took the Higgins out for some exercise again today - not so good this time :( Lots of ftf today, almost all double feeds - I tend to put the next two cartridges in the magazine, then eject the last empty case from the previous pair. At least half the time, it would release both cartridges from the magazine. I didn't have this problem last time - the only thing that has changed is the cartridges: Fiocchi TT One last time, Hull Comp X this time. (Case length is the same at 65mm). If not just the gun not liking the Comp X's, any suggestions as to the source of the problem? NB. Still lots of fun, even with the feed problem.

Take the lumens figures on Ultrafires with a big pinch of salt - if you manage to get 2000 lumens out of an XML-T6, you will melt it first. Solarforce are good and tough in your budget range.

There's your clue - the seller is not a member, so won't respond here, or see your question. Contact via Gunwatch.

I anticipate a new thread... "What calibre for unicorn?"

Thanks, Roland - there are a few of these scans around the web, of various issue dates. This one has a nice clear schematic page, which should blow up to A3 - helpful for stripping the trigger group.

It works ok now - the trigger group just has a bit of vertical play! The problem with soldering or brazing ali is the oxide film that forms almost instantly on a cut surface - aluminium is actually very reactive, but forms a hard oxide layer very rapidly in air. Hence soldering a peg in may be a problem, whereas a butt or lap joint would work. Tig welding with a.c. gets around this as the electrode-positive part of the cycle blasts the oxide film off the surface (and heats up the tungsten more), while the electrode-negative part does most of the work heating up the job. I'll do some test joints first, then I'll make the call as to how to make the repair.

I asked the question at work, specifically with a couple of lads one of whom is a coded welder of 35 years experience, the other being a machinist/artificer. They both said, "Don't do tig, you'll blow a hole right through it!" Both, however, mentioned Technoweld, also marketed as Durafix. Low temperature brazing solution for aluminium - offers a way of breaking through the oxide film and making a proper joint - this looks fairly viable, so I've ordered a pack, and will do some trials on scrap bits when it arrives. Watch this space... John_R: Yes, I've drilled for pegs, but slightly inboard of the position of the ears, so putty would most likely have the same issue when built up onto a bolt head. Btw, it was Donkey who lost the retaining pin out of his MP153 - Don't know if he found it, bought another or got one made, but thanks for the kind thought

Superb! I've only ever seen one of those

Is that the average number of days taken? If so, not best pleased with Kent taking 224 to renew an SGC 😬

Look up Heinnie Haynes www.heinnie.com Lots on there. Or try: http://shingcrafts.weebly.com/folding-knives.html

As far as I am aware, the ethnicity questions aren't compulsory (not allowed to make them compulsory!)

Another vote for Olight - really well built torches.

Some great ideas here. Keep them coming, folks

The problem with drilling and pegging/threading is that the lug is right on the edge of the block, so once the hole is drilled and tapped, there is barely half a mm of material there to support the thread on the outer face. I'm beginning to see why the American guy that Mark mentioned in the Pump Club thread drilled and tapped the action body and put a cap head screw into each side! For building up the lugs with TIG, ceriated electrodes will work as well as zirconated - a.c. would be better, but DCEP should work over the tiny weld pool required. Thin peg and soldering a block on might be feasible, the problem is getting enough heat in to the solder joint without melting the rest of the block. Or I could just drill through and put a roll pin in. Interesting times...

Yes, blister pack with the Bluemagic logo, so probably genuine, but as you say, but quite strong enough in shear for this application . Next thing to try, I think, will be building up the lugs with tig. Possibly with steel cores drilled in to add bending strength. Just need to get some ally rods and some practice first!

How to tell if it is genuine? A combination of the above three suggestions looks viable: drill the centre of the peg it to a reasonable size, turn a round end onto a square bar to match said holes, file the square/round transition to match the angle of the break on the trigger block (see first photo), then silver solder or braze in place. Tbh, tig might be a better option if I can a. find the right rods and b. find something suitable to practice on. Just has to be very low current...

Good thought...

Bent ejector body or worn claw? One easily fixed with a vice, the other with a vice and a file! This is a Baikal we are talking about!

Been shooting clays this morning, so guns to clean while drinking tea, then firewood to log and split this afternoon. DoomBar and decent whisky in stock for later

I have shot the Higgins... My, my, what fun 15/25 ESK, then 53/70 ESP, so well down to my usual standard, and a whole barrel of fun to shoot. Lots of positive comment from folks at Hawley as well. Had the odd ftf and one fte - down to operator error, as far as I can tell. The "ears" repair didn't fare so well, so I'll try the bridge idea next. If not that, then I'll get some new lugs welded on. Full choke is, errr, interesting! Not ideal for skeet, certainly, but when you connect with the clay, it vaporises! Might consider getting it opened up a bit. Noticed last night that the recoil pad is actually a JC Higgins branded one. Unfortunately, no 1 son also likes it - I need a big "MINE" label to attach to it!

I will maybe try making up a bridge with Dural - if that doesn't do it, I'll have to go down the welding route. Must be able to find someone who does ally welding!

Update after shooting it: After about 30 shots, the putty started to break up - it doesn't appear to be strong enough to support the protrusion required. Back to the drawing board!

And they are always trying...