So... any of our members here have an interest in firearms?

Before &After
I really like this Ruger M77 only thing I did not like was the factory stock. I could never get a good sight picture or cheek weld looking through the scope without having to lift my head a bit. That always bugged me. I have a spare Mcmillan stock so I put it to good use. Along with the scope change problem solved

Get your finger off the trigger dude

I’m glad someone said it.
Four rules…

A Burris 2-7x32 Scout scope will arrive today for the M1A Scout Squad rifle. The rings don't arrive until Tuesday... I hate to wait. 🙁

There will be pics.

Just picked up my latest snag, an S&W 15-2 that should, IIRC, date to aprox. the mid 1960s. Absolutely cherry aside from several decades of dust, the faintest of turn lines, absolutely no fouling, and the DA is so stiff (albeit smooth) I'm not sure it's ever had more than a handful of rounds passed through it. I almost passed it up because it looked TOO nice at first, and I only collect 'shooters', but a really sweet offer from the seller and a spot of surface rust I finally noticed on the front sight ramp finally swayed me...though they didn't have far to sway...

*Hope to take better pics soon, over-eager as usual 😁 !



P.S. As a weird note only a WIS + movie buff would note, as a kid I loved 'Jaws' and practically watched it on loop. For years I've had an eye out for a really high grade Hamilton Lyndon CLD as Chief Brody wore in the flick - and driving home with this in the trunk today I realized: "Of all the hobbies to cross-up...I got Brody's gun before I ever found his watch!"

Ted Yost build on a S&W Model 13.

A Chuck Rogers/Drake’s Gun Works collaboration, and a Lou Biondo full build with golfball treatment from Chuck.

So here's an odd bird I picked up recently....a Winchester Model 1911SL. SL for self loader. Perfect Bluing, amazing stock. Not a mark on it, inside or out. Low 3 digit serial number, Made in 1911, the first year.

This Shotgun is nicknamed the "Widowmaker", because for Winchester to work around Browning's patents on his autoloader(the A5), Winchester had to do some crazy things like USE THE BARREL TO FEED THE AMMUNITION INTO THE CHAMBER. There is no handle on the bolt as this was one of the patented items by browning. You also had to push in the bolt stop on the reciever before you grabbed the barrel(see that knurled part?) to load the chamber. If you didn't, the bolt would follow the barrel back forward after loading and potentially cause a slam fire to occur. YIKES

They also couldn't use the Browning friction ring design to moderate recoil, so *bam* the bolt slams hard into the rear of the receiver every time, causing stocks to break early on, so Winchester started using laminated stocks to made them stronger(I think this is the first use of laminated stocks on a firearm).

Winchester made 85 design changes to try to improve it, but they couldn't change the fact that if you stood the butt on the ground to get better advantage to push the barrel down to load it, you ran the chance of blowing your head off every time.

So bottom line, this was the worst firearm Winchester ever made, with only 82,000 made over 14yrs. Compared to millions for just about everything else Win made.

So what's the good news? Well, its beautiful🥰....what else do you need, eh?

Totally Pro2A over here, but this one is just for the fun of it...

I agree on it being beautiful and as long as you do not have to use it - it is perfect! I too do have rifles and shotguns that are in line with that. I have them for "show" and because of nostalgia or beauty - not for go... I do however believe yours might have been "redialed" though. It would surprise me if that wood is original to the rifle. That does not change its beauty.

I highlighted a bit of your post above. Sticking my neck out here - it IS difficult to improve on (almost) perfection (the original Browning design). There is a lot to read about how the Browning "Auto 5" came to be - but 100 years of production sort of speaks for itself (designed in 1898 and patented in 1900).

My grandfather had an Auto 5 that he bought new in circa 1922-23 and it has played a big role in our family thru the years. There has been many hunting rifles and shotguns but that one was and is THE ONE. When I got the chance I bought one for myself - this is my 1925 FN, Browning, Auto 5. It has some scars but is fully functional and I use it as intended.

That doesn't stop people from trying!

Take the Model of 1911 or the M1911A1. The A1 changes make sense, not everyone has the same size hands, though it amuses me to see how many versions have a flat mainspring housing and long trigger. Better heat treatment means better steel, I'll give you that.

I can see upgrading sights though the A1 sights are perfectly adequate. Those huge beavertail grip safeties, what's with that? I don't need that sharp hook poking my ribs. And the fetish for damn near no clearance between frame and slide perplexes me.

Now, mind you, it's possible these things might be useful on a target pistol. On a carry gun... Browning made these things fit loose for a reason!

Stop molesting the design, it won't shoot any better and might fail you right when you ned it.

And get off my lawn!

I enjoy just about all aspects with firearms, shooting sports collecting firearms and hunting. Alot of very nice to beautiful firearms posted in this thread. Speaking for myself I enjoy gunsmithing and tinkering with firearms. My business and family take up a lot of my time. When I have a couple hours to spare, I resort to things that take my mind off life's daily grind.
This evening I recovered a cheek rest small feat however doing that took my mind off life's daily grind. It took a couple hours to accomplish this small task. It came out okay and I am pleased with the result. Now to tackle refinishing the thumb wheel. I could easily purchase another part that is no challenge

I would be inclined to leave it, looks fine, but that's less fun. 😀

I'd love to have a Browning Auto5.

My oldest brother had a Auto5 for Pheasant hunting. Fastest shooter in the field. Who knows what happened to it.

What a tragedy. Since he had no sons the shotgun was lost into the nether worlds.

My oldest son has my Dad's shotgun from the 1930's. His son will get some day

Damn, I'm gonna get one

My arms are geared towards defense as I don't hunt, etc. Used to shoot highpower across the course but never scored much above 300/500. Not having a useable right eye sure limits a person's choice in long gun if he doesn't want rounds in the face, and I don't. I was glad when Mossberg offered a left-handed 590, and now it wear wood furniture and a bayonet like a proper trench gun. Had to get a BAR sling for it, nothing else fit right.

I have debated getting a left-handed AR but I really want a Viet Nam-era gun and no one makes those uppers anymore, much, and not in left-hand. The closest you can get is a Stag Arms with a detachable handle. I thought about the Bula Defense left-handed M14, but I have a Ruger Gunsite Scout I bought many years ago that I still haven't shot....

I have 3 Browning A 5's this one was left in my duck boat the metal rusted big time There was about an inch of water in the bottom of my duck boat. The shotgun was left on the deck of the boat for several days. The shotgun was covered up with some boat cushions and left behind in the boat

One day I will tackle bringing it back to life. No hurry I like the A5's but given the choice in auto loaders I will go a field with a Remington 1100 every time Personal choice I like the 1100 over the A5