Weird Gun Idea - Smooth Bore Rough Rider

 Some years ago, I stumbled across a list of firearms that the ATF had removed from the NFA list or something similar. It featured a Colt Single Action Army in .45 or .44. I went and dug up the file and it's the Curio and Relics list that you can read. I'm not versed in the topic.

What was interesting is that there several pistols on the list that say smooth bore or smoothbore. It got me wondering why they had smooth bores. One is listed as a factory mistake but the rest don't have details like that.

I had been wondering if they were exhibition guns for trick shooting or similar but I haven't found out why yet. Later I started thinking about having a pistol using shotshells for pest control, which I have started carrying with me when on the tractor when I mow. Mine is a High Standard Sentinel with CCI shotshells.

Where is really went was that the recent court case that said the NFA process for certain items is unconstitutional and that AOWs were on the primary case. Since smoothbore pistols are AOWs, if we get to a point where these items are sold as Title 1 guns, then maybe we can start getting back to garden guns but this time as revolvers.

Initially, I was thinking about reaming and polishing a Heritage Rough Rider with a 4 inch barrel but then I starting thinking about chokes. The Henry Garden Gun is a fixed choke but I assume it's cylinder bore. .22 LR shotshells aren't know for producing tight patterns at "longer" ranges. I'm thinking like 6 ft here for my needs so maybe things are fine. Regardless, since the Henry Garden Gun exists, why not have a revolver with a smooth bore dedicated to shotshells?

I would like to specify that I would prefer to have a fixed full choke for this project. I picked the Rough Rider since they are very inexpensive. I don't see much need for a more expensive gun for this roll unless it's double action like the Diamond Back Arms Sidekick. I would be good for one of those in smoothbore.

30Mau - Something I Just Learned About

 While scrolling through Instagram, my feed fed me a post of someone I hadn't heard of. The content was interesting and very eye catching. The reel/short video showed someone in the woods with one of the new DarkMTN Stowaway guns tricked out with an optic and a bright orange suppressor. They were able to harvest a coyote with this setup.

Reading the description, I learned that in a collaboration with a few companies, a company called Halworx Ballistics has developed a wildcat cartridge using the old 7.63 Mauser pistol cartridge and heavy .30 cal bullets usually reserved for .300 Blackout. A quick Google search lead me to the Halworx website for more details. They call it 30Mau.

What they've done is use the Mauser's case as a host for heavy bullets for subsonic use to minimize powder charges. They then worked with MOS-TEK to make custom barrels for use in the single shot Stowaway gun. Given that the bullets are substantially longer than normal, they won't work in most traditional platforms.

Apparently, despite the tiny case size, Halworx is claiming 950+ fps with 190 grain bullets from a 5 inch barrel. Unfortunately, the overall length is 1.7 inches which means the 30Mau won't fit an most in most pistol caliber platforms. Sticking with single shot platforms or modified bolt actions will be the ticket.

I do see a use for this but nothing that .300 BLK is doing other than being more efficient with powder use. I do like the idea of a dedicated subsonic hunting platform, in fact, it's right up the alley of that concept I have been working on for a while.

I'm glad the algorithm sent that my way because I also found that there are 8.6 Blackout barrels for the Stowaway. It might just be what I am looking for.

Instagram

GREAT NEWS - The $0 Tax Stamps are Unconstitutional

The Gun Owners of America blog (along with numerous other outlets) is reporting the $0 tax stamps are unconstitutional. That said, it doesn't apply to everyone.

What makes this more interesting for me is that Palmetto State Armory and Silencer Shop are listed. I am a customer of both of these shops so I should be covered. I suspect that I will be able to purchase silencers without issue but I am waiting on further details on converting some of my firearms to what would have been "Short Barrel." 

My .22 bolt action project was already registered but I haven't chopped the barrel plus some other things I would like to make the change over to are under consideration.

While it's not the total victory of the destruction of the NFA that I want, this is a wonderfully practical step in the correct direction. Machine guns and destructive devices are still requiring the tax but this will majorly help with dismantling the nonsense argument favored by the anti-rights advocates who argue these are "Gangster Guns" and have no utility in "civil society."

Thank you Lord God above for restoring parts of our Rights that have been infringed! This is a prayer answered. All Glory to Lord God!

Update: No word yet on if the Fed's will appeal. They have until the 12th or 13th I believe it is as there is a stay on this going into effect. I would completely recommend joining the GOA as a member as then the ruling could apply to you. There is another case under Jensen v ATF that was joined with the Silencer Shop case so you might be covered in other ways. Stay tuned to see how this fully applies before you go buy or make something.

Update 2: There is one more day for the ATF/DOJ to appeal. Apparently, some members of Congress are pushing them to NOT appeal. That said, there is another case outside of this one that is preparing to be heard on the Second Amendment part of the NFA that could be a big deal. See Second Amendment Foundation's website.

Update 3: The DOJ did not appeal and the injunction has gone into effect. I would recommend waiting on guidance regarding what all of this means before you start sticking stocks on your AR or AK pistols. I am waiting for guidance as I am looking at doing just that. I also want to put the Pork Sword back to the 10.5 inch barrel but with a stock this time. I have so many things I want to do but I don't want to get messed up because of something I missed and now I have to back-date a bunch of Form 1s. I have reached out to some of the rights groups for guidance on what used to be the Form 1 process.

Update 4: Looks like I won't be putting stocks on any pistols soon. Georgia's laws/code says below.

• "(4) Possession of a sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer by a person who is authorized to possess the same because he has registered the sawed-off shotgun, sawed-off rifle, machine gun, dangerous weapon, or silencer in accordance with the dictates of the National Firearms Act, 68A Stat. 725 (26 U.S.C. Sections 5841-5862);"

I have emails out to my state representatives to see if they can assist. It may just be time to remove these laws from the books before the next election this year. It may be too late to have Congress make the change needed. It might be that the GA AG will need to provide guidance or an opinion saying someone like myself is in compliance with those rules regardless of paperwork.

Update 5: Word on the street is that President Trump is saying they wouldn't respond however, there is a 60 day window they can challenge the injunction.

Mike Beliveau Has Passed

 Mike Beliveau was, to me, a smaller GunTuber that focused primarily on black power guns but his content was interesting. It wasn't flashy or fast-paced but featured heavy on history, which I like. What I hadn't known was that he was a writer who had been writing for almost as long as I have been alive. Sadly, Mr. Beliveau stated that he had pancreatic cancer earlier this year and eventually chose to not pursue treatment. 

It was announced by his son that he had succumbed to the disease in the morning on or around the 29th of July 2026.

I had no relationship with the gentleman but the people that I enjoy watching, reading from and respect are aging and are being swept up to the Lord's embrace. Sadly, it's starting to hurt after the loss of Paul Harrel.

Below is a link to Mr. Beliveau's website where he stores much of what he wrote.

Mr. Beliveau's website

Deer Season 2026-2027: Rifle Considerations

With the successes and failures of the 2025-2026 deer season, I have much to think about. It's become blatantly obvious that my favorite hunting setup has some sort of issue and can't be relied upon for hunting applications for the time being. Until I can dedicate time to fixing it, I'll need something more reliable that I can press into the Marlin 1894 CST's roll. The .270 project will most likely be that rifle but will take some time before I have the money to fully sort out the build. It's very unlikely that I will have it field-ready by season opening. 

The two primary choices are the Remington 700 Pork Sword build or the What Would Stoner Do Hunter build. Both of these are in .300 Blackout and are short range builds.

Some time ago, I zeroed the 700 for a subsonic loading from Discrete Ballistics but the observed velocities where close to 1100 fps. I will want to re-check to make sure the loads are still subsonic in the cooler temps come October. My biggest concern is having a critter run off into the neighbor's field since I haven't proven these loads yet. The lady that owns it is a fan of the critters and I would prefer to be a good neighbor and not start something with her. While not guaranteed, anchoring the animal is preferred to prevent social issues so an experimental subsonic load probably isn't the best option. Something supersonic seems like a better option for the time being.

The WWSD Hunter with the Wolfman

Previously, the WWSD Hunter build got a change to a General Purpose optics setup with a red dot and a 3x magnifier. The magnifier later got stripped for another roll and not long after that, the red dot came off. The previous 3-9x scope went back on along with the Dead Air Primal with a 9mm end cap.

In both cases, I could just verify either or both rifles with their current ammo selection and just give either a go on day one but also, in both cases, a change in ammo to something with a better data package could be an easy change over. Just buy some boxes and re-zero. My gut-feeling says I needed more research but an ammo change looked to be in order.

I have several boxes of the SIG Elite 120 grain copper hollow points but I have very little data supporting the SIG loads are good for a deer hunting application. There is, however, available open source data for other loads in .300 Blackout.

I had settled on Barnes's 120 grain VOR-TX offering with the Federal's Fusion 150 grain in second as the two top contenders in my running based on some of the testing videos available. I had ordered some of the VOR-TX loads and just need to zero once I have the time.

I'm hoping to setup a new deer stand on the Little Farm this year which should keep shots under 50 yards with there I am thinking of setting up. The 3-9x is way too much for this location but for this year, it'll just stay dialed back to 3x.

Stay tuned to see if everything works well.