Just realized what I'd had all my life! WOW!

Panoply

New member
Hey, Y'all.

Like most of you, I started shooting with airguns and moved quickly to a .22 rifle. In my case, I was given a beautiful Winchester pump action. Original everything with only minor scratches to the wood furniture as you'd expect in a rifle that was used. Thankfully, my father and grandfather taught me, very emphatically, the respect due a firearm and the proper care and maintenance of one. I shot that rifle from the age of 12 until I 'retired' it at around age 25. I'd bought a 10/22 to use as even then I valued that old Winchester. I stored it properly and sort of forgot about it, when my nephew was born it came into my mind again and a few years later I got it out and buffed her up. For the first time in my 26 years of owning the gun (27 in june, I'll be 39) I looked it up on the internet. It is a Winchester Model 61 pre-war! My nephew will get his .22 when the time is right, just not this one. I can only assume my grandfather either didn't care that he was giving me this gem or didn't know - I suspect he knew, he was very much a 'gun guy.' Unfortunately, I can no longer ask him. My father did not know, he says he knew it was valuable but that generations of "My Last Name Here" men had learned to shoot with it and so I got it.
I intend to shadowbox it, once I've learned how to do this with no damage to the rifle, and make of it a fairly heirloom. Should I have no sons, my nephew will get it. As a grown man he'll get it!
Just wanted to share this happy story!

Thanks, Y'all,
Pan
 
Cool... the old winchester pumps are nice rifles... my family was gun haters for a couple generations ( started with my Grandmother who was a nurse )... lucky for me, my wife's family history was firearm rich, & her dad chose me / us to manage his collection when he died... his collection greatly infuenced my collecting since his passing...
 
It is somewhat amazing what people have and don't know it.

Back around 2007 I could have taken real advantage of an acquaintance,,,
HIs father passed and he inherited a few rifles and a pistol,,,
He described the pistol as a "shiny toy 22" for kids.

He told me I could have it for a hundred dollar bill,,,
The "shiny toy" was a LNIB Nickel Wolverine,,,
It had the box, papers, and the magazine,,,
It looked just like this one.

I shouldn't be surprised though,,,
I wouldn't know a real Stratocaster,,,
From a cheap Chinese knockoff of one. :o

The devil on my shoulder was screaming,,,
Hand him the dang money,,,
I just couldn't do it.

Here is a place that will make a nice display case for your rifle,,,
I've purchased several boxes from him over the past year,,,
His prices are reasonable considering the high quality.

Hampels woodland products

Aarond

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