Thinking about my Model 8.

[In The Ten Ring]

I've been musing about the Model 8 I am soon to receive....it's a 1st year production rifle.

I keep trying to put its existence into perspective. When it was new, most of the world relied on horses for transport. The only ways to go from the east coast to the west was by ship and by rail. The Panama Canal did not yet exist, so that was a long and dangerous trip either way you chose. The steam engine was king and electricity was fairly unknown in most of the world. The first steam turbine was fitted to a ship, the HMS DREADNOUGHT, which helped kick off a naval arms race which led in large part to the Great War. The TITANIC was not yet laid down. The Wright brothers had only flown 3 years before. Teddy Roosevelt was President. The San Francisco earthquake occurred that year.

For those of you who own 1st year production rifles, have you thought about this?

I own earlier rifles, namely Mausers, but I have never really thought about it until now. I guess because I intend to hunt with this rifle and during the hours of solitude afield, I am sure to ponder such things.

[Bandersnatch]

I own a Moisin-Nagant built in 1893. The age of the empires.

[In The Ten Ring]

Oh yes, that's right! Russia and Germany still had "absolute monarchs" at that time....

My oldest weapon is an 8mm Kropacheck (never can spell it right) and my second oldest is my 1899 Swedish Mauser.

[81police]

What i'd like to know is how many deer it's taken! haha

[In The Ten Ring]

I'd like to know that too. I think that I'll begin keeping records of hunt success and keeping that on a piece of paper under buttplates.

In what year did Model 8's get marked that way on the left of the receiver?

[imfuncity]

"I'd like to know that too. I think that I'll begin keeping records of hunt success and keeping that on a piece of paper under buttplates."

Believe 81Police still has a rifle that'll show you how NOT to mark number of deer taken.

[Jerry_H]

Here's a good (bad) example of how not to keep a record. Three different sets of notches for deer, coyotes, & bandits?

Jerry_H

[Phyrbird]

Try this:

http://vintagegungrips.net/ao-r13a.html

They even come in Hot Pink if you like.

[In The Ten Ring]

Wow. Poor buttplate.

My great grandfather is said to have kept a record of the men he killed in the Spanish American War on the buttstock of his rifle but the rifle was lost in a house fire.

A best friend shot (and killed) the stalker that ambushed him and his girlfriend. When the weapon was released from the evidence room he agreed to sell it and he joked "would you like for me to mark that kill on the handle?"

The only deer I have killed were with borrowed weapons. I hope to change that this coming fall. I have no plans to deface the weapons on purpose.

[mr mike]

The first of my two model 8's in 35 cal. is 1908 year of manufacture.
I often think of what that year means in a historical sense. The family I got the rifle from had
owned it since 1938 so there were some stories to be learned prior to my gaining it in 2011.
The rifle I most admire from a historical point of view is my 1892 Winchester in 38-40.
I got this rifle from the family of its original owner also a while back. Manufactured in 1894 according to the letter recieved from the Cody, Wyoming, Winchester records. The original owner was a circut riding mnister with a law degree, operating in and out Western Washington state, across Idaho and into western Montana, his only protection was that winchester, purchased for thirty-two dollars back in the day, I was told. In a time of great distances travelling alone with bible, law book and winchester, possibly beset with occasional "road agents", wild animals possibly and such, I can only imagine what tales he may have occasioned to tell. Photos of him, taken in the late 19th century, none with the rifle unfortunately, show him to be a man of character with clear eye's, and mustach. Wide brim hat firmly planted on his head. He had come to the west from England to pursue his dream. I always wonder what that old Winchester might have to say if it could speak.

[jim8008]

And how did great-grandfather manage to get his Spanish American War rifle out of the
hands of the U. S. government? What rifle was it? I may be interested in a burnt relic.

[jim8008]

I think I would have walked away from the police station real quietly ... without comment.

[In The Ten Ring]

Oops! Sent that as a PM by mistake......still getting used to this forum.

The fire occurred many years ago, in the 1960's, and the property grew back up and was sold in the 1980's....I assume there could be some rusted mass of a burned up rifle in the remains of the foundation but I don't even remember where the house was.

He could have stolen the rifle or he could have taken his own rifle away to war, as that is what I have read many volunteers in that war did. The only person to tell me the story is my mother and guns are not her thing, they all look alike to her.

[olskool]

i do think about where all my old guns have been. and how many deer they have killed. i have a smith wesson HE 32-20 made in 08 that's 1908 model 8 35 made in 33, a 25 made in 08 also and a 32 model 8 made in 1927, that 32 i know i got it from a lady in cal. that said her daddy they called bobo hunted with it in the napa valley area. when i got it it was in an old hunting bag, well oiled and clean. you could tell the man that used it knew what he was doing and it meant a lot to him as it was well cared for.