Show us your Guns!

[Carlo]

1942 Lahti made by Husqvarna Vapenfabrik.

 

[Carlo]

1942 Swedish Mauser, also made by Husqvarna Vapenfabrik.

 

[DeaconKC]

Carlo, those are a beautiful pair!

 

[Rathdown]

1942 Lahti made by Husqvarna Vapenfabrik.

When I was at G&A Magazine back in the '70s four of us bought Lahti's at the SHOT Show one year. Rugged, accurate, comfortable to shoot, and with great ergonomics it was, save for the magazine release, quite possibly the best 9mm pistol of the WWII era.

 

[Carlo]

When I was at G&A Magazine back in the '70s four of us bought Lahti's at the SHOT Show one year. Rugged, accurate, comfortable to shoot, and with great ergonomics it was, save for the magazine release, quite possibly the best 9mm pistol of the WWII era.

Comfortable?
I've only shot a couple of magazines full through mine. The upper rear edge of the left-hand grip next to the magazine release tended to bite the web of my thumb with each shot. It didn't recoil very hard, but the pressure applied at that small point made it less than comfortable to shoot. Might be better wearing gloves, as you would while using it in Finland.
Otherwise, it's a very well-designed pistol, and as rugged as they come.

What was your capacity at G&A? I was an avid reader of that magazine in those days. If memory serves, Elmer Keith was still writing articles for them at that time.

 

[jkingrph]

1942 Swedish Mauser, also made by Husqvarna Vapenfabrik.

One of my favorite rifles and calibers. I have six, including one that was made in 1898, but my prize is one made by Mauser Oberndorf in 1900 with a two digit serial number. It has been arsenal shortened to their short rifle configuration. The others were all made before 1917 with one having an elm stock,

 

[plain old dave]

M/96 Swedish Mauser. The original of the M/38 above which BTW has its sling on backwards.

 

[Oldsarge]

I used to have an M96 in 9.3x57 that had been sporterized. I had it rechambed for 9.3x62. Talk about a pocket rocket? Man! And handle? Whoever designed the stock on that bad boy must have done an apprenticeship in a London gun shop because it was the slickest, sweetest handling rifle I ever owned. It's just that I already had three dangerous game rifles, all bigger than that one so when a friend of mine offered me a profit, I sold it. Poor guy probably never managed to get elk hunting with it because he came down with both Hepatitis C and prostate cancer. I kind of wonder whatever happened to the gun . . .

If another one like it shows up on auction, I may get it. Couldn't beat it for moose.

 

[Rathdown]

Comfortable?
I've only shot a couple of magazines full through mine. The upper rear edge of the left-hand grip next to the magazine release tended to bite the web of my thumb with each shot. It didn't recoil very hard, but the pressure applied at that small point made it less than comfortable to shoot. Might be better wearing gloves, as you would while using it in Finland.
Otherwise, it's a very well-designed pistol, and as rugged as they come.

What was your capacity at G&A? I was an avid reader of that magazine in those days. If memory serves, Elmer Keith was still writing articles for them at that time.

I was the Associate Editor of the magazine, and focused most of my staff writing on handguns. I edited all of Jeff Cooper's copy, while Howard French (the Editor) looked after Elmer Keith. For a firearms enthusiast the 1970s was a golden era as all of the greats: Keith, Skelton, Jordan, Cooper, Askins, Capstick, etc. were still around. These guys were all fact, no brag shootists. It was a privilege to get to know them, talk with them, listen to them, and sometimes shoot with them.

 

[plain old dave]

Very true. We need to learn all we can from the legends while they are still about to learn from. That said, new Golden Era content:

The ammo box predates 1954 and best I can tell is immediate postwar.

 

[Rathdown]

Dave, not only do I have a soft spot in my heart for Krags, your sporter looks to have nice wood, and the checkering-- wow.

 

[Effingham]

your sporter looks to have nice wood

Heh heh. Heh heh. Heh....

Okay, I am SO ashamed.

 

[DeaconKC]

That's what happens....a little gun porn and the Wolf comes out! And it is a lovely sporter!

 

[plain old dave]

It is an E.C. Bishop stock. Best I can tell, the checkering is handmade. Want more Kragpix?

 

[DeaconKC]

More Krags? Gimme pics!

 

[Interbak]

Here is a quick shot of my latest little "plinker".

Winchester Model 1904, chamber is .22 short, long and extra-long. Manufacture date somewhere between 1914 and 1924, it's a bit hard to tell for sure since they didn't serial number them. The shipping crate matches.
If anyone has any more details to help narrow it down a bit more, I'd appreciate the info.

Brian

 

[DeaconKC]

That is just a great pic! Well done on a great photo of a great pair!

 

[plain old dave]

http://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=289203

More pix of my Krag. Hope the link's not unauthorized. Easier than posting a mess of Photobucket links.

 

[Oldsarge]

I have an old Krag that was chromed as a parade piece. I'm sure the breech end of the barrel is corroded beyond repair from all the black powder blanks my g'father shot though it while on the drill team. I've got a trapdoor Springfield that's the same way. I guess I really need to wood soap the stocks and nickel polish the metal work and give them a coat of clear lacquer. Don't have a fireplace to hang them over, even though that would be the best use. Would be nice to have a sporterized Krag, though.

 

[DeaconKC]

sarge, I would try firelapping the bore. You could then shoot some low velocity lead loads through it.

Dave, thanks for those pics, it's a beauty!