A short anecdote about guns as gifts

[Further]

I had hunted the field for pheasant and found none. I headed up into the Oaks on the hillside thinking maybe I'd find some squirrel.

Ran into my buddy Clyde, he was dressing a couple of squirrels that he had shot. So I sat down to  chat a bit. Clyde was a good friend, he & I taught hunter safety classes together, one of the nicest people I've ever known. He worked at a local Baptist Church in some capacity, I'm sure he didn't make much money.

Happened to notice Clyde's shotgun, an ancient single shot with electric tape holding the stock together. I wouldn't have shot the thing.

Clyde must have seen my eyes, he picked the gun up and told me "It's not broken all the way through, I Put the tape on so it won't break. My daddy gave me this gun, he killed a lot of game with it, and so have I. I plan to get a new stock, but for now it's holding up OK"

I don't think Clyde would have swapped that beat up old single shot for a brand new Browning.      

[Longjohn ★]

I shot two rabbits the other evening in my garden with my 22 single shot my dad gave me for my 12th birthday. I set them at the edge of the garden and one was gone before morning and one of our feral cats ate the other one. I have given most of my guns to my middle son who is in the military and really likes guns. 

[ChrisL]

13 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

I shot two rabbits the other evening in my garden with my 22 single shot my dad gave me for my 12th birthday. I set them at the edge of the garden and one was gone before morning and one of our feral cats ate the other one. I have given most of my guns to my middle son who is in the military and really likes guns. 

I have an old bolt action 410 shotgun my dad got from a client as payment for work that he gave to my brother and I.  It hasn't been fired in 35 years but I'll never let it go.

 

[smudge ★]

My husband inherited his Dad's gun from WWII. The look on his face as he admired the gun was priceless.

[Longjohn ★]

My single shot is semi-automatic, you load a bullet and shoot and it ejects the cartridge and is ready for you to load the next one. My dad thought that would be easier for me since I'm left handed. My shotguns are double barrel and my deer rifle is lever action. I also have a Blackhawk 44 mag. that shoots either left or right handed.

[groupw]

I have an old Henry 30-30 lever action from my dad when they moved to town and he sold off most of his collection. I have some ammo for it, but have yet to fire it. Maybe I’ll take it to the range this fall. 

[Airehead]

I love these stories of family history. Tell more.  PS- I hope he never got a new stock.

 My brother who is also a sporting clay competitor has my dad's first "good gun".  He never shoots it or rarely but it means the world to him.  Someone has my great grandfather's 22.  I think same brother.

No one in my family hunts--- this generation at least-- but guns are part of our family memories.  The family 5K is another important tradition, just like going to the gun club and shooting in friendly competition with each other.  I know other families who sail or play poker together but we rarely do those things as a family.