how old?

[bowaholic]

What's the oldest gun you guys hunt with? I've taken my grandfather's Ithaca Deer Slayer out before and that's probably 40 years old.  what's the reason you use old guns? sentimental value? only gun you have? only gun you want?

[stoneam2006]

I hunted with a old Mosin nagant I bought bc it was a cool old rifle don't remember exact manufacturer date but I know it was older had cosmoline all over it really sucked to clean off but was a shooter...I've sence sold it to a buddy who sporterized it...

[Al Bundy]

My 12 gauge is only 32 years old. I use it because it shoots great, carries well, and looks nice to boot. Yes its weathered but who cares. Do I need to go drop a pile of cash for a new shiny one? No.

[turkeyfeathers]

My buddy hunts grouse and woodcock with a LC Smith side by side 20 gauge that turned a 100 years old this year. It's in pristeen condition too.

[mmkay]

Most of my guns were inherited for my father, uncles and grandfather. I regularly use the 1960’s marlin 35, a captured German 8 mm mauser converted to a sports rifle. On average, the guns I use the most are pushing 50 to 60 years old.

I also have a bunch of new bows, but will go back to a 1980's hoyt from time to time.....it killed deer in the 80's and still get the job done

[Fantail]

I have a Mossberg semi-22lr tube fed through stock - circa 1937. 

[ATbuckhunter]

I hunted with a 22 that was probably from the early 1900 before. The gun was still a tack driver!

[NYBowhunter]

I have a couple real nice modern day rifles that i have put away for now. In the last few years i have used my dads 50 year old 336 Marlin chambered in 35..in last couple years it has taken a buck, a doe and a bear..the reason well its my dads gun, its a tack driver, its short and compact (makes my treks up the mountain easier) and it packs a nice punch.

[Hock3y24]

First deer I shot with my dads ithaca deerslayer, about 40 years old, my shotgun is from the early 90s a rem 870 special field.

[Pygmy]

Two of the shotguns I use  are a Winchester M12 16 gauge made in 1936 and a Browning A-5 20 gauge made in the late 50s.

 

My centerfire rifles are all fairly recent,  vintage 1988 or later, except my Garand M1.

 

The reciever on the M1 is dated 1943. Since nearly all Garands  have been rebuilt, I don't know the vintage of the rest of the parts.

 

I have a number of other military rifles that date back as far as 1917, but I've never hunted with them.

[jjb4900]

I have an old Parker Bros. shotgun that was my Great Grandfathers......it's about 95 years old, and if it could talk, it could tell a few stories about killing deer with buckshot.

[BizCT]

Couples of Weatherby rifles from the 1960's made in Germany. They still shoot great.

[ants]

I have a Mossberg 500 that my dad (who didn't hunt) bought for me when I was about 14 or 15. About 35 years ago. I took a ton of game with it. The last time I took it out was around 8 years ago. I shot two pheasants  with it, over my old dog Rudy. It was one of the last times I hunted with him, before we had to put him down. I still have the gun and Rudy's collar.

[nyantler]

I sometimes use my Dad's old savage 12 ga. patterned after the Browning... it's about 60 years old and still looks like new.

[Mr VJP]

I hunt with this old Marlin 1893 in .30-30 just for fun sometimes.  It was made about 1922 or so.  It is very accurate and the 26" barrel really gets the most from modern rounds.  It really hunts well too as it's got good balance and a very slick action.

 

[jjb4900]

I hunt with this old Marlin 1893 in .30-30 just for fun sometimes.  It was made about 1922 or so.  It is very accurate and the 26" barrel really gets the most from modern rounds.  It really hunts well too as it's got good balance and a very slick action.

 

OldMarlin.jpg

that's a nice looking gun...sometimes the gun you take an animal with is more satisfying than the animal you take.