GrandDaddy's Gun

[IronNoggin]

In the spring of 1957, my GrandDaddy traded in his old Winchester 1892 (caliber unknown) for his first, and destined to be his only "high powered rifle".
My Ma and her brother recall that the 308 was quite the sensation at the time, and considered a "serious" big game rifle.

Grandpa hunted with rifle that over the next several decades, taking a heck of a lot of Mulies, Elk and Antelope with it.
Upon his deathbed, he requested to his oldest son and my Ma that this rifle should go to me, his oldest grandson.
I was damn proud to take possession of it (now a decade or two past) and cherish it immensely.

To date, I have shot it at the range a fair number of times, and considering it's age, and the archaic scope that is on it, I was really astonished just how well it grouped! I have taken it on a few hunts, babying it along the way, but have yet to take an animal with it yet...

The rifle is in pristine shape. GrandDaddy was always very fussy about that end of things!
Here she is as she looks today:



I thought the scope was an ancient Weaver, but now am not so certain.
It has NO markings on it anywhere.
Fixed four power with very thin wire reticles, and a rather small objective lens.
And external (no caps or protection) sighting adjustments:



If anyone does know what the branding on that might be, I'd be interested in hearing from you...

As far as the checkering goes, I am not the best to ask in this regard. A Buddy did ask if it was pressed or cut.
My answer is Hell, I dunno...



From the minor over-runs and errors here and there, I would guess it was done by hand.
But then again, I know little of such matters...

Since I was digging in the Big Box anyway, and recalled a thread about Winchesters, I thought I'd take one final picture today:



From the top:

GradDaddy's Winchester Model 88 in 308, manufactured spring, 1957

A Working Cowboy Buddy's (now mine) old Model 94 in 32 Win Special manufactured in 1954

My Model 9422M in 22 Magnum manufactured in 1972

The Ruger Blackhawk, although not a Winchester, rather fit with this lot.
She is chambered in 45 Long Colt. Can't rightly recall when it was made, but it too has seen some use over the years...

The first looks damn near new.
The second shows some signs of loving use, and the third shows it has been a saddle, skidoo and truck gun for most of it's life (still shoots VERY well for a lever though!)

Don't have many pictures of my Grandparents on hand, but did manage to find two that fit with this post...

GrandDaddy processing a big Mulie he had taken with this very rifle:



And Grandma riding out to elk and deer camp around the same time period:



Be interesting to know what kind of rifle she was packing, but I never did get that confirmed.

Not to tough to tell where I get my love of, and dedication to The Game from

I have now made a commitment to myself to get GrandDaddy's gun out and try to take a Blacktail with it this fall.
Will of course letcha know how that goes...

In the meantime, if you happen to have your GrandDaddy's gun, or even just your Pa's, or an Uncle's etc that fits with the theme, post them up Folks!!

And with that, I will leave you with:

https://youtu.be/H74RqPzKrY0

Still puts mist in my eyes every time I hear this one.
Love & Miss ya GrandDaddy.
Save me a warm spot around the fire Sir, for I'll be coming along eventually...

Cheers,
Nog

[IronNoggin]

PS: This one has been spoken for.
In keeping with GrandDaddy's wishes, his oldest Grandson will be receiving it when I wander off to join the campfire with the original owner.
Arrangements that were made the day I received it...

https://youtu.be/cGjy3zXQJQc

Cheers!

[The Cook]

Great post, thank you.

[Dweb]

Incredible post , a wonderful family history

[buckbrush]

That's great. Thanks for sharing.

[PaintearthCounty]

What a awesome interesting post , and a beautiful rifle , your grandpa’s rifle is in fabulous shape , well taken care of

[Mavrick]

Love the history Iron. I’m fortunate to have my Grand Dads Winchester 92 ( 1920) my Dads 94( 1952) and my uncles Savage 99 (1951) all in excellent shape. I hunt with them each year. Don’t know how to post pictures, sorry.

[Puma]

She is a beauty. Always nice to have a family heirloom like that to honour a passed loved one.

[hayseed]

Very cool!!!!

[cowmanbob]

Cool story, I’ve seen scopes like that, can’t remember the name though. Don’t think it’s a weaver though.

[Red Bullets]

Excellent story. Nice collection of keepsakes. Be sure to write down the history of the guns as they are handed forward. Stories get twisted over time so the written account will keep the provindence with the guns for future family members.

The scope does look like a Weaver I had on my first gun, a husqvarna 30-06. It was a stationary 4X with fine recticle lines. Was a geat scope. Definitely worth keeping and using on the 308. The checkerplate on these older guns were hand worked and finished by hand. A pattern jig and a file. Not pressed or routed like some of todays guns.

I just made a list a couple days ago.. of the old original winchester guns my Dad had. When ever he brought a "new" old gun home I always got to try them out. He had literally dozens of old winchesters from 1866 to 1895 models. I'm sure all were manufactured before 1900. His collection was sold over the course of a couple decades.
These are the guns I remember shooting in the 1960's and 70's.
25-35 WCF winchester
30-30 winchester
32-20 WCF winchester
30 US winchester, (also known as 30-40 krag)
38-40 winchester
38-55 winchester
32 winchester special
44 henry rimfire winchester
44-40 winchester
45-60 winchester
45-70 winchester
50-110 Winchester (shot in a 1886 lever action winchester gun, buffalo express)
10 gauge winchester (shot in a 1887 lever action winchester shotgun)
And a few different gauges of single shot winchester shotguns.

Several other winchester 20 calibers. From the 1895 hex barreled pump action 22 s/l/lng rifle to the bolt action 220 swift and 218 Bee.

Probably a few I don't remember too. Wish I had the collection now.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by IronNoggin

In the spring of 1957, my GrandDaddy traded in his old Winchester 1892 (caliber unknown) for his first, and destined to be his only "high powered rifle".
My Ma and her brother recall that the 308 was quite the sensation at the time, and considered a "serious" big game rifle.

Grandpa hunted with rifle that over the next several decades, taking a heck of a lot of Mulies, Elk and Antelope with it.
Upon his deathbed, he requested to his oldest son and my Ma that this rifle should go to me, his oldest grandson.
I was damn proud to take possession of it (now a decade or two past) and cherish it immensely.

To date, I have shot it at the range a fair number of times, and considering it's age, and the archaic scope that is on it, I was really astonished just how well it grouped! I have taken it on a few hunts, babying it along the way, but have yet to take an animal with it yet...

The rifle is in pristine shape. GrandDaddy was always very fussy about that end of things!
Here she is as she looks today:



I thought the scope was an ancient Weaver, but now am not so certain.
It has NO markings on it anywhere.
Fixed four power with very thin wire reticles, and a rather small objective lens.
And external (no caps or protection) sighting adjustments:



If anyone does know what the branding on that might be, I'd be interested in hearing from you...

As far as the checkering goes, I am not the best to ask in this regard. A Buddy did ask if it was pressed or cut.
My answer is Hell, I dunno...



From the minor over-runs and errors here and there, I would guess it was done by hand.
But then again, I know little of such matters...

Since I was digging in the Big Box anyway, and recalled a thread about Winchesters, I thought I'd take one final picture today:



From the top:

GradDaddy's Winchester Model 88 in 308, manufactured spring, 1957

A Working Cowboy Buddy's (now mine) old Model 94 in 32 Win Special manufactured in 1954

My Model 9422M in 22 Magnum manufactured in 1972

The Ruger Blackhawk, although not a Winchester, rather fit with this lot.
She is chambered in 45 Long Colt. Can't rightly recall when it was made, but it too has seen some use over the years...

The first looks damn near new.
The second shows some signs of loving use, and the third shows it has been a saddle, skidoo and truck gun for most of it's life (still shoots VERY well for a lever though!)

Don't have many pictures of my Grandparents on hand, but did manage to find two that fit with this post...

GrandDaddy processing a big Mulie he had taken with this very rifle:



And Grandma riding out to elk and deer camp around the same time period:



Be interesting to know what kind of rifle she was packing, but I never did get that confirmed.

Not to tough to tell where I get my love of, and dedication to The Game from

I have now made a commitment to myself to get GrandDaddy's gun out and try to take a Blacktail with it this fall.
Will of course letcha know how that goes...

In the meantime, if you happen to have your GrandDaddy's gun, or even just your Pa's, or an Uncle's etc that fits with the theme, post them up Folks!!

And with that, I will leave you with:

https://youtu.be/H74RqPzKrY0

Still puts mist in my eyes every time I hear this one.
Love & Miss ya GrandDaddy.
Save me a warm spot around the fire Sir, for I'll be coming along eventually...

Cheers,
Nog

The saddle bags are US cavalry surplus, collectible in themselves.

Grizz

[Spruster]

Absolutely love the win 88 . Have a couple , but that one is a gem ! Especially with the family history . Very nice

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

... Be sure to write down the history of the guns as they are handed forward. Stories get twisted over time so the written account will keep the providence with the guns for future family members.

This has been, and is being recorded. Faithfully that is.

Interesting history yourself!!
Shot many an aging Winchester over time, but doubt I could match your list!
Many thanks for the information regarding the scope, and the checkering.
Well Appreciated!!

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

The saddle bags are US cavalry surplus, collectible in themselves.

Good Eye Grizz.
That they are, and handed down too.
However digging that much further into the Family History will have to wait for another day.

Cheers,
Nog

[RandyBoBandy]

Sweet thread

[David Henry]

Grandma's rifle looks like a pump action Remington model 141 or possibly it's predecessor the model 14.

[Don_Parsons]

Fantastic thread Nog.

Your always on top of the game plan fore sure.

👍

[cowmanbob]

Originally Posted by cowmanbob

Cool story, I’ve seen scopes like that, can’t remember the name though. Don’t think it’s a weaver though.

On second thought I think it is a weaver.

[catnthehat]

I have 4 old Weavers and they all have the small reticle adjustment knobs and the brass lock nut on the objective . The Weaver stampnis probably under the rear ring!
Like David Henry, my first thought on your Granny’s rifle was a Remington pump
Cat

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by David Henry

Grandma's rifle looks like a pump action Remington model 141 or possibly it's predecessor the model 14.

I was going to say model 14.....looks really like mine.

image.jpg

[Stir]

Great story.....but it looks like your Grandpa had 3 deer to butcher in that tree.

[wolf308]

Great story. Thanks.

Your grand pappy looks tuff as $&/! , so tuff in fact looks like he's just posing with the deer and waiting to bounce someone for the mob or something. Lol. Kidding. But yeah he looks tough

And another notch on the 308s belt too ! Best round ever

[bat119]

Great story
The 88 is in prime condition Winchester discontinued hand checkering in the late 1963 runs of the 88

https://gun-data.com/winchester88.htm

[Parker Hale]

I've my granddad's old Winchester Model 88 as well. The serial number puts the manufacture date late in 1958. Love The rifle, still shoots great and looks good. I also ended up with my dad's Parker Hale 7mm Rem Mag. I believe he purchased it in the early 70's.

[shr970]

That is an awesome story thanks for sharing

[yukon254]

Awesome story, I wrote an article about our grandfathers guns a few years back. I think our grandfathers had some of the coolest rifles ever made.

[Kenmore]

Very cool story!! UTube Grand Daddys gun.....it is a tune worth listening to!!

[nast70]

Great thread.
I have, and currently use my Guidos Mauser 98 chambered .308. It was his farm rifle, and when my uncle took over the farm, it stayed. He hunted with it for decades taking moose and deer and uncountable coyotes with it. When it was time to move off the farm, the family had first choice of all the heirlooms from when my Baba and Guido first settled there. I bought the Mauser and his Savage shot gun used for water fowling (came with a box of shells that are probably antiques themselves). That Mauser also has a x4 Weaver scope with the fine crosshairs.

[IronNoggin]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

... The Weaver stamp is probably under the rear ring!

Thanks. I will have a look but not until I take the scope off to hunt her. Still sighted in properly, and I ain't so curious as to fiddle around with that right now.

Like David Henry, my first thought on your Granny’s rifle was a Remington pump

I think you two and 58 are right.
All I recall was that it was a pump, rounded / ridged forearm, and in 30 caliber of some kind (I think). Kind of wish I had that one too. She took a LOT of deer and elk with it over the years.

Originally Posted by Stir

.....it looks like your Grandpa had 3 deer to butcher in that tree.

Two actually. The higher hanging one was already split in half.

Originally Posted by wolf308

... Your grand pappy looks tuff as $&/!

He was.
Carved a ranch out of the wilderness and ran it all of his life. Raised a family there as well as a handful of us grand-kids. Eventually the town grew around his place, and he shaved it down some, but always maintained it as a working farm / ranch.

He instilled a true love of the wild lands, & hunting and fishing in all his kin. Especially so in me. Strict, religious, and very much a Man who lived by his mores. As tough as he was, he was the gentlest Man ever when it came to his family (except for the odd character improvement session behind the ol' barn... LOL).
Certainly miss that fine fellow!

Interesting stories some are sharing about their own heirlooms.
Keep them coming folks! REALLY like to hear them!!

Cheers,
Nog

PS: The Link to the song GrandDaddy's Gun is already at the bottom of my first post in this thread. Simply had to link it, as I can't see any way to embed videos into a post on this Forum.
Cheers

[roper1]

Neat thread Nog. I own the same 3 lower guns as you do, but my handgun is the Single Six. Talk about heirloom guns, my Dad bought the sporterized Husqvarna 30:06 in '45 when he was discharged. Killed a hundred game animals or more Elk, moose, both deer. My brother got it & way added to the success list of that old gun.