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Old October 26, 2012, 07:54 AM   #1
COSteve
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New Purchases This Year That Surprised You

Actually I have three that surprised me. First, I couldn't bring myself to shoot my now very expensive, pristine high wood 1943 NPM M1 Carbine I've had for 35 years any more. Problem is, I really enjoy shooting the little carbines so I broke out some cash and bought a brand new AO M1 Carbine rather than a tired GI original as a shooter. I went with an AO over a GI because I can shoot this as much as I want and not worry about destroying a relic.

After I added a type II rear sight, it turned out to be a great little shooter, very accurate for a M1 Carbine (2" at 100yds), and has held up well so far with over 1,100 rds through it. I'm tickled to death with it as it's much more accurate than my NPM or any other GI carbine I've ever shot which makes it a great plinker and varmint shooter too. Heck, I shoot it out past 200 yds at bowling pins. Besides, the wife loves shooting it so we're both happy.



Second, I decided that I needed a 30-30 but am not a Marlin fan and wanted something different than a tired Winchester or super expensive Japchester. On a whim, I picked up a Mossberg 464 walnut pistol grip stock version and I have to say that I'm impressed with it. Plenty accurate, shoulders well with a decent trigger (for a new levergun), good set of sights, and so far no issues at all with just over 230rds through it.



Third, and by far the best of all was I finally acquired a rifle I've been wanting for over 20 years, a Winchester Model 88. I've seen many in my time but they all were too worn and too expensive for my taste. Recently, a friend told a recent widow he new about my search as her late husband had a decent cache. She invited me over and I told her about my quest. She opened his safe, and there in the back was a vision. An unfired, 1959 Winchester Model 88 in .308 she had given him for Christmas that year.

She said he put it in the back of the safe until he could set it up for elk but never quite got around to it. Her price to me was very reasonable as she said it should go to someone who really appreciated it so I immediately accepted her offer. Here it is rock stock with a factory installed Winchester recoil pad but no box or paperwork just after I brought it home. It's a vision of beauty with excellent wood and best of all, it's mine!



I found a period correct Redfield base and rings and got one of their new 3-9x40 Revolution scopes as it looked close to a period correct 4x40 but gave these 65 yr old eyes some extra help. Anyway, with an old cobra sling I'd had for forever, I set it up for elk hunting.



Model 88s are reported to be sharp kickers and with their light weight 22" barrels, many claim that they just can't group well. I'm delighted to say that I found it to be a pleasure to shoot with the Winchester recoil pad installed and during my final sight in shooting session, it produced excellent groups for my level of shooting ability (my astigmatism causes me to shoot horizontally strung groups). I couldn't be more happy with it.



All in all, it's been a great year!!!

Last edited by COSteve; October 26, 2012 at 08:31 AM.
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Old October 26, 2012, 08:58 AM   #2
hooligan1
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Beautiful rifle Steve,, very nice find,. what kind of ammo does it like?
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Old October 26, 2012, 09:06 AM   #3
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Very nice find, love those widows
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Old October 26, 2012, 10:04 AM   #4
aarondhgraham
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It wasn't a purchase but an inheritance,,,

It wasn't a purchase but an inheritance,,,
My best friend passed away in January of this year.

Her brother gave me her old Mossberg 340-KC rifle in .22 LR,,,
The Standard Catalog of Firearms valued this rifle at a mere $100.00.

I had just purchased a CZ-452 Military Trainer,,,
It is no surprise that this rifle is an absolute tack-driver,,,
The big surprise is that the Mossberg shoots the same groups as the CZ.

The guns are both the same style,,,
28" barrel bolt-action guns.



You can see how similar they both are,,,
The CZ is a bit prettier then the Mossberg,,,
But as far as accuracy goes I can't tell any difference.

Aarond

.
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Old October 26, 2012, 12:24 PM   #5
RC20
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Nice topic to bring up in the forum.

I was in the process of de-gunning myself. Had not hunted so I sold the 7mm Remington Magnum and the 1100 Shotgun (both went to avid hunters)

Then my brother got us going in fixing my Dada sportrized 1903 (chamber was so badly corroded the last cartridge fired in it was badly deformed and we quit shooting it). It now has an era correct barrel and shoots very well.

That got one brother going and he stated to buy Remington 1903s (mostly).

That lead to a discussion with my step dad and I bought his dads gun from him (1922 1903). Bit of a mystery gun as it was drilled and tapped sometime in its early days for the Winchester A5 scope. Kind of wanted to keep it in the family and the price was very fair. Also had a Lyman 34 sight on it and the old sigh sleeve had been removed. Someone early on did some serious mods to it, all well done and drilled.

We have a very early model of the Sako 270 and its always been a well loved family gun (technically it belongs to my oldest brother but it gets shared around).

I spotted a 64 era 30-06 in the Sako Finnbear action and bought it (fits in with the other 1903s).

Then my brother offered me one of his A3s. Pretty much a collector gun as I can't shoot iron sights worth a darn. Its all OEM, virtually brand new. Looked like an armory rifle that was never fired and then turned back in and surplussed out as was through the Benecia Armory (came with the shipping box).

So there was 3 guns I had not expected to buy.

Its been a lot of fun shooting the various guns with the brothers and a nephew who likes to shoot.
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Old October 26, 2012, 12:53 PM   #6
mySig229
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This was without a doubt my biggest surprise purchase this year. Manually driven, not self loading, but it is collapsible. Overall a satisfactory purchase.

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Old October 26, 2012, 07:59 PM   #7
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Quote:
This was without a doubt my biggest surprise purchase this year. Manually driven, not self loading, but it is collapsible. Overall a satisfactory purchase.
Big spender!
That's the 'upgraded' model with front and rear suspension.

--

I can't remember if I bought this Handi-Rifle in late 2011 (Nov/Dec), or early 2012; but the thing that surprised me was how much I came to like .444 Marlin.
It really is a bastard of a cartridge. ...almost zero commercial support. Very few bullets that can handle the velocity. Brass is generally about $1 a case (cheaper right now - Remington over estimated demand with their last run). And, it has severe COAL (cartridge-over-all-length) limitations.

But, it seems to be the answer to a question I never asked.



The rifle, itself, isn't bad, and it's very nice to pack around (6 lbs 6 oz).
But, H&R/NEF/Marlin quality just isn't what it used to be. Once production went to Ilion... fit, finish, and overall quality took a nosedive.

In the photo above, the finish on the stock may look a little odd. That's because about 50% of it rubbed off when the rifle and I got caught out in a snow storm. The other side of the rifle has about 15% of the finish rubbed completely off, the rest almost rubbed off, and the grain has opened up from getting wet. Any other rifle I have ever owned wouldn't have showed the slightest hint of being caught in that snow storm; but this one will require a stock refinish, because of it.
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Old October 27, 2012, 08:53 AM   #8
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Recently moved to florida from up north. While checking out the LGS I came across a "basket-case" pre 64 model 94 that had most of the action parts I needed for the .25-35 I'm building. Picked it up for $60. I've seen the hammer with stirrup alone go for more than that, and I already had a hammer.

Not a purchase, but when we got down here my brother gave me a winchester model 67 .22. He doesn't shoot and had no use for it. I did a little research and found it was made, IIRC, prior to may of 1935.
Love those old Winchesters.

needless to say, but Florida has been very good to me so far!
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Old October 27, 2012, 10:39 AM   #9
COSteve
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Quote:
Beautiful rifle Steve,, very nice find,. what kind of ammo does it like?
The groups were surprisingly done with plain old WWB 147grn FMJ. I picked up a box of Hornady 168grn BTHP ammo and have some Hornady 165grn SST bullets to handload but haven't gotten to try either one as of yet.
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