Local Gun shop selling military Collection

[Four Fingers of Death]

Popped into the gunshop near the hospital where my wife is. They had an extensive military rifle collection and they are selling it all off to make way for a big reloading section. There was a mint Krag! I always told them that if they ever wanted to sell it I'd buy it. Walked in today and they had everything on the counter, rifles everywhere. Yep, you guessed it the Krag was sold ($AU650) it is the one closest to the camera. If you look at the cabinet on the wall you can see a Silver plated Trapdoor commemorative run from the 70s in the middle, nice rifle.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/fed95077.jpg

I managed to pick up a really good Eddystone P14, with excellent wood (fat boy stock) and both long range volley sights. barrel is really good.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/e4034b00.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/e4034b00-2.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/05e57e8b-1.jpg

Also got a SMLE Mk111, it was on issue to the cadet unit in a country town (Gilgandra) and was all greased up. Barrel was not new, but in excellent condition. I was a bit slack with the SMLE, look back at the P14 pics and you can see it on the end of the counter

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/7780b979-1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Military%20shooting/7780b979.jpg

There were two Springfields, both had crappy barrels, one in 700,000 range and one was in the 1,500,000 range.

I can't remember if the cut off for brittle receivers is in the 600,000 or 800,000 range.

I can see why they got good accuracy, the foresight blade is fine.

Mick

I'm at the library at the moment, I'll post some photos tonight.

[Buckshot]

"...............I can see why they got good accuracy, the foresight blade is fine."

...........HA! If you have young eyes. The Marines put a 0.100" wide blade in it's place. At 53 YO and shortly to be 54, I find a skinny blade or even the sharp Mauser barlycorns have become easy to loose in the bottom of the black, and sometimes even fine windage control can be an issue. This even off the bench.

Too bad about that Krag. If it was in decent shape that price in US federal promisary notes would have been a steal.

................Buckshot

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Krag looked like it had just been pulled off the armoury rack at the turn of the 19th century! Brand new! :-( Mick.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I found a 1928 Persian M98 in 8mm for sale - $AU450 (mint)

The same gent also has an 1899 Swedish M96 by Oberndorf (matching No's)
a GEW 98 8mm dated 1918 with Serial No XXX by Oberndorf
a KAR 98 8mm with Portugese crest (1941) by Oberndorf (looks unfired)
and an Israile rebuilt to 308 (1942) also made by Oberndorf

I have a bank balance, created by new house extension, that stops me buying the lot:???: :???:

[Four Fingers of Death]

I forgot to mention there are a couple of straight pull (Steyers, I think, classy looking rifle). Mick.

[Phil]

Hey Mick!

The third rifle from the front is a Ross Mk III. If in good shape they shoot like gangbusters. The only thing you have to watch is to make sure the chamber wasn't opened up with a drill bit. Wouldn't trade mine for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Phil

[mike in co]

"..

If it was in decent shape that price in US federal promisary notes would have been a steal.

................Buckshot

buckshot...you be showing your age......no promisary note in circulation since....well for who knows how long now....1963 ???
just fiat currency......nothing but our good name backing it......

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hey Mick!

The third rifle from the front is a Ross Mk III. If in good shape they shoot like gangbusters. The only thing you have to watch is to make sure the chamber wasn't opened up with a drill bit. Wouldn't trade mine for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Phil

I'll check that out today, thanks, mick.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hey Mick!

The third rifle from the front is a Ross Mk III. If in good shape they shoot like gangbusters. The only thing you have to watch is to make sure the chamber wasn't opened up with a drill bit. Wouldn't trade mine for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Phil


I went back today to check it out again, The Ross was part of the lot that was sold before I got there, that's why I didn't notice it. The Krag was apparently made in 1941 for the Danish military. It is absolutely mint!

The Ross was ok, but nothing flash.

I was tempted by the Steyers, but I have a heap of rifles that I have yet to fire and work out loads for not to mention casting boolits for. When I finally collect the rifles, shotguns and pistols I have on lay by around the state, I will also have to take home a spare safe, I have two and they are bulging at the seams.

Mick.

PS, there was a Vickers and a Lewis gun as well (bit out of my league). A few shots of the Tarpdoor, it is a Harrington and Richardson, 1857-1957, it was part of a limited run of 1000, there wer standard rifles as well, I remember the ad in Guns and Ammo:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Single%20Shots%20and%20Target%20Rifles/c9ba8a1b-1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Single%20Shots%20and%20Target%20Rifles/9d1c5169.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Single%20Shots%20and%20Target%20Rifles/9d1c5169.jpg

There are more pics on my photobucket site, here is a direct link to the page it is on. Mick

http://s89.photobucket.com/albums/k228/4fingermick/Single%20Shots%20and%20Target%20Rifles/

[Buckshot]

................Mick, I have a H&R Little BigHorn commemorative 45-70 TD carbine. It's a shooting sunuvagun. Supremely accurate, but a bit light and wavy for really good offhand work. Plus at 50 yards the rear sight eyecup is so low on the ladder that the front blade is a mere black line over the top of the breechblock hinge.

It was such an accurate piece that I made the ill advised remark once (this was several years back) that I was going to shoot the Burrito Match with it until I won. Believe you me, before THAT was accomplished I was ready sell it, and was about sick to death of hauling it back and forth to the range. Not that it wouldn't shoot, as I said it was a tack driver. But trying to manage a front sight that was maybe .003" visible plus with no weight out front so it would 'hang', it took about 6 months of campaigning to have it overwith.

Several matches I'd come within a point, or maybe an X, and lose. The cretins I shoot with thought it was great fun. They'd say, "Well we know what you're going to be shooting AGAIN next week!"

................Buckshot

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'm probably going to buy this piece as I used to drool over the ads (born in 48 I would have been 29 at the time. It sure is a classy looking rifle. I have a BPCR for long work. The wood and finish is just so good! Mick

Besides I want a Yankee gun, not some Italian one (having said that, I have a Uberti 1866 clone, a 92FS, a Ugertahea, or whatever it is shotgun, sweet as and am about to pick up a couple Italian sixguns.
Mick.

[mhb]

For one awful moment, I experienced a real pain thinking of a Krag in mint condition going for AUS$650, but then looked at the photo and realized it was just a Dane (which is still an excellent rifle and a great deal), and not a U.S. Krag.
The cutoff date for low-to-high number conversion for the 1903 Springfield rifles is generally taken as 800,000, though some set the number a bit higher, because it is known that the transition actually occured over a range of serial numbers, and the Armory was assembling about 1000 rifles per day at the time. 1903 rifles built at Rock Island are assumed to be safe if over serial number 285,507, and all Remington 1903 rifles are perfectly safe in terms of metallurgy.
Regards;
mhb - Mike