Gary Reeder
it is odd how some guns like one ammo while
Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 13:57

others won't shoot it all, or one gun is much more accurate than others. Back many years ago I wrote a weekly column called Southern Sportsman for the Nashville newspaper showing new guns, hunting successes including whitetail deer and bear taken, and other gun info (try doing that today). This was in the early 70s. The new hyper ammo was just coming out. We had the Stinger, the Winchester Expediter, The Remington Yellow Jacket, and one other from Federal (can't remember the name right now). But I decided to do an accuracy test on them. I had a Remington 541, a Sears Model 30 semi auto, a Marlin model 99 M1, a semi auto carbine, one of the Mossberg bolt action military training guns with the crude peep sight and the Remington 552 semi auto. I borrowed a Winchester model 52 standard model, (not the match grade) from a friend.
The test was simple. Shoot 5 rounds from each gun with one brand, then do the next brand. I did not let the barrels cool after the shots as there was only 5 shots taken from each gun before going to the next gun. They were all shot off sandbags at the local range. Nothing special was done. This was in 1972 so there really weren't any special gizmos at that time.
At the end of the shooting the Winchester Expediter was the most accurate in all 6 guns which surprised me a bit. The big surprise was the most accurate gun with all ammo was the Marlin model 99M1, a little short carbine. After the article was published I had mentioned in the column that I was surprised with the results. But I had a few people call (no e-mail back then) and tell me they figured it was due to Marlin's Micro Groove. I didn't know diddly about the Micro Groove (that was 46 years ago) so I just agreed with them. But it did impress me that not always is the most expensive gun the best or most accurate.

Somewhere along the way I either traded or sold my little marlin 99M1 and the Sears model 30 and later on regretted it. A couple of years back I did what old fogies do as they get older and tried to get the guns I grew up with, like the 99M1, the Sears model 30 (made by High Standard) and the High Standard Double Nine 22 revolver. I was extremely surprised that the 99M1s were going for nearly $300 in good shape as were the Sears model 29, 30 or 31 (all semi auto 22 LRs.) I was highly pissed as I would bid on them on gunbroker and invariably the auction ended in the middle of the night. I would get up, check the auction and find I was beat by someone else. I got so pissed I bid on 4 of the 99M1s, figuring I would get one of them for sure. I also bid on 3 of the Sears model 30 and model 31 (both the same gun, one just a bit fancier than the other). Needless to say I got 3 of the 99M1s and all 3 of the Sears model 29s and 30. I picked out the 2 best of each and sold the others and I think I actually made some money on the deal. (beginning to sound like WB).

After all that I don't remember what the reason for the post was now. Getting old is a bitch. Then you die, which is even worse.