JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
I have to.....because my eyes aren't as good as they use to be. I don't like scopes. And, it's still a challenge and fun (for me) to keep shooting with iron sights. Even though it's only at 25 yards.

Yeah....we all get old someday.

Aloha, Mark
I hear ya' on this ^^. Though I force myself to do 50 yards, maybe a bit more. I don't see how even the young soldiers of the long past could use those teeny tiny sights out past 100 yards.
 
I hear ya' on this ^^. Though I force myself to do 50 yards, maybe a bit more. I don't see how even the young soldiers of the long past could use those teeny tiny sights out past 100 yards.
When I was younger. Yeah.....way back when.
I shot hi-power (service rifle) with my M1a. We actually shot out to 600 yards with iron sights.

Aloha, Mark
 
When I was younger. Yeah.....
I shot hi-power (service rifle) with my M1a. We actually shot out to 600 yards with iron sights.

Aloha, Mark
I GUESS I could see that far, back then. :s0092: I only started playing with long guns 5 years or so ago. So...
600 yards, boggles the mind.
 
FDnKvkAHaJb?w=194&h=248&c=7&r=0&o=5&dpr=1.56&pid=1.jpg

Is this what you boomers ment...
 
I went shooting today and brought along this old fashion R.F.I. (Rifle Factory Ishapore) 2A1 in 7.62 NATO (calling her an SMLE is ok by me too).
IMG-5657.jpg
IMG-5660.jpg
IMG-7082.jpg
IMG-7092.jpg
IMG-7096.jpg

Yup....I'm still shooting with iron sights and surplus 7.62 NATO ammo at 25 yards.

Aloha, Mark

PS......how was it?

1) The trigger is ok for a military rifle and could certainly could use a work over. But it's not a BIG complaint and it's NOT a Match Rifle. So, who cares?
2) The feeding was sometimes a problem. You don't want to baby it. It's cock on close. Which I am NOT used to. Perhaps, that was the reason leading to/causing my feeding issues?
3) Cock on close also had me pushing the rifle away from me. Thus, I had to readjust things more often. And, it was an even slower process (for me) vs with a Mauser. "Mad Minute"....whatever.
4) Just opening the bolt took a bit of effort. And, it's difficult to slowly slide the bolt open and still get a good reliable ejection. Not....like when using a Mauser.
5) Speaking of the Mauser comparison. Yeah, IMHO the Mauser is better. Working the Mauser action is a joy, compared to this SMLE variant. Slow or fast. IMHO, the Mauser is just much smoother to operate.
6) Then....the bolt knob on the 2A1 would frequently strike my knuckle during recoil. It's a pain.
7) The front sight was small and those darn protective ears. Yeah, they look like a fat front sight. I'd bet, that it could be confusing under stress.

BUT, But, but......
i-know-nothing-nothing.jpg


YEAH, Yeah, yeah.....it was only ONE example.

Conclusion....
If YOU like the SMLE platform (say even in .303 caliber) well, that's your choice. Good luck with that.

And, Sorry.
But, I had no stripper clips to play with.

And, being that my ammo was "grungy old surplus stuff". Maybe that contributed to the feeding and extracting problems. Not to mention, that .308 NATO ain't the same as .303 British. Yeah....the amount of taper to the cartridge.
 
Last Edited:
A pair of Cold War era bolt-actions. On top, an Indonesian Model 1954 in .303 British which started life as a Dutch Mannlicher in 6.5x53R but was converted in 1954. On the bottom is just a fairly typical Ishapore 2A1.

F315BF01-38DC-4F98-86BC-912BC1EE2823.jpeg
A66AC1E6-696C-415F-A5F7-84088DD5FBA1.jpeg
 
Colt 1903 "Pocket" model, type I, in .32 ACP. Made in 1915. With original grips and ivory replacements. Custom made vintage holster. This was Sam Spade's gun of choice in all those Humphrey Bogart movies (e.g. The Maltese Falcon). Original magazines for this go about $200. If you see one at a garage sale, snag it!

View attachment 310992 View attachment 310993
Actually made in 1906 according to the serial number. My mother had told me it was 1915.
 
Here's an update.

This is a 1946 FMAP licensed colt 1911a1. I picked it up last summer at Castle Guard in Centralia; nice shop worth noting. A good shooter.


IMG-3958.jpg
 
1969-dated Chinese Type 56 SKS-clone. This was imported from a stockpile in Albania, apparently. Lovingly de-cosmolined by yours truly.

BB72B6E5-DAE7-4A13-9F75-630A3C1ECC85.jpeg
 
Not the best background for a picture but 4 old good looking Mossbergs. Front to back:
Model 51MB
Model 151MB, still need to buy period correct scope.
Model 42MB
Model 46MB
All are great little shooters.
20220601_165511.jpg
 
RE : Post #601

I took the old Mauser M24/47 out for some exercise today (07-01-2022).

1656723510782.jpeg
That black line in the stock is not a crack (it's just the wood's color).

1656723594104.jpeg
1656723661883.jpeg
1656723705522.jpeg
Bedan Surplus ammo that I assume to be corrosive. So, I'm always careful about cleaning it when I get home.

BUT, But, but......today I had some commercial ammo.
1656723857526.jpeg
1656723885112.jpeg

1656723920316.jpeg

Boxer primed, corrosive or not.......I don't care. The rifle needs cleaning anyway.

Aloha, Mark

PS........the front sight on that Mauser "sucks". Not to mention, the "V notch" rear sight. Rrrrrright.......because the front is soooo bad. IMHO.
 
Last Edited:
PC100028.JPG

Walther P.38, byf 43. This was a Russian capture imported in the 1990's. So we know it didn't sit out the war in a Wehrkreis HQ, it was on the Eastern Front. Somewhere. It originally came my way as collateral for a private loan, and I wound up keeping it at settlement. I've fired it a couple of times. It's one of the small number of guns that I've kept after I decided to let most of them go.
 
PS........the front sight on that Mauser "sucks". Not to mention, the "V notch" rear sight. Rrrrrright.......because the front is soooo bad. IMHO.
Don't they all suck.......for older eyes? I guess I should feel lucky I do okay at 60 yard. Good enough for me anyway. But dang, I swear the target gets further away when you look over those sights on the rifle?

I put a correct front sight hood on my Swede Mauser and painted the top of the front sight white. It seemed to make it harder so see when shooting with light surroundings. I do better with the paint off and leaving the hood.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top