If These Guns Could Talk...

[Member 3687]

Colt 1903 Pocket 32 ACP from the serial number manufactured early 1912. I have had it from around mid 90's and bought it from a guy who said it was his grandmothers other than that not sure of the history.


National Fire Arms Co. 20 ga from what I can find out its a Marlin model 20 take down made in around 1907 this was my dads and I am not sure when he really got it I have heard conflicting stories from my brothers and sisters over the years but I know he got it used and it has been used by our whole family.

 

[RVTECH]

This Victory most likely never went overseas and probably spent all it's 'military' life in the San Francisco area and eventually made it's way to Michigan and into my dad's possession.


This Winchester spent 50 years is a closet in San Francisco until it came into my possession.
I can't speak for prior to that but due to the condition of the internals when I finally tore it down for a complete cleaning (which were like new and essentially unworn) I don't think it was used much with probably very few rounds fired. When discovered a green round was ejected out of it!

 

[tac]

Poor Winchester. I sure do hope you are kind to it and shoot it a lot to make up for the imprisonment.

I, too, liberated an old gun - not THAT old, but it was made in 1967 and regularly used until around 1982 when it was somehow forgotten. I found it in a never-used old gun safe in the basement of the drill hall on which one of our indoor ranges was built, pushed a 12" long dust bunny out of the bore, and then put ten rounds through a single hole at 25m with it. I paid the club secretary £25, that's £175 in dog money in 2005, took it home and gave it some long-overdue love and attention.

 

[RVTECH]

Poor Winchester. I sure do hope you are kind to it and shoot it a lot to make up for the imprisonment.

Yep quite often!

Dealing with some sight issues with it currently but that's another story.

In reality I am lucky to have found an original Winchester this age and in the condition it is in. No repairs needed to shoot!

 

[Carbon]

A fellow member was kind enough to sell me two swedes yesterday. A 1902 m96 all matching, still in cosmoline. And a 1942 m38, also matching. I wonder what they have been up to all these years?

 

[No_Regerts]

This Winchester M70 was liberated from a hallowed establishment once known as Wholesale Sports.


This ultra-rare Glock 17 is only 1 of 1,000,000,000,002 produced worldwide.


This Ruger dates back to the 1890s.....er.....1990s


This M70 is an impostor! Made to replicate the Pre-64, but chambered in a cartridge that wasn't available until 1962 when the straight comb stock had long been out of production. The recoil pad is another dead giveaway. Gotta watch out for stuff like this.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I was finally able to track down and purchase my Grand Dads favorite rifle, his trusty old 1895 Winchester .30/06.
The Rifle was purchased by him some time in the post WW-2 time frame, not completely sure, but we all agree it was before 1950 ( Based on it being present in a photo on a hunt when one of my uncles had just bought a new car in 1950) the rifle was originally made in 1923, and is in it's original chambering, and the barrel appears to be original. Grand Dad was known to be a pretty thrifty guy, and when it came to his guns, he was always on the look out for great bargains on well worn and used vs new and expensive. He would fix them up and re make them the way he wanted, and they were all shooters and all put meat on the table. He and Grand Mom got into custom stock making, and they even did bluing and other metal work, but those stocks were works of art. When it came time for them to pass the firearms on, there were a few that they knew would potentially cause problems among the family members, so those were sold to private parties, and the rest were passed down to family. That 1895 was the one that every one wanted, my self included, and I spent close to 30 years on the prowl looking for it, and once I found it, talking it's owner into selling it to me! This rifle was in pretty good shape when Grand Dad found it, but it needed the stocks replaced and some much needed attention, there were tool marks all over the bottom metal stock tang where some one had tried to get a stuck screw out and buggered it up, as well as some rust areas around the breach opening. Grand Dad carved a new piece of California Walnut and finished it in a deep semi gloss, and he stripped all the metal and polished it to a mirror shine, then blued it nice and dark, one of the most striking bluing jobs I have ever seen, especially with that sexy dark stained Walnut! And She shoots, Boy does she shoot!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Here is a Henry Leman .50 caliber Trade Rifle , Circa late 1830's-1850's

The lock originally was flint...I think that lock was converted then installed on the rifle...
I do not think that this rifle was ever a flintlock.
The striping is artificial ....Leman was known for enhancing wood grain and stripes...Just like today , many folks like a pretty wood stock.

What did it do , where did it go....?
Was it in the hands of a fur trader or trapper...Did it ride the Santa Fe Trail...?
I don't know....I do know that is looks good and shoots just fine.
Andy

 

[RVTECH]

Heck, I almost forgot about this one!

My dad bought this at a garage sale in SO CAL many years ago and it just kicked around until he eventually gave it to me and its been a wall hanger ever since. Currently over my wood stove and a bit dusty from ash!

It's a Belgium made 12 ga with Damascus barrels. One of the locks still works but its pretty well worn.

These were one of many made overseas and imported to the US in the late 1800s - early 1900s and sold at hardware stores, Sears etc. very inexpensively at the time.

Every time I look at it wonder why I have NEVER located a forestock for it - heck even one I could modify to fit for looks but just never did. Kinda gets forgotten not being a 'shooter'.

 

[tac]

I just might find that old shotgun in my 1903 Sears catalog[ue].

 

[Mikej]

A fellow member was kind enough to sell me two swedes yesterday. A 1902 m96 all matching, still in cosmoline. And a 1942 m38, also matching. I wonder what they have been up to all these years?View attachment 697978View attachment 697980View attachment 697977View attachment 697979

I fell in love with the Swedish Mauser about a year ago. I was thinking of getting a Mosin, but after looking at the myriad varieties, and input from board members, I decided to look at the Swede Mausers. They're an easy rifle to learn about, compared to many others. And it's not too difficult to find a good specimen as the Swedes weren't in all kind of conflicts/wars over the years. Their Mausers didn't go all over the world and get beat to crap like other countries guns. And the workmanship and steel they used was excellent quality.

My Swede is also a 1902! Amazing. If you don't mind, what are the first digits of your serial? I'm curious to see how close they are. Mine was taken to Husqvarna sometime during 1938-1940 and converted to a short barrel. At the time they also replaced the rear sight as it's marked with the tilted (Husqvarna) crown and a "T", for TORPED. All numbers match, including the stock on mine. I believe I remember being told the wood is beach. Your long gun has the pasted on sticker for the hold over adjustment for when they changed ammo. Your short appears to have the same wood as mine?
And your 1902 looks like darker wood than mine?

I'm always looking at the Swede Mausers. I want to find one that has an arsenal drilled receiver to accept the Swede diopter sights so I can, hopefully, get a little better accuracy.





I'f you're interested in cleaning your Swede's up a bit I used denature alcohol. Just on a piece of old cotton T-shirt and gently rub until it lightened up some and the cloth is dirty.. I took the stock off before doing that. The stock will have numbers, hopefully matching the serial under there.

I get a rush shooting a rifle that is so well built, and 118 years old!

 

[Carbon]

My Swede is also a 1902! Amazing. If you don't mind, what are the first digits of your serial? I'm curious to see how close they are. I believe I remember being told the wood is beach. Your long gun has the pasted on sticker for the hold over adjustment for when they changed ammo. Your short appears to have the same wood as mine?
And your 1902 looks like darker wood than mine?

My m96 #1238xx, I think my stock is walnut. Some stocks have been refinished over the years, my wood is quite "proud" of the metal parts, convincing me it hasn't been refinished, possibly contributing to the color variation.

I like this site for swedish mauser info.

House of Karlina,Gevär 1896,Swedish Mauser,m94 carbine,1894,1896,Luxembourg Model 1900 rifle

 

[Mikej]

My m96 #1238xx, I think my stock is walnut. Some stocks have been refinished over the years, my wood is quite "proud" of the metal parts, convincing me it hasn't been refinished, possibly contributing to the color variation.

I like this site for swedish mauser info.

House of Karlina,Gevär 1896,Swedish Mauser,m94 carbine,1894,1896,Luxembourg Model 1900 rifle

Mine is 11847*. I *think* walnut was only used on 1916-1918. Or maybe it was only '16-'17. I've done SO much reading, and I don't recall a bunch of it. You can usually tell if buba has sanded it. The stocks shouldn't be nice and smooth. and the grasping groove should have fairly sharp edges. Your's don't look like they've been messed with.

Looking at that web site now it shows several 1902s with walnut stocks.

How may crowns are on the wrist of the guns? That will tell you how many time they've been in for "Service'

If you're not already loading for it you can get pretty decent priced PPU ammo, and word has it that the PPU brass is good for reloading. I use ammo Seek.

 

[gmerkt]

As is usually the case, I don't know much about prior history of some of my guns. The ones I didn't buy new. But I had a Ruger 4 clicker in .41 Mag that had been used in a gun fight to shoot a south of the border gang member in the belly. It was a court ordered disposal. I have a 1939 Czech VZ24 that was made right after the German take-over in 1939, it has seen plenty of use, must have some history during the war. My M1 Rifles have history, no doubt.

I sometimes do the same thing with a old coin i find in loose change.

I have a 1931 Panamanian one Balboa silver coin (same size and fineness as US silver dollar). Well-worn, I've wondered how many trips to the fun house for sailors it has financed.

 

[tac]

Re: Swedish Mausers. the first 15000 were made by Mauser in Oberndorf-am-Neckar using Swedish steel. Then the Carl Gustaf arsenal in Eskiltuna took over manufacture. Famed for the quality of its sword and knife steel it is still THE location for high-grade cutlery. Mine, dated 1898, is such a rifle and the serial, 896, shows the lowth of its position in the early production run. Mine to took a trip, this time to the arsenal at K/Carlsborg, where it was NOT converted to m/38 format, but for unknown reasons just got fitted with the threading on the muzzle [for the blank firing attachment] the new foresight and backsight, and, probably, a new stock. Mine is in as new condition and has no markings on the disc either.

The usual finish on the wood is just BLO - NO polish of any kind - the Swedes left the stock rough on purpose, the better to grip in cold weather. A pal of mine has a 1902 m/96 with clear rasp marks on the wrist. BTW, don't look for matching numbers on the cleaning rod. They never matched anyhow.

 

[Capn Jack]

If my guns could talk, all they would do is snivel about how they have to sit around in a dark safe while the pellet guns get to shoot at those ducks on a chain.

 

[tac]

This little carbine, taken off a Boer POW, Pieter Huijsen, on the steps of Korannafontein Farmhouse on May 10th, 1901, was used since the beginning of the Second Boer War in 1899 to shoot at British, Canadian and Australian soldiers. I'd love to hear what it might have to say. Lucky for me, I can listen to it in Afrikaans....