Letter Arrived, 3 1/2" 27 ND

[Retired W4]

I was hoping for some interesting provenance on this one as I got it from another old helicopter pilot (Gwinnett County SD), but no. It went to a sporting goods company in Houston, TX. Oddly enough, I thought, it was not shipped until May, 1961. 1st in, last out? Regardless, I really like this nickel 357 Magnum.

 

[Ameshawki]

All of my Smith letters have been pretty mundane. My one and only Colt letter tied my Dec Special to the OSS. That was pretty cool. My Ruger letter tied my GPNY to the NYPD. That was also pretty neat. And it was only $10.

I've got two or three Smiths I'm thinking about lettering.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Not a nickel fan but you got a nice gun there!!

Congrats!

I've only lettered two my Dad's 1946 4" M&P and my 1939 RM. Both went to Hardware distributors in the Pittsburgh area.

 

[SAFireman]

Sounds like Oshman's in Houston. They sold a lot of guns before they shut down.

 

[Retired W4]

Sounds like Oshman's in Houston. They sold a lot of guns before they shut down.

Actually it went to Grant Llseng Sporting Goods. I've never heard of them.

 

[Retired W4]

Looks like it's Grant Ilseng, Champion shotgunner.??

 

[LEO918]

Home Run - Love the proud front sight pins.

 

[Truckman]

Actually it went to Grant Llseng Sporting Goods. I've never heard of them.

Looks like it's Grant Ilseng, Champion shotgunner.??

That's him, Tom, He was very well known in the shotgun sports world...He competed internationally (and won often) using the same 1940 vintage Winchester Model 12 for 40 years...Grant Ilseng Sporting Goods later became Sporting Goods Inc...I have a Model 17-1 that letters to his company......Ben

 

[357magster]

Mr. Ilseng is all over the newspapers.

These are from 1950 & 1951:

 

[Retired W4]

Even thought my 357 went to a sporting goods store, at least it went to a store owned by one of the most famous skeet shooters in the world. I wish I could have seen Mr. Ilseng work that slide action gun, busting those clays over and over again.

 

[Truckman]

I wish I could have seen Mr. Ilseng work that slide action gun, busting those clays over and over again.

Me too...Here's a downloadable PDF telling of him......Ben

 

[Retired W4]

Me too...Here's a downloadable PDF telling of him......Ben

An amazing career in shotgunning. Reading about his involvement in pigeon shoots in Texas got my attention. Pigeon shoots are illegal these days but they are alive and well in South Georgia and Northern FL. Big time money involved in betting and prize money. A friend of mine who was our dog guy at my former boss' plantation won a couple in the unlimited category 20 years ago. Donny had Parkinson's but man, could he shoot. Prize money comes from entry fees and it's very expensive to enter. If you ever get invited to one you better be able to keep your mouth shut. In fact, I must be making all this up because I know NOTHING.

 

[Muley Gil]

Well, I was unaware that a native of Waco, Texas was called a Wacoan.

Growing up, I was told that a native of New York was a New Yorker, a native of Boston was a Bostonian and that a native of Baltimore was a Bal-ti-moron!

 

[Claymore33]

Well, I was unaware that a native of Waco, Texas was called a Wacoan.

Growing up, I was told that a native of New York was a New Yorker, a native of Boston was a Bostonian and that a native of Baltimore was a Bal-ti-moron!

Yes , from a family that has been in WACO since 1868, we are called WACOANs.