View Full Version : guns that don't get shot anymore
free1954
11-03-2018, 06:13
44554
clintonhater
11-03-2018, 08:33
Too bad, but considering the crude open sights on most of them, & the heavy trigger pulls, shooting them for "fun" would loose its appeal pretty quickly for me; I especially hate that feeling of seeing just a vague blur where the front sight is supposed to be. The M1917 has a good peep sight (far better than the '03), but I really dislike any cock-on-closing bolt gun; not to mention the cost of .30-06 with most of the surplus ammo long gone.
Looks like you went through a phase that many of us do of wanting a gun from every country. Over time I came to the realization that there are way way too many different calibers and cartridge sizes. I tried to streamline my guns for cartridge sake like 308's and 30-06's while trying to avoid 7mm's, 8mm's, 7.65's, 25-06, 270, 280, 284, all the 300mags and etc, etc. If I can't look at a cartridge and immediately identify it I feel I'm in trouble. I try to do the same with pistols. I own 22's, 38's, 357's 44mags and 45acp's. What I avoid is 44 special, 45 long Colt, 40cal and the like while only shooting 38 specials in my 357's. If SHTF I want to be able to find load and shoot quickly, perhaps in the dark. Also, I don't intend to hand load for 40 different calibers.
All those rifles look nice and in great condition and you probably spent a lot of time, effort and money acquiring them. If they all fired the same cartridge you would probably shoot them a lot. Some you would weed out due to being a single shot or as mentioned above, crude sights and trigger pull. However, some, like that 8mm Lebel is hard to find ammo for and usually corrosive. Some may become wall hangers like the Martini-Rossi's. At some point in life you have to ask yourself what needs to become of your un-used guns. Do they have great collector or sentimental value, do your kids want them, do you want to leave all this behind when you die for your wife to contend with? I'm in the same boat and will no doubt inherit some of my brothers guns to boot should he pass before me. My 2 kids have some interest in guns but not near as much as me to assume what I've collected in life. My wife has her personal pistol for protection and wants no others so I really need to thin my herd. Then again you may want to sell those you've lost interest in to buy others such as that Barrett M107 you've been seeing displayed in that department store window.
I've owned a lot of the same rifles. I liked to try everything and when they really were "surplus" and cheap I owned lots of things. But I was kind of particular. No Italian or Japanese. I did get a sporter Argentine once for $60 but it was the 2nd worst kicking rifle I ever owned. But when I like something I collect it. If I had the money I'd probably own fifty Garands. I have 10 right now that are valuable to me just for their particular serial numbers or something. I don't shoot all of them. I am seriously thinking about moving some of them.
Forgot to mention, the sights are getting harder for me as well. Those little Mauser notch sights always were difficult. And the only 1903 I owned I got rid of soon. Even with five different ways to use the sight I never liked it. Now the 1917 I love. As well as the 03-A3. The coolest open sight setup I ever used was on the little Lebel. You had a rear notch and the front sight was notched as well. I've always meant to try and recreate that on something.
free1954
11-03-2018, 03:22
all but one are over 100 yrs old. it's time to retire.
clintonhater
11-03-2018, 03:47
Then again you may want to sell those you've lost interest in to buy others such as that Barrett M107 you've been seeing displayed in that department store window.
Better have a ranch if you do--you'd need that much space to shoot it in safely.
I'd liked to have shot the several Martini-Henry's I bought while still in high-school for no more than $20 ea. Then, however, there was no ammo to be had in this country at any price.
Always on the lookout for a Gewehr 98 for occasional shooting if you have one with a decent bore that might benefit from a new home.
JB White
11-03-2018, 06:11
Better have a ranch if you do--you'd need that much space to shoot it in safely.
I'd liked to have shot the several Martini-Henry's I bought while still in high-school for no more than $20 ea. Then, however, there was no ammo to be had in this country at any price.
I've sold or traded off most of my impulsive "I gotta have it" rifles. Only keeping the "Glad I have it" ones. Still have a few in the back of the safes but I put my son's name on them as his.
To get going reloading for the Martini's, my first few batches of ammo cost more than $5 a round. Just bought new brass to reform so I'm probably close to back up there again.
Is that a Vetterli carbine at the top? Did you do a centerfire conversion on it?
I've sold or traded off most of my impulsive "I gotta have it" rifles. Only keeping the "Glad I have it" ones. Still have a few in the back of the safes but I put my son's name on them as his.
I have been in the process of selling off a lot of my large 60 yrs of accumulated guns, equip and uniform collection during for the last few years because of getting up there in age it's time. I just sold a working German MP 44, I thought I would never sell, as well as other prime collector guns, but like every thing, there is a time. Darn I still have a lot more to go. Keeping just a few of my real favorites for the time being like the Thompson and a couple of British snipers as well as the US ones I carried while in the Army. Ray
JB White
11-04-2018, 07:54
I just sold a working German MP 44
Ray, given your locale may I assume you're familiar with the names "Bob and Rocco"? If you are, there may be a chance we once crossed paths if you attend the shows in southern WI. Many times he had me set up either right next to him or immediately across the aisle. I always did rather well in South Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Janesville.
I've been slimming my collection as well. I mean, who's going to take things with them such as over four dozen top break revolvers, nearly fifty Lee Enfields, and hundreds of bayonets? Not to mention the uniform bits, helmets, leather & web gear.... I'll be leaving enough behind that my heirs can ooh & ahh and ask "whutizit" without needing any professional scavengers around.
free1954
11-06-2018, 02:14
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Is that a Vetterli carbine at the top? Did you do a centerfire conversion on it?
no. I've never fired it. or the Kabul arsenal martini enfield, nor the vetterli vitali ww1 conversion.
Yes JB, I go to that show often and set up a table once in awhile. As I'm getting rid of most of my stuff I set up at the last military show there a few months ago. If you were there, you would probably have noticed my table as it was stacked with all kinds of quality stuff like a Colt 5-1/2" SA, and early 1865 and 1867 US flags, a rare Rem Navy cart. belt, WWII German grenades, 1885 Campaign hat, as well as a Rare British barbed wire cutter, WWII German uniform trousers plus lots of other quality stuff. Almost sold 50% of my table to include those items mentioned except the trousers and campaign hat, to the tune of about $9,000 total in sales. I still have a lot more stuff to sell, Ray
I've been slimming my collection as well. I mean, who's going to take things with them such as over four dozen top break revolvers, nearly fifty Lee Enfields, and hundreds of bayonets? Not to mention the uniform bits, helmets, leather & web gear....
If this is an indication of your collection then my measly collection is just that: measly.
JB White
11-06-2018, 06:34
no. I've never fired it. or the Kabul arsenal martini enfield, nor the vetterli vitali ww1 conversion.
As a genuine Kabul ME I would have slipped a few 303's into it. I have enough of that on hand. Providing condition allowed for it naturally. Were the converted Vetterlis in 6.5? Memory fails but I can look it up ;) Those things have always caught my eye for some reason. A friend has one. Way back when he bought it our first impressions were "Why?" They sort of grow on you though. In fact, the mainspring was bad so his father slipped a used Chevy valve spring into it....and it worked.
Yes JB, I go to that show often and set up a table once in awhile. As I'm getting rid of most of my stuff I set up at the last military show there a few months ago. If you were there, you would probably have noticed my table as it was stacked with all kinds of quality stuff like a Colt 5-1/2" SA, and early 1865 and 1867 US flags, a rare Rem Navy cart. belt, WWII German grenades, 1885 Campaign hat, as well as a Rare British barbed wire cutter, WWII German uniform trousers plus lots of other quality stuff. Almost sold 50% of my table out to the tune of about $9,000 in sales. I still have a lot more stuff to sell, Ray
I haven't done that part of the circuit in a few years. The farm was sold off so I no longer have a rifle range and a room to use while I'm up that way. Problem I had was selling well and spending well. Those shows are loaded with nice stuff. No surprise to hear you did well. Out of curiosity, was it a rifle mounted wire cutter? The cutter type...not the 'shoot through' breaker.
If this is an indication of your collection then my measly collection is just that: measly.
heh heh...don't overestimate mine by the things I used to have. Besides, my collection began as a hoard and it took a while to cherry pick, sell and trade to get to where I wanted to be. It's a simple type collection now instead of trying to assemble sets with variations of the same things.
Please, never underestimate your own. Unless you're collecting junk there are no measly collections. I was one of very few who was able to visit a multi-million dollar private collection of Winchesters and Brownings before he passed away. I've also had the pleasure of handling some very basic hunting rifles and shotguns, as well as small assortments of pistols their owners were proud to own. Anyone who has a few nice things has a nice collection. :)
It was an original British rifle mounted wire cutter in super nice condition, Ray
free1954
11-07-2018, 03:58
As a genuine Kabul ME I would have slipped a few 303's into it. I have enough of that on hand. Providing condition allowed for it naturally. Were the converted Vetterlis in 6.5? :)
I loaded up a few light loads for it when I first got it, but never shot it. yes the vetterli is 6.5. after breaking an almost irreplaceable part on an old colt, I decided to retire some things I don't need to shoot.
jon_norstog
11-09-2018, 06:14
If you had a Krag carbine, you'd be shooting it every chance you got. My 2 cents.
jn
Hey, doesn't that kid get any bigger? :hello:
Quite a collection. I admire the engineering and craftsmanship that went into the design and manufacturing of those 100 year old battle rifles. The heavy trigger pull and sights were issues compared to the modern rifles but those things didn’t matter much 100 years ago if the rifle was otherwise functional, accurate and reliable.
It seems to me that the 03-A3 might have been the pinnacle of US bolt action rifles. It combined mass produced stamped parts, a cock on open bolt, an improved and relocated rear sight similar to the M1917 rear sight but with a windage adjustment. It’s a “plain Jane” version of the Model 1903 but was cheaper and faster to produce and served its purpose well until the M1 Garand became the standard US service rifle.
Former Cav
11-18-2018, 01:02
M48 Yugo Mauser in 8mm.
Kicks like a mule.
makes my 12 gage feel like a 22. Likewise for my 308 bolt gun.
BOOM... ouch...my shoulder.... ouch my finger from that da*ned trigger guard.
Only thing I had worse was a Norinco 97 shotgun.
they are both LONG gone
Guns I shot one time. Cutdown Argentine 7.65. 300WM .338 WM(the .375 H&H wasn't that bad). The little mountain .308 carbine by Remington was so bad I couldn't believe it, so I took it out one more time. That was it.
The only pistol that hurts is the 7.62 x 25 CZ52. It doesn't kick that much but there's some kind of "trigger slap" that makes me wear a glove. Oh, and I never intend to own another 12 gauge. The Mossberg 500 cured me of that. There might be nice ones but I don't hunt and .20 is fun.
free1954
11-19-2018, 04:30
Quite a collection. I admire the engineering and craftsmanship that went into the design and manufacturing of those 100 year old battle rifles. The heavy trigger pull and sights were issues compared to the modern rifles but those things didn’t matter much 100 years ago if the rifle was otherwise functional, accurate and reliable.
It seems to me that the 03-A3 might have been the pinnacle of US bolt action rifles. It combined mass produced stamped parts, a cock on open bolt, an improved and relocated rear sight similar to the M1917 rear sight but with a windage adjustment. It’s a “plain Jane” version of the Model 1903 but was cheaper and faster to produce and served its purpose well until the M1 Garand became the standard US service rifle.
true . the 03-a3 is tough to beat.
If I dont shoot it every month or so, at the very least, it will soon belong to somebody else.
Former Cav
11-25-2018, 10:15
If I dont shoot it every month or so, at the very least, it will soon belong to somebody else.
you must shoot an awful lot, or you sell LOTS of guns.
which is it?
JB White
11-25-2018, 12:21
you must shoot an awful lot, or you sell LOTS of guns.
which is it?
Perhaps lives on a rifle range with a free maintenance service where the tooth fairy drops off ammo every couple of weeks? :)
If I dont shoot it every month or so, at the very least, it will soon belong to somebody else.
If I were like that I would be gunless. I blast a squirrel every so often but that's about it. I keep my small stash of guns and ammo for that SHTF moment that I hope never happens.
If I dont shoot it every month or so, at the very least, it will soon belong to somebody else.
just one or 3 carry guns only?
blackhawknj
11-25-2018, 03:32
That's most of mine. The champion is my M1898 Krag purchased in 1972. If I had 22 adapters for my CF rifles I'd fire them more often.
For the last couple of years all my handgun shooting has been with 22 conversion units.
free1954
11-25-2018, 03:46
If I dont shoot it every month or so, at the very least, it will soon belong to somebody else.
these guns deserve a rest. I have plenty of other guns to shoot.
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