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Thread: What is the average age of your rifles?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    What is the average age of your rifles?

    I like older rifles in both centerfire and rimfire. Stopped subscribing to gun mags because I wasn't interested in the new stuff they have to promote to stay relevant. Some like new and others may have a mix of old and new. And of course there are newer versions of old models or designs that can satisfy as well. Took a look at my list of a dozen plus a few to age them. A few didn't have serial numbers but had other stampings or clues to get manufacture year or close to it. One I didn't want to take apart to look for barrel markings so used the last year it was produced which was still 58 years ago.

    Came up with an average of 77.0 and a range of 29 to 129 years with youngest being a 356 Win Big Bore and oldest an 1884 Trapdoor made in the last year of production.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master Jedman's Avatar
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    That would be hard to do for me. I buy sell and trade guns a lot but most of my keepers are older. I have about 15 that are pre 1898 antiques and the bulk of the rest are from early 1900’s to 1970’s and if you add in the newer models that I have owned for more than a couple years the average would probably be very similar to yours at 77.
    Now pistols , handguns and shotguns would definitely be much younger than the rifles.

    Jedman

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master
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    None of mine are older than my first .22 repeater my dad gave me...so 58 is my oldest.

    I have not bought any "modern latest and greatest" calibers since I got a deal on a ,243 WSSM. It is long gone and not missed.
    Don Verna


  4. #4
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    In recent years, I've really thinned the herd, but of those that are left: Mine sort of jump around.
    One group goes from the 1850's to about 1910, but they're just wall hangers.
    Then a few from the late 60s to early 80s, and a couple of modern-ish ones after 2000.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    BigAlofPa.'s Avatar
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    Well have rifles from the late 1800's up to 2021. I have no idea of the average age. Most of my rifles are pre 2000.
    One round at a time.
    Member of the NRA,GOA and FAOC. Gun clubs Zerby rod and gun club. Keystone Fish and Game Association.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I don't know, my oldest (confirmed) is a tula M91 from 1906 and my newest is my G20 10mm 2018. I would say a good 65% of mine are pre 1980 with the bulk being milsurps.

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  7. #7
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    Mine date from 1964 to 2017. I have 18. 12 of them are from my halcyon days of game pursuits 1979-1993 out West.
    “You should tell someone what you know. There should be a history, so that men can learn from it.

    He smiled. “Men do not learn from history. Each generation believes itself brighter than the last, each believes it can survive the mistakes of the older ones. Each discovers each old thing and they throw up their hands and say ‘See! Look what I have found! Look upon what I know!’ And each believes it is something new.

    Louis L’Amour

    The Californios

  8. #8
    Boolit Master 444ttd's Avatar
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    my newest rifle barrel is 2017 (tc encore with 23" MGM heavy factory barrel in 500 linebaugh) while the oldest rifle is a 91 argie(made in 1892). the newest rifle was made in early-mid 1990s and it is a rem m7(18.5" barrel) in 7-08. i have the ruger #1 that was made in 1973 and win m94 was made in 1972. i have the 91 - 98 mausers, carcano, ariska and 1898 spr armory rifles (they are 1892-1944 and sporterized) too.

    i too have stopped reading gun rags for 23+/- years now. i also got rid of my "plastic" rifles, its blued steel and wood(and laminate). i've done the little tiny groups at whatever yards and it "bored" me quickly. the 20 vartarg with careful handloads can do under 1/4" group(.157" is the best, .2" groups are the norm) at 100 yards. (the 22-250ai with 1 in 8" twist was around 1/4" group and i got rid of her.) on a calm day, with sloppy reloads with 34gr midway/midsouth hp, the 20vt can do a 1 - 1 1/2" group at 200 yards. thats perfect fer me, not so good fer the varmints!!!

    i haven't shot a jacketed bullet at game for 7 or 8 years, its all cast fer me!!!!! the husky m46 in 9.3x57 with 275gr wfn gc is the best of the best. the 30-40 krag and the 35/30 are coming up second.
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master
    Hick's Avatar
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    61-- ranging from 1907-2015. Two over 110 years balanced by two 'modern' (2015)
    Hick: Iron sights!

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    My 3 current rifles average 74 years old ( I thinned my herd drastically after open heart surgery) - 1 each from 1914, 1937 & 1985
    Now I lay me down to sleep
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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    From my Grandfathers 220 Swift (1930's) to a Mini-14 last month. Every time I look in the safe and try to decide which ones can go down the road, they all stay and more show up!

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy
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    The latest I have is a Marlin 1895 guide in SS...had an earlier one with the MG rifling. It was great with jacketed but not so great with lead so I updated to the Ballard rifling. My oldest is a Stevens visible loader in 22lr. The rest are from mid 80's to late 90's 1874( C. Sharps 45-110, Uberti 1873 in 44-40, Springfield M1A scout, RRA 556 mid length).

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
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    Now this is an interesting question!!!
    I only have a couple of muzzle loaders - my interest is in cartridge firearms.
    My oldest will turn 164 years old this October - a Smith and Wesson Model 1 (yep, I've shot it), my youngest is a Ruger 22 revolver manufactured in 2020 and I may have a few that span that age. Rough figuring - 103 is my average.

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  14. #14
    Boolit Master
    Remiel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by echo154 View Post
    The latest I have is a Marlin 1895 guide in SS...had an earlier one with the MG rifling. It was great with jacketed but not so great with lead so I updated to the Ballard rifling. My oldest is a Stevens visible loader in 22lr. The rest are from mid 80's to late 90's 1874( C. Sharps 45-110, Uberti 1873 in 44-40, Springfield M1A scout, RRA 556 mid length).
    I noticed that my 336 marlin 30-30 doesn't like cast either, tried some acme bullets and it started to lead.

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  15. #15
    Boolit Mold
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    Oldest is a Mosin Nagant from 1928 to a east german AK74 from 1989.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Oldest is from the 1840's-50's, a Manton double gun then a few from the 1870's and 1880's. Newest is an Uberti 1861 Navy from this summer. Most of my "old firearms" are newer manufacture, reproductions like my '73 Win., S&W Schofield but, I guess they do qualify as new. Non-reproductions are mostly pre-WWII and probably 1/3 of those pre-WWI though there is two stainless revolvers from the 90's. I don't have any "new" new firearms. Ain't nuthin' out there of interest to me. I would expect an average age to be around 100 years.
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    Last 3 purchases:
    Winchester Model 12.....1956
    Winchester Model 1895...1915
    Winchester Model 70......1958

    762
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  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    5 of mine are over 100 years the rest 20 years to new.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master quail4jake's Avatar
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    1926 seems to be my magic year. Only by coincidence but 4 lever guns and 3 SXS shotguns from that glorious year, others average around that back to 1891 which is a Win 1873 in .32 WCF. If repros count I have a cal. .62 long carbine from 1642, English Civil War era...

  20. #20
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Lots of shotguns & handguns in an average rifle age thread...……… ( 'jes sayin' )
    Now I lay me down to sleep
    A gun beside me is what I keep
    If I awake, and you're inside
    The coroner's van is your next ride

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BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
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HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
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