Grandmas .410 gauge

[MoCarp]

3 hours ago, BilletHead said:

        It as worth this post to hear all these stories! 

thats one of the things about the love of the outdoors, building memories, sharing those memories with those far younger than us.....to be told of hunts that happened and hold a gun that was used by grandparents even great grand parents give great worth to those heirloom guns

[bs1827]

Hard to beat bumping some bunnies on a cold winter day! Took my brother on his first hunt this winter and helped him take his first rabbit. He's hooked! Love taking out my grandpa's old H & R Topper 20 for a few rabbits each year. 

[jac63]

Some great stories in this thread. Nothing connects me to my grandparents (whom I did not know, having died before my time or shorty after my birth) like the passed down guns of their's. I am fortunate to have 3 of them in my possession, an AH Fox 12 ga dating back to 1913, a 1932 S&W Outdoorsman K-22, and pertaining to this discussion a Stevens 2-1/2" single shot 410. The 2 prior guns belonged to my grandfather but the little  410 was my grandmothers, given to her on her 12th birthday by her father in 1912. 

That gun was used by her, my father, my brother, & myself for each of our first hunts and kills. Some of the mightiest squirrels in the state of Missouri succumbed to that gun. Some time in the early '60's she gave it to my brother and I came into ownership just a couple years ago. My brother was battling cancer and he had a CZ pistol in 45 acp and 2 sons that he wanted to leave a 45 pistol to. Just so happened I had a mid-range 1911 that he wanted and offered me grandma's 410 in trade. Since I had another 1911 and a burning desire for that old 410 a deal was struck. He got a 1911 valued in  the $500 range and I came home with a $50 Stevens 410 with a broken firing pin. Took him to the cleaners IMO.

I had a machinist friend who fixed the firing pin for me and back into the woods she went. Grandma, dad, & my brother have all passed on but every time I pick up that gun I can feel them right beside me. I miss them all but what a connection to them they gave me. 

Here is the old gun back in her glory doing what it was built to do.