Rifles that span two centuries

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Part of collecting old rifles must surely be the pleasure of shooting those that are over 100 years since manufacture. My oldest "working rifle" is an 1870 - .577 Snider, a Swedish rolling block 12.7x44mm, 1876 Alex Henry 577/450 and even the old 1900 BSA 303 gets a lot of use with cast boolits.

https://i.imgur.com/i1Nqq7u.jpg

Pristine bore on my 1874 Swedish Rolling block
https://i.imgur.com/XyVVmgd.jpg

1896 Martini Enfield and 1900 BSA LE with 1904 vintage folding range sight
https://i.imgur.com/QEeAGcr.jpg

[JBinMN]

Nice!
:)

Thanks for sharing the pictures!!
:)

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You've got some oldies, but goodies as they say. I think my oldest is an 1894 Krag. I have 2 replicas of 1873 Winchesters, but that's not the same thing as shooting the real deal.

[leebuilder]

Very nice. Drool worthy. Thanks for sharing.
Got a sporterized 1896 MLE and LEC, always wanted a Martini in 303.
Be well

[Earlwb]

Those are some nice vintage rifles to go and shoot from time to time.

My oldest is probably my .43 Egyptian Rolling block rifle. But I need to fix the buttstock before I think about shooting it. My other oldie is a 1888 Gewehr rifle made in 1893. It has the S stamp mark so it would work with standard low power 8x57mm Mauser ammunition. Then I have a 8x60R Kropatschek rifle which was made in 1886. It is shootable, but I haven't made any ammo for it yet. My Japanese Type 30 Training rifle was converted from a regular one, so it might count as a oldie now too, since they were made before 1900 too.

[Gewehr-Guy]

You just have to love them 12.7x44's, I've got a Remington finished by Carl Gustav in 1868, that is as new, but 150yrs. old, still unfired by me as it is still a rimfire. My shooter is a Husky made in 1870, and it WILL SHOOT! Thanks for the pics,Jim

[john.k]

B.A.W....do you know if a NSW Henry has the same barrel thread as a Martini-Henry?I was thinking of sleeving the chamber,as I dont like the exposed case base with CBC cases.,but it would be better to sleeve a spare barrel,rather than the original....which has been shortened and rechambered anyway.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

John,

I suspect they are the same V14 profile, but the shank on the Martini .0.700 long while the Alex Henry is only 0.617 long. Your in Brisbane, I have both 577 Snider and 577/450 reamers and headspace gauges.

[dverna]

What is astounding is that some designs are still worthy of being replicated today. My slickest lever action is an Uberti 1873.

[nekshot]

very nice. I love that falling block rifle!

[NSB]

I was in my mid-late sixties when I "discovered" these fine guns. Wished I'd have found them sooner. Thanks for sharing BAW

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Alex-Henry 1876 made by Brendalin Arms Co

https://i.imgur.com/anHnrwF.jpg

Here is another couple, 1892 Winchesters (made in 1892) in 38/40. While not strictly military rifles, these were special order for the state prison service and to my suprise 126 y/o rifles with conseqetive 4 digit serial numbers!

https://i.imgur.com/5cXpWqf.jpg

[Multigunner]

My SMLE MkIII (no bloody *) is a 1915 Enfield made. Guess its in the Century club now.

[Bigslug]

I've had the opportunity to shoot .50-70 out of both trapdoors and rolling blocks, which I regarded a highly cool because it's one of those "Dawn of the Metallic Cartridge" rounds that's worthy of black space monoliths, thighbone-weilding chimpanzees, and a playing of Also Sprach Zarathustra. :bigsmyl2:

Paul Freeman's line from Raiders of the Lost Ark - "We are simply passing through history. THIS IS HISTORY" - is in my mind a lot when I play with this stuff. What I DON'T get is why the Italian firms aren't replicating the Martini Henry, which has every bit the storied past as anything that every came out of Winchester.

[DxieLandMan]

My oldest working rifle is an 1861 Snider Enfield. I also have an 1874 Martini-Henry, 1886 Lebel and 1899 Krag Jorgensen. The MH requires a complete cleaning after a shooting session so that does not get shot too much. The Snider is fun to shoot. 62.5 grains FFFG is a pleasant round. Not sure when my SMLE was made but it is fun to shoot too. Have a .30-06 M1903 made in 1910 that gets fired every so often. I just love the old wood and steel.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

My oldest rifle is a very nice Trapdoor. I like everything about it except the horrendous trigger pull.

[LIMPINGJ]

I love that Snider and have wanted one ever since I read an article about hunting in Africa where the hunter borrowed a Snider for use on some of the bigger game. I must have read that article about 50 years ago and still want a commercial sporter version of a Snider. If the Italians would make a Snider or Martini I would buy either.

[Multigunner]

I love that Snider and have wanted one ever since I read an article about hunting in Africa where the hunter borrowed a Snider for use on some of the bigger game. I must have read that article about 50 years ago and still want a commercial sporter version of a Snider. If the Italians would make a Snider or Martini I would buy either.

I probably read that same article. The author's sporting rifle was damaged somehow so he borrowed the Snider. The Snider had been re-chambered for a much longer and more powerful sporting cartridge of the same bore diameter.

[ndnchf]

A couple of my favorites that are nearly 150 years old. A very early Remington rolling block Transformed rifle chambered in .58 Roberts. The other a US model 1871 Springfield Spencer. Both shoot surprisingly well.

[dpoe001]

Seeing the guns that have been posted have made my finger itch! All are very fine rifles that look to bring a smile with every trigger pull.

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Fellers
I have a 71/84 Mauser That I would be willing to sell .

[Texas by God]

Howdy Fellers
I have a 71/84 Mauser That I would be willing to sell .Post it up on swapping and selling complete with pictures and let us look at it!

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[bangerjim]

Olde guns are cool. I have several that have been in my family for well over 200 years. My great great great (whatever) ancestor came to the “new world” as a civil engineer and helped surveyed the roads in Jamestown. He liked the country so well he stayed........and my family has been here ever since! (Does that make me a “native” American?????? Probably more than Liz Warren!) It is a nice feeling to handle a firearm that you know your ancestors hunted and fed their family with. Now I just go to the grocery store!!!!!!

Bangerjim

[tdoor4570]

My oldest is a Nepalese Gahendra 577/450 next I have 3 1898 krags that I still shoot and 2 P17's that make the 100 year old club .

[Dusty Ed]

I planned on doing that, just testing the waters

[Eddie2002]

I just got a Marlin 1893 breakdown in 30-30. It is a family piece that I finally pried out of my older brother's grip. From the serial number it was made in 1897 which makes it 120 years old220061 I need to get the case restored, the rifle looks new. I'm storing the Marlin put together and out of the case. The picture is how it came from my brother.

[samari46]

Peabody carbine in 56-50 rimfire maybe one of these days get converted to centerfire, 1875 Swedish rolling block sporter in 8x58r haven't done anything with it yet. 1878 Swiss Vetterli nice bore but has corrosion in the throat. 1888 Commission rifle in 8mm, one 1891 Argentine mauser carbine, one 1898 Krag sporter. Don't know what it is with the old firearms but when holding them cannot think about who held them many years ago. Think I have an addiction to them. Frank

[ulav8r]

Why is everyone talking about rifles that span three centuries? Guns made in the 19th century are now working on their third century. I AM NOT COMPLAINING. :grin:

[Silfield]

Those are some nice vintage rifles to go and shoot from time to time.

My oldest is probably my .43 Egyptian Rolling block rifle. But I need to fix the buttstock before I think about shooting it. My other oldie is a 1888 Gewehr rifle made in 1893. It has the S stamp mark so it would work with standard low power 8x57mm Mauser ammunition. Then I have a 8x60R Kropatschek rifle which was made in 1886. It is shootable, but I haven't made any ammo for it yet. My Japanese Type 30 Training rifle was converted from a regular one, so it might count as a oldie now too, since they were made before 1900 too.

Earlwb,
You need to get the Krop shooting! I have a 8x60R Kropatschek and it is one of the nicest rifles to shoot-at the moment I use a Lee .338 mold that I size down to .332 and use 11 grains of Unique for 100 yard targets, it seems to work nicely.
Also have a MH MkIV from 1886 that always puts a smile on my face and an old fowling shotgun with a Damascus barrel that I dare not shoot as the barrel looks a bit thin in places. Hope to get a Snider when the funds (and the wife) permit.

[marlin39a]

My oldest, working, firearm, is a DWM 1891 Argentine Engineers Carbine in 7.65x53. Still has the Crest of Argentina on the receiver, and no import marks. Great bore, and relegated to cast shooting only. Made in 1899. Spans 3 centuries now.

[Texinoz]

Alex-Henry 1876 made by Brendalin Arms Co

https://i.imgur.com/anHnrwF.jpg

Here is another couple, 1892 Winchesters (made in 1892) in 38/40. While not strictly military rifles, these were special order for the state prison service and to my suprise 126 y/o rifles with conseqetive 4 digit serial numbers!

https://i.imgur.com/5cXpWqf.jpg

Hi BAW, I just recently bought an Alexander Henry Navy model in 577-450 - is it likely to be "overbore" like the Martini-Henrys? It has fairly reasonlable looking henry rifling after a bit of cleaning-up but I have yet to try and slug the bore...
Cheers, Tex

[pworley1]

Thanks to all who have posted. I have enjoyed this thread.

[redhawk0]

Nothing real special here....I have a Mosin Nagant dated 1895 that came out of the Russian (TULA Imperial markings) arsenal. It's a shooter though.

redhawk

[compass will]

1921 marlin model 93 in 32 special. Was using it for cowboy lever gun silhouette. Loves cast

[ascast]

Nice collection! Could you post a pic of the other side of the Henry? I almost bagged one one day, but it slipped by.

[muskeg13]

Heck! More than half of what's in my gun safe is over 100 years old, at least when the manufacture date on the receivers of a slew of Mauser sporters is considered. I count WW1 era military and commercial guns as being "modern." My oldest that I'm not skittish to shoot (w/BP) are an 1867 Danish RB and a 1870 Swedish RB, both in excellent condition. The oldest in the safe may be a Nepalese Snider rifle in .577 with a Tower P-1853 lock. I have no idea actually how old that one really is.

[HWooldridge]

I have a Remington 45-70 rolling block that dates to 1880 - still shoot it regularly. Also a Spanish El Tigre in 44-40 that was made in the 1920’s - great bore on that one, almost looks new.

[Harter66]

I haven't yet fired the oldest rifle in cumulative possession.
Its not easy to find and get everything in one place for an 1866 Chessipot . It has an issue stamp of 1871 . For those not familiar it's a single shot bolt action needle fire like the Driess .

Being a more modern kind of guy I have copies of an1860 Colts 44 and 1858 Remingtons in 44 and 36 cal . My favorite is a 2nd model Colts Dragoon 44 .

Next up , although all that remains of the 1916 DWM is the action bottom metal and action screws is the GEW 1898 . Followed by a pair of 1918 made 1917 S&Ws . Mom has a 1905 framed 1917 Colts .

Nice examples sir .

[36g]

Got a percussion rifle with an 1830's vintage lock on it. No date on the rifle. Rifle appears to be same vintage with no makers mark on it.

[15meter]

Oldest is an 1870 Trapdoor in 50-70, next is a 1871 Rolling block in .43 Spanish then a 1892? Krag in 30-40. There's a Mannlicher in 8x56R then a Swede in 6.5x55 I think was built in 1911. A Chilean Mauser in 7x57 and a Turkish Mauser in 8x57. Next is a P14 and a Model 1917, then a Model 1917 that has been sporterized into a 300 H&H. I think that's it for the old, old ones. Then the 03A3 comes in with the M1 Garand's and the 30 Carbines and the 1935 Model 12. And the Lever "A" grade side-by-side from the 30's.

That's the majority of my old stuff.

I like the old stuff way too much.

And forgot the Nagant revolver.......and the Carcano. And probably several more.

[Texas by God]

My 98 Krag action was built in 1900 but the rest of the rifle is much newer.
I have two 1916 Spanish Mauser actioned rifles that are right at their 100th birthday as well as the NR Davis & Sons 12 gauge double barrel over my fireplace.


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[uscra112]

About half of my Stevens single-shots are pre-1900, and they all can be fired. Krags - another 71/84 Mauser, an 1888 Bay State, Hopkins & Allen medium frame. . . . . .