not snipery but vintage

[tomcatmv]

Dragged this old gal out of the safe. Unissued Russian SKS I bought from an old friend who had bought a couple ten rifle crates of them pre-ban. Unissued. I'd been looking for an SKS butt pad extension as I have long arms and have a couple of Yugo's I put them on but they have been hard to come by.
Anyhow, range time! Plus it's 1950 vintage, the year I was born.

 

[Foul Mike]

My best friend and I both bought Russian SKS years ago. As I remember we paid $80 apiece for them.
I have shot mine a lot and used it as a pickup truck gun for years and love it.
It's not new and shiny anymore.
I have never had a failure with it, it ties a knot every time.

 

[USMCsean]

1950 is a rare year.

 

[tomcatmv]

My best friend and I both bought Russian SKS years ago. As I remember we paid $80 apiece for them.
I have shot mine a lot and used it as a pickup truck gun for years and love it.
It's not new and shiny anymore.
I have never had a failure with it, it ties a knot every time.

Yeah, they are pretty much indestructible, and the ten round stripper clips are great. ergonomics aren't that great but I had a shooter grade Yugo that I put in an after market, tupperware stock after I cut the grenade launcher off, re-crowned the muzzle and gave it to my #2 son for a truck gun.

 

[fdkay]

One of the most underrated issue weapons of the 20th century.
Simple, effective, never have to worry about magazines.

 

[fpgt72]

One of the most underrated issue weapons of the 20th century.
Simple, effective, never have to worry about magazines.

They just fell at that point in history where new things started coming quickly.

 

[fpgt72]

We should keep this going for general "vintage" things. I am biased in this area however.

Here is one I am currently "working" on. It is fun to see just how well you can make these old gals shoot.

 

[tomcatmv]

We should keep this going for general "vintage" things. I am biased in this area however.

Here is one I am currently "working" on. It is fun to see just how well you can make these old gals shoot.

View attachment 8064570

What is that?

 

[fpgt72]

What is that?

It is a Remington Model 8, the first semi automatic sporting rifle. It works like an Auto 5 shotgun, long recoil. Made by john browning. The rifles came out before WWI, turn of the century. It was another fallout from the disagreement between winchester and browning, so like the remington 11 his design went there for US sales and FN for sales everywhere else. Real cool history.

The "original" Model 8's all used special Remington calibers, from roughly .25 to .35, this one is in 30 Remington and that cartridge is basically a rimless 30-30. You use the same load data, and can take your pick of "pointy" bullets.

It is also "suppose to be" the gun that took down Bonnie and Clyde, but there are questions around that.

Later on they came out with the model 81, and it had some "normal" shorter cartridges. I want to say non of them are real popular anymore, some on life support like 300 savage.

The gun is quite "thick" for its size, lots of weight. And really complicated. Inside the Rec. there are a bunch of little levers that do all the work and it really is amazing.

Every single one of them is a "take down" version.

To me this is the real fun stuff, I could go on for days on this.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Foul Mike]

I have my Granddad's Model 8 and had my gunsmith friend go through it. The buttstock was broken and ruined beyond repair but I found one on Gunbroker that is not the best but serviceable and he put that one on.
If I can find a better one I will put it on.
Mine is marked 30/30 Rem. I love shooting it.

 

[Foul Mike]

As to the SKS, my best friend called me last night and he still has his Russian that is like new from when we first bought them. He also has 2 Chinese SKS's that he picked up back then that i didn't know he had.
A few months back I had him shoot my AR and he liked it well enough that he bought a nice one and now wants to sell off his SKSs.
He is not a gun guy like we are for sure.

 

[tomcatmv]

It is a Remington Model 8, the first semi automatic sporting rifle. It works like an Auto 5 shotgun, long recoil. Made by john browning. The rifles came out before WWI, turn of the century. It was another fallout from the disagreement between winchester and browning, so like the remington 11 his design went there for US sales and FN for sales everywhere else. Real cool history.

The "original" Model 8's all used special Remington calibers, from roughly .25 to .35, this one is in 30 Remington and that cartridge is basically a rimless 30-30. You use the same load data, and can take your pick of "pointy" bullets.

It is also "suppose to be" the gun that took down Bonnie and Clyde, but there are questions around that.

Later on they came out with the model 81, and it had some "normal" shorter cartridges. I want to say non of them are real popular anymore, some on life support like 300 savage.

The gun is quite "thick" for its size, lots of weight. And really complicated. Inside the Rec. there are a bunch of little levers that do all the work and it really is amazing.

Every single one of them is a "take down" version.

To me this is the real fun stuff, I could go on for days on this.

Thanks for asking.

Not surprised to know it's aSaint Browning design. My first thought when I saw it was "that sure looks like a square back A5". Very cool.
I need to post some pics of my old Win model 63 and model 94. The 63 is also a take down gun.

 

[fpgt72]

I think I will keep this going, it looks like people are interested so why now, gun forum, we all like gunz right?

I talked about the 81 a little above, figure to roll things into the next version some photos of an 81.

By the SN of this old gal she was born in 1938. In 300 Savage. It really lets you know you pulled the trigger. It is a tad much. Not sure if 300 savage is the same 300 savage was way back when....but ouch....not fun.

I load for all these old gals, and this one is no different. Calmed down quite a bit.

Some of the differences are easy, the stock with the pistol grip, vs straight on the 8. If you notice the "sling swivel" is on the barrel, and we have one on the butt stock as well now. If you look close at the 8 it has what appears to be a swivel on the fore stock, it is not, that is the screw to remove the fore stock then you can take the rifle down. People thought it was a swivel, but it is not heavy enough to do that job. These little things are thick, that screw will not be happy if you try to hang the gun off of it.

I will switch up the photo for the end of the week.

Enjoy.

 

[tomcatmv]

Very nice.

 

[ZG47A]

I think I will keep this going, it looks like people are interested so why now, gun forum, we all like gunz right?

I talked about the 81 a little above, figure to roll things into the next version some photos of an 81.

By the SN of this old gal she was born in 1938. In 300 Savage. It really lets you know you pulled the trigger. It is a tad much. Not sure if 300 savage is the same 300 savage was way back when....but ouch....not fun.

I load for all these old gals, and this one is no different. Calmed down quite a bit.

Some of the differences are easy, the stock with the pistol grip, vs straight on the 8. If you notice the "sling swivel" is on the barrel, and we have one on the butt stock as well now. If you look close at the 8 it has what appears to be a swivel on the fore stock, it is not, that is the screw to remove the fore stock then you can take the rifle down. People thought it was a swivel, but it is not heavy enough to do that job. These little things are thick, that screw will not be happy if you try to hang the gun off of it.

I will switch up the photo for the end of the week.

Enjoy.


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Nice piece of kit. Thank you for sharing. I have a feeling that the Remington famously used in the Bonnie and Clyde ambush was chambered in either .32 Remington or .35 Remington. It is also my understanding that it was a law enforcement model with detachable 10 round magazine.

 

[Foul Mike]

@fpgt72 Damn, that is nice looking.
My Dad and Granddad used and carried mine a lot so a lot of the bluing got worn off. It does have a nice patina though.
As I mentioned above the stock was broken at the wrist real bad. My Dad did that when he fell while shooting coyotes from skis.
His answer to that little problem was a roll of friction tape. I know it pissed my Granddad off bad but didn't seem to bother Dad. I also know where my love of firearms came from.
My Dad just viewed them as tools, like a shovel. Granddad was a different story in a lot of ways. I sure miss him.

 

[fpgt72]

Nice piece of kit. Thank you for sharing. I have a feeling that the Remington famously used in the Bonnie and Clyde ambush was chambered in either .32 Remington or .35 Remington. It is also my understanding that it was a law enforcement model with detachable 10 round magazine.

There are some holes around the rifle in the Ranger museum in Texas. Yes they did have a detachable magazine, some holding A LOT more then 10 rounds. The company was called Police Officers supply in St. Joeseph MO.....right up the highway from me. They did some crazy things. The original "assault rifle". Think of every "cop" show on TV in the 70's. You know that little red light they would stick on the roof.....that was them.

The "ranger" rifle has SN#'s that don't line up with the time frame. It is generally accepted from the "nuts" that it is not the rifle used. Hamer was a bit of a showman so who knows. Forgotten weapons did a video on them years ago...

 

[fpgt72]

Todays example in not snipery but vintage we have a pretty nice Mauser 1895. This specific example went to Chile. Personally I hate to refer to things like this as "new" pristine, un issued.....god how I hate unissued, but this one likely was not issues, this sucker looks like it was made yesterday. In good ole 7mm Mauser, think Spanish in spanish american war, or Boer's in the Boer war. Personally I think this cartridge is the best "full power" military rifle cartridges there is. Yup period. The Boers used this same model on the british out to distances the british thought not possible, and those lessons served them....I guess not well, but served them a few years later in some big mess in europe with lots of mud. This rifle is so crisp, so sharp I almost felt bad shooting it....almost. It is really a dream to shoot, and with this rifle if I can see it I can hit it. (I) could hit a man sized target at some of the distances talked about in the Boer war history, I can imagine young eyes and shooting for your life you could hit much farther then the distances I have played at.

The rifle is all numbers matching, germans had a thing about that. And this one shows no sign of being re worked. The way the SN# worked for these gals is they are busted up into 10,000 group blocks, so A would be the first 10k, then numbers would start over again with B. This one is a C.

On to the photos.

 

[tomcatmv]

Again, very nice!

 

[fpgt72]

This weeks installment of not snipery but vintage we have the WZ. 48.

This is the only photo I had on my phone, oddly enough sitting next to a little CZ. I did not think about it till I saved the pic that it is a bit funny as the rifle was used in military academies in both Poland and Czechoslovakia. It was used basically from 1948 to 1960-ish.

I have a few of these old "trainers" and they all seem to like the bullet moving slow. They all without question shoot best with 22 longs, followed by sub sonic 22LR. Being single shots they have no issue with anything in the 22lr family, but I have never tried shorts. Mine is a Random, of the WWII Polish pistol fame and was made ballpark 1952. It does shoot well, I generally shoot everything at 100 yards, and with this I can ding an 8" plate all day, and hit a 6" more often then not.

They do look like you got a mosin wet and tossed it in the dryer......did that to the wifes sweater once....and is quite heavy for being what it is. Years ago they like most things could be had sub $100, and that is what I paid for mine about the same time I bought my first 91-30.

Here she is with her younger cousin. They are fun little rifles that really bring joy back to shooting. In a statement of don't do as I do, do as I say, they are fun to shoot without ears, and if doing sub sonic or longs......well I have airguns that have more bark to them.

Last spring I sat down at my "shooting area" and had it sitting on my range bag, just dinging steel with no ears. I saw an owl sitting in a tree just looking at me, and behind me there was a wood pecker just hammering away at a black locust tree that is half dead. I would shoot, and just look at them on the nice cool afternoon. It just was relaxing.

 

[fpgt72]

Ok this weeks installment in not snipery but vintage is an ole Krag. If you don't know, shame on you look it up, but in a nutshell Spanish-American war, Teddy Roosevelt, you may fire when ready Gridley, and all that. It was the first US smokeless cartridge and came right after the Trapdoor springfield. When you stop back and think basically right after the civil war to krag really tells you the state of US military at the time. It was a different world, and a better world.....back to the gun.

This specific example was "bought out of a barrel" in the early 1950's in the hills of Tenn. by a young boy and his brother going in together for $15. They could not afford the Springfield for $25. The young boy was my Father in law.

Today they would say that "bubba" got a' hold of this poor thing. In the 1950's to the son of a sharecropper it was done in effort to make it pretty. This rifle was used to put food on the table, the family of 8....those country folk did one thing quite a bit.....More kids is more hands to work is another way of thinking about it, and if a few die off, well I guess there are others is another way of thinking of it. Deer was something that was eaten quite a bit in those Tenn. hills. The rifle was in the "care" of one of the brothers who died roughly 10 years ago, my FiL did not want anything to do with it, so asked if my wife wanted it. Sure. I cleaned it up. Got is "safe" to shoot again and am loading some rounds for this summer, not to deer hunt but to bang some steel with. See if I can get him to shoot his old rifle again. We started shotgun "games" and BBQ last summer once a month and at first he did not want to shoot.....but he could not help himself, it became a highlight.

I learned the entire story when I made the "mistake" of saying I paid $1000 for a "real" Krag Carbine several years ago, if you know the prices on these things now you know what several years means. And I learned the entire story of the rifle.

So here she is in all her "bubba" glory. I have not shot it yet, the bore is not bad, I have worse, so we will see how she does.

 

[fpgt72]

I figure I will add a little more to the story. This man had three guns, one single shot shotgun 16G, Stevens IIRC, I have it as well. One 22, no idea what happened to that, and this. More guns are just not needed, this did everything they needed. As the years went on and he started his own family one brother and he stayed a bit close, they both bought browning A5's in the early 60's. The FiL got a new 12g. The brother being a bit "lower" bought a "used" one, an FN made 16. I have that shotgun now, and it was made IIRC in 1938. I have no idea on the FiL I have never seen it, and don't think I want to. It has spent the last 40+ years wrapped up in an ace bandage. I am in fear he un wraps it.

I said these people are poor, and I do mean dirt floor poor, real dirt floor. These people had nothing. He was one of the younger children so he did finish high school, something none of the other boys did. This link to our past is not going to be around much longer. We need to learn it. Stories of him and his brothers poaching deer, and eating was if they shot anything that day.

 

[tomme boy]

Unissued Russian SKS????? No such of a thing exist. Maybe unissued since rebuild. But the rebuild Russians have a parked rec cover. Russians were never $80 as everyone says, They were more like $149. The Chinese were the $80 guns in the 80's

 

[Foul Mike]

@tomme boy My friend and I bought Russian SKS rifles at $80 and $85 years ago.
I still have my receipt for $80 + tax.
There is a Russian and 2 Chinese on the auction bill at Michael Auction, Julesburg, CO 11 March if you are interested. All 3 are like new. They take internet bids I think or will call you.
I'm not sure if they are on the sale bill but I know they are there. Might have to call them. Oil bottles and slings included.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I've always loved the 1903 and 03A3. I picked this one up in a trade a few months back. My understanding is that it is a USMC built target rifle.

 

[Foul Mike]

I have a 30/40 Krag a friend gave me years ago that his Dad was Bubba on. Good God, it is the ugliest "Sporterized" rifle I have ever seen.
Such a shame as the metal is pristine and the bore looks like new.
Is there any place to get a correct unmolested stock for them? and any metal I might need, bands etc. New, used, I don't care.
When he gave it to me it came with 2 dog eared magazines, Popular Mechanics, and Mechanics Illustrated as I remember, both with articles, How to Sporterize your 30/40 Krag.
I am of a strong belief that when he hears the word, Sporterize, Baby Jesus cries, I know I do.

 

[packratt]

Sarco and gun parts corp

 

[fpgt72]

I have a 30/40 Krag a friend gave me years ago that his Dad was Bubba on. Good God, it is the ugliest "Sporterized" rifle I have ever seen.
Such a shame as the metal is pristine and the bore looks like new.
Is there any place to get a correct unmolested stock for them? and any metal I might need, bands etc. New, used, I don't care.
When he gave it to me it came with 2 dog eared magazines, Popular Mechanics, and Mechanics Illustrated as I remember, both with articles, How to Sporterize your 30/40 Krag.
I am of a strong belief that when he hears the word, Sporterize, Baby Jesus cries, I know I do.

Cruise over to gunboards those guys over there are a great help, and with the prices going up, it could be "worth it". This one is "pretty too far gone" for one, and it is family history so I will not change it. I have been working on building a loft in my shop for the past month, I still have primed cases sitting waiting for me.

 

[fpgt72]

I forgot this weeks installment of not snipery but cool. All my time has been spent turning this.

Into this:

And being old and broken it is taking quite a bit of time, electrical is next on deck.....well after I screw down the plywood.....or OSB, you guys know what 3/4 plywood goes for now.....and I will not get into it is not 3/4 anymore.....yea I know but still ticks you off.

I will let you pick the entry of this installment.

I don't remember why I had them out of the safe....but it was an interesting pic. Left to right, Marlin "camp 9" SA Garand that is "blue sky" import marked (more on that later) Savage 99 in 243, and Marlin lever is 38/357

I like pistol flavored rifles, the little marlins are just a hoot to shoot, so much darn fun. And you can load the 357's mighty stiff if you so choose, the action is much stronger over the winchesters, but winchester is very smooth, the marlin you need to work like you are mad at it. Always wanted a savage 99 this one is of 60's vintage, still brass counter, but not a take down, fairly accurate in "deer" terms, fun rifle, and I can't talk about it without saying using the magazine system that bill ruger would later steal and make famous.

The garand is a springfield, and is Blue sky marked. Many years ago this importer brought in a bunch of stuff from Korea, all of it rode hard and put away wet. When I got this one the stock was dry as sand, it still does not look good. The thing with blue sky is you know without any shadow of doubt that this is a korean war rifle, I wanted that. Many collectors at the time poo pooed them for being too expensive for the shape they are in, and CMP was the way to go. I wanted one that fought in Korea, wish it was an IH being a farm boy, but a springfield will need to do....Have you seen the prices on IH garands lately......coming to join you Elizabeth. Shoots well and all parts are of the correct vintage. She only eats, as with about everything I own are my own softer handloads. Had an issue with it a few years ago and it wanted to rip the head off the cases, these old guns do wear out and have wear parts, new stuff is available for them, but I am the guy that keeps the old springs and such as they are original.....not sure why but I do. Getting that case out kinda sucked, never done that before.

 

[tomcatmv]

A couple of my old Winchesters.

 

[tomcatmv]

A couple of my old Winchesters.

!950's model 63 with an old Weaver scope. Shout out to Sirh who gave me some refurb advice for it. Glass is clear just need to get to the range and see if it will hold zero. I just think the 63 is an elegant little rifle.
The '94 in .30 WCF is from 1917, has some battle scars and is fairly hard to cycle once the breech bolt contacts the hammer. Anyone have a remedy for that?

 

[tomcatmv]

Going to take the 63 out for a spin on Wednesday. Will try to post some target pics.

 

[ZG47A]

Going to take the 63 out for a spin on Wednesday. Will try to post some target pics.

Yes, nice little rifles.

 

[748rpilot]

@fpgt72 What do you have to give $$ for one of those Mauser 1895?

 

[fpgt72]

@fpgt72 What do you have to give $$ for one of those Mauser 1895?

I just looked it up, $748 after fees.

I had forgotten about this thread, let me see what I have on my phone, if anything good I will be back in a few.

 

[fpgt72]

Not much to choose from on my phone, but perhaps you guys have some suggestions on this old gal, so I can remove the tattoo some idiot put on her.

She is yet another "JFK" gun....Carcano. A little worse shape then my "pretty" one, but it does shoot very well. I bought her for roughly $200 a few years ago and it was a good deal even with the "tattoo".

Sorry for the crap-tastic photos, but best I could find from the old phone. Someone somewhere drew with what I would assume a ball point pen this on the stock. It is not deep in the wood and that is a plus, I really don't want to sand it, there is not much value there at all but that just sticks in me as you just don't do that to vintage rifles....vintage any gun. It could do with a good cleaning, but every time I start is pull back as I just loose heart.

The draw back is this is the best shooter I have, bolt so sloppy and a bore that just looks like hell, but it will out shoot all but my most pristine Carcano. This is the one I used at the CMP match and shocked everyone with as there is just no reason on earth it should shoot as well as it does. If it was not for that stupid star some idiot drew on it I would be very proud of her.

 

[Modoc]

Today I had to pull some out and put them on paper after the piss poor showing I did this month.

Matched set of TC Hawken Rifles in 50. On percussion and one flint. Talk about rebuilding your shooting position between shots.

Reduced my groups by 1/2 and adjusted the sights. Now need to go practice offhand.

 

[mtrmn]

I completely missed this good thread until now. Thank you all for showing these old guns.

 

[camocorvette]

Not much to choose from on my phone, but perhaps you guys have some suggestions on this old gal, so I can remove the tattoo some idiot put on her.

She is yet another "JFK" gun....Carcano. A little worse shape then my "pretty" one, but it does shoot very well. I bought her for roughly $200 a few years ago and it was a good deal even with the "tattoo".

Sorry for the crap-tastic photos, but best I could find from the old phone. Someone somewhere drew with what I would assume a ball point pen this on the stock. It is not deep in the wood and that is a plus, I really don't want to sand it, there is not much value there at all but that just sticks in me as you just don't do that to vintage rifles....vintage any gun. It could do with a good cleaning, but every time I start is pull back as I just loose heart.

The draw back is this is the best shooter I have, bolt so sloppy and a bore that just looks like hell, but it will out shoot all but my most pristine Carcano. This is the one I used at the CMP match and shocked everyone with as there is just no reason on earth it should shoot as well as it does. If it was not for that stupid star some idiot drew on it I would be very proud of her.

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Another idea instead of sanding the stock. Bring the dented wood up. Steam it and you might be surprised. Then just hit the rest of the stock with some 0000 steel wool, air it off and then boiled linseed oil.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I had the opportunity to shoot the 1125 yard steel Buffalo at the NRAWC over the weekend.

It's a large target but still fun with an old rifle, and was repeatable once I got the dope figured out.

 

[fpgt72]

I had forgotten about this thread. Your 03 looks nice. I really suck looking at photos but it does look like a fatter barrel then "normal". @MarshallDodge have you looked up her SN# and checked her dates? Should be able to find out if she was special. I think springfield has records on all of them, the real springfield that is even if she was made by RI....again the real RI. Yours is a real looker, the stock looks a little like an "air service" model, but those had the Rec cut to take a detachable box mag, 15 or 30 rounds I don't remember what. They are very hard to come by, and at one time, till some dude told the world about them on the internet got passed over for being a bubba job and went cheap. That guy even talks about that as well.

Here is basically my home shootin setup. The old mower and wagon are great for hauling things to the back of the property where I shoot. Don't judge too hard, I am a poor old country boy.

My 03 is to be one of those that if you listen to the "internet" it will blow my face off, kill everyone in a 100 square mile radius, and knock the earth out of orbit and send it spinning into the sun. Oddly enough I have never had an issue with anything "full power" loads on down. Currently she gets fed "youth loads" in 3006, but that is more a "me" thing and I can't do recoil like I once could. She is a perfect example of one of the "low number" springfields that are to have issues, a October 1918 dated barrel, so this thing likely has not been touched after 1918

If you can see from the barrel pic it is a Rock Island barrel, this is really nothing to worry about. They did mix and match barrels straight out of the factory. Remember there was a real war going on and getting gunz in the hands of soldiers was the only thing that mattered. Something to keep in mind when looking at really any of these old gals, parts not matching was common. The M1 carbine is a perfect example, be very suspect of an "all matching" carbine, someone likely made it that way.

 

[ZG47A]

I had forgotten about this thread. Your 03 looks nice. I really suck looking at photos but it does look like a fatter barrel then "normal". @MarshallDodge have you looked up her SN# and checked her dates? Should be able to find out if she was special. I think springfield has records on all of them, the real springfield that is even if she was made by RI....again the real RI. Yours is a real looker, the stock looks a little like an "air service" model, but those had the Rec cut to take a detachable box mag, 15 or 30 rounds I don't remember what. They are very hard to come by, and at one time, till some dude told the world about them on the internet got passed over for being a bubba job and went cheap. That guy even talks about that as well.

Here is basically my home shootin setup. The old mower and wagon are great for hauling things to the back of the property where I shoot. Don't judge too hard, I am a poor old country boy.

My 03 is to be one of those that if you listen to the "internet" it will blow my face off, kill everyone in a 100 square mile radius, and knock the earth out of orbit and send it spinning into the sun. Oddly enough I have never had an issue with anything "full power" loads on down. Currently she gets fed "youth loads" in 3006, but that is more a "me" thing and I can't do recoil like I once could. She is a perfect example of one of the "low number" springfields that are to have issues, a October 1918 dated barrel, so this thing likely has not been touched after 1918

If you can see from the barrel pic it is a Rock Island barrel, this is really nothing to worry about. They did mix and match barrels straight out of the factory. Remember there was a real war going on and getting gunz in the hands of soldiers was the only thing that mattered. Something to keep in mind when looking at really any of these old gals, parts not matching was common. The M1 carbine is a perfect example, be very suspect of an "all matching" carbine, someone likely made it that way.

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Looks good. If you read Hatcher's Notebook you will see that the military incidents tend to involve WW1 ammunition produced by new manufacturers. Hatcher also mentions, if I recall correctly, that some receivers will be outside the official number range because they were only numbered as rifles were built up.

 

[fpgt72]

Looks good. If you read Hatcher's Notebook you will see that the military incidents tend to involve WW1 ammunition produced by new manufacturers. Hatcher also mentions, if I recall correctly, that some receivers will be outside the official number range because they were only numbered as rifles were built up.

At least his book does not carry....the weight I guess I will say....as it once did. Once and a while you will come across a guy with a "low number" and sell it dirt cheap. But even those are becoming hard to find.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

M1871/88 Beaumont-Vitali.

Due to its use of a clip-fed magazine, the rifle has a firing rate of up to 14.5 rounds per minute. The brass cartridge fires a 385-grain hardened lead round nose projectile with 77 grains of black powder at a velocity of 1,444 feet per second at the muzzle. The rifle is sighted up to 1,968 yards.

Long story made short, In 1968 I asked my mother if she could find me a beater, double barrel shotgun, that I could fix up as a wall hanger. So, for Christmas, the long awaited Christmas present, already wrapped under the tree, this “Rifle” brought an obvious sign of disappointment which also put a bit of a pale on that Christmas. Still, we all got over it. But the story gets worse. Wondering about the caliber, I asked the gentleman who sold it to my mother (He was reportedly something of a gun collector and a “knowledgeable” person) what the caliber was. He insisted it was a 11mm Mauser and got somewhat nasty to me when I asked if he was sure. He was surely Wrong!

Here it is, still hanging in our den after all these years. I have loading dies for one of the two calibers these rifles were chambered in, but have not done a chamber cast and not really willing to invest the small fortune in bullet molds and all else it would take to get this rifle smoking again. Anyway, the bore looks like a long neglected Louisiana rural road

Still 1968 yards…Wonder how it would do at the next PRS match

 

[fpgt72]

M1871/88 Beaumont-Vitali.

Due to its use of a clip-fed magazine, the rifle has a firing rate of up to 14.5 rounds per minute. The brass cartridge fires a 385-grain hardened lead round nose projectile with 77 grains of black powder at a velocity of 1,444 feet per second at the muzzle. The rifle is sighted up to 1,968 yards.

Long story made short, In 1968 I asked my mother if she could find me a beater, double barrel shotgun, that I could fix up as a wall hanger. So, for Christmas, the long awaited Christmas present, already wrapped under the tree, this “Rifle” brought an obvious sign of disappointment which also put a bit of a pale on that Christmas. Still, we all got over it. But the story gets worse. Wondering about the caliber, I asked the gentleman who sold it to my mother (He was reportedly something of a gun collector and a “knowledgeable” person) what the caliber was. He insisted it was a 11mm Mauser and got somewhat nasty to me when I asked if he was sure. He was surely Wrong!

Here it is, still hanging in our den after all these years. I have loading dies for one of the two calibers these rifles were chambered in, but have not done a chamber cast and not really willing to invest the small fortune in bullet molds and all else it would take to get this rifle smoking again. Anyway, the bore looks like a long neglected Louisiana rural road

Still 1968 yards…Wonder how it would do at the next PRS match

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Well he got the 11mm part right I guess.

If you have never shot one of these big bore black powder rifles you are in for a treat. It is just different from shooting something like a trapdoor with old smoky. Yes you are correct on the components on these old rifles from europe, finding stuff here in the states is expensive, even with stuff more popular like a Martini, everyone wants to do Zulu at one time, and the ones coming out of the mid east was one of the few guns our people could bring back. Nothing modern as many of you know.

I did a few rounds of black powder in the trapdoor and went that was enough.

I know I am off in the weeds but this is my go to article when talking about using "modern" powder in smoky rifles. It explains it very well. But still it does not help with bullets and the rest of the things you need to make it work.

Chasing the 44-40 - Pressure Testing

IT IS NOT INTENDED FOR THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO BE USED BY ANYONE AS "LOAD DATA" The information is nothing more than informative for discussion purposes only. The physical use of any of the following information is done so at the reader's own risk.

sites.google.com

 

[MarshallDodge]

I had forgotten about this thread. Your 03 looks nice. I really suck looking at photos but it does look like a fatter barrel then "normal". @MarshallDodge have you looked up her SN# and checked her dates? Should be able to find out if she was special. I think springfield has records on all of them, the real springfield that is even if she was made by RI....again the real RI. Yours is a real looker, the stock looks a little like an "air service" model, but those had the Rec cut to take a detachable box mag, 15 or 30 rounds I don't remember what. They are very hard to come by, and at one time, till some dude told the world about them on the internet got passed over for being a bubba job and went cheap. That guy even talks about that as well.

Here is basically my home shootin setup. The old mower and wagon are great for hauling things to the back of the property where I shoot. Don't judge too hard, I am a poor old country boy.

My 03 is to be one of those that if you listen to the "internet" it will blow my face off, kill everyone in a 100 square mile radius, and knock the earth out of orbit and send it spinning into the sun. Oddly enough I have never had an issue with anything "full power" loads on down. Currently she gets fed "youth loads" in 3006, but that is more a "me" thing and I can't do recoil like I once could. She is a perfect example of one of the "low number" springfields that are to have issues, a October 1918 dated barrel, so this thing likely has not been touched after 1918

If you can see from the barrel pic it is a Rock Island barrel, this is really nothing to worry about. They did mix and match barrels straight out of the factory. Remember there was a real war going on and getting gunz in the hands of soldiers was the only thing that mattered. Something to keep in mind when looking at really any of these old gals, parts not matching was common. The M1 carbine is a perfect example, be very suspect of an "all matching" carbine, someone likely made it that way.

@fpgt72

Nice 1903!

I picked this rifle up last year on a trade. My limited research is showing that it is a "T" target match version, built by the armory for the Marine Corp rifle team. It has an excellent set of Lyman sights, as well as the mounting blocks for a scope.

I ordered a book over the weekend that should have more details on the rifle.

 

[ZG47A]

At least his book does not carry....the weight I guess I will say....as it once did. Once and a while you will come across a guy with a "low number" and sell it dirt cheap. But even those are becoming hard to find.

The title was still available from Stackpole in the early 2010s, if I recall correctly. Should be plenty available. Sometimes best to contact secondhand bookshops with a list of desired titles. I would really like to acquire Hatcher’s two titles on firearm forensics and perhaps Nonte’s title; all of those published by Samworth. I once saw a mint copy of Clyde Baker’s book in my favourite second hand bookshop but could not justify the luxury expenditure at that time. I have Dunlap’s book on gunsmithing and once borrowed a friend’s copy of the last edition of Sharpe’s handloading book. That title truly rammed home the idleness, dishonesty and absence of fact-checking in the majority of firearms journalism and far too many firearms codices.

 

[fpgt72]

As this thread came to light again, here is another. A bit like a belly button, and the only thing special about this old gal is she is mine. Not really worth "much". She is an "RC" or russian capture. I got this several years ago when they came in. I was wanting a fairly nice one with stamps and not too "defaced". This is what I ended up with.

For those that don't know, 98K in 8mm mauser. Personally I see 8mm a bit like 3006, same ball park power level. You know when you shoot it. It is a gun with no real vices. I have not worked up any loads for it in the 5 years I have owned it, shocked what the prices have done on them.

If you are interested in "learning the codes" here is what those letters, or numbers on the Rec of the rifle mean. DOU is fairly common, so nothing really gained there. It is a little like everything in the old gun world, value can really swing on the "who made it". Like the Jukebox company on M1 carbines, or the famous un-quality carbines.

German WWII Rifle Ordnance Codes

 

[Calfed]

I've got two of the Remington model 81's, including a former FBI rifle. Both are .30 Remington caliber.

Great rifles with an odd recoil impulse.

This is the former FBI rifle

The biggest tip off is that the FBI ordered their early model 81's with the Lyman 41 rear peep sight. Because that sight covered the serial number when installed, the FBI had Remington move the manufacturer and serial number lettering on the receiver over to where it is stacked under the model information.

Here is the left side of the receiver on my "civilian" model 81...

And here is the left side of an FBI model 81

And this is the left side of my new Model 81

It has the manufacturer and serial number "stacked" under the model information, which I understand is unique to the model 81's made for the FBI. It also has the Lyman 41 sight, is chambered in .30 Remington and has the "notches" cut in the barrel shroud, where Remington brazed the barrel shroud to the barrel shroud head at the FBI's request.

http://thegreatmodel8.remingtonsociety.com/?page_id=867

 

[Calfed]

Back in the day, before SWAT teams, Law Enforcement used the Remington Model 8/81 and Winchester 1907 self-loading rifles for "high risk" arrests. These semi auto rifles were beautifully made and finished and chambered in .25, .30, .32, and .35 Remington and .300 Savage.

Here's my "civilian"Model 81, in .30 Remington...