[T.R.]

When I was a young teen in 1967, the only shotgun I had access to was an old Stevens break open single barrel in 16 gauge. It was choked FULL and I missed more than I could hit with it. One morning in Jr. High home room I was complaining to my buddy about this shotgun. Our conversation was overheard by our Shop Teacher. He offered to "fix it" for me. He told me to get the OK from my Dad.

I talked to Dad about it and he said go ahead. So next day I brought my un-loaded shotgun to school on the bus (in a case). No kidding!!! My shop teacher cut the barrel to 22 inches on the lathe and re-fitted the bead. After that, my shooting improved tremendously!!

A "sawed off" shotgun barrel is useful more things than home defense. The open patterns certainly helped me on running rabbits and moving squirrels. As I recall, I used low base 7 1/2 shot for everything.

TR

 

[1895Gunner]

Now that would get you locked up and on the national news headlines if you tried that today. Times have really changed and not for the better.


My one and only shotgun while I was a kid was a Stevens single shot 16 gauge with a plastic stock! Never got it cut down but sure killed a bunch of squirrels, rabbits & pheasant with it.

Good story!

 

[Festus]

In 1987 I took a public speaking class and my final exam/final speach was a 30 minute presentation about how a S&W revolver worked. I actually took an unloaded and cased S&W Model 66 357 magnum into the class room and removed the side plates and proceeded to show the class how the mechanism of the revolver worked. I spoke for about 33 minutes including Q&A time and made an A+ ... Times have changed and that was only 1987...

 

[oscarflytyer]

About 1975, 8th grade... My Health/PE/Coach took an entire section and taught NRA Hunter Safety - in the Classroom! AND brought in guns as training aids! No way today...

 

[d4570]

1973
In high school During duck season we would go out in the mornings before school and hunt for an hour or two and show up, still in our hunting vest and hip boot. We'd throw our dead ducks in to the trunk and leave the guns and shells in the front seat and scrape the mud off our boots on the way in to class. At lunch we would clean them in the street out front of the school... A different time indeed!!

 

[IN1894SS]

Sort of depressing when you think about the state of affairs now compared to then. I have to say I'm glad I'm as old as I am when I think about what the future could look like.

 

[M700]

Hunter Safety classes are still being taught in the Junior High here, after school. Including bringing in a dozen different rifles & shotguns and letting the kids get "hands on" time with them.

Rational thought seems to prevail where allowed.

T.R. - yup, I had one heck of a time with a full-choke gun myself for a while...