Any fellow lovers of freedom dispensers and boomsticks in here?

I don't know 'bout no one else, but all the Churches I go to always have some sort of yearly, semi-annually, or quarterly shooting event. Now, with this bein' a Baptist forum, there must be a couple fellow gun guys in here? Some guys collect coins. I happen to collect Old Hymnals, Truck Parts, and Guns!

Anyone have a favorite out of your collection? What is your favorite size for a boomstick? What is your oldest?

My favorites are:
--Czechoslovakian VZ58 (yes, I know the country doesn't exist anymore)
--Yugoslavian (Serbian now) NPAP

--My favorite boomstick and freedom dispenser size is 7.62x39. I can punch through a concrete highway barrier and cut down trees using it, so it works for me! And heck, you ain't gotta clean 'em near as much as those 5.56 boys.

Oldest:
1942 Mosin Nagant from USSR

 

Oldest? Model 96 Swedish Mauser stamped 1900.

 

The Swedish Mausers are the best of the type.

My biased opinion only. :)

 

Even the ones with receivers stamped Oberndorf? :D

I also like the history, I think they were the only nation that bought the cavalry carbine first, and the long infantry rifle second.

 

Of course. :)

One long gun that I have thought about buying is an M1867 Rolling Block. Probably will never get one, though. I like to shoot what I own, and 12.7x44R cartridges are non-existent. Dies and brass are rare, and to my knowledge, nobody produces them.

An interesting site to look at is Simpson, Ltd. http://www.simpsonltd.com/index.php?cPath=350_351_353&sort=2a&page=10 (link is to the first page of the Swedish guns.)

 

Yeah, those Rolling Block's were pretty ubiquitous at one point. I always like to see the American entries into the European arms, pre-WWII.

I've always been a big green fan, but would love to get a Russian contract Winchester 1895 musket. Nothing more American than a lever

 

For me, it is the Spencer. My Grandfather's Grandfather carried one in the Civil War.

 

Rob, have you ever seen this YouTube channel? They have some interesting old guns.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClq1dvO44aNovUUy0SiSDOQ

 

I was walking around DC with the family the other week, marveling that Spencer and Lincoln went out on the Mall and test fired one of those rifles.

 

Definitely not advisable now. :Wink

 

Yes. Firearms are rather a passion with me. Aside from a selection of 'modern' guns for specific purposes - or preferences - I collect infantry rifles from the First World War and 7.65mm pistols from roughly the same era.

By the way, I have a 6.5 Dutch carbine. No one makes ammunition for it, but I can form cases from British .303 brass with nothing more than a case trimmer and appropriate dies. Not sure about the 12.7x44R rounds, but I haven't looked much - I don't 'do' black powder.

Arms are fascinating history and as discussable - arguable - as current and older translations of the Bible. Usually more peaceful.