What's the oldest gun you own?

[benEzra]

Here's mine:



...a model 1891 Mosin-Nagant bolt-action rifle (7.62x54mm, similar to .30-06) manufactured in Izhevsk, Russia for the Imperial Russian army in 1905. It may have seen some action in World War I, given the rifle shortages the Russian army was facing at the time.

The rifle ended up in Finland when the Finns broke away from Russia during the Bolshevik Revolution, was issued to the Finnish Army, and likely saw a great deal of action during the Winter War 1939-1940. When the Finns got some breathing room, the rifle was upgraded to M39 status in 1942 at the Finnish VKT arsenal in Jyvaskyla, where it received a fine Finn barrel, a new stock, and range-compensating Finn sights graduated from 150 meters to 2.0 kilometers. It likely saw additional action against both the Soviets and the Nazis before the war was over. Possibly during the war, an artistic Finnish soldier delicately carved the initials "E.T." into the rear sight base, where they wouldn't easily be seen by casual inspection. At some point after the war, the rifle was retired and placed into storage as part of the Finnish Army's reserve.

During the mid-1990's, Finland allowed many of its older bolt-action rifles to be sold to collectors in other nations. This particulary M39 was imported into the U.S. by a company in Vermont, and ended up at a gun shop in Florida that caters to history buffs, which is how I came to purchase it.

The rifle is 101 years old this year (well, except for the barrel and stock, which are only 64), and it can still shoot the center out of a playing card at 100 yards with the right ammunition. Taken care of, with light use, it should still be functional a thousand years from now.

It's not worth a lot from a financial standpoint (maybe $200), but it's a textbook of Russian and Finnish history, and played a part in some of the most important historical events of the twentieth century. I wish I could find out to whom it was issued.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War

[Redneck Socialist]

1. Nothing special

a late seventies Winchester Model 94. No real value as an historical item, but it was my dad's and I shot my first deer with it, so I'll never part with it.

My father has a civil war era musket and navy revolver though that are pretty damn cool.

[krispos42]

2. Sporterized Spanish Mauser, 7x57mm

No clue how old it it. I think it was restocked and rebarreled, and the top of the receiver was drilled and tapped for a scope. It still has the slot for the stripper clip, useless now with the scope on. The guy at Mauser Central said it was a small-ring Mauser.

I think all of the original markings are worn off, but somebody, probably the importer, stamped matching serial numbers on the barrel and receiver.

I also have a beat-to-death .22 bolt-action tubular-magazine rifle that has no serial number on it, so I'm guessing it predates 1968, when it was made mandatory.

[TX-RAT]

3. 1780's flint lock

Persian/Caucasian Miquelet 50 cal Flint Lock

[benEzra]

4. Cool! (n/t)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

5. A Swedish Mauser

Swedish Mauser model 1896, made in 1904. I don't know its history, but it's accurate, and the recoil from 6.5mm ammunition is lighter than that big Russian cartridge.

1st attempt at linking a photo:
grrr. attempt failed.

2nd attempt:
bah. no better.

3rd try:

Regards.

[krispos42]

6. Nice...

The woodwork and metalwork look like they are in excellent shape!

[Jim Warren]

10. Beautiful grain on that stock

Is is symetrical on the other side?

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. Yes, the other side has the same grain

It's a nice chunk of wood. A little beat up, not too bad for 103 years old.



Regards

[MilesColtrane]

7. I have my Dad's Winchester model 67.

Since there were no serial #s on these I can't precisely date it. But, I think it was made between 1934-1937.

Unfortunately, it wasn't stored like it should have been so there's a bit of corrosion on the barrel. It's still fun to shoot though.

[Blue Fire]

8. A 'thumbbuster' Winchester 97 12-gauge.

I got it from my dad, who got it from one of his uncles. It has 1903 stamped on the barrel. It's called a 'thumbbuster' because it has an exposed hammer that gets cocked back when you work the pump, and if you got your thumb in the wrong spot.........
So far I've been fortunate enough to keep my thumb safe whenever I've shot it.

[benEzra]

9. Wow, that's neat.

Not just due to the age of the gun, but the fact that it's been in your family for so long.

[beevul]

12. Winchester model 90-22.

Little pump rifle circa early 1900's - octagon barrel and all.

It was a birthday present from my grandfather to my father.

It needs a hammerspring and a new magazine tube, then it would be a dandy little shooter. Its really too beat up to be a true collectable.

[old mark]

13. 1916 Ruby pistol

Made in Spain for the French army in WWI. It is still in very good condition.
I have owned a lot of guns, and shot most of them despite the age.
Probably the oldest was a .45-70 trapdoor Springfield US army rifle from 1888.

mark

[gorfle]

14. Mine is 1902.

I just got my letter of authenticity back from S&W on my little .32 Safety Hammerless. It was sent to Hackett Hardware Store in St. Paul, MN, in 1902. My Great Grandfather was building a house in MN at that time. The pistol has his name scratched into the butt of the pistol.

[SteveM]

15. I have a 1905 Winchester '03 .22 semi-automatic rifle...

This fires a .22WAR (Winchester Automatic Rim fire) round which is nearly obsolete, and can be obtained only through the Western Scrounger who in turn gets them from a factory in Mexico. Cost: $15/box of 50 as of two years ago.

This rifle is the first example of a Winchester brand semi-auto rifle, first manufactured and sold in 1903. It has a blow-back action designed by T.C. Johnson, and is loaded through a swash-cut near the middle of the stock (right-hand side) after a tubular pipe is withdrawn from the butt. (The butt is cut in the old-fashioned crescent shape.) After loading ten rounds, a spring-loaded plunger at the front of the fore-end is pushed down and released to chamber the first round. A safety (first installed in my copy) is located behind the trigger, Remington-style. The barrel is nickel-steel, the firing pin is brass.

I like this gun as it perplexes my friends who think it looks solid-state (no bolt, lever, projection for racking, etc.); in fact, they have to study it to figure out how it is not only loaded but chambered. The gun is easily broken down into two pieces by backing out a thumb screw at the rear of the action.

The let-in between metal (bluing condition 90+) and walnut is rather astounding. This rifle still shoots accurately and reliably. My Dad bought this "ought-three" in Zephyrhills, Florida, just after WW II.