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Favorite Rifle?

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  • MTA

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    Fannin
    My German 98k mauser that I got at an estate sale in Houston. I bought it and then took it to the range. No adjustments or anything and I was blasting away a 12x12 inch steel plate at 200 yards.
    DK Firearms
     

    Mad John

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    Jan 15, 2019
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    My go to is a modern tactical style bolt action hands down. Long range shooting is my current passion.

    I like all types of rifles and history but they just don't grab me like a bolt gun.

    I would like to know more about your firearms collecting courses though. Is this a history class or a course to teach people to collect? I know they are tied together but what is the main goal?
    I teach an open forum type class. The basic or introduction course is on beginning collection. A discussion on personal likes or types of firearms and periods of history without getting into specific individual guns. How to go about getting started without getting burnt.
    Then to the firearms of particular periods or historic events and their applications. Manufacturers their history and development. Colt, Remington, Winchester... etc.
    On to hand guns of those types with details of what to look for.
    The class or discussion on fakes versus reproductions and how to recognize what IS and what IS NOT.
    Military arms (US) muskets versus rifles / carbines and their places in time.
    Then it it gets in depth with actual pieces and their assembly and care ( like 1873 Trapdoor Springfield) and so on.
    I usually provide examples from my collections for students to handle and get the feel for the addiction as it were.
    Here is a quick peek looking through the door to my sanctuary ..... John
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    Dawico

    Uncoiled
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    I teach an open forum type class. The basic or introduction course is on beginning collection. A discussion on personal likes or types of firearms and periods of history without getting into specific individual guns. How to go about getting started without getting burnt.
    Then to the firearms of particular periods or historic events and their applications. Manufacturers their history and development. Colt, Remington, Winchester... etc.
    On to hand guns of those types with details of what to look for.
    The class or discussion on fakes versus reproductions and how to recognize what IS and what IS NOT.
    Military arms (US) muskets versus rifles / carbines and their places in time.
    Then it it gets in depth with actual pieces and their assembly and care ( like 1873 Trapdoor Springfield) and so on.
    I usually provide examples from my collections for students to handle and get the feel for the addiction as it were.
    Here is a quick peek looking through the door to my sanctuary ..... John View attachment 160706 View attachment 160707 View attachment 160708
    That sounds like a very interesting and educational class.

    Thank you for the info.
     

    leVieux

    TSRA/NRA Life Member
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    Some advice from this old ex-Family Doc: Anyone who has a significant collection should have it well catalogued, including multiple photos of each piece, NRA condition scoring, individual piece histories if available, appraisals, etc. That way, when one dies, surviving Family members would have a much easier time deciding how to dispose of it. It would be very helpful if one would also leave names & contact info on potential buyers or trusted brokers. No one could do this better than the actual collector. One collector had an affinity for a certain type & brand of rifle, a few of which were still intermittently being produced. When he died, the Widow had no idea how to handle the collection. I have seen very expensive pieces sold to "predators" for absurdly low prices. leVieux
     

    deemus

    my mama says I'm special
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    "Favorite" is very different from best or most useful or any other criteria. It calls to the heart and nowhere else.

    My favorite is the Remington Nylon 66 in Apache Black that I inherited from my mother.

    I used to shoot my buddies when we were kids. It was accurate and just very cool back then. I guess the first non-wood gun I ever shot.

    Someone stole it from him during a burglary. I wanted to buy him one to replace it, but they were $500+ every time I looked.
     

    Mad John

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    Jan 15, 2019
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    Great looking display setup.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Thanks, Buddy!
    I have more but have caught alot of flak for sharing else where. Over fifty years of collecting and study not to mention considerable expense and setting priorities.It is my life's passion and they do talk to me. I have worked on countless hundreds of guns and weapons. I consider myself blessed to be able to do so. My wife thinks what I do is amazing but confusing too. I have been urged to take on an apprentice to mentor.That is why I teach and give seminars locally on the antique gun hobby. Nobody wants to learn or spend the time to do things correctly. Oh... well....
    DSC_0246a.jpg

    In another post I told of the classes I give but I did not mention that I do this exclusively through 5-Star Firearms in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. Classes have not been too successful yet. Just need to get the word out more.
    If there is a particular piece that I may have and you want to see it, let me know. I do not have everything but I am trying.... I do loan items to museums for display if they should need but don't have.
    My wife's main concern is what to do when I go to that range in the sky. I do not have any children nor much family and they are Democrats!
    Another picture of a different cabinet.....
     

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    deemus

    my mama says I'm special
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    Some advice from this old ex-Family Doc: Anyone who has a significant collection should have it well catalogued, including multiple photos of each piece, NRA condition scoring, individual piece histories if available, appraisals, etc. That way, when one dies, surviving Family members would have a much easier time deciding how to dispose of it. It would be very helpful if one would also leave names & contact info on potential buyers or trusted brokers. No one could do this better than the actual collector. One collector had an affinity for a certain type & brand of rifle, a few of which were still intermittently being produced. When he died, the Widow had no idea how to handle the collection. I have seen very expensive pieces sold to "predators" for absurdly low prices. leVieux

    Good advice. A few years ago I sold a collection for a lady in that position. Her husband had some really nice guns, and I was glad to see her get a fair price for them. He was a very close friend.

    I was able to get almost $10K for all of them. His favorite, a Ruger Vaquero is the only one I bought. Its in my profile pic. I really wanted the Winchester lever action in 45 LC, but was able to sell all the lever guns as a collection for a better price. She would have been screwed over if she had tried to sell them herself.
     

    Mad John

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    Jan 15, 2019
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    Rural Illinois
    Some advice from this old ex-Family Doc: Anyone who has a significant collection should have it well catalogued, including multiple photos of each piece, NRA condition scoring, individual piece histories if available, appraisals, etc. That way, when one dies, surviving Family members would have a much easier time deciding how to dispose of it. It would be very helpful if one would also leave names & contact info on potential buyers or trusted brokers. No one could do this better than the actual collector. One collector had an affinity for a certain type & brand of rifle, a few of which were still intermittently being produced. When he died, the Widow had no idea how to handle the collection. I have seen very expensive pieces sold to "predators" for absurdly low prices. leVieux
    Absolutely! I whole heatedly agree! Working for museums I learned alot about cataloging records and acquisitions. Every piece that I own is photographed in high resolution with papers and provenance if available. Serial numbers or specific details are also documented. All of my information is filed annually with my insurance company. I have those pieces that I wish to go to particular individuals or museums documented in my Revocable Trust and Will by line item and description. I have a dealer/broker identified also to handle the disposition of everything my wife does not wish to keep. Which can be handled with a single phone call when I move on. Do not forget to have a really decent security system... it is money well spent. Safes are fine but don't rely only on a secure cabinet! Talk to a security professional! Atay away from the cheap companies on the idiot box. Talk to professionals in banking, jewelry, furriers and pharmaceutical storage.
     

    Mad John

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    Absolutely! I whole heatedly agree! Working for museums I learned alot about cataloging records and acquisitions. Every piece that I own is photographed in high resolution with papers and provenance if available. Serial numbers or specific details are also documented. All of my information is filed annually with my insurance company. I have those pieces that I wish to go to particular individuals or museums documented in my Revocable Trust and Will by line item and description. I have a dealer/broker identified also to handle the disposition of everything my wife does not wish to keep. Which can be handled with a single phone call when I move on. Do not forget to have a really decent security system... it is money well spent. Safes are fine but don't rely only on a secure cabinet! Talk to a security professional! Atay away from the cheap companies on the idiot box. Talk to professionals in banking, jewelry, furriers and pharmaceutical storage.
    An example... recently I was assigned by a museum colleague to advise a family about some guns they didn't really know what to do with. The knew they had some really interesting pieces that had been in storage since 1935. I went to their home to advise then ans nearly had a religious experience on the spot. I helped them sell the minor items in a day or so for just over 80K. They were thrilled! Their original intention was to call a local dealer and get what they could. The obvious problem was the remaining eight guns. The family could not afford to donate them to a museum. Museums generally do not have much money and rely on donations and grants from the respective state historical budget. Those remaining eight pieces I conservatively appraised at nearly one million dollars give or take 100K or so. I do not know the finalization of this collection yet but it will take some time and careful cataloging. They are in contact with Julia, Rock Island Auctions and Butterfield's.
    Being honest and involved with people has it's rewards. I was offered the opportunity to purchase one of the remaining pieces. I was humbled to have them think of me in that way. But they were so appreciative for my help because they could have been taken advantage of and lost alot! We came to an agreement and it made a very significant depletion in my gun account. It was so very worthwhile... brought tears to my eyes. I sat and stared at it for hours and days.
    Maybe it will lead to bigger things in the future... I do not know how!
     

    Mad John

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    That's great work.When those items are published in the auction catalog(s), I'm sure we'd all appreciate you sharing a link.
    That is up to the executor of the estate to let me know the whys and wherefores of the pieces. I recommended that they NOT try to sell them at any one offering. It would be worth their while to sell one at a time per year or so. Considering the rarity and historic significance would dent the market ion the downside. I was just fortunate to be able to purchase the one piece of the lot. It is my baby now... NOT FOR SALE... I would never be able to find another one. It is the culmination of my Springfield Cavalry Carbine collection. First Model 1873 carbines are tough to find in any condition. An unaltered First Model that is not been reworked or altered from it's issue design with complete cartouches, incredible shiny bore with only two small age pits that can only be seen with a bore-scope, is a true rarity. The kicker is that the serial umber on it is right in the middle of the serial number group issued to Lt. Colonel G. A. Custer's command in 1875 from Rock Island Arsenal as mentioned in his personal records. Just what trooper had it is anyone's guess. No records.
    I have fired it... almost got wood on that. Shoots great! My wife thought I was going to try to sleep with it..... lol
    Pictures maybe?
     

    Vaquero

    Moving stuff to the gas prices thread.....
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    Dixie Land
    I'm sure we'd love to see them. In case you haven't figured it out yet, the crowd around here loves pictures. I can't imagine why anyone in another forum ever gave you any grief for sharing.

    So, pictures? Yeah, buddy!
    What he said
     

    Mad John

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    I'm sure we'd love to see them. In case you haven't figured it out yet, the crowd around here loves pictures. I can't imagine why anyone in another forum ever gave you any grief for sharing.

    So, pictures? Yeah, buddy!
    Yes... I have been called out as a fraud, liar and false postings. I was a member of another well known forum and all was well until I decided to share experience and a few photos. Then the crap hit the fan. I was accused of cutting and pasting pictures from other places because "no one has a collection and claims of what I was saying" the managing senior members had me banned forever. Never was I personally asked for credentials or references. It is okay as I don't need that kind of attitudes because they do NOT know me. I reported their "banning" to a few museum colleagues, business associates, The American Gunsmithing Association, The American Gunsmithing Institute, and a few other collector's societies I belong to. I share no ill will just be careful of what you say and do because assholes are lurking. I do not need to prove anything to anyone. If you have particular questions... please... contact me by personal message and I WILL provide legal clarification.
    This may sound a little thin skinned on my part but I take this hobby/study very seriously. So bear with me as if I am somewhat reluctant.
    WP_dailysanctuary-com_2015_03_RP041 copy.jpg
    I want nothing more than to share what I have gleaned over the past 5+ decades. My services to museums I do absolutely for FREE without charge (private clients is another direction) I do not charge for my time, parts or supplies. It is my way of giving back to the history of our great nation in my small way.
    J.S. Lenz Gunsmith
    NRA (Life), ISRA, AGA, AGI, ANA, FFL, Patriot, Anti-establishmentarian, Constitutionalist
    Specializing in Care & Repair of Antique & Historic Arms
    Firearms & Weapons Conservator to:
    The Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
     

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    benenglish

    Just Another Boomer
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    Clearly, you've been burned and you're cautious. That's understandable.

    Hang out for a while and I feel sure you'll become more comfortable.

    As for banning people for posting pictures of firearms (other subjects are different, obviously), that's highly unlikely. I'll write you privately with a bit more detail.
     
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