So I'm diggin thru my dads gun cabnet last week and I get out his old rifle that I knew was there but never shot it. It's a Remington 740 Woodsmaster semi - auto, magazine fed in 30-06. Five digit serial #, clear barrel markings. This thing was made in 1955, the first year for the 740. This thing is beautiful. No rust, wood is near perfect, the sights are clean (yes, open sights. awesome!), the recoil pad is a little dry rotted. This gun looks like its never been fired. The remorse for not shooting this earlier starts setting in, but thats another day. What a cool rifle! I'm stoked now. Then the cool part of the story starts. My dad tells me the story of how he got it. 
Dad bought the gun brand new in 1957. He thinks that he only shot +/- 20 rounds thru it. He thinks he paid around $50 for it. Big bucks back then. Then in 1958 he gets drafted to the U.S. Army and shipped to Korea for 2 years. While at war he finds out that his parents are struggling with the farm back home. He writes his buddy and tells him to sell it and give the $$$ to his parents. No prob, done deal! His new gun is gone forever. He finds out that when he gets home from Korea, His buddy had held on to the gun and gave my grand parents the money. His buddy hands dad his rifle and tells him, "welcome home pal", heres my gift to you. Needless to say they are still great friends today. Dad said he shot it only a few times after that, 8 rounds max in circa 1961. She's been cabinet bound ever since. He still has a box of ammo from the late 50's.
So last week I bring it home to clean it up a bit so I can shoot it. After a lenghty breakdown procedure I find that this thing is near new contition inside as well as outside. Saturday comes and off to the range I go. I lay her down on the sandbags, line up the open sights to the 100 yard target, and squeeze one off. Wow, 1/2" high and right of center bullseye. The next 7 shots show me a max group of 3 1/4". This is 1 old piece that will never have a scope mounted to her. Ohh I am one happy camper! Crisp trigger, fairly low recoil, and dead **** accurate. I am in love! This thing is sweet. Moral of the story boys & girls, dont ever be affraid to get those old guns out and play with them.
Ran out of targets, had to use paper plates.
Dad bought the gun brand new in 1957. He thinks that he only shot +/- 20 rounds thru it. He thinks he paid around $50 for it. Big bucks back then. Then in 1958 he gets drafted to the U.S. Army and shipped to Korea for 2 years. While at war he finds out that his parents are struggling with the farm back home. He writes his buddy and tells him to sell it and give the $$$ to his parents. No prob, done deal! His new gun is gone forever. He finds out that when he gets home from Korea, His buddy had held on to the gun and gave my grand parents the money. His buddy hands dad his rifle and tells him, "welcome home pal", heres my gift to you. Needless to say they are still great friends today. Dad said he shot it only a few times after that, 8 rounds max in circa 1961. She's been cabinet bound ever since. He still has a box of ammo from the late 50's.
So last week I bring it home to clean it up a bit so I can shoot it. After a lenghty breakdown procedure I find that this thing is near new contition inside as well as outside. Saturday comes and off to the range I go. I lay her down on the sandbags, line up the open sights to the 100 yard target, and squeeze one off. Wow, 1/2" high and right of center bullseye. The next 7 shots show me a max group of 3 1/4". This is 1 old piece that will never have a scope mounted to her. Ohh I am one happy camper! Crisp trigger, fairly low recoil, and dead **** accurate. I am in love! This thing is sweet. Moral of the story boys & girls, dont ever be affraid to get those old guns out and play with them.
Ran out of targets, had to use paper plates.
