Wood and Steel

[SAnd]

...I wonder about the stories they could tell...Who used them in the past and where they have been....

I totally agree. They can talk some though.

When I get an older military gun I like to sit down with some reference materials and read them. You have proof marks, inspector marks, arsenal maintenance and rebuild marks, and other marks as well as unit marks. The European guns are generally better than the US guns that way.

I have a Mosin Nagant M1891 that was made in 1909. The markings show it was probably "dropped" once. By the Russians. All the early marks are Russian but the latter marks are Finnish. I"m guessing it changed hands during the Winter War.

I get a sense of history and time holding them while thiking about what else was going on when they were made. I think of both family and world events.

[Morgan338LM]

The thing that an old warhorse has that few black rifles has is "Soul".

The soul of a rifle is what makes me love it, all the cool gadgets and toys never earn my heart. The soul in a steel and wood rifle can't be touched by a tacti-cool whizbang gun, as cool as they may look.


This one always makes me smile

[Troublco]

I have a Finnish-capture 1891 capture, too. Every Finn Mosin started life as a Russian gun, was captured, and re-built; right down to the M39's.

I like the older surplus guns especially because they have character. They were built in an era where craftsmen built each one by hand, at least to a degree. They've been there and done that, and each little ding or dent was earned.

My next want is a correct .30-40 Krag, and then I'm going to look for a Canadian Ross in the same condition. I don't look for new specimens, just ones that are as-issued. I just have the feeling I'll find one when I don't have the means to get it (usually the way it works...).