QuoteOriginally posted by Emmanuel@May 25 2005, 12:55 AM
What did your Grandpa do with the dead cow?
If I remember correctly, the boss hauled away the cow and had it butchered for meat. But I think he shared the meat with Grandpa.
That's been so long ago it's hard to remember all the details. I was only about 7 or 8 years old at the time (and now I'm 67).
Here's another gun story that in retrospect is kinda funny, though it wasn't at the time.
When my parents divorced in 1944, my Mom, out of economic necessity, moved herself, my sister and I in with our grandparents. My Grandpa was a rough old fart who always kept several loaded rifles and shotguns in the dining room behind a door.
Grandpa worked for a small oil company and the company owner kept several cows on the oil lease. One day, one of those cows got into Grandma's vegetable garden. I was sitting at the dining room table reading when suddenly Grandpa ran into the room and grabbed one of the guns from behind the door, then ran out again. I followed, just in time to see him shoot the cow in the vegetable garden. The cow fell down dead, whereupon Grandpa got a look of great consternation upon his face. He suddenly realized that he'd grabbed a rifle instead of a shotgun and had killed one of his boss's cows. Needless to say, the boss wasn't too happy when Grandpa told him. I don't know but suspect that the boss docked Grandpa's wages until the cow was paid for.
QuoteDisplay MoreOriginally posted by William T Brooks@May 23 2005, 07:59 PM
Alright you young Bucks; You have told your stories about Guns or Weapons in the home, car and packing weapons around on your body so I will tell one also.
Back in the middle of the 1950s after the Korean War was over and I was out of the U.S.A.F. and serving out the rest of my time in the Arizona Air Guard and had gone back to work as a Engineer for the Phone Company.
My Grandmother had been having trouble with Peeping- Toms at Her house in Phoenix.
Now Grandmother was in her late 60s at this time, and as I told you before she had come out from West Texas in a Wagon-Train to Arizona in the early 1900s, so she was a tough old Gal.
I got a Call from the Chief of Police in Phoenix in the Middle of the Night and he told me that I should come Grandmothers House that there had been some trouble.
The Chief had worked for Grandfather when He was The Chief back in the early 1940s, so he knew Grandmother very well.
When I got to Grandmothers house there were police cars all over the place and Grandmother was very upset, and I soon saw why.
The window in Her Bed-Room was completely gone.
The way She told the Story was that She saw a man looking in Her Bed-Room Window so She took the Shot-Gun and Fired.
The Chief told me later that was the End of the Peeping-Toms in that part of Phoenix! :lol:
The Bad Part of the story was that we had to replace a Very Large Bed-Room Window, and Pay to have a bunch of red bricks on the house Next Door replaced!!!
Chilibill
[snapback]16916[/snapback]
That's what I mean by using double-ought for home defense, Bill. It'll do as much damage to your house as it does to the bad guy.
QuoteDisplay MoreOriginally posted by The Ringo Kid@May 23 2005, 04:45 PM
I'm not 100% current on all gun laws but check this out.
I used to live in a much smaller town which is about 1 hrs drive from where I now live. For those in Texas, I was born and raised in Kingsville which I might add is the worl headquarters for the King Ranch. (They own tons of land in Austrailia and other countries too)
Anyway, when I lived in kingsville, it was a very common sight to see with people carrying rifles or having them placed on racks in their trucks. As I did not have a truck of my own, I simply laid mine in the back windor area of my car (where the speakers are) and I used to drive around with: an M1-Garand, a Lithgow Lee-Enfield SMLE MK4 (made in Austrailia), a Mauser 98K and an M-100 Carbine (Made by Calico) and looks almost exactly like a Star Wars laser rifle -- which was why I bought it.
The Police knew I carried rifles in my car and never had to worry about why I was doing so as most of the police officers in Kingsville I had known and been friends with some, for years. In fact, I used to buy old Military rifles, clean them up and resale them to hunters and collectors and the like. Three of those who bought from me were police officers.
At one time untill about 12 years ago, a person could walk down a street with a rifle in their hand and nobody would look at you twice. If I tried this where I live now, i'd probably end up behind bars. I used to ride my bicycle all over the place in Kingsville with my M1 Garand slung crossways cross my back.
No way i'd try that now, too many dang liberals around.
Best regards--C.
[snapback]16908[/snapback]
That reminds me of things that happened when I was in school back in the late 40s and early 50s.
I remember some 7th grader brought to school a Mauser Broomhandle that his dad had brought back from the war as a souvenir. When I was in the 4th grade, in 1948, I took to school an Artillery Luger that my uncle had brought back. Other kids were always bringing military souvenir weapons to school as sort of show-and-tell items. In fact, one boy even brought an MP-40 to school one time. Nobody thought anything about it. Nowadays they'd probably have a national alert if some kid brought something like that to school. For sure the kid would prbably be barred from school for life.
QuoteOriginally posted by SXViper@May 23 2005, 12:34 PM
Stumpy and Chester, you are correct on the lethal action of a shotgun compared to .223 rifle in such a closed in environment as your house. But, the AR-15 looks so much more nastier that looks alone can sometimes get somebody thinking twice B) But they are both really close by and I have to try to be safe with the kids around. Don't want them playing with them, but don't want them scared of them either.[snapback]16902[/snapback]
One little point though, Viper. In the dark nobody can see how lethal that AR looks. 
Very sensible re. kids and guns. We read too many news stories about kids shooting themselves or other kids. Don't want that happening to yours, my friend. Be sure and teach them gun safety when they're old enough to retain it.
QuoteOriginally posted by Emmanuel@May 22 2005, 03:02 PM
Not wanting to get into the Irish thing, but I've often wondered, if we had the same gun laws as you do in the States, would we be in such a bad way.
Our basic gun law is the Second Amendment to our Constitution, which was written into our founding document by those who established the U.S. government.
The primary purpose of the Second Amendment was to insure that the people had a means to resist any future governments that became tyrannical. We wanted no more King George's.
I'm not sure but I don't think firearms existed in 1215 when the Magna Carta was written, which is the U.K.'s precursor to the U.S. Constitution.
It's possible the conflict in Northern Ireland would have been even bloodier if the people had been given the freedom to carry weapons. As I understand it, the "problem" is rooted in religious differences, and those kinds of conflicts usually are very bitter indeed. Widespread access to guns by both Catholics and Protestants might have made things worse. But from what I've read, those doing the killing over there never had any trouble finding guns to do it with.
QuoteOriginally posted by Emmanuel@May 22 2005, 01:47 PM
is this law only in some states? Does it differ from the east and west coasts?
I imagine you've read about the political divisions we're having in the States, whereas states like Massachusetts, New York, California and several others are considered bastions of liberalism, while most southern and western states are conservative. Most liberal states outlaw guns, whether open or concealed carry. Most conservative states are just the opposite, allowing at least concealed carry, while a few states like Arizona and Virginia let their residents carry either openly or concealed.
QuoteOriginally posted by Emmanuel@May 22 2005, 12:36 PM
what is the difference between carrying a firearm openly and having one concealed? Surely if the law allows for the carrying of them, it shouldn't matter one way or the other.
I've always thought the same thing, Emmanuel I guess by carrying a concealed weapon, you're introducing an element of uncertainly into the mix, which would tend to give the bad guy pause. If he knows you're carrying, he could set up an ambush and take you out before you could draw your openly-carried weapon.
Whatever the logic behind such laws, it's a fact that crime has gone down in those states having concealed-carry legislation. And that's a good thing.
QuoteOriginally posted by William T Brooks@May 22 2005, 09:06 AM
I have a 12 Gag. Shot-gun with a 18 and 1/2 inch Barrel with Double O Buck-Shot by my bed.
Dang, Bill, with double ought you don't wanna just discourage the bad guys, you want to disintegrate 'em as well. Not only burglars but the walls of your house as well. :lol: :lol:
I keep a 12 gauge by my bedside but with Number One shotshells on tap. Anymore, the feeling among the "experts" seems to be that Number Ones are a more effective load for home defense than the heavier shot. In fact, some people even recommend Number Four Buck.
QuoteOriginally posted by SXViper@May 21 2005, 08:29 PM
if a burglar tries to come in my house they will have a big surpise, about a 40 round clip!!!!
For burglar control, Viper, I'd prefer the 12 gauge over the Bushmaster.
BTW, we are as one in our thinking about guns and liberals.
QuoteDisplay MoreOriginally posted by ethanedwards@May 21 2005, 02:57 AM
Thanks for this interesting subject, giving us limeys an insight!
Here in England, gun ownership is very strict, and only limited, to members of gun clubs, and of course the criminal element.
Guns, in the home as protection, being illegal.
There was a interesting case, recently, when a farmer, shot dead, an intruder
He was imprisoned, for the crime, but there was such a public outcry, that his sentence, had to be repealed.
Since that case, the UK government, has shifted, on the Law, and although, guns are still not allowed, in homes, you are now allowed to use,
reasonable force!!, to repel, any intruders, from your home,
without the fear of being punished.[snapback]16840[/snapback]
I think it's absolutely outrageous that [farmer] Tony Martin was imprisoned for defending himself and his property. After all, he had been burglarized several times prior to the incident for which he was imprisoned. I think it's even more outrageous that almost all Brits had their guns taken away because of the actions of a nut at Dunblane. Why penalize an entire people because of the insane act of one man?
Of course, the same thing happened in Australia, with predictable consequences. The crime rate in both the U.K. and Australia skyrocketed once their people were disarmed. Now, only the criminals have guns and are free to prey on law-abiding citizens.
Many U.S. states have legislated the right of their citizens to carry concealed weapons. In all instances, the crime rate has declined in those jurisdictions because criminals are very reluctant to accost people who may, or may not, be armed. Great Britain and Australia should take this lesson to heart and let their people re-arm.
