Things have changed.

[layoutshooter]

Things have changed a LOT in this country since 1966. Not for the good I would say.

Due to a flood in my basement, and my gun safe getting several inches of water in it, I had to clean every gun that I owned to prevent rust.

The first one I started on was a nice Remington Model 572, FieldMaster, .22 pump rifle. It was a "special" rifle, with a cheesy fake gold stamp celebrating Remington's 150th anniversary. That "stamp" cost me an additional $25 over the model without that stamp. $75 for the rifle.

I was 15 years old. I road my bike about 2 miles to a hardware store, put down my hard earned $75, and was the proud owner of the first gun I ever bought with my own money.

The owner GAVE me a box of long rifle shells for that rifle and then I road the 2 miles home.

Now a days there is NO WAY a normal boy could work his butt off and go by a rifle. Now a days gun owners are considered the CAUSE of crime.

That rifle has accounted for untold numbers of rabbits, squirrels and thousands of rats at the old dump behind the mine tipple at Oliver One, PA.

Oh how things have changed. How sad.

 

[Ragman]

I was 15 years old. I road my bike . . .

You were 15 and rode a bike?

 

[layoutshooter]

You were 15 and rode a bike?

Pedal bike. Geez. The next rifle I am going to work on is an "assault rifle". It was my grandfathers deer rifle, a surplus 30-40 Kraig. The U.S. military assault rifle of the day. Man did that rifle account for a LOT of deer over the days. Still shoots straight.

 

[Dakota]

Things have changed a LOT in this country since 1966. Not for the good I would say.

Due to a flood in my basement, and my gun safe getting several inches of water in it, I had to clean every gun that I owned to prevent rust.

The first one I started on was a nice Remington Model 572, FieldMaster, .22 pump rifle. It was a "special" rifle, with a cheesy fake gold stamp celebrating Remington's 150th anniversary. That "stamp" cost me an additional $25 over the model without that stamp. $75 for the rifle.

I was 15 years old. I road my bike about 2 miles to a hardware store, put down my hard earned $75, and was the proud owner of the first gun I ever bought with my own money.

The owner GAVE me a box of long rifle shells for that rifle and then I road the 2 miles home.

Now a days there is NO WAY a normal boy could work his butt off and go by a rifle. Now a days gun owners are considered the CAUSE of crime.

That rifle has accounted for untold numbers of rabbits, squirrels and thousands of rats at the old dump behind the mine tipple at Oliver One, PA.

Oh how things have changed. How sad.

A young kid can't even by spray paint, model glue etc.
I had to have my Mom buy my model glue and even when I was 17 fixing up my first car I couldn't buy primer etc.

 

[layoutshooter]

A young kid can't even by spray paint, model glue etc.
I had to have my Mom buy my model glue and even when I was 17 fixing up my first car I couldn't buy primer etc.

Yep, it ALWAYS works to punish the many for the sins of the few. You can tell just how well it works by the LOW crime rates we have today.

 

[Pilgrim]

Pedal bike. Geez. The next rifle I am going to work on is an "assault rifle". It was my grandfathers deer rifle, a surplus 30-40 Kraig. The U.S. military assault rifle of the day. Man did that rifle account for a LOT of deer over the days. Still shoots straight.

Small world - I have one of those that was passed down from my grandfather. He hunted deer with it using open sights and we enjoyed venison every year that he and his pals headed out to Sugar Grove, VA. Probably just my sentimentality, but I still think it's the best rifle I've ever used, including my trusty 30-06.

 

[layoutshooter]

Small world - I have one of those that was passed down from my grandfather. He hunted deer with it using open sights and we enjoyed venison every year that he and his pals headed out to Sugar Grove, VA. Probably just my sentimentality, but I still think it's the best rifle I've ever used, including my trusty 30-06.

It is a VERY well made rifle. The bolt slides SOOOOO SMOOOTH! I was lucky enough to get to hunt with by granddad before he was killed in a mine explosion in '62. I got to hunt rabbits with him. I will never forget that.

 

[greg334]

The 30-40 Krag is a very good rifle but has a rather arced trajectory compared to the 30-06 - if you have one with the original sights, you will see the scale on the sight to see what I am talking about. These rifles were used in competition in the late 1890s to about 1910 with targets as far as 2000 yards.

The action is very smooth for a good reason, they were made that way, lapped to smoothness. The quality of workmanship is the best springfield put out, a lot better than the trapdoors and for sure a lot better than the '03s.

Not a lot of them seen action in the Spanish American war as people would assume (the rough riders were one group who had them) but seen action in the Philippines and WW1.

I would highly recommend that you don't use modern ammo in the rifle, they are now over a ~112 years old. I used to hand load mine with a slight reduction in power to lower the chamber pressures just out of habit.

By the way Layout, a friend's kid worked two summers to buy his first rifle - he is 15. He just got it in time for Christmas - Arisaka type 38 works chambered with 270 Winchester. It is one hell of a rifle.

 

[Dakota]

Yep, it ALWAYS works to punish the many for the sins of the few. You can tell just how well it works by the LOW crime rates we have today.

I now feel like a criminal everytime I buy a box of Sudafed or Nyquil!!!