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  • Sasquatch

    TGT Addict
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    3   0   0
    Apr 20, 2020
    6,590
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    Magnolia
    In prepping to move, my wifey and I were helping my MIL clean out her storage unit so we could go thru it. When we got there, she said "oh, there's a couple old guns in the corner for you, they were my dad's"

    I loaded up the totes of stuff (mostly collector plates she inherited from her dad) on the L-Cart and then grabbed the "old guns" and gave a quick glance to them before putting them on the cart.

    What came home today?

    A Smith-Corona 03-A3
    A Type 99 with in-tact 'mum
    A JC Higgins 16 Ga Mdl 5832

    They all had surface rust from living in a storage unit, propped in the corner since 1997. I checked the bores on the Arisaka and the '03 - they're pit-free. I gave them a good oiling and a gentle once-over with a nylon brush and cloth to soak, ran a cleaning rod thru the rifle bores and a few oily patches. Most of the finish appears in tact after knocking the surface rust off. Super stoked to have these in the collection. I prefer modern semi-autos for "serious" use, but I have a big soft spot for WW1 and WW2 era bolt action battle rifles.

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    ARJ Defense ad
     

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    Sasquatch

    TGT Addict
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    Apr 20, 2020
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    Cpl more proofs on the 03A3

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    I haven't taken the barrel bands off or the upper stock pieces yet to see who made the barrel. Smith-Corona was known to use barrels made by Remington and High Standard.

    When I looked at the proof marks closer and did a little digging - the bolt on this sample was made by Remington, the stock appears to be a Smith-Corona produced stock. The barrel is proofed "10-43" which seems to say it was accepted in October of 43, so it could well have seen use overseas. I wish I knew the tales this gun could tell. Same with the 99, though the tales that one could tell may well have been a tale of killing an American soldier or Marine. I'm guessing the Higgins 16 Ga would be telling tales of pheasants, deer, or turkey shot with it, or maybe it was just used to control varmints on a rural property.

    I usually like to have at least a box or two of ammo for every gun I own on the shelf, but I'm not so sure its going to be easy to find the 6.5 ammo for the type 99, or even 16 ga on the shelves of my local sporting goods store. Might have to look online, or maybe Cabela's will have it.
     

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    Big Green

    In Christ Alone
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    5   0   0
    Mar 5, 2018
    4,641
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    College Station
    I’ve always wanted a nice ‘03.

    When our granddad died a few years ago my brother got his ‘99, also with mum intact. He brought it back from the Philippines when he was a LT in WWII.

    That’s a heck better of a collection you just acquired!
     

    Moonpie

    Omnipotent Potentate for hire.
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    Oct 4, 2013
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    Gunz are icky.
    Nice score.

    You can shoot the A3 with little worry.
    Just hold on to your teeth. Haha.
    I’d retire the Jap tho.
     

    GoPappy

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    Dec 18, 2015
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    Cabelas will probably have some 16 gauge shells, but you won’t like the price. The price for 16 gauge shotguns shells compared to 12 or 20 gauge is just ridiculous. But since this won’t be a high volume shooter, it may be irrelevant to you.
     

    Sasquatch

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    Nice score.

    You can shoot the A3 with little worry.
    Just hold on to your teeth. Haha.
    I’d retire the Jap tho.

    I'd like to put a few rounds thru it just to know how they shoot first hand. I dry fired each a couple times to function check - the 99 has the worst trigger out of any of my current stable of long guns. Its just so heavy and creepy, when I thought i had all the slack out, I was wrong. Guessing the pull on it is in the 9 lb range. Its certainly going to be more of a collectors item than a shooter.

    Surprisingly the 16ga has the nicest trigger out of these three, crisp and light almost like a 1911 trigger in feel. Really surprised since JC Higgins wasn't known for being high end. I got a few more pictures this morning with some better lighting

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    Sasquatch

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    Apr 20, 2020
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    All three are great scores without a doubt.

    That Type 99, is it a 6.5, or a 7.7? Or possibly, a Type 38?

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_99_rifle

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_38_rifle

    Looks like a 6.5 on closer inspection. My unscientific way to check this? I used a 7mm Rem Mag round and inserted it tip-first into the muzzle, and the muzzle contacts the shoulder of the bullet a little before it makes the widest part of the bullet. I have not yet pulled the wood off to see what markings are on the barrel.


    *edit to add, I'm pretty sure it is a Type 99, the rear sight matches up with the other 99's I've seen online, the type 38 has a more simple rear sight.
     
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    Moonpie

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    Gunz are icky.
    Don’t dry snap the 99. Can break firing pins.

    .30-06 snap caps for the A3 easily found.

    Those old milsurps don’t take dry snapping well. Minimize that.
     

    Axxe55

    Retiretgtshit stirrer
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    Dec 15, 2019
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    Lost in East Texas Elhart Texas
    Looks like a 6.5 on closer inspection. My unscientific way to check this? I used a 7mm Rem Mag round and inserted it tip-first into the muzzle, and the muzzle contacts the shoulder of the bullet a little before it makes the widest part of the bullet. I have not yet pulled the wood off to see what markings are on the barrel.

    Just from what I read, the 99 was chambered in 7.7 while the 38 was chambered in 6.5. By no means am I an expert, unless you count the fact I did stay in a Motel 6 once!
     

    G O B

    School of Hard Knocks and Sharp blows
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    0   0   0
    Dec 9, 2017
    1,101
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    Hays Co.
    Get a spare firing pin and spring for the'03. How many groves in the barrel? That may help identify the maker. My Remington has the 2 grove barrel, but is wicked accurate!
     
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