Check this out:


[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/003/mt/Oc/T7/YP17673.jpg[/img]

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/003/20/Pr/Dj/4142882.jpg[/img]

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/030/XZ/x5/y0/4K57258.jpg[/img]


This is a very accurate match rifle built at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in 1947 for my father. He was the captain of the APG rifle team, as well as the local division chief of TECOM. There are exactly three of these in the world. It started out as a pre-WWII training rifle, Springfield M2 - a .22 LR trainer for the 1903 Springfields. It was fit with an Eric Johnson barrel (not the guitar player, the best match barrel maker of the day). This particular one is the very last barrel made by Johnson before he died. It has a modified Tymney trigger, hand made stock, trigger guard, sling perch, and single shot floor plate made by my dad in our basement. The gunsmithing on the action and re-barreling was done by a guy named Dave Perrin, who was the head gunsmith at APG's small arms custom shop. This is the same Dave Perrin that built the .22 Gustafson Carbine shown on page 12 of "The Black Rifle". My dad had two of the rifles, and the third went home with Larry Moore, whose name is also all over the previously mentioned book. Larry and my dad were ranked #1 and #2 nationally in small bore competition in 1948 and 1949 with these rifles.
This was just before the end of my dad's competitive shooting days (due to rules changes which pissed him off and made his team less competitive). It was also just before the SCHV experiments that led to the developement of the M16 in the first place.

Just thought some of you folks might like to check it out....

U sure thats old?
it looks like a target rifle

It looks like a modified 1903 Springfield action with a heavy barrel and micrometer sight, possibly Lyman or Williams?

It's either a Lyman or a Redfield - I just looked and there are no markings on it other than a patent number. I'll ask my dad what it is next time I talk to him. It also has one of thos old style very long very thin scopes, but I haven't brought it home yet.  One thing for sure, this sucker's HEAVY!

Very cool, interesting, and historical rifle. Thanks for sharing it.

Thanks for posting the picture thats a nice rifle.

gus,
im interested in that front and rear sight. ever find out what kind it is? post if you do.

I'm pretty sure the rear sight is a Redfield. The front site pictured is not the original. Original was a much larger globe, hand made at APG. That one is currently on the other rifle at my dad's house. I bought the one pictured at a gun show, after looking for a year to find one like it. It doesn't mount in a dovetail on the barrel like most newer ones do, it mounts to a scope base which is screwed to the top of the barrel. I just checked and there are no markings on the front sight either.  I'll ask dad about the rear though.

Very very cool.....no dollar value on that one........

Just make sure to store that in a safe place. Man that is a museum piece.

I had no interest in pictures of an old target rifle. Then I read the story of that gun and I realize we all should have a story like that. Either giving a gun that carries memories to our children, or receiving such from our parents. Thank you for sharing and I hope your great grand children get the chance to enjoy that rifle.

Interesting History on ar-15.com:  Priceless
Neat-o rifles I wish I had:  Priceless
Jealousy which is hard to contain: Priceless


Visa,  It's everywhere I'm not.
And for everything else, there's MasterCard.

NSF

Very nice. You are very lucky. Hope you shoot it.

Nice...
...can I shoot it?  Please?

I shoot with a guy who had one.It had a ajustable stock that looked original.Anyone know about this?I have a feeling if it was it was worth a lot more than he sold it for,$600

Thanks guys!  I'm going to try to get down to my dad's this weekend, and if I do, I'll take a few pics of his muzzle loader collection - all built by hand by him. Also, he has another M2 match and a .222 Rem Mag (with my name on it) that is one of three Remington 700's presented to him by the pres. of Remington in the late `50's in appreciation for some things he did for them as a consultant. Also, there is a prototype recurve bow made by Colt that he designed. I have no idea if it made it into production and if so how many were made, but he has the first. There are three out of four of his sons that are gun nuts (number four is a hippy lib living in Vegas) and we all are in awe of our dad. Nowadays, he can be found at black powder matches shooting his home built guns against younger guys with custom built high dollar pieces, and they all groan when they see him pull in. I guess the Marriotsville range near Baltimore knows him best. At 86, he can outshoot offhand anybody I've ever met.
I'm just glad he's still around and healthy. I'm also glad that I understand his significance and never took him for granted. My nomination for world's best dad.  Ok, sappy mode off.

gus,

 Nice rifle. You better stain that deck befor you start getting splinters so bad that you want to replace the floor boards. If you are handy get a powerwasher and clean the deck. Use a cleaner brightner on it also. Then let it dry for a day or 2 and get a good later decking stain. Cabots makes one that is good. Use brush and roller it will last about 3 years better then the clear that doesn't even make it a year. This will save you big bucks in the future so you can buy another rifle.


I am a professional house painter in NY.

LOL!!   Actually, I think it's already too far gone. The whole deck is only about 12'x12', and the plan is to replace it with a larger one. I like this one for photo purposes though, has that rustic look. Here's a better view of the deck....

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/034/1m/xw/PH/w054362.jpg[/img]

OK, OK, gratuitous arms photo, but I couldn't resist.  Seriously, the deck needs to be replaced......

thebeekeeper1:  Thanks for your comments!!  On top of everything else, he's one of the nicest guys you'd ever meet.  I have a recent pic around here somewhere....

Here's the only shot I have right now in digital format:

G.A. Gustafson preparing to mold backpowder lead balls in the fireplace, Thanksgiving, 2000.

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/031/rw/Jo/ol/ta80866.jpg[/img]

For redray - the rear sight is definately a Redfield per my father. Long since out of production unfortunately.

Document the history on that piece!  Do bring it along when you come out.  You'll never wear out a .22, I hope you shoot it often.

Gus,

Be careful building a bigger deck...
I assisted a friend building one...
The story goes that he and his wife were in bed one night and she told him she wanted a bigger deck...
We asked him while building if he was sure she said "deck"...
Ted...

Not nearly often enough!! This one had just been rebarrelled when dad got out of small bore. It has less than 500 rounds through it, which compared to the 2000 or so rounds per week he used to shoot practicing qualifies it as essentially new.  I'll bring it to the shoot for sure. I invited dad to the shoot, but believe it or not, he has never been a semi or full auto fan. To him it was a job, and his interests on the hobby level were and still are home-made accuracy. In fact, until I had my own job and was apparently not going to end up in jail[:)], he forbid me to buy anything other than bolt action, pump action or revolver guns.
He would have had a cow if he knew about my first AR when I bought it. Later, though, I brought it to his house to show him and his eyes lit up with a certain look of nostalgia. I still haven't told him about my AK though (he'd think I was a traitor). After some of the crap I've seen friend's parents put them through (and visa-versa), I have to thank God I was born where, when, and to whom I was. Mom (rest her soul) was maybe even more awesome!!!
Sorry, but I totally love my parents!! I wish everybody could love theirs as much.

I don't think that will be an issue for me...
[:)]