Guns from 50 years ago.....

[FNH5-7]

50 years ago I would've of been just as happy with an M14 and a Colt 45.

[BluNorthern]

I've got a Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 that was manufactured in the fall of 1954. I wouldn't trade it for any newer rifle, and wouldn't want to be the one on the receiving end of it. I've been shooting it since 78 and 'roll my own'.

[Tank 57]

My AR-10,High Power and pump shotgun are 50 years old.They all work.

[acaligunner]

Today we have AR's , Clocks, Benelli state of the art shotguns, Red dot sights,lasers , etc.

How would one feel today with the stuff that was available 50+ years ago ?

How would a person feel with a basic 4 inch 38/357 revolver, a 1911, 5 shot two inch 38, 12 gauge pump and Marlin 30-30 in a closet?

IDK, but Poppa had a lot more than that in the closet.

acaligunner

[GWbiker]

50 years ago military surplus guns were available cheap in most parts of the country. Gun sales took place in hardware stores, Army-Navy surplus stores, Sears, Western Auto, J.C Penny, flea markets, neighborhoods, parking lots....all without nothing more than cash changing hands and a retail store sales slip. ATF form 4473 was just a gleam in some Liberal anti-gunner eye.

Then came LBJ Great Society and Gun Control Act 1968, because it's what the people wanted.

[RedFord150]

...How would a person feel with a basic 4 inch 38/357 revolver, a 1911, 5 shot two inch 38, 12 gauge pump and Marlin 30-30 in a closet?

My .38 is a 6 shot with a 2 3/4" barrel and I do not have a Malin 30-30. Other than this, you have just described most of my collection.
I do not think safety or security comes with the type of guns one owns. I believe it comes with the level of proficiency one has with the guns in his own arsenal. In other words, it does not matter what you got, it matters how you use it.

[Eddy's Shooting Sports]

50 years ago military surplus guns were available cheap in most parts of the country. Gun sales took place in hardware stores, Army-Navy surplus stores, Sears, Western Auto, J.C Penny, flea markets, neighborhoods, parking lots....all without nothing more than cash changing hands and a retail store sales slip. ATF form 4473 was just a gleam in some Liberal anti-gunner eye.

Then came LBJ Great Society and Gun Control Act 1968, because it's what the people wanted.

Has anyone here watched Mad Men? Mid-series, one of the main characters returns a wedding gift at a major Manhattan department store, but they only give him store credit. So, he buys a .22 rifle on a whim and comes traipsing into the ad agency gun under arm and shows it off to all his buddies. Several episodes later, it is still leaning in a corner in his office.

1960 Manhattan. That must have been a fun place.

Today, you'd get a full SWAT response doing that.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

The OP is describing what we had when I started my LE career... except that there were darn few of us with a rifle in the station, never mind the car. Not too many cops carried 1911s then, either, as it cost too much to make the pistol accurate as well as reliable. That was quite a bit less than 50 years ago. All of those are good tools and I wouldn't feel undergunned if they were all I had now.

[CSACANNONEER]

50 years ago, the M1 carbine was the M4 carbine of the day.

50 years ago, police sidearms were .38 or .357 magnum revolvers.

50 years ago, 1911's were still in fashion (and still are).

50 years ago, guns were sold in Hardware stores and at Sears.

50 years ago, guns could be purchased via mail order. You did not need to go to any store to buy one.

[ubet]

Or how about the m2 machine gun? Might not be bad to grab (to feed is a different story). Hell they even had damn good bolt guns 50+years ago win 70 comes to mind (introduced in '36), M1 garands, M1as, or m14s, all good rifles. 1911, I dont know one person who honestly would snub their nose at it if they found and old remington rand, colt etc on the ground during a shtf situation.

The only place that firearms tech has made HUGE gains is in the sights. Scopes 50+yrs ago, have nothing on scopes of today.

[dixieD]

Today we have AR's , Clocks, Benelli state of the art shotguns, Red dot sights,lasers , etc.

How would one feel today with the stuff that was available 50+ years ago ?

How would a person feel with a basic 4 inch 38/357 revolver, a 1911, 5 shot two inch 38, 12 gauge pump and Marlin 30-30 in a closet?

I'd feel very well armed. Throw in an M14 or Garand and your good to go.

[MrPlink]

50 years ago I could still buy machine guns in this state!
Bring on the classics!

[rjf]

Fifty years ago the 1911 turned 50.