Oldies but Goodies

Some time a go I returned the Ranger 103-2 that I had refinished for a neighbor. A couple days ago I was visiting with him and he commented that the gun still didn't work. I had originally gotten it because the magazine would not release unless you removed the action from the stock. I had checked the magazine function very well before returning the rifle to him. Now he said it wouldn't work, so I took it home pondered on it over night and the next morning delved in to the guts so this trim little .22. Mag function? OK. Bolt operation? OK. Feeding operation? Not OK. Examination of the bolt showed both extractors missing, one extractor plunger missing and both plunger springs gone. So much for working. I took it back to him and explained the problem and he's not sure if the value of the gun is worth the value of the parts it needs. It sure looks good though. Maybe when things are better I'll get the chance to make this little jewel actually shoot. This episode made me think of the twenty-two's of mine that I have refinished. So, naturally I had to go look at 'em. I took one out of the safe just 'cause it's so nice and does shoot. I have claimed several tree rats with this oldie. It's a Savage 53d single shot bolt action in a large, full size walnut stock. These guns were made from 1937 to 1945. This particular one has a cast aluminium trigger guard so I'm thinking it may be pre-war as aluminum was very scarce during and immediately after WWII. On this one I had re-blued the barrel and action and gave the walnut stock a stain job and multiple coats of linseed oil topped with paste wax. Somebody in the past had installed a plate aluminum butt plate. They did a nice job of it so I saved the 15 bucks and left it on. Eventually I want to remove the trigger and strip the peeling corroded chrome and either blue it or Dura Coat it. The trigger guard will get black Dura Coat to match the original black paint. I'll try to get a picture of it to post later.

Changes and a smart little Ranger

Have you ever had a plan then, that plan changes course? That how my life has been going lately. Fer instance, we had picked out a really nice slate to tile the kitchen with. It's been sitting in the family room for two months waiting it's turn. I'm all prepped to install the stuff when Cherry Pie says she doesn't like it, it detracts from the back splash that she wants as the focal point, it doesn't match the cabinets,blah, blah, blah. Next example, I'm working on this small apartment that I am going to manage. The owner shows up with cash and is willing to help. I'm working on a bathroom. He wants to make the place nice as possible but on the cheap. Later that night one of the neighbors comes over, drunk. And makes suggestions as to the bathroom. All valid points but, it added 300 bucks to the budget and set us hours behind with a carpet crew breathing down my neck. Moving on, I got a call from a friend, asking if I had a job yet as his little office had an opening for a seasonal employee. 2 months work. I'll take it. I filled out the application they gave me and submitted it. I started work two day later. Midday I was told they had given me the wrong application so technically I wasn't hired yet. So I filled out the new app and went home to wait. Now, here comes the good part of change, this morning I got a call from the HR director of the home office. He is the past HR director from one of my previous employers. They have a full time position available, would I be interested? Hell, yeah I'm interested. I sped a resume to him and sit here, fingers crossed, wondering, is this the one?
________________________________

I finally got the Ranger .22 rifle done. I gotta say, it sure came out nice, probably nice than it ever was as new. The owner was flabbergasted. The stock is smooth as a freshly shaven... well never mind, it's really smooth. All the steel is re-blued including all the bits and pieces and the screws. A new rear sight elevator and this little jewel is back in shooting trim.