New Toy, Happy Dance, / Blame Steve

[kudu]

Last week I came across a Winchester Model 42 that was in very good condition. Went back the next day and put money down and got the rest together this week and picked this sweet little classic up and brought it home. I have been looking for a good M42 for several years, even the junkers that I have seen in auctions have gone for $800- $1000+. This is a nice field gun with a full choke, about 95% bluing and about 85% wood. No real bad spots anywhere. I would guess it was someone's rabbit gun and the couple scars and scuffs on the stock are from brush and thorns. Does not apear to have been shot much at all, barely a shadow on the slide where the bluing has worn. It's vintage is 1957.

As usual, I can blame it on Steve, see this thread; http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=168035

I am going to try it out tomorrow if the weather is fit and see how it likes a skeet range. That full choke in a .410 should really smoke the targets, if I can center them.

 

[Brian Williams]

I know where 2 are right now, 1 is 95%to %98 and beautiful and the other is 80% and slick as ever, I wish I had the $$$$$$
both add to about $2,000.


Nice gun by the way.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Congrats, that's a sweetheart. I'm glad you decided to get it.

I guess Steve told you about the one in Tulsa for $4800...

And go ahead and blame Steve, he's got broad shoulders. Besides, I've found it's really hard for Sandy to slap him over the phone.

 

[sm]

About time you fessed up here what shared with me via email.

Congrats Again!

Looking forward to range report, oh, shoot some from the hip while you are out there.

Now which of the ladies of the house have staked claim to this one? Poor Guy- only male in the household...got ladies already fighting over his guns.

Run 'em

Steve

 

[Gordon]

Nice Gun! If you paid less than $800 you got a real good buy! I have a vent rib 42 skeet gun. I've had three, along with a pile of model 12's which I sold during the early 90s for good money.I have one nice 97 and one nice 42-enough Winchester shotguns.I have 7 Remingtons though which ought to tell ya something. Too bad the Rem .410 870 is not in the same league as a Win 42 IMHO!

 

[kudu]

Steve, as regarding which of my girls staked a claim to this gun, Sarah, one of my twins has it firmly staked out. I was showing it to my wife when my little one walked in, "daddy going shooting?" I say" No daddy is just showing mommy the new gun, maybe I got it for you." and her eyes get real big. She runs over and hugs me and caresses the butt stock gently, looks up and says. "That's a nice pretty gun daddy, I'll let you shoot it until I old enough." Keep in mind she is only 3 and a half years old. My wife is trying to keep from laughing out loud, says, "Now you got to find her sister one.... next year." Earlier this year my oldest, 5 now, claimed my little Huglu SxS .410 as hers when she got big enough.

Gordon, I wish I could of gotton it for $800, but I still feel I did well at $1000, I looked at similar ones at several gun sites that were going for $1200-$1500 some in worse condition. I have 6 Remingtons in the safe, as well as a nice M12 and M97, and asssorted other shottys. Just wanted real bad a M42 to play with.

 

[JohnBT]

That's a great gun. I like guns that have been used just enough that I don't need to feel guilty about shooting them. John

 

[kudu]

Took it out today skeet shooting. It sets up a little high for me and I had to really work at it to float the targets. I ended up with an 18 the first round. I inkballed a few of the targets with the full choke it has, must shoot tight. I was a bit discouraged after the first round, went out for the second round and took my first 4 targets, then missed 2 on station 2. I said the heck with it and shot the rest of the round from the hip, ended up with another 18, the guys I shoot with know me well enough said I was centering them better from the hip that from shoulder. It is slick as a whistle and functions flawlessly on the doubles.

Shot a third round on the 16 yard trap range, broke a 16, half of those were from the hip, just couldn't get the feel of the gun from my shoulder. It could be that the only other gun that I shoot that does not have a vent rib has a big polychoke on the end, and I am just not warming up to a plain barrel. I am not consciously looking at the barrel, I focus on the bird, I am used to breaking at least a 20 or 21 with a .410, new gun or not.

I will give it a few more workouts before I pass judgment on it, I need to get it to a pattern board first too see how much is the gun and how much is me. I need to leave it in good shape for my daughter when she takes it over.

 

[Smoke]

Looks remarkably like mine.....I better go check the safe.

Nope mines there! When are we gonna have a Model 42 get-together?

Smoke

 

[Gordon]

I checked a few auctions and ,yes, even at at $1000 you are OK! Only one way that baby is going in price, if you don't wear it out might be worth it though...

 

[TrapperReady]

a Model 42 get-together

2006 dove season get-together? Seriously.

 

[sm]

Dear Sarah,
Uncle Steve writes to ask if he may borrow your Model 42.
Seems a bunch of us folks are going to attempt a Model 42 only dove hunt.

Regards,
Uncle Steve


"hi uncle teve!

i don't mind if you shoot my pretty gun.
i like the taste of dove , and i like to glue the feathers to make stuff, sometimes i put them down my sisters's shirts to tickled them. daddy needs to get a gunlike mine, he would like to hunt with you guys"

sarah"

Looks like I'm set. Not sure if kudu is gonna make it tho'.

 

[kudu]

I'm impressed, I didn't know she could read, let alone type in a response...Hmmm I think there is some funny business going on here.

I wondered how long it would take for uncle teve to corrupt my little girls.

TR, as for a get together, we'll see what next year brings, I'm sure it would be a hoot. I gots to get all my stuff around for the inevitable Redneck Cup Competition that I'm sure would accompany such a get together. I'm sure Steve would be the winner, but you never know.

 

[sm]

kudu-
kids grow fast these days.

Seriously - my instructor has a five year old that actually uses the computer, and internet for on-line class material! I kid you not! She was in our class, well behaved, and had to have daddy get her into our College system. Once done, HE let her ( and we had to see this ) she logged into her class, and her journal entry for the day, read the assignments,and then she showed us ( she navigating, entering IP addys and all) and showed us all her school stuff.

We have folks taking IT classes that cannot navigate the www that well. Really!

A get together would be good, only I do not have a M42 any more. Maybe if I get a single shot .410 I come along. If not I could be with the kids.

kudu's girls, Larry's, Smoke's kids, Trappers', and whomever else. We will set up the Redneck stages.

Kids gotta learn some stuff from someone, I am the uncle they warn you about.

"Sadie, lets reload these with spent primers for Grandpa Larry, He will be so "surprised when he misses.

"Really uncle teve"

"Trust me Sadie"

<claps hands> "okay, I get to pull the handle..."

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

2006 dove season get-together? Seriously.

Sounds like a plan, but only if 28 ga is allowed. Steve, NOW we have a mission for Tulsa. Anybody want to help us with a fundraiser to get Steve a .410?

<claps hands> "okay, I get to pull the handle..."

She likes the idea...

 

[TrapperReady]

Sounds like a plan, but only if 28 ga is allowed.

Of course 28ga would be allowed. However, if any wagering happened to take place, you might have to spot us a bit since you'd be using a veritable howitzer.

 

[sm]

Ahhh...Little & Littler Critter Dealie -huh?

I have said , as many will agree as well - the experience of hunting, fishing and enjoying the outdoors is something special - the taking of game or fish is a bonus.

Folks whom know the limits of the .410 , can indeed have a lot of fun - and sucess.

The 28 ga is just flat better than it is supposed to be - we have discussed this "payload to bore" and other reasons why.

There is something very special - words cannot describe, in regard to a shotgunner, especially one seasoned from hunting small game, Clay Targets , or both and in fact knows very well his patterns, shot to game loadings , and his abilities afield with a Little Critter , or the Littler Critter .

It always the shooter - not the shooting iron.
I still have fun taking a single shot .410 out and actually hunting with one. Ditto the 28ga.

Add in a classic proven gun such as the Model 42, and one can feel the soul , character, and life of such a gun.

Some of my best hunting memories - I toted some classic gun , even the lowly .410 single shot, never fired a shot. Oh there were plenty of opportunities , and I know I would have felled them...

Better to watch the birds, the dogs, the kids first hunt, the older person's last.

Some things are just meant to be a certain way.

The kids hitting his first bird, making gun safe - and running to find his bird, puppy tripping over too big of feet and the grin from one county to the next " I got it!"

Grandpa limping - still meeting half-way, and matching a grin. You look in the back seat, the two generations sharing laps with that puppy and having nodded off.

That dove being mounted the spent shell , memories - no value can be placed.

Cycle continues, that kid takes HIS kids out, someday he is the grandpa being handed the first bird. He remembers that same gun so many years ago , he sees himself in the grandkid....