[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Well I thought my picture was coming in but I guess not. Well, back to the ol' drawing board..Don't get too mad please moderator!....

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

I had 5 squirrels there. I cleaned the .31 real good (I hadn't cleaned it when I took the photos of it and the squirrels) and tried and tried on the squirrel picture but it just wouldn't come in. Tried again just a little while ago. No go. So, to hell with it. I'm kind of bored. I think I might blue the .31 tonight. I'vd had that piece for around 34 years. I sure wish I had a penny for every squirrel and rabbit (and other small game) I'vd taken with it....

[Das Jaeger]

a penny for every picture you can post :D
Ok , a dime , wooden Nickle , whatever it takes to show us these Squirrels !

Jaeger

[messerist]

My seven-year-old and I were out with my .32 Blue Ridge stalking "Tree Bears" as he likes to call 'em. We didn't get any "bears" but the boy did find a spike buck skull that was pretty intact so he did come home with a trophy. GOTC I was thinking about getting him a .31 for Christmas to get him started on Cap and Balls. Gonna start saving the pennies today. Thanks for the push GOTC!:)

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Messerist, you're welcome sir..I stayed up and done a hot bluing job on mine last night. Done it in the oven. It came out pretty good, but I know that as much as I handle it and sometimes slide it in and out of a holster and clean on it and all, the bluing won't last very long. A few months at the most maybe and then there will be a little noticable fading.
I think that would be a fine gun to start him on. To tell you the truth my son and daughter (they are twins) moved straight from their BB guns to the .31....

[Tomahawk674]

So is that little .31 very accurate then? do the colt sights work well on those little targets?

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Tomahawk 674. It's got a little jump to it that you have to compensate for. You get used to it pretty quick. I'm sure you're familiar with the 'baby flask' and the small spout which come's on it. That's what I'vd alway's used. One throw per chamber. It fire's it good and give's me a good clean sharp 'crack' sound. I'vd never tried to mess around with the powder load. Mr. Colt said way back then that one throw was the proper load so that's what I do. I will add here that my powder used to be BlackMag3 and it got hard to find so for the last several years it has been Triple Seven..Yes, it is plenty accurate enough (spot on) once you learn to compensate and learn to judge about how low to hold depending on the range. (you get used to that and pretty soon you just do it automatically without even thinking about it) It is a surprising little kicker....PS..I will also add here that I alway's fire the .323 balls that are recommended. They don't cost that much. I stay away from the buckshot and all these other 'home grown' loads. I also use Remington #10 percussion caps..Just me....

[Marlin 45 carbine]

fine vittles and congrats on the good shooting. I had a large mess of squacks with dumplings awhile back I use some self-riseing corn meal along with flour in mine.

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Marlin 45 carbine..Good morning. I'vd never used any cornmeal in my dumplings. To tell you the truth I'vd never even heard of that. I think I'll try it the next time because I know I like cornmeal. I alway's just mix up my biscuits and then roll them out and cut them in squares. Of course you don't have to roll them out and cut them. That's just my way...Hey, thank's for that little tip. Yeah, I'm going to try it....

[madcratebuilder]

That's a good looking little pocket Colt you got. Nothing wrong with that finish, looks well cared for with some honest wear.

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Messerist, I was just sitting here thinking and I thought I'd just add this. My son and daughter got their .31's when they were 10 years old. (getting close to 11) We messed around with them for the first few days, going through proper loading, holding, firing, cleaning etc. Then my son went out there about 75 yards to the edge of the tree line and sat down under a tree. He killed a wild turkey. Shot that sucker right in the head. (the turkey came walking just a scant few yards from where he was sitting) That little .31 blew his head pretty well off. The very next day my daughter killed a big fat rabbit that was setting at the edge of the garden. I'm telling you Messerist; for the next week there was a lot of crowing and strutting and a little bit of truth bending going on around there. Each time they told the story it got a little bigger than the last time they told it, and believe you me they would talk about it over and over as long as they could find somebody that would listen!....

[missuramoss]

Hey GOTC...ever tried a basting sauce of melted butter and cinnamon over the browned pieces..then baked in the oven fer a while?..I got that recipie from a woman I dated that used it on chicken sometimes...So I tried it on rabbit..and was very impressed....then tried it on those "tree bears" (lol..i like that), and it was just as good!!..Thanks fer givin me a reason to head to the woods this winter with my .36. Never hunted squri....I mean...tree bear...with BP before..gonna try it!

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Missuramoss, I'll try some of it on a couple of rabbits next week. I'll let you know on the post here if I like it that way. It sound's alright....

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

In my second post on this thread I stated I'vd had this .31 for around 34 years. Typing error. 44 years is what I meant to type. I'vd had it for around 44 years....

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Missuramoss. Told you I'd get back with you. Tried your recipe on a couple of tender young rabbits just like I said I would. It came out pretty good. It seem's like it would probably work better on the chicken your Missus prepares. But it was pretty good. I still prefer my rabbit lightly salted and black peppered with a hint of garlic powder, battered in flour and fried golden brown. Then maybe take the drippings and stir some more flour in it and make up some good gravy. Plus maybe some home made biscuits to go with the gravy and fried rabbit. Of course all of my food is fried in pure hog lard. Nothing make's fried food taste better. I have several small containers of Crisco (about pint sized I guess you could say) around here but that is for use on my firearms....Anyway, it is a pretty good recipe and I thank you for it. I probably never will try it on a squirrel. I reserve them strictly for dumplings. The last time I ate squirrel any other way was when I was a little boy growing up....

[missuramoss]

Theres lots of ways to cook game...but I pretty much have to agree with ya GOTC.....biscuits, gravy, and dumplins should allways be present!! Although with frog legs...I prefer mashed taters...Just a Missoura thing I reckon.

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Yeah, I like frog legs. I'vd had them with mashed potatoes to. My wife used to cook them for us....

[Marlin 45 carbine]

ditto #15. many a fine meal has come this way with pan leaveings gravy. smashed 'taters, fried okra and biscuits.
deep dish apple pie.

[GENTLEMAN OF THE CHARCOAL]

Absolutely Marlin 45 Carbine. I love fried okra. (to tell the truth I like the okra pods just boiled whole to) I'vd got an apple pie setting over here on the counter. I didn't make this one, I bought it at WalMart's. I'm not supposed to mess with it. I'vd got a little sugar. Not bad but they told me to go kind of easy on the sweets. (of course they bitch about the food fried in hog lard, my pipe tobacco, my endless cups of coffee and everything else!) By God I might just make me some fried okra tomorrow. I'vd gpt plenty of canned okra already cut up and all. Hey! I don't even have to take my gun and go hunt for it!!....