Thread: Rifle Obsolesence

Greetings All,
I have been having trouble updating my computer to Windows 11 and have just been told that my it is too old to be updated. My phone is the same. Last month I took my M38 Swedish Mauser to the range to check its zero. Two shots close togetherabout 50mm above point of aim at 100 metres. This with an eighty year old rifle firing a cartridge almost 50 years older than that. Granted the rifle has had some inprovements including a slimmed down stock, a Pecar 6 power scope (also about 50 years old), an updated bolt handle and a Dayton Traister cock on opening and trigger kit. It is not a modern rifle by any standard but is servicable and would do the job.
In spite of new cartidges being introduced almost weekly planned obsolesence does not seem to have invaded the firearms industry at least for us old fudds. I dont remember for sure the last time my M38 was taken out for a walk but have resolved to do it soon. It is just a pity it is so heavy.
Regards Grandpamac.

Another reason why shooting sports is superior to all others by far.

Planned obsolesence is all too common in this 'consumable' era. Not only are perfectly good items that have been in production for a couple of years (in China) suddenly phased out in favour of the new 'double cheese' version that offers the ability to sync your (soon to be outdated) phone to your (soon to be outdated) computer so you can send irrelevant personal details to a whole bunch of strangers on (soon to be outdated) social media, but the grasping bastards also stop making spare parts. The good thing about firearms is that they are still mostly made out of metal and will last many years with a bit of kindness. I have a few 100 year plus firearms that are still giving excellent service (and the animals never complain)!

Yeah but primers and powder are becoming obsolete after a fashion

I love shooting my 1900 Oberndorf, 1916 m96 and my ‘41 Husqvarna m38; all in unmolested state. They are quality rifles. Having just read Beevor’s ‘Arnhem, the Battle for the Bridges, 1944’ I noted that some German defenders were issued with similar vintage rifles as their usual arms were in short supply.

no offence but your a manufactures nightmare ( and people like me ) we buy something and nurse it along . . . for decades or longer.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

I dont remember for sure the last time my M38 was taken out for a walk but have resolved to do it soon. It is just a pity it is so heavy.

That's cause you forgot to download the ultralight update

@grandpamac You'll like this.... "Gevär M/96 [Swedish Mauser] 1,000yds: Practical Accuracy" I really like 9-hole reviews; he can sure shoot iron sights! Here in their most recent shoot they use a 122 year-old Gevär M/96 out to 1000 yards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StQ_AcgCnag&t=689s

Just wait till the handheld railguns come.

Planned obsolescence usually only applies to products which the manufacture still has some control over after the sale. the concept applies to electronics almost exclusively because: A, they need battery and battery is a perishable consumable. by choosing not to make replacement batteries the product is rendered obsolete eventually; B, software this the product runs are upgraded and improved overtime and eventually becomes incompatible with the hardware; C, Even without A and B, overall performance improves enough over certain period of time it makes it counter productive to continue using the old product. Who still uses Win95 even if Word97 still works on it?

Gun makes rarely have control over guns after they are made. almost nothing on the gun itself is a consumable. Ammo can be made by anyone and even at home.

Greetings everyone,
Thanks for all your likes and replies. The closest to control by the manufacturer were the proprietary cartridges of the English gun makers. The cartridges for your rifle were only available from the maker. Today a handloader can easily bypass this for most cartridges and cases are available for more cartridges now than any time in recent history. Or would be without the mindless panic buying of the last year or so. Double rifles were regulated for one specific cartridge and load bu even here the handloader can often produce a usable result. The only double rifle I remember seeing in the flesh was a side by side .303 regulated for 215 grain projectiles. Even these are still manufactured in Oz.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Konev

Just wait till the handheld railguns come.

Forgotten weapons just put out a video of Ian shooting one....

Guns never become truly obosolete. They just need new friends to play with. @grandpamac a 303 double rifle would be mint.
I do have to say I have joined the Africa hunting forum and see a couple of people from here on there so they will deffo know what i am talking about.
some of the older (including double rifles) firearms on there are just exquisite. I have almost found a hankering for a 318 Westly Richards.
Just because. No one really needs another one (especially me with all my little unfinished projects) but by crikey it is sometimes nice to have something different.

Originally Posted by 40mm

Forgotten weapons just put out a video of Ian shooting one....

CLose but being nit picky here, it was a Gauss gun. Rails need a lot more power.

Originally Posted by Konev

Just wait till the handheld railguns come.

If you are after non-obsolescence, you had better get the version that runs on Linux.