MULEY--the age of your guns

idsman75

Muley--I was reading the comment you made about the age of your guns in robsguns' Birthday Alert post. I cherish the thought of all of the wonderful memories I will have by the time my guns are as seasoned as yours. I think the oldest gun in my cabinet is probably about three years old. In the early years of my gun-itis I swapped, traded, sold and purchased with a frenzy until I realized that no single gun could satisfy that itch. Now I just keep 'em unless I am extremely dissatisfied with them. One gun in particular has gained so much sentimental value in the last three years. All I have to do is look at her and so many memories flood through my head. I think I am going to pick one gun (probably my Ithaca) and write a short story depicting every instance that I have taken it out to make those memories and keep a running diary of them. Imagine passing not only the gun to future generations but those memories as well!

muley

idsman.....great idea. However, I'm embarrassed to say that I'm one step ahead of you. I started doing this at least 30 years ago with some of the guns that were handed down to me from my grandfather to my dad, or to my uncle and then to me. Sitting around the campfire in the desert while hunting with them, I used to listen to the tales they would tell. No lessons that I would learn later in school stuck to my brain as well as the stories. Over the years while they were still alive, I would ask my dad and uncle more about the guns. I was always able to coax more adventures out of them. I later listed all the guns, S/N's, who they came from, where and when they were bought, how and when I acquired them and then I would list a story or two of hunting with them. I particularly liked the tales of the old .35 cal. Remington Model 8, S/N 504, that my grandfather bought while working in the Redwoods during the '20s in California to shoot the bears that were raiding their tents at night. Then in the '30s, this gun kept meat on the table during the depression, then sometime in the '40s this old rifle helped my uncle and dad take back a stringer of fish that had been stolen by three fellows up on the Colorado River. Another rifle that was passed to me was a 1892 Winchester 38/40 that was made in the first year of manufacture. My grandfather bought it in Texas while my family still lived there. Not a lot was told about this rifle, but I killed my first deer, Bighorn Sheep and a lot of other firsts with it.
All these memories, like you say, are cherished by me and may not be appreciated by those I pass them on to, but I offer it to them by word of mouth and written text. So far, the guns that I have passed on to my kids have been appreciated and taken care of in a manner that would have made my grandfather and dad proud. I only hope they can keep them to pass them on.

muley

****I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning****

idsman75

Such stories make me wish that previous generations in my family tree enjoyed such hunting traditions. Grandpa bought himself a single-shot 16-gauge out of the Sears catalog around the time of the great depression. At least that his how he dated it before he passed away a couple of years ago. He used it for rabbits an any other pests that dared to poke their noses into his garden that he loved so much. Dad inherited it and I give it TLC whenver I go home. It isn't worth much to anyone but the family and it doesn't tell the stories that your guns tell. Thank you for sharing yours.

wundudnee

I think the newest rifle or shotgun I have was made in 1953, other than some newer revolvers. The one with the most sentimental value is a single shot 410 Stevens. My dad walked to town in 1938 and gave $7.50 for it and carried it home on the city bus. He got it for my mom who was pregnant with me at the time. It was my first shotgun and now my daughter has it. It is still in super shape and should still be when she gives it to the grandkids.

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AD ASTRA PER ASPERA

To the stars through difficulties