I scored a nice old 22 rifle today

[aarondhgraham]

I scored a nice old 22 rifle today - Picture Added.

Yesterday I had a few minutes to kill,,,
So I popped into The Evil Pawn Shop to see what was new on the shelves.

I saw a long-ish barreled rifle at the back of the rack,,,
It was a Western Field Model 815 single-shot .22.

The rifle had not been abused in the least,,,
The metal was all very clean and dark,,,
The bore was bright and shiny.

The wood is very clean with no dents at all,,,
There are a few scuff marks on it,,,
But they will probably rub off.

I do have a great affinity for older single-shot rimfires,,,
A quick check at the Numrich website told me it was a Mossberg 320.

I really like those old vintage Mossies,,,
I own a 340 KC that's as accurate as my CZ-452 Trainer.

It had a price tag of $129.00 hanging on it,,,
Not a bad deal at all considering the good condition.

I didn't buy it that day because I like to wait 24 hours,,,
It's just a personal thing to curb impulse buys,

This morning I went and took a second look at the rifle,,,
Because I always miss something on the first look.

I found a few tiny flaws in the blue near the barrels muzzle,,,
But nothing that steel-wool and some oil won't cure.

So I said,,,
Hey Mr. Evil Pawn Shop Guy,,,
Since I am your favorite customer of all time,,,
What's your best price for me out the door including tax?

He looked at the records and said,,
One hundred dollars.

I snapped it up like a hamster on a corn chip!

I'm going to the range this weekend,,,
I'll let you all know how it shoots.



Aarond

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[horsemen61]

Nice score

 

[dvdcrr]

I stopped into a shop and held a bunch of older 22s once (no bargains) and they all had 22" or longer barrels. Really makes me appreciate my little keltec SU22 and Marlin 795's. The three things the old makes got right: 1. Accuracy. 2. Shorter LOP 3. Good sights. There is no reason any 22LR needs a 13.75" LOP unless your goal is to keep kids out of shooting.

 

[AJumbo]

I own a mess of old .22s, and most are short enough in the stock to allow kids to shoot them effectively. That being said, it's nice to have a "Dad-sized" Marlin 39A in the safe, for those times when I need to walk n the woods.

I got my first .22, a single-shot "Ranger" from the Jewel Box pawnshop in Phoenix. Cost me $25 in 1977, and the counter guy tossed in two boxes of shells. I still have it, and still love it for the time in my life that it represents.......... that, and it's a squirrel laser.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

That thing should drive tacks. Had one like it (with a magazine and a peep sight) as my first rifle. Its 'clunky' looks put me off a bit.

Lent it to a friend and he wanted to buy it. Sold it cheap...too cheap. One of my stupider gun trades.

You done good.

 

[Agsalaska]

I saw a cool 22 in a pawn shop this week too. It was a Winchester 1906 in .22 short only. It was in relatively good shape and I do not believe it was ever used as a gallery(but who knows).

The guy wanted $699 I think and it was probably not a bad price. But the rod would not stay in the tube. The little notch on the end had worn down so much that it would have to be modified slightly to function properly, which kind of defeats the purpose. But it will stick in my head for a while.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I need a vintage 22 rifle in the safe...all I have at the moment is a CZ 452 trainer. No other 22 rifles yet!

Can't wait for the accuracy report.

 

[Normandy]

I had a similar experience at the flea market in November. A vintage .22 pump rifle. It was covered in "rust dusting", but looked like it'd clean up well. I paid $100 for it.
The one issue with it was that it had no cartridge stop. When you filled the ammo tube with ammo, they all gathered in the receiver, rather than single file.
Gunsmith charge of $100 and it was slick. The bore is like new, and the outside is a brown "rust patina", but this thing, with its iron sights, is dead on at 60 yards. I found out it was built in 1940, a Savage that was sold as a Ranger, by Sears. One of my favorite .22s.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I love the heft of this rifle,,,

I love the heft of this rifle,,,
I sat there last evening pointing it at the TV characters.

I really do have a liking for older rimfire rifles,,,
So I truly hope this one turns out to be an accurate shooter.

I was originally on the hunt for a single-shot to use as a gift,,,
A young man I work with at my university graduates this coming May.

We've been going out to the range for about a year now,,,
I am going to put together a shooting kit for him,,,
But now that I have found this nice old rifle,,,
He might get my Savage Mk-IIF instead.

I bought the Mk-IIF at Wal Mart last fall,,,
It was on sale for a great price so I took one home.

But for some reason,,,
Even though it performs well,,,
I've just never warmed up to the gun.

So this is a win-win for me,,,
I keep a new-to-me rifle that makes me smile,,,
And I clear out a space in my safe for it by gifting away one I don't love.

Aarond

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[Kingcreek]

I have my grandfather's circa late 1930's Stevens Model 66 with a vintage Weaver B4 scope. Beautiful old "squirrel rifle" and still quite accurate. My granddaughters have been shooting up some old .22 longs in it so that's 5 generations so far. It is an adult rifle in size and heft.

 

[SwampWolf]

Quote: And I clear out a space in my safe for it by gifting away one I don't love.

Sounds like it's time to get a bigger safe, aarondhgraham. You got a great deal on a fine looking rifle. I'm thinking that your MW rifle is a variant of the Mossberg Model 320K (later models of the same rifle were marked 321/321K).

 

[aarondhgraham]

Hello SwampWolf,,,

I'm thinking that your MW rifle is a variant of the Mossberg Model 320K...

According to the brand cross reference at the Numrich site,,,
The Western Field M815 is a Mossberg 320.

The reference didn't give a letter designation,,,
But maybe that's the base model.

I can't wait to get to the range on Saturday,,,
I'm very anxious to try this beauty out.

Aarond

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[TeaCoffee.Guy]

I remember seeing an old .22 in a second hand store years ago for 8 dollars. It was a single shot and I don't know what make it was because I didn't get a chance to look at it.

 

[witchhunter]

"Pointing at the TV characters"! Hey, my wife is out of town, I'm on my way to the safe!

 

[aarondhgraham]

Don't shoot the TV itself,,,

I've read that it's quite common to dry fire using the TV as a target.

I've also read on forums where someone blew a hole in their TV.

When I was a kid there were little round spit marks all over the TV screen,,,
From where me, my brothers, and my dad shot the TV bad guys with dart guns.

Poor Mom,,,
She just shook her head in bewilderment,,,
Then made us clean the TV screen with Windex.

Aarond

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[JamieC]

My wife had an all day ladies only advanced concealed class recently. I figured I would spend the day at the range while she did her class. Brought out my AR, 870, a couple of hand guns and my first gun, a Remington 22 single shot, got it from my father when I was about 8 years old, (I'm 61). After shooting all the 'real' guns all day, decided to break out the .22. First pull of the trigger I wasn't even sure it fired till I looked out at the target. A small hole about 2" right below the bullseye. I haven't shot this gun in maybe 30 years. Made a couple of sight adjustments, started hitting the bullseye, 50 yards. I was giggling, like a kid with his first gun, (and it is/was). That was really fun, not sure why. Great way to end the day.

 

[aarondhgraham]

I was giggling, like a kid with his first gun,,,

I was giggling, like a kid with his first gun, (and it is/was). That was really fun, not sure why. Great way to end the day.

I hear you my friend, and I share the joy,,,
There is something magical about single-shot .22's.

Aarond

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[MedWheeler]

Sounds good. Like you, I like older rimfires. Last year, on two occasions, I came across one, and took it home. In April, I think, it was a pre-serial Glenfield 75, with the shortened magazine and sling swivels. Also has a polished-aluminum scope that was probably not original to the gun. Excellent clean condition.

Later, around September, it was a Marlin 99M1, the gun the Glenfield was a cheaper version of. Probably 80% condition, with wood a bit more dried out than the 75, but it has the ever-so-sought-after original rear sight. It's also a pre-serial unit.

Now, if I would just get around to taking them somewhere fun to try them out.. (hate shooting rifles, even rimfires, at the indoor range.)

 

[aarondhgraham]

Hello MedWheeler,,,

I had to Google the Glenfield 75 to be certain,,,
But I think that's the rifle I bought for my wife back in 1973.

I was in the Air Force stationed at Lowry AFB in Denver, CO.,,,
We lived in a rental mobile way north of town,,,
There was a nice outdoor range near us.

Anyways, our neighbor was a real cowgirl,,,
She took my wife shooting one day and she got hooked.

We went shopping at a local K-Mart the next day,,,
If I recall correctly that rifle cost me right at $60.00,,,
It came with a skinny 2X scope that was actually rather nice.

Gladys became a surprisingly good shot with that little rifle,,,
Way much better than I was back in those days,,,
She could hit 12 gauge shells at 50 yards.

She was so good that she got the attention of the range owner,,,
He came out one day with some spiffy bench rifle,,,
She did extremely well with that rifle,,,
He wanted her on his team.

Ah the old memories this brings up.

Aarond

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