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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Got A New Truck Gun


rdm1962

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I was at a local Farm and Home store today. They had a new Mossberg Patriot in a molded stock for $219. plus tax. The only choice in caliber was 243 Win. I didn't have a 243 so it was a win / win. I hade a Nectstar 3x9x40 rubberized scope just sitting around looking for a home. Bam mounted and bore sighted in 10 minuets.

 

My daughter has a 243 so I already reload for it. I have some 85 grain Speer hot core and 100 grain Rem core lock bullets on hand. I will be working loads soon.

 

All the reviews I have read on these rifles have been positive so I think I got a deal.

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Score ! Good to hear from you Ralph, hope things are going your way in other areas ,If you dont care to tell it Id be interested to know what store you picked that up at. One of the chain farm stores around here has just started handling guns but the one nearest me isnt on the list but one about 45 miles away is. Jim

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Hey Jim, the name of the store is "Farm and Home Supply". They are a small family owned store. They have about a dozen stores in Iowa, Illinois, Mo. They are like Tractor Supply or Orshlands.

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I’ve heard of them but never been in one. Orschelns down this way is the outfit I was talking about. The one closest to me is pretty sorry ,don’t know how they keep the doors open. Pet feed I’d reckon. But the store over at Osage Beach is much bigger ,hear it’s nice but have never been in it. Several have told me they put in a selection of over 100 long guns ,and the store down at Republic is advertising guns and ammo hot and heavy on the sign out front. Jim

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219 bucks is a deal indeed.Other than being a bit hard on barrels, 243 is one of the best all-around cartridges for a truck gun. From bad guys, varmints and up to deer sized game it covers a broad spectrum. Back in the early 70's I spent some time with some hard core varmint hunters. These guys spent big bucks customizing usually Remington short actions. Heavy barrels, long scopes, triggers etc, 243 or 6MM Remington was the choice of most of them. They referred to it as the best compromise between 22-250 and 25/06. I personally prefer the 243 over the 6MM. I can't remember the rifling twists but factory 243's would stabilize the long heavy bullets. The factory 6MM's twist rate were only good for light weight slugs.

 

Back when they were a dime a dozen I opted for a SKS as a truck gun. Didn't care about dings, dents and it always worked no matter how dirty and dusty it got. Had one stolen and unfortunately it was one of the early imports. Chrome bore, pinned barrel and a few other features I can't recall that are not on the newer imports. Prior to the SKS in the 70 and 80's. I parked a Bubba sported Brit Enfield behind the seat that I think I only paid about 30-40 bucks for. If I were still into desert 4-wheeling I'd jump on a $219 bolt action for a knock around behind the seat truck gun.

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Saw a Norinco SKS at Cabella's today. Five hundred.

 

I've mentioned it here before about my 20/20 hindsight. When I had my FFL in the mid to late 80's. I could have bought a pallet of 144 SKS's at $39.00 each. I could have drove my pickup to Long Beach or contracted with a freight hauler to pick them up from the Chinese importer. At the time most Phoenix dealers were selling them for 79.

 

Can't recall the 80's price but the some what rare Chinese SKS carbine models that use detachable AK mags and dull chrome folding blade bayonet are now going for a small fortune. The SKS models with a fixed stripped clip fed AK mag are not real Chinese military surplus despite claims of some gun show vendors.

 

I passed on the SKS's and other surplus items and had to close out getting rid of my Brazilian surplus Smith and Wesson Model 1917 revolvers I was paying about 80 bucks for. My uniform business' liability insurance began by excluding surplus ammo and the following year surplus guns. I was offered a separate floater policy but its cost was out of my reach.

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For some reason this reminded me of the .222. When I was young it was talked about a lot for the mini-deer in the TX hill country, but I never hear about it anymore. It was the smallest thing you could use for deer hunting. Anybody have experience with it?

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For some reason this reminded me of the .222. When I was young it was talked about a lot for the mini-deer in the TX hill country, but I never hear about it anymore. It was the smallest thing you could use for deer hunting. Anybody have experience with it?

 

The 222 Remington went by the wayside after the US military adopted the 556 or 223. I can recall gunsmith ads in older gun rags offering to ream 222 chambers into the very slightly longer 223. A former co-worker, a lady janitor claimed her son a tournament shooter used a 222. Can't recall the model number of the rifle. It was a 50's pre model 700 Remmy. I never saw it but she claimed her son had a wall full of trophys and a stack of targets.

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Just glad we got what we got when we got them.

Recall the 5 for Turks? and the price of ammo?

70 rounds of 8mm for 4 bucks and 7.62/39 or 7.62/54r... 2 bucks a box of 20

Those were the days boys

karl

 

About 71 or 72 my hunting bud embarrassed me raising hell at a gun shop about the 2.99 price on a box of 30/30. I'll never forget the cost of 12 ga shot shells in the late 60's. About 1.50 a box for the old paper shells and cork wads. About 2 bits more per box for what was then called high brass. About 1968 my younger brother bought some foreign 16ga for 99 cents a box. Can't recall the exact price but 22LR was about 50 cents a box even less for shorts.

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