Grail Rifle found...

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I have only found one M2 at a good price, but the barrel was trashed. And yes I cried.:(
I saw the rifle the day the shop aquired it and the owner (whom Ive been bringing lunch to twice a week for the last decade or so) told me to come back tomorrow and he would have a number for me. I returned the next day with $1500 in my pocket and walked out with the gun, an extra magazine, and bunch of sight aperatures for about half that.

Persistance and good manners paid off, but the kissing up probably didnt hurt either!:)
 
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I saw the rifle the day the shop aquired it and the owner (whom Ive been bringing lunch to twice a week for the last decade or so) told me to come back tomorrow and he would have a number for me. I returned the next day with $1500 in my pocket and walked out with the gun, an extra magazine, and bunch of sight aperatures for about half that.

Persistance and good manners paid off, but the kissing up pobably didnt hurt either!:)

And at no point in this transaction were the words "Stop theif!" heard? You sir got a screaming deal! :what:

You should probably perform some random act of kindness to keep your karma scale balanced.
 
I wasn't aware of these until a few years ago when a buddy found one (for about 2X what you paid). I've shot it at 50 yards and it's amazing, even with that blade front sight.
 
Congrats man. Now that you have "a" grail gun....what's the next one on the list? :evil:
I dunno, got my grail handgun a couple months back- a 7.5" .357 Redhawk, and Ive got all the essential bases covered; Krag, Garand, '03, M1917, Carbines, Luger, BHP, P38, Savage lever guns, 1911, PP, Sigs, Beretta, Colt and S&W revolvers, Mausers, Enfield, ARs, AKs.

Maybe if a '41 Johnson fell in my lap.....
 
NIGHTLORD40K

Persistance and good manners paid off, but the kissing up probably didnt hurt either!

It never hurts to be nice to people! In this case it really paid dividends with that M2!

Enjoy your new bolt action find!
 
Rant: Several years ago one of the noted gun test magazines ran an article on 1922's. I was a landmark article for me. Having owned a 1922M2 knew a little about the rifles. That article did not have one accurate statement about the rifle. The top most screw up was the rifle was in an 03A3 stock complete with hand guards and barrel bands. The article showed in detail how to remove the rear hand guard to see the caliber mark. The rifle also had the rare sight hood. That was the common sheet metal hood...nothing rare. I regret letting my 1922 go. Rant over.
 
Rant: Several years ago one of the noted gun test magazines ran an article on 1922's. I was a landmark article for me. Having owned a 1922M2 knew a little about the rifles. That article did not have one accurate statement about the rifle. The top most screw up was the rifle was in an 03A3 stock complete with hand guards and barrel bands. The article showed in detail how to remove the rear hand guard to see the caliber mark. The rifle also had the rare sight hood. That was the common sheet metal hood...nothing rare. I regret letting my 1922 go. Rant over.
I actually wish they had used more off the shelf '03 parts, lol. Nearly everything on the gun looks like a common Springfield part, but isnt quite compatible.

As nice as the Lyman is, it blows my mind that it doesnt use the standard '03 rear sight too- wasnt the point to train fellas on how to shoot the bigger gun, and good grief, the ridiculously complicated '03 ladder sight requires some training to use properly!

It seems to me the "speed lock" bolt on the M2 would tend to instruct kids on how to short stroke their '03 s as well.

Then there is the magazine. Couldnt they have designed a decent integral unit that would top load just like the battle rifle? Or, at the very least used a commercial Savage or Remington magazine instead of designing a proprietary one!?

Personally, I think it would have looked better with the full stock and handguards too.:confused:

So, while it is a GREAT target rifle, and Im super stoked to own one, I think it is not very well designed to train someone how to use a M1903!
 
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The 1922M2 was made in the era workmanship was a given. The rifle made and was unique at the time of it's introduction. Check out the other bolt action magazine fed target rifles in the market in 1922. Why would anybody need more Springfield parts? What's the point of having a full length military stock.Check out a 1922M2 magazine to compared with 22 magazines then or now. Those rifles are just fine the way they are. Check out the Springfield 1903 NRA Sporter. The 1922's served as a target rifle through WW2 when some were rebuilt for continued use. The Lyman 48 was the standard rear aperture sight for the 1922 and the 1903 National Match rifles. Those rifles worked pretty fine as they were.
 
The 1922M2 was made in the era workmanship was a given. The rifle made and was unique at the time of it's introduction. Check out the other bolt action magazine fed target rifles in the market in 1922. Why would anybody need more Springfield parts? What's the point of having a full length military stock.Check out a 1922M2 magazine to compared with 22 magazines then or now. Those rifles are just fine the way they are. Check out the Springfield 1903 NRA Sporter. The 1922's served as a target rifle through WW2 when some were rebuilt for continued use. The Lyman 48 was the standard rear aperture sight for the 1922 and the 1903 National Match rifles. Those rifles worked pretty fine as they were.
O sure, a full stock would just be for aesthetics, it wouldnt serve any real purpose in a cadet rifle. I just like the way full stocked rifles look, such as the .22 Enfield and some of the Mauser trainers.

I totally agree it is a fine match target gun, just that it does not duplicate the operation of a M1903 closely enough to really teach recruits how to use one effectively. Most other nations produced cadet rifles that at least familiarized trainees with how to use the service sights- some even had bayonet lugs, lol!

Interestingly, I just saw one of the Italian "Ballila" youth rifles for the first time at Saturdays gunshow. It is a perfect 1/3 scale '91 Carcano which fired 6.5mm wood bullets, had adjustable sights, a folding bayonet, and even used scaled down en-bloc clips like the real thing. Any kid which had a chance to play with one would instantly be able to pick up a Carcano service rifle and be familiar with its manual of arms. A very cool little trainer which I really wanted to buy, but the ammo is nonexistant now- and the guy wanted $600! :what:
 
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