Who hunts with an old rifle??? Say around a hundred years old?

My .30-06, Model of 1917 is getting right up there, as is Dad's Springfield... Both are fine guns, built for the first World War, and both were "sporterized" in the 1940's/1950's according to Dad. I've been shooting them most of my life and have hunted with both. Don't generally think of them as "old" but I guess they are getting that way. Dang.

My old springfield is still going strong!! 1-1/2 groups at 100 with the Lyman peep is the norm and it's my luck rifle.. Can hunt all season with little or no luck and break out gramp's "Betsy" and meat hits the freezer pretty quick.

My wifes grampa gave me the rifle. His dad bought it in a pawnshop in Seattle during the great depression.. He was one of eight kids living outa Republic. "Betsy" fed the family year round for many years.. Who knows how many hundreds of deer it's taken along with plenty of elk.

I love it!

Not for big game hunts, but my M94 Marlin 25-20 WCF is 100 years old this year. The barrel has been sleeved and it shoots cast bullets real well. It's pretty hard on small game, but makes a great "walk about", catch as catch can rifle.

I was left kind of a fancied up M94 made in 1927. It was my grandfathers.. and yes, Ive had to take it out and kill a deer with it now and again...
Ingwe

I've hunted with a springfield b4. It has a pre WWII zeiss with a 3/4" tube. I won't be hunting with it anymore until I get better optics on it. I'll need to get the bolt bent an a beulher safety installed.

I have a 1917 and two 1903's, built in 1918-1919. They are getting there, will be by the time my sons get them. My wife's Swedish Mauser is 100 years old this year.

I like some designs dating a centennial or better.

The Marlin 39 prolly topping that list.

I have a 1891 7.65 Argentine 16" carbine I use for a brush gun. I hope I'm in as good of shape and shootin' as straight after 118 years.

Of my Swedish Mausers, 4 are over 100 years old. This year, I shot my first deer with one, a Model 38 made in 1908. One shot at 60 yards using iron sights, and the buck dropped like a safe fell on him. It's truly amazing the quality and accuracy of those old rifles. I have also hunted with my Model 96 Swede, built in 1902, but no success yet.

It will be interesting to see what our "new" rifles look like in 100 years.

Daveman

1893 Mauser sporting "pleasure rifle" in 6.5x55 SE.

1890 Mauser Model 1988 in 8x57.

Remington Rolling block built circa 1882.

1899 Savage built 1914.

1873 Winchester in .44-40.

96 Swede and a 1874 Sharps

I've got a Winchester 92, 32-20 that was mfg. in 1915, that I've hunted with some for close range deer. Haven't shot anything with it yet and prefer my 92 trapper in .45 Colt for deer.
Virgil B.

I've got a Fox Sterlingworth made in 1911, so it's very nearly 100 years old; next in line is my 1927 vintage Winchester Model 54 in 30-06.

Just checked the serial number of my new Springfield 1903, numbers to 1906 so it's the new old man of the safe.

Not 100 years old but I have a couple of Remington model 14's I hunt with that were made in the early 20's.One has a Marbles tang sight and the other a Redfield receiver sight. Both shoot really well!

A buddy has a Krag carbine that he has used since he was boy. He kills his limit every year. I have a Savage 99 from 1917 and a Win 94 from 1896.
The Savage gets used regularly.

Sometimes hunt whitetail deer with a Winchester M92 38WCF, made in 1906.

If rifles designed over 100 years ago count, then I've killed lots of deer with rifles using M98 military actions/or in original configuration and also two 1903s, both US Rems made in 1942. One pretty much as-issued, one sporterized and scoped.

I have a Stevens Model 404 Match Target .22LR rifle on a 44 1/2 frame that my great-grandfather purchased in 1913. It comes with a JC Stevens 6x external adjustment scope, and will put match ammo into 3/8" at 50 yds every day. It is my precision squirrel sniper on nice days when I want to sit and be lazy and call the squirrels. Does that count?

Savage 1899 .303Sav built in 1903, all I can say is it still works!

my two oldies are a 1914 Watson Bros. .450/.400 double rifle and an 1896 Greener 16 ga. double. Both of them still hunt.

I have an old Remington M24 gallery gun, (.22 short only) and it's fun to take after squirrels and rabbits with it. I can barely see the sights sometimes, but it's still a ball to carry around.

I have hunted my Win model 94 made 1896, Swedish mauser M96s one from 1897 one from 1898, A lee Enfielf #1 Mk3 1915 which almost fits the bill. I have a custom built on a mauser 98 built 1900 but it is only the action original so really doesn't count. I am still in the market as I love the old rifles.

Randy

I have a 6.5 Swede that was made in 1917 and a .30/40 Krag made in 1902 that will be here next Wed.


The Swede is murder on deer and I expect the Krag will be too.

I wish my grandad would have left me his old deer killer. I have an awesome pic of him with all his hunting pards standing around a BIG buck he killed. Pretty cool stuff.

I have a couple that are over 100, an 1897 Winchester 12 ga., made in 1901 and a Model 1892 .25-20, made in 1906.

The '92 is a shooter but I don't overuse it. The '97 is shootable too but it's hanging over the fireplace.

I have hunted with both.

I also have a Springfield, 1868, 50-70 Trapdoor. I have not hunted with that one and don't plan to. The barrel took about a 30 year nap without being cleaned and the bore has a couple nasty pits. Too bad.

Yup.....how about a 1898 Mauser action with a sporterized stock?

Hunted with a 1900 Carl Gustav model 96 in 6.5X55mm.

My oldest hunting rifle is a 1956 Model 64 in 30/30, but my oldest hunting gun will be officially 100 years old this coming May 6.
Parker Bro's 16ga. VH grade SXS. My letter from the Parker Society says the order was take on Jan. 26, 09 and shipped May 6, 09. Cost $50.
I still use to old girl about once a year when I head into the grouse/woodcock woods. She's really doesn't show her age.

Thats a great picture JBMI.

An old rifle that I still hunt with is my Floyd Butler 1885 Winchester High Wall that was stocked and barreled by the master smith.

I have several over 100: a Model 1894 Winchester .25-35 rifle made in 1898, a Daly/Sauer hammer drilling 12x12x.30-30 amde in 1905, and an 1884 trapdoor Springfield .45-70 rifle. All have been hunted with.

Used to have a Winchester High Wall .45-70 made in 1906 and a Low Wall .32-20 made in 1887, but they got sold or swapped.

Just got another no-name hammer drilling similar to the Daly/Sauer that is from the same era, a 16x16x9.3x72R that needs to hunt this fall. Also have a German SXS double rifle that is getting close to 100 in 9.3x74R that has been hunted with.

My standard deer rifle is a 96 swede, not sure the date of manufacture. My number two rifle is a 1917 enfield, sporterized.

Once in awhile I find time to take an old original out hunting...













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Have an old Rem model 8 thats getting close

shrapnel, wonderful pictures!

Thanks!

I hunt with a few rifles that have 100 year old actions but I don't think that counts

Terry

hmmm .... none of those rifles have plastic stocks ... funny.

A hundred year old gun? I use a rifle built on a model 1909 DWM Mauser action. I don't know what the actual manufacture date was.

One thing I've noticed about hunting with and old, open sighted gun; you can shoot dinks and people will think it's cool!

Hunted part of a couple of seasons 2002-4) with a Burnside, taking a doe & losing another. That rifle is somewhat older than 100 years, close to 150 now. It is still very accurate, but it won't be shot much anymore.
Schrapnel, I enjoyed your pics!

I got a 96 Swede that's a 100 years old. One of the best shooting rifles I have. Will shoot the balls off a gnat anytime I want.

Not yet but this fall i will be using this Savage 1899 B in .303 Savage. It was gifted to me by my terminally ill Uncle. It used to be my Great Grandfather's and the seriel number dates it to 1907. I have since put a Williams FP peep site and Williams front fire site on it. I was also given thirty once fired brass and 5 boxes of factory ammo. The buttstock was broken badly and my Uncle made the current one from a blank of oak. Since receiving it a couple months ago i cannot quit taking it out of the cabinet and checking it over and over. If it could only talk. By far my proudest firearm. Great thread and great pics fellas!!!

My Model 96 Swede was produced in 1918...kinda doesn't count though 'cause it was sporterized by Kimber and wears a plastic stock!

Took a 1901 Savage out for antelope does and did quite well. It was reworked into a 250-3000 at some point, but it's a tack driver. Inherited it from the father-in-law and saving it for one of my boys, but it needs some field time when the hunting isn't too rough.

Otherwise I tend to stick to newer rifles that are between 60 and 90 years old.

I have a Marlin Model 39 with a low SN, a little over 2000. Likely made in the 20's or 30's. I've not nailed the year of manufacture down, but it is the octagon bbl w/case colored receiver. I learned to shoot with that gun and hunted rabbits, squirrels and varmints with it. Love that gun. It is not mint, but still works. Here is a pic of it, and then a pic of the Marlin 39A for comparison. I have both.

Some great rifles and shotguns pictured above!!!
Kudos to the owners!!!

Don

I have an original 1871 Swiss Vetterli, converted to centerfire I would love to try, but, the old sights are set for about a 400 yard zero and the 10.4mm (.429) bullet has a rainbow trajectory.

My best old rifle for hunting is a 1900 Swedish Mauser, by Obendorf, Arsenal converted to Mod 38 short rifle. Also have a 1898 standard Mod 96. If I were to have to take a long range shot with original sights, my Swiss 96/11 ( mod 1896 converted to 1911 standards for their then newer cartridge).

Shotguns, a 1910 vintage Husqvarna sxs hammer gun or a 1911 Parker GH.

Another US Model 1917 user here. I got mine from my FIL. He got it from my BIL who got it from someone in California. It looks like a home sporterized affair, but it still shoots great.

My oldests are a Remington 14 in .35 Rem. approx. 80 yrs.old and a Remington 720 68 years old. Neither are 100 but are defintitely old school.

Shot a buck in Michigan last Nov with a 1904, 94 sporterized 6.5x55 Swede. I have a 96 Swede that IIRC is a 1915 model, and a 1916 Danzig mauser in 30-06. All work perfect.

Shot a starling with my 1910 vintage model 1903 savage pump 22 the other day.
dan

I have an 1889 Remington double 12 ga. which I restored a few years ago. Going by the serial numbers the gun was built in 1893. I use a CZ .22 lr insert in the right barrel due to a bad pit in original chamber. 116 years old, but does it count as a rifle, a combination gun or a modern freak? Whatever, it's pretty cool when that rabbit-ear hammer drops and a tiny hole appears in the center of the 25 yard target.

I have a Winchester 1892 .44WCF that we returned to shooting shape.

Built in 1896.

I shot a box of cowboy action loads and the old gun put them where you look.

I will shoot a hog with it when the hay is cut this spring!

Bob

I killed a deer with a hundred year old Winchester in .32 WS. It has excessive headspace so that was the last shot I fired through it. Worked great! It was way cool to hunt sucessfully with my great uncle's old rifle, for sure.

I have a Winchester 94 that easily beats the 100 year mark. I usually put my name and address under the butt plate and when I went to do this, I found some gent had beat me to it. So I wrote him a letter to let him know where his rifle was, not having any idea that I would ever hear back from him. About two weeks later I got a letter from him saying that he had bought the rifle used in the 1930's and hunted deer with it. He sold it a good many years and about 800 miles ago. I think he was glad it had found a home with a hunter that plans on using it. I hunt deer in close with it.

I hunt deer every year with my 1953 (56 years old) Savage Model 99 "EG" in .300 Savage. It's my "regular" deer rifle.