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Posted By: dubePA Scored a M64 today - 09/20/12
Fate, unusually good karma, God's will or whatever?

I seldom buy a daily paper these days, but for the Sunday paper. Hardly any ads in it now, especially firearms ads. Stopped at the grocery for some other things yesterday, grabbed a paper on a whim.

Never got around to reading most of it until bedtime and there's an ad for a M64 30-30 for $600 in a town about 20 minutes distant. Figured it'd be gone, but called this morning. Still available. Down there at warp speed, figuring for that money it has to have little finish left on the metal or some other "defects"?

Walked into the guy's house, bent down to fuss over his dog a bit. 'Bout crapped when the guy handed the M64 to me. Easily 95% or better condition and stiff enough that it's not been fired much (zero wear on loading gate). He bought it new in the mid 50s, hasn't hunted in over 20 years. Serial # indicates it was made in 1953.

No haggles on this deal, just handed him the cash, said thank you and ran away.

Been looking for one of these that I could afford, for many (many) years. My dad had a similar Winchester prior to being drafted in the summer of '41. Sold it to one of his buddies for a few bucks before he left the farm for basic. Could only be better, if the old devil was still around to shoot the rifle I picked up today.

Sure made my day. Stopped at the local Wally's on the way home, picked up some 150gr Core Lokts and headed for our gun club. It ain't gonna need much work before deer season. ;O)

Only glitches are the missing front sight hood, a few small dull spots on the buttstock and it's had swivels installed. The front one replaces the original mag tube plug, but he gave me the original plug.

Happiest ol' bastard in this town, this evening. ;O)
Posted By: Jeffrey Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/21/12
Congrats.


Now that we got that out of the way... PICTURES
Posted By: Joe Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/22/12
Good on you! I just love happy stories.
Posted By: Youper Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/22/12
Some days you eat the bear.
Posted By: dubePA Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/22/12
Yup. I generally ain't this lucky. So I figure an arm or leg may drop off any day now, to keep things reg'lar?

smirk

My software won't let me upload pics from my camera anymore for some reason. My M64 looks just like Mossyoak's 32 Special, except his Deluxe version has checkering and a slightly different pistol grip than mine. His front swivel attaches to the fore end cap; Mine attaches to the plug on the end of the mag tube

And mine doesn't have a Lyman sight....yet. But I'm holding out hope, since he only lives about an hour from me.

whistle
Posted By: gunswizard Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/22/12
An elderly gentleman that was a friend of my family asked me to stop by his house when he learned that I was going to gunsmithing school several years ago. He had some gunsmithnig books he wanted to give me. While in his study getting the books, I noticed a Winchester M/64 in a gun rack on the wall. That had been the old gents deer rifle for many years. I told him how much I appreciated Winchester rifles especially M/64's, I inquired if he would be interested in selling the rifle. He indicated he would but had no idea how much to ask and would have to get it appraised. The evening ended and I reminded him that I would be interested in purchasing his rifle once he established an asking price. Several months went by and one evening he called my family, I had returned to school in Colorado. He told my Dad that he would take $50.00 for his M/64. Dad called me in Colo to ask if he should purchase the gun for me. I told him to drop whatever he was doing and go get the gun. It remains to this day one of the Winchesters I am most attached to, mostly because of the circumstances surrounding its purchase.
Posted By: Mossyoak1957 Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/22/12
How many years is "several yeas ago"$50.00 WOW!!! You should go to jail for that!!!How can you sleep at night! Just kidding....good story
Posted By: gunswizard Re: Scored a M64 today - 09/23/12
My $50.00 M/64 purchase took place in the mid '70's. You'll note that the gentleman was a friend of the family, the payment was more of a token so as to not have given me the rifle free of charge.
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