Dad's Old Gun
- Thread starter doc540
- Start date
FloridaVeteran
New member
Doc - funny you mentioned that - in the early-mid '50s I'd sit out back with my old Marlin lever .22 and light barn-burner matches by nicking the tips. Not close to 10 for 10, mind you, but it was a great challenge, tons of fun and dirt cheap.
Uncle Buck
New member
My uncles tell stories of my father doing the same thing.
My father said he was bragging and told them he could do it. He said he took one shot and the match lit. He handed the rifle back to the guys and said, "That is how it is done". He turned and left, thinking he could never do it again in a thousand years.
One of these days I am going to have to tell my uncles what my father said.
I have seen people do it and it still amazes me. I either miss the match completely or end up shooting it in half.
My father said he was bragging and told them he could do it. He said he took one shot and the match lit. He handed the rifle back to the guys and said, "That is how it is done". He turned and left, thinking he could never do it again in a thousand years.
One of these days I am going to have to tell my uncles what my father said.
I have seen people do it and it still amazes me. I either miss the match completely or end up shooting it in half.
FloridaVeteran
New member
I used to be able to repeat it with reasonable enough regularity to try it often. I think the key, in addition to being young and steady-handed, was in having a long octagonal barrel and the peep sight option from those 4-way sights back then. No bench - just sat on the back stoop and used our knees. That was easier than cleaning out the red dot with three .22 shorts to win a teddy bear at the county fairgrounds - never did win the prize at one of those stands and never met anyone who did.
Still have that rifle - bought it used (and old-looking even then) for $10 - had to borrow half of that.
Still have that rifle - bought it used (and old-looking even then) for $10 - had to borrow half of that.
FloridaVeteran
New member
Dads, their stories and their children
4 Paws - funny you mentioned that. In the last year or so I've sensed that my own three children realize that I am very mortal and that I don't have a family history of long life. I'm happy that they now focus more on getting together, particularly all at one time. When I was their age, it was very different. If he'd lived, my father would be over 100 now, but like you I wish I could rewind and ask him so many things that I wish I had asked back then and that now remain unanswered.
There probably are some young pups in this forum. Hopefully by reading posts like these, they will be inspired to ask their dads in more detail about the "old times" and "the good old days," and record those conversations for their own children and grandchildren.
4 Paws - funny you mentioned that. In the last year or so I've sensed that my own three children realize that I am very mortal and that I don't have a family history of long life. I'm happy that they now focus more on getting together, particularly all at one time. When I was their age, it was very different. If he'd lived, my father would be over 100 now, but like you I wish I could rewind and ask him so many things that I wish I had asked back then and that now remain unanswered.
There probably are some young pups in this forum. Hopefully by reading posts like these, they will be inspired to ask their dads in more detail about the "old times" and "the good old days," and record those conversations for their own children and grandchildren.
I'm just wee bit more than 20 years younger and 50 years ago I was doing the same thing. Learned to shoot by shooting acorns and walnuts out of trees and English sparrows off the barbed wire at well over 50 yards. Amazing what you could do with those old rifles, notch and bead sights and bricks of 22 ammo for only a few bucks. Eyes were just a bit sharper back then....well a lot sharper. If your dad was a pilot his eyes were probably better than mine.