Old Rifles and the People Who Shoot Them

[Googleplex]

Now, I may not own a huge gun collection, but I plan on purchasing plenty more boomsticks before I get old. But, I see a trend going on where the hunting rifles of tomorrow will be AR15's and tactical super magnums, all of them made of plastic and aluminum. I like tradition. Does anyone here hunt with the guns of old? Antiques, Repros, current classics like a model 94 winchester, it all goes here. Show what you have, if you like, and I encourage some dicussion on anything to do with classics, repros, and how they relate to firearms in general, especially future trends.
Let me start of with some prediction- if I ever purchase a rifle for specifically pronghorn hunting, it will be a cimarron/uberti replica of an 1885 high wall in 38-55 WCF.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, heres my mostly Winchester lever-action & pump cabinet.

.22WRM, .22 RF, 30-30, 25-20, .218 Bee, Marlin .44 Mag, and four more .22 pumps.
Also a 32-20 since the photo was taken.


I like them a lot.

rc

 

[Jet-mech]

My first hunting rifle was a 1891 Argentine Mauser in 7.65. Second was a Winchester 94 in 30-30. These days I use a Savage 110 in .243 primarily but have been known to pull out the Mosin Nagant or K98 to help reduce local wild hog populations when the opportunity arises. I like the old guns as much as the more modern designs, but I'm not picky. I'll hunt with anything

 

[tahoe2]

old rifles

I have a bunch of old "no frills" rifles that work just fine for what I need them to do. I have killed 6" paper plates out to 200 yards with all of them!!

2 - Spanish Mausers, a 1931 carbine sporter & 1932 long rifle military (both 7x57 mauser).
2 - Yugo Mausers, a 1947 M24/47 Sporter & 1950 M48A military(both 8x57 mauser).
a 1941 German M98k in 8mm
a 1951 Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage

the rest are newer, early to mid 80's- a 1982 Marlin .375 Winchester(38-55 on steroids) & a 1985 Rem 7400 in .280 Rem
I was never a big fan of the AR platform, although they can be very efficient & effective on game, I guess I am more traditional,
but would love a Garand or M1A.

 

[Savage99]

Well I am old and I am still buying guns!

The latest is a custom stock on a pre-64 M70 that came with a 2-7 Redfield in Redfield mounts. It has an aftermarket barrel 22" long in 300 Win. Mag.

So far it functions and shoots well. It's a little heavy but I like it.

 

[BigBoreFan]

Nearly everything I own is a classic

My go to hunting stick is a Finnish M39 Mosin or a 91/59 Mosin. I also have an un altered Sweed Mauser that sometimes comes with me in the woods. I have been working on an FR 8 as a scout gun, but have been very busy the last year. The only gun bought to hunt with is a .45 70 and ever since I've taken that thing out nothing shows up to get shot at. I find myself over the past couple of years leaning more towards black powder than anything else so I guess you could say I'm regressing. May yet try archery this season or quite possibly an alatl. I have nothing against plastic, aluminum or whatnot, but blued steel and wood are what I enjoy most.

 

[browningguy]

I still hunt with some of my oldtimers:

Browning 1885 Traditional Hunter in 45-70



Customized 1891 Argentine Mauser



Custom Mauser in .458 Winchester



Ruger 77 International in .308



Sako AIII in 30-06



But I also have plenty of modern firearms with composite stocks.

 

[ZeroJunk]

Not really old in the scheme of things, but I hunt quite a bit with a 1953 Model 70. It's killed a few elk and a bunch of deer. I like it because it is the same age as me.

 

[ball3006]

I am a C&R junkie so that should tell you what I prefer. I no longer hunt but if the chance comes up again, I will use one of them for deer and my Remington model 11s for birds. Waterfowl will have to pass as I don't have a shotgun for steel shot.....chris3

 

[Plain Old Bill]

Me too....

It's surplus for me....rifles with soul. I hunt with an M39, but have taken deer with a 1917 Eddystone and an M1 carbine. Great guns, with great personalities.

 

[fireman 9731]

Here is a picture that my sister took a couple of years ago. Its of me shooting my H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-70. I'm young and I definitely prefer wood and steel over plastic.

 

[candr44]

I like the old Mossberg and Marlin .22 rifles from the 40's and 50's. They are a lot better made than what you get now days. From the 1960's on up a lot of .22 rifles started to go down in quality.

 

[Googleplex]

Browningguy, that argentine is pretty sweet. I see you have a thing for mannlichers. One rifle I've taken an interest in is the CZ 550 FS in the fine old 9.3x62mm Mauser. Mannlicher stocks just flat out look good.
I noticed alot of talk about mosins. I've noticed my 91/30 will shoot an eight to ten inch group at 100 yards, and I've just kind of settled because that's about what I would figure as Russian "infantry accuracy". But I've heard stories of mosins and astounding accuracy, many of which I have regarded as hype, except for in the finnish case, because Simo Hayha was known for making exceptional long range shots open sighted. How would I go about getting hunting rifle accuracy out my Ruski-rifle? 2 MOA is just fine for what I do. Shoot, 2.5 is perfectly usable.

 

[DMH]

35 years ago I started deer hunting with a British 303 infield mk-4 given to me by my uncle for my first deer hunting season. I think I was about 14 at the time. I moved to German made bolt actions in 30-06 with scope. At that age it was all about .308 30-06 300 or 7mm. Then I started aging and got old. Thinking about the deer I've taken over the years. They were all very close, did not need the scope or a 30-06. Tried a Winchester model 1894 src in 32 win. spl. and never used a scoped rifle again for deer hunting in Minnesota. Lighter, easy to carry and fun. Since that first one I have been bitten by the lever action and old cartridge bug. Winchester 92 in 32-20, Marlin 1894 44-40, Winchester 1886 in 45-70 even a Colt saa in 32-30 and .45 Some of the cartridges I have loaded with Black powder. I have used the Win. 92 for coyote hunting but have not been successful. Previously used Ar 15 for coyotes, got some ribbing the first time I used the 32-20 hunting. But it is simple and fun.


Winchester 1892 from 1909 in 32-20

DMH

 

[Googleplex]

Nice '92! It looks fantastic! And it's never been refinished?

 

[DMH]

Thanks, It has not been refinished to my knowledge. It may look better in the photo, the receiver area is worn to a brown, barrel is still about 85%. It is nice just the way it is. My dad really enjoys shooting this one due to the very light recoil (he is 88).

DMH

 

[56hawk]

Does this count? It's basically a reproduction of the 1872 Farquharson rifle. I took it varmint hunting once. Wasn't as effective as a 223 though.

 

[Googleplex]

A highly worn brown patina is pretty common in guns that age, as far I've seen. Wood that good looking, not quite. It doesn't appear to have a scratch in the picture. Just some finish darkening from age. Very good looking, well maintained rifle.
56hawk, what caliber is that? I can't quite make out the numbers on the barrel, but it looks like it starts with a 4. I bet that's one serious prarie-dog pounder! If there's anything left.

 

[56hawk]

56hawk, what caliber is that? I can't quite make out the numbers on the barrel, but it looks like it starts with a 4. I bet that's one serious prarie-dog pounder! If there's anything left.

It's a 458 Lott. Does knock a decent size hole in them. Problem is that the bullet hasn't even thought about expanding by the time it's out the other side. I've got to talk Barnes into making a 458 diameter Varmint Grenade.

 

[Googleplex]

You do that, and I'll be sure to get some for my .45-70.
Come to think of it, I saw on GBroker that somebody is making insidiary .45-70 rounds. Rediculous, I know, but I kinda want to try one out of curiosity. He makes alot of other calibers, too.
Just the ticket for an urban squirrel problem.

 

[browningguy]

I do love Mannlicher stocked rifles. Although they tend to start walking the bullets as they heat up for hunting I've never had to shoot more than twice, and all of mine hold excellent groups for the first three shots.

 

[Emberglo]

Well, I haven't gotten to hunt with the rifles yet (due to not having someone to learn from), but I'm going to give it my best shot on my own this year with the .270. I have taken some quail and huns with the shotgun though:

1951 Winchester Model 70 - .270win
http://imgur.com/1y8qw

1959 Winchester Model 94 - .30-30win
http://imgur.com/diHbk

1905 (Yes, it's 107 years old and still in use!) Remington Model 11 - 12ga.
http://imgur.com/Kt4WS

 

[Googleplex]

Well, if it takes more than three, then the fourth should be for the shooter. How much does a Sako like that run?
Emberglo- that model 11 is absolutely beautiful.

 

[DMH]

+1 on that Model 11

 

[bubba15301]

savage model 1899 .22 hipower , made in 1913 .only centerfre rifle i have