Your Favorite Inefficient and Obsolete Guns

[FlSwampRat]

[QUOTE="bannockburn, post: 11034246, member: 46940" a Traditions Hawken style black powder rifle that I put together,[/QUOTE]

Can't get too much more obsolete than that unless you go from percussion to matchlock. Of course, that being said, I love my Hawkin in .50 and my Seneca in .45. Love those old smokesticks.

 

[Flechette]

MAS 49/56. I’m sure an AR10 is better in every way but it will never be as cool or have the same good/bad (not sure which one) looks as my MAS 49/56.

Dan

This gun was actually the first one to hit my mind when reading this thread. However, I cannot really say if it is truly "obsolete". It was one of the first gas impingement guns out there and has no piston, rod, springs, etc unlike other rifles of that time. Much less to break. Much less moving mass.

And unlike the AR-10/15 the gas discharge is on the bolt carrier which rides above the bolt, thereby discharging the gas out away from the action (one of the AR-series worst teething problems). The firing pin is robust (about the size of a roofing nail) instead of a little thing that can easily be broken. In fact, all the parts used for field stripping are big, robust and not easily lost in the dark, dirt, etc.

You could make a cogent argument that these features a make it actually better than some contemporary rifles. Look at the complexity and close tolerances of many of today's semi-auto battle rifles and ask yourself if they really are any better.

If I were an eccentric billionaire that could throw money at every desire I'd make a Mk2 version of the MAS 56. Update the furniture with modern materials instead of wood, have an integral magazine release (instead of on each magazine - who came up with that? ) and some newer materials (aluminum instead of steel in many areas) to make it lighter.

Maybe someone with a good additive manufacturing machine (3D printer) could whip something up. Most of the mechanism dimensions would be the same and could simply be copied.

 

[LoonWulf]

The kind you stuff things in the front of!

 

[kimberkid]

Colt Lord & Lady (single shot 22short)

Ruger Bearcat 22

Rhino 357

Marlin 39 22LR (standard velocity only)

 

[Bruce D Pease]

It’s a toss-up my ;1918 SMLE or my 1943 Springfield Armory M1 Garand. Probably the Garand because my uncle, grandfather, and mom all worked at the Watershops facility of the Armory where the receiver was made...maybe one or all had a role on that rifle. I like to think so anyway.

 

[RON in PA]

Nagant 1895 revolver. Barely usable trigger and very wimpy with current commercial ammo. However with surplus military the gun has some umph.

 

[sherrick13]

M1 Garand.

Too heavy, too powerful, limited magazine capacity, vulnerable to op-rod damage with hunting loads, relies on flimsy steel clips to run right, and it will try to take your thumb off if you're not careful.

Also more fun than just about anything else you can do with clothes on.

M1 Garand here too. Just fun to shoot.

 

[Flechette]

Colt Lord & Lady (single shot 22short)

Ruger Bearcat 22

Rhino 357

Marlin 39 22LR (standard velocity only)

I read somewhere that the designer of the Rhino said that he made it just to see if he could make a 6 o'clock firing revolver. Strange gun. I'd like to fire one just to see how the design affects recoil management.

 

[mokin]

A lotta cool guns mentioned here. The one that came to my mind was the Mannlicher-Carcano (6.5 x 52 mm). Obsolete for sure, inefficient... not so much. Just hard to find ammunition for. My M-38 is lots of fun to shoot, and will easily hit a B-27 target out to 300 yards (with .268 bullets). This thread got me thinking about my other old war rifles... The same could be said about them.

 

[theotherwaldo]

The one that I'm working on now - a Carcano Model "I" in 6.5x50.
The almost complete lack of markings is amusing - like the Italians and Japanese were fooling anyone... .
Probably the only Carcano repeater that can't be called a Mannlicher.

 

[kimberkid]

I read somewhere that the designer of the Rhino said that he made it just to see if he could make a 6 o'clock firing revolver. Strange gun. I'd like to fire one just to see how the design affects recoil management.

The design nearly eliminates muzzle flip, its more of a push back, making follow-up shots very quick ... everyone that has shot mine thinks its odd but they like it. It reminds me of the difference between an AR and a SiG 55* series of carbines

 

[hps1]

M1 carbines and sxs shotguns.

You can't put a scope on an M1 carbine very easily. It's a ghost ring or nothing. SxS shotguns are turn of the century. Not last century, the one before that. About all they're good for is shooting upland game without steel shot. Nobody uses them for anything else.

I have both and I hardly ever shoot either one anymore. I still like to drag them out of the safe and remember the good times though.

There are a number of no drill scope mounts available for the carbine.
IIRC this is a b square; remove rear sight and this one mounts to dovetail.

Amazing what I will "stoop to" when I can no longer see the irons any longer.
ETA: If further support of above statement is required,



Regards,
hps

 

[hps1]

M1 Garand.

Too heavy, too powerful, limited magazine capacity, vulnerable to op-rod damage with hunting loads, relies on flimsy steel clips to run right, and it will try to take your thumb off if you're not careful.

Also more fun than just about anything else you can do with clothes on.

Blasphemy! Until you redeemed yourself with that last sentence.
Heavy, yes; too powerful, impossible ; powder sensitive (op-rod damage), yes; "flimsy" clip, never got a bad original GI clip; impossible to destroy...however, some later imports, not so much; will take your thumb off, OH YEAH, but not if handled properly.

Other attributes, it was one of the most dependable military individual arms of the time capable of "reaching out and touching someone", as Ma Bell used to say. Am I biased in my opinion? You bet, based on 65 years of personal affinity with the Garand!

Regards,
hps

 

[Sixgun-symphony]

Sometimes you just like something without good reason. Often guns fit that mold. What are your favorite guns that you know are obsolete, inefficient, or objectively-not-the-best for the job you use it for?

For me there are a couple:

Single or double barrel shotguns for hunting. I can’t really think of a time when these can’t beat by a pump or semi, but they’re just charming to me. The wood and steel elicit a nostalgia that the plastic of a modern scattergun just can’t compete with.

Another is the large framed .38 revolver, like a model 10. Heavy, low capacity, and underpowered for their size, they’re objectively beaten in every category by even compact autos or similarly sized magnum revolvers. However, the wear on the finish of an old, blued .38 is something special. When compared to a lot of other pistols it’s pretty obvious there are better guns you could carry, but on a Sunday I like the idea of a model 10 in a well-worn leather holster.

The Smith & Wesson Model 10 is a medium "K" frame revolver, not a large frame. It still gets the job done and should be called obsolescent rather than obsolete.

Your point about shotguns is moot when game laws require dowels in the tube magazines of repeating shotguns to limit their magazine capacity to two shells.

 

[4v50 Gary]

C-96 Mauser. Awkward grip, hammer bite (even with small hammer), awkward to load (stripper clip if it's not detachable magazine).

 

[Mullo98]

For me it’s probably my m57 Toks. Even though they aren’t out of date to me, but the heavy weight, 9 round mag, and hard to find parts ( including mags ). Though the 7.62x25 is a great round power wise. Even if it’s some what rare.

 

[Keyfer 55]

Seen the USS Wisconsin fire 16 inch guns!!
The most impressive thing I've ever seen !!

 

[Thumper]

For the size, capacity, and caliber, the Beretta 84 makes very little sense these days.

Still keep one in the safe. Can't help but love it.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Semi-auto Suomi

Heavy, horrible trigger, cranky 71 round drum.
Loads of fun!

 

[CoalTrain49]

There are a number of no drill scope mounts available for the carbine.
IIRC this is a b square; remove rear sight and this one mounts to dovetail.
View attachment 842351
Amazing what I will "stoop to" when I can no longer see the irons any longer.
ETA: If further support of above statement is required,
View attachment 842356


Regards,
hps

They also have a rail that replaces the hand guard. The scope would just mount in front of the receiver like a scout rifle. I thought about one of those also. Then I realized it would just screw up the entire experience of shooting irons. My eyesight isn't that good either but I can still pop a steel plate at 200 yds with those irons. I just bought a Ruger mini and scoped it to get the carbine with the scope. Still shoot the M1 carbine and will until my eyesight gets so bad I can't the front sight anymore.

 

[hps1]

They also have a rail that replaces the hand guard. The scope would just mount in front of the receiver like a scout rifle. I thought about one of those also. Then I realized it would just screw up the entire experience of shooting irons. My eyesight isn't that good either but I can still pop a steel plate at 200 yds with those irons. I just bought a Ruger mini and scoped it to get the carbine with the scope. Still shoot the M1 carbine and will until my eyesight gets so bad I can't the front sight anymore.

I don't think I'd care for a scout scope setup so went the other route.

The good news is that I just had cataract surgery on my right eye and the front sight is no longer a pitch fork! Haven't fired anything with irons but believe I can hold my own again! Now all I gotta do is find something with irons on it to shoot, having since put optics on everything shootable.

Regards,
hps

 

[Ignition Override]

WW2 German Sauer 38H handgun, in .32 Auto.

The decocker's spring has never worked long after a gun smith adjustment, but it's a very nifty, superbly reliable gun (never carried). Nice ergos.
It the small uncle/father of the fairly modern Sig 230/232. With a stronger rd. and good decocker, it (the 38H) might Then be an ok carry gun.

 

[BearBrimstone]

I have to go with the Winchester 1887 and its clones. A lever action shotgun is only beat by bolt action shotguns in inefficiency but I gotta love them because of Terminator 2.

 

[94045]

1861 Colt Navy

 

[PzGren]

The Swiss 1882/29 beats them all. This is the proverbial ugly duckling - just that it will not grow up into a beautiful swan. The 7.5mm blackpowder cartridge is notoriously underpowered. Despite its weird and anitquated looks, it is a very high quality firearm. By loosening a frame screw, the sideplate can be swung away and the revolver easily cleaned, this reveals the interior of the revolver and it being finished every bit as well as the outside.