What is the oldest gun you own?

[Muley Gil]

I thought I had commented on this thread, but after looking, I hadn't. Must be getting old.

I have a 1842 .69 musket, dated 1845, built in Harper's Ferry, Virginia. I'm betting it saw action against both Mexicans and Yankees.

 

[trapper704]

an original smoothebore in about 20 ga no markings, I still shoot it on occassion, it killed me a turkey a couple of years ago. Wish it could talk, it is well seasoned.

 

[wraco]

My oldest gun is my Great Grandads, 1889, Model 1886 Winchester in 45-90.

 

[Knightrider03m]

The oldest gun that I own is a 1920-1930s? Winchester 12 gauge single shot shotgun. It was past down to my father and my father past it down to me. I think it was my great grandfathers shotgun

I think I have a photo of it, let me see if I can't dig it up.

 

[Knightrider03m]

Rats, I don't have a picture of it..... I have to change that soon

 

[CajunBass]

I don't know if I posted this here or not, but it doesn't show on a search, so here it is.

My oldest is a Colt Official Police from 1939. I took it shooting once after I got it. It's a good shooter.

 

[Stevens]

Spanish pinfire pistol about 1860s, my Dad picked it up in a flea market over there in the late 1950s
Steve W

 

[Last of the Mohicans]

A full military SMLE dated 1915 from BSA.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Wesson shotgun

The oldest is a Wesson Shotgun, sn 170 made circa 1869.
Check of factory records show a blank space. Guess is it never left the factory until after the sale in 1870. Proof books does show it was proofed, but no date.
Barrel is stamped SMITH & WESSON.

 

[Cyrano]

My oldest is what's left of a Short Land Pattern Brown Bess, probably late 18th century or early 19th. My great, great grandfather owned it in Nova Scotia; I think he got it in the 1850s when the British Army probably surplussed them after having adopted the Enfield Rifled Musket.

 

[frbeall]

Model 52 Winchester 1939, condition 98%.

 

[jimmyj]

Remington Rolling Block .43cal. spanish Rifle
Mauser Model 71/84 11mm Rifle

 

[sgt.207]

Trapdoor Rifle, Ithaca NID, Acme Arms shotgun. Late 1800's

 

[8thring]

oldest gun

A WWII Nazi Luger.

Pretty recent, by historical measure.

my collection is fairly modern; i would say a valmet 76 ak with folding stock in .223 [ could not get 7.62 x 39 ammo back then] with 4 magazines. picked it up on a clearance sale for under $400 around 1982. magazines were $30 each.

have a smith 13 and 18 that may be a bit older.

bought an early springfied ultra match m1a in 1984 used for $600

 

[Conrad925]

Late 19th century dbl barrel damascus Belgian shotgun w/12 & 20 ga. combo bbl. With engraving and inscribed "The Killer". Definately a wall hanging, dust collector. Oldest S&W is a New Model 3 .44 Russian in nickel nbf. (but dying to shoot it so bad).

 

[Ernie]

1858 Remington New Army .44 revolver. It apparently was issued to New Jersey troops and is marked NJ. It's in shooting condition, but I have not shot it since 1972 or so.
It was formerly owned by a good friend, now passed, and at some point I plan to give it to his daughter for her sons to treasure - as I have for many years.

 

[sheepdawg]

1916 DWM Luger

 

[NiklasP]

I have two frequently used guns from 1890 and both are excellent shooters, made by Husqvarna.

My very oldest started life in 1867 as a Swedish-made Remington-licensed Rolling Block in 12,1744R and was converted in 1892 to 8X58 Rimmed Danish. It is still in original military configuration and was a prize in one of Sweden's national shoots in 1943. It shoots very well with GC cast bullets at 1300 to 2200 fps, giving 5-shot groups at 200 yards in the 4-5 inch range.

One from 1890 is a 1887 Nagant Officer's Revolver in 7,5 Swedish Nagant and is easily one of my best-shooting revolvers. I load it with slightly modified 32-20 cases containing 0,315 diameter 118 grain, soft-cast 32-20 bullets and enough Hodgdon 777 FFg to match 32-20 ballistics from S&W and Colt M&P, etc. DA revolvers. It is my best point-and-shoot revolver, as well as best BP revolver I have ever used -- it was designed for use with BP.

Second from 1890 is a Husqvarna M43 top lever hammer double, 16 gauge with early fluid steel barrels, which are heavy walled because fluid steel was not then considered as strong as the high quality Damascus barrels from Belgium, which were on higher priced versions of this gun. It is a totally plain, long-barreled (31,5 inches) hunting gun that was heavily used in Sweden. Its right barrel is cylinder, likely used with 16 gauge round balls for moose -- such round ball loads, with balls fitted to bore and loaded in thin-walled brass cases, are quite accurate and powerful enough for punching 16-kaliber holes through moose lungs at 50-70 meters in Sweden's dark forests. Other barrel on such guns were tight-choked. I have used this gun many times for ducks with 28 grams of Bismuth-Tin alloy shot, which gives approximately 1/4 choke patterns from cylinder barrel and tight full choke patterns from other barrel. Great over decoys, jump shooting, etc.

I have a few other Husvqarna top lever hammer doubles that have been heavily used with Bismuth shot for ducks and geese, with lead shot for quail, doves and pheasant. These are only hunting shotguns I have used in past decade.

As someone earlier in this thread said, I find myself as well equipped with these guns as with my modern ones.

Niklas

 

[brucev]

Delete.....

 

[plainshunter]

since I recently sold an Enfield from the 40's, my oldest gun would probably be my grandfather's Winchester Model 12 shotgun. Probably from the 50's. Still shoots very well, when I feel like carrying that cannon.