Defensive Carry banner

Oldest gun owned?

12K views 118 replies 75 participants last post by  KenpoTex 
#1 ·
Just an interest thing ... I know several folks have some real old firearms, in fact IIRC Betty inherited one this year.

So - what is your oldest - not in type but actual manufacture?

I think my oldest is probably a Webley MkVI altho I have two crappy old revo's which must be pretty ancient - a "Young Americans" in .22 short and an Ivor Johnson in .32 S&W. I also have a Mauser Obendorfe bolt rifle in .22 which research suggests goes back to the 20's (wish I could find a spare mag for it!).

Several other guns go back to 50's and 60's but not early 1900's. I guess those of us with early milsurps can count those in too - but thinking more of non mil.

What have you got that's real old? Pic's are good. Here's my Webley and Mauser .....





 
See less See more
2
#31 · (Edited)
Well, it isn't in my possesion yet, but the oldest gun my family has, currently residing with my uncle, is a Brown Bess used by my Great-Great-Uncle who was a Lt. Col (I believe) in the Revolutionary War. I will have to take some photos of it the next time I get up to Conn. for a visit. In the mean time it looks exactly like this, but not so shiny.

http://www.militaryheritage.com/musket6.htm
 
#34 ·
Oldest I have is a Smith & Wesson Model 2 .32 rimfire from the Civil War.
 

Attachments

#35 ·
Oldest I have is a Smith & Wesson Model 2 .32 rimfire from the Civil War.
Fascinating and most collectible piece ....... oozes history!
 
#36 ·
Old and ancient guns

These are all wallhangars now.
Handguns are from top right clockwise:
Colts model of 1851 "Navy" .36 cal.
Smith & Wesson .38 cal top break
Reproduction of Colts 1851, (has been fired)
Colts model P, Single action Army revolver 44-40 made in 1887
Rifle above handguns is Halls model of 1817originally flintlock, with Percussion conversion done in 1830s. Its almost a breechloader.

Long arms are top to bottom:
Percussion Pennsylvania rifle, .36 cal (aprox) made about 1830
Early style Pennsylvania rifle made in mid 1700s originally flintlock, converted to percussion cap in early 1800s (determined by style of lockwork)
Modern flintlock, assembled and finished by me. Shot a good bit for fun.
Leman Pensylvania rifle, late style, approx 1830s cal .35

All were from my grandfathers estate. He took his annual vacations in the 30s to early 50s driving around the south buying "useless old guns"
I still drool over the memory of what he had on his shelves and racks before he passed. (Colts galore, at least 30 different DA .38s, an Ivory trimmed flinter from Arabia and much more) I only got a few, the rest went throughout the family. Many were sold off for pennies, but none of mine were ever sold.

Roger
 

Attachments

#38 ·
Chris, that Webley is neat! I had one years ago that had been converted to 45acp and I swear you could run over it and not hurt it .
I have always been sorry I let it get away. Having one in the original 455 is a real find I have read articles that said it was the best military revolver ever made!
 
#39 ·
I have read articles that said it was the best military revolver ever made!
Not sure about that Sky - tho for its time I guess perhaps true. It was not a very powerful round altho with the ''manstopper'' SWC it was somewhat feared!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roger - some very fine pieces of history you have - this is the category I was most referring to. Wonderful stuff.
 
#42 ·
This is a mid to late 19th Century Belgian vest pocket .36 caliber.

I especially love the juxtaposed barrels with the beautiful curly Damas engraving in a form known as “drips of water”, and the retractable triggers design.

It carries the punch of the proof house of Liege (spangled ELG in an oval); which acts as the final acceptance used from 1846 to 1893. The other marks (PO8 - C) are by the "cottage" workshop whose significance has been lost.
 

Attachments

#43 ·
50 year old S&W model 27

I have a S&W model 27 revolver in .357 magnum that was manufactured in the 1950s. It is the pinned and recessed "0" model of the gun, which I bought used in 1967.

It is a very accurate shooter, with an 8-3/8 barrel and light SA trigger. I shoot the gun every 3 months or so, and it remains in excellent condition.



 
#44 ·
Lovely gun Pogo - and I have similar tho not quite as early a model (mine is dash 2). Beautiful gun and great accuracy too ........ time I gave mine a snack again soon :wink:


 
#45 ·
Don't have a camera but I have two oldies. One is a Chicago Palm Pistol aka Lemon Squeezer similar to the one use to kill Pres. Garfield. The other is an original LeMatt revolver from the Civil War (War of Northern Aggression for our members from the South).
 
#46 ·
I've got a bolt-action Mossberg .22 rifle manufactured in 1926.

My grandfather told me he got it in exchange for a pig.
 
#48 ·
The two oldest in my collection aren't old enough to have dust on them yet. The first is my Dad's Ruger MkII Standard which was made in 1970. The other is an H&R 999 Sportsman (maned prior to the H&R LLC), probably circa 196?.

Other than that, most of mine are fairly new (14 years and newer).
 
#51 ·
I have an old WWII rifle. It is a Italian 6.5 mm Carcano, with a datemark of 1942 on it. It was my first gun, bought it from a senior member of gun club in my town who was trying to raise funds to purchase a Match rifle. I got it for $50 bux with 500 rounds of WWII era ammo.

SY
 
#109 ·
I have an old Carcano as well. Mine is stamped 1939 but is the bigger one. - 7.35 cal. and made in Terni Italy. I got mine from my mother. She got it from her father as a wedding present to her. I don't know where my Grandfather got it and, as he has passed on, I can't ask him.

I sporterized it several years back to include a custom scope & mount, and I lengthened the pull to fit me (I'm VERY long). I also removed the barrel top cover, color case-hardened the barrel band, and jeweled the bolt. Nowadays it's just a wall hanger as the barrel is shot out and dark. I still have a couple boxes of factory ammo for it and some stuff where I removed the military FMJ round and reloaded the cartridge with soft points. I had a custom bullet maker made the bullets for me 20 years ago. I also have reloading dies for it.

The 6.5mm Carcano is the weapon that was used to assassinate JFK for those who don't know this tidbit.
 
#55 ·
My "oldest" is a youngster compared to some here.

I found it sitting in a gunshop and had to have it. It's a Colt New Service Model 1917 made in 1912, per Colt. It is stamped "US Property" and was issued to the Postal Service back in the 1920's.

Biker :tumbleweed:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top