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Vintage Sniper Rifle Picture Thread
- Thread starter Ledzep
- Start date
Dude, I am sorry for not noticing your post until now. I actually do not have a good answer to your question...which makes my delay even worse.
Actually in speaking with him I found out that his repro mounts came from Steve Earle.
Eventually I plan to get the replacements from hi-lux
Using up the last of the stockpile of powder.
Definitely vintage.
Possibly snipery.
38-55? I love Ming, but am having difficulty finding monolithic LFP for hunting in Komifornia.
There is something great about sending a 270g bullet down range and putting a good smack on the target. Mine’s primary use is NRA Lever action Silhouette and it puts the Rams down with authority when I do my part.
There is something great about sending a 270g bullet down range and putting a good smack on the target. Mine’s primary use is NRA Lever action Silhouette and it puts the Rams down with authority when I do my part.
Mine is 45-70. Those are 405s but I have a load that shoots 500 grain bullets. It is actually very mild to shoot.
I would love to have a 38-55 one. Although I guess that one and a mint JM stamped 1895 Cowboy will have to do, lol.
The best solution to the lead free issue is to make like Steve McQueen and stage a Great Escape from that piece of shit state. Maybe if all the good people leave God will bring justice and slide the whole damn thing off into the ocean. Sodom and Gomorrah part 2.
I would love to have a 38-55 one. Although I guess that one and a mint JM stamped 1895 Cowboy will have to do, lol.
The best solution to the lead free issue is to make like Steve McQueen and stage a Great Escape from that piece of shit state. Maybe if all the good people leave God will bring justice and slide the whole damn thing off into the ocean. Sodom and Gomorrah part 2.
I don't remember it. I was just using up some imr 4350 I had that was so old it needed to be used. Slow burning powders tend to be mild for those heavy bullets as they burn slower and the bullet accelerates more moderately.
I found the old load sheet I used. Just be advised, I have no idea how they fit that much powder in the case and load to lever gun length. My 405 grain load is 50 grains of 4350 and that is very full.
For those who've shot all of 'em - how do the Ajack 4x vs ZF39 vs ZF4 vs PE/PEM compare with each other? Which one would you say is the best of the crop?
I have a 1941-dated AJACK on a Swedish M41B, and used to have a PEM 4x scope (reproduction from central Europe) on a M39 SOV replica.
The major disadvantage to the AJACK is a lack of windage adjustment outside the coarse adjustments of the scope base itself. Elevation adjustments are more of less 'tension-based' and one must have the elevation dial set-up properly. It's a very primitive scope given these ergonomics. The main upside compared to a vintage ZF39, PE or PEM scope of WWII era is that the Swedes had all their 1941-42 AJACK scopes re-built in Germany in the mid-1950s, and they got coated lens, so light transmission is way better than any WWII-era scope (which all had uncoated lens, and are dim in comparison).
That said, I think the PEM 4x is probably the best compromise of the scopes listed, as it had clicks for its adjustments (both windage and elevation), and rear ocular had an adjustable diopter ring, which the PE scope lacks (and thus I am not a fan of the PE scope, and its ergonomics).
However, for vintage sniper rifle matches out to 300/600 yards, the 8x Malcolm scope (repo of the old Unertl USMC scope) on an M1903 will always be my first choice - and by a large margin. The Ajack is a neat collectible scope of WWII origin, but its just very primitive in its ergonomics.
Got the M24 back together after an accident (many replaced parts). M1A I shot service rifle with in highschool. Seriously thinking of building an M21 out of it.
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Here's my 1944 K31 in a custom cherry stock I finished with shellac and india ink. The original stock is also being restored but I have a lot of dents to try to steam out (lol).
ZF-1, truth be told, the K 31 rifle holds the Guinness world record for longest shot with open sights from a military rifle. There is a tremendous amount of information on your rifle, and I'm going to post one of my archives as concerns stocks. The world record was made with an issue 1946 K 31 in its original wood stock.
There is no doubt in the world that if your barrel is set up correctly, you're going to be able to shoot side-by-side at the range with state-of-the-art current rifles. There is one thing that the factory did that many do not take into consideration when they switch into one of the new type stocks. Every K 31 that was issued has a 7.5 pound up pressure on the barrel at the end of the forestock. That pressure is regulated by a wedge in the lug well, and by doing that the armory has made it so that issue K 31s will all shoot to the same point of impact, one rifle to another. Things change a little bit when you free float the barrel, but one of my archives addresses that. In the meantime, let me give you a link to that particular archive of mine that will explain about the stocks.
These archives contain virtually anything you need to know about your rifle, precision and long-distance shooting.
www.swissproductsusa.com
There is no doubt in the world that if your barrel is set up correctly, you're going to be able to shoot side-by-side at the range with state-of-the-art current rifles. There is one thing that the factory did that many do not take into consideration when they switch into one of the new type stocks. Every K 31 that was issued has a 7.5 pound up pressure on the barrel at the end of the forestock. That pressure is regulated by a wedge in the lug well, and by doing that the armory has made it so that issue K 31s will all shoot to the same point of impact, one rifle to another. Things change a little bit when you free float the barrel, but one of my archives addresses that. In the meantime, let me give you a link to that particular archive of mine that will explain about the stocks.
These archives contain virtually anything you need to know about your rifle, precision and long-distance shooting.
FAQ | Swissproductsusa
swiss products is located in kalispell montana. we manufacture high quality firearms accessorise for swiss rifles. As time goes on we will be adding to this FAQ page in the hopes of answering any questions you may have.
www.swissproductsusa.com
Thank you very much for the information !ZF-1, truth be told, the K 31 rifle holds the Guinness world record for longest shot with open sights from a military rifle. There is a tremendous amount of information on your rifle, and I'm going to post one of my archives as concerns stocks. The world record was made with an issue 1946 K 31 in its original wood stock.
There is no doubt in the world that if your barrel is set up correctly, you're going to be able to shoot side-by-side at the range with state-of-the-art current rifles. There is one thing that the factory did that many do not take into consideration when they switch into one of the new type stocks. Every K 31 that was issued has a 7.5 pound up pressure on the barrel at the end of the forestock. That pressure is regulated by a wedge in the lug well, and by doing that the armory has made it so that issue K 31s will all shoot to the same point of impact, one rifle to another. Things change a little bit when you free float the barrel, but one of my archives addresses that. In the meantime, let me give you a link to that particular archive of mine that will explain about the stocks.
These archives contain virtually anything you need to know about your rifle, precision and long-distance shooting.
FAQ | Swissproductsusa
swiss products is located in kalispell montana. we manufacture high quality firearms accessorise for swiss rifles. As time goes on we will be adding to this FAQ page in the hopes of answering any questions you may have.
Just picked up this old 1903. A Remington, and the stock is somewhat naturally camoflaged.
Seriously, the quality of this rifle is right up there with Griffen and Howe. It’s in 25-06. Only taken it out to 400 yds on steel so far. Tomorrow looks promising enough to see what kind of groups I can get. She produced just barely under moa @100 yds.
What loads are you running?
Any clue on the gunsmith, barrel brand? Aftermarket trigger?
Stock looks very well done!
The load 50 gr. of IMR 4831 with a 120 gr. bullet. Haven't figured out the velocity, but it takes 5.75 moa to get to 400 from a 100 yd. zero.What loads are you running?
Any clue on the gunsmith, barrel brand? Aftermarket trigger?
Stock looks very well done!
No clue on any of the gunsmithing work. Shoots like it was very well done though. Still has the original trigger but it has been polished up. Much smoother than my other stock 1903's
Added: According to JBM the velocity is around 3200. Easily doable with that slow powder. The barrel is 24"
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My Buddy sent me these the other day, M40A1 GOODNESS!
More pictures from my Buddy, little deer hunting with a smear!
Its not about technology. Sniping is about the weaponization of math.
If you shot the Model 1903A4, with crafted match ammo. It could hold its own with any modern rifle of the same caliber.
Technology doesn't mean better, it means easier. For example, take the fancy CNC lathes now. The computer takes the art out of the game.
Take a gander at this lathe. We laugh when we see something like that in a gun shop now. But that lathe has probably done more for rifle/pistol design and inventions then any lathe in history.
That is the lathe used by John Moses Browning, I took the photo at the Browning museum in Logan Utah.
Back to the M1903 Rifles I mentioned. Its strong, reliable, and ACCURATE. This is the action the Army used to build their Mann Devices. A device they issue to ammo suppliers to test the accuracy of their ammo.
It was used in several calibers, '06, 308, 30 cal carbine, 22 Hornet, and as pictured below, 45 ACP.
Never underestimate old rifles or old machinist.
The Browning photo is a superb picture, so well taken.Its not about technology. Sniping is about the weaponization of math.
If you shot the Model 1903A4, with crafted match ammo. It could hold its own with any modern rifle of the same caliber.
Technology doesn't mean better, it means easier. For example, take the fancy CNC lathes now. The computer takes the art out of the game.
Take a gander at this lathe. We laugh when we see something like that in a gun shop now. But that lathe has probably done more for rifle/pistol design and inventions then any lathe in history.
That is the lathe used by John Moses Browning, I took the photo at the Browning museum in Logan Utah.
Back to the M1903 Rifles I mentioned. Its strong, reliable, and ACCURATE. This is the action the Army used to build their Mann Devices. A device they issue to ammo suppliers to test the accuracy of their ammo.
It was used in several calibers, '06, 308, 30 cal carbine, 22 Hornet, and as pictured below, 45 ACP.
Never underestimate old rifles or old machinist.
Its not about technology. Sniping is about the weaponization of math.
If you shot the Model 1903A4, with crafted match ammo. It could hold its own with any modern rifle of the same caliber.
Technology doesn't mean better, it means easier. For example, take the fancy CNC lathes now. The computer takes the art out of the game.
Take a gander at this lathe. We laugh when we see something like that in a gun shop now. But that lathe has probably done more for rifle/pistol design and inventions then any lathe in history.
That is the lathe used by John Moses Browning, I took the photo at the Browning museum in Logan Utah.
Back to the M1903 Rifles I mentioned. Its strong, reliable, and ACCURATE. This is the action the Army used to build their Mann Devices. A device they issue to ammo suppliers to test the accuracy of their ammo.
It was used in several calibers, '06, 308, 30 cal carbine, 22 Hornet, and as pictured below, 45 ACP.
Never underestimate old rifles or old machinist.
I know I'm quoting a post that's almost 6 years old, but he mentioned Mann Accuracy Devices and those are something that I happen to collect! Here's a few, I've actually purchased more since I took these photos:
I used the Remington 700 5.56 Mann Accuracy Device (1 of 2 known) for this oddball build. The Horus scope is from a Mk11.
How long are the barrels on your Manns? Any clue on barrel maker?I know I'm quoting a post that's almost 6 years old, but he mentioned Mann Accuracy Devices and those are something that I happen to collect! Here's a few, I've actually purchased more since I took these photos:
I used the Remington 700 5.56 Mann Accuracy Device (1 of 2 known) for this oddball build. The Horus scope is from a Mk11.
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Also.. anyone know what happened to @kraigWY ? Hope hes ok.. aint seen him around in a long while.
If I ever find the right host, I'll be in business.
Edit: Looking around right now, I'm more inclined to give up and get a Winchester.
Edit: Looking around right now, I'm more inclined to give up and get a Winchester.
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I think this fits in here.
A few thousand off her more infamous sister. The scope is also not a reproduction.
I have not shot it yet, leery to shoot it with the scope as they are to be fragile. The scope is clear and everything seems in order with it, so I don't want to mess it up. I would like to find a repro scope to shoot with....or might just do it with irons.
I told the story before, this gun came out of a closed museum. I am going to leave it just as is.
A few thousand off her more infamous sister. The scope is also not a reproduction.
I have not shot it yet, leery to shoot it with the scope as they are to be fragile. The scope is clear and everything seems in order with it, so I don't want to mess it up. I would like to find a repro scope to shoot with....or might just do it with irons.
I told the story before, this gun came out of a closed museum. I am going to leave it just as is.
You’d need to be quite some marksman with a rifle and scope combination like that hey?!
If you are talking about my pic.....yea, we learned a thing or two about that lately. Turns out the original conspirancy theory is correct. And yet has anything happened.....nope, just like intended.
Agree.It's a nice rifle, but it didn't shoot Kennedy either.
But I will say one thing, it has the ability to make the shot. So many people poo poo these rifles and they get a lot of bad rep based on wore out mix matched examples that are common. Find a good tight one and it will change your mind about them. It is a serviceable rifle, and on par with anything else of the era.
I have another one that is almost as nice and it shoots on par with an '03 or my 98k.
I've read a few time that the 7mm Carcanos were actually pretty good rifles, but I have no hands on with any of them.
They are a bit of an odd duck and from what I remember want "true" 30 cal bullets, as in .300. I have a box of original but not the rifle. If I could source bullets and brass I would own one.
As we have drifted a bit to carcano, sorry but not too sorry, and you want to play with it I strongly suggest getting one of these thingies. It is not good on the rifle to single load it and you can damage the bolt. This little gizmo takes care of that issue if you don't have the clips. Hold on to the thing when you eject it, the spring in the rifle will shoot the thing across the room. See the dent on the top right of the block....yup.....dumb ass.
For what it is worth, here is the ammo and an original box for the 30 cal. Also you can use the same clips for the 6.5
If I may ask, what is the damage caused by single loading/firing?
IMO, there are a lot of designs/manufacture of rifles that are really ‘capable’. A lot of it depends on the rifle as to whether it is worn badly from use, or used by people that don’t understand good marksmanship. I gave the M16 a thumbs down until I really learned to shoot it. Same with M-N 91/30’s. Get a good refurb and they shoot amazingly well. Same with Carcanos. FTR, I shot a ‘good’ one with the right bullets, and it did well. That said, you gotta be really fuckin’ good to pull off “the shots that killed Kennedy”.
Personally, I think the killing shot came from the manhole cover at the base of the grassy noll.
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The extractor and the bolt head have the grove that goes around the cartridge quite a way. The only place the there is nothing is where the bolt would be when feeding the next round out of the clip. The spring in the body of the rifle that pushes on the cartridges in the clip will basically push the next round up into the bolt from the cutout.
If you don't use this little plastic gizmo and just single load into the chamber the extractor needs to "hop" over the rim of the case, and that part is not made to do that. You can bust the extractor, or damage the bolt face where it is over the case head....very least hard on some very hard to come by brass.
I did not explain that real well, but hope it gets the point across.
Better yet here is a video showing what the issue is.
If you shoot these rifles you know that the clips are not really made to be "re used" and they get real loosey goosey. There are brass or bronze (not sure) and steel clips, and the brass seem to hold up better after reloading several times. If you are just working up loads the single shot adapter is great, then save the clips when you need them for like a CMP match or other service rifle match.
Service rifle games are what I am interested in, and I can tell you that if you hurry a little you can do the "normal" CMP stages with a trapdoor springfield. So much fun as well, everyone is pop pop with the over grown rimfire, 223. Then you are BOOM as you sent 405 grains of goodness down range. So much fun.
Anti communist snipery collection.
From the top:
1942 Sako
1943 Sako Civil Guard
1942 VKT
1944 Sako
1942 Sako
1944 VKT
1944 VKT
Two weekends ago the gun club I'm a member at had their very small annual gun show, and I was able to set up 2 tables to display some of my vintage and modern US sniper rifles. By small gun show, I mean like 4 people with displays and an FFL seling some pistols, lol. Besides the sniper rifles I also included some archaic firearms to show the lineage from 6 centuries ago and I brought in a few other items that tied everything together. I know that DMR’s aren't a true sniper rifle (literally a designated marksman rifle), but I wanted my USMC black stock M14 DMR there because I was just extremely proud of this build and I wanted people to see it! It felt right to include it in the display and I'm glad I brought it!
This is the first time I've ever done a display like this and this is the first public appearance for almost all of these firearms (I had a USMC display last year that included 3 or 4 of the guns that I brought again this year, everything else is new to display). This is a small portion of my collection, but these are some of my most important pieces of history. I talked to tons of people and I let everyone handle these rifles, look though the scopes, dry fire them and have their photos taken with their favorite ones! It's not everyday that someone can see these original rifles, especially being able to touch them and hold them! Normally guns like these are seen in museums behind a wall of glass and you're still standing a few feet away. Some of my rifles may have gotten a few new scratches or wear, but I didn't want them to gather dust sitting in a gunsafe forever, I wanted to share them with my community and educate people who were interested about our military's sniper history. This was a truly unique opportunity for everyone who attended the gun show!
I brought all sorts of amazing original sniper rifles, some of which are extremely historically significant like my Krag sniper rifle that was used in the Army tests in 1900 that paved the way for all of our military's sniper rifles (link to the article on my rifle at the end of this post, that's my rifle in the article)! Other items on display included an original handgonne from the 1370's, an original musket from the 1570's, 2 original USMC M40's, 2 original USMC Winchester M70's, an original IBA XM3 that my sniper platoon had in Fallujah, Iraq (I'm holding this rifle in the photos below), and other amazing firearms. So, tons of great stuff for people to enjoy! And of course people always want to know what guns like these are worth, some guy almost dropped one of my M40's due to shock when he asked me what that specific rifle was worth and I gave him a number, lol.
Even though I had all of these astonishing guns on display, there was one rifle that everyone kept asking me about..... it was the USMC black DMR! I couldn't believe it, it was almost like everyone who stopped by my tables had been given the same script, they all wanted to know more about the DMR! That rifle was everyone's favorite and I'm really happy I brought it with. Just about everyone asked me if this was an original military rifle. Even after holding it and examining it up close, people still couldn't tell that it was a clone built from a collection of parts! To me, that was the ultimate test of how good a clone rifle is. If someone is holding it in their hands and they think it'd the real deal and want to know which unit it came from and what battles it was used in, then you know that you have the perfect rifle! I have to give all of that credit to Terry Golgin (forceman on the M14 Forum), that was all his hard work!
I wish I could show this stuff to you guys in person, photos don't do any of these guns justice. Maybe someday we'll have a Sniper's Hide Vintage Section "Show & Shoot" event that we can all attend! Bring a bunch of cool guns, discuss them and shoot them!
And here's an article to the Krag sniper rifle I also brought with me and put on display. Only 2 are still known to exist, my rifle and the one im the Springfield museum! It's a great article, please take a look if you're interested in early US sniping history!
https://www.americanrifleman.org/co...-rifle-the-telescopic-sighted-krag-jorgensen/
This is the first time I've ever done a display like this and this is the first public appearance for almost all of these firearms (I had a USMC display last year that included 3 or 4 of the guns that I brought again this year, everything else is new to display). This is a small portion of my collection, but these are some of my most important pieces of history. I talked to tons of people and I let everyone handle these rifles, look though the scopes, dry fire them and have their photos taken with their favorite ones! It's not everyday that someone can see these original rifles, especially being able to touch them and hold them! Normally guns like these are seen in museums behind a wall of glass and you're still standing a few feet away. Some of my rifles may have gotten a few new scratches or wear, but I didn't want them to gather dust sitting in a gunsafe forever, I wanted to share them with my community and educate people who were interested about our military's sniper history. This was a truly unique opportunity for everyone who attended the gun show!
I brought all sorts of amazing original sniper rifles, some of which are extremely historically significant like my Krag sniper rifle that was used in the Army tests in 1900 that paved the way for all of our military's sniper rifles (link to the article on my rifle at the end of this post, that's my rifle in the article)! Other items on display included an original handgonne from the 1370's, an original musket from the 1570's, 2 original USMC M40's, 2 original USMC Winchester M70's, an original IBA XM3 that my sniper platoon had in Fallujah, Iraq (I'm holding this rifle in the photos below), and other amazing firearms. So, tons of great stuff for people to enjoy! And of course people always want to know what guns like these are worth, some guy almost dropped one of my M40's due to shock when he asked me what that specific rifle was worth and I gave him a number, lol.
Even though I had all of these astonishing guns on display, there was one rifle that everyone kept asking me about..... it was the USMC black DMR! I couldn't believe it, it was almost like everyone who stopped by my tables had been given the same script, they all wanted to know more about the DMR! That rifle was everyone's favorite and I'm really happy I brought it with. Just about everyone asked me if this was an original military rifle. Even after holding it and examining it up close, people still couldn't tell that it was a clone built from a collection of parts! To me, that was the ultimate test of how good a clone rifle is. If someone is holding it in their hands and they think it'd the real deal and want to know which unit it came from and what battles it was used in, then you know that you have the perfect rifle! I have to give all of that credit to Terry Golgin (forceman on the M14 Forum), that was all his hard work!
I wish I could show this stuff to you guys in person, photos don't do any of these guns justice. Maybe someday we'll have a Sniper's Hide Vintage Section "Show & Shoot" event that we can all attend! Bring a bunch of cool guns, discuss them and shoot them!
And here's an article to the Krag sniper rifle I also brought with me and put on display. Only 2 are still known to exist, my rifle and the one im the Springfield museum! It's a great article, please take a look if you're interested in early US sniping history!
https://www.americanrifleman.org/co...-rifle-the-telescopic-sighted-krag-jorgensen/
