[wannabeegunsmith]

i know a guy, his wife got a .22 when she was 3, it is made of tubing, it has 2 triggers the front one opens this little fold out thing that pulls bolt back and you can put one round in it, the second fires it. he said it was an old pilots survival rifle, it was made entirely of .22 tubing and the barrel was just another peice of tube, it was a simple gun just wanted to know if yall can tell me when and where its from, if its a pilots rifle, and where it was issued, thanks! you guys are always pretty reliable!

[Jeff White]

I sounds like a .22/..410 take down rifle that was marketed under several names by several manufacturers over the years. I have one that was sold under the trade name of Bauer Rabbit. I think it was marketed as rifle for pilots, backpackers, canoeists, and other outdoors people but it was never US Military issue.

Mine has a black crinkle painted finish and is fairly heavy for what it is.

[wannabeegunsmith]

its got no .410 barrel its just a single shot .22

[OcelotZ3]

Sounds like a Firearms International 22lr:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/959269805/Guns/Rifles/F-Misc-Rifles/FIREARMS_INT_L_WIRE_STOCK_22_LR.htm

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a199/omgtofu/Picture001-2.jpg

[OcelotZ3]

I guess it could also be a Garcia Bronco.

[Jim K]

Is this the gun? They were imported back in the 1960s, by Garcia, FIE and some others, and it was usually called the Bronco or sometimes the Garcia Bronco, though it had other names. Most sources say it was made in Italy, but IIRC it was made in Spain. There were three versions, a .22, a .410 shotgun and a .22/410 over-under.

They were supposedly a copy of a survival rifle, but I don't know of a survival rifle made exactly that way. In any case, the Bronco itself was never used by any military.

The guns were not too bad and fairly reliable, but most sold as novelties rather than as serious guns. Trigger pulls were pretty bad but then no-one claimed they were target rifles. It sold for around $29 and was discontinued when GCA '68 serial numbering requirements made it too expensive.

Here is a pic of the Bronco .22, originally posted by "tropical Z" on The Firing Line, so thanks to that gentleman.

Jim

[Clermont]

I believe Firearms International of Washington, DC manufactured the Bronco in their Accokeek, Maryland facility which is now home to Beretta USA. The Garcia Corporation acquired F.I. and this would explain Garcia marked Broncos. When Garcia ceased operations, the tooling was sold to Bauer of Frazier, Michigan who were manufacturing a stainless steel copy of the .25ACP Baby Browning pistol.

[rcmodel]

if its a pilots rifle, and where it was issued,No, it was never a GI issue pilots survival rifle in any country I am aware of.

Some civilian pilots might possibly have used it as such, but I certainly hope not!

rc

[ilbob]

The guns were not too bad and fairly reliable, but most sold as novelties rather than as serious guns. Trigger pulls were pretty bad but then no-one claimed they were target rifles. It sold for around $29 and was discontinued when GCA '68 serial numbering requirements made it too expensive.

Here is a pic of the Bronco .22, originally posted by "tropical Z" on The Firing Line, so thanks to that gentleman.
I got one. But it has a serial number. Bought around 1980. mine is in .410 gauge.