Does anyone here have a cool display piece? I see some cheap muzzle loaders on gunbroker that look old. I wish I had a good hand-me-down early American musket but don't know where to go. Or what about a cool surplus rifle?

questions:

1) what do the OB folks have on display?

2) what type of gun should I look into?

3) Where do I find good deals on this stuff?


Don't forget rule #1!!

[This message has been edited by Towns03 (edited 4/5/2012 11:06a).]

1. Spend $30 and 4-6 weeks of waiting to get your C&R FFL.
2. Order cheap and fun milsurp rifles/pistols and have them shipped directly to your house while also getting discounts from MidwayUSA, Brownells, etc.
3. ???
4. Profit.

Some good places to shop with your C&R FFL:

www.aimsurplus.com
www.jgsales.com
www.southernohiogun.com
www.empirearms.com

what's a c&r?? where do I get such a thing?

Do I need it to get the stuff on those sites? or does it just save me the FFL trasfer fee?

http://www.crffl.org/

Used to be you could find some pretty Damascus barreled SXS shotguns for not much, as they are pretty much wall hangers without low-power blackpowder ammo, and even then a century of ammonium salts and sulfur compounds left over from primers and powder have likely rendered them unsafe to shoot.

I've got an old percussion rifle on my wall, I'll get pics when I get home

Mosins are around $80-$150 depending (unless you go crazy and get a finnish at 2x that).

Cheap and shootable too.

FYI muzzleloaders are not legally considered "firearms" and can be shipped to your door or post office with no license whatsoever.

I hang a US Rifle 1842 (AKA Mississippi Rifle) made 1848, Windsor VT. Family pass down, confederate use. Along with GGranddad's Arkansas toothpick (4th Tx Cav). Feel very lucky to have them. They will stay in family for sure.

how do y'all hang them?? it would be great if someone could post pictures of where/how they're attached to the wall-

You can save some money by getting a non-firing replica. Also, that way you're not out a bunch of money and a rare firearm if it's stolen.

Always heard an Arkansas toothpick was a raccoon *****????

PooDoo, yep, seen those too. But the Arkansas Toothpick from the CW was generally a homemade knife, longer than a Bowie, shorter than a sword/saber. Mine is maybe 28 inches long. just rough forged metal, blade is crooked, sharpened many, many times. Most of the wear likely came after the war, cutting corn stalks. Pretty cool though. I'll post pics when i get time. BTW, I double as jarhead, depends on which computer I'm on.

Any gun made on or before 1898 can be shipped to your door.

I don't have a "display" gun, but we keep a single shot NEF .410 shotgun hanging above our back door, with a few loads attached to the stock.

My wife and son have used it many times and don't have to open a safe to get to it. Some visitors who see it then realize that we really do live in the sticks.

Although it's a very cheap gun, it will probably grow a lot in sentimental value just because of the stories that it can bring up.

quote:

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Any gun made on or before 1898 can be shipped to your door.

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Like an old Mauser... and it ain't no toy. Get a gunsmith to look it over and it is a fine weapon, likely made by skilled craftsmen in Germany. The biggest difference between an old 95 Mauser and a new one was gas venting, locking lugs and cocking. The Swedes didn't think it was much of an issue, they kept making 96 mausers for almost 50 years, well past when more modern actions were available.

I bought this for my Dad. His health was declining so I sprang for it on his Birthday. One of the only times I saw him cry.

You might say he was a fan of the Duke.

It'll be 2 years the end of this month he drowned fishing ...

This is a photo of my parents' mantle:



The story on the gun is that my great-grandfather found two identical muskets under his parents farmhouse in Kansas. They were believed to have been stashed there during a civil war or indian battle. Only one if them remains. It seems my great-grandfather and his buddies got the idea to unload them (safety first) by tying one of them to a small tree, cocking the hammer, and firing it from a safe distance using the old "string around the trigger" trick. Apparently the gun exploded and took out the tree also. I don't know if that's the truth, but it makes for a great story.

I don't know anything about the make and model. The action is rusted and corroded, so the parts do not move. It is, however, still loaded. About fifteen years ago, I wanted to get it restored, but I couldn't find a gunsmith that would attempt to work on it.

Here's a closer pic of the action:



And one of the railroad spikes that it hangs on:



[This message has been edited by Todd 02 (edited 4/7/2012 10:47a).]

That is really cool Todd.

http://www.ima-usa.com/militaria/antique-guns/untouched-guns/british-p-1864-snider-type-breech-loading-infantry-rifle-with-short-socket-bayonet-untouched.html

I have a really nice German 1888 Commission Rifle. Interesting rifle in 8mm.
It would make a good wall hanger.

I'm out of the country now but I'll satisfy rule #1 when I get back.

Shameless bump to see if anyone can ID that gun my parents have...

Todd, need a closer view to I'd. A lock like the one on yours was used on several other rifles of that time. Looks to be a 3 banded rifle, possibly of Springfield manufacture. Was the stock shortened? Looks like it may have been. Suggest you google for I'd old muzzle loaders. Several sites which will likely help you I'd it. Sure replica sales sites would help also. Let us know what u find out.

Looking a lot like an 1860-ish Trapdoor.

http://www.arms2armor.com/Firearms/usm1868r.htm

Get a CMP M-1.

quote:

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Shameless bump to see if anyone can ID that gun my parents have...

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Looks to be an 1842 Springfield, but I don't know much about these early ones.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield_Model_1842

got a Garand already but don't know if I want to hang it... maybe looking for something older. maybe flint lock type.

A family friend gave me an old Jap rifle from WWII. it's beat up enough to look older than it is. I'll post pics and get y'all's opinion.

Yes, post pics of the Jap rifle, especially the receiver ring area if the mum and markings are intact. Also the serial number and the symbols near it, and we can tell you where/when it was produced.

BTW, most Jap rifles look like crap. Very rare to find one that looks untouched.

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 4/10/2012 4:37p).]

Those old Jap rifles are pretty cool IMO. A buddy of mine was given one that was found by a game warden somewhere up in ND as a parting gift when his project was complete. He didn't know what it was, so one day we sat down and went over it - 7.7 Jap. Unfortunately, the mum was removed (fairly standard), but otherwise it was in solid shape for being abandoned in an old trailer. Would have made a good project gun to fix up.

Todd02 -

That has several of the same characteristics of an Enfield Patter 1853 3 Band Rifle. Most of these were something like .575 or .577 caliber, and both sides of the War of Northern Aggression used them extensively.

The hammer has a different shape though.

You wouldn't happen to be able to gauge the caliber, would you? Any special markings on the lock or barrel that you can make out (I know you said it was corroded).




[This message has been edited by schmellba99 (edited 4/10/2012 4:55p).]

[This message has been edited by schmellba99 (edited 4/10/2012 4:56p).]

love the shots and stories of some of these guns. I am looking for something to hang over the fireplace on the frio river. Now I have some great ideas.

OK, it looks like a Arisaka Type 99 selling on this website:

https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1903&idcategory=83

here's mine:







[This message has been edited by Towns03 (edited 4/10/2012 9:31p).]

Towns, the mum is still intact on yours, which is awesome.

My grandfather had a Jap 7.7 he brought back from the war just like that. Sadly, it was stolen during a break-in at my parents' house when I was very young. I still have his box of ammo though.