This air rifle, a BSA .177 Cadet Major circa 1956, was given to me by my father when I was around 10 years old.
You'd have to have known my father to appreciate the totally 'out of character' nature of this gift.
Maybe he thought I'd clear-up all the rats that lived amongst the chickens at the bottom of the garden, or maybe he just thought I'd shoot the gardener. I have no idea what he thought I'd do with it, as he gave no indication.
I had carte blanche with the gun. No supervision, no training, and no limit to my targets. I just took it out into the garden, and shot at whatever I fancied; luckily the garden was quite big, and we were also out in the countryside.
Of course, for me, it was just about the most perfect Christmas present imaginable, and I didn't abuse the trust that was put on me (or very seldom anyway), but why he gave it to me in the first place is still a mystery; he just wasn't that sort of person. I would never have given my own children something as potentially dangerous; certainly not aged 10.
My own children did shoot at targets, as do my grandsons now, but it is done with a very low powered air-pistol, and in strictly controlled conditions. These things are NOT toys.
When they are older I may introduce them to my father's Christmas gift, but it'll be a long while before I do.
I should add that the gun is in as good condition now, as it was all those years ago.
My father, a cop, taught me to shoot at 12 but I never kept up with it. The became very anti gun in my feminist days. At age 50 my son taught me to shoot again and soon I will take a 16 hr conceal carry class. Yes, I plan to carry a loaded weapon with me.The world is getting crazier and I plan to do my best to perfect my family if needed. When will I teach my GK's to shoot? around age 10-12. It's a tradition. Love that little gun of yours.
ReplyDeletePistol Packin' Donna. I like it!
DeleteMy son ( aged around 13/14) was accidentally shot in the back by his friend in the friend's bedroom with some type of air pistol. It made quite a red dent in his skin through his T shirt and I was horrified! Son, not too bothered……he didn't know it was loaded was his take on it…… Oh that's OK then ( sarcasm ) but what if it had been your eye was my take on it! The offending parents were told and were suitably contrite..in fact I think we got a bottle of wine out of it and an abject apology from the father. ( He was probably hoping we wouldn't take it any further)
ReplyDeleteMy youngest son was shot IN THE EYE with a small plastic bullet from a cheap plastic toy gun. Luckily his sight was not impaired, although they did say he could have problems later in life. So far he is OK.
DeleteSeeing we're exchanging stories: when she was 12 my mother was shot in the eye with a pellet from the boy-next-door's air gun. Lost the sight in her eye from that day. Never could throw a ball she said. But she learned to judge distance based on size, so she was a good driver.
DeleteI believe it's very easy to get a rifle if you are a smallholder to eradicate vermin here in Ireland. I hope the day never arrives when everybody owns a gun just to protect them selves. I read about one bank in America that gave people a free gun when the opened a new bank account.
ReplyDeleteThings used to be very lax here; you could go into a gun shop and buy almost anything over the counter. Things are much more controlled these days, and I learned this morning that they are even going to make hunters take an EYESIGHT TEST.
DeleteSome friends of mine who shoot black-powder, muzzle-loading guns went on a trip to Ireland, but were not allowed to take their own gunpowder or buy it direct in any part of the Republic.
DeleteWhen they asked the Garda how they could get any gunpowder for the club shoot they were attending, they said they could pick up a few pounds of it from the local butcher!
I like the pure lines of that BSA, Cro.
Is that Saltpetre? Yes, it's a pretty gun.
DeleteYes, plus sulphur and charcoal.
DeleteI used to make gunpowder when I was a kid. Potassium Nitrate (from my chemistry set) plus carbon from up the chimney, plus sulphur. 75:15:10.
DeleteYou have to keep it very dry or it just goes pfssst.
I had a very free childhood.
I'm glad Canada doesn't have a 'gun culture' like the States. That said, I was fascinated with them in my teens and would love to have the chance to practice again...but NOT to carry one or even have one in the house.
ReplyDeleteWhen Spike Milligan was 10 years old, his father went into his room at 3 am in the morning, woke him up and said
ReplyDelete" Son, you need to know that I have never shot a tiger in my life, now go back to sleep" and then left the room. Your father reminds me of him. Your generation had to be very responsible ...innate survival responses kicked in because your parents were very eccentric . (lucky you) because you also had a lot of freedom without adult supervision and that produces a more interesting type of person. All the coddling and nannying has made everyone very ordinary and bland now!
I think you're dead right Cressida. Well, not dead, obviously.
DeleteWhen my in-laws gave my son a plastic toy rifle when he was about four, I said not a word but threw it out as soon as they left. I did not want my son to even pretend. With this horrible gun culture in the US, more parents should have done the same.
ReplyDeleteOf course, today the kids spend hours virtually killing people and monsters in their video games.
I think playing Cowboys and Injuns was far preferable to the very realistic computer games that children play today (not that I've actually seen any).
DeleteBrilliant little rifle that! Are you ten feet tall or were you standing on a chair when you took that photo?
ReplyDeleteJust to reflect some of the sentiments expressed by fellow commentators, I have spent most of my working life with firearms as part of the tools of the trade yet would never buy my boys toy guns. Guns are not toys and you should never point them at people in jest, And guns are ALWAYS loaded, at least that is the correct mind set when handling them.
Alex is still too young but I taught Dominic to shoot when he was ten.
I stood on a chair! I'm VERY strict with my grandsons; if they make one false move, it stops. No excuses and no exceptions.
DeleteBoth my grandsons have earned their sharpshooter/gun safety badges through Boy Scouts but have no guns at home. Their grandfather takes them out to the gun range when they visit, to reinforce safety skills and accuracy. They are now 12 & 14. Nov. 15 till 30th is firearm deer hunting season here in Michigan and more people went into the woods armed than went off to war during WWII. (With significantly less training and more alcohol involved). On another note, I have a niece by marriage, who is a Baptist preacher's wife and carries a concealed weapon in her purse.
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear - I don't like guns that are not under lock and key. They should be considered loaded at all times.
DeleteThat rifle looks in great shape, Cro. While some other kids our age got BB guns as presents, we were not allowed BB guns. My parents said anything that can shoot anything is a weapon and not a toy. My great uncle did get a BB in his eye when one of his friends shot a BB gun at the pavement, and a BB bounced up, striking Uncle Bill in the eye. He couldn't see out of that eye for decades until a doctor suggested that he try wearing a contact lens in that eye plus his glasses. That was in the mid-1970s, and he'd been sightless in that eye since the 1940s.
ReplyDeleteWe were taught how to handle guns, as my dad liked to go hunting, knew right where the rifles and bullets were, but never touched them unless we went target shooting or on a hunting trip. We never kept a loaded gun in the house but were taught to act as if all the guns were loaded, and you never point at anything you don't want to kill.
I've reacquainted myself with firearms now and again. A skill i hope i am never called upon to use.
I eventually had Army training in how to use and respect guns. It is this discipline that I try to pass on to others.
DeleteFunny - I don't remember that - what I do remember is you wanting a BB gun - the constant cry was "Mum, Mum, can I have a BB gun?"
ReplyDeleteYou're thinking of my 'Burp Gun'. I made a complete pain of myself; but got my way. I loved that gun, and wish I still had it. It was totally harmless.
DeleteThat's right !!!
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