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
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
