New old guns!

[Pitdog]

Well, I have done it. Christmas shopping caused me two bring home 3 guns. One is a VZ 24, with the crest partially obliterated- and the barrel is gone from the muzzle back about 8 inches. Excellent action, and I have a few barrel blanks laying around. No telling what a cold friday night, a cigar, and tackle box full of reamers might turn out. Woo hoo!

ALSO a co worker in an attempt to gather cash for another project of his- decided to get rid of an Enfield #2 7.62 for an EXCELLENT price, so I of course couldn't pass it up.

Finally! A bubbaed Arisaka in 7.7. been drilled and tapped- square thankfully with the correct base- the bolt handle though- not so much. Bore is a little dark, but overall ok. Box of Hornady 7.7 (Which is loaded in Prvi brass! ((didn't know this til I looked)) -) IF however it is a decent shooter, I plan on keeping it 7.7 after a crop of the barrel, a new bolt handle, and a stock- I want it for a whitetail hunter.

Wish me luck!

[gunsmoke]

I'm kind of shocked about the description of the condition of your VZ a few years back when AIM had them for under $100 I bought five they were so nice I bought another 25.

Bores bright all matching and tight as a Swiss Watch. They are reblued but they look unfired. Its a quality 98 action!

[Pitdog]

Well, I'd have never identified it as a VZ 24, if it weren't stamped on it. The one you are speaking of were great there a few years back. Now the well of good Mausers is drying up, so I catch one whenever I can for the right money in the right shape. I have a box for actions, and a list of projects. Get an action, it goes in the box and gets a project asigned to it.
If the barrel were any good at all, it would stay 8mm, but then I already have my 8mm project going, and it satisfies. If the Arisaka doesn't go well @ the range and I don't see good hunting accuracy- it will be an action too, probably that 7x57 I have been wanting to embark on for a while. Found a Timney trigger for an Arisaka in the basement a little while ago while bringing in extra bad weather firewood. Either way it will become a perfectly good rifle that is perfectly well used.
Got NATO brass in the tumbler now to load up some rounds for that #2, looking forward to seeing what it will do.

[gunsmoke]

Did you ever read P. O. Ackley's treatise on bolt action strength, He ran a series of tests to see what he had to create a catastophic filre (blow-up) different bolt actions.

He never could get an Arisaka to blow up all he did was melt brass. Impressive.

[Mr.B]

Its a shame about finding bubba'd up surplus rifles. But then again if you need a beater rifle to throw behind your truck seat or in the trunk of your car. Or even a rifle to take out hunting on a day with bad weather. They seem to fit the bill. There was an artical in Backwoodsman magazine about Carcano's and how they can be picked up cheap, Ive seen the Carcano Carbines at a local shop for $75.

-B

[Pitdog]

Depending on how Bubba'ed they are they can almost always be saved. This bolt handle is the original, cut and tack welded down, and the stock chopped off. Easy fix- Tig a decent handle on and put it in a decent stock. Everything else is elbow grease in getting the finish right. I DO like the 7.7 round, and I DO hope it shoots well enough to convince me a crop job would make it shoot even better (improving the crown/ reducing barrel length). I have a set of Williams sights to go on it to compliment it scoped.

Carcano is an interesting piece, had one in 7.35- and sent it on down the road. Never could get into them, also never got my hands on one that I considered 'real good.'

I do have a 7.5 French with no import stamps I'd wager was a Vietnam bring back- shoots GREAT (surprisingly to me) but no safety, however for a bad day hunt gun, if I had nothing else, I'd take it.