New member introductions thread ......

hey, im a relatively new collector and gun entheusiast, hoping to get some useful imformation from fellow gun lovers on this site

new to forums-interested in trench shotguns and bayonets

First note to other members. Principal interest in Canadian/British history from the height of the Empire from the late 18th century through the middle 20th century. Military issue muzzleloaders, breechloaders, & magazine repeating rifles with emphasis on Canadian use. Early muskets, carbines, rifles, Whitworth target rifles, volunteer rifles, Sniders, Martinis, Lees, Rosses & related material. I will look forward to the opportunities to share information with other members.

HI, New to this Forum, I have been shooting Military Firearms for the last 50 years, I'm a Dissabled Vietnam Vet and a Retired Federal Employee with 34 yrs servive. When my Father passed away several years ago he left me several Firearms that he got from DCM. I am lucky to have a Colt 1911 that my Dad got for 8.50, an IBM M1 Carbine that cost him $20.00 and a Remimgton 03A3. I picked up a SA Garand several years ago from DCM for $ 165.00, it has a high 6 million serial number, as a matter of fact after checking on the internet it seems it was in the last batch of 200 that came off of the Springfield assembly line. I live in Northern VA and I enjoy reading Posts about all types of Firearms, I look forward to some good reading.

I have enjoyed your forum for several months but had not previously joined. I'm a retired LEO now training Afghans. Humbly, I have success in service rifle and smallbore competition over the years with state-of-the-art equipment...but those rifle lack the intimacy, the soul of my 1903's, Garands, Carbines and Enfield. They bring a gratefulness to my heart and a smile to my face! Blessings, Brooks Harris

I have spent most of my life working overseas in South East Asia in very fortunate circumstances; privileges and exceptions abound in that region for Americans. There was one passion, however, I could never pursue while in these countries due to local governmental fears of the citizens becoming restless. Guns! Finally on my return after 24 years overseas, I vowed to collect, restore and "qualify" with every major rifle and carbine used in the U.S. army since we used metal cartridges. This turned out to start with the Springfield Trapdoors and end with the Colt M16 series.

My mission would be to collect these guns and restore them, but not to the fullest extent; I wanted all of these guns to look the part. Many of these guns had seen decades, in some cases a century, of use in and out of war and I wanted to maintain this look; war is hell and thus I want them to look like they have seen a bit of that.

I look forward to sharing with you guys.

Cheers!

Hello all, don't know much to say. I love collecting firearms, hunting, and fishing. I am 73 yrs young. My last tour of duty 6th special forces, ft bragg n. c., late fifties. I live in a very small town(patoka) on the patoka river in indiana.

I can't recall if I posted a new member intro before (age 66 had 4 days under anesthesia a year ago=snesthesia amnesia).
I have been a cruffler since late 1990s. I have been shooting milsurp rifles since mid 60s. My first rifle was a Terni 7.35 Carcano
bought for $10. I shamefully and foolishly let a friend "sporterize it."
My first Ross was bought in Anchorage AK in summer 1967 for $20, it was missing the buttlplate (years later found out many were because
it fit a machining hole in the fender of a Canadian automobile.
I am a collector at the low end of the "food chain", AKA "bottom feeder" most of my rifles being bought on "3fers" and similar from Century Arms.

My primary pleasure is shooting cast bullets through my military rifles. I prefer to shoot 30 and 31 caliber rifles as most of my bullet moulds are like that
although I also have 6.5mm, 8mm, and 11mm rifle moulds too.

I also have a couple of Mauser C96 pistols which had been to China before coming to USA and so were in execrable condition. They went through barrel relining
at Broom Closet in FL and now shoot much better. I can now use 0.308 jacketed bullets and 0.308-0.311" lead bullets in them whereas before the best shooting jacketed
bullets were Hornady 0.312 XTPs and Hornady 0.314" 90 grain SWCs.

I value this forum so far mainly for the manuals and literature available.
I don't collect originals, just like having PDFs that I can print out as needed.

Larry Murray

Hello,
I just joined up.

My interests are reloading and shooting my guns, but also enjoy reading about the history of designs, manufacturing, and usage.

I own a couple of Swedish rifles (m/96, m/38), plus two unfortunately 'sporterized' Long Branch L.E. no.4's. My Norinco copies (M1A, 1911A1) obviously don't qualify as surplus, but they have enabled a far better understanding of the mechanical workings of the 'real thing' than any diagram!

I don't collect anymore, but am constanty researching to answer questions for friends who seem to think I know something about guns. I was an accidental lifer in the army, and have always liked weaponry. I'm retired now, and only take my old Krag for a walk in deer season. I have a Mossberg 590 for "home use". Multiple 1911's and carbines and Garands as well as Springfields have come and gone. Now I enjoy the memories and the lack of worry about a gun cabinet. Hello to all.