Who Made This?

[FISH4BUGS]

I was given a scoped 22 bolt rifle with a magazine. The rifle is a Sears Model 42-103-2840 and it shoots shorts, longs, and long rifle.
It actually looks like a pretty well made gun, and is in very good shape. There is no apparent serial number. The scope is JC Higgins 4x.
I know manufacturers like Winchester, Remington, Marlin and Mossberg (among others) made these guns for Sears, Montgomery Wards, etc.
Any idea who made this one and the scope?
Thanks.

[wiljen]

The Sears model 42 is a marlin model 80 re-badge.

[scrapcan]

here is a good resource for house brand/models

http://proofhouse.com/cm/house_brand.htm

[FISH4BUGS]

This is the best board on the 'net for this kind of stuff.
Many thanks.
Donald
p.s I also got an Iver Johnson Champion Single Shot 12 ga. It was owned by this now 80 something man, and he bougt it as a kid. It is in remarkably good shape and has an action tight as new. I was surprised at the smoothness of the hammer and trigger. It still has some case colors!
We bought his farmhouse and he had these guns around forever. The 22 was inherited from I think his uncle or some such. They were used for critter control around the farm.

[Bret4207]

Iver Johnson was the Mossberg of the today back then. The Champion is a good, solid gun. I missed a minty one for $50.00 once. Still kick myself.

[FISH4BUGS]

These guns have been with the farm for many years. The shotgun was his on this farm since he was a kid. He said it always kicked like a mule. He actually PAINTED the stock black when he was in middle school. The .22 was inherited from his uncle when he died.
I'll clean the guns throughly and strip the stocks down and do an oil finish on them. Sometimes those old guns had decent pieces of wood......
I think I would like to see the shotgun stay with the farmhouse. Long after I am gone it would be nice to have it there. It has been there since the 30's and has killed many a critter.
Listening to this man tell stories about hunting the land we are standing on and shooting cans in the field next door (throwing them up and shooting them with the shotgun) and shooting them with a .22 brings a nice connection to the guns.
I didn't think I could ever get sappy about a $3 shotgun and a $5 .22. I must be getting old............

[badbob454]

here is a good resource for house brand/models

http://proofhouse.com/cm/house_brand.htm

awesome link this should be a sticky

[FISH4BUGS]

The Sears Model 42 (Marlin Model 80) mentioned earlier got even better. The gentleman we are buying the farm house from said today....."hey....you want a bunch of ammo with that gun? I found it in the attic!"
Well, a couple of boxes of 22 shorts (my they are cute), five boxes of Remington 22 Hi speeds, some CCI blazers and a box of 22 shotshells crimped at the end. Not to mention a box of low brass 12 ga. for the IJ Champion.
I think 22 shorts could be key to critter control. I'll sight it in with shorts and see how it shoots. I have a feeling this gun will shoot very accurately once I find the right ammo to feed it.

[wiljen]

should be fun. The little CCI CB Caps can be a hoot too for real low noise stuff. (not very potent so probably limited to rats and smaller though).

[FISH4BUGS]

should be fun. The little CCI CB Caps can be a hoot too for real low noise stuff. (not very potent so probably limited to rats and smaller though).

I hope the CB caps are accurate. From what I can tell they have about 650 fps. A head shot would kill anything small, I think. So if this rifle is accurate, and with the 4x scope, I should be able to hit anything in the head at 25 yards or less....including the turkeys.....but only in season, of course.
I have already had the farmer next door tell me about his woodchuck problem. He told me where they are, when they are around, and how many of them there are. I told him I would be glad to rid him of the pests.
I think this is going to be fun!

[David2011]

The Aquila Super Colibri is another very quiet .22 LR round. I hear nothing but the firing pin and the impact. They have a light conical bullet and a good primer charge but no powder. Don't substitute the regular Colibri and make darned sure the bullets clear the barrel. Aquila olny recommends the Super Colibri for pistols but they have enough speed to shoot in every rifle I've tried them in.

David

[jh45gun]

Marlin Model 80s are tack drivers I have one set up to shoot silhouette with and I liked it so well I bought a Sears model 42 at a gun show. here is my Sears

[FISH4BUGS]

Scope and all! I am moving this weekend and when I get unpacked, and my casting and reloading area set up (just after the home office gets set up) I will take some time and start dialing in the Sears (Marlin 80) Model 42.
A couple of the organic farmers nearby have invited me to shoot their woodchucks as soon as I get settled. I chuckled when one of them described himself as a "natural" kind of guy, loves all creatures.....until he started on the woodchucks. I think if he had a small nuke he would use it on them.....boy do they HATE woodchucks....they destroy much veggies. Will take some veggies in trade for chuck carcasses.
Endless supply of woodchucks to pick from. Head shots only. 22 LR HP's. 50 yards at the most....until the chucks start getting smarter. Then I might have to change to the 308....
Anyone have any suggestions as to the most accurate 22 ammo in these?

[doubs43]

Anyone have any suggestions as to the most accurate 22 ammo in these?

Each .22 rimfire is a law unto itself. While certain cartridges may do well in a variety of guns, the only way to determine what is best in yours is to shoot it with as many brands as possible. Heck, the search for the most accurate cartridge can be half the fun of owning it.

[FISH4BUGS]

I just called the gun department at the KTP in Kittery Maine....just across the bridge from where I live in New Hampshire. If any of you have ever been there it is largest gun department in the North East. Great place!
They have all kinds of 22's from the pipsqueak Colibri to subsonic 22LR.
Oh boy! Another fun project!

[jh45gun]

My Scope on the model 42 is a 4x Bushnell one inch tube but made for 22. Mine on the Marlin 80 DL I have is a Tasco Target Scope 10 x 40 variable with target dot. What Doubs said is true each 22 is different on what they like and some can be fussy and others seem to like a lot of brands but then even then they may prefer one brand over others. Oddly enough both of mine Like Remington Thunderbolts which I normally would not buy but when 22 ammo went through the roof I found three bricks at a rummage sale for 10 bucks a brick. He had more but I spent the 30 bucks I had I should have borrowed some money and bought the rest of the bricks he had. Both my guns like the Thunderbolt so I am shooting it up for my Silhouette shooting.

[tward]

I still have the Sears model 42 dl that I got at 12( I'm 64 now) and it is still as accurate as ever! I belonged to a junior club and one of the guys did trigger jobs on the model 42's, still the best trigger I've ever felt, truly like breaking an isicle.
Tim

[FISH4BUGS]

One thing I did notice is that the trigger is pretty heavy. If I decided to work over the trigger, is there somewhere I can get instructions on how to do it? I just might give it to a gunsmith to do but if it isn't rocket surgery, I could do it myself.
Is there a link somewhere on how to lighten a trigger?

[jh45gun]

Yes there is complete instructions on the Rimfire Central Forum go to the Marlin Section then click on the bolt action sub forum. On my Marlin 80 a friend stoned the sear area and lighted the spring one coil It now measures 2 pounds. I did my Sears 42 trigger seeing what he did stone the surfaces of the trigger lightly just to take off any burrs. Some of the advice says a pen spring but that is too big for the Marlin 80 series but take apart a BIC disposable lighter and the middle long spring out of it is the right diameter and a tad lighter. Cut the same size as your original spring and try if not light enough cut off one coil. My 42 is not quite as light as my other gun but close about 2.5 to 3 pounds. It is easy to do see how it is put together drift out two pins and replace the spring and do any light stoning if needed or just replace the spring if your do not want to stone the surfaces. If you do not have really fine stone then I would just replace the spring. It is a easy task and only takes a few minuets.