Notes from the gun shop...

Well, yesterday started a bit slow as we had a "surprise" snow fall of about 5". Roads were slick and I was going to walk to work, it is less than a mile, but Boss Man came and got me.

We really didn't have many customers until about 1100 so I helped catch up on processing all the incoming goodies stock by pricing it and putting it out. The visit from the ATF last week really put a crimp in day to day operations. However, I was glad to be busy.

We had a few good conversations but nothing really interesting came in the door except for one guy who brought in his "collection" of two Remington .22 LR rifles and two Ithaca Model 37s. After some negotiation he sold the 20 gauge pump and left with the others. This gun would make a good candidate for a home defense gun as it has been re-blued and there is some rather bad rust/pitting at the muzzle but I think Boss Man might have paid too much for it to sell for a reasonable price for such use.

One other thing had come into the shop, a new Browning Semi-Auto 22, Grade I. One doesn't see these much any more. I think they've fallen out of favor, not just because of the price tag of $700 or so, but because they are "old fashioned" and not easily scoped. Neither makes sense to me but the Ruger 10/22 has taken over the market and is supported by hundreds (at least) of after-market products which allow unlimited customization by the owner. This gun was ordered for a particular customer and there are no more available from our distributors. One has to wonder at the production quantities, another indicator of lowered demand.

I've always wanted a Browning Semi-Auto 22 but I might go for a Remington "copy", the Model 24 or 241. Actually, like the Remington Model 11 shotgun, these were initially made by Remington due to the high import tariffs made importation of the Fabrique-Nationale guns cost prohibitive and aren't really copies but the genuine article. About 130,000 of the Model 24 and 24A guns were produced between 1922 and 1935 (some say to 1938). Then, coincidental with acquisition of Remington by Dupont, the 241 was designed as a product improvement and more than 107,000 of these were produced 1935 through 1951.

I mentioned my long time desire for one of these guns to a co-worker and he said his uncle had one of the Remingtons. We'll have to see. One of the improvements incorporated in the 241 was making the parts "heavier" to stand up to the high velocity rounds of the time. Because I intend to shoot the gun, hopefully a lot, I want it to be in good condition and a later model. Price is also a consideration. If the seller wants more than $700 there is no reason to not get a brand-new Browning SA22.