Erma Gallagher

[oscarlovel]

I had one of these a long time ago. eventually sold it and bought a Shiloh Sharps, also many moons ago. I just bought another Erma Gallagher last week for $500 unfired and NIB. This was one of the batch that Navy Arms imported and sold in the early 90's. I've purchased 60 brass cases from Lodgewood and will get more as funds allow. I've done a search here and what I've learned is that I should probably be using the CCI musket caps, and maybe drilling the touch holes in the cases to a larger diameter. Can any of you tell me how large I need to go to get fairly reliable ignition? I'm trying to find one of the Rapine molds as well, though so far, no luck. Until then I'll try round balls in linotype or wheel weights, like I used back in the day before I got a Rapine mold. Yes, I sold that too (knock head on desk). I know that eventually, I need to bite the bullet and get Robert Hoyt to reline the barrel. Any idea what he's charging and what his backlog is these days? Any hints on shooting it with the original barrel for now?

[Southron Sr.]

I had one of those Erma made Gallagher Carbines back in the 1970's.

I used Dupont FFFg and the "hot" German percussion caps and never had any problems with misfires.

I always wondered why Erma employed that "scratch rifling." Was that the same rifling they used in their World War II production of MP-40 Submachine guns?

[W.Huffman 5thva]

Clint, first you will need to find out what the actual bore size is and if you are using the half round step bullet from Rapine I would recommend casting them with wheel weight and then the step will need to be sized to .517 to fit the case and the other will need to be .001 to .002 over bore size . I used 35gr of 3f goex and corn meal filler in mine and it worked very well. Give this a try.
Wade

[Steve Weems]

Bobby Hoyt has relined a number of these to 50 caliber which gives a lot of choices when it comes to mould and bullet designs.
This has the advantage of getting rid of that awful micro groove rifleing and getting traditional rifling much better suited for
blackpowder and cast lead bullets.

Just a suggestion for your consideration.

[oscarlovel]

Thanks, Steve. I just called him and will be sending the Erma on to him this week.

[NickSS]

I have and erma Gallager for almost 20 years and also the Rapine mold for it. If I shot it more I would go for getting it relined but they I only shoot it for kicks and giggles once in awhile as there are no competitions for this type of weapon where I live. Mine shoots just fine with a full case of powder and the rapine bullet unsized and lubed by dipping the bullet base in melted lube. For your info Erma used surplus 13mm machinegun barrels for their Gallegars.

[oscarlovel]

Got to thinking about the Erma Gallager I used to have and wondering if its still around in N-SSA circles these days. It was distinctive in that it had been plated in some manner to look like a brushed stainless or nickle finish. Almost like it had been left in the white. We speculated at first that it could be stainless, but it wasn't. Its the only one I ever saw like that. Often wondered about its history. I ended up trading it along with a single barrel muzzleloading shotgun on Sutler's Row during a National Skirmish back in the early 90's. If anyone knows about the whereabouts or history of this Erma Gallager, I'd really like to hear about it.