timmy wrote:Wow! Barrels made of pipe? Would I be correct in assuming that this would be normal, as opposed to seamless tubing? How much of a charge of black powder can such tubing take? The workmanship seems pretty impressive, none the less.
Hey timmy,
The tubing, nowadays, most of the time is from steering columns... those form the older Jeeps seem to be prized. Additionally the blacksmiths/gunsmiths also double as scrap collectors often and are always on the look out for suitable tubing. I have not come across use of seamed tubing, however.
General workmanship is good- leaning more on the sturdier side than the prettier side. Leaf springs are pretty stiff. Again nowadays, most of the time its from jeep and other automobile springs.
Way back then, they worked either on scrap metal bartered or pinched from Assam or from wrought iron that was again bartered from Assam. I have not come across any hint of metal being produced in the Naga Hills.
Many (not all)of the village blacksmiths still use very primitive hardware, like stone hammers and anvils for forging and furnace bellows that use chicken feathers! This I gotta see!
As regards loads, most of the time the loads are pretty sedate... unless provoked by alcohol and tribal bravado...
With regard to Vickers point on the poachers in Kaziranga, yes, indeed they often use "single-use" Mls that is more than adequately made up for by a successful depredation. They do on occasion use more modern stuff like AKs, SKS, SLRS, 303's particularly when the operation is backed by some of the regional Guerrilla outfits. Why, last year some poachers were caught in Kaziranga, and the rifle(reportedly not stolen) was traced back to the Nagaland Forest Department...
I wonder how that matter was buried...but I do recall some very red faces.
He who can not think, is a fool; he who will not, a bigot; he who dare not - a slave!
