Everyday guns

[Isher]

Musing, here -

I grew up with everyday guns.

Maybe they weren't the most accurate, but they worked.

The bluing was worn, the stock was beat up,

They had these idiosyncrasies which you just learned.

Certainly my family couldn't afford the fancy stuff.

So, having been on this forum for awhile,

What I see is a tendency toward

The tricked out, high dollar, nitromethane dragstrip guns.

I'm not throwing rocks here.

For the true gun lover, this is cool.

Equally cool are the plain jane guns you live with everyday.

This thread is about that, everyday guns.

Got one?

isher

 

[clarence222]

I happen to have a decent collection of everyday guns. Personally I'm not into all the tacticool stuff. Some of the tacticool stuff is pretty neat I however would rather spend my money on guns and ammo.

 

[saturno_v]

My collection is entirely made of everyday guns of good quality and relatively inexpesive.

I have only very few that are brand new.

No safe queens whatsover.

All of them have few scratches on the stock, some bluing worn off (some more than others) and such.

Mechanically (that is very important) they are perfect or almost perfect.

 

[billybobjoe]

One grand father had a rabbit eared Belgian double barrel with a cord tied around it for a sling. He kept it behind his chair until he died two months before his 90th birthday. The other kept a single shot 12 guage and a .22 at his back door just like every other old farmer in this state.

 

[billybobjoe]

I've had few people give me their families old farm guns. They weren't gun people and the guns had been just sitting in closets. A couple of JC Higgens(shotgun and 22), a mossberg(22) and a Stevens double barrel. The Higgens .22 has a 24 inch barrel so it's pretty quiet, the Higgens shot gun has grooves in it from all the deer slugs(shoots slugs good), the Mossberg 22 is ok, and the Stevens double barrel(stocks pretty cheesy) is actually kind of a nice gun to use. Chokes are about just right, both barrels shoot to point of aim, fairly light and really not a bad pheasant gun.

 

[mustang_steve]

Same, I have a few pistols that I will baby (heirlooms), but my workhorse is just that....a workhorse. I do experiment with metal finishing on it, but I always make sure it's completely reliable.

 

[Mike J]

I'm more of an accumalator than a collector. Everything I own gets shot. I saw an ad on another forum for a collection being sold off-57 firearms NIB. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with that but I wouldn't want to do it.
One of my Grandfathers favorite stories was about his boss at the dairy getting him to take a man out hunting. The boss was supposed to go but something came up. The visitor had the latest greatest semi-auto shotgun. When the birds came in he couldn't get them they were too high. Grandaddy dropped them with an old J.C. Higgins bolt action 12 gauge. The visitor tried to buy Grandaddy's gun-Grandad wouldn't sell but he did give him the page out of the Sears & Roebuck catalog where he had ordered it for 17 dollars & change. This was back in the '50s.

 

[HardShell]

I have a good mixture of both extremes.

They all have their place, both in the shooting world and in my heart.

 

[armoredman]

You mean like this?





The P01 is my every day carry, the Smith is plain vanilla, with the grips I bought it for my stepfather with many years ago, before he passed away and made it my inheritance. The Enfield No4Mk1* I bought for $50 off a coworker, and can shoot MOA with one handload - best $50 I ever spent.

 

[Eightball]

If I had land, free time, or a job that would allow me to carry on the job, I guarantee you I'd own more "everyday" guns.

 

[ohioshooter]

I don't own a ton of guns and none are really considered safe queens but I do have a few new ones that I've had for a few years that have never been shot and it's only because I love shooting some of the others so much that I haven't given them their do time but all of them are in like new condition but over time my carry gun will have some wear marks and the like but that just shows that I'm getting enough 'real' practice out of it and that it's functioning the way it should.

 

[Cosmoline]

I also shoot everything I own. If it doesn't get used, it gets sold off. That's my stern rule.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

No safe queens at my house. I buy things to use because Daddy taught me Guns are tools.

 

[MedWheeler]

I own seven handguns and four long guns. None is worth more than probably $300 or so; they're all "working" guns, with the primary role of defense (even the .22LRs.)
Bottom of the collection is a duel between the Jennings J-22 and the Grendel P-10 (both of which, incidentally, are quite functional.) The meager top of the collection is rounded out by a Ruger 10/22 and Mk-II combo, and the Bersa Thunder.
I really don't have much use for an unloaded gun, nor one locked away.

 

[flrfh213]

i have 1 safe QUEEN, it is older than dirt and beat to he*l. it heeds a bolt and mag but i am told it is a simease mauser, it sat behind a door for 30 years and was forgot about... now it is a safe Queen till i find parts for it... the other guns are shot as much as i can....

 

[eddism]

My first new gun was a Remy "Apache" Black Nylon 66. Simple, cheap and accurate. Back then, we didnt worry and carried them around without much thought. I left it behind when I joined the Corps. Haven't seen it since. Today, its "kid with a gun/911".

As for my firearms, I don't have an "everyday" gun per/say. All my guns are worthy of being cabinet queens. When I'm "pack'en"; its on the hip; plain and simple, sitt'en in a custom-made throne. Thunder Five. I've never had an uncivilized situation when carrying it. However; I was there when an uncivilized situation broke-out when I wasn't and wishing I was. Ever notice how civilized everyone is when everyone has a gun on.

Today, my thoughts are on custom made AR's with Krieger barrels, Magpul grips and elite operator tactical optics and imaging. Taste in guns is what fits your eye and the size of your wallet. Its like having a bathing-beauty or a library-owl as a fashion accessory.

 

[guntech59]

None of my weapons are fancy and they all get shot on a regular basis except for the 6mm Remington 742. I really like that one for the woods and don't want to wear it out target shooting. Not that its that accurate anyway!

 

[John Wayne]

I have a S&W model 10-7 I paid $189 used for. Excellent trigger, think it needs an endshake bearing though.

My taste in guns keeps growing gradually more expensive. I went from Taurus and Kel-Tec junk to a Springer XDM as my primary range gun. Just got started on an AR build, and already have big plans for it, as well as my 10/22 which changes all the time.

Even while perusing through catalogs that sell drop-in triggers costing more than some guns I own, a single-shot, break open rifle or shotgun always has a certain appeal to me. To me, an old Sears 12 ga. break-barrel gun with an external hammer is the epitome of an "everyday gun." Can't beat 'em.

 

[essayons21]

You mean like this?

I always thought the warning stickers on the crimson trace were the silliest idea ever. If the gun is pointed at someone they have something more to worry about than their eyesight. I figured they were included for liability reasons, I didn't know anyone actually stuck them on their gun.

I would be ashamed to post a picture of my "everyday" gun, a Springfield Champion, the finish is in such rough shape.

 

[Isher]

hey essayons -

Don't be shy.

Here's my Rat Gun, a Winchester 67a,

On its third generation in the family.

(And actually, on another post in this forum,

The Rat Gun got me to thinking about all this ......)

isher

 

[ByAnyMeans]

No safe queens in my house. Of course my guns were lost in the all to common boating accident but prior to that they were all average. MY guns are like cars, I buy something that runs good and is dependable. Something used that can be fixed up by myself such as the military rifles and the Saiga I converted or a holster worn handgun that I can refinish and change the sights on.

My type of handguns are Glock, Ruger MarkIII, and mid level 1911 and Hi-power.
Shotguns consist of Mossberg 500's and Winchester 1300 Speedpumps.
Rifles are Marlin 22lr's, AK' and Ishapore Enfield with Williams peep sight as well as a Spanish Civil Guard set up with a scout scope.

I am looking for a nice, more precision set up than my AK's and military .308's but when I get that it will be a nicer pricier gun but then it will only be bought when I find a great deal and it will most certainly be used.

 

[TexasBill]

All of my guns were purchased new, but there's not a safe queen in the bunch. They all get fired as often as possible and most of them get carried in holsters. About the only "upgrade" on any of them is a set of nice grips on the S&W Model 60. Prices paid range from $219.00 to $800.00 with an average price of just over $500.00. I prefer service-style firearms; don't need or like too many bells and whistles.