What is the oldest gun YOU bought and still own?

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:42 pm

Fun thread. I'm talking the gun you bought. Great Grandpas mint SA 45 Colt inherited from the fine gent doesn't count.

Me it is a Ruger 10-22 bought in the early 70's used. Followed soon that year with a shiny new 444S Marlin. Got them both and they still shoot as well now as then.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:50 pm

I have a 78/81 Swiss Vetterli that was made in 1881.

Jack

msmith1228 · Post by **msmith1228** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:57 pm

1911 Colt commercial made in 1916. I bought it along with a Ruger 77 in 220 Swift when I was home on leave in the early to mid 70's. I still have both.

pdentrem · Post by **pdentrem** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:10 pm

A Marlin 1893 TD made in 1896 28" octagon barrel and full mag in .30 WCF. After that a Win 92 pre WW1 in .25 WCF. Both are shooters.

adirondakjack · Post by **adirondakjack** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:10 pm

At this point it would be the 1882 vintage S&W Double Action .32 top break, or possibly an English 12 GA double from "F. Williams", as their operations spanned the 1870's-90's. I did have an 1866 vintage Rolling Block, but recently sold it.

damienph · Post by **damienph** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:17 pm

1901 Remington Rolling Block in 7mm Spanish, still have and shoot it.

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:20 pm

1876 Winchester in 45-60. Made in 1881

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:20 pm

Remington model 11 16 ga circa 1939.

Newtmaker · Post by **Newtmaker** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:29 pm

6.5 Swedish Mauser, made in 1898. It was in great condition but I refinished the stock and added a Williams rear peep sight and a Lyman front Globe sight.

Walt

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:35 pm

Probably my Kerner SXS 16 shotgun, also a 1949 A5 Browning 12.
The oldest gun that i bought the longest time ago and still have is a Stevens SXS 410 i bought when i was ten.

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 5:49 pm

Newtmaker wrote:6.5 Swedish Mauser, made in 1898. It was in great condition but I refinished the stock and added a Williams rear peep sight and a Lyman front Globe sight.

Walt

Looks just like mine... but mine has a Williams shorty ramp. But it isn't my oldest.

zack coyote · Post by **zack coyote** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:18 pm

The oldest gun I have is a Winchester 94 rifle in 30-30, built in 1901. I bought it in 1961, in Huntsville Alabama for $35. Crescent butt plate, with an octagon barrel. I got it cheap because the barrel had been cut to 18 1/2", and it had been reblued. The barrel is pitted, but it shoots fine. When I go, it goes with me.

hightime · Post by **hightime** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:22 pm

I guess my oldest pistol is a S & W 32da top break from 1886. My oldest rifle would be my Rem Model 8 32 Rem from 1910.

Owen

86er · Post by **86er** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:33 pm

Do you mean the oldest gun my date of manufacturer or the gun I personally bought that I own the longest? My oldest DOM is my 1893 J. Purdey & Sons 12b SxS.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:57 pm

I originally meant the earliest rifle you bought and not the rifles age. But this direction is far more interesting. My oldest is a 1945 BSA Lee Enfiel No5 Mk1, stock original except two scope mount holes. It made my excellent bore low shot count milsurp affordable. It also commemorates Canadian sacrifices in our military history as a historic relic.

FatJackDurham · Post by **FatJackDurham** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:02 pm

That top break is the bomb!

Marlin32 · Post by **Marlin32** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:04 pm

Parker 16ga SxS manf 1919, still use it.
Oldest gun I bought and still use, Winchester 9422, late 70's early 80's?
Marlin 1894 in 357 shortly before or after.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:17 pm

Oldest gun I bought - 1938-39 Winchester Model 69, peep sight. Had it since I was 9 or 10...still quite a shooter!

Oldest gun I own - 1873 Winchester .32-20, circa 1890. 26" octagon barrel, heavy and has seen plenty good use. I don't think the butt stock is original (has a cleaning rod hole) but still an awesome RIFLE...not a carbine, that's for sure!

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:32 pm

In 1953 I bought a Winchester 1892 32wcf fom my uncle. I was fifteen years old. Not the first I bought but I still have it. Oldest rifle I own is a Model 1898 Krag 30-40 rifle made in 1899.

mack · Post by **mack** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:33 pm

1897mfg Winchester rb rifle, .38/55. No, I did not buy it new. I'm old but not that old! Very dark bore, not sure why I bought it but it does shoot jacketed bullets OK.

264 Win Mag · Post by **264 Win Mag** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:43 pm

After all the stories of weeping and gnashing of teeth I have read in these pages of people lamenting something they had but sold, I have not sold any firearm given to or purchased by me.
My oldest manufactured firearm is a 1938 Winchester Model 94 chambered in 32 Winchester Special.

Thomas

rodeo kid · Post by **rodeo kid** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:49 pm

Colt Police Positive, born in 1912. God Bless.

Newtmaker · Post by **Newtmaker** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:50 pm

264 Win Mag wrote:After all the stories of weeping and gnashing of teeth I have read in these pages of people lamenting something they had but sold, I have not sold any firearm given to or purchased by me.
My oldest manufactured firearm is a 1938 Winchester Model 94 chambered in 32 Winchester Special.

Thomas

Would to God we were all as wise as you

Walt

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:55 pm

It has to be an 1886, caliber 38-56 W.C.F., that was made in 1890. I bought it for $600 about 15 yrs ago. The overall rifle is in nice shape and the bore is excellent.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:05 pm

My 1886 circa 1888, 45-70 with full length octagon barrel

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:20 pm

Though I wasn't 18 yet,(had to have adult sign) these guns for all intensive purposes were bought by(me) my earned money/my choosing/my choice when.

New 1972 12ga Ithaca Deerslayer deluxe Combo pack (still own)
New 1972 .243 Winchester 70 Featherweight (still own)
Used but excellent shape 1969 26" Ruger #1 45-70 "bought in 1972" (still own)

Of those 3------ bought the Ithaca first!

pdentrem · Post by **pdentrem** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:22 pm

My oldest that I had bought and still own is a short action Win Model 70 Featherweight in .222 Remington.

BenT · Post by **BenT** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:32 pm

Bought new in 1976 Win 94 30-30 and Ruger 10/22 still use both. Oldest guns are 1890 Win build in 1896, 30-40 Krag , 1991 Argentine Mauser, Marlin 1893 30-30 built 1906, Rem model 14 in 25 Rem built in 1914.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:34 pm

I have a bunch. Most from the 1880's, but the earliest is a Sharps 1874 shipped to Bozeman, Montana Territory in 1877...

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:35 pm

I posted this IIRC a couple years ago, here it is again:

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 359#p83359

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:04 pm

My dad gave me a 30-30 Canadian Centennial in 1968---Did not buy it--was a gift. I have since given it to my son, so its still in the family.

The gun I have had the longest that I purchased myself is a Remington 700 Varmint in 22-250 in the year of our Lord, 1974.

Oldest gun? I have 'em from the Civil War on.-----------Sixgun

geobru · Post by **geobru** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:16 pm

Oldest gun: 1886 winchester built in 1887.
Gun I bought and have had the longest: Model 721 Remington, bought in 1965

Booger Bill · Post by **Booger Bill** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:21 pm

That would be this 94 winchester 30-30 that I bought new in about 1956 when I was 15 years old. I quickly put a pad on it for LOP and a williams foolproof. Last year I benched rested it and its still on the money. My longest shot for a buck was with it at about 225 yards in a wet snow storm about 40 years ago. Probley a lucky shot.

igon51 · Post by **igon51** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:30 pm

Mosin-Nagant M39 - the receiver was cast in 1904 at the Tula arsenal.

2571 · Post by **2571** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:35 pm

Own & routinely carry an '03 Colt hammerless. mfg in 1908.

Bought a .22 Ruger Single-six in 1971. Bet I've put 10K through that pistol.

win92 · Post by **win92** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:05 pm

Well it's been rebarreled and new wood but the date is 1871 for this Sweed Roller.
I have the twin in the shop now giving it the same treatment It is dated 1873.
Other than these my 1892 --25-20 cal turns 100 years this year!!

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:15 pm

Marlin 1889 manufactured in 1892, bought it at a garage sale for fifty bucks thirty years ago!

Smoothest action of all my Marlins, bore looks terrible but it is a great shooter

Marlin 1889.jpg

2X22 · Post by **2X22** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:24 pm

Winchester model 1886 in .45-90 made in 1891.

2x22

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 10:30 pm

A 1981-2 ish Winchester Mod. 37A single shot in 12 Guage is first gun bought myself.

My oldest gun is a Mod. 94 Swedish Mauser carbine made in 1898.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:37 pm

Rifle? A Winchester 1876 45-60 made in 1886. Here's a photo ...

Sixgun? A US Army Colt SAA Artillery that dates to 1882. It has been restored and I shoot it a lot. It is my wilderness carry sidearm, still doing duty 130 years later. Here's a photo ...

71fan · Post by **71fan** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:47 pm

I bought a Winchester 70 243 Featherweight in 1985 as soon as I turned 12. I'd been saving my 4-H pig money for two years. Also bought the Bushnell 2.5-8x36 (which was pretty good glass then) that it still wears. It's about ready for my oldest boy to start slaying mulies with

My oldest by manufacture is either my Remington Hepburn or my Remington Rolling Block No. 1 Sporter, both of which are of unknown exact date but sometime around 1880 +/-.

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:59 pm

jnyork wrote:I posted this IIRC a couple years ago, here it is again:

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... 359#p83359

that sir is a great story--thank you for the link--hard to type, must be some smoke in the room... :)

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:16 am

The oldest one I personally bought is my Marlin Ballard #1 Sporter in .44 Ex Long. Probably dates to 1875. It's early enough that some of the parts are leftover Brown Ballard parts with Marlin numbers on them.

My Rolling Block Sporter in .44-77SBN may be very close to the same age:

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:56 am

Wow, interesting question... If I understand it correctly, I have an 1898 Winchester 1894 rifle I bought in 1996 (Iowa swap meet), and I have a Marlin 1897 shotgun I bought in 1988. Those are the two oldest, unless you count a couple of top-breaks (1-S&W & 1-H&R), of unknown vintage. The gun I've owned the longest is a 1978 Winchester 94 .30-30, purchased in 1978. Although I don't know the vintage of the "Sam Holt" shotgun I bought... er saved from the city of Philadelphia a couple of years ago!!!! (Sixgun, someday I'll tell ya how much it cost to make it a "shooter" again!!!!)

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 1:02 am

...well, that is my Harrington & Richardson Premier, .22LR, 7-shot, made in 1915:

It is weel-worn, but it works!

.

Shawn

pricedo · Post by **pricedo** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 4:38 am

Stevens - 32 rim fire - falling block action

It's a levergun too.

veeman · Post by **veeman** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:41 am

My oldest that I bought and still have is a Winchester 1894 in 38-55 made in 1897.

3855 · Post by **3855** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:12 am

A Model 1866 2nd Model Allin Conversion Trapdoor and a New Model 1863 Sharps Carbine. As the Model numbers designate, both date to the 1860's and likely have a fair amount of western history.

Both are 50-70's and I have shot them quite a bit using blackpowder. Both still have good bores. The Allin Conversion will shoot pie plate sized groups at 200 yards even with the very coarse sights. The Sharps, due to better sights, will do better than that and will easily pound a full sized Buffalo silhouette out to 600 yards until you get tired doing it.

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:56 am

I don't have a picture of it but many years ago I bought a Colt SAA mfg in 1876. Barrel has been cut, dovetail front sight and some kind soul removed every bit of rust with a wire wheel. Shipped to H & D Folsom Arms on Oct 4, 1876. One of fifty.

gak · Post by **gak** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 11:37 am

Ca 1917 Winchester 1894 SRC in .30WCF (of course!) at a pawn shop on a 20 degree gray winter day in Montrose, Colorado. A no issue, genuine good ol' Western Slope ranch gun in nice used but not abused condition. The stories it could tell! My baby. Next, a mid-50s Ithaca 37 in 16 Ga. Nice gun.