Rifle in JFK's Oval Office?

P

PT-92

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I happened to be researching Theodore Roosevelt and his proclivity for the Second Amendment when I came across this photo of a rifle hung on the Oval Office Wall of JFK. Might anyone know the origin of it (make, model brief history of the gun...)? Just curios as I know the Kennedy's were/are notorious antis (perhaps the quintessential definition thereof).

While not a 'Kennedy family' fan so to speak, I do appreciate his Naval Service to our nation as well as his fallen brother Joe who perished in the air war of WWII.

Thanks in advance for any info.

kennedy-08.jpg
 
Kennedy also mounted gifts he received from visiting dignitaries, such as a rifle on one wall and a
ceremonial sword on another. He also had framed photos of famous people and meetings and
“regularly changed the photos with newer ones,” says Matteo.
Click to expand...

Did a quick search and found the .pdf describing the set preparation for a movie about the Kennedys. It states that the rifle was a gift, but goes into no more detail. If you are really interested you might try to contact the JFK Library or visit their WEB site.

http://cache.reelz.com/assets/content/general/kennedys-epk-8-prod-design.pdf
 
Hello, everyone. I zoomed up the magnification..From the shape of action & lever..I believe it is a Spencer carbine. Christopher Spencer gave a live firing demenstration with president Lincoln..and Lincoln fired a few shots himself. Could this be a tribute to that long ago shooting outing?
 
Hello, everyone. I zoomed up the magnification..From the shape of action & lever..I believe it is a Spencer carbine.
Click to expand...

I can see that after doing a short search. I think below it, it looks to me like a wall thermostat.
 
Actually,JFK was an NRA Life member,he supported the Director of Civilian Marksmanship program,and was known to give rifles such as Weatherbys as diplomatic gifts.

I'm not a Kennedy fan,but I'll give credit where it is due.

Its truly sad that the revisionist historians and agenda driven politicians have corrupted this part of JFK into something he was not.

When JFK was in office,YMCA's,public schools,etc had indoor smallbore ranges, the rifles such as Reminton 513T's,and ammo were provided by uncle Sam,and that was when,similar to CMP,you could get an M-1 Carbine for about$20,I think a Garand was what,$60?.

As a 12 year old kid without a dad around,I had access to a 50 ft indoor range,rifles,ammo,a coach,and the NRA smallbore program.JFK was president.This was in Aurora,Ill.Culturally,responsible shooting sports were quite mainstream.
 
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we had a rifle range in the basement of the high school. I know they were Remington rifles but I don't remember the model number. I doubt the kids in school there now even know that now
 
Yes, my recollection is that JFK was definitely not anti-gun. I don't know what Robert's views were. Teddy, of course, was a notorious anti-gun person, but that attitude may have developed due to losing two brothers to assassination.
 
"Culturally,responsible shooting sports were quite mainstream."

And yet you still grew up and hang out in back room internet firearms chat forums...

Where did you ever go wrong???

:p


I suspect the thing on the wall under the rifle is actually a plaque detailing what the gun is, and from whom it was presented.
 
HiBC said:
,YMCA's,public schools,etc had indoor smallbore ranges, the rifles such as Reminton 513T's,and ammo were provided by uncle Sam,and that was when,similar to CMP,you could get an M-1 Carbine for about$20,I think a Garand was what,$60?.

As a 12 year old kid without a dad around,I had access to a 50 ft indoor range,rifles,ammo,a coach,and the NRA smallbore program.JFK was president.This was in Aurora,Ill.Culturally,responsible shooting sports were quite mainstream.
Click to expand...

See, now I'm going to be depressed all day. How far we have fallen.:(

In regards to the rifle, without zooming in or whatnot on the picture, that "thing" under it looks like it's holding it up, to me.... it's a shelf.;)
 
Oh, yeah, those were the good old days. My father's take home pay was about $75 a week for six days work, plus evenings. No school in my home town had a range, either.
 
Supposedly when it was built my high school in Pennsylvania had a rifle range in the basement, but I never bothered to confim it when I was there.
 
My school had an active (though mis-managed) rifle team into the mid-90s at least. I've often wondered what happened to those rifles.
 
My high school had a rifle team,,,

Moore High School (Moore, OK) was one of the first schools in Oklahoma (1967-68) to have a sunken football field.

The west berm (end zone) had a gap in the seating,,,
That's where our rifle team practiced.

You (I) had to supply your own single-shot or bolt action rifle and ammo,,,
The retired Colonel who ran the Junior ROTC program coached us.

As far as I know none of our team grew up to be a mass murderer.

Aarond

.
 
topic drift

sorry to add to the topic drift, but the comments of schools having shooting programs brought back memories. as a student in a small, west texas, farm community, we did not have a shooting program. but you could count on most all the pickup trucks in the school lot, having a shotgun/rifle rack in the rear window, with a shotgun at least, and many with a rifle as well, displayed.
it was common, was not considered a risk to the safety of the students, and I never heard that one was ever stolen......this was 1964-1969.....my have times changed
 
Christopher Spencer gave a live firing demenstration with president Lincoln..and Lincoln fired a few shots himself. Could this be a tribute to that long ago shooting outing?
Click to expand...

Tribute? It could well be the Spencer that Lincoln shot! :cool:
 
I might contact the library. I would like to know the significance of this firearm if any. I am guessing it was a gift..but to who, when, and from whom?
 
JFK was apparently a big fan of the AR. His Secret Service detail was occasionally armed with them, and he kept one on his boat.
Since most U.S. Presidents, prior to Jimmy Carter, were not anti-gun if not actually pro-gun, Colt made fancy engraved guns for presentation to them. The one for JFK was not ready yet at the time of his assassination, so the gun was never presented.
I'm sure Carter, Clinton, and Obama all avoided the horror of being presented with an engraved, gold inlaid commemorative from the Colt custom shop.
The anti-gun legacy of the Kennedy family did not start with JFK, but probably with his death.
 
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