"Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good ol' days"

[effengee]

This morning, I happened to be listening to this song on the way to the bus stop and got to thinking about the good old days:

My dad telling me he used to be able to walk into any hardware store and buy a 1903A3 and a box of .30-06 for $15.00

The time when store shelves were bowing under the weight of stockpiled boxes of all kinds of ammunition and a "shortage" meant that they had less than 3 boxes of my caliber choice.

When a gun being brought to school meant hunting season opened, and wasn't cause for S.W.A.T. to be called.

When playing "Bang! Bang! You're dead" was not grounds for a suspension or a felony conviction.

When you could carry concealed and you didn't have to take a test and pay money to do so.

When political activists went after politicians for stepping on our rights, instead of going after me for wanting to exercise mine.

My one great hope is that someday, one of my future relations will be able to come onto this website, or one like it, and post about the newest in lasergun technology and how they still shoot Grandpa Effengee's antique lead chuckers...

 

[CoRoMo]

Much of the past was better than the present. But not all of it was.

 

[huntsman]

The time when store shelves were bowing under the weight of stockpiled boxes of all kinds of ammunition and a "shortage" meant that they had less than 3 boxes of my caliber choice

yeah cause most folks could only afford to buy a box at a time.

I'm not ashamed to admit we used to buy shotshells individually at the local hardware, 5 or 6 for a day of hunting was all we could afford.

 

[ol' scratch]

Part of the problem is with members of that older generation.

The older generation didn't like those space-aged guns with plastic and aluminum and were more than happy to jump on the ban wagon because they don't like them. Some of them didn't learn and are STILL saying we don't "need" them. The Anti-gunners used that tactic to divide us before. They are trying it again, but more people are standing up and yelling now. I think that the net has helped our cause because we can organize using social media and send e-mails to law makers voicing our concern. I think we are going to see a lot more fools from that side adopting the mantra of "Buy a double barreled shotgun." I really think that they are trying to tap into conservative voters and trying to at least portray the idea they are being tolerant. They have been surprised by the number of people who are opposed to these measures and the fact that they aren't extremists or stupid. A few people I have talked to have said they don’t understand why I would be angry because they are not going to take my guns, just the guns from future generations. Those people don’t view it as a right and are surprised when I tell them how much I actually shoot or why it is necessary to practice firearms skills. They have been wrapped into the media myth that shooting a firearm proficiently is easy and any knuckle-dragging troglodyte can pull a trigger and have the bullet go (as if by magic) to the intended target. They were, I think, also counting on another Bill Ruger or Smith and Wesson executive to support their ideas and that really hasn’t happened. If nothing else, they have brought a storm on their heads from gun manufacturers. They also severely underestimated the popularity of these firearms from all walks of life.

 

[il.bill]

I remember when a big decision for a twelve year old standing at the LGS about 48 years ago was whether to spend all my money on fifteen .22 shorts, ten .22 longs, or six .22LR cartridges, or to go really heavy duty and get five .22LR Hollow Points.

 

[bannockburn]

How about finding rifles and shotguns out on display at Sears and J.C. Penneys or going to Woolworths and looking at the latest handguns in the display case while Mom shopped for household items in another part of the store?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Tommy guns in a barrel by the rakes and shovels. I heard the stories. sigh

I miss the days when most all places carried firearms and ammunition.

 

[Airbrush Artist]

Those who was fortunate to Live it Are Thankful and those that didn't would'nt understand!

 

[Newcatwalt]

I think you may be speaking about the "Great" Grandpa days....

 

[JohnM]

When I was in high school, opening day was an automatic excused absence.

 

[Iggy]

I wouldn't take a million dollars for them days and I wouldn't give a nickel for some more of them.

 

[ngnrd]

Interesting... When I hear that song, I can't help remembering back to a couple of months ago, when I heard Naomi Judd on the Dennis Miller radio show talking about how she believes in the 2nd Amendment, and that she understands the need for hunters to have guns, but something needs to be done about all these assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

And then I throw up a little in my mouth...

 

[Sam1911]

I've heard a lot of stories from Dad and the Grandpas about buying cool old military surplus guns from the mail order catalog for like $15 (when that would buy about 300 Cokes) and I remember cheap SKSs and Enfields and Mausers, and back when no one bothered to even import Mosin-Nagants because no body was going to buy that ugly old thing. I remember a lot of deer, duck, and squirrel hunts, and long afternoons plinking out at my Uncle's farm. Guns were just present in everyone's homes, and most stores of almost any kind sold ammo. Good times!

But I also remember that I never saw a family member or friend shoot a handgun (though a few did own them) until we bought a Ruger Mk II, the same year my cousin bought a Taurus .38. I didn't know anyone who owned an AR-15 until I went off to college. Didn't know anyone with an AK (or FAL or CETME, or any other EBR) for longer than that. No one I knew shot almost anything except during a hunting season. I never saw or heard of any local shooting competitions, or clubs that promoted them.

I knew no one with a concealed carry permit -- or who'd ever considered one. I semi-regularly visited probably a dozen gun shops, but neither knew nor had even heard of a "Class 3" dealer -- and didn't know anyone who owned a machine gun or silencer.

I still remember when I first heard that someone was going to open a "Sporting Clays" range in our area. What a crazy, novel idea! It's like real-live type shooting! ("Naaaw! It ain't real shootin' lessen they's pouring ice water into your hip boots the whole time!!! HAaar haar!")

When the AWB came down in 1994, I didn't know many folks who really felt all that up in arms about it, except my little group of gun-nut pals.

...

A lot has changed. Much of it, I'm VERY glad of, too!

 

[HOWARD J]

It may have been easy to get guns & ammo but WW2 came along & all of the sudden you could not get anything.
No thank you----I have no interest in going back to THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

 

[Tinker]

Sam1911,

You and I must be about the same age. Your experience mirrors mine to a tee. I also do not recall anyone we knew shooting a handgun (though some owned them). First one I ever shot was a 1911 in my early 20's. It was a friend's gun.

Also, my dad was an avid hunter and war veteran who did not like handguns. I asked him why. He said muzzle control was harder than a long gun in mixed company (might be an idiot in the bunch). He also trusted few kids with any kind of gun. He now has a pistol, but only because there are no small children in his life.

 

[BADUNAME30]

My 1st 'real' rifle was a '98. Pulled it out of an old wooden barrel from amongst many others. The rifle and 250 rounds o' old German steal jacketed cost me $25. I took to an ols trip mine, fired all 250 rounds as fast as i could without hearing protection and ruined my left ear for life.

 

[ball3006]

Back in the 50s, there was a big surplus store just out of town. They had 55 gallon drums filled with 1917 Enfields and 1903 Springfields for 10 bucks each. My dad told me, when I told him about the store, if I ever catch you in that place or hear of you being in there, you will get a woopin'. I had a paper route then and made about 10 bucks a week. Good money in those days. I never dared buy one of those rifles. When I went away to college in 1962, the first day exploring town I came across a Ruger standard auto in a holster for 20 bucks. I still have it............chris3

 

[Coop45]

The older generation didn't like those space-aged guns with plastic and aluminum and were more than happy to jump on the ban wagon because they don't like them. Some of them didn't learn and are STILL saying we don't "need" them. The Anti-gunners used that tactic to divide us before. They are trying it again, but more people are standing up and yelling now. I think that the net has helped our cause because we can organize using social media and send e-mails to law makers voicing our concern. I think we are going to see a lot more fools from that side adopting the mantra of "Buy a double barreled shotgun." I really think that they are trying to tap into conservative voters and trying to at least portray the idea they are being tolerant. They have been surprised by the number of people who are opposed to these measures and the fact that they aren't extremists or stupid. A few people I have talked to have said they don’t understand why I would be angry because they are not going to take my guns, just the guns from future generations. Those people don’t view it as a right and are surprised when I tell them how much I actually shoot or why it is necessary to practice firearms skills. They have been wrapped into the media myth that shooting a firearm proficiently is easy and any knuckle-dragging troglodyte can pull a trigger and have the bullet go (as if by magic) to the intended target. They were, I think, also counting on another Bill Ruger or Smith and Wesson executive to support their ideas and that really hasn’t happened. If nothing else, they have brought a storm on their heads from gun manufacturers. They also severely underestimated the popularity of these firearms from all walks of life.

Now that right there is funny! A lot lot of us old goobers learned to operate the original evil black rifle.

 

[medalguy]

I can recall seeing Mausers and Ternis at K-Mart (Not Wally Mart) sold out of barrels for about $15. I ordered a British Jungle Carbine from Klein's in Chicago for the princely sum of $19 and walked to the Post Office to pick it up. I unwrapped it right then and there and proudly showed it off to the clerk and walked home with it in my hands.

Heck, I can remember gun shows in the early 60's where it was not uncommon to see machine guns for sale on the tables. Not a lot, but they were there. Back then, no one misused machine guns, there were a lot of war trophy bring-backs, and there just wasn't a lot of interest in them. We bought Thompsons for around $100, and a .50 cal Browning might bring $250 if it was in especially nice condition.

I bought loose .30-06 M1 tracer ammo in the big wooden crates for .02 a round and shot thousands of rounds through a Browning AN-M2 aircraft machine gun I had. I registered that gun during the 68 amnesty.

Ah, those were the days.

 

[happygeek]

I've heard a lot of stories from Dad and the Grandpas about buying cool old military surplus guns from the mail order catalog for like $15 (when that would buy about 300 Cokes) and I remember cheap SKSs and Enfields and Mausers, and back when no one bothered to even import Mosin-Nagants because no body was going to buy that ugly old thing. I remember a lot of deer, duck, and squirrel hunts, and long afternoons plinking out at my Uncle's farm. Guns were just present in everyone's homes, and most stores of almost any kind sold ammo. Good times!

But I also remember that I never saw a family member or friend shoot a handgun (though a few did own them) until we bought a Ruger Mk II, the same year my cousin bought a Taurus .38. I didn't know anyone who owned an AR-15 until I went off to college. Didn't know anyone with an AK (or FAL or CETME, or any other EBR) for longer than that. No one I knew shot almost anything except during a hunting season. I never saw or heard of any local shooting competitions, or clubs that promoted them.

I knew no one with a concealed carry permit -- or who'd ever considered one. I semi-regularly visited probably a dozen gun shops, but neither knew nor had even heard of a "Class 3" dealer -- and didn't know anyone who owned a machine gun or silencer.

I still remember when I first heard that someone was going to open a "Sporting Clays" range in our area. What a crazy, novel idea! It's like real-live type shooting! ("Naaaw! It ain't real shootin' lessen they's pouring ice water into your hip boots the whole time!!! HAaar haar!")

When the AWB came down in 1994, I didn't know many folks who really felt all that up in arms about it, except my little group of gun-nut pals.

...

A lot has changed. Much of it, I'm VERY glad of, too!

Didn't people in general have a lot less disposable income back then? They were buying Enfields and Mausers because they were cheaper than a newly manufactured hunting rifle, not because they were collecting WWII weapons?

It takes a good deal of disposable income to take up guns as a hobby, owning a hunting rifle not so much.

 

[goon]

In terms of gun ownership, maybe there were times when it was better.
In terms of general civil liberties and equality, unless you were a white male, the past left a lot to be desired.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Didn't people in general have a lot less disposable income back then? They were buying Enfields and Mausers because they were cheaper than a newly manufactured hunting rifle, not because they were collecting WWII weapons?

Yes. My dad bought a 1903 Springfield from the NRA for $12 when he was 17 (1945) and hunted with it for years. He finally sporterized it in the 50s. He also bought his first NEW gun in the early 1950s, a JC Higgins pump shotgun from Sears. He said the Higgins was $50, and the new Winchesters and Remingtons were $75. $25 was a lot of money for a steelworker with a wife and two little boy at home.

There wasn't a "gun culture" that I was aware of back then. Dad was a product of the depression, so recreational shooting wasn't something we did. We would sight in our hunting rifles, or test loads (dad was a handloader back in the 50s also), but shooting just for fun was for "rich people".

For practice on birds, we went dove hunting. Never shot a clay pigeon until years later. That was also for "rich people".

We had one big game rifle, one shotgun, and a couple of 22 rifles until my brother and I started hunting. Dad never owned a handgun, but I remember in the late 50s my uncle bought the latest and greatest; a Ruger 44 Magnum. Dad shot it once, and that was all he wanted.

 

[bikerdoc]

We can return to that era's freedom if we remind the collective them what shall not be infringed means. Get politically active folks.

 

[Coop45]

I weighed 160 lbs and was handsome as a poodle that was groomed by a blind man.

 

[wild cat mccane]

ah, the days you could beat your wife and children, women couldn't vote, interracial marriage was against the law, homosexual people had no rights, women had to pay for the military but couldn't join, the days when women couldn't get birth control without signed consent from their husband, the days when college was only for the wealthy and male, the days ...those "good ol' days?"

good move on putting your statement in quotes.

Income equality was better in those days though, when lots of labor was unionized.