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View Full Version : Some treasures from Grandpa's attic...


Exile Machine
12-08-2012, 2:32 PM
Cleaning out Grandpa's attic today, the old fellow handed me these treasures to keep. Question is, are they really treasures or ???

http://www.exilemachine.net/images/IMG_5335.JPG
Browning Arms Company - Made in Belgium - 22 Long Rifle
Very short, seems to be made for a kid. Has some type of plastic cap covering a hole in the buttstock, haven't opened it up yet. Appears to be pristine new/unfired except for some minor surface rust on one side of the action. S/N 7T 72488

http://www.exilemachine.net/images/IMG_5358.JPG
This came with the rifle. All told not quite a full brick of .22LR. and some loose .22LR rounds with SuperX headstamp. Based on there being no ZIP code on the box, I'd say pre-1964. Questions: What is the true vintage of these? Is there any collector value? Can it be safely fired? Should it be fired?

http://www.exilemachine.net/images/IMG_5338.JPG
Grandpa said this was a starter pistol. Nope, those are not Milk Duds in the box... Questions: 1) What is the gun? 2) Does it have any collector value? 3) What the heck was Grandpa doing with a starter pistol?

-Mark

bohoki
12-08-2012, 2:43 PM
the bottom one looks like an RG 22 short they also made blank guns

ken5714
12-08-2012, 3:13 PM
Here is a link for info on your Browning rifle serial number: http://www.browning.com/customerservice/dategun/detail.asp?id=5
7=1967, T=22 Long Rifle Cal.
Looks like a grade 1, they had three grades for these rifles. I just sold one for $550 in about the same condition. I had put maybe, 300 rounds through it when I had it. The prices for the other two grades go up a lot when in good condition. Great rifle, especially for a kid just getting into shooting. Very accurate also, used to pop ground squirrels at fifty yards, no problem. I had put maybe 300 rounds through it the whole time I had it.

Pinto
12-08-2012, 3:33 PM
3) What the heck was Grandpa doing with a starter pistol?

-Mark

There used to be a time, when firearms weren't vilified, that many competitions were kicked off with a starter pistol - i.e. company picnic three-legged races - or used to end quarters or halfs at football games. It wasn't unusual to have a couple at every high school, church or park for track meets or other sporting events. They were sold at the 5-and-dime in sporting goods.

Sorry to say that era has long passed and now we have the "horn". Do they even use a shotgun anymore at "shotgun start" golf matches?

G-forceJunkie
12-08-2012, 3:42 PM
That plastic thing in the butstock is how you load the rifle. Twist it and pull it out, then feed the ammo into the hole in the side of the butstock. Basically, its a tube magazine that is in the stock instead of under the barrel. I have a Franchi copy made in 1968. Also, pull the bolt handle out and use it as a tool to unscrew the nut at the rear of the barrel and the barrel comes right off. Very compact broken down.

saki302
12-08-2012, 4:50 PM
The revolver is a POS- but the rifle is a little gem. Take it out, shoot it, and enjoy it.

My uncle has one- his takes down into two pieces for transport and storage- yours may too, though I can't remember what the procedure was.

-Dave

Exile Machine
12-08-2012, 4:56 PM
My uncle has one- his takes down into two pieces for transport and storage- yours may too, though I can't remember what the procedure was.

Yep this rifle does break into two pieces, in fact that's how it was stored, wrapped in a blanket under an old desk. I did pull out the plastic cap and lo and behold as a previous poster said, it was attached to a long hollow tube with a spring inside --the tubular magazine. This rifle will end up being for my 6y/o boy when he's ready to go shooting.

jyo
12-08-2012, 5:15 PM
Belgium Browning SA22---very nice rifle (I have one)---as for the revolver, piece of sewage if 22---if starter pistol=worthless. Have fun with the rifle!

emptybottle151
12-08-2012, 5:46 PM
Can't he use .22 shorts in the pistol?

TonyNorCal
12-08-2012, 6:18 PM
Cool!

And something from Grandpa is always extra special.

What sort of camera did you use for the pics? Nice photos.

Jeepers
12-08-2012, 6:21 PM
great lil Browning i had one in the 80's and miss it ....

your lil one has a nice first rifle there :)

VegasND
12-08-2012, 6:45 PM
Nice rifle. Keeping it for your son is a great plan.

Exile Machine
12-08-2012, 7:15 PM
Can't he use .22 shorts in the pistol?

On closer inspection, the pistol says .22 Short on the barrel. Plate in the grip says ROHM RG-10, and barrel is also inscribed with ROHM GMBH SONTHEIM-RRFN7. Serial number is 12654038. So this is indeed one of those cheap saturday night specials, and not a starter gun. Some of the ammo in the Milk Duds box looks like 22 shorts, can't identify the rest of it, maybe blanks?

What sort of camera did you use for the pics? Nice photos.

Thanks... Body was Canon EOS 5D (1st gen), Top photo was with the Canon EF 20mm f2.8 USM wide angle lens, and 2nd two were same body but with the EF 100mm f2.8 Macro USM. Bounce flash (Canon 580EX II) off the ceiling.

G-forceJunkie
12-08-2012, 7:17 PM
The ammo with the crimped end are indeed blanks. Its possable your grandfather used the pistol as a starter pistol, even though it was made to fire .22 short.

Exile Machine
12-08-2012, 8:03 PM
Got some more details from the old guy... He bought the rifle back in the 60's to shoot rats on his family's farm in central Texas. He wanted something that would be small and could break down easily because neither of his wives would allow a gun in the house. He said it was easy to hide.

As for the revolver, he said he can't recall why he bought it but he never fired it. It does still seem to have some of the original packing grease on it.

bsg
12-08-2012, 8:32 PM
coming from your grandpa, they are both treasures. and if the Milk Duds box came with it all... i'd keep that, too. the whole story=family matters.

congrats.

morfeeis
12-08-2012, 9:44 PM
coming from your grandpa, they are both treasures. and if the Milk Duds box came with it all... i'd keep that, too. the whole story=family matters.

congrats.
it's funny how much i enjoyed seeing that Milk-Duds box.

Ribkick
12-08-2012, 10:45 PM
Nice finds. I also have that exact revolver that I got from my grandmother, she carried it in her purse for many years. It's safe to fire, if it will fire. Loaded mine and kept pulling the trigger. Maybe one in 3 will pop off. LOL. I keep it and it's ammo as a family keepsake, nothing more.

That rifle's a jewel!

bsg
12-08-2012, 11:02 PM
it's funny how much i enjoyed seeing that Milk-Duds box.


me too.

Neptune
12-08-2012, 11:26 PM
Those Rohms are complete garbage. They regularly list for $25-50 on auction sites. Most guys I know have used them as tackle box pistols, and when their tackle box needs more room for lures or hooks, they chuck the Rohm into the river. No loss there.



__

Exile Machine
12-09-2012, 2:22 AM
it's funny how much i enjoyed seeing that Milk-Duds box.

According to Wikipedia, Holloway sold the company in 1960, putting an upper bound on the age of the box. I have mostly lost my sense of smell over the years, but I swear I can smell those milk duds every time I open it.

-Mark

stillwater562
12-09-2012, 4:22 AM
The Milk Duds box is probably worth more than the pistol but nice browning anyway.

bsg
12-09-2012, 4:23 AM
According to Wikipedia, Holloway sold the company in 1960, putting an upper bound on the age of the box. I have mostly lost my sense of smell over the years, but I swear I can smell those milk duds every time I open it.

-Mark


i'd guess that the Milk Duds box has some collectible value.

trob
12-09-2012, 5:29 AM
the bottom one looks like an RG 22 short they also made blank guns

I was going to say RG too.

SanPedroShooter
12-09-2012, 6:37 AM
Nice Browning. My Fathers wife has one that she got from her dad.

Great little guns. Made in Belgium too.

sealocan
12-09-2012, 6:39 AM
Those early ammunition boxes can be worth money to collectors as well. I believe there's someone here in the Bay Area that does collect that sort of thing. (if he doesn't already have that box.) if you like I can put you in contact with him PM me if you're interested. another friend of mine had an RG 22 and it shot every time it just wasn't accurate. I believe that is the gun that gave us the term (from D.C.) Saturday night special.

That was a great attic find your Grandpa Is passing on to you and generations to come.

The Gleam
12-09-2012, 11:15 AM
There used to be a time, when firearms weren't vilified, that many competitions were kicked off with a starter pistol - i.e. company picnic three-legged races - or used to end quarters or halfs at football games. It wasn't unusual to have a couple at every high school, church or park for track meets or other sporting events. They were sold at the 5-and-dime in sporting goods.

Sorry to say that era has long passed and now we have the "horn". Do they even use a shotgun anymore at "shotgun start" golf matches?

I recall both Junior High School and High School football games and track events ALL started/ended with blank-gun just like the one in the photo. We even had them as kids instead of regular "toy" guns, and I mean at ages as early as 8 years old. These were "cap" guns to us, better than the red-tape roll or plastic ring-cap types.

The ROHM is not worth much money at all, either as a .22 Short or a blank gun.

fatfreadiescat
12-09-2012, 4:20 PM
The crimped rounds could be birdshot, I wouldn't treat them as blanks.

igotit
12-14-2012, 7:54 AM
Do you want to sell the rifle? Let me know, I had one as a kid and it was stolen from me. I'd love to replace it.

Exile Machine
12-14-2012, 7:56 AM
Do you want to sell the rifle? Let me know, I had one as a kid and it was stolen from me. I'd love to replace it.

Sorry to hear yours got swiped. This one belongs to my sons now... Hopefully they will pass it on to their grandsons one day.

-Mark

OIFVet03
12-14-2012, 2:26 PM
Obviously they are worth something and they are worth more because they are family heirlooms. Definitely take care of them.