snert
Silver $$ Contributor
Today turned out to be a full circle moment.
When I was 9 (1974) I asked my granddad to give me his Savage 20 ga double. He flatly refused. Several months later he gave me his Winchester 67 22. Granddad passed away soon after. His 1884 Trapdoor came to my dad. His 20 ga and an old Mauser went to my cousins. A Stevens 414 that had belonged to his father was already in possession of my uncle and cousins.
I soon fell in love with that 67. My dad and I cold blued the barrel and I refinished the stock deciding on the then "new" spray urathane shine finish over the sanded second generation stock. It treated me very well and was delightfully accurate.
My cousins were not gun guys. They were a tad hard on mechanical things. The savage double and mauser ended up hacked chopped parts. The 414 remained, but rusted, lanquishing in the corner of a dusty storage room for years.
I grew older, went to college and moved away. Got married, raised a family. The 67 stayed with dad, who (grrr) cut a flat spot on the stock behind the bolt for a peep sight...his eyes were going. Eventually, due to my mentioned desire to own the 414, dad traded my cousin my 67 for the 414. I was ok with the $$ side, but inwardly sad he gave away my first gun.
Dad passed in 2009. Mom in 2020. I inherited the house, and am "back". Over the winter I decided granddad's 1884 needed a facelift. I finished it last week. See Photo. (I had removed the yellowed varnish, sanded it to 800, then finished with arrowood oil. I cleaned up and cold blued the barrel. My uncle had cut the old girl down in 1958 and chopped up my dad's blank without permission...near fratricide!) She turned out ok.

I also tore down the 414. It has been cold blued and the stock has been cleaned and refinished with arrowood. It is in need of some internal repair so she is slated to ship off to Lee Shaver for a new firing pin and fitting of a new ejector.

Which brings me to today.
I stopped by to see my cousin. It was good to catch up. I inquired about the 67 and explained that I would like to bring it back home. I offered to buy him a replacement 22, but he said no. He told me that he would not have an hier, and went to the bedroom, returning with the 67. It was covered in a layer and dust and a little rust, but that old shine was still there. He handed it to me and told me to take it home, clean it up and give it to someone in the family someday. I promised I would make it right with him, but he said he wanted nothing for it. (Ill still get him something).
I brought home my first gun (again), tonight. I just turned 60.
It is torn down and I have been scrubbing nearly 40 years of dirt and lead out of the barrel. Tomorrow I will cold blue her again, buff her up and take a photo to post. Then I plan to head out to the range...
I have to admit I am a little misty eyed, so if she doesn't shoot as good as she once did, its cause I have something causing my eyes to water.
When I was 9 (1974) I asked my granddad to give me his Savage 20 ga double. He flatly refused. Several months later he gave me his Winchester 67 22. Granddad passed away soon after. His 1884 Trapdoor came to my dad. His 20 ga and an old Mauser went to my cousins. A Stevens 414 that had belonged to his father was already in possession of my uncle and cousins.
I soon fell in love with that 67. My dad and I cold blued the barrel and I refinished the stock deciding on the then "new" spray urathane shine finish over the sanded second generation stock. It treated me very well and was delightfully accurate.
My cousins were not gun guys. They were a tad hard on mechanical things. The savage double and mauser ended up hacked chopped parts. The 414 remained, but rusted, lanquishing in the corner of a dusty storage room for years.
I grew older, went to college and moved away. Got married, raised a family. The 67 stayed with dad, who (grrr) cut a flat spot on the stock behind the bolt for a peep sight...his eyes were going. Eventually, due to my mentioned desire to own the 414, dad traded my cousin my 67 for the 414. I was ok with the $$ side, but inwardly sad he gave away my first gun.
Dad passed in 2009. Mom in 2020. I inherited the house, and am "back". Over the winter I decided granddad's 1884 needed a facelift. I finished it last week. See Photo. (I had removed the yellowed varnish, sanded it to 800, then finished with arrowood oil. I cleaned up and cold blued the barrel. My uncle had cut the old girl down in 1958 and chopped up my dad's blank without permission...near fratricide!) She turned out ok.

I also tore down the 414. It has been cold blued and the stock has been cleaned and refinished with arrowood. It is in need of some internal repair so she is slated to ship off to Lee Shaver for a new firing pin and fitting of a new ejector.

Which brings me to today.
I stopped by to see my cousin. It was good to catch up. I inquired about the 67 and explained that I would like to bring it back home. I offered to buy him a replacement 22, but he said no. He told me that he would not have an hier, and went to the bedroom, returning with the 67. It was covered in a layer and dust and a little rust, but that old shine was still there. He handed it to me and told me to take it home, clean it up and give it to someone in the family someday. I promised I would make it right with him, but he said he wanted nothing for it. (Ill still get him something).
I brought home my first gun (again), tonight. I just turned 60.
It is torn down and I have been scrubbing nearly 40 years of dirt and lead out of the barrel. Tomorrow I will cold blue her again, buff her up and take a photo to post. Then I plan to head out to the range...
I have to admit I am a little misty eyed, so if she doesn't shoot as good as she once did, its cause I have something causing my eyes to water.
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