bubbaturbo
New member
Five of my favorite subjects.
Got any pictures and/or stories concerning any 2, 3, 4, or all of the above?
Got any pictures and/or stories concerning any 2, 3, 4, or all of the above?
Single action revolvers, lever actions, cabins, mountains, woods bumming
- Thread starter bubbaturbo
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bamaranger
New member
sure
I spent a great season (6 mo) quite a few years ago, in a backcountry cabin in Shenandoah NP. The place was built by the CCC in the 30's, and the timbers were all wormy chestnut. Ginormous fireplace in the main room, a gravity feed water system, (bottled propane) gas lamps for light and gas water heater, and a gas stove. There were 3 of us, all seasonals rangers, that shared the place. It was known as White Oak Cabin, and to best of my knoweledge is still there today, though no longer used as a residence. You had to ford a modest wild trout stream to get back to it, and was about 2 mi from the famous Skyland Lodge on the SNP "skyline drive".
Well before that, I had acquired a Marlin 1894 so chambered as well. I've posted often about the carbine. For a while, I had the carbine zeroed for a mid-range (1000 fps) 158 gr LSWC. Surprisingly, despite much print stating that the Marlin would not shoot lead well, my rifle did. Perhaps it was the modest velocity. When the agency was still using .357 revolvers, and I changed parks and ended up in 'Bama, I rezeroed the carbine with 125 gr JHP, to serve as an "outlaw" patrol carbine, as AR patrol carbines were not
the norm in those days, in fact, the agency rifle was the Mini14, and they were not common issue at all, only a few parks had them. The issue shoulder arm was a Win 1200, and they were pretty crappy. Mine would not eject spent cases from slugs, making it a buckshot only proposition, not completely encouraging. We finally did acquire 870's, and AR's, and even a few honest to gosh M14's, semi only. Thankfully, I never got in a situation where I was in a shoot with the little .357, but not approved or not, it was a comfort having more reach than a scattergun with buck or a 4" revolver could provide.
When the agency went from revolvers to autopistols, I traded a 4" Ruger Sec Six, (which was an approved second gun) for a Ruger 4-5/8's Blackhawk, both in .357. I zeroed the single action for mid range 158 gr LSWC's, and it is still zeroed that way today. The midrange load is much more pleasant to shoot, hits hard enough for anything tht might need shot, and is affordable to load. The Blackhawk became my woods gun, and I carried it a lot of miles, first in a Bianchi Lawman holster, and later in a US Aviators chest rig. The adjustable rear sight was vulnerable to dings in the Lawman rig, had the Blackhawk been equipped with fixed sights, as in the later Vacquero, it would have been a better rig, but I could not abide the adujstable sight hanging out in the wind to catch the next wack and I gave it to a pal with a Vacquero. That Bianchi sure was a nice holster.
I still have both the carbine and the SA revolver. I don't see the sights so good on the carbine, even with a peep. The SA got retired by a Glock 20 for a woods pistol, but I won't be getting rid of either the Blackhawk or the Marlin, too many memories.
That's all I got, no pics.
I spent a great season (6 mo) quite a few years ago, in a backcountry cabin in Shenandoah NP. The place was built by the CCC in the 30's, and the timbers were all wormy chestnut. Ginormous fireplace in the main room, a gravity feed water system, (bottled propane) gas lamps for light and gas water heater, and a gas stove. There were 3 of us, all seasonals rangers, that shared the place. It was known as White Oak Cabin, and to best of my knoweledge is still there today, though no longer used as a residence. You had to ford a modest wild trout stream to get back to it, and was about 2 mi from the famous Skyland Lodge on the SNP "skyline drive".
Well before that, I had acquired a Marlin 1894 so chambered as well. I've posted often about the carbine. For a while, I had the carbine zeroed for a mid-range (1000 fps) 158 gr LSWC. Surprisingly, despite much print stating that the Marlin would not shoot lead well, my rifle did. Perhaps it was the modest velocity. When the agency was still using .357 revolvers, and I changed parks and ended up in 'Bama, I rezeroed the carbine with 125 gr JHP, to serve as an "outlaw" patrol carbine, as AR patrol carbines were not
the norm in those days, in fact, the agency rifle was the Mini14, and they were not common issue at all, only a few parks had them. The issue shoulder arm was a Win 1200, and they were pretty crappy. Mine would not eject spent cases from slugs, making it a buckshot only proposition, not completely encouraging. We finally did acquire 870's, and AR's, and even a few honest to gosh M14's, semi only. Thankfully, I never got in a situation where I was in a shoot with the little .357, but not approved or not, it was a comfort having more reach than a scattergun with buck or a 4" revolver could provide.
When the agency went from revolvers to autopistols, I traded a 4" Ruger Sec Six, (which was an approved second gun) for a Ruger 4-5/8's Blackhawk, both in .357. I zeroed the single action for mid range 158 gr LSWC's, and it is still zeroed that way today. The midrange load is much more pleasant to shoot, hits hard enough for anything tht might need shot, and is affordable to load. The Blackhawk became my woods gun, and I carried it a lot of miles, first in a Bianchi Lawman holster, and later in a US Aviators chest rig. The adjustable rear sight was vulnerable to dings in the Lawman rig, had the Blackhawk been equipped with fixed sights, as in the later Vacquero, it would have been a better rig, but I could not abide the adujstable sight hanging out in the wind to catch the next wack and I gave it to a pal with a Vacquero. That Bianchi sure was a nice holster.
I still have both the carbine and the SA revolver. I don't see the sights so good on the carbine, even with a peep. The SA got retired by a Glock 20 for a woods pistol, but I won't be getting rid of either the Blackhawk or the Marlin, too many memories.
That's all I got, no pics.
All I can say is you are a man after my own heart. I'm not a super old timer (haven't even hit 40 yet) but I feel I would best fit in an era where all 5 were still common amongst most folks outside of big cities.
I have a few stories about woods bumming. Some of my favorites involved coon hunting in my teenage years. For more authenticism, I even used a carbide lamp some. My best time ever was watching a friend who was a rather heavyset gentleman get stuck in a cow mar. We went to help him but the harder we pulled the harder the mud sucked and held him in. We finally got him out of his waders, which he left there because he just wanted to go back to the truck it was so cold. I was carrying a browning lever action .22 rifle, and got mud in almost every inch of that thing. I proceeded to completely strip it the following day, thinking that I knew what I was doing. I did not. I had to have a family friend help, only to tell me I lost a spring. Finally got the rifle back working a month later
Ah the dumb stuff I did at 16. And as best I know that boy never did get his waders, or go coon hunting again for that matter.
I have a few stories about woods bumming. Some of my favorites involved coon hunting in my teenage years. For more authenticism, I even used a carbide lamp some. My best time ever was watching a friend who was a rather heavyset gentleman get stuck in a cow mar. We went to help him but the harder we pulled the harder the mud sucked and held him in. We finally got him out of his waders, which he left there because he just wanted to go back to the truck it was so cold. I was carrying a browning lever action .22 rifle, and got mud in almost every inch of that thing. I proceeded to completely strip it the following day, thinking that I knew what I was doing. I did not. I had to have a family friend help, only to tell me I lost a spring. Finally got the rifle back working a month later
Ah the dumb stuff I did at 16. And as best I know that boy never did get his waders, or go coon hunting again for that matter.
I spend a lot of time in the woods here in Texas...in fact I am somewhere out there about every day. I occasionally just pick up whatever rifle is handy at the moment to take with me. I have shot hogs and deer in these areas with a lot of different firearms..mostly Winchesters in the lever actions, in calibers from 25/20 through 45/70.
The hog in the pic was shot with a 92 Winchester in 38/40 that I am pretty fond of as it's a good shooter. My 500th hog that I took from the primary area I roam in was taken with a model '73 Winchester SRC in 44/40.
I have been very lucky to have access to these old guns in my old years.
tony pasley
New member
I have a 1st gen. colt SAA, a 94 Winchester made in 1906, I live in the mountains of Western North Carolina and trail ride all over.