Thread: Care & Maintenance Of Our Firearms

OK, now you've got me thinking about other gun care questions...

My Dad recently passed on to me his P14 Enfield. Apart from eating expensive ammo (which has had the side effect of getting me into reloading) the thing is brilliant. But it is 100 years old.

Does anyone have any specific things they do to nurse the elder guns amongst us? So far I've been treating it as I would any other, younger, firearm but with a bit of extra TLC due to its age and the family connection. But is there anything I *should* be aware of and doing special for a rifle that is 100 years old?

I probably would not shoot it,,, You know it does shoot & keep it clean, as you do,,,, JMO
I have mosin Nagant rifles & Nagant revolvers that are almost as old, but they are not family heirlooms, so I shoot them on rare occassion.

Originally Posted by Hirlau

I probably would not shoot it,,, You know it does shoot & keep it clean, as you do,,,, JMO
I have mosin Nagant rifles & Nagant revolvers that are almost as old, but they are not family heirlooms, so I shoot them on rare occassion.

You're no fun at all!

As far as I know, when I shot it last November, that was the first time it had been used since my Dad's hunting days in the 60s. When I was growing up, I always wanted to shoot it, but it never happened. So it didn't take long for me to put that right once it came to me. It sure is a nice shooter. But like you, I don't expect to put too many rounds through it although that may change if/when I take up deer hunting. It has proven its use for that many times in the past.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

OK, now you've got me thinking about other gun care questions...

My Dad recently passed on to me his P14 Enfield. Apart from eating expensive ammo (which has had the side effect of getting me into reloading) the thing is brilliant. But it is 100 years old.

Does anyone have any specific things they do to nurse the elder guns amongst us? So far I've been treating it as I would any other, younger, firearm but with a bit of extra TLC due to its age and the family connection. But is there anything I *should* be aware of and doing special for a rifle that is 100 years old?

So long as the rifle has no physical problems like excess headspace, just keep her clean and lubed. Since you handload resist the urge to shoot hot loads as a courtesy to the old girl. Enjoy your heirloom.

Bob

Originally Posted by Cangooner

OK, now you've got me thinking about other gun care questions...

My Dad recently passed on to me his P14 Enfield. Apart from eating expensive ammo (which has had the side effect of getting me into reloading) the thing is brilliant. But it is 100 years old.

Does anyone have any specific things they do to nurse the elder guns amongst us? So far I've been treating it as I would any other, younger, firearm but with a bit of extra TLC due to its age and the family connection. But is there anything I *should* be aware of and doing special for a rifle that is 100 years old?

No need to do anything out of the ordinary.
I own two rifles that are more than 90 years old. I shoot them regularly and all the cleaning I ever do is to just pull a boresnake through the bore when I'm done. I don't even bother to give them oil.
Even with very limited maintenance they will probably outlast most newer rifles. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.

EDIT: One of them is a model 1917 Eddystone, so it's very similar to you P14 Enfield. :-)

Originally Posted by Cangooner

OK, now you've got me thinking about other gun care questions...

My Dad recently passed on to me his P14 Enfield. Apart from eating expensive ammo (which has had the side effect of getting me into reloading) the thing is brilliant. But it is 100 years old.

Does anyone have any specific things they do to nurse the elder guns amongst us? So far I've been treating it as I would any other, younger, firearm but with a bit of extra TLC due to its age and the family connection. But is there anything I *should* be aware of and doing special for a rifle that is 100 years old?

beuat rifle! i just bought a longbranch 303, its sporterised, should be fun on pigs! it is in need of a big clean, will have the cue tips and the oil and sweets solvent running wild! and a glasses microfibre cloth for the scope

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

You clean your firearms ? This is why everyone should own a Glock ......... no cleaning necessary ....... works first time, every time ....

This is not a serious entry in this thread is it? I'm new on the forum and stumbled across this. I almost certainly don't yet understand the backhanded' 'humor' I am seeing in 'collegial' threads, But keeping your weapons.. clean is what saves you and your and your buddy's life.

'Glock's' have a seriously chequered history in the annals of combat to be very sure.

I Never even saw one in combat where I spent too much time..

Please feel free to PM me if you have any experience in that space..

Originally Posted by DEFGRAB

This is not a serious entry in this thread is it? I'm new on the forum and stumbled across this. I almost certainly don't yet understand the backhanded' 'humor' I am seeing in 'collegial' threads, But keeping your weapons.. clean is what saves you and your and your buddy's life.

'Glock's' have a seriously chequered history in the annals of combat to be very sure.

I Never even saw one in combat where I spent too much time..

Please feel free to PM me if you have any experience in that space..

It was humor & taken as such,,, you have to be around a little to know members like Jimmy & myself,,,, we play around a lot,,,,,, trust me, you will know when Jimmy is serious,,,,

I was told by a black powder shooter .... IIRC ....... that windex is popular as a bore cleaner at the range. More stringent cleaning going on later. This was a guy who shoots black powder cartridge rifles, not muzzle loaders.

Anyway .......... before posting this I decided to google the topic and see if I did remember correctly. Interesting thread below ;

I didn't know that Windex was the best bore cleaner - The Firing Line Forums

Originally Posted by Hirlau

It was humor & taken as such,,, you have to be around a little to know members like Jimmy & myself,,,, we play around a lot,,,,,, trust me, you will know when Jimmy is serious,,,,

Honestly, Thanks Hirlau. The 'Humor' wasn't "taken as such" by 'Me'. I'm not adversarial, but, as a combat Vet and competitive shooter it seems some things might better 'Not' be 'joked' about..eh? You don't '"play around" with weapons... IMHO..Mea Culpa..