A disappointment.

Muir

Well-Known Member
I took a plane flight to my brothers home in Massachusetts this past weekend and one of my chores while there was to inspect and pack five rifles I bought from him. The #1 rifle of the bunch is a 1895 Winchester in 30-06. The rifle was described as having a great bore but unfortunately, that was a slightly uneducated opinion. I found it rusted badly: probably from old service ammo and no cleaning. It is positively black. Likewise, the Remington pump rifle in 30 Remington is also a bit shady. I was disappointed but figure that they will probably shoot well regardless of the corrosion, and may polish up a bit in the process. If not, the Winchester will be bored and re-rifled to .323" and an 8mm-06 made of it. I have made several rifles in this caliber and have reamers and dies already. The Remington pump rifle is of no interest to me so it will be sold off with full disclosure to a collector.

A sparkling note is the 12 ga. 1897 Winchester (take-down) pump shotgun which was in excellent condition and the Lyman 50 cal muzzle loader, also in excellent condition. The best of the lot is an 11mm 71/84 Mauser that is positively new and unfired.

As I said, the 1895 was a disappointment but it can be reworked and for $160 US it was a deal not to be missed no matter what the bore condition.~Muir
 
Hi Muir, is the 11mm Mauser one of the refurbished ones that Gibbs Rifle Company was offering over there a few years ago? Of course all the collectors were screaming that they'd ruined collectable rifles by tarting them up, but the way I saw it they'd taken a pile of worm eaten, world weary rifles and turned them into nice shooters.
 
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No, this one is one of the many thousands of stock 11mm military rifles that populated the New England states after WWII. When I was a kid the nearest "sporting goods" store had a barrel full of greasy, new, 11mm Mausers that could be had for $15 with two boxes of surplus, black powder 11MM ammo. For $18 the shop would substitute a box of Canadian "Dominion" brand sporting ammunition for the two boxes of surplus ammo. Oddly, the state I lived in (Massachusetts) would only allow shotgun for deer so I can't imagine where these guys were using these Mausers as cheap hunting rifles. Probably in Vermont, a couple of hours north.

This Mauser is really fine. Some very minor patchiness to the bluing on the barrel and a few handling nicks in the stock, but otherwise it's an unfired, 1888 dated Spandau. I currently load and shoot 11mm. I have a 71/84 sporting rifle with a 6 shot magazine and my son has a 1871 Mauser Military single shot. Both are very accurate. I have a small supply of Dominion brass but I also have brass formed from 348 Winchester brass (lathe turned rims) that works quite well. I use a .446" RCBS cast bullet. I have read in places that the Model 1871 had a .451" groove diameter but this is not so with my son's rifle.~Muir
 
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Muir - I wish there were some some smiths in this country who could rebore barrels and breath new life into otherwise good rifles - yes you can rebarrel old manlichers etc, but you cant then replace all the sights etc etc.

Indeed there are plenty of really nice 243s with partly worn barrels that could be just taken up to 6.5 for a 260, or even up to 7mm for a 7mm/08. Do you use a lap and cutter as descibed by Clyde Baker, or something more machine like?
 
No, this one is one of the many thousands of stock 11mm military rifles that populated the New England states after WWII. When I was a kid the nearest "sporting goods" store had a barrel full of greasy, new, 11mm Mausers that could be had for $15 with two boxes of surplus, black powder 11MM ammo. For $18 the shop would substitute a box of Canadian "Dominion" brand sporting ammunition for the two boxes of surplus ammo. Oddly, the state I lived in (Massachusetts) would only allow shotgun for deer so I can't imagine where these guys were using these Mausers as cheap hunting rifles. Probably in Vermont, a couple of hours north.

This Mauser is really fine. Some very minor patchiness to the bluing on the barrel and a few handling nicks in the stock, but otherwise it's an unfired, 1888 dated Spandau. I currently load and shoot 11mm. I have a 71/84 sporting rifle with a 6 shot magazine and my son has a 1871 Mauser Military single shot. Both are very accurate. I have a small supply of Dominion brass but I also have brass formed from 348 Winchester brass (lathe turned rims) that works quite well. I use a .446" RCBS cast bullet. I have read in places that the Model 1871 had a .451" groove diameter but this is not so with my son's rifle.~Muir

Any chance of posting some pics of these rifles, I'm pretty ignorant of the terms and models quoted , but would love to see some of the rifles and see your finnished work
 
That's OK. It was still cheap enough so that I'd have bought it anyhow: I've not seen a Model 1895 for less than $800 in a very long time. I'm thinking of having the barrel over-stamped "32 US GOV'T 06"! Another option I was considering was to have a 35 caliber barrel fitted to .358 Winchester. I need to think on that one.~Muir
 
just wondering muir, how many rifles in total do you have. i bet there have been many an interesting conversation in your gun room when mates are over.

regards
keith
 
I stalked for a fellow who - during my time of stalking on his annual visits, saw his lovely old Mannlicher Shoneur 6.5mm lose acuracy - the afore discussed problem of a couple of shots fairly accurate then the rest spreading.

We discussed it at length and his decision was that he just wanted readily available ammo. to fit his magazine with the least problems possible, so the idea came up that .243 might be the answer.
Campbell and Thompson did the work and that lovely old satiny rotary magazine now delivers .243 instead of 6,5.

Pragmatism or sacrilege ? He just loves that rifle and the new calibre allows him to carry on using it with factory fodder without difficulties in locating cartridges.
 
I stalked for a fellow who - during my time of stalking on his annual visits, saw his lovely old Mannlicher Shoneur 6.5mm lose acuracy - the afore discussed problem of a couple of shots fairly accurate then the rest spreading.

We discussed it at length and his decision was that he just wanted readily available ammo. to fit his magazine with the least problems possible, so the idea came up that .243 might be the answer.
Campbell and Thompson did the work and that lovely old satiny rotary magazine now delivers .243 instead of 6,5.

Pragmatism or sacrilege ? He just loves that rifle and the new calibre allows him to carry on using it with factory fodder without difficulties in locating cartridges.

Sounds like a good move to me. If it pleases him, doubly so.~Muir
 
just wondering muir, how many rifles in total do you have. i bet there have been many an interesting conversation in your gun room when mates are over.

regards
keith

Keith: Without trying to sound snobby, I can tell you that I really don't know exactly how many I own. The last tally we made of firearms was to total up what my son (who celebrates his 24th birthday today) owns in response to a co-worker who was asking. The total was 37 assorted firearms, and I personally have many more than that.

Truth be told, I don't invite friends into my gunroom: In fact, JAYB was the last person I showed it to other than my future son-in-law. Many of my guns are greasy old military rifles -the significance of which would be lost on most people. I don't own a lot of "pretty" rifles but I do own some rare ones. The non collectible ones are just those that I simply like or use. If it gives you a better idea of what I shoot, I can say that I currently load (or have loaded) for 90 different calibers at last count.

For all the guns that I own, there are four that will remain when all others have gone: A mannlicher-stocked Mauser custom 7x57, a Winchester 375 H&H, a Brno #1 .22, and a Ruger Blackhawk .357 revolver. ~Muir
 
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Keith: Without trying to sound snobby, I can tell you that I really don't know exactly how many I own. The last tally we made of firearms was to total up what my son (who celebrates his 24th birthday today) owns in response to a co-worker who was asking. The total was 37 assorted firearms, and I personally have many more than that.

Truth be told, I don't invite friends into my gunroom: In fact, JAYB was the last person I showed it to other than my future son-in-law. Many of my guns are greasy old military rifles -the significance of which would be lost on most people. I don't own a lot of "pretty" rifles but I do own some rare ones. The non collectible ones are just those that I simply like or use. If it gives you a better idea of what I shoot, I can say that I currently load (or have loaded) for 90 different calibers at last count.

For all the guns that I own, there are four that will remain when all others have gone: A mannlicher-stocked Mauser custom 7x57, a Winchester 375 H&H, a Brno #1 .22, and a Ruger Blackhawk .357 revolver. ~Muir
Andy, I would be happy for you to try to convert me to a pistol shooter, But only if you trained me up with the Blackhawk!:D, Steve. ............ or a 1911;)
 
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Come on out and I'll give you lessons on both... Finishing your training with my six and a half inch 1926 2nd Model Hand Ejector S&W in .44 Special when you're good enough to appreciate it! :smug: ~Muir
 
I have to tell you that the contents of the "keep", his gun room would make your eyes water. I can remember when we were testing some 22 rimfire ammo there were 17 different rimfires leaning against the wall in the his lounge, and this is his reduced collection:eek:

John
 
Hah ! .357 revolver !
My friend out in Alaska had one strapped onto his belt one day when we went tramping to Red Shirt lake to fish from canoes.

I asked him why his foresight had been removed - he is a retired ex-plain-clothes police sergeant from Colorado, 6'4" in his socks - and wide to match. I said - was it maybe to get his revolver out without hindrance as were were toddling through deep cover and there was a lot of bear sign about. Scats on the trail on top of moose tracks, and heavy musk in the hollows.

"Nope ! - it just hurts less when the bear grabs it off you and stuffs it somewhere unmentionable" he said. "A shotgun with a single slug is more effective if you can unload off your back in time, but it gets in the way of the rod, and if you lay it on the ground it's too far away".

Stopping for a widdle in a roadside forestry block on the way back home through Perthshire, it somehow felt very comforting not to be a part of the potential food chain.
 
I have to tell you that the contents of the "keep", his gun room would make your eyes water. I can remember when we were testing some 22 rimfire ammo there were 17 different rimfires leaning against the wall in the his lounge, and this is his reduced collection:eek:

John

One of which is gathering dust, Sir JAYB, along with a certain FN 30-06. :rolleyes:

I do wish we'd have taken a picture of those .22's against the wall. I still have three bricks of that prototype Interceptor ammo you liked, waiting for another joint outing. ;) ~Muir
 
Hah ! .357 revolver !
My friend out in Alaska had one strapped onto his belt one day when we went tramping to Red Shirt lake to fish from canoes.

I asked him why his foresight had been removed - he is a retired ex-plain-clothes police sergeant from Colorado, 6'4" in his socks - and wide to match. I said - was it maybe to get his revolver out without hindrance as were were toddling through deep cover and there was a lot of bear sign about. Scats on the trail on top of moose tracks, and heavy musk in the hollows.

"Nope ! - it just hurts less when the bear grabs it off you and stuffs it somewhere unmentionable" he said. "A shotgun with a single slug is more effective if you can unload off your back in time, but it gets in the way of the rod, and if you lay it on the ground it's too far away".

Stopping for a widdle in a roadside forestry block on the way back home through Perthshire, it somehow felt very comforting not to be a part of the potential food chain.

Reminds me of a story about Wyatt Earp and some lard...

My favorite grizzly gun while camping is a 16.5" barreled 30-30 Winchester Model 94 lever action. It does get a little tedious to carry packing so I usually carry a handgun. I like my Redhawk .44 magnum but i have no problem carrying a properly loaded .357 Magnum. With 180 grain bullets loaded to full power it has great penetration and expansive qualities. My son sometimes carries a 6" Model 28 Highway Patrolman S&W .357 magnum while afoot in the wild tho he owns a Ruger Super Blackhawk 4.5" in .44 magnum for pack-packing. He likes the S&W with 160 grain solids.~Muir
 
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