Great story, thanks...your dad and uncle sound like great guys.
My very first handgun
- Thread starter Dirty Bert
- Start date
This story reminds me of my trash dump, rat killing, back in 1981, and my
very last gun out the 11 which had met with a natural disaster, divorce.
I had a Nylon 66 and a Dodge Ramcharger which had become my
mobile home. Sitting there at the garbage dump shooting rats under the
headlights just like you were.
It got to be about 1:AM and a car pulled up beside me. The Sheriffs
Deputies got out on each side of my Ramcharger and ask me what I was
doing and I told them shooting rats and they asked me to show them.
I turned on the headlights and rats ran everywhere.
They ended up using my rifle to shoot them and listened to my story
about the mobile Ramcharger as a home.
They didn't run me in or search the vehicle, they just shot rats with me
and then left.
We still have the same type officers here, just more careful of course
but and I have my own shooting range now even have some officers
come here to practice once in a while.
Junkpiles can make memories.
very last gun out the 11 which had met with a natural disaster, divorce.
I had a Nylon 66 and a Dodge Ramcharger which had become my
mobile home. Sitting there at the garbage dump shooting rats under the
headlights just like you were.
It got to be about 1:AM and a car pulled up beside me. The Sheriffs
Deputies got out on each side of my Ramcharger and ask me what I was
doing and I told them shooting rats and they asked me to show them.
I turned on the headlights and rats ran everywhere.
They ended up using my rifle to shoot them and listened to my story
about the mobile Ramcharger as a home.
They didn't run me in or search the vehicle, they just shot rats with me
and then left.
We still have the same type officers here, just more careful of course
but and I have my own shooting range now even have some officers
come here to practice once in a while.
Junkpiles can make memories.
This story reminds me of the first time I brought my significant other shooting (we we were dating at the time). I brought a Winchester model 61 pump 22 and a few other guns to shoot. After I set up some targets that included 15 shotgun shells set up about 10 yards away I asked what gun she wanted to shoot and she immediately grabbed the 61, loaded it up and proceeded to wipe out the shotgun shells one by one not missing once in less than a minute. Since I obviously looked surprised she explained she used to go to the local dump with her dad to shoot rats several times a month with his 61 pump when she was in her teens. She said they were always quick and far away so she had to learn how to shoot fast and well to hit them.
cmj8591
Member
It's a bit of hyperbole for sure but it's not completely untrue. The ruling elite here and their minions don't like guns and worse, like to dictate how people raise their children. I belong to a gun club that has a very active junior rifle team that shoots all over the country but as a general rule, kids around here don't get a lot of positive exposure to firearms. A lot of that comes from urban sprawl taking over and convenient places to shoot and hunt disappearing. I can't think of anywhere around me where I used to shoot as a kid that hasn't been developed. Heck, I used to shoot my 22 in my back yard where I grew up. There's a trailer park there now. Add that to a lack of support from anyone in the youth community and there's just not a huge amount of interest in getting kids involved in the shooting sports. I feel sad for them.
RWPBR
Member
Great memory, great revolver!
Same here, re rats in the mid-1950s, but at a local beef farmer's barn whose rats were eating his feed corn. We strung a chicken wire "fence" around the rat exit door and with car headlights on as the barn lights were turned on, that resulted in piles of rats. Many more inside ... great fun shooting them as they ran along the feeding toughs. We used a mix of shotguns and .22s. Great sport about once a month. The farmer always appreciated the huge pile of dead rats we left as evidence of our work, often more than 100. Pretty good safety discipline, considering we were 15-16 years old.
It all came to an end when we invited our high school English teacher to join us one night. He brought a full-auto M1 Carbine and, in his dumb a** excitement, he managed to put a hole in the farmer's tractor's oil pan.
It all came to an end when we invited our high school English teacher to join us one night. He brought a full-auto M1 Carbine and, in his dumb a** excitement, he managed to put a hole in the farmer's tractor's oil pan.
Holy crow! This... in CANADA?
Shooting a handgun IN THE DUMP? "Think of the children", etc., etc. (Insert several "hand-wringing" emoticons here.) Well, that was back before we went all weak-kneed and wibbly about such things. To even suggest such clearly dangerous goings-on today would have the RCMP at your door with a warrant for your - and your dad's - arrest!
Probably around the same time (c.1965 for me) I remember a school friend's dad had a big UNLOCKED glass cabinet full of handguns and I remember Tony & I fondling a 1911. In retrospect, that was irresponsible of his dad, but amazingly I am still here, and quite likely Tony is as well.
We have gone way over the top in present days. I went to high school in farm country over 60 years ago and we would often hunt before and after school and even got time off for hunting in addition to time off for planting and harvesting. Our school principal did not allow us to keep guns and ammo in our cars,(which were old junkers) on the parking lot. He told us to bring them into the school and lock them in our lockers for safe keeping. I also had a shop project which was refinishing my first real gun- -a Mauser Model 95 7mm carbine. The shop teacher liked the way it came out and brought in his 03-A3 and we refinished that one too. I shake my head trying to figure out what happened to make today such a mess.
Model46
Member
I live in MA as well and have for most of my life. Back in the day (1970's) my cousin and I would spend many a Saturday at the local sandlot shooting our Marlin 39A's and my S&W 18. Seems like every kid had a .22. Now all of our shooting spots are housing developments or shopping malls. Now we need to drive to our gun club in order to exercise our firearms. It's no wonder todays youth don't seem to have the interest in shooting that we did.
Where there are often still shootings, unfortunately
My gosh Dirty Bert kept that thing in mint condition! Hardly has a turn line. A typical, good story to go with it. I bought my first handgun when I was 14. I had worked and saved until I had enough money for a Model 17 S&W.
When we went to the gun store, they also had a new Ruger Standard Auto. The S&W was $80, the Ruger half that. Dad said to get the Ruger and have more money for ammo so that is what I did. I still have the Ruger and I carried it a lot the first 10 years I had it. It was great for shooting rabbits from the corn picker. About 10 years later I finally got a model 17.
When we went to the gun store, they also had a new Ruger Standard Auto. The S&W was $80, the Ruger half that. Dad said to get the Ruger and have more money for ammo so that is what I did. I still have the Ruger and I carried it a lot the first 10 years I had it. It was great for shooting rabbits from the corn picker. About 10 years later I finally got a model 17.
OP
Dirty Bert
Member
That's awesome!
millerj7
Member
Welcome to the group! Great story and memories of less complicated times. My first handgun was also a M17...do not remember the engineering change, but assume it was a -3 since it was purchased new in 1971. I could not shoot it accurately (pretty sure it was me and not the gun) and swapped it even for a Ruger Target Model Pistol which was more accurate for me. I have since replaced the M17 in my collection and shoot it well...just wish I had that "First One."
Love the story. The best part for me is the family aspect. Your uncle and cousin come over to try out your new gun. Your dad takes you to the dump even though it's getting dark. Now that is a family. Not to many stories out there like this now. Thanks for sharing and count your blessings.
luvsmiths
Member
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All you needed was a cigarette too, and you would, have had all three---- Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms!
Your Dad and Uncle Rocked!!
GREAT story!!
csurp34
US Veteran
...."Think of the children", etc., etc. (Insert several "hand-wringing" emoticons here.)
My standard response to that kind of emotional pabulum is, If even one child's life could be saved, shouldn't everyone be armed?
It never gets old.
OP
Dirty Bert
Member
Ive been practicing with it for more than a few years and am finally getting the hang of it! Lol. It shoots very accurately. Pretty much the only wear on it is the cylinder face from cleaning stuck on lead built up. What a pain that is.
.455_Hunter
Member
I too got my first handgun at age 14 in 1990- a pre-war Enfield DAO .38. It's purpose was serious, as we were in the midst of a mountain lion population explosion in the area of our mountain property. It was lots of use over the next 8 years or so, on duty for innumerable hikes, backpacking and camping trips. Still have it to this day.
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