[Kaylee]

while rummaging the local used book store, I find the coolest thing -- NRA Illustrated Shooting Handbook -- it's a collection of articles from the late 50's to about 1960 from the American Rifleman.

Theres a LOT about competition shooting, positions and such, as well as all sorts of "how to safely and effectively use X" -- "X" being anything from a flintlock pistol to the M1. And oh yeah... "how to build a trap for safely shooting your .22 indoors" :what: (effective or not, I can't imagine the Rifleman or anybody else even touching that subject today).

Pretty cool -- kinda like having Art Eatman standing over your shoulder tellin' you stuff. And I have to admit... between this and reading Ross's book, the late 50's look like a Golden Age for the whole gun thing.

Wow.. I think I'm jealous of you guys who were there.. looks like it was fun. :)

- K

[sm]

I have some '55 Field&Stream, the year I was born. Yes some pretty cool stuff. I find it interesting the same arguments exist today . 6mm vs .243, this scope vs that scope, and target loads with hard shot still the best bet for dove and quail.

Look at the prices of some of the guns. I recall my uncle and other men would send in the post card in the magazine and the gun was mailed to the house C.O.D.

Yeah like having Art , Sam, Dave Mc and others here just kinda standing over your shoulder.

[Preacherman]

Kaylee, how about scanning and posting that chapter on "how to build a trap for safely shooting your .22 indoors"? I'm sure many on THR would love to try it!

(Of course, we'd have to stop several of our members, whose names need not be mentioned here, from building the darn thing out of 2" steel plate and trying it out with .308 indoors! :D )

[Sunray]

Reading is just plain good for the spirit. Reading about firearms is friggin' great for the spirit. Just don't pine too much over the prices you see listed. The pay scales were about the same as they are now. A $60 firearm then took the same, if not longer, amount of work time to earn that a $600 firearm does now.

[Kaylee]

Preacherman -- as soon as I have access to a scanner, willdo. The short version though is "fill a cardboard box with LIFE magazines for about 1/2 the length, stacked cardboard the rest of the length,and if you're feeling nervous a license plate or other sheet metal at the BACK of the box. Shoot lenthwise"

Now I don't know if this predates high-velocity cartridges or anything, but I'd be real nervous trying it without testing it at a range first.. and heck even then I'd never recommend using it-- one accidental discharge that misses the box and Bad Things Ensue. Sure it might be a little paranoid, but ain't it a touch of paranoia that gets us packing in the first place?

-K

[HBK]

I remember when I was a little kid, my dad had all these beautiful shotguns. They were like works of art. I couldn't believe that he actually fired these masterpieces or took them out hunting. That was way before I saw gns as tools. I think you're right about the golden age, though. Things are sure different today.

[sm]

...misses the box and Bad Things Ensue

Your gonna hate me...umm being as we were to be a nation of marksmanan and all, we had an indoor dealie set up in the cafeteria and we shot 22 shorts indoors...I liked that grade school :) Iwas in 3rd grade when JFK was shot. Ben Pearson for years supplied archery stuff and we continued...till even as a sophmore in HS.

Preacher must have a loooong hallway in his new place...for a .308 :)

I would like to see the pic of the trap , I bet I'll remember it.

[Moparmike]

3rd grade when JFK was shot? Geeze, my mom was only 2 when that happened. Yowser.






:neener:

The question about the .308's would be how to keep the backplate "Black" and "Tactical" after the shots keep hitting it.:o

[KC]

"Of course, we'd have to stop several of our members, whose names need not be mentioned here, from building the darn thing out of 2" steel plate and trying it out with .308 indoors! "

Why not? Just have something to protect the lights from the pressure wave.
I met a guy through a friend. He was going to loose the house in a divorce, and decided to make it comfortable for his ex. Her cut down a beaut of a tree in the backyard (left the debris in place) and dragged the stump and part of the root ball into the livingroom. The wall behind the stump was kinda peppered by the time I saw it. He had a few pistols sitting on the coffee table, and invited me to take a few shots, just dont use the .44Mag; it would break lights.

"3rd grade when JFK was shot? Geeze, my mom was only 2 when that happened. Yowser."

Cut it out. You're making me feel old...


KC

[C.R.Sam]

Cool find Kaylee.
I regret the few times I have lightned my load over the years.
Now starting to re-collect for the grandkids.

In the 80s I gave away a complete collection, bound, of Rifleman dating from late 1935. Sigh.

Backstop.....nowadays, recycled rubber matting, made for backstop, a lot easier to deal with than boxes of assorted stoppers.

Ventilation....important, and a pain to get right in an existing house.

More n a few years ago was standin in Roy Weatherby's kitchen when he tested a boomer. Interesting. He did have an understanding wife, as he did a a lot of testing in the kitchen. Had a catch box in the floor.

Sam