Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
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Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
A lot of the levergun silhouette fun is finding a shooter for each match.
So what works, doesn’t work, and lessons learned?
My first CLA rifle was a Winchester 64A in 30-30. I was such a newbie that I thought the floppy trigger meant it was broken. The 64A is not Pre-1964 so the price was good. I attached a Williams FP-TK and Lyman 17 then developed loads. I placed at the State match then placed at Nationals with it. So I enjoyed success with it
2 lessons learned. The rifle is light weight. Ram loads beat me up a bit. I loaded 30gr H335 under a 170. If you want a light rifle and a pistol grip stock this rifle is for you.
2nd lesson was that nearly all Winchesters aren’t conducive to bore cleaning from the breech end. I found Marlin 336’s and Winchester takedown models facilitate easier cleaning so being an equipment whore, I went shopping for a replacement. I foolishly sold that 64A at Nationals the following year. It was a shooter.
So what works, doesn’t work, and lessons learned?
My first CLA rifle was a Winchester 64A in 30-30. I was such a newbie that I thought the floppy trigger meant it was broken. The 64A is not Pre-1964 so the price was good. I attached a Williams FP-TK and Lyman 17 then developed loads. I placed at the State match then placed at Nationals with it. So I enjoyed success with it
2 lessons learned. The rifle is light weight. Ram loads beat me up a bit. I loaded 30gr H335 under a 170. If you want a light rifle and a pistol grip stock this rifle is for you.
2nd lesson was that nearly all Winchesters aren’t conducive to bore cleaning from the breech end. I found Marlin 336’s and Winchester takedown models facilitate easier cleaning so being an equipment whore, I went shopping for a replacement. I foolishly sold that 64A at Nationals the following year. It was a shooter.
- Joe
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Joe, the moral to the story is never sell your shooters, even when you think you're done with them.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
We gave up smallbore to shoot leveraction, thinking it was simpler and less expensive.
I still think the shooting is more relaxing. I mean heck, it is hard to get nervous about the shot when you can't see the sights or the target But man it is expensive.
I still think the shooting is more relaxing. I mean heck, it is hard to get nervous about the shot when you can't see the sights or the target But man it is expensive.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
To me, it isn’t as expensive as: a decent boat for fishing, a Yetti, fishing rods an associated gear, the gas spent running up and down the lake.
Nor as expensive as hunting club, or clubs, dues, along with the 4-wheeler/side by side, the corn, paying for the processing of how ever many you shoot, don’t forget the cost of you rifles and scopes one must have. Oh, and don’t forget the cost of your stands.
Did I miss anything?
Nor as expensive as hunting club, or clubs, dues, along with the 4-wheeler/side by side, the corn, paying for the processing of how ever many you shoot, don’t forget the cost of you rifles and scopes one must have. Oh, and don’t forget the cost of your stands.
Did I miss anything?
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
A coworker added it up the total cost of deer hunting one time and divided it by the actual poundage of processed meat he got each year. Afterward he tried to tell his wife what a dedicated husband he was because he was feeding his family the most expensive meat in the worlddhatch wrote: ↑Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:19 pm To me, it isn’t as expensive as: a decent boat for fishing, a Yetti, fishing rods an associated gear, the gas spent running up and down the lake.
Nor as expensive as hunting club, or clubs, dues, along with the 4-wheeler/side by side, the corn, paying for the processing of how ever many you shoot, don’t forget the cost of you rifles and scopes one must have. Oh, and don’t forget the cost of your stands.
Did I miss anything?
He no longer hunts at all, instead the wife gets to go on an island vacation every year. She says revenge is great.
Last edited by SqHunter on Mon Mar 26, 2018 11:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
- snaketail2
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Today I drove 3 hours to a match (and three hours back). I lost the match by 2 targets. The winner got a couple of pins...those outrageously expensive pins.
But I did go by, one of, my favorite BBQ joints and brought dinner home.
If we did this for a living we'd all be starving.
Michael
But I did go by, one of, my favorite BBQ joints and brought dinner home.
If we did this for a living we'd all be starving.
Michael
Overheard at the Dairy Queen "I live in Port Aransas,but I'm not from here...you can tell because I have all my own teeth."
- jnyork
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
I know guys who spend the price of a new gun every month down at the bar and think nothing of it. I think we are doing just fine in our sport.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Agreed. Also, not to mention money thrown away at casinos.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Silhouette has no detrimental effects on a person's health like some of the other endeavors mentioned previously. Participants in fishing, boating, hunting, ATV's, deer stands and bar drinking statistically are much more likely to be injured or killed than in shooting Silhouette. People flip over fishing boats and drown more often than you would think. Strictly adhere to the safety rules on the silhouette ranges and no one will ever be injured.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Just wait till you are as old as me. Holding a heavy rifle offhand can aggrevate lower back and neck conditions. Ask me how I knowatomicbrh wrote: ↑Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:01 am Silhouette has no detrimental effects on a person's health like some of the other endeavors mentioned previously. Participants in fishing, boating, hunting, ATV's, deer stands and bar drinking statistically are much more likely to be injured or killed than in shooting Silhouette. People flip over fishing boats and drown more often than you would think. Strictly adhere to the safety rules on the silhouette ranges and no one will ever be injured.
You guys who think the sport is cheap should have seen the price of that Winchester
- Another Dang 9
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
I cry every time I think of how much money I spent sitting on a bar stool. Could have had all my guns sent to Turnbull.
Its a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milk bone underwear.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Shooting silhouette has kept a lot of people out of serious trouble.
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Re: Buying Old Lever Guns - Lessons Learned
Red dots on a Winchester are great but red dots on a Marlin are so much easier...