Favorite 'Safe Queen'?

[dualsport]

Well I've enjoyed the 'Favorite Beater?" thread so much I thought I'd try the flip side. What's your favorite 'safe queen'? I'll go first, just took her out to a match for the first time in a long time, maybe once or twice in 20 yrs.! She's a 1908 Brazilian Mauser 7x57 with everything that was issued with the gun when it left the factory. As far as I know anyway. Nice black leather sling, very sexy. All matching including bayonet, scabbard, frog, and brass muzzle cover. She's beautiful, trim, and does her job like a pro. I shot her in a milsurp match and finally got my first ram. I suspect in the right hands she'd be a 1 moa shooter, or damn close. In my hands the S&B 175 SPCE put 3 in a half inch and two more out to under 2". Way way better than I usually shoot with issue sights.(100 yds.) She is the pride of my little collection. She has a four digit serial number (in the 1600s) which may explain the extreme quality workmanship.

[357maximum]

I only have 1 "safe queen" does that make it my favorite by default?

It is an early armalite AR7 that was willed to me by my deceased cousin Dave. I miss him very much, but this little 22 serves little purpose. I got it to run right several years ago by changing the main spring and adding the proper operating handle, but I hardly ever use it. Basically I take it out once every couple of years and run a few CLIPS through it in his memory. Re-stow it away in the cheesy plastic stock and put it back in the box. I took it rabbit hunting one time and it did the deed but I much prefer my Dan Wesson 22 for that.

[dk17hmr]

Depends on the day....mine are all safe queens until the weekend.

[oldhickory]

That would have to be my Windsor Enfield, Pattern 1853 riflemusket, caliber .577. She was born in 1856 at the Robins&Lawrence factory at Windsor VT. One of the first factory made Enfields with interchangeable parts and soon found her way on board a ship destined for England to be placed in the hands of a Royal Engineer and off to the Crimea for the final months of the war.

She bears a few proud battle scars and on the tang of her but plate are her original unit markings, 3-Y, No.683. I can well imagine the young British engineer wrapping his hands around her graceful American walnut stock, fitting her bayonet for the first time knowing he held the worlds finest military rifle of the day and she would serve him well in battle in the months to come.

With victory in the Crimea she was religated to 2nd. class status being American born. She wears a small crown, arrow, and the letter A on her lock plate indicating she underwent repairs upon her return to England. She no doubt served a short time with a British militia unit before her native America called her back at the beginning of hostilities in 1861.

A broad arrow of sale was stamped on her barrel and stock, indicating her Honorable discharge from British service, it opposed her broad arrow marking at her induction and she was crated up with others, some L.A.co, some Tower marked, and maybe some others like Potts&Hunt...We could only imagine what her company could have been on her return voyage.

Who would she serve now? Both North and South bought Enfields by the thousands. Did she land at Charlestown?...New York?..Baltimore?..Norfolk? We have no idea of knowing where she landed, or what side she served from 1861-1865. She was back on the soil of her birth, preforming the task she was a master of in her day...Killing the enemy.

When I met her many years ago in a small shop in Virginia she was but a shadow of her former glory, her rear sight dangled by a string from her trigger guard along with a tag indicating her price. No rammer, no rear sling swivel, her metal coated with dark brown rust, her once proud walnut coated with a century of crud...Barely a heart beat survived. I picked her off the rack and gave her a quick once-over and returned her, but something kept calling out, something was different about her. Maybe it was the stamping on her lock plate, WINDSOR 1856, or the markings on her but plate. I knew I was getting into many months of cleaning, restoring, and sending her off to Bob Hoyt for a shiny new bore, but I reached a deal with her then owner and she took a ride in my old Ford back to Pennsylvania where she resides to this day. The old girl has fired many a peaceful shot with me in friendly NSSA competition and has scored a few medals with me.

She's among the rarest American made military arms ever made, 16,000 sisters she could at one time count, but also a rather high attrition rate for her generation. She's last been on an outing several years ago, loaded with 55gr. of #3F and a Lyman 575213OS boolit in search of white tails in upper Perry county. She's long over due for an outing at the target range, no doubt she'll shoot better than her master can hold her, probably somewhere in the low 90s is where she'll score off hand at a 6" bull at 100yds. When I was in practice with her, she would score mid-90s off hand and stack em on top of each other off the bench creating huge globs of lead under the surface of the back stop, (easy to reclaim!;)).

I love the old gal.

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/2673/cs001cx1.jpg

http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/9020/csoi5.jpg

[Harry O]

Mannlicher-Schoenauer M-1910 in 9.5x57 MS caliber. It has the swinging peepsight and is the takedown model in very good condition. It shoots very accurately a 270gr bullet at 2,150fps out of a 6-1/4 lb rifle.

That is why it is a safe queen. The recoil is about 2 times what my 30-06 rifles are. Now that I take Warfarin, every time I shoot the MS, my shoulder is black and blue the next day and takes a month to fade. That is not its fault. It is a great gun. Don't think that I will ever get rid of it. Every once in a while, when I am feeling my oats, I take it out and shoot a few 3-shot groups. That is a thrill.

[Tony65x55]

Mine is an authentic 1858 Remington revolver, U.S. Civil War issue. The bluing has long since worn away but she is in mechanically perfect condition. Everything clicks and clacks just like it's supposed to but I've never fired her. I bought a repro for that.

[Doc Highwall]

I will have to say my Anschutz system Tell falling block pistol in 22lr.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Just an old Savage Model 99 take down model in .300 Sav. that was the deer rifle for Brace Breemer. Anybody besides me remember the original Lone Ranger on the radio?Robert

[Hickory]

I feel this is everything the Mountian Gun should have been.
It's one of my favorite shooters.



http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab247/hickory_01/photobucket002-1.jpg

[Hickory]

dualsport-does your Mauser look something like this
http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab247/hickory_01/Guns049.jpg

http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab247/hickory_01/Guns050.jpg

[twotoescharlie]

Dragonov "Tiger"

TTC

[bruce drake]

A VZ-24 Mauser I had reblued and rebarreled to 257 Roberts about 10 years ago. She sits in a nice stock and is just a pretty little carbine. I'm going to have to bring her out to go pig hunting shortly though.

Bruce

[dualsport]

Yep, that's the same gun, probably only made weeks apart. Back in the 80's I had a friend who had a FFL. I had him order it, forget the dealer but it was an outfit in Il.. I paid a premium for 'collector grade', something I've only done once. The rig that showed up was not up to snuff and I returned it. They sent back to me my baby, appeared unissued, with the original numbered bayonet and accessories. Definitely the score of my life.
I've noticed a trend, the fav. beaters are considered masculine and the queens are feminine, like a beautiful old sailboat.

[kingstrider]

My only "safe queens" are the guns I haven't had a chance to shoot yet including a T/C Classic 22 and a pair of Ruger Blackhawks.

[wallenba]

Ruger Old Army, just can't face the fuss and fumble with powder and caps (big creaky old fingers).

[PepperBuddha]

Since I haven't fired any of my rifles in 15 years, I think they all qualify as "Safe Queens." Some I never shot when I had the chance. I have a bull barreled .308 Norma mag on an '03 action I bought used but I have never fired. Just didn't seem right to shoot it at only 100 yards.

Most of my shooting is USPSA or IDPA type pistol shooting. Not much use for my 3" 629 in those matches. I wouldn't want to put 50-100 rounds through it in a day anyway...

[sheepdog]

A pre-cmp bringback 42 M1 with uncut op rod, original sights, all matching numbers, and a throat and muzzle of 2, with 99% wood and finish (only slight wear from bolt opening.

[atr]

a 1930's vintage Win 94 in 30-30.....octagon barrel....
I do shoot it occasionally but it never goes out into the field hunting.

[boatswainsmate]

I guess it would be this one!
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn271/ericlee1971/img_0613.jpg

[Beekeeper]

Hickory,
What kind of wood are the grips made of?


Jim

[Larry Gibson]

Just an old Savage Model 99 take down model in .300 Sav. that was the deer rifle for Brace Breemer. Anybody besides me remember the original Lone Ranger on the radio?Robert

Ah yes, I also remember. Hate to admit to supporting Siros, or whatever his left wing pinko commie name is, but I really enjoy listening to the "Radio Classics" channel on XM.

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

Mine would be my M1903A3 made by Smith Corona. New and complete as she left the factory and only arsenal inspected at Ogden.

Larry Gibson

[hickstick_10]

my dads ruger m77 mark 1 in 300 win mag, i think he put precisely one bullet through it the years he owned it. Wears a Bushnell scope chief on top.

I haven't shot it since I inherited it. Never had rhyme or reason to.

[TCLouis]

Safe queen, heck it isn't even in the safe, it is lying on my woodworking bench (barreled action).
Husky 5000 or 5500 forget which now that I finally put one piece mount on after several years, got the recoil pad installed 5-6 years ago.

Planned to shoot it this winter and now I can not find the rings.

Dang where are they??

Oh well it is the only 7mm Mag I have and it has been here about 15 years and has yet to be fired. I have a bunch of bullets and boolits in 7mm too.

Oh well maybe this year . . . . did I mention the missing rings?

[Herb in Pa]

A pair of queens...........1710 and 1730 annies...............but I do shoot them as often as I get the chance!

[dualsport]

I'm adding one to my list. It's a safe queen because of my attitude, not that it's a rare old gem. It's only about 8 yrs. old, only been hunting a couple times. A CZ 550 FS 30-06. It was on my wish list for years before I got it. My best and oldest friend died and it made me start thinking "What are you waiting for?" Live now, while the gettin's good. Bought the CZ, a lot more money than I usually spend on a gun(I'm cheap). It's full stocked 20.5" barrel is polished and blued like they use to do. It's just plain gorgeous, I'm reluctant to risk scratching it, like when you get a new car. It's almost a relief when the first ding happens. It has a 1/12" twist, which is unusual for a '06, and shoots cast boolits very well, shot it in some postal matches, killed one pig with it. This is one I need to just drop in the dirt and start working it for a living. Maybe it's more of a safe princess. Oh yeah, it also shoots .308 Win. well with the adaptor in.

[wilddog45]

I would have to say my favorite is a Colt Woodsman 2nd sport model 4" bbl circa 1954 housed in a period correct heiser holster.

[Four Fingers of Death]

A Browning BPCR, I've had it for awhile now, Shot some J words through it to run the Bbl in, never got around to using it since. I'll have to get some range time in with it.

[Three44s]

My best qualifier would probably be:

A pre 28 Highway patrolman four inch


Three 44s

[Southern Son]

All these cool safe queens. The only safe queens I have are a .243 Winchester 670, complete with sewer pipe barrel (bought it for the action but I cannot afford to re-barrel it at the moment) and a .243 Parker Hale, with no bolt, trigger group or stock (barrel is also rough as all get out). I have to get to more gunshops. And Gunshows.

[Artful]

Hmm, several there that don't get out much - Winchester 88 in 308, Ruger 77 in 300 win mag, and Weatherby 375 mag - old school mauser action one - darn thing is like $2+ per shot now.

[NickSS]

I have several rifles in my safe that I have never fired but to tell the truth my favorite safe queen is my old 30-06 Sako that I used for over 30 years for hunting (it has 47 head of big game to its credit), target shooting and shooting various critters with cast lead bullets. Its barrel is tired and groups are poor these days. I went to get it rebarreled but ended up buying a new Tikka to replace it. So now it sits in my safe and old warrior enjoying a rest. At least until I decide to rebarrel it to some other caliber.

[Bret4207]

A very original Winchester 52 (first or second model) with a Lyman Junior Targetspot 6x scope. Some things you just don't risk damaging.

[winelover]

No "safe queens" here. I shoot em all---some more than others.

Winelover:Fire:

[bob208]

1886 special order winchester. xxx wood checkered takedown pistol grip with cap penciel light weight barrel.

1895 winchester in 35 winchester take down.

.50-70 springfield rolling block.

[Gun-adian]

My favorite safe queens are my two (2) FN-FAL's. The only reason they're safe queens is because my gov't won't give me the permits to take them to the range!!!!!

I can keep them but I can't do anything with them.....AAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I'll stop now........

Mike.

[10 ga]

Got 3 safe queens. All have special meaning and some history.

#1 is heirloom from an ancestor... 1842 .69 Harpers Ferry Musket, has 1 very prominent carved notch in the stock. I wonder what that means!!

#2 is from my Grandfather. Model 1911 Winchester 12 ga auto. This was the first production auto shotgun and the model is nicknamed "widowmaker" as it has no loading lever and was loaded by pumping the barrel, the barrel has a section of knurling about 6" down from the muzzel for griping to pump. I shot my 1st squirrel with this gun. I only use it now so that some of the youngsters just learning to shoot can get the feel of a real recoil operated auto that feels like it's going to jump out of your hands.

#3 is Tikka OU turkey gun= 12 ga over .222 . A wonderful gift from my wife. A very nice gun and shoots really good at the range. However after I missed all 3 turkeys that I shot at with it I retired it. I still take it to the range some but not to the woods. Guess it has some kind of hex on it for that. It is much too nice looking and a bit heavy to use turkey hunting anyway. The gun is much like how I feel about my wife. I need to take care of it and show it off, not take it to the woods to get used and abused in all kinds of weather and conditions.

[.357]

My grandfathers winchester 1894 38-55 he hunted with it but i worry too much, maybe one day if i can hunt close to home i'll take it.

[Newtire]

A VZ-24 Mauser I had reblued and rebarreled to 257 Roberts about 10 years ago.
Bruce

I just shorted out my keyboard from drooling. I got the rifle and the stock but ran out of dough for now.

[1hole]

I have a beautiful Weatherby 20 ga mag. O/U Regency, one of his first for that round. Nice Italian engraving, great wood, very good blueing. It's a nice gun, balances and shoots quite well but I haven't bird hunted in more than 30 years now so it just sits in the safe. I take it out once a year and clean/oil it and put it back. But it did a number on the doves for the first few years I had it, too many fond memories to sell it, no reason to keep it. Guess a grandson will get to try it eventually but it won't mean to him what it means to me.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Hmm, several there that don't get out much - Winchester 88 in 308, Ruger 77 in 300 win mag, and Weatherby 375 mag - old school mauser action one - darn thing is like $2+ per shot now.

They would probably cost you closer to $10 a shot out here. It should be ok if you buy some 375H&H brass and fireform it. Ammo is so dear out here. I bought a 416Rigby Ruger No1, got three packets of ammo with it, $187 for 20 and that was about 5 years ago! But then again, if your on a big game hunt $10 a shot shouldn't bother you.

I have a pair of 300Win Mags I haven't shot yet! A Rem700 and a Ruger M77. Why two? I picked up the Rem for a good price, the exterior showed lots of wear from being carried a lot, the barrel is like new and the stock looks like it has been dipped in Caramel sauce the varnish is so thick. I had a credit at the local gunshop and I had a funny feeling that I needed to get it sorted straight away. I added another $100 and picked up the Ruger which is in great shape. It was the only rifle I fancied (in that price range) in the shop. A couple of days later, the shop owner was arrested for having a stash of unregistered guns. Phew!

I need to work out which one to keep and which one to use.

[bearcove]

I'm drawin' a blank but, have a closet full of TC barrels I haven't/don't shoot.

[lavenatti]

Russian Tiger, friend of mine who used to have his own gunshop pestered me to by it a few years ago and when he offered it to me for $250 I took it. Neither of us knew what it was (besides ugly). Somebody just sold one on gunbroker for $3500 so it can sit in the safe until I need money for something important.

[BSkerj]

My favorite safe queen is the one I purchased from a member of another forum. I turned her into a working gal !! She is a 625 ACP.

[rbuck351]

I don't own any safe queens. Guns are made to shoot and that's what I do with mine. If they are too good to shoot then they are to good for me.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I don't own any safe queens. Guns are made to shoot and that's what I do with mine. If they are too good to shoot then they are to good for me.

Most of us poor sick individuals have safe queens because we are so heavily afflicted and have bought so many guns we can't get to shoot them all!