Got any "strange" or unusual guns in your stash?

Hidalgo

Hidalgo

Well-known member
I always like to discuss and see guns that are "odd" or "strange" examples of regular production guns. Like the ones that got out of the factory when they were initially destined to be some dignitary's or higher-up's personal gun.

My Dad was an avid coin collector, and back in 1962 he actually traded 2 old silver dollars for this Winchester model 290. It was my first .22 and I still take it out from time to time just for kicks. It shoots great and is still deadly accurate. I still refer to it as my "Two Dollar Rifle".

About 10 or so years ago I got curious and called Winchester to inquire about the wood on it because I have never seen another like it. They passed me through several people until I finally was connected to a gentleman who started asking questions about the wood, and wanted the serial number. He put me on hold and when he came back he told me that this particular gun was produced for one of the chairmen at Winchester and it just "disappeared" from the factory. He said the collector value was probably non-existent because there were a few "Deluxe" models produced for a limited market, but that I did have a unique gun. The 290s were originally made with a drab brown birch stock (ie 10/22 wood).

Tell us about yours and the history behind them. Here's a few pics of my "$2 Winchester" and it's 60s vintage Tasco 4X scope .......









 
Originally Posted By: Hidalgo

The 290s were originally made with a drab brown birch stock (ie 10/22 wood).



I bought two unusual guns at the LGS.

The sales guy hates the owner...

I went to buy a 10/22 and I didn't like the stock on the first one he brought out (it was uglier than normal ugly).

So he brought out another and said, "I think you'll like this one.

It was 100% fiddleback maple. $159.95 out the door!

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Different time, I went to get a South Carolina, FN, Winchester M-70 Featherweight. I was looking for a 25-06 or a 270.

What he had was blaaa...

He says, "I got a used Featherweight in 30-06 that I guy had for a weekend, took it to the range and brought it back. He shot factory 180's and said it beat the crap out of him."

I said, "HA... no thanks! I'm not a masochist!" So he says, "You'll like wood - Just look at it."

He brought it out and I damm near passed out. It was mint (used for one day at the range), but the stock was the finest piece of AAA+ Presentation wood I have ever seen on a production factory rifle, and unlike many stocks that are pretty on one side, and plain-ish on the other, both sides were the same grade.

Just the stock, as a raw wood, unfinished blank would go for more than $400.

I asked, "How much." "$600." "Done"

I am not thrilled with a 7 pound 30-06, but I'll shoot 125gr Nosler BTs and Speer TNTs in it.


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'Shooter, that has to be the best factory wood I've ever seen on a 10/22. NICE catch.

And that Winny ain't too shabby, either.
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Originally Posted By: Hidalgo
'Shooter, that has to be the best factory wood I've ever seen on a 10/22. NICE catch.

And that Winny ain't too shabby, either.
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I'm a pushover for nice wood.

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That's the sickest looking M70 I've ever seen.

Wish my FN built Featherweight had wood that nice on it!
 
Originally Posted By: CatShooterOriginally Posted By: Hidalgo
'Shooter, that has to be the best factory wood I've ever seen on a 10/22. NICE catch.

And that Winny ain't too shabby, either.
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I'm a pushover for nice wood.

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There's a joke in there somewhere, but somehow it's evading me.........
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooter$300 out the door.



OK ... I'm stupid about old guns. Give us some details! Looks NICE.
 
Savage 99e .300 savage $200 out the door, bought it in 08. Told the guy at the counter id be back the following day for it. Came in the next day and he had found out what they where going for....... Wasn't happy !
 
German built in the early 20's. 16 gauge on top and 9.3X74 rifle barrel. Underlever to open the action. The lever on top flips up the rear sight and selects the rifle barrel. Kind of a fun gun. I have not shot the rifle. The shotgun uses the short shells. Not a really top drawer gun but a nice example of the style.

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooter$300 out the door.

Greg



Either somebody loves you, or they had no clue what that one was worth either.
 
I did have something strange happen once. I was given my dads sears model semi 22,made in 63. He got it the year I was born. After graduation I joined the army,completed training and was sent to FT Hood TX. I haven't ever been into a pawn shop so when I went in I saw all these guns. One really caught my eye,it was a 22 just like the one mom gave me when dad passed,this was back home in NY. I bought that 22 for $30 and when I got back to my place I wrote the serial# down in my book and I was dumb founded,the numbers were consecutive,still have both of them. They are nothing fancy and both jam at times but will keep them anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: Rocky1Originally Posted By: GLShooter$300 out the door.

Greg

Either somebody loves you, or they had no clue what that one was worth either.

Some LGS's don't offer a lot on straight sales. The fellow was offered $275.00 so I gave him a bonus. He got it free from some distant friend he was not a shooter. (This was in 1981)

Greg
 
GLShooter, any idea who the maker is? Or what the value is? There's an old man around here that had been telling me about this really odd gun his uncle had brought back from WW2. After seeing your pictures I realized it must be the same gun, so I showed him your pictures. He confirmed it was just like his, and is curious of what you know about it. He says that his and now yours are the only 2 he has come across in the last 60 years or so. Any info would be great.
 
What qualifies as "odd" depends on where you come from and how much you have traveled to see how others hunt.

Shotgun/rifle combination guns are quite common in Europe for many different reasons. Especially in Eastern Europe these guns are anything but rare, even if they are not frequently used in the modern day.

I don't have any guns that I really consider odd, but I am known to actually hunt birds with a hammer gun now and again just for something different.

Grouse
 
While maybe not that unusual, a very special firearm to me is this old double barrel 12 gauge percussion shotgun which I was given as a graduation present from high school many more years ago than I care to admit.



I worked after school for a mom & pop advertising agency and they got together with my gunsmith friend/mentor who picked out this old gun and who walked me through the restoration project. What a very special gift!

The gun boasts Belgian proof marks dating back to the 1850's according to my gunsmith friend's books. The breech plugs were frozen and the nipples were corroded away. Stock was pretty bad, but solid; no cracks anywhere. Had no ramrod and the right hammer was cracked through but complete and was easily welded. All the flat lock springs were good.

One surprising bonus was that the nipple threads were ever-so-close to 5/16 sae thread that we were able to tap them out and make new nipples from 5/16" machine bolts.

Put a hand rubbed oil finish on the old stock, cleaned out the ant nests in both barrels, made a set of new nipples and a new ramrod and it was off to the range to proof the barrels, which unfortunately were somewhat pitted.

Gunsmith prescribed a full (fired) 12 ga. shell of FFg powder behind a double charge of shot. Used half a Kleenex for over-powder wad (tamped until ramrod bounced out of barrel) then the other half was pushed down gently over shot.

I loaded both barrels (no cap on left barrel) placed the buttlplate inside an old pickup tire w/forend resting on opposite sidewall, lashed to the tire and pointed it downrange. Tied a long string to the right trigger, cocked the hammer, capped the nipple and stepped behind the target house. Have to admit to a bit of trepidation, but finally got up the courage to jerk the string.

When I peeked around the corner, all that was visible was a huge cloud of smoke which seemingly took forever to clear enough for me to see my shotgun laying under the tire and pointed 180* from the original direction. Upon closer examination, it was still intact and thankfully, the second barrel passed with similar results.
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Hunted a lot of dove and whitewings with that old gun and it always brings a smile to my face when I see it resting in the back row of my safe where it now resides.

Good Friends + old guns = Great memories.
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Regards,
hm
 
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