Another Serious Question.

[Guest jps37033]

I have, incased, my grandfathers real life WW2 Colt. He told me the story of them chunking them over the side of the carriers. He hid his in his rucksack because they "were no longer adding arms serial numbers to the books". It is now in a case with the actual rounds that were in it.

My question is this. Would you be curious to the fact that if you shoot this gun, to feel a part of history?

I have, many times, wanted to shoot it. Will I be damned? Or, as a patriot myself, just want to actually be a part of that era?

I would never use the rounds in the incasing. But, would you shoot it?

Thanks

[Mark@Sea]

Is it unfired? If so, probably not. Otherwise, yes.

[Ropin4gold]

Shoot it! I couldn't have a piece like that and not at least shoot it once. I would find some "mild" 230 grain ball ammo and run a mag through it. Of course if it has never been fired, that might change my mind.

[gunsablazin]

I have one that was made in 1917, I put a new recoil spring in it and shoot it occasionally. If your pistol is in good condition it won't hurt it a bit to shoot it. Other posters have advised not to shoot it if it is in new unfired condition, and I would agree with that otherwise................

[Guest jps37033]

No, thats the other part. He did use it. I might just have to run a mag through it. Thanks

[TGO David]

I'd resist the urge, but that's just me. At some point you have to decide if you are preserving an item because of it's historical and/or personal significance, or if you just own the item and don't mind using it.

[Mike.357]

shoot the heck out of it. It is not going to hurt it any.

[Guest JHatmaker]

It really just depends on if you are ever planning on selling it, which looks like you probably won't. Since it's already been shot, I'd clean it real good, and use it. That's really good that you have one from that era.

It just comes down to what YOU think, not us. As you can tell, you won't be "looked down on" if you shoot it or not. It's 50/50.

But if it were mine, and I knew I'd always keep it, I'd shoot it.

Can you post some pictures!?

[Ninja9]

If you would enjoy shooting it, i'm betting your grandfather would have wanted you to I can understand the hesitation, but my vote is to shoot it.

[gtssilver]

I would probably NOT shoot it.

One of my buddies was faced with a similar decision ( He has so far chosen not to shoot his). A man at out church who was in WWII gave my buddy a m1 carbine that he was given on D+a few days on the beaches of Iwo Jima.

Carbine is original build with a battle pack (2 magazines) one still full and the other had 3 or 4 rounds missing. The man from our church never fired the rifle so that last person to fire it was a marine probably on D-day.

[Guest pws_smokeyjones]

If you would enjoy shooting it, i'm betting your grandfather would have wanted you to I can understand the hesitation, but my vote is to shoot it.

I have to agree with this. Putting myself in the position of your grandfather, I would not have gone through the effort to hide it and bring it back just to have it hang on a wall. Just my 2cents.

[Will]

No do not shoot it. Metal starts to fatigue at sixty years old no matter how well it was made. It may function fine or the frame could crack/break. It will go from a $1000.00-$2000.00 gun to zero in one round to a gun worth nothing except to

you.

[Guest jdavis]

shoot it thats what it was built for.

[Garufa]

No do not shoot it. Metal starts to fatigue at sixty years old no matter how well it was made. It may function fine or the frame could crack/break. It will go from a $1000.00-$2000.00 gun to zero in one round to a gun worth nothing except to

you.

There are alot of mil-surp owners (like me) who have no problem whatsoever regularly firing 60+ year old guns. There are still hundreds of thousands if not more (each) of 1911's, Garands, M1 Carbines, Springfields, Mausers, Enfields, Mosins etc. that are in constant use.

Go shoot the thing. Don't turn it into a range gun or blast thousands of rounds through it. Run a box of shells through it then put it away. It is worth a considerable sum and overuse will decrease that value, if resale value is of importance.

BTW, WHERE ARE THE PICTURES!!!

Edited March 20, 2009 by Garufa

[Guest Grout]

Shoot the out of it.

[Oh Shoot]

... Metal starts to fatigue at sixty years old no matter how well it was made....

Is that true?

I feel guilty selling my granddad's 106 year old shotgun to TGOer, whose uncle is SHOOTING it.

- OS

[Guest slim]

No do not shoot it. Metal starts to fatigue at sixty years old no matter how well it was made. It may function fine or the frame could crack/break. It will go from a $1000.00-$2000.00 gun to zero in one round to a gun worth nothing except to

you.

Have never heard that and i dont believe it!

Have a few guns older than that, which see a lot of use with no problems, its like anything else all depends on how well you take care of the gun oil,lube etc..

[Guest I_AM_WOOD]

on one hand I say shoot it, then switch to the other hand and shoot it some more!