Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > General Topics > Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics
o

Notices

Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics Post Your General Gun Topics and Non-S&W Gun and Blade Topics Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-01-2009, 03:23 PM
PALADIN85020's Avatar
PALADIN85020 PALADIN85020 is offline
US Veteran
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,440
Likes: 3,924
Liked 50,373 Times in 6,009 Posts
Default Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.

The first is a Winchester Model 69A .22 rifle, highly "customized" by me in my youth. At the age of 10, I was pestering my parents for a .22 rifle. My dad said I could have one when I turned 11, but I'd have to pay for half of it. Now at that time, a brand new Winchester Model 69A cost $24, so I had to raise $12. I mowed lawns, did chores, saved my 50 cents a week allowance, and finally had the dough. My dad and I went down to Pinney & Robinson's Sporting Goods store in downtown Phoenix to pick it out. I remember it was dark inside and smelled of walnut wood and gun oil. And it was packed with guns. We picked out a 69A that seemed to have the nicest stock, and the guy at the counter said he'd sight it in for 50 yards for us.

On my 11th birthday we went down to pick it up. It came broken down into the barrel and receiver and the stock groups, in a box with a heavy wire cleaning rod. Still have that cleaning rod, but the box (now worth hundreds) is long gone, thrown out by my mother (thanks Mom). I still remember retrieving the boxed gun from the back of my dad's 1947 Studebaker when we got home.

That Saturday, I fired my first shot ever with a gun. There was a high wind that day, but it didn't deter me. With the rifle's long barrel, there was way less noise than I expected. And I hit the target in spite of the wind!

Over the years I did some experimenting with the stock, modifying it from its original configuration. Although the gun has no serial number, I remember scratching "1952" under the buttplate a couple of years after I got it.

Here's a pic of me shooting that rifle at about age 15:



And here's a pic of the rifle as it appears today:



In later years when I was an adult and getting to be fairly knowledgeable on guns, my dad asked me what type of firearm he should get for home defense. I already had a Smith Model 28-2 6" which I enjoyed for its utility and ruggedness, and I suggested he might want to get the same model, but with a 4" barrel for handiness. He commissioned me to find one, and I did, selecting from among several at Bohm's Sporting Goods in Phoenix. This was in 1968. I purchased a set of target stocks and a trigger shoe (stylish in those days), and added them to the gun. My dad and I used to take these Model 28s out to the desert north of Phoenix and shoot them regularly.

Dad is gone now, and I inherited his revolver when he passed away in December, 1987. I have never shot it, preferring to think that the last time it was fired, my dad pulled the trigger. Here's a shot of that fine old revolver:



And finally, my grandfather's old beat-up Smith Model 1902. He carried it in a shoulder holster when he was a country storekeeper in Crittenden, Kentucky in the early part of the 20th Century. I inherited from his wife, my grandmother, when she passed away in 1975. It shows much use and at least one re-nickeling, and that's the way I'll keep it. Here's a pic of that gun and the holster my grandfather carried it in:



I will own these guns, no matter what, until my death. At that time, I hope one or more of my descendants will keep them and treasure them as I have.

Perhaps some of you have "keepers" such as these that stir memories of times gone by. Share them with us!
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Last edited by PALADIN85020; 05-05-2023 at 07:47 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-01-2009, 03:43 PM
Xfuzz's Avatar
Xfuzz Xfuzz is online now
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Texas Gulf Coast...
Posts: 5,502
Likes: 9,904
Liked 22,931 Times in 3,222 Posts
Default

We often hear the old sayin.."Wish this gun could talk"...
Yours do.

Neat story.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #3  
Old 09-01-2009, 04:10 PM
HAWKEYE10's Avatar
HAWKEYE10 HAWKEYE10 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: MURFREESBORO TN.
Posts: 5,384
Likes: 90
Liked 402 Times in 177 Posts
Default

My guns that I will never sell is first a Winchester Mod. 12
20 Ga. and a JC Higgins 22lr. Both my father gave me for
Christmas in the middle 50's. The other is a Colt Frontier Scout
I bought for $20 in the early 60's. Many years ago I did hot
bath bluing and reblued this gun. Also I made the grips. Don
__________________
"Don't worry be happy"
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 09-01-2009, 04:28 PM
2000Z-71's Avatar
2000Z-71 2000Z-71 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Eagle River, AK
Posts: 569
Likes: 1
Liked 87 Times in 23 Posts
Default

PALADIN85020,

Is there any other information or could you point towards a source of information about the Winchester 69A? I've got one that belonged to my grandfather. It looks similar to yours but doesn't have the reverse Weatherby cut to the stock forend and it does have a peep sight on it. i've also got 3 magazines for it, short, long and long rifle. I'd like to find our more about the 69A someday.

I'm like you and have a few that won't leave the family. The 69A is one along with his Winchester 12, my great grandfather's Winchester '92 and my dad's remington 740.

Thanks in advance.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 09-01-2009, 04:56 PM
Vulcan Bob's Avatar
Vulcan Bob Vulcan Bob is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: central pa
Posts: 5,336
Likes: 2,745
Liked 2,492 Times in 1,182 Posts
Default

Yeah I know how you feel. My Dad only owned two firearms that I know of. I will go to my grave before selling these, perhaps handed down to my Grandson if he shows the respect also.
__________________
Stay safe people!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 09-01-2009, 06:26 PM
jframe's Avatar
jframe jframe is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Florence, Alabama
Posts: 2,067
Likes: 1,887
Liked 1,137 Times in 304 Posts
Default

I've got three generations of shotguns. My great grandfather's .410 Iver Johnson single shot, my grandfather's 20 gauge bolt action JC Higgins, and my Dad's Browning A-5 Light Twelve automatic that he bought new in 1957, and it is still IMMACULATE, even after thousands of pheasant hunts in Michigan in the fifties and sixties. Dad is still alive and the caretaker of these, but I will NEVER sell them. He also has a little 642-2 Airweight that he bought about four years ago after my Mom died, and he was at home alone at night. That gun hasn't been shot yet, just loaded in his nightstand. It too, is priceless to me and will not be sold.
__________________
MARK
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 09-01-2009, 06:29 PM
Glock 'em down Glock 'em down is offline
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,113
Likes: 0
Liked 41 Times in 25 Posts
Default

That's an awesome story!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 09-01-2009, 08:44 PM
Wyatt Burp Wyatt Burp is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Northern California
Posts: 6,655
Likes: 3,299
Liked 17,158 Times in 2,907 Posts
Default

Great story paladin. I havea bunch of my dad's guns. Here's two. A 1955 Savage Featherweight 243 with hand carved stock by my dad in the early 60's. And the same old pic. of me and his prized pre 64 Winchester 88 he got in 1964. I have a ton of ammo for this one.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 09-02-2009, 07:03 AM
2Loud4You 2Loud4You is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: GA
Posts: 599
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 3 Posts
Default

The Ruger 10/22 I've had since I was a child, definitely over 20 years. I don't own these yet but eventually I'll inherit my father's guns, some of which he inherited, 1 of which goes back to my great grandfather.
__________________
NRA Endowment Member
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 09-02-2009, 07:11 AM
BarbC's Avatar
BarbC BarbC is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Central FL
Posts: 3,829
Likes: 468
Liked 527 Times in 181 Posts
Default

I just know I'm going to end up with my dad's Colt Mark IV Series 70 because it always ejects right onto my forehead.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #11  
Old 09-02-2009, 09:16 AM
Alpo's Avatar
Alpo Alpo is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: N/W Florida
Posts: 5,657
Likes: 2,432
Liked 6,205 Times in 2,421 Posts
Default

I'm jealous. The only "family gun" we had was Grandpa's Iver Johnson Champion 410, that Mama said her brothers kept the family fed with during the Depression (probably by poaching). When Grandpa died that went to my older brother, who has since given it to his son.

Paladin - that white-line spacer on your 22. Clorox bottle? That's what I used on my first 22. Worked real good.
__________________
I always take precautions
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-02-2009, 11:32 AM
29aholic 29aholic is offline
Banned
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bolivar, MO
Posts: 6,360
Likes: 3,558
Liked 3,241 Times in 1,099 Posts
Default Geez you gonna make me post this again?

Been up several times, but the one gun I have that will be buried (or melted) with me is the very 1st new gun, and very 1st 44mag Smith I ever bought. I got it when I was 18...took months to pay it off at the gun store I worked at. At times it has been the ONLY gun in my collection.



Started life as a 6" 29-3 which I have long since "Skeeterized" by cutting the barrel to 5". Eventually it will have a set of Keith Brown "Ropers" and an engraving job.
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #13  
Old 09-02-2009, 12:01 PM
Zilmo's Avatar
Zilmo Zilmo is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Puyallup
Posts: 637
Likes: 0
Liked 13 Times in 9 Posts
Default

These two. Got them both from the same guy, they belonged to his dad. The Luger was carried by his dad when he flew mail planes in the late twenties.




Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-02-2009, 12:34 PM
truckemup97's Avatar
truckemup97 truckemup97 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Indian Territory
Posts: 3,321
Likes: 1,770
Liked 559 Times in 260 Posts
Default

Like Curtis said, "Geez you gonna make me post this again?" lol

I've got my great grandfather's SAA, Lightning, and 12ga sxs shotgun that he brought with him when he came to the Oklahoma Territory in 1901. They may be passed down to one of my nephews or my daughter some day, but they will never be sold. Mom's got a .410 Mossberg that Dad bought for her 35 years ago, for home protection because he was away from home weeknights working. When I get that one, I won't let go of it, either. I can't see a reason for selling the Remington Apache 77 I bought for myself when I was 16, either, but it may be passed down before I die.
__________________
Insert short witty words here
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-02-2009, 01:13 PM
66TAS's Avatar
66TAS 66TAS is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Grantville, Ga
Posts: 662
Likes: 8
Liked 39 Times in 17 Posts
Default

No pics of any of these, but...
My grandfathers S&W Aircrewman he carried in the front bib pocket of his overalls for as long as I knew him, and the 2 Remington shotguns we hunted rabbits with. He taught me most everything I know about guns, safety, shooting and the woods. I miss him dearly.

My dads Remington targetmaster 22 bolt rifle. I have fired thousands of rounds through that rifle and it still will out shoot most modern 22's.

And lastly, a 73 Winchester 38WCF made in 1913. I bought it from a little pawnshop near here years ago. I stumbled on it one day and talked to the elderly lady that owned the place about it for a long while and she made me a price. Over the next few months I stopped by several times to look at it and dream, it was priced MUCH higher than I could afford. I always hung around and chatted with her a bit before I left. Finally I stopped one day and we were talking and she asked how much cash I had on me right then....I thought for a moment and told her. She said that amount, minus 50 bux, was the price for the Winchester for that day only. I almost ripped my pants getting the money out. I asked why her price was suddenly half of what she had told me earlier. She explained that she was selling out and moving away soon and wanted the rifle to go to someone who would appreciate it and not just try to turn it for a quick buck, and that she enjoyed my visits because I was respectful and nice to her. I think about her now, almost 10 years later, whenever I pull her uncles old rifle out.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 09-02-2009, 01:13 PM
PALADIN85020's Avatar
PALADIN85020 PALADIN85020 is offline
US Veteran
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 10,440
Likes: 3,924
Liked 50,373 Times in 6,009 Posts
Default

Alpo,

Yes, the white line spacer on my 69A was cut from a Clorox bottle, slightly oversize, and trimmed with a sharp knife. Good eye!

2000Z-71,

There isn't much written information today on the 69 series of Winchester rifles, but in collecting them, I've gleaned a little information here and there - here are the high points:

The original 69 rifle was first put on the market around 1935. It had a cocking knob much like the 1903 Springfield on the rear of the bolt, and cocked on closing.

The rifle was modified around 1937 to cock on opening, eliminating the cocking knob. The new bolt gave a very fast lock time, one of the best for rifles of that era, or any era for that matter. The gun remained essentially unchanged until it was discontinued around 1964.

Several different versions were offered. The standard grade had an open rear sight and a simple bead front sight. This is the model my father and I bought in 1950.

The Target model had a Winchester stamped peep sight and a ramp front sight which utilized a stamped sheet metal ramp which was removable.

The Match model was drilled and tapped for, and used commercial target micrometer sights and a front sight with removable inserts for target work. There was no provision for an open sight on the barrel (no dovetail cut there). It had sling swivels, as well. Sling swivels could be special ordered or installed on other models as well.

Somewhere in the mid 1950s, the receiver was grooved for tip-off scope mounts. These command a premium today on the used gun market. About this time, some of the guns were drilled and tapped for commercial micrometer sights.

Several different styles of stock were used over the years, differing in the width and length of the fore-end. Some were tapered forward at the nose (these were a bit shorter than the others). Some were thin and rounded at the nose, and some were very thick and rounded, like those seen on most target guns. Some were relieved around the area where the rear sight drilling and tapping was in place. All of the Winchester peep sights required this relief cut.

I modified the stock on my original rifle with a reverse "Weatherby style" cut, and worked on the comb and pistol grip a bit also. I shouldn't have done it, but it reflects my youthful zeal to tinker with things.

An outgrowth of the Model 69A was the Model 75 target rifle and Model 75 Sporter. Both have the same action as the Model 69A; the bolts are identical. I have a Model 75 sporter and it's the most accurate .22 I own. The barrel is shorter than the 25-inch barrel found on the 69A.

There was also a Model 72, which was essentially a Model 69A with an underbarrel tube feed. The bolts on these are a bit different to accomodate the different feed system.

There were several types of magazines. The standard mag fed five .22 LR, .22 long, and .22 shorts interchangeably. There was a five-shot.22 short mag also. The single shot mag (actually a grooved platform at the top of what appeared as a standard mag) was principally used for the Model 52 and Model 75 sporters, but it would also work in the 69A. A 10-shot curved magazine which projected below the stock was also made, and took all lengths of cartridges. Magazines with an underlined "W" on the base are modern non-Winchester reproductions. Genuine Winchester mags will have the company stamp on the base plate.

I have what may be the one and only Model 69A Deluxe. It was specially ordered by an old gentleman who lived near the Winchester factory in New Haven, CT. It has a pistol grip topped by a black plastic cap with the Winchester name on it, and has checkering on the forestock and the pistol grip. The finish on the stock is superb. It is grooved for scope mounts, no serial number except a "1" stamped on the right receiver opening rail. I have never heard of another, although some might exist. A collector bought the rifle from the old man's estate, and I bought it from him. It appears unfired. Its estimated date of manufacture is 1952. It has the standard open sights. It's sure not a "gunsmith project" but appears factory done in all respects.

The only problem I find with the 69A is the lack of an overtravel adjustment. The letoff is crisp, but there's a lot of overtravel. A trigger shoe with a limiting screw can solve that problem. Weight of pull is adjustable to some degree; there is a screw cap over the trigger spring that can be moved up and down to alter the pull weight. To get an even nicer pull in the 2-3 lb. range is possible with some gunsmithing, which I have done, but will not describe here, as the potential for a dangerous pull is there.

Some time in the mid 1950s, the bolt handle was changed from straight to swept back, somewhat like that on the Model 70 rifle. It looked nicer, but as the bolt handle was two-piece, the joint tended to loosen with use. This made the bolt handle wobbly. It can be fixed with staking or soldering. Some bolts had firing spring caps that were chrome plated, and some bolts had the handle plated as well. I find no pattern that is consistent with respect to dates of manufacture.

A small item is that the pin which retains the firing pin spring cap tended to work loose, and had to be tapped back in place as one saw it project from the rear of the bolt. Winchester replaced that pin in later production with one which had a reduced-diameter section in the middle. The spring fit into that section and secured the pin from walking.

Most 69As in decent shape can be had for $300-$400 today if you can find one. Most desirable are those with scope grooves.

I learned about guns from that first rifle. I learned to take it completely apart, and and once lost one of the extractor pins. I made a replacement from the prong on a school drawing compass, and it remains in the gun to this day. Works fine.

This is about all I can tell you about the 69A rifle. I hope it helps to fill in the blanks for you.

John
__________________
- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Last edited by PALADIN85020; 09-02-2009 at 01:36 PM.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #17  
Old 09-02-2009, 11:02 PM
Wyatt Burp Wyatt Burp is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Northern California
Posts: 6,655
Likes: 3,299
Liked 17,158 Times in 2,907 Posts
Default

Matched pair of Colt SAA .45's. Rebuilt. 1920 & 1957 vintage. Engraved and nickled. 4 3/4" with old Sambar stags. They ride a fancy homemade buscadero double rig. I watched too many B-westerns I guess.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 09-10-2009, 01:55 AM
seattleM29's Avatar
seattleM29 seattleM29 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Yakima,WA
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 2 Posts
Default

One gun that I own that will never be gotten rid of is my maternal Grandfathers 1905 Colt Army Special in .38 Spl. It's still a good shooting revolver and means a lot to me. My dad recently passed away and I inherited his guns but he only owned 2 guns-a Taurus 606 snubby .357 and a Mossberg 12 gauge pump. Nothing collectible but they were his and will stay with me.
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 09-10-2009, 05:40 AM
ldp4570's Avatar
ldp4570 ldp4570 is offline
US Veteran
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McAlester, Oklahoma
Posts: 488
Likes: 9
Liked 47 Times in 29 Posts
Default

My Greatgrand fathers 1897 pump, my first rifle Remington 581LH .22lr, my first pistol I bought Browning BDA380, Walther KKJ .22lr, Manurhin/Walther PPK/s .22lr, S&W revolvers 624-4", 624-3", 67, 18-3.
M1 Garand SA, M1 Carbine Inland, 1903A3 SC. SA USGI SS 1911A1.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 09-10-2009, 05:51 AM
1911ES's Avatar
1911ES 1911ES is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: the shores
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thumbs up

Very nice to look back through time PALADIN. Times were a lot simpler back then ........
Although a few years younger than you, I do remember the TV show Paladin
__________________
S&W 1911ES
S&W M&P 9c
Reply With Quote
  #21  
Old 09-10-2009, 08:24 AM
ImprovedModel56Fan ImprovedModel56Fan is online now
US Veteran
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MA
Posts: 7,330
Likes: 7,503
Liked 5,556 Times in 2,547 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BarbC View Post
I just know I'm going to end up with my dad's Colt Mark IV Series 70 because it always ejects right onto my forehead.
You probably already know this, but that can be changed very easily with a change in the ejector or even just the recoil spring. Of course, that would detract from the nostalgic experience.
Reply With Quote
  #22  
Old 12-18-2021, 11:30 AM
Inland7-45 Inland7-45 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 488
Likes: 488
Liked 644 Times in 288 Posts
Default Guns I will never sell

From the late 60's through early 70's my father bought a number of guns. For a time my father had given up hunting and actually owned no guns for awhile. When he got back into hunting he bought a used Model 94 in .32spl that was made in the mid 50's. This was followed by a used Ruger Super Blackhawk. Both of these guns were taken on many hunting trips to New Hampshire and hold a lot of fond memories. Later on a brand new S&W Model 36 2" RB Blued and a custom 98 Mauser with a Mannlicher stock, claw mount scope, double set triggers and full engraving on the receiver, floor plate and trigger guard were added. There were many other guns he picked up during this time but these are the ones that stayed.

For Christmas one year I received a new Ruger 10/22. When I showed an interest in learning to shoot handguns I received as a gift a used Colt Officers .38 that was made just before Colt discontinued this model. This is the gun that got me into reloading.


I later received as gifts a Colt .22 Peacemaker, S&W Model 18 and for a graduation present a 6" Nickeled Model 27.

The Model 18 is the .22 handgun that I shoot the most. I still enjoy occasionally shooting the rest of them. While there are other guns that I shoot much more, these are the guns that I will never sell. The sentimental value that they have far exceeds any dollar amount.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #23  
Old 12-18-2021, 11:56 AM
pharmer's Avatar
pharmer pharmer is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Santo las nubes, Florida
Posts: 8,968
Likes: 9,179
Liked 14,622 Times in 4,682 Posts
Default

12 years since last post, gotta be a record of some kind. Surprised it wasn't bumped before today. I have zero guns with sentimental value, my family were all "pacifists." My dad was WWII vet and was not interested in guns. I'll keep 'em or sell 'em, they're just things. The "thrill of the hunt/acquisition" has passed for me. Joe
__________________
Wisdom chases me; I'm faster
Reply With Quote
  #24  
Old 12-18-2021, 12:45 PM
oldman10mm oldman10mm is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Euclid,Ohio
Posts: 3,073
Likes: 49
Liked 4,070 Times in 1,859 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by pharmer View Post
I'll keep 'em or sell 'em, they're just things.
Yep, just things. I have none in the 'gotta keep' category.
Reply With Quote
  #25  
Old 12-18-2021, 12:57 PM
Ole Joe Clark's Avatar
Ole Joe Clark Ole Joe Clark is offline
Absent Comrade
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 4,091
Likes: 9,379
Liked 12,841 Times in 2,905 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PALADIN85020 View Post
The first is a Winchester Model 69A .22 rifle, highly "customized" by me in my youth. At the age of 10, I was pestering my parents for a .22 rifle. My dad said I could have one when I turned 11, but I'd have to pay for half of it. Now at that time, a brand new Winchester Model 69A cost $24, so I had to raise $12. I mowed lawns, did chores, saved my 50 cents a week allowance, and finally had the dough. My dad and I went down to Pinney & Robinson's Sporting Goods store in downtown Phoenix to pick it out. I remember it was dark inside and smelled of walnut wood and gun oil. And it was packed with guns. We picked out a 69A that seemed to have the nicest stock, and the guy at the counter said he'd sight it in for 50 yards for us.

On my 11th birthday, Jan. 6, 1950, we went down to pick it up. It came broken down into the barrel and receiver and the stock groups, in a box with a heavy wire cleaning rod. Still have that cleaning rod, but the box (now worth hundreds) is long gone, thrown out by my mother (thanks Mom). I still remember retrieving the boxed gun from the back of my dad's 1947 Studebaker when we got home.

That Saturday, I fired my first shot ever with a gun. There was a high wind that day, but it didn't deter me. With the rifle's long barrel, there was way less noise than I expected. And I hit the target in spite of the wind!

Over the years I did some experimenting with the stock, modifying it from its original configuration. Although the gun has no serial number, I remember scratching "1952" under the buttplate a couple of years after I got it.

Here's a pic of me shooting that rifle at about age 15:



And here's a pic of the rifle as it appears today:



In later years when I was an adult and getting to be fairly knowledgeable on guns, my dad asked me what type of firearm he should get for home defense. I already had a Smith Model 28-2 6" which I enjoyed for its utility and ruggedness, and I suggested he might want to get the same model, but with a 4" barrel for handiness. He commissioned me to find one, and I did, selecting from among several at Bohm's Sporting Goods in Phoenix. This was in 1968. I purchased a set of target stocks and a trigger shoe (stylish in those days), and added them to the gun. My dad and I used to take these Model 28s out to the desert north of Phoenix and shoot them regularly.

Dad is gone now, and I inherited his revolver when he passed away in December, 1987. I have never shot it, preferring to think that the last time it was fired, my dad pulled the trigger. Here's a shot of that fine old revolver:



And finally, my grandfather's old beat-up Smith Model 1902. He carried it in a shoulder holster when he was a country storekeeper in Crittenden, Kentucky in the early part of the 20th Century. I inherited from his wife, my grandmother, when she passed away in 1975. It shows much use and at least one re-nickeling, and that's the way I'll keep it. Here's a pic of that gun and the holster my grandfather carried it in:



I will own these guns, no matter what, until my death. At that time, I hope one or more of my descendants will keep them and treasure them as I have.

Perhaps some of you have "keepers" such as these that stir memories of times gone by. Share them with us!
What a beautiful story, and Precious Memories.

I am so blessed,

Leon
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #26  
Old 12-18-2021, 01:10 PM
SupportTheSecond SupportTheSecond is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 148
Likes: 14
Liked 504 Times in 106 Posts
Default

Dad bought me this the year I was born to give me when I reached the appropriate age. It will eventually go to my son. And it shoots great.

Reply With Quote
The Following 5 Users Like Post:
  #27  
Old 12-18-2021, 07:32 PM
raljr1 raljr1 is offline
SWCA Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Northeast FL
Posts: 5,750
Likes: 7,411
Liked 15,075 Times in 3,596 Posts
Default

Model 19,-3, first handgun I purchased, Colt 1903 given to me by my uncle, M1 Garand, same uncle....My Remington 760, and my Simson Suhl 16 ga sxs....I'm sure there are others.
__________________
Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760
Reply With Quote
  #28  
Old 12-18-2021, 07:49 PM
quikdraw67's Avatar
quikdraw67 quikdraw67 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Northeastern PA
Posts: 3,979
Likes: 3,849
Liked 9,007 Times in 2,698 Posts
Default

Well , yes, I have some that I won't sell, period.

The Marlin 781 my late brother gave me for Christmas 1979. My 1st gun, that started me down the road of a lifelong appreciation of firearms.

The 629-1 8-3/8" and the 36 my Dad bought at Sugerman's back in the early 80's. I was with him for both purchases. I never did get that Colt AR15 SP1 I drooled over LOL.

The 586 ND NS 4" my late brother gave to me, my 1st handgun.

And the Winchester M1 Garand that my Dad bought from the CMP (he was a WWII vet) that he gave to me.

Yes, they are just inanimate objects. They are just tools.

But my looking at them, holding them, and shooting them, the memories come back and remain.
__________________
BTDT, Got The T-Shirt
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #29  
Old 12-18-2021, 08:02 PM
mauser9 mauser9 is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Northeast
Posts: 3,165
Likes: 8,324
Liked 2,809 Times in 1,683 Posts
Default

Dad's 98k bringback and my Remington 1100 TB trap shotgun. Glad I have a son to pass em to. Heck I ain't gonna last forever.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #30  
Old 12-18-2021, 08:10 PM
M29since14 M29since14 is offline
SWCA Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Indiana
Posts: 11,908
Likes: 10,040
Liked 10,048 Times in 4,759 Posts
Default

I am not an age discriminator when it comes to old threads, particularly if they are John’s. I enjoy his stories, and, with my pitiful memory, sometimes reading an old one is like new, to me.

Though I am not an especially sentimental type, I have a few I wouldn’t sell. I have my Dad’s Sako .222 and his K22, and my first S&W .44 Magnum revolver that he was kind enough to allow me to “buy” under his name when I was way too young to buy it myself. Those are three that I don’t plan to part with when the inevitable downsizing campaign begins.

I learned to shoot a revolver with the K22, and I learned quite a lot about handloading while shooting his .222. The barrel on that rifle could almost certainly benefit from being set back a few threads and rechambered, but it still shoots well enough with certain loads, so I guess I’ll leave it alone, for now.

And I still have Dad’s Browning BDA (SIG 220) .45 Auto, which he was never fond of, but never bothered to replace. I bought it for him when he decided he wanted a bigger handgun for protection. (He was a leftie.) I should have just looked around until I could find him a Model 19, but they were nearly impossible to find at that time.
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #31  
Old 12-19-2021, 01:46 AM
jeffrefrig jeffrefrig is online now
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 5,046
Likes: 6,760
Liked 7,849 Times in 3,114 Posts
Default

My dad's K22 Masterpiece with his belt & holster. The gun is much nicer-looking than the pictures and shoots even better. I suppose he got it early '50s, as it was built in 1950 according to the Serial number.
The Marlin 39A was from '47, D ser. no. It's a lousy picture, but it's still a nice shooter. It was the one I used when we went out & ambushed groundhogs!
It's something about that belt/holster set up. I think it was his when he was in the So. Pacific, the belt. It's adjusted where he wore it rabbit hunting, etc. I've lost weight, down two waist sizes, and it still won't go all the way around my waist. I'm 5'11". Dad was 6'3", shoulders very wide, and it fit him fine as long as I remember hunting together into my teens. He was a big guy! I still don't know how he got that belt on!
None of this stuff will go away as long as I'm alive unless I give it to my grandson while I'm living. I promised the Marlin to my daughter.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg IMG_0714_2.jpg (91.3 KB, 16 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_0715_2.jpg (81.1 KB, 14 views)
File Type: jpg IMG_2606.jpg (147.3 KB, 17 views)
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
  #32  
Old 12-19-2021, 07:15 AM
Valmet's Avatar
Valmet Valmet is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 4,012
Likes: 3,227
Liked 3,838 Times in 1,956 Posts
Default

I always enjoy threads like these. I’m very fortunate to have a few heirlooms that have come down to me across the years. Two of them came from my paternal grandfather who was an officer in the European Theater from 1944-45.

Sometime in March 1945 they were moving from Belgium into Germany and he was walking to HQ one evening and he passed by some empty oil drums that had been filled with gear- webbing, bayonets, helmets, holsters, canteens, you name it...poking out of the last one, he noticed the butt of a revolver and he decided to fish it out. Turned out to be a S&W Victory Model .38 Spl. While my grandfather respected the power of the .45ACP he was never a fan of the 1911 as he said it was bulky and hard to shoot well. He decided to put his 1911 in his footlocker and carry the S&W. At one point he had a German POW make a set of grips with his initials in them (which are still with the gun). He carried it until he came home in 1946 and it was his nightstand gun until he gave it to my father in July 2000. In 2014 my dad got a Jinks letter for it and turns out it was one of 250 shipped to Naval Strategic Service, Norfolk VA on Aug 22, 1944. In Jan 2015 he gave it to me and I relish the gun and it’s history. Once or twice a year I’ll take it out and put a few cylinders thru it then clean it thoroughly and put it back in the safe.

Upon his return stateside, his grandfather bought him a 16 Ga A-5 that he hunted with for years. That shotgun came to me in 2007 and I’ve since had it professionally reblued and I carry it in the dove fields in September.

I also have my great-grandfathers 20 Ga Merkel 203E he ordered in 1954. While I never met the man as he died long before I was born, it is an amazingly nice shotgun that is light as a feather.

Have a S&W K22 my dad gave me on my 17th bday. It’s actually a “17-3” though it’s marked “17-2” so it’s a very early iteration of the “-3”. 1968 mfg that’s had a zillion rounds thru it.

Lastly I have my same grandfathers Winchester Model 1906 .22. Growing up on a farm in Indiana during the Depression they didn’t have much and he saved and saved for an LC Smith shotgun. When he went to get one he didn’t have quite enough so he settled for the Winchester. He used it to help put food on the table and kept it until he passed it along to my dad (then to me).
__________________
Some Might Say.

Last edited by Valmet; 12-19-2021 at 07:19 AM.
Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
  #33  
Old 12-19-2021, 09:36 AM
sikacz sikacz is offline
Member
Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what. Some guns I'll always keep, no matter what.  
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Houston
Posts: 183
Likes: 273
Liked 188 Times in 74 Posts
Default

I wouldn’t sell anything that I have. I don’t really buy any gun on an impulse. Once I buy it, it’s in it forever home, at least for my lifetime. I still have my first air rifle from the early 1970’s. Of course I don’t have a huge number of guns like some people.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 77DF7C57-5DF3-42C8-81CF-14F00B241AF9.jpg (48.9 KB, 4 views)

Last edited by sikacz; 12-19-2021 at 09:41 AM.
Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
Reply

Tags
22lr, 624, 642, airweight, browning, carbine, checkering, colt, ejector, engraved, garand, model 28, ppk, remington, ruger, saa, sambar, savage, snubby, taurus, walnut, walther, weatherby, winchester

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
4.9 5.0 does it really matter that much? pcgunner Reloading 32 02-22-2016 04:47 PM
What's the matter with Texas? Jessie The Lounge 19 03-22-2015 04:47 PM
What is the matter with me? Can't help it Reevolvers S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 14 12-06-2009 12:05 PM
Does it Really Matter? Howard B S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 3 03-22-2009 05:21 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:15 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)