Old Gun recommendations

[midlifecrisis]

I recently inherited several old rifles and shotguns and, while I'm not in a rush to shoot them, I'd like to know if any can be safely shot because really, what's more fun than hunting with great grandpa's favorite rifle? Any recommendations? I'm in Baltimore but am comfortable driving within the state.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Duffy's Gun Shop in Sparks, MD.

PS: What kind of firearms? Makes? Models? Pictures?

 

[Biggfoot44]

And what is "old" ? In the firearms world , as far as designs and materials , timeless designs date back to turn of 20th cen , and by 1920's steel and heat treatments advanced to the levels of common firearms of today.

 

[Threeband]

Yes, tell us what you have.
We like old guns here.

...

They are probably fine. I have guns over 100 years old which are perfectly good shooters.

 

[Melnic]

PICS!
Often people here can give you recommendations


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Biggfoot44]

We're getting "more seasoned" Threeband , 100yrs doesn't mean what it used to . That would cut off most WW I era stuff , Springfields, and Mausers , and SMLE's , on my ! My M1897 takedown is 1906mfg . I posted a thread a while back about CCW'ing a 104yo S&W .

 

[midlifecrisis]

I’ve got to get in the safe for photos bout off the top of my head, 1873 Winchester in 44-40, sharpes carbine, Remington new model 1870 in 10 gauge.

 

[Threeband]

We're getting "more seasoned" Threeband , 100yrs doesn't mean what it used to . That would cut off most WW I era stuff , Springfields, and Mausers , and SMLE's , on my ! My M1897 takedown is 1906mfg . I posted a thread a while back about CCW'ing a 104yo S&W .

I recently reposted a picture of my minty 1902 CG Swedish Mauser on the firing line.

Here's a crappy cell phone picture of mine.

Of course my favorite shooter is much newer: a new-fangled Garand which is only 62 or 63 years old.

I say this because a lot of people are accustomed to the idea that things 5 or 10 years old are "old." It doesn't work that way in the World of Guns. People sometimes ask, with great concern, whether an "old gun" 25 or 30 years old is safe to fire, or wonder how to dispose of 20 year old ammunition.


Of course we would like to know more about the OPs old guns. Family heirlooms are precious, even beat-up old .22s or hunting rifles. As I said, we like old guns here.


Edit to add:

Just saw this:

I’ve got to get in the safe for photos bout off the top of my head, 1873 Winchester in 44-40, sharpes carbine, Remington new model 1870 in 10 gauge.

Wow. Not your run-of-the-mill old guns.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Never mind OP , those ARE old guns .

 

[K31]

Never mind OP , those ARE old guns .

Maybe. Are they all originals?

 

[Biggfoot44]

Well , the Remington at least has never had repros . But we need more info .

Remington's very first shotgun was the Remington - Whitmore mfg 1874-79 . Their first design totally their own was mfg 1884-89 . Albeit a different Model designation each engineering variation . ie M188x , M188x+1 , up to M1889 .

Historic note - Until a 35% import tariff in 1883 , the US market for ( other than cheap junk) shotguns was dominated by the British, and few US mfgs competed . The British were also early adopters of breechloading shotguns , while US largely stuck with old school muzzleloads for a while longer.

 

[Mightydog]

I would love to see a picture of that Sharpes. Got me drooling!

 

[Squaregrouper]

I would also like to see pictures.
Midlifecrisis- Depending on condition, you may have some seriously valuable firearms.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Alright, I'll get some pictures up. To my knowledge they're all originals. My great great great something or other was a gunsmith prior to the civil war and he started a collection. That includes his sharpes carbine as well as some crazy old guns. I'm not real keen on the idea of shooting any of them but you know how every so often you get the "new gun bug?" So I found myself looking at side by side shotguns and over under shotguns and then lever action rifles in .45-70 and I thought, am I started to wonder if I really needed a new gun or if I could shoot something I already had.

 

[Threeband]

Very interested in "crazy old guns."

I'm also curious if the Sharps Carbine is an earlier linen-or-paper-cartridge/ separately primed version from the '50s or '60s, or a later centerfire version from the 1870s.

 

[midlifecrisis]

From top to bottom.

Sharpes Carbine,

Remington New Model 1870 10 gauge,

Winchester 1873 in 44-40.

I've looked up the serial numbers on them and they match the time period.

The last rifle I threw in as a bonus but I confess I don't remember what it is. It has very few markings. I do remember that I looked it up at one point. If I recall, it was manufactured in Boston pre-civil war as a long-range rifle. It has holes for mounting a scope or something but that is long since missing. And yes, the Winchester 1873 is missing the dust cover. I'll post a few close-ups

 

[iH8DemLibz]

The bottom one is a Hawken style rifle.

Mighty fine looking pieces.

Thanks for the pics.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Gun Porn

I did not include the photos of the old Colt Single Action Army because I thought it might be a bit much.

Also, I'm accepting applications from all those who want to be my new shooting buddy, ha ha.

 

[somd_mustangs]

Nice set of guns...
and, bonus points for feet in the 1st pic. Good work for a "new guy" on forum

 

[midlifecrisis]

I was just trying to get the photos taken before my wife gets home and I have to explain why I've got guns all over the dining room table.