Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires No serial number guns - love 'em or leave 'em?

I have a few pre-'68 .22's that were deemed "unworthy" of the expense of a serial number when they were made.
None of them suck.
Just picked up a Marlin 81 that is typical of the breed - a simple 1 lug bolt (handle root) given a basic blue job then stuffed in a very plain walnut stock, etc.
Looks like a '60's gun - Microgroove, tip off rail, plastic trigger guard.
My gut tells me its going to be a good shooter - under the powder grime the bolt looks well machined, the bore is as nice as any Microgroove barrel I've seen, even the trigger is pretty good for the old Marlins (my least favorite cheap trigger).

Got me thinking that there are plenty of the "plain Jane" guns out there that are going the extra mile for their owners.

If you've got a diamond in the rough, post it here. They deserve their 15 minutes of fame.

A 35 67 with a Wollensak 4x scope

Now that's cool oldschool - I've never heard of that scope before. What's it sitting on?

A 1935 Winchester 67

Thought so. Wasn't sure. Mine looks a lot different 'cause its naked on top.

Old single shot semi auto model 55, neat concept but I see why it didn't catch on. Thankfully I was able to find some old factory manuals online to help me break it completely down and give it a good cleaning.



An old 60a that was in bad shape, got it going again though

Single shot semi auto? Isn’t that sort of an oxymoron?

nope, winchester actually made one for several years. The thought was that kids wanted the coolness of a semi auto but parents wanted the safety of a single shot. Neat rifle and I'm glad to own it.

I have a Winchester 67 that belonged to my Grandfather's on my Mother's side that is set up with a Redfield peep sight and a Lyman 17 front sight, a poor man's target rifle. Despite the crappy trigger, it isn't a bad shooter.

I've also got a Winchester 67 made about 1936 W/grooved forearm.

I've refinished the stock with linseed oil, and cold blued to barrel/action.

My Dad had one of these from when he was a boy, and I always wanted one with the grooved forearm.

Found this one in a pawn shop for $100. and spruced it up a bit.

Sorry, I can't do pictures.

Virgil B.

I've got my great great uncles 67, I was told it was the farm gun and what they put the pigs down with. Has an really old grooved packmyar fitted pad on it, hard as a rock now. Don't know why that was necessary other than to help with slippage

I ran across a finger grooved one a couple months ago, but it was too far gone, marked about 150, butt plate cracked, newer/wrong screws in trigger guard, crown in poor shape.I passed.

Very cool! I didn't know that Wollensak made scopes. I have my Grandpa's Wollensak 250x microscope.

For those who aren't familiar, the Winchester 55 is a blowback single shot that fires from an open bolt.
The 'auto' part comes from it automatically ejecting the spent shell, leaving the chamber clear for the next round.
Mine is part of my stable of 'odd ducks' that includes the Stevens Visible Loader and Stevens 87(Gill Gun, Click-Clack).

I guess my favorite plain jane .22 would have to be the Remington 510. Adult proportions, built like a tank and pretty accurate.

I had one, gave it to my granddaughter. Got a great deal because it was "missing the magazine"...Still had the hang tag!

....missing the magazine..... Classic!

Someone say Click Clack?

Love my “click clack” and Win 67. Accurate and fun to shoot. Had a 1967 Marlin 99. Traded it off. Tried everything to make it run. Went as far as I was willing. Finally gave up. Taught me a lot about Marlin 60s.

Dad's old Steven's 86D was a real shooter when my eyes worked well. The bore is perfect, the outside, not so much. It was one heckuva gun in it's day. Dad practically wore it out market hunting rabbits back in the Depression, but it's still fun to shoot (and works fine with Shorts, Longs and Long Rifles) I made my first rabbit kill with it, and I think I whacked my first squirrel with it, too.


I've got it now, and shoot it now and then, but not very well, because my eyes won't let me. Can't scope it, no rail, and it's not worth d&t-ing.

Very fond of my Winchester 69A without serial number. Shoots very well but does not eject some of the euro ammo well. Does love eley though . 25" barrel makes it very quiet shooter with subsonic ammo.

I have a Remington Model 41 single shot .22. The barrel and action are actually made of one piece of steel. I've taken a lot of small game with that rifle.

I've got an old Savage 23AA with a 1 piece barrel and action. Don't remember if it has a serial number or not, but I don't think so. Lost a lot of blue but its still a fine, accurate rifle. If I ever have the disposable $$$ I may send it to Turnbull for restoration. Been thinking about it for a while actually.


https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...3aa/Search/true/savage-23aa#Post13438126

Kragman sir that is one gorgeous 23aa.Serial # should be on the right side.Between the bolt handle and ejection port.
I have a 23a I'm working on now.Have a mint Lyman 6x that I got on here.I plan on mounting that.Will use black loctite for the bases.Dont want to devalue gun.Mine is the one in the top pic.Had my choice of either.

Thanks Old school. Shoots nice too!

As soon as I can find the time (and borrow some equipment time) I intend to make up a brass 1/4 rib to span the rear sight dovetail and the peep sight holes on top of the "receiver". Bought some nice blued Tasco (Australia made so I'm guessing Hillver) rings that mount on a bottom post.

The taper makes it trickier than it sounds - I'll probably have to make an undersized mock wooden "action" to mount coarse emery on and "form grind" the bottom of the rib to match the rifle.
And I just never have the time...

I wish posting pictures here wasn't such a PITA. I've got some nice ones of the old Model 67 Winchester my dad got in the latter 1930's. It's one of the early models with the grooved forearm. That thing's had so many rounds through it that the trigger now breaks at about 8 ounces from the wear on the sear. Got a replacement sear to put in it someday. Still accurate enough to surprise young people who think old guns don't shoot. They made Model 67's until 1963..... 1964 to 1967 Winchester had a single shot called the Model 121. Got one of those also, but it's an entirely different design and not as good. Rarely shoot that one because they used some thin metal stampings for claw extractors and other parts of the safety and those things wear out and replacements are getting hard to find. They weren't produced in those 4 years anywhere close to the amount of model 67 production that began about 1934 or 35 IIRC . But at least the Mod. 121 has a grooved receiver for easy scope mounting. And of course neither one has a serial number. Also have a Model 1922 Savage in 22 lr only that was a transition model from the Model 19 series to the Model 23 series. Didn't know what it was when I bought it... Thought it might be a 23A but wasn't marked as anything; not even Model 1922. Had to do some research on that one. And Savage was serial numbering those back then. Even though lots of those old pre-1968 .22's weren't serial numbered.

Kragman1: I just checked the online and hard copies of my firearms inventory and I have 13 (thirteen) firearms with NO serial numbers.
They include:

Mossberg Model 183KC (410 bolt action shotgun)
Remington Model 510 (22 bolt action)
Remington Model 514 (22 bolt action)
Winchester Model 67 (22 bolt action)
Winchester Model 69 (22 bolt actions)
Winchester Model 72 (22 bolt actions)
Winchester Model 37 (16 gauge single shot)

I do NOT seek out firearms with no serial numbers in fact I wish ALL the firearms I own had "identifying" serial numbers!
It would save me from having to install secret witness marks on these arms to help identify them should that remotely possible need arise.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Curious as to what you are referring to - items being stolen, or what?

I seem to recall that you posted a while back about purchasing rifles with no-papertrail.

drover

Here's the rifle from the original post - just took it home tonight and put the Weaver Medalist on it. They are a good match.
This rifle is very clean except for a bunch of heavy rust in the ammo carrier on the end where it feeds up towards the chamber. Don't know if it will feed cartridges without being stripped and/or repaired.

Hoping to shoot it tomorrow, even it its just single shot. The bore is perfect - it should shoot.


https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/14230406#Post14230406

Obama said he will take all non serial numbered guns and melt them down. Then donate the metal to China.

If you have one that someone ground the serial number off of... that is a huge no-no... leave it

Drover: Its simple -"I" want to know specifically which guns are mine under any and ALL circumstances.
Thus my placing the witness marks on said arms.
I don't especially want the government on any level knowing which guns are mine!
I contend it is none of their business.
I actively and often seek out and buy firearms (Rifles, pistols and shotguns) that governments on any level don't have any idea I bought them.
By the way, you may not be aware, but this policy/philosophy of mine is rather widespread in the gun owner community!
Sheesh.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Spotshooter: You are partially correct!
I have (and legally bought and own) a mint perfect High Standard Supermatic Tournament with 6 1/2" factory heavy barrel that "someone had ground the serial number off"!
It took me nearly three years working with the owner (John Pinto of Pinto's Gunshop in Kent, Washington) of my local gunshop at the time) to get the A.T.F. to stamp a new serial number on the Supermatic Tournament!
This A.T.F. stamping took place back in 1993 and the new serial number is 93000000XX- I assume that this was the XX'th firearm to be re-stamped in 1993?
I have seen several people (criminals!) charged with felonies for possessing firearms with the serial number "ground off" - that is serious business.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

JC Higgins 22 LR model 30 and 36. The rifle me and my 6 brothers learned to shoot
Cleaned up and refinshed. They do shot well