Would you stop shooting this gun?

S

Sbowling79

New member
When I was 13 my grandpa who I was very close to was put in a nursing home. He gave me his old Winchester 190 and a few months later died. Over the next few years I shot thousands of rounds thru it.
After high school I went to the army and one time home on leave I went and shot it some then decided to break it down and clean it. I never could get it back together because of the spring. So I stuck it in the closet and didn't touch it again.

Fast forward a dozen years and all of a sudden I got into shooting again. I bought a few guns and then decided I should try to fix the Winchester.
Went to my parents house and got it. The spring was lost so after a little googling I was able to order one. Thanks to a couple YouTube videos I had the old 190 running again.

Only a couple months into shooting and I've nearly filled up a 10 gun safe. I go to the range or my other grandpas house every weekend to shoot and I always bring the 190. My 10 year old son loves to shoot it to. I bought him a new 10/22 and put a nice scope on it but he shoots it a few times then grabs my Winchester. I know the gun probably isn't worth a $100 but I wouldn't take any amount of money for it.

So I guess my question is if there is a risk this gun could catastrophically fail and leave me wishing I hadn't shot it anymore. I know the safest thing to do would be to put it in the back of the safe and not shoot it but I love to shoot it. Brings back a lot of memories that I don't really get without taking it out and shooting it.

Sorry for such a long post. I'm sure there are others that have inherited guns and I'd like to hear if you shoot them or just try to preserve them.
 
I would shoot it. With the right amount of money, and a good gunsmith, anything on that gun could be re-manufactured.

EDIT: just a search on gunbroker is showing lots of parts and existing 190's for parts. I wouldn't worry.
 
If it's more then 50 years old I would get a little nervous. It would probably be fine but better safe then sorry, especially if your son is shooting it.
 
Hope this don't get me kicked out for talking about revolvers in the rifle form but do have my grandfathers 3rd model S&W in 44 Russian.

When my grandfather left home at 12, to go work the ranches in Nebraska and Colorado, his father gave him the revolver. It went to my father, and I'll give it to my oldest son.

I do shoot it every now and then, maybe more now since 44 Russian brass is becomeing more available. Use to have to cut down 44 Mag brass, but it was a pain in hte butt.

It was the first gun I ever shot. My father took me out and showed me how, I'd stick the revolver out with both arms. As I started looking over the sights I'd draw it back closer to my face. He kept telling me to stick it out there.

Guess he got tired of telling me because when I touched off the revolver, the hammer put a nice little cut over my eye.

Before that, I tried target shooting, not with the gun but the ammo. I'd set up a target in the basement, lay the shells on a butcher block and wacked them with a hammer, to see how fast I could get to the center of my target. Got my butt beat on that one.

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It is a .22 LR right? Shoot it. There is so little pressure from a 22LR I wouldn't worry about it in the least.

Shoot it, and think of your grandfather and smile.
 
I think your rifle is a rifle that deserves to be cleaned very well and taken good care of and shot once or twice a year. You don't want to drop it or break something because you can't replace that thing. Even if you got another one it just wouldn't be the same. Thats what I think anyway.
 
Most .22's like that are surprisingly robust in the long term. You might want to pick up an extractor and a firing pin while parts are still easy to obtain.

Hey, what would granpa be telling you right now? Shoot it. Enjoy it.
 
%0 years old should be put up? Yeah right. I am shooting guns that are over 100. 50 years ago is pretty close to the apex of quality in guns.

Shoot it shoot it shoot it.

If it is a 22 only clean every thousand rounds or so:)
 
50 years old should be put up? Yeah right. I am shooting guns that are over 100. 50 years ago is pretty close to the apex of quality in guns.

Shoot it shoot it shoot it.
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I was thinking the same thing... :)
 
No, I would keep shooting it if I enjoyed it.

As others have said, I would get a few spare parts and maybe even a whole second rifle since they are not too expensive.

You might even be able to coax your son into shooting the second rifle. :)
 
sb79, 2/9/12

My dad bought me my Winchester 190 forty-one years ago when I was 14. It still shoots fine after thousands of rounds and has taught my kids and their friends to shoot. Keep shooting it and hand it down to someone who will do likewise. And I know about that spring that gave you trouble. It just didn't seem like a spring that long could fit into that small spring-tunnel.

best wishes- oldandslow
 
I’d shoot it. I have a 60+ year old Remington bolt action that my Grandfather bought for my Father when he was a kid. The bluing is almost completely gone, but the bore looks every bit as good as a new rifle. I take it out a couple times a year and run 100 rounds or so down the bore. Let my son shoot it when ever he wants, and the kid is pretty good with it! This old rifle means alot to me. I have a three year old grandson, and it will be the first rifle he shoots. Kind of neat, it will be in the hands of five generations one day soon.
 
I would shoot it. My Uncle passed away in 06 and I just got his 50 year old Nylon 66 that he taught me to shoot with when I was 10. Cleaned it up and it shoots great. Plan on teaching my Son on it when he gets old enough. Also have two 100 year old 22's that I shoot once in a while.

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk
 
Shoot it...

People shoot the heck out of the 190 every day, and they are still going strong...

I find it hard to believe that some think that a '50 year old gun' is somehow less capable/safe/worthy of being used for it's intended purpose...

Please don't tell my 100+ year old guns that they are not 'supposed' to be shot...

:D
 
I have a Remington Model 121 Fieldmaster, been shooting that gun for nearly 50 years, it was manufactured in 1937 but the barrel codes and serial number 23XX.

i still shoot it at least a couple hundred rounds every week and the same regimen of shooting cleaning n oiling and that gun is a life partner. if there are no issues at all with the action cycling, ejecting then i would bet your good to go..

trust your instincts, some guns you just look at and know you shouldn't shoot them
 
50 years ago is pretty close to the apex of quality in guns.

Shoot it shoot it shoot it.
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I agree totally. I have a S&W pre-Model 10 that's 83 years old now, and came from my grandfather to my father and then to me. It goes to the range with us every single time - in fact, we put 100 rounds through it on Sunday and will probably shoot it again this weekend as well.

Keep it clean, keep it in good working order, and shoot the heck out of it.
 
If it is in good condition and functioning properly I do not see a problem. If you have doubts have it inspected by a qualified gunsmith. I have one, as well as a Marlin 60 and both refuse to wear out. To the Marlin 60 fans mine is an old one with the long barrel. Few late model auto loaders of any manufacturer can match it's groups. It was new in the mid 60's. Recent restoration consisted of replacing broken stock and a thorough cleaning. It has now been fired by 4 generations in my family. As long as they are given minimum care and maintenance and not overwhelmingly abused old .22's seem to be timeless, just like the cartridge.
 
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