Do you have a favorite rifle/pistol that no one would understand?

[AbitNutz]

We all own some rifles or pistols that gun folks would really admire. Maybe it's a stainless Colt Python or a pre-64 custom Winchester model 70. All gun people will ooh and ahh over those but do you have one that you prefer...love above all others that would draw a weird look from knowledgeable gun people?

Mine is a...wait for it...a Siamese Mauser action that has been rebarreled and reworked to 303 British. It sits in a left handed stock. I did all the work myself except for the actual rebarreling. My father had given me an old Siamese Mauser that was in such poor condition that is was better suited as an oar than a rifle. I found a Green Mountain barrel in .311 that was next to free. I then found the last left handed (I'm left eyed) stock for a Siamese Mauser on earth. It was run as a mistake...you think? It was a 96% inletted affair (yeah right) that was a good looking stock, not great but good. I whittled on it forever. I applied the finish twice after screwing it up the first time. After polishing, grinding and fitting more than a few different magazine springs and followers, it now holds and feeds 5 303 British rimmed cartridges pretty well. Why did I choose 303 British? Well, I happen to have about a thousand rounds of the best Greek surplus boxer primed, non-corrosive ammo and about as much brass.

So how does this oddball shoot? I'd like to end the story by saying it shoots like only a magic wand can but it doesn't. It is a competent shooter with handloads but you have to be careful how you handload it. The twist requires heavier bullets...had to figure out the twist myself...with me, an FCX rifle rest and a good scope it will shoot a 3-shot group into an inch and a half at 100 yards...most of the time with the right hand loads. 5-shots starts to open up, so I only shoot three shot groups /.

Even so, this is my favorite gun that I never show anyone. When I go to the range by myself, I always take it. If I meet someone I know, I throw a blanket over it. There is no way to explain why I have a Siamese Mauser, let alone deliberately chambered for 303 British.

[Artful]

I don't have any I have to hide - LOL

but I have some "bubba'd" that I made myself or with help
two current favorites

45 ACP Enfield #4 uses 1911 magazines and threaded for suppressor use.

Mauser converted to 7.62x39 and fed thru original box magazine or WASR single stack AK mag's

[AbitNutz]

I don't have any I have to hide - LOL

but I have some "bubba'd" that I made myself or with help
two current favorites

45 ACP Enfield #4 uses 1911 magazines and threaded for suppressor use.

Mauser converted to 7.62x39 and fed thru original box magazine or WASR single stack AK mag's

Wow! That enfield sounds awesome! I bet it has zero recoil.

Mine looks presentable, even with the combination of Oxpho blue cold blueing over Mark Lee Browning to darken it...I learned that trick from a post here. Apply with heat and it comes out really dark...

I do hide it though...I guess I just get tired of the cocked head and tongue click when people hear what it is. I shoot it quite a bit.

The rifle may be starting to get a complex though...fire 3 rounds, back in the case. Fire 3 more rounds, back in the case.

[Texas by God]

My 870 express with it's home defense barrel. That I drilled recoil ports off line & off center....... Works but I don't show it off! Best, Thomas

[GhostHawk]

I have several.

From the Hipoint C9 pistol to my single shot handi rifles to my stubbed 9mm single shot.

I have learned over the years that the crowd is not always right. That what works for them probably does not work for me.

A critic gives a movie 1.5 stars I'll go see it just to see if he is wrong. And all that artsy stuff that they praise to the sky, is a load of horse hookey IMO.

But then I think almost all pistols are ugly, so I don't need mine to be pretty.
Just the 3 D's.

Durable, Dependable, and Dead on target.

[AbitNutz]

It's funny...a Hi Point looks like it's best used as a doorstop but every review I've ever seen on one says all kids of terrible things about them...except...they all say they never had a malfunction. If they started with that, maybe it would look better.

[rancher1913]

mine would be a dan weson 357 mag pistol and a Remington 1100 20 gauge. the 1100 was a gift from my grandfather for passing a hunter safety course when I was 15 and the dan weson was the first gun I ever bought, still own both.

[aephilli822]

M1 Garand. The collectors beating of breast and gnashing of teeth is deafening whenever it is mentioned. Dad and Jimmy Hoag (probably not THAT "Jimmy Hoag" LOL) "sporterized" it. One piece "Mannlicher" stock, chromed ("in a bumper shop") bolt, trigger, safety, and clip release. Ground receiver smooth to remove the rear sight and silver soldered legs to mount a scope.
"Restore THAT, suckers!!!"

[dverna]

Neither...mine is a shotgun.

K-80 Trap Special. It has a 3/4" cast off stock to fit my fat head, a molded pistol grip with palm shelf and finger grooves for a perfect fit to my hand, and RAD II recoil reducer. I get weird looks but the gun shoots. Longest run is over 225 straight in competition.

Don Verna

[Soundguy]

I guess my odd one is a COP 357 Derringer.

[Harter66]

Nobody gets a Carcano rebbl ..... Much less a wildcat .

7x6.8 Rem . 1-9.5 twist . 2-7x 32 Scout scope . Target crown . 6 rd clips . Pretty to look at . Shoots well . It's still a Carcano with that fish belly bottom metal and slotted rear ring.

[B. Lumpkin]

Hammerli SP-20 in 32 long. Looks weird, but is accurate as can be and a ball to shoot.

[AbitNutz]

Hammerli SP-20 in 32 long. Looks weird, but is accurate as can be and a ball to shoot.

Cheap to shoot as well...I had a S&W 52-2 automatic in 38 spl wadcutter. It took less than 3 grains of powder to run it. I can only guess how much powder a 32 would use. A pound would last a lifetime.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Great thread. But you guys need to take a clue from the "Show me your battle rifle" thread and post some photos! You know what they say--no photos it doesn't exist!

Here's a very short Carcano carbine that persons unknown converted to 8mm Mauser and which I refinished because it was in very bad external condition. It shoots very well with .30-30 power level loads, but is single shot as it requires an ordinary Carcano clip to be customized to fit the 8mm round.
Attachment 180269Attachment 180270
Click to enlarge.

[Artful]

Oh, now we are posting pictures???

45 ACP Enfield


7.62x39 Mauser

[mcdaniel.mac]

It's funny...a Hi Point looks like it's best used as a doorstop but every review I've ever seen on one says all kids of terrible things about them...except...they all say they never had a malfunction. If they started with that, maybe it would look better.

Mine ran fine...until the magazine release fell out and the safety quit working. Sold that quick.

My odd duck is the Universal Vulcan 440 I posted up here a few months back. I haven't had luck modifying an M1 Carbine mag to fit, so my next fun money will probably go to ordering a couple spares from Triple K.

[Hawgsquatch]

Mossberg 12 gauge bolt action shotgun with a twist variable choke. I shot everything from grouse and ducks to coyote, deer and domestic pigs with it. I paid 35.00 for it at a pawn shop in 1988, with paper route money. It was a permanent fixture in my woods truck until the gub'met decided to require flare guns in off shore vessels here. That's right, a spritz of orange epoxy paint and it is now a dedicated flare gun.

[WebMonkey]

Remington 511
I shot one of these and a 550-1 every summer as a kid.
they were my grandfather's. they now reside with my cousin.
I bought my own 511 and did things no one understands.

illuminated reticle scope mounted 'too high'.
threaded and fake suppressor as a barrel weight.
bipod and trigger polish.

it's a lead laser but everyone wants to know where the 10/22 with 250 round magazine is?



'monkey

[Artful]

Remington 511
I shot one of these and a 550-1 every summer as a kid.
they were my grandfather's. they now reside with my cousin.
I bought my own 511 and did things no one understands.

illuminated reticle scope mounted 'too high'.
threaded and fake suppressor as a barrel weight.
bipod and trigger polish.

it's a lead laser but everyone wants to know where the 10/22 with 250 round magazine is?



'monkey

Nice - similar to what I set up on a Romanian M69

[WebMonkey]

sweet!
I like leaving the irons intact like you did.