Three generations one rifle

[BilletHead]

56 minutes ago, ness said:

These are very cool stories, Marty! Have you ever considered writing them (and others) down for your kids and grandkids and beyond?

My sister and I have done pretty extensive genealogy research. I did video interviews with my dad and aunts (mom's sisters) before they passed. My sister's loaded with stories. I kid her that she remembers everything, even things that didn't happen  When we get together we always remember different things. But... I feel like we need to get it all written down. I've started a couple times but haven't gotten too far.  

As for guns, my brother and I got several from my dad and they're real treasures. I've got them earmarked for my boys but also possibly for a grand nephew. He's not on the official list at this point -- I need to talk to the parents and see what they think. 

The oldest is a Montgomery Wards SxS .410. First gun my dad got, first gun I shot, and first gun my kids shot. Would be c. 1930 or so.

                I have another acquaintance that told me I should journal all the memories I can remember. I have not started anything like that. I really should. There are not many elders now that I can ask questions. Mom and one of her sisters have failing memories now. With dementia my mom is now speaking some bizzarro stuff. I can see me going that way as it seems now to be a family trait.   I should revisit things and try to write things down.  I told my friend our son right now is in his own space and family life. Not interested in things like this and thinking back when I was his age I was not either. Matt might like me think different when he hits a certain age. I did tell him what I was going to do with grandpa's rifle. Sent him the picture and hunt story last night. Nothing but crickets until this morning when he said it's my turn. I said like Picard make it so :).  

[BilletHead]

39 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Y'all be sure to heavily insure those heirloom guns !  

I had my dad & grandad's guns, and they all got busted to pieces and barrels bent in the tornado, including the beautiful gun cabinet that was from my dad.  

I was "insured" but I wasn't insured enough.   😢. Gone forever. 😭

               That truly sucks Glen.   When Grandma Margot passed her cousin was in charge of the dispersal through the lawyer. Things got divvied up. The gal did not want to do a sale for the other stuff. Her husband wanted that peacemaker. Of course, it was written down. A few other things disappeared I remember. What turned out ok was the gal said take anything you want out of the house. We rented a U-Haul. One of the neatest things we have is grandpa and grandma Margots bedroom suite. It's neat. We have slept in the bed since then. Only a full size and I have people tell us we are crazy for having such a small bed. Hey, it works for us and will I suppose until the day one of us passes. There were also two old Hudson Bay wool blankets. They are still used during the winter. Other personal treasures. Hoping the memories stick around as long as they can.  

[ness]

I got a free Wordpress blog many years ago. It started with me as a place to save recipes. Then fishing notes, trip/vacation reports, wine and cider making notes, garden notes, important milestones/dates, etc. It sounds crazy but now there are 839 posts. It adds up over 20 years! 379 are categorized as Food & Drink, 150 fishing, 53 travel, 46 hunting. 

Not something I'd print out and hand to the kids  

[ness]

3 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Y'all be sure to heavily insure those heirloom guns !  

I had my dad & grandad's guns, and they all got busted to pieces and barrels bent in the tornado, including the beautiful gun cabinet that was from my dad.  

I was "insured" but I wasn't insured enough.   😢. Gone forever. 😭

Yeah, I've got them all insured but I'd only be able to get something similar. It's not about the gun, but where it's been. 

[Quillback]

I like that 1873 you got there Marty.  I have a replica, Cavalry model, 7.5" barrel which I believe your is too.  Mine is chambered for .45 Colt.  Fun to shoot with Cowboy loads, minimal recoil and I'm fairly accurate with it.

7th Cavalry rode into the Little Bighorn battle with every enlisted man carrying one of these revolvers with 24 rounds of ammo, and they also had their 1873 Springfield carbines.  The indians got the pistols after the battle of course and they all pretty much disappeared.  There was one that was traced back to the battle that went for sale at an auction, I forget what they got for it, but it was in the hundreds of thousands.

 

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, ness said:

Yeah, I've got them all insured but I'd only be able to get something similar. It's not about the gun, but where it's been. 

Exactly.  

Dad's bird gun had scratches on the bluing from holding fences down for the dog, and so me and my brother could hop over.   Those scratches always took me back when I'd look at them.   He had some sweet over/unders but his REAL bird gun was a 1897 hammer pump.....loose as a goose & no choke, but if he ever missed on a covey rise I sure never witnessed it....not even on doubles. 👍 

Quail were EVERYWHERE when I was a kid.  Then by the time I was old enough to have my own dog and go out by myself....they were just gone. 😔

My grandpa's Winchester 39A pump .22 had a raw spot worn on the stock from riding between the seat and fender on his tractor.   He'd pop a bunny occasionally and stuff it in his lunchbox if it was close to quitting time.  Mamaw would clean that sucker when he got home😊 They don't make women like that anymore. 

They were "working guns" and every imperfection meant something to me. 

[Quillback]

My grandpa used to do the same thing, shoot rabbits from his tractor.  He had a Remington Nylon 66 .22 semi-auto.  He also used it for coon hunting, he painted the front sight with some kind of glow in the dark paint.  Had that one myself for 30 years after he passed, gave it to my uncle along with the 30-30 so he could pass it on to his kids/grandkids.  

[ness]

15 minutes ago, fishinwrench said:

Exactly.  

Dad's bird gun had scratches on the bluing from holding fences down for the dog, and so me and my brother could hop over.   Those scratches always took me back when I'd look at them.   He had some sweet over/unders but his REAL bird gun was a 1897 hammer pump.....loose as a goose & no choke, but if he ever missed on a covey rise I sure never witnessed it....not even on doubles. 👍 

Quail were EVERYWHERE when I was a kid.  Then by the time I was old enough to have my own dog and go out by myself....they were just gone. 😔

My grandpa's Winchester 39A pump .22 had a raw spot worn on the stock from riding between the seat and fender on his tractor.   He'd pop a bunny occasionally and stuff it in his lunchbox if it was close to quitting time.  Mamaw would clean that sucker when he got home😊 They don't make women like that anymore. 

They were "working guns" and every imperfection meant something to me. 

The ones my brother and I have are ones dad used to hunt pheasant, ducks and deer. He was meticulous and kept them pristine. My brother got the deer rifle and a shotgun, I got a couple shotguns and a pistol. I've probably put more scratches on them than dad ever did, even though I am careful. And, like he taught me, they are thoroughly cleaned *every single time* they're used, even if it's going to be used again tomorrow. The bluing has normal wear, and the barrels shine like mirrors, even on the cheapo Wards .410. At least that's true for the ones I have -- I don't know about my baby brother's. But knowing him....  

[Foghorn]

So I had been married to Susie about 10 years when her Dad says "I want to show you this gun that belonged to my great grandfather and tell you the story that goes with the gun." The story goes that his great grandfather was a Doctor and spent some time in the old West in the mid to late 1800's. He had a patient owe him some money so the guy gives him this gun. The guy also says the gun was a Calvary issue gun that was used at the  Battle of the Little Bighorn.  The gun looked like one of the old Springfield models in a carbine model. The gun was in fantastic shape and I envisioned one day it being passed down to Susie. He only got the gun out one more time over a 20 year period before he passed and that was to show it to my Dad.  How true the story was that was passed down over the ages, the gun looked authentic and Susie's Dad was as honest a man as there ever was. I asked Susie's Mom later about the rifle and she said she gave it to Susie's older brother. His first wife kept it when they divorced and who knows where it ended up.  

[jdmidwest]

Guns passed down carry many memories.  My safes are full of them. 

I have a pair of .244 Remington 740 semi auto rifles that were owned by my Father and Grandpa.  Remington lost the race to the .243 and recalibered and changed the twist to make the 6mm to handle the larger bullets.  I have killed deer with both.

I have a .22 Savage Hi Power model 99 lever action that Dad engraved with his name.  Only has value to me now.  Even have the 22 lr conversion kit.

Grandpas old Hi Standard Nickle plate 22 single action that he used to threaten a neighbor and almost shot him for trespassing.

Matching Ruger 10-22 carbines that was my first 22 and the other Dad kept  in safe with consective serial numbers.

Grandpas old Marlin 30-30 lever action that he loaned to someone before he let me start deer hunting with it.  That goober leaned it against a truck, then run over it.  Shoots to the left and busted the stock which I replaced when I took ownership.  Never fixed the bent barrel, just lean into it.

1897 Winchester Pump 12 ga shotgun that was Mom's side Grandpa, loaned to Dad to Turkey hunt with.  Another one like it that Dad bought and sent to have restored to factory new.

Maternal Grandpa's old Smith and Wesson revolver in 38 short that he carried back and forth every day to his country store in case he run into trouble.

On and on.....

I miss the Model 42 Winchester .410 Pump that I used as a kid that my Great Uncle loaned me.  His collection sold at an auction they kept a secret from me years ago.  I see it on a table at the shows from time to time with most of the others from his collection, $1700 for it now.  Still has the blood stain on the receiver from a squirrel blood in the bluing that I killed with it and a few knocks and dings that I put in it.  I have tried to talk him down, knowing that Uncle only paid $30 for it at a pawn shop in St Louis.