What did you do?

[Alan]

What kind of firearm-related activities did you get up to today? Don’t hold back, share anything you’d like!

 

[Spikedriver]

My elderly father moved off his farm to an independent living apartment. He's 91 and not really able to shoot anymore so my brothers and I divided up his modest firearms collection recently. I'm getting his gun safe, a couple shotguns, a couple .22 rifles, and a Ruger Mk III .22 pistol. I also had some Ammunition and other supplies in storage at the farm so I've been moving that too. So far I've brought home a tote, a 30 cal ammo box, and 3 big cardboard boxes of ammo and supplies. Now it needs sorted. In a couple weeks I've got a guy who is a gun safe company rep who has equipment to move the safe, and he will move it 35 miles to my place. Once it's here, I'll move what I can fit into the safe...

 

[Huntsman]

I sorted through ammo cans and put the carry ammo in order. It is not that exciting but it makes me feel ready.

 

[Old Hickory]

My brother and I tried out my new silencer yesterday on my Ruger Gen 2 Ranch 5.56 rifle and are greatly impressed. He and I don't have the hearing we had during our younger years so the silencer is a boon. We want to keep what little hearing we have left.

 

[chieffan]

Last Saturday I bought two old rifles. One is an Italian Carcano the other is German build. The Italian is stripped down to a few metal and wood pieces. Metal has been through the electrosonic cleaner, washed and ready for oil. Need to clean up the receiver end of the barrel and then start on the wood. Someone thought it would be nice to rope burn tiger stripes then varnish the wood. Get that all off and put on a couple coats of linseed oil. Should make a good shooting rifle when I get it done. Then start on the other Carcano.

 

[Old Hickory]

Last Saturday I bought two old rifles. One is an Italian Carcano the other is German build. The Italian is stripped down to a few metal and wood pieces. Metal has been through the electrosonic cleaner, washed and ready for oil. Need to clean up the receiver end of the barrel and then start on the wood. Someone thought it would be nice to rope burn tiger stripes then varnish the wood. Get that all off and put on a couple coats of linseed oil. Should make a good shooting rifle when I get it done. Then start on the other Carcano.

Very nice! Is that rifle the old 6.5 caliber?

 

[chieffan]

The Italian rifle that is disassembled is the 6.5. The other one is 7.5. Working on getting that varnish off the stock. Tuff stuff and old striper I had on hand is not doing the job very well. Looks like the wood is Walnut though.

 

[Old Hickory]

I sent my Savage A17 Sporter .17 WSM to Savage for problems and was waiting for return info and none received so I left home today to take care of some business and while I was gone, Fed X tried to deliver my rifle. So now it's going to be Monday delivery. Now I have the tracking number. This is the second time I had to send the rifle to Savage. I suggested in a note to them if the rifle is a lemon, send me a different rifle. I also sent a $20 in cash and addressed to anyone that fixes my problem, and the $20 is lunch on me. That should get some attention!

 

[chieffan]

What kind of firearm-related activities did you get up to today? Don’t hold back, share anything you’d like!

Been storing a Italian Carcano. All the metal pieces are cleaned up n oiled. Was going to use a was but changed my mind. The stock had at least 2 coats of a Urethan type varnish. Had to get some stronger stripper at $20 a quart to even touch it. Top coat is off an part of the next layer. Drying overnight from being washed good. Will go at it again in the morning. Thankfully most of the "rope burns" are disappearing.

 

[Spikedriver]

I got Pop's gun safe into my place a couple weeks ago and got all my guns in it. Also divvied up all the ammo that was at his place - my brother who got his 20 ga Mossberg got all his 20 ga shells, next brother got his 9mm and his 22 Mag so he got the ammo for those. I got all the .22 ammo and his .22 rifles. Combined with all the various ammo I already had, it completely filled the rest of the safe. I have a lot more that I thought, which is not a bad problem to have. One of the .22 rifles I got from him takes a side mount for the scope so I need to order the mount from Brownells. I can't see the iron sights any more. Yesterday I started sorting and arranging reloading supplies. I'm short on .224 hollow points for making coyote loads so i guess I'll have to make a trip to Fleet Farm to get some 55 gr Hornady pills...

 

[Old Hickory]

I sent my Savage Sporter .17 WSM to Savage for repairs. I missed The return of the rifle via the fine folks of Fed X yesterday so I drove to their center and got my rifle today. Tomorrow I am taking it for a tryout.

 

[Old Hickory]

Update: The fine fix-it folks at Savage did a wonderful job of fixing my Savage rifle! They also installed a rail!
I mounted the scope and sling, then sighted it in. The rifle is one of the most accurate rifles I have ever owned and operates very smooth.

 

[Old Hickory]

My brother and I went coyote/groundhog hunting today and didn't see any varmints.

 

[Spikedriver]

My brother and I went coyote/groundhog hunting today and didn't see any varmints.

Gotta get inside city limits these days. The coyotes are takin' a liking to city life.

 

[Old Hickory]

Gotta get inside city limits these days. The coyotes are takin' a liking to city life.

They sure are! I live on the Mississippi River bluff and it is a critter highway and there is a game trail by my house. I watched a bored bobcat on my outdoor cameras sitting where my back yard was. It is now my parking and retired knife shop buildings. Since one of my dogs is small, that cat had better find a healthier place to sit.

 

[Old Hickory]

The Italian rifle that is disassembled is the 6.5. The other one is 7.5. Working on getting that varnish off the stock. Tuff stuff and old striper I had on hand is not doing the job very well. Looks like the wood is Walnut though.

Years ago those 6.5 rifles were cheaper than dirt and I kick myself for not buying a couple.

 

[Spikedriver]

They sure are! I live on the Mississippi River bluff and it is a critter highway and there is a game trail by my house. I watched a bored bobcat on my outdoor cameras sitting where my back yard was. It is now my parking and retired knife shop buildings. Since one of my dogs is small, that cat had better find a healthier place to sit.

The small city near me where my GF lives, (population 6000) had a pack of coyotes move in. There were 3 or 4, all appearing young and very healthy. My GF likes to walk her dog before 6AM in the summer, and one of those coyotes crossed her path right in front of the police station. Of course, her silver Lab went absolutely nuts because it is very protective. The coyote changed course and came right at them with its hackles up. It came within 50 feet. GF was able to scare it off by waving and yelling. That same week the coyotes started showing up on security cameras all over the east side of town, sometimes in broad daylight. And the town's feral cat population started disappearing, along with garbage cans getting raided. The town cops shot one out by the tracks, and a local hunter called in two more in a pasture that butts up to city limits. They both got lead poisoning. That was the end of it...

 

[Old Hickory]

I ordered a Timney trigger for my Ruger 5.56 rifle yesterday. So now am watching my mailbox for the trigger and also a trigger adjusting tool from Savage Arms for my A17 .17 WSM rifle.

 

[John4st]

Heading into work and bow fishing season so my gun activities are getting sidelined. But Chieffan has me thinking about organizing a .5 fun shoot this summer? Any gun, over 100 years old that shoots a .5 bullet. 6.5, 7.5, anyone interested? I'll hoist, private range only about 80 yards, close to Cedar Rapids.