Rifles

[tenacious]

Does anyone know about farm rifles, used in Arizona, in 1998,  capable of killing a man?  My scenario is -the farmer shoots from a mountain at a victim standing in the valley below.  Victim dies instantly-ish. I looked this up and believe I need one of these model rifles:

".30/30s, like the Winchester Model 94 and the Marlin Model 336,"

Anyone know if this is right?  And would my farmer refer to his own rifle as a "rifle" or a "30/30" or a "Winchester"  Or maybe a "94" or "336"?  Also, how does the lever action work?  Said farmer doesn't just line up the scope n squeeze the trigger does he?  Or does he, since his first shot is successful?

Anyone who can help this hopeless case out gets karma like you wouldn't believe!  Thank you so much...anybody.

[LateToTheParty]

Estoy aqui para ti, I'm here for you in bad English AND bad Spanish, (full service). As a gun nut, I can say with certainty, lever-action Marlin 336s have replaced Winchesters as the workhorses across the southwest, due to price and quality. The Winchester still has nostalgia value and a lot of old farts still use "daddy's gun."

The .30-.30 round is popular for deer/mountain goat hunting and will easily kill a man.

If the farmer is military trained, he'll refer to it as a rifle or weapon. If not, well, civilians call "guns" everything but a bluenose goose. Calling the weapon by model number is iffy, the only weapon I commonly hear called by model number is the 1911 pistol.

The lever performs three tasks:
wracked forward, it ejects empty cartridges from the chamber;
cocks the hammer, priming the trigger;
wracked back, it loads a fresh cartridge from the magazine, (tube under the barrel of the 94/336).

Military trained folk tend NOT to travel with a round in the chamber unless they expect trouble/game/Michael Moore, (kidding, I'm a libral gun nut and a big fan of MM). Civilians, again do all kinds of silly stuff.

Most farmers/ranchers with a truck/saddle rifle don't mount a scope on it as
1) it's not easy on older models
2) scopes are expensive/easily damaged
3) the range on a 10X scope will exceed the range on a saddle rifle. 

TMI?

Try: Farmer Jones spotted the stock thief and ducked at the glint off the man's weapon.  From cover, Jones shouldered his rifle and jacked the lever as quietly as possible--still sounded like a car door slamming to him.  But while the mare pricked her ears and looked right at Jones, the thief fought the wind and his weapon to lite a cigarette.  Jones lined up his sight with the rear leaf and squeezed the trigger.  The rifle barked, thumping solidly against his shoulder as the stock thief fell dead and the mare leaped away spooked.

[ChokeCherry]

   My brother is an avid hunter and red-neck farmer (and proud of it!)
He calls everything his 'gun' - unless he's going into one of his rants about his latest purchases.

He only keeps a scope on one for long distance, small prey. The rest are without for easier transport.

He does not travel around with a round in the chamber, but keeps them in his shirt/chest pocket for quick access.

I couldn't tell you anything about the types because when he rants, it goes in one ear and out the other.

[Ankalegon(DTL)]

It looks like gun info is covered...  Not that I could help much with that anyway. 

I've just done some research on the whole "dies instantly-ish" subject since the protagonist of my current book is quite the hunter.

This link has tons of useful info (although I have no way to determine how accurate it is).  See the first few paragraphs of Section II. a. specifically.

http://www.rathcoombe.net/sci-tech/ballistics/wounding.html

I hope this helps

David

[tenacious]

Ankalegon, ChokeCherry, LateToTheParty: Thank you so much!  I was using the word "scope" all wrong, I think I meant "sight"

3 final questions, and again thanks , thanks, thanks for taking the trouble:

1. Does this sentence have an authentic ring, or am I messing up with "shells" n the whole snapping thing? " ...took a handful of shells from the box in the sideboard drawer.  Taking his rifle from its stand, snapping it and slinging it across his forearm, he ... "

2. LateToTheParty , this is dumb I know, but just to make quite sure, when you say, "lined up his sight with the rear leaf" I'm assuming this leaf is a thingy on the rifle not an actual fluttering leaf?  Right? 

3.  Would my farmer "load a few shells",  wait, wait, wait, then when victim appears, jack the lever, line up the sight, n sqeeze the trigger.  And, again with that leaf, is it a different thing to a crosshair. I have said, "got the crosshair smack in place,"  am I wrong?

[Ankalegon(DTL)]

I have two more cents to offer regarding this subject (though CokeCherry and LateToTheParty will probably have more relevant into).

If I've found myself at a loss for descriptive words regarding... anything,  I just google "anatomy of a ..."  and click images.

Images of 'anatomy of a rifle' turns up quite a few diagrams... then it's just a matter of discerning vernacular from textbook / unused terms.

I've used this on swords, castles, saddles, bridles, horses, etc.

(some searches are more useful than others!)

[LateToTheParty]

Ankalegon, ChokeCherry, LateToTheParty: Thank you so much!  I was using the word "scope" all wrong, I think I meant "sight"

3 final questions, and again thanks , thanks, thanks for taking the trouble:

1. Does this sentence have an authentic ring, or am I messing up with "shells" n the whole snapping thing? " ...took a handful of shells from the box in the sideboard drawer.  Taking his rifle from its stand, snapping it and slinging it across his forearm, he ... " Shells work fine. I'm not sure about your intent in "snapping it." Loading is accomplished by feeding the shells/cartridges/rounds/bullets into a trapdoor on the Marlin. If you're referring to chambering/cocking, then I would suggest "wracking/cocking" the lever.

2. LateToTheParty , this is dumb I know, but just to make quite sure, when you say, "lined up his sight with the rear leaf" I'm assuming this leaf is a thingy on the rifle not an actual fluttering leaf?  Right?  Right.  The front sight is a blade or acorn that you "place" on the target and then line up in the rear sight or leaf.

3.  Would my farmer "load a few shells",  wait, wait, wait, then when victim appears, jack the lever, line up the sight, n squeeze the trigger.  And, again with that leaf, is it a different thing to a crosshair. I have said, "got the crosshair smack in place,"  am I wrong? Not completely. I would suggest if this is premeditated, he would load, jack/wrack the lever and then (carefully) de-cock the hammer to wait. When the victim appears, he would cock the hammer into place, "get" the target "in his sights" or (old school) "under his barrel" and settle his hash. 

[tenacious]

LateToThe Party and Ankelegon, thanks a million!  And L to the P, I LOLd when you ended with "settled his hash".  Back to the keyboard n good luck w all ur  own musings n scribbles