Favorite beater?

[dualsport]

I was reading another thread in which a guy mentioned how much he likes his M44, even though it's rough as hell. It hit me that some of my favorite guns are beaters, even though I have a couple really nice guns. I like them too, they were carefully chosen and usually hard to come by, money wise. I saved for a year to get a CMP Service Grade Garand, it's a thing of beauty and I'm very proud of it, BUT, i also have guns that were free or dirt cheap because nobody wanted them. I have a beater collection, mostly milsurps but some civies too. Two of my favorite beaters are a 1960s Rem. 700 BDL in 7mm Rem. Mag., $150 with a Loopy 3x9 that's been on it since new, and a S&W M&P .38 Special that's a rattle trap of all time. It is really rough, inside and out, a lend lease gun maybe. Pits in the barrel that scare me (I only shoot very mild cast handloads in it), but it's very satisfying to still get good service from something so worn out. The 700 is shot out, dinged, scratched and just beat up, but it will hold 1 1/2" at 100 yds., and the 40+ yr. old Loopy is good as new except for looks. The S&W was 5 for $500, two of them were parkerized and chambered for the 38 S&W. I think the Brits used them with their 200 gr. load. I guess I have a 'truck gun' fetish, or I'm just cheap. Got a beater you really like?

[Richard B]

My beater/loaner/rainy day gun is a Lee Enfield No4 Mk 1 with an old Bushnell 2 1/2X. It works and can take a beating.
I'll bet that most Canadian memebers of this board have a Lee Enfield tucked away somewhere.

Richard

[Bret4207]

'93 Mauser 7x57 and a Charter Bull Dog.

[rhbrink]

Depends sometimes a 35 Remy, sometimes a 223 single shot, need to carry something to punch a serious hole old 30-06 all backed up by a 357 Smith

[bradh]

1903A3 in Bishop stock --- carrying it since 1979 when big game hunting. I don't call it a
"beater" I call it "A tool"! Get's the job done...3-10 leopold scope...

[Lead Fred]

Parker-Hale 30-06 Belgium mauser
Found it at a gun show for $200, looks like hell
Shoots like heaven
Miked the chamber, it was made to bench rest standards all those years ago.

It seems Parker-Hale bought a bunch of these 8mm mausers from the Belgium government, converted them to 30-06, this one was a long ways form home.

[9.3X62AL]

Not a "beater" (yet), but I have a Romanian M/N M-44 that makes a pretty good little truck rifle. Compact, light, and will light your way if fired at dusk with ball powder J-words. Its report might also set off earthquakes in fault zones, but that's an asset--not a liability--for those of us that enjoy anything that turns money into noise. It's a pretty good cast boolit flinger, too.

A little long for a break-front holster, though.

[TDC]

9.3X62AL....

Your descriptions crack me up!!

Mine is an old 1911 that was actually carried in the Pacific during WWII. It's as loose as it can be, shoots consistent 24" groups at 25yds. Has survived a stupid hand-load session that allowed a boolit to be lodged in the barrel, followed by another fully charged boolit that almost blew it up. Still have that swollen barrel hanging above my re-load bench to remind me to check all powder charges twice..

I love beautiful guns with beautiful wood... But I'm so sick of worrying about them getting scratched that a good 'ol beater that's accurate and dependable is a joy to carry anymore. They put a special joy back into huntin' again because I can think about other things than worrying about my pretty stocks getting dinged....

[69daytona]

1914 colt SAA that my wifes Grandfather carried through some border fights in texas and during WW1, its in nice shape just most of the blueing is gone, also a 1914 colt 1911 civilian model that I got from a General for working on his car, waiting for the paper work from colt but the general said he got it from one of General McCarthers aids while he was in the Pilippense (dont know if thats spelled correct) Great shooter and one of the best trigger of all my 1911s.

[Dframe]

Mines a Colt Metropolitan that banged around in a police armory for many years. It looks like **** but frequently outshoots some FAR higher dollar guns. In short it's the best shooter I ever had.
After I posted this I realised that the system had "starred" out the word I used which was Cr*p and not something worse. Can't figure out why that word would be censored.

[izzyjoe]

well i bougth a interarms mark x .270 from a fellow years ago, i think give a $150 for it. he said it shot lousy and it looked real lousy, and missed to many deer with it. the barrel was copper fouled bad, and the last 1" of the barrel was pitted bad. looked like a dirt dober had been in there, so i cleaned it real good and cut a 1 1/2" off the barrel and recrowned it. w/ a cheap tasco scope it will out shoot my friends new 270 m70. .750 at 100y!! you cant beat a beater.

[6.5 mike]

Guess mine would be a pot metal reciever( painted one) 94 30-30, & a 1917 pattern s&w 45 acp made for Bazil. The old thing was put together from parts & shoots almost as well as my 625 with cast. Parkerized & ugly, 94's going to get the same. Not pretty but shoots when it needs to.

[August]

I have a beautiful pair of usfa sa that have Doug Turnbull case hardening. The first time I used 'em, they showed holster wear. They've gotten a lot more holster wear since that first day.

I bought 'em to shoot 'em.

They shoot gud!

[atr]

an old COLT 1895 New Army 38 special revolver....I take it everywhere
if I need a rifle then its my .303 MK4

[jmsj]

20 years ago I traded a used set of chevy small block headers for a " sporterized 1903 Springfield". It was a pretty bad job. The barrel was in pretty bad shape but I found a unused Remington 1903 barrel made in 1944 for $25.00. I shortened and recrowned the barrel. Installed a Timney trigger, Leupold scope mount and a scope. Refinished and glass bedded the stock. It still has the millitary finish. The shorter barrel made the gun handier in the woods. She's not the prettiest rifle but shoots 1.5" groups @ 100yds. if I do my part
jmsj

[Guesser]

K98, I traded into, modestly sporterized by addition of Lyman front sight and Williams receiver sight. Was in a Ramline plastic stock but comb was too high to use the sights well. I found a take off J.C. Higgins Model 50 stock that had the European drop style comb. Had to do a little inletting to get it to fit, now it is a fine shooter with 150 gr. Hornadys over a case nearly full of H-380 for 2950 FPS average with no pressure signs and very consistant inpact point, even for me. And best of all; no scope to worry about.

[Bullshop Junior]

Husqavrna 30/06 with weaver K-4

[Guesser]

From reading this, it should be mostly in Military; as most of us are using military based guns.

[rbuck351]

I have a very used M92 Win in 25/20 that is no doubt my favorite beater rifle. Still shoots cast pretty well. In pistol, it's a Ballister Molina, with a set of Ruger MKI sights, that will shoot under 2" at 25yds. I left it sitting on top of a tire of a 3/4 ton PU in a gravel pit once and drove over it before remembering where I had set it. Scratched it a bit, but it's hard to tell now. Does that qualify as a beater?

[Bullshop]

For rifle a 98 Mauser that looks milsurp but is bored out to 9x57. Its beat up and ugly but shoots our 275 gn boolit to 2200 fps and groups good enough to pop ground squirrels at 200 yards.
For handgun your going to love this I have been for quite some time now putting on with my pants each morning a, are you ready, a 7.62x 38 Nagant. Hold the tamatters boys hear me out. These things are stout and well made, they just need a little TLC.
The thing is we bought a bunch and never sold a single one. I just decided I would take the time to figure them out. I have a couple hours labor in slightly changing the main spring angle, re heat treating, and a trigger tune up and have ended up with a respectable shooter. Oh I had to put a wider front sight blade on it because I couldn't see the too thin stock sight.
This thing will now out shoot my wife's 631 S&W. Its not up to the Ruger Buckeye but perty dern good. We just treat it like a 32/20 because that is what we shoot in it.
Not the hot carbine loads but the peace maker loads are good to go.
The fact that it cost $70.00 makes it seem all the more sweeter.
BIC/BS