How about some pics of real working guns,you know......

..the ones I mean that show they've been afield,had many a hunt under their belts with worn bluing/dings which gives them character..not the purdy ones that spend their entire lives in a safe and get polished like a new car.

OMG!!!!!!

Don't worry. Cleans right up..

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Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco

... Dat ain't no Kalashnikov!

I've used this one a bit.

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I try Not to drag 'em through the mud!

Rifles? This one gets the most love. Even trumps the AR these days.

Bumblebee:
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Travis

I'm guessing this one has been afield most years over the last 66. Not much blue left, but it still hits what it's fired at.

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Here's my old go to for ducks and geese a vintage Ithaca 600 Mag that's never let me down in 30 yrs..drug through the snow,mud and below freezing temps and refuses to quit.Told my son I would come back to haunt him if he restores it when I finally check out!

FFF,

That is an awesome shotgun sir!

Great pics.

Travis

Everyday "Truck Gun"

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Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem

..the ones I mean that show they've been afield,had many a hunt under their belts with worn bluing/dings which gives them character..not the purdy ones that spend their entire lives in a safe and get polished like a new car.

It honestly would be hard for me. I try to use a different rifle each year. NONE are babied.
This particular shotgun gets the most use. Springtime is sees part time duty in the turkey woods. Fall it goes pheasant hunting and with the scoped Hastings barrel, it hunts deer very well, and it the winter, it hunts rabbits. It's an 870 super-mag. Most "all around" gun I own.

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Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem

Here's my old go to for ducks and geese a vintage Ithaca 600 Mag that's never let me down in 30 yrs..drug through the snow,mud and below freezing temps and refuses to quit.Told my son I would come back to haunt him if he restores it when I finally check out!

nope don't touch a thing.
Not even a fresh layer of tape!

One of my favorites through the years has been this Marlin Mountie:

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good ones Mr Lee
I just cringe, thinkin about daily carry with a belt clip.

With my luck...

But it appears it works great for you.

Clip it inside my pocket like a knife, no problems. Also put it in a pocket holster if not wearing jeans (that is RARE).

Great pics fellas! If these could only talk what stories they would tell.

Keep em coming.

Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco

gotta love gumbo

closest ive got to a hard used working gun so far.....but im young yet give me time

Ruger 10-22 ive had since high school.....many many thousands of rounds and untold numbers of gophers and rabbits plus a couple of foxes and a coyote....

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Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco

Don't worry. Cleans right up..

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OMG!!!!!!!!

Nice looking trout water.

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[/quote]

Thanks, that was just outside of Wisdom Montana.

I stopped to catch some trout. Then the ground squirrels needed thinning. Great afternoon.

I followed it up with a couple of cool ones in the bar. The bar has old handguns hanging on the walls.

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1'st pic is nearly on the Canadian Border, the 2nd not far from Mexico.

Forgot about this one, that damned old 28's killed a boat-load of birds.

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Originally Posted by Rancho_Loco

Dang, that picture could have been taken by me or my dad 10,000 times. I need another Model 12.

I guess my working gun qualifies as having "been afield". You wouldn't be that interested in all my old spray painted stuff.

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Grandad's 30 WCF

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My 30/06 Springfield

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Archie, weren't you a teenager when those things were new? The old Winchester I mean.

This one has a lot of miles on it over the last 26 years. It's killed an awful lot of grouse and woodcock.

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.270Win:

It's not in this pic, but I used it:

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There's more but you get the idea.

300Win:

[img]http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o242/Horsaca/Hunting%2011/P1200019.jpg[/img]

dude.. your bucks given ya the rasberrys!

Originally Posted by ColsPaul

dude.. your bucks given ya the rasberrys!

I made him pay for it too. (grin)

ColsPaul, I think it tried to french him and he got offended, had to take the queer deer out of the gene pool.

Originally Posted by Kamerad_Les

Archie, weren't you a teenager when those things were new? The old Winchester I mean.

Nope Less it predates me by about thirty or so years as Winchester says it was made in 1907 or 1908. When it came out of the Winchester Shop I wasn't even a gleem in my mothers eyes.

Was wondering when you'd catch that, figured you would just relight and toss back in my general direction, but nnoooooo, you had to put it out.

the 7x57...on the job...

7x57:

Note the piebald peppering:

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Lovin' it!

My EDC, and has been for many years.

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Colt's Lightweight Commander .45 ACP; Kramer Pro-Line horsehide holster; McCormick 8 round mags; Milt Sparks mag pouch.

L.W.

No need to have a 'dirty gun'! Guns are on battleships BTW!!

This one is only a couple years old and still in the break-in phase.

Month ago.
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This one is about 15 years old and is pretty much broke in.

Today, fencing/truck gun.
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And of course it doubles as a horse gun.

Few years ago.
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Those are some lovely guns, ladies.

Here's a real working gun. Bought used off a competitive trapshooter more than 30 years ago. I shot a little trap with it and used if for several years with the original 30" Full. Even killed my first deer with it using that barrel. Carried it in the rain, dropped it out of a tree once, it's seen a hard life. It was my Do-All for many years. It has easily passed 2 tons of lead through it's muzzle.
My favorite part of it is the stock. The original owner used shims to adjust the drop, which turned out not to be such a good idea as the stock has chipped because of it. But the fat stock is very comfortable to shoot. Sabot slugs off a bench are no problem with it. The weight is about perfect, coming in around 10lbs scoped for deer.

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In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon was a homeless waif of 11, living in filthy squalor in a barn on a ramshackle ranch a few miles southeast of Lander Wyoming. My parents, who were childless at the time, paid the rancher $50.00, took the boy from the ranch and informally adopted him as their own. The family soon found employment at Torrey Lake Ranch, near Dubois, where they lived until 1942.

After being homeschooled to an 8th grade level, Earl spent his teenage years working as a cowboy on several Dubois area ranches. In 1940, he enlisted in the Navy and spent all of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. A career Navy man, he also served throughout the Korean conflict. He died tragically in 1956 while still serving his country.

After a summers work on the Double Diamond ranch near Dubois, Earl accepted this rifle as partial payment of wages. He made the scabbard himself and carried the rifle on his saddle for the remainder of his years as a cowboy. When Earl enlisted in the Navy, he left the rifle with his foster father , who then passed it to me, his son . I used the rifle for hunting occasionally, the last time in 2009, harvesting a bull moose only a mile or so from the old Double Diamond ranch. I also shot it quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette.

The rifle is an 1886 Winchester, caliber .33 WCF, made in 1907 and shows the scars of years in the saddle and in hunting camps.

Last Summer, my wife and I donated the rifle, the scabbard and a pair of Earls spurs to the Lander Pioneer Museum. The Museum was very happy to receive the items, and made them a central part of their cowboy memorabilia. There was a nice article in the local paper about the donation, which brought about a truely astonishing event .

Soon after the article was published, I received a call from an elderly lady who told me she had known Earl and wanted me to come over, which I did. It turned out that she, Marie, had been Earls first love, his girlfriend all during his cowboy days in Dubois. He had proposed during the war, but she had turned him down, something she said she had regretted over the years. She gave me some pictures taken of him and his group of friends back in the 1930's and when he was home on leave in 1942. Marie is now my only link to my beloved foster brother, I left her home with tears in my eyes. These are the things that can only happen in small town America.

Here are some pix of the rifle:

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Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem

..the ones I mean that show they've been afield,had many a hunt under their belts with worn bluing/dings which gives them character..not the purdy ones that spend their entire lives in a safe and get polished like a new car.

[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/ASHandLNHDec2009SnowandDuckPics050.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/...a/ASHandLNHDec2009SnowandDuckPics003.jpg[/img]

Same shotgun in all pics.

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[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/birddown/hunt/LNHlayout1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n29/birddown/hunt/lnhlayout2.jpg[/img]

Originally Posted by T LEE

So, you ever going to get started breaking it in, or what?

That's too purty...

Originally Posted by jnyork

In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon was a homeless waif of 11, living in filthy squalor in a barn on a ramshackle ranch a few miles southeast of Lander Wyoming. My parents, who were childless at the time, paid the rancher $50.00, took the boy from the ranch and informally adopted him as their own. The family soon found employment at Torrey Lake Ranch, near Dubois, where they lived until 1942.

After being homeschooled to an 8th grade level, Earl spent his teenage years working as a cowboy on several Dubois area ranches. In 1940, he enlisted in the Navy and spent all of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. A career Navy man, he also served throughout the Korean conflict. He died tragically in 1956 while still serving his country.

After a summers work on the Double Diamond ranch near Dubois, Earl accepted this rifle as partial payment of wages. He made the scabbard himself and carried the rifle on his saddle for the remainder of his years as a cowboy. When Earl enlisted in the Navy, he left the rifle with his foster father , who then passed it to me, his son . I used the rifle for hunting occasionally, the last time in 2009, harvesting a bull moose only a mile or so from the old Double Diamond ranch. I also shot it quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette.

The rifle is an 1886 Winchester, caliber .33 WCF, made in 1907 and shows the scars of years in the saddle and in hunting camps.

Last Summer, my wife and I donated the rifle, the scabbard and a pair of Earls spurs to the Lander Pioneer Museum. The Museum was very happy to receive the items, and made them a central part of their cowboy memorabilia. There was a nice article in the local paper about the donation, which brought about a truely astonishing event .

Soon after the article was published, I received a call from an elderly lady who told me she had known Earl and wanted me to come over, which I did. It turned out that she, Marie, had been Earls first love, his girlfriend all during his cowboy days in Dubois. He had proposed during the war, but she had turned him down, something she said she had regretted over the years. She gave me some pictures taken of him and his group of friends back in the 1930's and when he was home on leave in 1942. Marie is now my only link to my beloved foster brother, I left her home with tears in my eyes. These are the things that can only happen in small town America.

Here are some pix of the rifle:

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jeez,.....just had to post this song.
What a "One hell of a story" you just laid down

Thanks ,

GTC

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jnyork, wow what a story. Thanks for sharing it. GRF

Washington State Patrol Model 12

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Great story and a beautiful old treasure you have there!

My M700 .270win. gets used a lot when I don't want to tear up my nicer pieces. It spends a lot of time on the atv gun rack.

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My dads Marlin .30-30 has some character marks too.

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I bought this 760 new in '77. It's been used in rain for a week, snow, and sleet. High Brass owns it now. That's his buck.
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Originally Posted by jnyork

In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon was a homeless waif of 11, living in filthy squalor in a barn on a ramshackle ranch a few miles southeast of Lander Wyoming. My parents, who were childless at the time, paid the rancher $50.00, took the boy from the ranch and informally adopted him as their own. The family soon found employment at Torrey Lake Ranch, near Dubois, where they lived until 1942.

After being homeschooled to an 8th grade level, Earl spent his teenage years working as a cowboy on several Dubois area ranches. In 1940, he enlisted in the Navy and spent all of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. A career Navy man, he also served throughout the Korean conflict. He died tragically in 1956 while still serving his country.

After a summers work on the Double Diamond ranch near Dubois, Earl accepted this rifle as partial payment of wages. He made the scabbard himself and carried the rifle on his saddle for the remainder of his years as a cowboy. When Earl enlisted in the Navy, he left the rifle with his foster father , who then passed it to me, his son . I used the rifle for hunting occasionally, the last time in 2009, harvesting a bull moose only a mile or so from the old Double Diamond ranch. I also shot it quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette.

The rifle is an 1886 Winchester, caliber .33 WCF, made in 1907 and shows the scars of years in the saddle and in hunting camps.

Last Summer, my wife and I donated the rifle, the scabbard and a pair of Earls spurs to the Lander Pioneer Museum. The Museum was very happy to receive the items, and made them a central part of their cowboy memorabilia. There was a nice article in the local paper about the donation, which brought about a truely astonishing event .

Soon after the article was published, I received a call from an elderly lady who told me she had known Earl and wanted me to come over, which I did. It turned out that she, Marie, had been Earls first love, his girlfriend all during his cowboy days in Dubois. He had proposed during the war, but she had turned him down, something she said she had regretted over the years. She gave me some pictures taken of him and his group of friends back in the 1930's and when he was home on leave in 1942. Marie is now my only link to my beloved foster brother, I left her home with tears in my eyes. These are the things that can only happen in small town America.

And here's to EHG

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JNYork and Crossfire. You just made my eyes leak. What a story. God bless old cowboys, present and past. RIP Mr. Osbon.

kwg

Crossfire, thanks for the tune, I had not heard that one before.

Originally Posted by elkhuntinguide

Going by the leg covered in ACU in the corner, M24.

Have you seen what is replacing it?

Introducing the M24E1 or XM2010 chambered in 300 Win Mag.
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Already in use.

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Originally Posted by jnyork

Crossfire, thanks for the tune, I had not heard that one before.

My "Double Diamond" was a little further North and West,...basically the same experience, graced with the same sad sense of living out the "End of an era".

Lots these days wouldn't KNOW what a "Double Diamond" is, much less be able to throw one.

I'd be tickled to send you some CDs of more of Tyson's tunes, Se�or.

GTC.

Originally Posted by jnyork

In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon was a homeless waif of 11, living in filthy squalor in a barn on a ramshackle ranch a few miles southeast of Lander Wyoming. My parents, who were childless at the time, paid the rancher $50.00, took the boy from the ranch and informally adopted him as their own. The family soon found employment at Torrey Lake Ranch, near Dubois, where they lived until 1942.

After being homeschooled to an 8th grade level, Earl spent his teenage years working as a cowboy on several Dubois area ranches. In 1940, he enlisted in the Navy and spent all of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. A career Navy man, he also served throughout the Korean conflict. He died tragically in 1956 while still serving his country.

After a summers work on the Double Diamond ranch near Dubois, Earl accepted this rifle as partial payment of wages. He made the scabbard himself and carried the rifle on his saddle for the remainder of his years as a cowboy. When Earl enlisted in the Navy, he left the rifle with his foster father , who then passed it to me, his son . I used the rifle for hunting occasionally, the last time in 2009, harvesting a bull moose only a mile or so from the old Double Diamond ranch. I also shot it quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette.

The rifle is an 1886 Winchester, caliber .33 WCF, made in 1907 and shows the scars of years in the saddle and in hunting camps.

Last Summer, my wife and I donated the rifle, the scabbard and a pair of Earls spurs to the Lander Pioneer Museum. The Museum was very happy to receive the items, and made them a central part of their cowboy memorabilia. There was a nice article in the local paper about the donation, which brought about a truely astonishing event .

Soon after the article was published, I received a call from an elderly lady who told me she had known Earl and wanted me to come over, which I did. It turned out that she, Marie, had been Earls first love, his girlfriend all during his cowboy days in Dubois. He had proposed during the war, but she had turned him down, something she said she had regretted over the years. She gave me some pictures taken of him and his group of friends back in the 1930's and when he was home on leave in 1942. Marie is now my only link to my beloved foster brother, I left her home with tears in my eyes. These are the things that can only happen in small town America.

Here are some pix of the rifle:

[Linked Image]

I believe we have a winner in the cool story/cool working gun catagory. Awesome story, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by troutfly

I believe we have a winner in the cool story/cool working gun catagory. Awesome story, thanks for sharing.

Concur on the wonderful story, and thank you for sharing Mr. York, but EHG wins for "working" gun. He was hunting more than deer with that rifle.

Originally Posted by troutfly

Originally Posted by jnyork

In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon was a homeless waif of 11, living in filthy squalor in a barn on a ramshackle ranch a few miles southeast of Lander Wyoming. My parents, who were childless at the time, paid the rancher $50.00, took the boy from the ranch and informally adopted him as their own. The family soon found employment at Torrey Lake Ranch, near Dubois, where they lived until 1942.

After being homeschooled to an 8th grade level, Earl spent his teenage years working as a cowboy on several Dubois area ranches. In 1940, he enlisted in the Navy and spent all of World War II in the Pacific Theatre. A career Navy man, he also served throughout the Korean conflict. He died tragically in 1956 while still serving his country.

After a summers work on the Double Diamond ranch near Dubois, Earl accepted this rifle as partial payment of wages. He made the scabbard himself and carried the rifle on his saddle for the remainder of his years as a cowboy. When Earl enlisted in the Navy, he left the rifle with his foster father , who then passed it to me, his son . I used the rifle for hunting occasionally, the last time in 2009, harvesting a bull moose only a mile or so from the old Double Diamond ranch. I also shot it quite a bit in Metallic Silhouette.

The rifle is an 1886 Winchester, caliber .33 WCF, made in 1907 and shows the scars of years in the saddle and in hunting camps.

Last Summer, my wife and I donated the rifle, the scabbard and a pair of Earls spurs to the Lander Pioneer Museum. The Museum was very happy to receive the items, and made them a central part of their cowboy memorabilia. There was a nice article in the local paper about the donation, which brought about a truely astonishing event .

Soon after the article was published, I received a call from an elderly lady who told me she had known Earl and wanted me to come over, which I did. It turned out that she, Marie, had been Earls first love, his girlfriend all during his cowboy days in Dubois. He had proposed during the war, but she had turned him down, something she said she had regretted over the years. She gave me some pictures taken of him and his group of friends back in the 1930's and when he was home on leave in 1942. Marie is now my only link to my beloved foster brother, I left her home with tears in my eyes. These are the things that can only happen in small town America.

Here are some pix of the rifle:

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I believe we have a winner in the cool story/cool working gun catagory. Awesome story, thanks for sharing.

I'll heartily second that!!! Great story and with Crossfires' musical addition (his taste in music is fantastic imo) I can't imagine how this thread could get better. But that's why I love the 'fire..'cause it often does.

Taken this one out several times, finally scored a dink with an hour to go in the hunt. Sure wish I knew what that brand of "16 Co" on the side panel means. It's a 1899A SR in 303 Savage from 1920.

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Originally Posted by Winnie1300

Originally Posted by elkhuntinguide

Going by the leg covered in ACU in the corner, M24.

Have you seen what is replacing it?

Introducing the M24E1 or XM2010 chambered in 300 Win Mag.
[Linked Image]

Already in use.

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speaking of M24s ...

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Originally Posted by FlyboyFlem

Here's my old go to for ducks and geese a vintage Ithaca 600 Mag that's never let me down in 30 yrs..drug through the snow,mud and below freezing temps and refuses to quit.Told my son I would come back to haunt him if he restores it when I finally check out!

Badass!

Originally Posted by jnyork

In 1933, Earl Ozel Osbon

Incredible all around. Thanks so much for sharing that.

This 16ga SXS is photogenic. In person it looks like that 20 footer at the end of the bar, come daylight.

I use it as much as all my other guns, combined.

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How not to treat a Bennilli!! Or any gun for that matter. They are tools, maybe someone should have cleaned it on occassion!

Here is a 102 year old American beauty.

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A couple of other well-aged firearms

[img]http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww184/Fishnfowler/12-11-11025.jpg[/img]

That's a great tear jerker story Mr York!

don't know why but the 33 Win and the 40/65 just talk to me for some reason.. and I've never owned either calibers..

Keep her in the truck ready for action.

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My favorite trout gun.

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Travis

A couple of hand me downs from yesteryear I still hunt with to honor their memory.My grandfather's Parker DH grade 16ga S/S and my FIL's Savage/Fox 20ga S/S.

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Purchased these years ago and are still my hunters for Teal,Pheasants and quail.Belgium 20ga 3" A5 and very low serial # Ruger Red Label 20ga 3"

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Originally Posted by Sakoluvr

Keep her in the truck ready for action.

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That'll buff right out.

I kinda have a thing for this old Ruger 77 in 250 Savage. It just gets the job done without any fanfare what so ever.
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My uncles old H&R 929. It needed some TLC as it was a little rusty and pitted, so I tore it down and Parkerized it.
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before
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after

Lynne and I's carry guns. Star Firestars in 9mm (blued) and 40s&w (starvel)
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Originally Posted by Sakoluvr

Keep her in the truck ready for action.

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OK enough stalling....what is the story behind it?

I don't know what the story is but man that's just criminal. I thought I was hard on my guns but some of these things even I wouldn't do to a gun.

A couple each of my favorites.I love the rifle/pistol combinations!

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Jayco

Originally Posted by Sakoluvr

Keep her in the truck ready for action.

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Okay, dood. Spill the beans on the rust gun's backstory already.

Originally Posted by SamOlson

And of course it doubles as a horse gun.

Few years ago.
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Say, Sam, is that a bottle of factory ammo stickin' out of the saddlebag, or some of your home-made stuff?

That rusted marlin has me rolling. Must have the story on that one.

Lotta nice workin' guns here for sure. IME, it's hard to top an 870 SPS-T when it comes to gettin' it done....

Jeff ingwe ain't gonna like that Bubba on a scatter gun

BTW nice 870..

What? Just some hard use. This is a working gun thread, ain't it?

I did stream assessment and fisheries work for years (office biologist now). My buddy found it in the bottom of a creek below a bridge. Guessing it was stolen and dumped. He knows I am loony, and gave it to me. Makes for some good humor, especially at deer camp.

A little kroil and 4 "0" steel wool..............who knows?