Early series Ranger 34A/Marlin A-1

[uoba]

Hello all!
Many moons ago (approx 46 years) my father succombed to the persistant pleadings of a thirteen year old son begging for his first rifle. He had given me a Marlin bolt action .410 the year before thinking that the shotgun was a safer bet for a kid. With great trepidation he pointed to an old rifle his father had given him back in the mid thirties and said "ok, go ahead and take that little .22 in the corner." I was the happiest kid in the world at that time. for the next three years I was the terror of the South! I killed or mamed thousands of tin cans and soda bottles. The squirels and rabbits in our area trembled when Saturday came around! I was out knocking off more cans one afternoon when all of a sudden parts began to fly off of and out of the gun. I was devastated! I took it to a couple of gunsmiths in our area, but no one had ever heard of a Ranger rifle, hence it could not be repaired. I shoved it in a corner and went on with life. Every time I moved, I threw it in the truck and carried it along too. After all it was my first rifle.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago - My wife was about to send the old Ranger to the dump as I happened in through the back door. I was very upset that she would do such a thing!! She told me to either restore the old "Rust Bucket" or out the door it goes!
Well, I began looking around the web for sources and resources. To my pleasant suprise I found all the parts I needed and a lot of information here on this site. Especially from Tigweld's postings.
Today I completed the restoration of the little Ranger and the test firing went great!
I used 27 coats of hand rubbed oil finish on the stock and slow rust bluing on the metal parts.
I realize a gun that only sold for $9.95 at Sears in 1936 will never have any real monetary value, but to me it's worth more that my K80 and 682 combined.
Here's a link to a few pictures: http://s1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj532/uoba/

Thanks to all of you who have posted here on this forum concerning the A1 and Ranger 34A rifles, and to Tigweld for the great pictures and information.

Cheers!!
uoba

[Regnier (gunrunner)]

Uboda;

Cool story, and great job on the little .22 semi-automatic rifle. It is stories like this that make the establishment of this website all worthwhile.........

[tigweld]

AWESOME!! job on the work you did on your Ranger 34A/Marlin A1 . Glad to have been some help with the photos and information I have posted here. It is a very nice and helpful site,I know from first hand. The site helped me out much on my first project.

[bantam9]

Excellent job---looks like a work of art!!!!!!!