I think I did pretty well at the gun show

[Ithaca Gunner]

First serious stop was a friend's tables who I bought a very nice 1969 Marlin 39A from a few months ago. He didn't disapoint, he had a like new 1975 Remington 581 on his .22 rack he'd gotten from an estate. I thought the price a bit high and we dickered around a bit. Well, we settled at a price for the 581 plus a very nice 1940 Remington 121 for $900. OTD for both. I paid for them and told him to put them under his table and I would pick them up on my way out.

1940 Remington 121 Fieldmaster





1975 Remington 581





Almost at the end of the tables I noticed a guy with a bunch of vintage hunting rifles and there was even a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 among them! I ask to look at the M-70 and liked it right off, a .30/06, can't go wrong with that!..and made in 1953! The fellow told me the rifle had been glass bedded, stock refinished, and checkering refreshed, the tag was $900. He happily took $850. OTD.





All in all a good day at the show, but wait. It was also a good day at the range!

First the Model 70 with my groundhog load, a Speer 125gr. TNT over a near max charge of H-4350. Bore sighted an older Burris 3-9 Signature and first shot was high and left right under the ''3'' at the top of the target. Adjust and a .30 hole 3'' under the ''2''. Another adjustment put me in the black circle around the orange dot at 10 O'clock. We couldn't see it with either my scope or my brother's so I shot another which landed about 1/8'' below the previous shot, but we couldn't see that one either so we walked down and found them, then decided to shoot another without adjusting the scope just to see where it would go. Right through the previous hole at 9 O'clock! Adjust right, (too far) and a hole at 2 O'clock in the black circle of course making us walk down range again. Back two clicks and 12 O'clock IN THE BLACK CIRCLE! Down 2 clicks after a third walk and near perfect center shot in the orange, followed by four more. IT SHOOTS! IT SHOOTS! Then for giggles I shot the Remington 121 and got the ''group'' at the lower right target. Hey, open sights, 100yds, .22lr...



Off to the 25/50 yd range and had an enjoyable time killing shale chips on the backstop with the Remington 121 Fieldmaster and my Marlin 39A. The Remington had a clearer rear sight and I did better with it off hand than with the Marlin. I sighted the Remington 581 in and shot groups at 50yds. Not bad, not bad at all! Those 581's have a reputation for accuracy. The Weaver 4X was low, but mostly centered.

[Winger Ed.]

Ya done good.

It's always great to see the old guns come out of the back of a closet and put back in circulation
and go to someone who values and appreciates them.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Ya done good.

It's always great to see the old guns come out of the back of a closet and put back in circulation
and go to someone who values and appreciates them.

I thought I might sell the 121, but after shooting it off-hand at the shale chips on the backstop I think I'll keep it. It's proven itself a good shooter.

[pworley1]

I think all those are under appreciated by the younger (under 40) folks. Good day and enjoy your finds.

[gc45]

Love it! reminds me of the days when I too lived at guns shows looking for treasures and running my own table, man that was fun!

[BPSharps]

You didn't have a good day...you had a great day!

[Ithaca Gunner]

Down side is, I gathered so many rifles I've been wanting this summer that there's only one left, (for now) a Remington 513T.

[Rockingkj]

Those who say money can’t buy happiness, never bought a good rifle! Great scores.

[Texas by God]

You did very well.
Is that a Weaver scope on the model 70? It looks like a Sixties vintage K2.5.
I’ve had a 581 since 1988 and it’s very accurate.
And I’ve never seen a pump .22 better than a Remington m12/121.


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[Wheelguns 1961]

Great guns, and good shooting!

[Ithaca Gunner]

You did very well.
Is that a Weaver scope on the model 70? It looks like a Sixties vintage K2.5.
I’ve had a 581 since 1988 and it’s very accurate.
And I’ve never seen a pump .22 better than a Remington m12/121.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yup, that's an old Weaver K2.5 on the M-70, and it still works as well as it did new. I did not however use it to shoot, I replaced it with a 3-9X Burris Signature.

The Remington 581 has been on my short list for a few years now. They're amazing little rifles! I showed it to my brother, the Winchester snob and even he was amazed at the lock-up with it's six mid bolt lugs, (even his beloved Winchester M-52's don't have anything like that) a mini Remington 788 centerfire rifle in .22 rimfire. I do have to adjust the trigger on the 581, while crisp, it's also very heavy.

I got the Remington 121 at a good price and thought I might sell it for a neat profit...until I shot it. It seems to fit me just right, is accurate enough, and holds off hand very, very well allowing me to bust more shale chips on the 50yd. berm than my more accurate Marlin 39A.

[beemer]

I had a Rem 581 and a 580 back when, both were extremely accurate. Very foolishly let both go, only excuse I have is that I was too young to know any better.

Probably a day you will remember.

[koger]

You did well all the way around.

[stubshaft]

I went to the local gunshow this afternoon and you'd have thought the guns were made of gold. Such outrageous prices for garbage! I did manage to find some 30/30 brass (76 pieces) and 22-250 brass (350 pieces) for $40.00.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I went to the local gunshow this afternoon and you'd have thought the guns were made of gold. Such outrageous prices for garbage! I did manage to find some 30/30 brass (76 pieces) and 22-250 brass (350 pieces) for $40.00.

I don't get it, at this show nobody was buying and the prices were, (for the most part) over-all lower than average on the web. Maybe I just got lucky for a change, early in-out with what I wanted. I figure I over paid a bit for the 581 by about $50.00 but that was made up by the deal on the 121 where I underpaid by at least $200.00! Same dealer, a package deal and the same guy I got my Marlin 39A from in June, (at a good price, $300.00 lower than any local shop that had one). I figure I got the Winchester M-70 for around $400.00 less than a comprable rifle on GB or GI. Sure, the M-70 has the stock refinished and checkering refreshed, but the metal is original finish and in fine shape. The thing shoots like a target rifle for the first five shots anyway, common .30/06 which is what I wanted anyway.

Compared to two years ago, I would guess prices came down about 15% on used guns. That's this area, this group of dealers. I quit going to the big shows around this area about ten years ago, and at that I would just hit the big reloading tables and the parts guys. This assn. puts on shows all over PA and we attend any that are within about 1.5 hrs. travel time. There's a few ''micro'' shows way out there where some of the bigger dealers don't attend and we have yet to make ANY purchases, but it's not the prices, it's just that they haven't had anything, (yet) that we were interested in. We still go, hoping.