Store Brand Rifles from 50's, 60's, Wards, Western Auto, etc.
- Thread starter jds holler
- Start date
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
What about otasco? My dad said they sold those off brands too
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
Going further back...Crescent arms. Built shotguns for every tom, Dick and Harry hardware store in the US. You could get the "Nitro" or the "Hanks" or whatever you wanted stamped on it. The only thing that was the same about every one of them was they kicked like a stick of Satan.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Glenfield was JC Penny house brand, made by Marlin. I have a Glenfield M60 "squirrel stock" old model with 18 round capacity and button bolt hold open.
I have a Western Auto bolt action 20ga shotgun that inherited from my great uncle
What Caliber is the one you kept ? Looks pretty nice...
About 5 to 10 years ago my youngest son now in his mid 40s got on a kick to start collecting these store brand guns and enlisted my help to keep my eyes out for them. I don't care if they are a rusted piece of junk or pristine they haven't been as easy to find as I thought they would be. Must be millions of them out there.
Thinking about all these guns got me to reminisce with myself. One of the most gorgeous guns I remember was something I never heard of as a kid. The rifle was a "Herter's"! They also had loading equipment etc..etc.. It seemed to me at the time that it reeked of quality>>> but that was as a very young kid.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
Mike, that one is a 308. Shoots great, and fits like a glove. The action is different, but sturdy and simple. I think that rifles like these are leaning in the corners of closets all over the country taking a back seat to the "latest thing". jd
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
I'm currently building a 1903 sporter in an original Herters stock, simply classic lines and look. Building it as a gift for my father. Almost done with it!
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
It just needs cerakote, fitting of recoil pad and final assembly. But, receiver is a RIA, now wears a new CBI barrel, timney trigger, bedded stock, free floated, and will likely have the bolt, extractor and follower jewelled, too.
Here's a pic from about the halfway point still wearing the old barrel. Scope is a cheapie that was sitting around until a better one comes along.
Here's a pic from about the halfway point still wearing the old barrel. Scope is a cheapie that was sitting around until a better one comes along.
Attachments
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Forgot to add, the original barrel was a RF Sedgley, receiver was already d&t for weaver scope bases when I got it, someone had drilled it for a peep sight like an A3, has an A4 bolt, buehler 2 pos safety as well. Stock that came on it was split right down the middle, which was just fine by me, looked like someone whittled it with a dull knife between their toes.
I filled the holes on the rear bridge for the peep as it also had silver solder there, filled the front sight cuts on the new barrel, had to custom fit a new magazine door as the original was engraved by some hobbyist and has their initials (which dont match my dads), when switching to a timney trigger, the blade is about 2x wider than an original and needs to be opened up, also the stock inletting doesnt fit a timney. New Stock had chipped out at the rear tang sometime in the past and they tried to fix it with super glue and it sat above the stock line. Got that fixed right, relieved the stock around the rear tang when bedding, to prevent it in the future. It's been a fun project and dad is getting antsy to shoot it with me and my 1917 sporter I built.
I filled the holes on the rear bridge for the peep as it also had silver solder there, filled the front sight cuts on the new barrel, had to custom fit a new magazine door as the original was engraved by some hobbyist and has their initials (which dont match my dads), when switching to a timney trigger, the blade is about 2x wider than an original and needs to be opened up, also the stock inletting doesnt fit a timney. New Stock had chipped out at the rear tang sometime in the past and they tried to fix it with super glue and it sat above the stock line. Got that fixed right, relieved the stock around the rear tang when bedding, to prevent it in the future. It's been a fun project and dad is getting antsy to shoot it with me and my 1917 sporter I built.
I think you are well on your way to a beautiful build! Excellent job!!
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Once it's done, I will put it in the gun photography thread as well. Thanks!
In 1962 at the age of 16 I bought a sporterized surplus M1917 Enfield 30-06 for $50 from the S.S. Kresge 5 & 10 cents store. They sold regular surplus M1917 Enfields for $25. I also bought a surplus M1 Garand for $50 from them. The Sporterized M1917s were in rifle racks whereas the regular M1917s and M1 Garands were just piled on top of each other on large tables. Here is a picture of me back then holding the rifle, a rifle which I still have and shot at the range last fall.
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The first rifle I ever bought for myself was a .22LR from Sears. It was marked Glenfield, but was made by Marlin. It was a Model 60, but had a seven shot magazine fed from the bottom, instead of a tubular mag.
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