U-G-L-Y Glenfield

[Pisgah]

A few years back I bought the ugliest Glenfield 30A I had ever seen. It had been through a house fire -- nowhere near the flames, mind you, but absolutely covered with a soot-and-melted-plastic shellac. Severe smoke damage. I got it for $65, and went to work. Cleaning the metal parts took forever and resulted in about 90% of the finish being destroyed, but mechanically it was fine. The wood was a challenge, too but extensive cleaning short of sanding gave me a result I could live with. I decided to indulge in a Bubba-fest.

I cut and recrowned the barrel to 18". The mag tube was taken down to 4-round length in a truly Bubba-gineered conversion. Then all metal was given my patented, secret-recipe, Rustoleum finish. At first, I mounted a Tasco red dot sight. It really wasn't much of a sighting device, but the accuracy was adequate for the woods-gun role. The important thing was, it was handy, filled a role quite well, and if I dropped it in a river or had a truck run over it, no big deal.

My buddy Glenn and I have gotten in the habit of gifting each other at Christmas. These gifts tend to be things the giver really doesn't want or need anymore and that is just taking up space. Maybe a holster I no longer need, or a decent-enough pocket knife I never really cared for. It's the thought that counts! This year, Glenn gave me a made-in-Belarus Zenit 4x24 scope he snagged cheap at a gunshow and never used. It has pretty good glass and a big, thick post reticle, and I thought -- ahaah! An hour after I got it, I had it mounted on Weaver base and rings dug out of the Bubba-box.

I carted the rifle and an old box of Remington 150 gr. loads out to my property today and quickly established a zero at 25 yards, then backed off to 100 and proceeded to fire a well-formed, well-centered group of exactly 1 inch.

Ugly is as ugly does, and this combo is a beauty. I know this post demands a photo, but bear with me -- I loaned my camera to Glenn! When he brings it over I think I'll give him a nice old Western Cutlery blade I have squirrelled away.

[Blaine]

Sounds perfect. Utility trumps pretty almost every time.

[.45colt]

I have one as well that was rode hard and put away wet. mine has the half mag. but after cleaning inside it runs like a top. never have to worry about dropping it in the mud. something about the chrome coated bolt that makes it smooth as glass.

[walks with gun]

I refinished one a while back, plugged the muzzle removed the stock and lightly hit the whole thing with a sand blaster then cold blued with paste, the lightly blasting it made the cold blueing come out very even.

[Griff]

Sounds perfect. Utility trumps pretty almost every time.

+1.

[FWiedner]

Pretty or ugly, a gun ain't worth nothin' unless it works.

[sore shoulder]

I like ugly guns. I think the prettiest gun I ever had was a deluxe model 94 AE big bore .444 with beautiful checkering, full length mag tube and gorgeous wood. I couldn't bring myself to even shoot it and traded it off to another member here.

[GunnyMack]

I too have an UGLY, it's an Ithaca single shot lever break 12 ga. It was a rusty neglected hulk when I got it. Although I use Krylon as it dries faster!

[Pisgah]

As promised, here's a picture of the ugly Glenfield:

[Pete44ru]

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Yeah, I really feel bad for you...............


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[Pisgah]

Here's a useful idea for folks who may not have thought of it already, but may want a Bubba sling. I took a big elastic-type bungee, cut off the hooks and sewed a small loop at one end, a large loop at the other, and had a sling. The one drawback to it is the fact that the available colors were all on the bright side -- but, hey, if you drop it in the woods you can find it again, and that has come in handy for me a few times.
-- Goes on in 5 seconds; comes off in 2. Tucks in to a coat pocket;
-- It holds the rifle securely and very comfortably on the shoulder, with the rifle kept pressed in to the body, not swinging around;
-- When the rifle is unslung, the bungee lies more or less flat against the side of the gun and interferes in no way with the operation of the rifle.
I think I have used this one for 8 years now, and it cost me, what? $2.79 or something.