[Artie1957]

My first gun is my oldest. A 20 gauge bolt action Revelation probably made in the mid to early sixty’s. This thread has made me asking myself why do I not own some older guns...?

 

[Coalcracker]

Nice looking shotgun Artie,

 

[AirForceShooter]

1898 Mauser Mannlicher Mountain Rifle Double set triggers

 

[Northtidesix]

I call this crowd 'The Magnificent Seven' They are all 1890 Winchesters dating between 1895 to 1905. They are.22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Winchester Rim Fire chambered rescues I have done over the past 10yrs. The only caliber missing is the .22Short. I gave that one to my brother in Virginia.

The third rifle from the top is a .22 WRF manufactured in 1907-08 stamped with a South African Export number on the barrel. It is all original without alteration or refinishing the metal or wood.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

The rifle pictured above is probably the oldest one that I still shoot and hunt with from time to time.
( I have a small collection of antique muzzle loaders that I shoot and display )
This rifle accounted for my last elk...part of the hide went into my jacket seen in my introduction post.

This is a J. Henry Trade Rifle ...circa 18teens - 1820's.
Its a flintlock with a maple full stock in .58 caliber .
The lock itself is a English import.
The trigger is a single set trigger.

J.Henry was a rifle builder from Bolton Pennsylvania.
His rifle factory made many Trade Rifles.
A Trade Rifle , by the way , was a rifle that made for use in the Fur Trade.
These rifles were traded to the tribes , as well as being used by fur tappers , fur traders and the tribes traded with.

Trade Rifles were as a general rule , plainer versions of the popular sporting rifles of the day.
The quality of the rifles were good , and many can be seen today in museums.
Andy

 

[Artie1957]

I call this crowd 'The Magnificent Seven' They are all 1890 Winchesters dating between 1895 to 1905. They are.22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, and .22 Winchester Rim Fire chambered rescues I have done over the past 10yrs. The only caliber missing is the .22Short. I gave that one to my brother in Virginia. View attachment 119885 View attachment 119886


The third rifle from the top is a .22 WRF manufactured in 1907-08 stamped with a South African Export number on the barrel. It is all original without alteration or refinishing the metal or wood.

Absolutely beautiful!

 

[mm93]

All my old guns get shot fairly often, and almost all are pre 1890 manufacture. My oldest is 1875, and is a Ballard #4 1/2 A-1 Extra in .40-63 Ballard Everlasting. Just used it in a long range shoot in October.

 

[Northtidesix]

All my old guns get shot fairly often, and almost all are pre 1890 manufacture. My oldest is 1875, and is a Ballard #4 1/2 A-1 Extra in .40-63 Ballard Everlasting. Just used it in a long range shoot in October.

WOW ! That is a really nice keeper. I love those old pumpkin rollers. Long live the old singles in a class all their own. 🤠

 

[mm93]

WOW ! That is a really nice keeper. I love those old pumpkin rollers. Long live the old singles in a class all their own. 🤠

Thanks! The Marlin Ballard rifles from 1875-1891 are my favorites, and have occupied most of my time and monies for several decades now.
This is another from about 5 years later than my 4 1/2 Ballard. A #6 1/2 Rigby Schuetzen rifle in the same .40-63 caliber, with special order double set triggers. A rare option on the #6 1/2 Ballard. And the optional rosewood stocks.

 

[Northtidesix]

Thanks! The Marlin Ballard rifles from 1875-1891 are my favorites, and have occupied most of my time and monies for several decades now.
This is another from about 5 years later than my 4 1/2 Ballard. A #6 1/2 Rigby Schuetzen rifle in the same .40-63 caliber, with special order double set triggers. A rare option on the #6 1/2 Ballard. And the optional rosewood stocks.

Back in 2003 a lady brought me a Ballard she had inherited from her Grand father. The stock was badly damaged, plus some of the parts were missing. I convinced her to take it to a restoration shop in Kansas for repair/restoration. I would have loved to had that rifle, but I could not afford it at the time. Always the timing huh.
I just stick with my Martini Henry's and Cadets. Here are a few of the rescues I have done..

 

[lewwallace]

+/-1866 DA Webley Model 1 1/2 RIC in .442CF.

Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk

 

[Northtidesix]

I have always wondered what stories these old guns could tell. Too bad we will never know what they have seen and done.

 

[mm93]

I have always wondered what stories these old guns could tell. Too bad we will never know what they have seen and done.

Well sometimes they can tell their story. I own 4 or 5 old single shot rifles that I have documented provenance of the owners and know exactly where they've been. One is a Pope barreled Ballard that has 3 interchangeable barrels, and has HM Pope's 1888 patented takedown system. The fitted case is marked "LG Pridy Denver, Co." and I purchased it from an estate. LG Pridy used this rifle when he was a member of the Denver Rifle Club that set the new Team World Record score of 9,956 out of a possible perfect 10,000 in 1919.
Another is also a Ballard that has a presentation plaque on the buttstock that says it was given to Lt. Charles L Phillips. It was a present to Lt. Phillips from the Hamlin Rifles Co. G., 4th Regt.in 1889. Lt Phillips was a West point graduate in 1887, and spent 43 yrs. in the Army, retiring as Brig. General. I bought the gun from a family friend of the General.
Another is a Remington Rolling Block in .22LR, a rare caliber for a full sized Rolling Block Sporting Rifle. It has the name E.C. Hackett on the barrel. EC Hackett was an Oregon Pioneer born near Oregon City, Or. in 1852. His father was famous for leading the party that tracked down the Indians who murdered Dr. Marcus Whitman and his family who were the first missionaries in Oregon. EC Hackett was an early deputy sheriff in Oregon, and later Mayor of Oregon City.
Have 2 or 3 others with traceable provenance also.

Pope Ballard with case and Pope tools.

EC Hackett's Rolling Block.

General Phillips' presentation Ballard:

And another. Dr. Vernon Davis' Schoyen Ballard set. A Tucson, Az. dentist.

 

[Northtidesix]

This is a beautiful collection of rifles . Thank you for posting them and their histories. It is good that some of the old guns can tell their own stories.

 

[AirForceShooter]

1898 Mauser 8mm Mountain rifle, mannlicher Stock
Double set triggers

 

[mm93]

This is a beautiful collection of rifles . Thank you for posting them and their histories. It is good that some of the old guns can tell their own stories.

You're welcome! Old schuetzen rifles, and old single shots with provenance is my main area of collecting. I am very interested in tracking down history of firearms that have some history that can be traced and documented.
By the way. The Schoyen Ballard owned by "Doc" Davis was received by the doctor in trade for dental work he did for the previous owner! I located a family friend who told me the story of how Doc got the cased Schoyen Ballard.