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Old July 15, 2020, 08:45 PM   #1
wincoltsmith
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finally got myself a 22 rifle

i have been too long without one..i found this winchester 74..early 50s, 99% blue and wood...cant wait to try it out.
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Old July 15, 2020, 09:11 PM   #2
kenny53
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Welcome to the forum. Winchester 74 is an interesting gun. I hope you have fun with it and please post a range report when you can.
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Old July 15, 2020, 10:53 PM   #3
bamaranger
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gill gun/click-clack

Is that the "gill gun - click/clack" model? Recently cleaned one of those up for an acquaintance, but I cannot remember the manufacturer or model.
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Old July 16, 2020, 05:05 AM   #4
SIGSHR
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They had a long production run and are an excellent example of the Steel and Walnut Era. Here is a website with good info:
http://tincanbandit.blogspot.com201...-model-74.html
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Old July 16, 2020, 06:18 AM   #5
cecILL
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Hello! Bought a beat up 74 several decades ago for $70.

Still shoots.
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Old July 16, 2020, 07:26 AM   #6
Hawg
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Quote:
Is that the "gill gun - click/clack" model?
That would be the Savage/Stevens model 87.
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Old July 16, 2020, 11:11 AM   #7
SIGSHR
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That butt stock loading requires some extra safety precautions, at the range I only load 5, when clearing it I pull out the magazine follower, then check the chamber, hold it vertical and give a good shake in case there is a stuck round.
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Old July 16, 2020, 11:32 AM   #8
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My dad had a Winchester 74 he got new before WWII. It's the first rifle I ever shot back in 1954 when I was 7. Fairly accurate but a pain to load and unload through the stock. Unfortunately, when he passed suddenly in 2007, his widow who hated guns, turned it into the PD in Kansas City, MO, before I could get there to claim it.

Last edited by Spats McGee; July 22, 2020 at 06:10 AM. Reason: Removing inappropriate language
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Old July 16, 2020, 12:16 PM   #9
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I just got back into 22s again, so much fun. Enjoy
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Old July 16, 2020, 12:18 PM   #10
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Welcome aboard and congratulations on a very cool-looking rifle!
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Old July 16, 2020, 06:52 PM   #11
Pahoo
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Excellent Rifle

This is one of the first .22's, I owned and did not pay very much for it. Back then, they were all over the place and now, very collectable. Great little rifles.

Be Safe !!!
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Old July 20, 2020, 08:47 AM   #12
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Awesome! My kids love shooting their Savage 64.


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk
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Old July 20, 2020, 10:03 AM   #13
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You waited to long to buy a 22lr as you will soon realize. They are a hoot to shoot.
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Old July 20, 2020, 02:16 PM   #14
Schlitz 45
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Congradulations! Everyone needs a 22 rifle and/or pistol. Hopefully you have enough ammo to keep you going for a while. I see the price rising steadily on 22 just like every other caliber. Last time I checked it was going past 7 cents a round & headed to 10 cents + each, that's starting to take some of the fun out of 22's. If you find 'em buy as many as you can afford-don't see 'em getting any cheaper any time soon.
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Old July 20, 2020, 03:33 PM   #15
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OP, please let us know how she shoots.
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Old July 20, 2020, 04:45 PM   #16
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If everyone really truly needed a 22 lr rifle--then my response is what you REALLY truly need is a 17 hmr.
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Old July 20, 2020, 04:48 PM   #17
stagpanther
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Quote:
his widow who hated guns, turned it into the PD in Kansas City, MO, before I could get there to claim it.
What?? You mean your dad --knowing you served our country--left his firearms to yer mom to decide their fate? Don't mean to offend--but that is really low.
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Last edited by Spats McGee; July 22, 2020 at 06:10 AM. Reason: Removing inappropriate language from quoted post
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Old July 23, 2020, 03:33 PM   #18
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I recommend the yellow drywall screw anchors for snap caps, cheap and easily replaced.
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Old July 23, 2020, 08:01 PM   #19
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Enjoy it, you can never have too many 22 caliber rimfire rifles.

Ron
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Old July 24, 2020, 07:03 PM   #20
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My dad had 22s when he was a kid and bought me one for 5th birthday, Marlin 1897. Dad had Marlin 80 with peep sights. When I got 8 or 9 I started pestering dad for scope. He didn’t like them but had one of his buddies stop with a Moss/ scope to let me shoot. I didn’t like it either those 1/2 tubes and out of quarter reticle turned me off. First trip to Canada in 64, one of the older guys had brought along a Win 74 that he had a Weaver K4 mounted to shoot camp meat. That thing made a believer out of me. Two ways, scopes and autoloading 22s. The Win 74 was the last really good semi auto Win put out. The 77 wasn’t near the gun and then they got worse. Win didn’t produce another decent 22 auto until the 490 that was the look alike for the 100 semi auto deer rifle.
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Old July 28, 2020, 09:08 PM   #21
wincoltsmith
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Well I tried it out...

....I fed about 9 different kinds of 22 through it...I had a couple of jams on the Wildcat ammo but even the hollow points and everything else shot without a problem....I am happy with the gun. i think I will do a video for YT on it.
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Old July 29, 2020, 08:14 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wincoltsmith View Post
....I am happy with the gun....
Excellent. That's what we like to hear.
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Old July 31, 2020, 08:32 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stagpanther View Post
What?? You mean your dad --knowing you served our country--left his firearms to yer mom to decide their fate? Don't mean to offend--but that is really low.
No, she was my step mother whom he married long after I was grown. He died suddenly and before I could get there, it was gone. The reading of the will was only performed a month later after it was too late.
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