What's your oldest firearm?

[Rick]

Well, I have old guns, but how about the oldest I regularly USE?

Grandfather's 1895 Winchester, built in 1896, in 30 US (that will get a few of the troops scratching their heads). Probably my most popular cast bullet gun, but I do occasionally bump off the odd whitetail in memory of my grandfather.

No pictures as of yet, but when my new Pentax K10D arrives at the house, there's gonna be a lot of digital photography happening...

 

[slaym]

Own a pre 1888 E Reminton and Son's 10 gauge D.B, as well as n 1891
Marlin .32 Cal. Lever action

 

[Noel]

Well, I have old guns, but how about the oldest I regularly USE?

Grandfather's 1895 Winchester, built in 1896, in 30 US (that will get a few of the troops scratching their heads). Probably my most popular cast bullet gun, but I do occasionally bump off the odd whitetail in memory of my grandfather.

No pictures as of yet, but when my new Pentax K10D arrives at the house, there's gonna be a lot of digital photography happening...

What an heirloom!
I sure hope you post some pics for us to drool on.

 

[arch1965]

Oldest

My oldest and I use it often in a Winchester 1892 25.20 Saddle Ring Carbine. It was manufactured in 1917

Arch

 

[kombi1976]

25-20 is sure a sweet little cal and '92s are a great action, better than the '94 IMO.

 

[Claven2]

Do you still shoot it, Claven?

I did, but not anymore. It's currently awaiting a new .45-70 barrel so that I can de-register it as an antique based on caliber.

Eventually it will be a nice unpapered custom rolling block.

No worries - it was already sporterized when I got it

 

[Claven2]

PS: In 1896, .30 US was actually .30-40 Krag.

 

[burnt45]

My oldest would be a Marlin 1889 44-40 built in 1890. Anyone else have one?

 

[Alberta Bigbore]

oldest would be my dads old .22lr cooey, his 12 guage cooey, my Grandpa's .22 lr cooey, and my grandpa's .250 savage lever action

they all work, but i dont use them, just keeping them in the family

 

[Bittermansbro]

I guess my oldest would be an 1892 Springfield Trapdoor. Oldest non military would be my 1906 manuf 1895 Winchester SRC in 303.

 

[skirsons]

If you'd said it jammed worse than a pin head punk on crystal meth, maybe.
But that had everything to do with extremely crappy ammo, and I mean truly shocking stuff that was WAY outside design specs, and tight tolerances.
Undoubtedly there were more than a few Ross rifles that did chuck a leg out of bed due to incorrect assembly but no more than the amount of SMLEs that people overloaded and blew up and there were plenty of them.
A lot of the "dangerous, blow-up" hype was generated by the USA.
The Ross, because of it's tight tolerances and accuracy, remained the rifle of choice for a number of sniper corps through both world wars and was even used as a sniper rifle by the British in the early days of WW2 before the No4 Mk1T was developed and issued.
So have a little pride in possibly the best Canadian arm ever invented, eh?

Nothing like bringing up the Ross to ignite a passionate discussion. I owned and fired a .303 with impugnity a while ago. It is a very strong action if you fire it when it's actually locked.

It was a terrible rifle for trench warfare BUT REMEMBER, no one prophesized World War I would be a war in the trenches. They could not have designed the Ross better for 19th century wars. A rifle with looser tolerances, like the Lee Enfield, was, only coincidentally, better in the trenches and its virtue was its "vice" - looser tolerances and a simple rotating bolt action.

This .22 Drill Purpose Ross is still in my possession and always will be. It is soo accurate! It's the oldest one I use - 1912.

 

[geologist]

Marlin model 81 rifle. It was my Dad's and was probably manufactured in the 50's.

 

[kevin.303]

US 1898 Krag-Jorgensen-1899
Winchester 1894 Takedown Special-1900
Carl Gustaf M96 Swedish Mauser-1902
Winchester 1895 7.62x54R-1917
Lithgow No.1 Mk 3 SMLE-1941
Cooey 39, Cooey 60, Stevens 820b, Stevens 87b-1950's???
Marlin 336 RC .32 Win. Special-1961
Browning Auto-5 Standard-1966
Winchester '94- 1967
Browning Mk 3 Hi-Power-1989
Browning Auto-5 Magnum-1993

 

[The Cold Lake Kid]

An 1865 Springfield Trapdoor in 50-70.
A Winchester '97 mfgr'd in 1899, still in use for CAS.
A little .32RF Hopkins and Allen, spur trigger, birdshead, mfg'd sometime before 1886 if family history has it right.

 

[flstc]

1896 Norwegian Krag-Jorgensen in 6.5 x 55

 

[Casull]

My oldest is this 1460s vintage sind issue Jezail matchlock. It is currently the original .72 cal iron smoothbore but I am considering cutting it to carbine length and rechambering to .500 S&W or similar.

 

[dupa]

My oldest is a 32 cal. rimfire rook rifle.

 

[Bittermansbro]

My oldest is this 1460s vintage sind issue Jezail matchlock. It is currently the original .72 cal iron smoothbore but I am considering cutting it to carbine length and rechambering to .500 S&W or similar.

LOL. I'm sure the barrel would stand up to the pressure.

 

[Brutus]

Geman 22 Mauser made between 1930 and 1940.

 

[catnthehatt]

My oldest is this 1460s vintage sind issue Jezail matchlock. It is currently the original .72 cal iron smoothbore but I am considering cutting it to carbine length and rechambering to .500 S&W or similar.

Uh, okay- you win!
cat