Vintage warriors

[Daddyusmaximus]

I have a few vintage old bolt guns, all who have military service as their background.

1. This Brazilian Mauser was brought back from Italy following WWII by the uncle of my father-in-law. He stuck it in his closet, and never fired it. After he passed my FIL (who inherited it) stuck it on his gun rack... and never fired it. Finally, several years later, he and I took it to the range. He shot it once, and had two complaints. Didn't like the recoil, and didn't like the sights. He gave it to me on the spot. I was to make it useful, and see to it that his grandson ended up with it when I passed. I agreed with him on the sights, but fell in love with the softer than a .308 recoil. Well, despite the collectors giving me grief for "destroying" a piece of history... I made it useful again, and love shooting it. The barrel is now 20", and sports a Warcomp. It sits in a Hogue stock with a Timney trigger. and a different bolt body was found in my gunsmiths stash that had a regular style bolt handle, and headspaced well, and a low safety added. Next a Nikon M-308 was taken off another gun for this one, and bingo, useful old rifle, with a family story.

2. A 1949 Remington 513-T that served both the U.S. Army, and the USMC as a trainer. Now fitted with a with Nikon Prostaff 4-12 Rimfire scope, it slays any squirrel that dares to disrespect my German Shepherd by not allowing her to catch them.

3. My Lee Enfield No 4 Mk 1 Scout rifle (now 18") isn't exactly a "sniper" rifle, but it does shoot under 2" at 100 yds, and that's about as sniper as I've seen for a No 4 in a long time. That's with PPU 180 gr SPBT.

4. My other 7mm Mauser is of the Spanish variety. It was a rather inexpensive gun show find that wouldn't go on "safe". Turns out the bolt was assembled wrong... Again, no sniper rifle, but a very good truck gun with a red dot where the rear sight was.

Had my gunsmith mill the rear sight base to accept the red dot sight so it would stay low. A replacement base from his stash could bring it back to original if need be. It won't be... works perfect as is. I hate those old flat blade rear sights.

Not mine... Had the gunsmith do up my son's Mosin same way... He loves it.

 

[Jake200]

Very nice collection you have, thank you for sharing. I am looking for a Remington 513 and a Mossberg 44 to add to my collection.

 

[XLR308]

I really like the Enfield with the long eye relief scope.
I have allways been a fan of the scout rifle concept and it's functionality in a hunting role when poking around in dense brush.
Also like the melding of new and old tech in your setups.

 

[polish handgunner]

One of my favorites!
A M38 1942 Husky in 6.5x55.
I added a Soderin Aperture rear sight.
I mostly shot cast bullets in it.
It’s a fun rifle to shoot.

 

[sandwarrior]

One of my favorites!
A M38 1942 Husky in 6.5x55.
I added a Soderin Aperture rear sight.
I mostly shot cast bullets in it.
It’s a fun rifle to shoot.
View attachment 7325611

You gonna be killin' golfballs again his summer? Or, has some golfball rights activist gotten you to stop killing them? ...

 

[MK20]

please stop ruining nice rifles.

 

[sandwarrior]

please stop ruining nice rifles.

I understand what you are saying, but a lot of times collectors go off on people without knowing the history of that piece. Sometimes you get a bubba'd gun from 50 years ago and make it shootable. Adding a red-dot sight in replacement of the old sights isn't irreversible. It was about 12 years ago, the Mauser pool dried up. It was about five years ago the Mosin pool dried up. Before that, all these guns were fair game.

Yeah, I would not change another vintage gun that wasn't already changed. But too many collectors come along and bitch that the rifle got changed and can't see it for what it is now. Example: I had collectors crying in their soup that my first year production Savage Model 1899 in .250-3000 got drilled and tapped for a side mount Pachmayr tip off scope mount. Again, fifty years gone by and someone's gotta complain.

Look at it like 'it is what it is and it makes your rifle more valuable'.

 

[polish handgunner]

please stop ruining nice rifles.

The Soderin sight was made for Swedish shooters!

 

[MK20]

that wasnt what i was talking about. I know what that is

 

[kraigWY]

Top 1873 Trap Door 45-70 ---- Bottom 1868 Trap Door 50-70

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I like your guns and what you've done with them. Others may offer dispute, but you are under no, zero, obligation to give them as much as the time of day about their wails and gnashing teeth. You made the effort to improve your rifles as you see fit, it worked, and that's the entire point here.

Remember, when others complain about that; they are speaking in the language of snobbery.

It's like the painstaking efforts some undergo to precisely duplicate some particular military sniper rifle. It can be brought to absolutely perfect condition as an absolutely indistinguishable duplicate of the real deal. But; something either is the real deal, or it's a sham. I could question the basic logic, but honestly; that's none of my business.

But the perfect duplicate has two problems. It never was the real thing, and it never will be. And when these folks are done with it all, other folks are making up rifles that really don't have a problem outshooting them, either.

I don't collect rifles, I shoot them.

Collector value has no appeal to me. Nothing has any monetary value until someone has the cash in hand and is handing it to you. I'd rather have the rifle, no matter what the offer.

Greg

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I like your guns and what you've done with them. Others may offer dispute, but you are under no, zero, obligation to give them as much as the time of day about their wails and gnashing teeth. You made the effort to improve your rifles as you see fit, it worked, and that's the entire point here.

Remember, when others complain about that; they are speaking in the language of snobbery.

It's like the painstaking efforts some undergo to precisely duplicate some particular military sniper rifle. It can be brought to absolutely perfect condition as an absolutely indistinguishable duplicate of the real deal. But; something either is the real deal, or it's a sham. I could question the basic logic, but honestly; that's none of my business.

But the perfect duplicate has two problems. It never was the real thing, and it never will be. And when these folks are done with it all, other folks are making up rifles that really don't have a problem outshooting them, either.

I don't collect rifles, I shoot them.

Collector value has no appeal to me. Nothing has any monetary value until someone has the cash in hand and is handing it to you. I'd rather have the rifle, no matter what the offer.

Greg

Exactly!

I will say that cutting up an amazing original... anything... is probably not the best idea for it. But there are lots. And I mean LOTS. TONS of vintage surplus rifles that were completely butchered, neglected, imported, folded spindled and mutilated. And creative people can do AMAZING things with them.

Great rifles... great collection. Really creative and really nice to look at!

Thanks for posting here and don't let anyone think you have to apologize for things that are cool!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[YF12A]

I understand the collector's intent to keep these firearms original, but they made LOTS of them! Now, if it was the only one of its' kind, I believe that would be another story. Personal case in point, during WW2 my Dad worked for American Export Airlines which flew his favorite seaplanes, 3 Sikorsky VS-44A's. Boeing built 12 B-314 seaplanes and Martin built 3 M-130 seaplanes, of which Pan Am and BOAC flew them. Post WW2, the era of the seaplane was over, all of the great seaplanes vanished except for one VS-44A that just kept on flying until it was damaged beyond economic repair, then donated to the Naval Museum in Florida then rescued by volunteers for the New England Air Museum and restored to original condition. My point, took my Dad up there a couple of times to see "his" seaplane and one time a few people there said they wanted to see it fly again. Dad and everyone else said hell no, this is the last of its' kind, never to be risked like that again! You can find static and flying examples of lots of other collectible and rare aircraft, most stock, but look what they do to the Warbirds at the Reno air races!

 

[QUADroach]

how do these fare as an investment?

 

[RTH1800]

how do these fare as an investment?

 

[Fig]

I’m fucking horrified.

 

[sandwarrior]

I understand the collector's intent to keep these firearms original, but they made LOTS of them! Now, if it was the only one of its' kind, I believe that would be another story. Personal case in point, during WW2 my Dad worked for American Export Airlines which flew his favorite seaplanes, 3 Sikorsky VS-44A's. Boeing built 12 B-314 seaplanes and Martin built 3 M-130 seaplanes, of which Pan Am and BOAC flew them. Post WW2, the era of the seaplane was over, all of the great seaplanes vanished except for one VS-44A that just kept on flying until it was damaged beyond economic repair, then donated to the Naval Museum in Florida then rescued by volunteers for the New England Air Museum and restored to original condition. My point, took my Dad up there a couple of times to see "his" seaplane and one time a few people there said they wanted to see it fly again. Dad and everyone else said hell no, this is the last of its' kind, never to be risked like that again! You can find static and flying examples of lots of other collectible and rare aircraft, most stock, but look what they do to the Warbirds at the Reno air races!

I know what you mean. Mustangs were all over the place back in the fifties and even sixites still. Then...they dried up. But chopping them up to race with, still goes on. It's made even more difficult in that although the planes fly under the "Restricted" class, which is almost unrestricted, they still have to use FAA approved parts. Which includes hardware. Getting a type certificate for parts and major alterations (FAA approval) is a drawn out process that takes time and money.

Sad thing is, unlike Remmy 513's, most of the P-47's, P-40's and P-39's all got chopped up for scrap at the end of the war. Among other aircraft.