Sunday, October 1, 2017

"Hour of the gun"

Two rifles, both old, both new for me. Maybe, one is the perfect one for me. We shall see.
 
The rifle on top is  a Winchester 94 in .30-30 caliber and the one below it is a Browning 92 in .44 magnum. Renowned gun maker John Browning designed them both. From there, the story gets complicated, so we shall let it go at that for now.
 
As for the music, it is my belief the soundtrack is among the ingredients which can make a film or, in some instances, break it. "Hour of the Gun," is a 1967 film centered around the legendary gunfight at the OK Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, which took place on October 26, 1881. Do a bit of research, if you are curious.
 
Anyway, the film is among my "favorite flicks" and the theme is one which often plays on and on in my mind. Jerrald "Jerry" Goldsmith composed the score for this and dozens of other movies and television shows. He, too, is among my favorites. The Prague Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra is performing it here. Since this post is about my two new rifles, the title and the music sort of fell into place.
 
Dick Dale, who pioneered the surf music style, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, among the best with a guitar, provide the music on the second video, which I happened to run across while "surfing the net." Even better than the song are the fantastic waves and the surfers challenging them. Too good .... makes me want to take a walk on the wild side ....
 
It had been a while ….
 
When I left on my "road trip" a week or two ago, the primary intent was to pick up a rifle. It was the first firearm purchase I had made since January 3 this year.  This was a Browning Model 92, lever action, with a carbine-length 20-inch barrel in .44 magnum, made in 1980 and in near-new condition. It obviously had been a while between purchases and, since I had bought eight guns in 2016, circumstances this year might be thought of as inexplicable. 
 
The lack of acquisitions was not that my "love" for firearms had diminished any great degree; it simply was they had lessened in importance and relevance to me when I finally had realized that no matter how many guns I might own, they did not create a sense of real happiness or of actual satisfaction within me.
 
More interesting, perhaps, was the fact that I left home to retrieve one rifle and I returned home with two rifles. While doing the transfer paperwork on the first purchase, my "gun guy" brought out another which was nearly identical to one I had owned a number of years ago.
 
This was a consignment gun -- a .30-30 Winchester Model 94, lever action, octagon 26-inch barrel, made in 1919 and in fantastic condition for being a hunting rifle ninety-eight years old. I looked at it, played with it a bit, examined it closely and when he said the owner would take a thousand for it, I asked him if he would take a check. The transaction had taken less than two minutes.
 
I have not fired it yet, but I play with it a bit every day .... both of them, actually .... sooner or later, I might find the one rifle that is perfect for me .... until then, all I can do is keep searching .... with the belief that surely such a rifle must exist ....
 

 

6 comments:

Kaya said...

Your love for guns is still strong, Fram. I don't know much about rifles but every time I come to our local hunting store and see a section where they sell rifles, I immediately recall some of your posts about your favorite guns.

Soon the hunting season will start in our state. Are you going to hunt also?

I am also "ready" for a hunting season. I bought hunting rubber boots to walk on the muddy trails and a bright yellow raincoat that I wouldn't be shot accidentally by some passionate hunter.

I have never seen the movie "Hour of the Gun". It's probably an interesting movie according your description but I am hesitant to watch it. Don't like anything associated with guns.

I listened to both videos. The first is wonderful. It made me reconsider my decision about the movie "Hour of the Gun". I am going to check it on Netflix and then go from there.

Anyway, your collection of rifles is growing and as I understood correctly you still are looking for a perfect rifle. Some day I believe it eventually will happen.

Fram Actual said...

For a number of years from the time I was age ten, October was my favorite month of the year. I learned how to shoot -- handgun/rifle/shotgun -- during the summer. In the autumn, October to be precise, a classmate and I began duck and pheasant hunting. A few years later, football became my second passion and October was the height of the high school football season.

I quit hunting several years ago, Kaya. I can remember the day, the time of day, where I was and why I made the decision -- all with exactness. But, I still do "love" guns and "love" to shoot them. When I lived in Dakota, I had two shooting ranges on my property.

In a sense, I oppose many elements of hunting now. If hunters were not the largest group of Second Amendment supporters and gun rights activists, I would be loud and adamant regarding my anti-hunting stance. As it is now, my position is if you shoot it, you damn well better eat it. There is no such thing as "sport hunting" as far as I am concerned, and I am loud and adamant about that.

In addition to wearing your bright yellow raincoat, I would suggest you avoid areas where you know or even suspect there will be hunters. The safest place to be, probably, would be in your own home. By the way, using a variety of criteria Guns & Ammo magazine ranks Utah as the sixth "friendliest" state for owners and users of firearms.

I am not certain how I would describe the film, "Hour of the Gun," to someone who does not like anything associated with guns. There is a degree of violence, but not rampant, and from my point of view, firearms are not good or evil or stupid .... those things apply only to the people who use them.

Yes, Kaya, I still am looking for a perfect rifle -- perfect for me, that is to say -- and, a perfect handgun. I am a good shot with both, but since I am not very good with a shotgun, I have no need or desire to find one of them which suits me in all respects.

I think it certainly is possible I will find what I am looking for .... not likely, but possible .... in any case, I will continue looking/searching and, as some people believe, the journey is more important than arriving at the destination.

Take care, and thank you, Kaya, for visiting me here and for writing your thoughts here .... and, for thinking of me when you see guns at your local hunting store ....

Anita said...

Some babies Fram!Rifles guns in the search. You are with them as girls and woman..Is there anybody out there..For me??(Pink floyd))

Just kidding Fram.But 1000 dollars is to much for a gun..i think!Its nearly 8000 NKR!Wow!!(Say I that can by cameras and linses to the same price even more expencive..)

For a man I think the first one is great.If its a big man..Weight matters!!Can you shoot a bear with it??

Just arrived from the nursing care home.Yeah have som extra work there.The eldery homes are not what they used to be I tell you Fram.Its full of people like us..Cance cancer cancer is writtten in their face..Its going to be awful much worse in the years coming up with the eldery wave we expect..I do hope someone nice takes care of me when -i get old..Yeah i have baked much good food and served good wine..The talks after midnight is special.For everyone.

Nice movie Fram.A classic!Unfortunly the you tube musicvid is not to be seen in Norway.Sorry about that.

Now i have to go to sleep.Not on duty before tomorrow night.Big kiss on cheek to you and all your friends..

Night night--Zzzzz--See soon

Anita

Fram Actual said...

When I was a boy, the nickname for this type of firearm was "deer rifle" because that is what most hunters used them for and most of them were .30-30 caliber. There have been more of them made and sold in the United States over the past one hundred twenty-three years than any other hunting rifle.

A thousand dollars is a considerable amount of money, that is true, Anita, but, in reality, I got a bargain on this one. These more often sell for around $1500 and one in the condition of this rifle more often will sell for about $2000. That is the reason, for the most part, why I made a quick decision about buying it. I am sure I will see others for sale, but probably never at that low of a price.

While the intent of the "deer rifle" is not bear hunting, obviously bear are sometimes encountered in the woods and the .30-30 can bring down black bear and have been known to stop grizzlies. They even have been used on moose, elk and caribou. Proficiency of the hunter is a factor even more relevant than the size of the gun cartridge.

While there are a number of cartridges larger than the .44 magnum these days, many hunters used it for deer hunting and others carry it as a revolver as a backup/protection weapon when in the woods. I can talk about guns all day and all night, but enough for now.

I agree with you about nursing homes. I do not think I could bear to be in one as a patient/resident. I do not think I ever will be, and have a plan if I should ever wake up and find myself in one.

Occasionally, I will encounter YouTube videos that cannot be played in "my country," with no further explanation provided.

I often say that beautiful women intimidate me. That is true. I also often say I am looking for a woman who can and will watch my back for me. The older I get, the less necessary that seems to be, but it continues to be part of the equation. I also want a woman who enjoys watching a variety of films, reading a variety of books, traveling to a variety of places -- and discussing them. I am certain there is any number of such women in the world, but I have had enough negative experiences during my life that I think I am becoming a bit afraid to try again. I like to think and to say that I am afraid of nothing, but fear of failure might actually be part of my psyche.

So, we shall leave it there for today, Anita .... I guess we both are "searchers." Thank you, for coming by to visit me here and for taking the time to write a comment for me. I am glad we met and happy you continue to put up with me ....

Smareis said...

Os rifles são muito bonito Fram. Você tem muito amor pelas armas e como um bom colecionador, seus rifles deve ter um valor sentimental muito grande pra você.
Os videos são muito bons. Gostei!
Bom fim de semana!

Fram Actual said...

Yes, Smareis, firearms often are very beautiful and some very few also are extremely valuable because of their superb workmanship and/or their provenance. I do collect guns, but, unfortunately for me, none of mine fall into either category. Someday .... maybe ....

I am not certain "love" is the appropriate word to use for my relationship with firearms. I associate that word with human feelings for other human beings, rather than with inanimate objects .... although, I do use that word myself in terms of my feelings for the elements which form and exist within Nature .... hmmmm. Intrinsic and sentimental value for guns -- for sure/most certainly/absolutely -- but "love" might be too emotional a word.

Yes, I like the videos, too.

Thank you, Smareis, for coming here and for your comment. I am sorry I was not aware of your visit or of your words until now. You know they mean a great deal to me ....

Something special ....