FloridaFialaFan
Well-Known Member
I now know what "Museum Quality" means! Couple of weeks ago I won a little Stevens 14 1/2 Little Scout, .22rf single-shot rifle. Since this little gun was no longer made after 1941, makes it almost 70 years old.
We've all seen those old boys' rifles which come up for sale quite often. They've spent a couple of decades in the hands of juveniles who don't know the meaning of cleaning a gun. They've been beat up, nails replace where screws were used, and so forth. If they no longer shoot straight, or a piece breaks and they're unusable, they went in the trash.
IF they survived, they were relegated to a handy corner in the leaky old barn and were used to assassinate pigeons, rats, snakes, and other invading varmints. They lived a very HARD life and they showed it.
Check out this little guy! It looks like it came off the assembly line yesterday. It is in pristine condition. I learned from the auction house that the consignor inherited it when his Dad passed away 30 years ago and it sat in his gun safe unfired all that time. He also said he did not think his Dad had ever fired it. I believe him...
None of that was noted in the auction description. However, I saw from the photo they used that it was in exceptionally good condition. Once it was in hand I was still slack-jawed with astonishment. It is literall LIKE NEW!
Look at how sharp the screw slots are in the photo below. And the slot in the takedown bolt. The gun is in this condition overall. The protective paper still covers the buttplate!
So now we know. There are still some beauties out there for collectors. If it happens to me again, I just hope I'm as lucky on cost as I was on this one.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF
Even a blind squirrel picks up an acorn once in a while.
We've all seen those old boys' rifles which come up for sale quite often. They've spent a couple of decades in the hands of juveniles who don't know the meaning of cleaning a gun. They've been beat up, nails replace where screws were used, and so forth. If they no longer shoot straight, or a piece breaks and they're unusable, they went in the trash.
IF they survived, they were relegated to a handy corner in the leaky old barn and were used to assassinate pigeons, rats, snakes, and other invading varmints. They lived a very HARD life and they showed it.
Check out this little guy! It looks like it came off the assembly line yesterday. It is in pristine condition. I learned from the auction house that the consignor inherited it when his Dad passed away 30 years ago and it sat in his gun safe unfired all that time. He also said he did not think his Dad had ever fired it. I believe him...
None of that was noted in the auction description. However, I saw from the photo they used that it was in exceptionally good condition. Once it was in hand I was still slack-jawed with astonishment. It is literall LIKE NEW!
Look at how sharp the screw slots are in the photo below. And the slot in the takedown bolt. The gun is in this condition overall. The protective paper still covers the buttplate!
So now we know. There are still some beauties out there for collectors. If it happens to me again, I just hope I'm as lucky on cost as I was on this one.
Best regards ~ ~ ~ FFF
Even a blind squirrel picks up an acorn once in a while.
