Picked up an M48A today!

[Feanaro]

I went down to the Gun Cellar in Hoover just to check them out and they had an M48A on a rack. It had a little rust, a few dings and no bayonet/pouch/sling but it was cheap and I figured I could buff it up. Bore is great, action is fast and smooth and everything matches. The stock is nice, only a few dings. No pictures yet, gonna wait till I get it all cleaned, shiny and accessorized.

I've yet to shoot it but I'll get around to it soon. Over all, *drool*.

Edit: I just found out the hard way that I have neither the strength nor the right surface upon which to disassemble the firing pin. I attempted to push it down, got it almost done and then it started to rise. I started to pull my hand away(I knew what was gonna happen) and then it slipped. Thankfully not much skin was pinched and what was soon went numb. I pushed, yanked and retrieved my hand. I'll have to wait a bit before I disassemble this puppy.

 

[Feanaro]

[Edit] Everythings fixed, had several people look it over. Everyone agreed it was fine, everything works.

 

[DMK]

Oh, I though you meant one of these!

 

[Feanaro]

If only...

The store I visited has several other guns there crying for a home. Like that 1928(REAL 1928) Thompson. If only I had ten thousand dollars.

Anyways, the rifle functions great. Smooth action, nice wood, durable. Little heavy for my but I'm a weakling.

 

[Ivanimal]

I would like to see the reloader for those shells on the ground.......Impressive!

 

[Ivanimal]

Congrats on the new old rifle check out this link on your gun.


http://images.google.com/imgres?img...&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&newwindow=1&safe=off&sa=G

 

[Feanaro]

Thanks for the link. My rifle was bent at the trigger guard like that guy's, though at the other end. No clamp at the time so I had to resort to a hammer and brute force to get the bastich back in. Didn't wanna go neither but I finally got it in. It bent when I tried to remove it and the end opposite the trigger guard would not come out. I tapped, prodded, poked and pushed as gently as possible but I finally had to yank the SOB out.

Which goes to show that soldier proof, as some have called the M48 and Mauser rifles, is not idiot proof.

I think I'm going to use this one to shoot/play with and I'll reserve one of those like new M48As at Impact Guns(matching serials and accessories) as a "collectable". Don't have the money to purchase it but in three months I should be able to scrape it up. I may even commit the sacralidge(sarcasm NOT intended) of scoping this one.