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A Boy and His Rifles (Boys Rifle Rehab)

JD. I will put the crackshot on paper next week for giggles.

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Not a boys rifle, but the 414 still shoots ok given the barrel that looks like a sewer pipe due to never being cleaned and stored in humid conditions. It is squirrel poison, if I could see through the sights!
 
TaperPin said:
Thanks for the post - how fun to remember the joy a kid gets from their first 22.

I have a new grand kid about 8 years from his first .22 and I’m on the lookout for a little rifle.

It would be nice to gift an accurate rifle - does a small simple .22 with a nice barrel shoot as well as the same barrel in a thicker profile fitted to a larger action?
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Put him on a M67 Winchester. Perfect beginner rifle.
 
jds holler said:
I've been enjoying a fun and economical hobby for awhile now. The pic below is of five of the rifles which probably began their service as the treasured companion of a young boy. They are mostly around a hundred years old, and all have been in need of some love, and a part or two, and often a fix for a cracked stock. I don't get crazy trying to restore them, and leave the bluing as is with only rust removal, stocks are left with pretty much the finish they had unless they've been slathered with Verathane or some such. Most of the stocks have initials carved in them, and I'll usually leave them.

View attachment 1506746

I shoot these rifles, and often take one with me when I am slaughtering ground squirrels with my high powered squirrel rifle. When a varmint pops up twenty or thirty yards away, one of these little rifles is the perfect medicine.

I picked these guns up for generally a hundred dollars each, and none were functional or safe when I got them. A couple have bores that aren't real pretty, and they still shoot pretty well. A couple have bores that are absolutely pristine, and they shoot pretty well. As with most 22's, any target within a hundred yards is in grave danger. I shoot a lot of CCI CB caps in them, to keep the starlings at bay around my house.

These rifles were new in early 1900's, and I'm sure most of the original owners have gone on to those heavenly woods and pastures. I like to think that they'd be happy to know that their beloved rifle is still providing happiness for someone. -- and if I am able to work it out they will provide happiness for some kid after I head off to shoot squirrels with Jesus. jd

View attachment 1506749
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Bet each one could tell a story. :cool:
 
snert said:
Did you build this for a special purpose? Quite fascinating and VERY nice
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Nostalgia. My Grandfather had one and it was the first rifle I ever handled. It disappeared, presumably stolen at one point several decades ago. So I decided to build a replica.20231214_182940.jpg
 
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TaperPin said:
Thanks for the post - how fun to remember the joy a kid gets from their first 22.

I have a new grand kid about 8 years from his first .22 and I’m on the lookout for a little rifle.

It would be nice to gift an accurate rifle - does a small simple .22 with a nice barrel shoot as well as the same barrel in a thicker profile fitted to a larger action?
Click to expand...
I bought a marlin 15-y years ago It's a kids gun, short stock, short barrel, crappy trigger. It has the marlin micro groove barrel. It's about a 1/2 inch at 50 yd shooter. It has a unique loading system thats perfect for kids just drop the round in the loading port and run the bolt. works perfect as long as the bullet is pointing the right way. I kept mine and made an adult sized stock for it and an extension for the barrel. factory 3/8 dovetail for scope.
 
scasa said:
I bought a marlin 15-y years ago It's a kids gun, short stock, short barrel, crappy trigger. It has the marlin micro groove barrel. It's about a 1/2 inch at 50 yd shooter. It has a unique loading system thats perfect for kids just drop the round in the loading port and run the bolt. works perfect as long as the bullet is pointing the right way. I kept mine and made an adult sized stock for it and an extension for the barrel. factory 3/8 dovetail for scope.
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This thread continues to bring back old memories of grade school and plinking around the field behind the house. I can remember being disappointed with the accuracy of 3 pellet guns and my first 22. In junior high my experience with two different Marlin bolt action 22’s was not as positive as yours - it wasn’t until a Rem 581 came along that I had a good shooting 22.
 
TaperPin said:
I had to look up the m67 - that is a nice little rifle,
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They are the Cricket of 1935. Only they shoot well! I have a 68 (a 67 with peep sight) that replaced my first rifle, a 67. I still hunt squirrels with it.

Single shot teaches an impatient child to shoot, not miss, miss, miss, hit. It is safe in that the safety is manually engaged and blocks the sight, so you can visually see it is on, and it better be on! The sights teach aim small, miss small. They are big enough to grow into, but not heavy, so a skinny kid can handle it. And it is walnut. Who can complain about that?

I learned to shoot on one and to this day am so grateful my grandpap gve it to me.
 
I was at an LGS last summer when I spotted a little falling block with an octagon barrel. It turned out to be one of the newer releases of these 100 year old Stevens Favorites we are seeing here. 1960's or 1970's. It was so cute I had to take it home. The bore scope showed that it may have never been fired. The wood had a few scratches but no missing wood bits. The metal was very good. The thing shot very good. After I played with it a few times I asked myself why I bought it. Didn't need it, thought about trading it then it came to me, our pseudo grand daughter was 2 and a half years old. This would be the perfect gun for her when she came into her own. Transferred it to her father just last week.
 
I'm gonna figure out the drop on this thing and ring some 5" steel at 300 yards 5 for 5 just to mess with the neighbors.

'That ain't gonna to happen with no garage built single shot and no scope.'

Huh.
 
I'll mention something concerning the type that are bolt action with the cocking knob. If there is a shell in the chamber, and bolt closed with cocking knob in fired position -- will fire when the knob is knocked with a block of wood. This also might happen if the rifle is dropped or otherwise knocked around.

I'm also thinking that if carried with a shell in the chamber, and open bolt, that at the bolt could be slammed shut hard enough to fire a shot. Sooooo, care should always be taken in regards to carrying loaded-- or just don't. jd
 
i carried a remingtron m6 from about 5 until i could pack the bolt action tube fed remington.
it is still in the family. dad would take it coon hunting because it was so small. he would tie a haystring on it to sling it. it only has about an 18 in barrel.
 
rayporter said:
i carried a remingtron m6 from about 5 until i could pack the bolt action tube fed remington.
it is still in the family. dad would take it coon hunting because it was so small. he would tie a haystring on it to sling it. it only has about an 18 in barrel.
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Yeah the Model 6 is my favorite of the bunch that I've got, an it is often with me. It is a cut above most of the others - walnut stock, steel butt-plate as opposed to often no butt-plate. jd
 
Anyone here want to take on putting my Stevens 414 back together with a couple new springs and an extractor? When I pulled the buttstock it fell in pieces on the table. Not a big deal except none of the diagrams resemble MY 414.
Did I mention I am NOT a mechanic?
 
snert said:
Anyone here want to take on putting my Stevens 414 back together with a couple new springs and an extractor? When I pulled the buttstock it fell in pieces on the table. Not a big deal except none of the diagrams resemble MY 414.
Did I mention I am NOT a mechanic?
Click to expand...
Don't worry, you're no dummy and the job will teach you. jd
 
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