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

eugeneandresson

Some crazy beeeeeeeeeuwtiful issued 1911s here. I for some reason also feel its just wrong shooting land-fill guns. Must be solid steel (unless its a double stacked 1911, which can be forgiven for the grip, because they still shoot exceptionally, and the extra rounds may come in handy).

Found something local to me last year with not the best photos. Claim was ‘maybe unshot’, but the photos were bad, and it looked like it had a life.

But i went to look anyway…

And boy was i surprised.

A lowly series 80. But mint. The serial number dates it to ~1982.

The young guy i bought it from didn’t know how to disassemble it.

The bushing/spring cap had no marks on it.

He told me he had never shot it. He only had it for a year. I field stripped it. Was a bit worried about the bushing, as these have a collet bushing, which can be problematic if not treated with respect.

There were no marks on the black barrel…the barrel and bushing usually rub in/out of each other as the slide cycles…and that wears through to steel. Everything looked new. No wear here, not even marks. Mint++.

It came with its original box…and polystyrene inner! SN a match! No papers unfortunately.

It was a bit dry, and i was starting to think that maybe it was unshot. So i did a total disassembly…

All i saw was some red from light corrosion. If you have ever cleaned a firearm, you will know that no matter how much you clean it, the cleaning pads always come off with black residue. This came out without any black anywhere, just red, and I cleaned and oiled everything, intimately 😀 .

Story has it that it sat in a collection of 700+ firearms from a collector (i traced it to a large auction). To me it looks like it had never been wiped down/oiled - if one looks at the slide under direct sunlight, there is a slight stain in the blueing where it was handled) … it had also never been cleaned (and no gunpowder residue came up anywhere, all cleaning pads rusty red).

At least now its well oiled. I haven’t shot it. Not sure i ever will. Am i a fool?!

Thanks for reading!

Wryfox

For our UK members, I present an uncommon one over here in the states.

A BSA Martini International target rifle. 22LR

Has the optional Parker Hale sights. And the mounts for optics too.

29" HEAVY barrel. This puppy weights 15lbs.

Slick as dog poop action. What's very cool is the entire action is easily removed with that one fat screw on the side of the receiver. You can clean anything at that point and easily slide a cleaning rod through the rear chamber.

I have never in my life seen one of these, and I found it tucked away in a deep corner of an old gun shop. They didn't even remember they had it.

Date is approx 1953. The accuracy was the best in the business, and stellar still today. Each rifle had to produce THREE CONSECUTIVE sub 1" 10shot groups at 100 yards. That's incredible precision even today.

My eyes may never be able to shoot anywhere close to that but its a fine example of the best of UK target rifle craftsmanship.