What Is Your Oldest Shooting Rifle Or Pistol
- Thread starter Storch4
- Start date
A '60s sears 22 lr
Those are still "wet behind the ears". I have a Swiss Vetterli, cal .41 Swiss or 10.4x38R (rimfire) converted to centerfire. Mine is the model of 1869 . Next model was 1871, so we are 148-149 years old. I bought this one off the internet a few yeas back and got luck with a pristine barrel that shines with no pitts common to old black powder guns. I can make brass from either 348 Winchester or 8mm Lebel brass, cutting off and expanding, and can use bullets for a .44spc handgun. The barrel is a bit over 33" and overall length 51" . This is a bolt action repeating rifle, the only modern feature it lacks is a safety, so I presume that they carried them with an empty chamber. I has a full length tubular magazine that holds 12 rounds, and uses a lifter system modified from our earlier American Henry rifles.
simon1
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Not as old as Jeff's stuff, but it's older than me...so that counts as old. 
An old Colt Model P in .45 Colt, black powder frame...made in 1894. And yes, it still works just fine.
If it could only talk.
An old Colt Model P in .45 Colt, black powder frame...made in 1894. And yes, it still works just fine.
If it could only talk.
Charles Hellis & Sons SxS shotgun from 1812
Not as old as Jeff's stuff, but it's older than me...so that counts as old.
An old Colt Model P in .45 Colt, black powder frame...made in 1894. And yes, it still works just fine.
If it could only talk.
No kidding! Beautiful revolver!
A .52 caliber Smith carbine, manufactured sometime in the early 1860's. I was gifted this as a wedding gift by my father in law. This is a breech loading carbine patented in the late 1850's and manufactured during the Civil War with the intent of getting it in the hands of Union cavalry.
The carbine was originally loaded using foil or rubber cartridge cases with a flash hole in the rear, ignited by the flame of a musket cap. I shot it in the 90's using plastic reproduction cases made by Dixie Gun Works using a .52 caliber conical mold.
I need to get updated pics of it.
The carbine was originally loaded using foil or rubber cartridge cases with a flash hole in the rear, ignited by the flame of a musket cap. I shot it in the 90's using plastic reproduction cases made by Dixie Gun Works using a .52 caliber conical mold.
I need to get updated pics of it.
simon1
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There are some fine looking firearms from another era pictured here; thanks for starting this Storch!
Let's keep them coming...yes, I'm looking at you, Jeff.
I do wish it could talk. I have the factory letter for it; it was shipped to the huge Simmon's hardware store in St. Louis in 1894, April I think, in a lot of 15. Where it went from there until I came across it in Dallas in 1990 or '91 there is no telling. I have it written down when I bought it and where, and that I carried it on duty under my shirt as a back-up a couple of times for documentation. Officer Garrett signed off on the documentation. I wonder if Garrett is related to Pat?
Upon reflection...I can imagine how much trouble I may have gotten into if I had ever had to use it. But then, there is the culture in this area that may not have given a....
It shoots about a 5 to 6 inch group at 25 yards with my black powder handloads, which from my understanding was about normal for back then...minute of bad guy.
It's another El Paso Saddlery one...they do good work, don't they?
Let's keep them coming...yes, I'm looking at you, Jeff.
I do wish it could talk. I have the factory letter for it; it was shipped to the huge Simmon's hardware store in St. Louis in 1894, April I think, in a lot of 15. Where it went from there until I came across it in Dallas in 1990 or '91 there is no telling. I have it written down when I bought it and where, and that I carried it on duty under my shirt as a back-up a couple of times for documentation. Officer Garrett signed off on the documentation. I wonder if Garrett is related to Pat?
Upon reflection...I can imagine how much trouble I may have gotten into if I had ever had to use it. But then, there is the culture in this area that may not have given a....
It shoots about a 5 to 6 inch group at 25 yards with my black powder handloads, which from my understanding was about normal for back then...minute of bad guy.
It's another El Paso Saddlery one...they do good work, don't they?
I've never been into old/antique firearms but I do hunt with this 1899 Peter Hambrusch cape gun in 16 gauge beside 8mm rimmed Mauser.
simon1
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I've never been into old/antique firearms but I do hunt with this 1899 Peter Hambrusch cape gun in 16 gauge beside 8mm rimmed Mauser.
That has some beautiful scrollwork on it. I've always wanted a drilling...something like two 16 ga. over something like a 7X57 Mauser.
That cape gun is nice.
I've never been into old/antique firearms but I do hunt with this 1899 Peter Hambrusch cape gun in 16 gauge beside 8mm rimmed Mauser.
Jaw dropping!
Hi,
I have owned and shot several original caplock shotguns, both single and SxS barrels, that could be dated back to the 1850s. Sadly, I sold/traded them off. I have been content with a Pedersoli 12ga SxS from the past 25+ years for a muzzleloading shotgun.
My current oldest shooter is a 1894 dated Sestrovostok receiver holding a 1941 Finnish M39 together.
I have owned and shot several original caplock shotguns, both single and SxS barrels, that could be dated back to the 1850s. Sadly, I sold/traded them off. I have been content with a Pedersoli 12ga SxS from the past 25+ years for a muzzleloading shotgun.
My current oldest shooter is a 1894 dated Sestrovostok receiver holding a 1941 Finnish M39 together.
I do have a cased Maynard 3 barrel target set. 1870's-1880's
I would not call it a shooter as the cals are all obscure target/schuetzen Maynard cals and unavailable for at least a century
.
I would not call it a shooter as the cals are all obscure target/schuetzen Maynard cals and unavailable for at least a century
.
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- Thread starter
- #17
Wow! Am I impressed with all the historical pieces here! This is better than American Rifleman. Enjoying each post. My next oldest is the first year issue of the Ruger 10-22 prior to the days of serial numbers circa 65-66. My Dad has a pristine Nylon 66 that's a jewel. I take it back. I have a Marlin from 1960 and a Stevens 12 ga from 1957
Not the one from the 3 barrel set but another early Maynard that we sold.
The gap between breach and barrel is taken up by the foot of the special Maynard target cartridge.
Nice old plumb pudding case colors on this one....
The gap between breach and barrel is taken up by the foot of the special Maynard target cartridge.
Nice old plumb pudding case colors on this one....
When I was growing up in N.C. my father had a Parker 10 gauge percussion double barrel shotgun that I took to the field on occasion. I don't know the precise age but would guess it to have been made sometime in the 1850's.
A few years ago my dad said the left lock mainspring had broken. At the time I was living where I am now in the northeast and when I visited again I offered to repair it. You can't buy mainsprings for a shotgun like this because of its age (and it is a reasonably unique design), so I bought some spring stock from Brownells, took the old broken spring back with me and three weeks later I had duplicated it, heat treated it, and the shotgun was functioning once again.
He has since passed but I was fortunately able to restore it before that time and enjoyed his enthusiastic reaction at having it working again.
In this pic, the original broken spring is at top (small arm at very top had snapped off) and my reproduced spring on bottom.
A few years ago my dad said the left lock mainspring had broken. At the time I was living where I am now in the northeast and when I visited again I offered to repair it. You can't buy mainsprings for a shotgun like this because of its age (and it is a reasonably unique design), so I bought some spring stock from Brownells, took the old broken spring back with me and three weeks later I had duplicated it, heat treated it, and the shotgun was functioning once again.
He has since passed but I was fortunately able to restore it before that time and enjoyed his enthusiastic reaction at having it working again.
In this pic, the original broken spring is at top (small arm at very top had snapped off) and my reproduced spring on bottom.
I have an H&R .28 gauge single shot from the early 1900’s that belonged to my grandfather. I need to dig that out and try to date it a bit closer.
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