A “Guns of Our Fathers” thread?

[USMCbrat]

I'll start…..

My user name suggests that my father was a Marine – he was for 8 years and seved in the 1st Marine Div in Korea. But after I was born he moved to the Air Force for the next 20 years. For 16 of those years, he was in the USAF OSI and this was his duty piece:

A Model 36-1 purchased from a dealer outside of Langley Air Force base, Hampton VA, in 1973.

Although my Dad favored a Colt 1911, he wanted something smaller to carry under his suit jacket. I remember firing my first hollow points through this gun when I was18 years old.

 

[USMCbrat]

I'll start…..

My user name suggests that my father was a Marine – he was for 8 years and seved in the 1st Marine Div in Korea. But after I was born he moved to the Air Force for the next 20 years. For 16 of those years, he was in the USAF OSI and this was his duty piece:

A Model 36-1 purchased from a dealer outside of Langley Air Force base, Hampton VA, in 1973.

Although my Dad favored a Colt 1911, he wanted something smaller to carry under his suit jacket. I remember firing my first hollow points through this gun when I was18 years old.

 

[Art Doc]

My dad died when I was 18 months old leaving bills and no insurance. Mom sold his guns so we could eat.

I have a photo of him shooting a Colt SAA by the side of a rural road taken in 1951 so it must have been a 1st gen Colt. Mom recalls he had an "Army 45" he brought back from WW II and I assume it was a military 1911. He had some hunting rifles and shotguns but I have no idea what they were. All were sold to a family friend (and I only hope he didn't rip off my mother in the deal).

 

[S&W-Keeper]

I bought my Dad a model 19 back in the early 70's. He was always to proud of it to shoot it.I got it back when he passed away a few years back.It still loooks like new.

 

[ACP230]

My father owns two guns a Model 12 Winchester 12 gauge and a sporterized 8mm Mauser.

I'm keeping both for the time being but my brother is supposed to get them after Dad dies.

I borrowed the Mauser and took it bear hunting when I was in high school. Saw no bears.
I have used the Model 12 on grouse hunts and borrowed it for turkey hunting a few years ago. It makes a great turkey gun because the full choke stacks up sixes like nobody's business. I never had a chance to shoot a turkey with it, however.

Dad was never interested in handguns to my dismay.

 

[fyimo]

My father gave me his guns when he reached a physical condition in life that stopped him from hunting and shooting. He gave me his Remmington 1100 skeet 12 gauge shotgun, Pre 64 Model 70 Winchester 270, Savage Model 99 308, and his S&W 10-5 in 6 Inch barrel. Of those I still have the Model 70 and S&W 10-5 as the other two my son's have.
Here's the Model 10-5

 

[feralmerril]

They wouldnt let dad keep this 1917 under his mattress at the rest home. He died a couple months short of 90 in 2003. I also have some other guns of his.

 

[Calaveras Slim]

When my Dad passed in 1998, I got all his guns. I sold most of them only because there were bills. I kept several and amoung them is a M36 no dash, he carried on the job. I also kept his M15, no dash. The 36 has never been fired. There were others but these 2 are the ones that mean the most to me

 

[Sunkist]

My Dad was a LEO for nearly 40 yrs. He either carried a Chief's Special or K-frame .38 Special, depending if he was in a suit or uniform. He wouldn't touch any of my autos on a bet. I like Sigs but it's the difference between hitting all over a paper plate at 15 yds. or putting them on top of each other with a revolver in the center of the plate.

I appreciate your photo, USMCBrat, I have the same items for my Dad except his duty revolvers. They were departmental guns and he never replaced them when he retired. He shot mine. Sorry to say I don't have those .38's anymore. I'll have to consider getting one just for the memories. Thanks for the thread.

I remember one day at the range, he was shooting my K38 Masterpiece and I was shooting my P229 .40. I handed him one of my targets for his approval and he laid it across his chest and smiled, "That'll do the job."

 

[JoeS]

My dad was not much interested in firearms although he did a little hunting. The one i have of his is a sporterized 30/40 Krag. He almost never shot it unless it was a hunting shot although he did let me shoot it a few times when we were out deer hunting.
My favorite time I recall with that rifle was when we were looking for deer (unsuccessful) but there happened to be salmon running upstream also. Dad unlimbered the Krag and shot a salmon with it. He was something of a rascal and wasn't above bending a law or two here and there although in his dealings with people his honesty was above question.
He's been gone 27 years and I've missed him every single day.

 

[Meeteetse]

Dad was a rifleman, I suppose because of WWII and the fact that he grew up as a hunter. He owned a Mdl. 12 Winchester 12 ga., a Winchester Mdl. 94 30/30 and a Mossberg .22 semi-auto. They were all purchased after he go home from the war. He never actually owned a handgun. I now have these guns. My mother owns a handgun, a Colt SAA .22/.22mag which she says is mine when she decides to get rid of it. All of the guns are from the 1940's/50's and are priceless to me.

Most of the people I know who grew up in small rural towns and on ranches in the Rocky Mountain states were never big handgun people. A few had a SA of some type around but most are amazed at the interest there is in handguns today. I suppose rural America was more concerned with distance, so they are rifle people.

My grandparents never owned a handgun, just Winchester rifles (Mdl. 70's and 94's) and Shotguns. It was rare to even see a Remington shotgun until the 1960's. My rancher uncle currently ownes one handgun. A Ruger Blackhawk .357. I am sure I was the first to buy a S&W, back in 1967. A Mdl. 18 .22, I still have.

 

[JayCeeNC]

My dad was a police officer from 1940-1975.
This is his last issued pistol, the one he got when he retired. Model 66 (no dash) serial# 2K55868:

He carried this Pre-Model 36 Chief's Special off duty and sometimes as a backup gun. Serial# 33618, shipped June, 1953:

This is an old renickled Triple Lock, I have no idea where he got it. Searching for info on this gun is what first led me to this Forum:

 

[GF]

JayCeeNC .. man, if those revolvers could talk.

 

[USMCbrat]

For me, when I hold my Dad's guns in my hand....it is almost like holding his hand ....almost

 

[HenrySCTN]

My dad retired from the Policeforce in 1984 with nearly thirty years service. He gave me the last revolver (S&W model 64) he carried as a Christmas gift in 1991. I shot it a few times at first and even used it to qualify when I got my carry permit.

It hasn't been shot in over ten years and he has been gone ten years this coming September. Every now and then I'll get it out of the safe and think back to when I was little and remember watching him get ready for his shift. Man I wish I could turn back the clock for just a few minutes...I have so many questions to ask.

 

[USMCbrat]

There is a song by Elton John called "My Fathers Gun" …..

"From this day one I own my father's gun……"

I miss my Dad but I have his guns.

 

[epj]

My father left me his father's Colt Lightning. A 2" nickel model with no ejector. When it came to me, it had 4 unfired .38 LC rounds (black powder, I'm sure) and two empty cases. The two rounds had been expended in a gunfight in Salt Lake City, sometime in the very late 1800's. Some sort of squabble over a salted gold mine. Unfortunately, the old gun wasn't in the best of shape when I got it, and was further damaged a few years ago when I moved. It was sort of "lost" for a couple of years and finally located in a box in the basement. Apparently my basement isn't as dry as I thought it was and the result was some very ugly surface rust on one side. I've got to get it out and see if I can do anything to clean it up a bit, but I'm afraid it's pretty well beyond salvaging.

 

[rimfired]

Dad died in 83. He left me his 1922 Win. Mod 12,
his grandfathers 1886 Ithaca 10 ga double, a Savage 23AA, Win. 12C NRA pump, DCM Remington 03-A3, DCM Remington Rand 1911 A1, and these two S&W's.

1950 Combat Masterpiece:

1962 17-2

I was fortunate to have him teach me to shoot everything with him. Thanks Dad!

 

[feralmerril]

epj: Here is a lighting I had.

 

[Glock 'em down]

Originally posted by JayCeeNC:
My dad was a police officer from 1940-1975.
This is his last issued pistol, the one he got when he retired. Model 66 (no dash) serial# 2K55868:

He carried this Pre-Model 36 Chief's Special off duty and sometimes as a backup gun. Serial# 33618, shipped June, 1953:

I love these two pics of the "tools of the trade." I used to carry a billy club and brass knucks like the ones in the top pic. I used to have the exact same type of "Jordan" holster as well. Whoops! Wait a minute - that's a Tom Threepersons! My mistake.

Oh how I miss those days of law enforcement.