Rainy Day Reflections!

Sorry So Long....

The day started out a little busy and then the rains came! Thats ok too....we needed it around here. So I went on to find something to do out of the weather...

So watch a movie...
Watch a game.....

Clean up gun room and safe, clean a few guns........ Great idea!

After a great evening with some old friends (firearms) the one pictured below was leaned against the wall...and well it just all came back for a moment, and it hit me..That Rifle is "The High Road" and I must go share!

This plain old run of mill Remington 700 ADL .30-06 is nothing special on the surface, just a loyal hunter with a Simmons scope and a history all to its self!

I first seen this rifle about 27 years ago...It belonged to the Father of a friend I worked with. His dad was the quintessential part time deer hunter with all the advice and enthusiasm of Bill Jordan. He would license up, tag up, and stock up each year and make his trip to the woods...(no one really knew where he went...but he came back with venison!) I never got a chance to hunt with him, and years later he became ill with cancer and could not go out...but while I was with my friend one day we ran by his dads house and I was talking about going hunting the weekend...he goes to bedroom and comes back with this rifle...here borrow this! It will get em!

I took him up on his offer, I had my own guns, but it was about more than needing a rifle was it not. So anyway that Saturday I was on stand approximately 45 minutes when in my hands it took the first deer of season for me at about 110 yards. And that is the story of this rifle...it has taken lots of venison and as my friend told me claimed the life of the kitchen floor one season ( His dad always came in door racked the bolt pointed it at floor and click...to make sure it was unloaded..that year it was not! He never lived that one down...

But there is more.... over a decade and a half has passed since his father passed away, and life has many turns and twists and test that we must endure. I acquired this rifle shortly after his passing...my friend walked in with it and said..He would want you to have it!

A few years later I made a horrible mistake during some hard times....I got a pawn loan on the rifle and ended up actually losing it........they had pulled it 2 days before I came to get it ..... But it was on shelf for sale at almost $600....I only had the the $300 for the loan...Told him the background and he said he would take $500 for it $300 down and make payments on it. So I got it back shortly after.

I may have to endure hard times again before I leave this world, but this rifle will be there with me.....what one learns from these moments is, that they are temporary! Unpreparedness on our part is usually what puts us in these situations, and we make irrational decisions to cure temporary problems.

I hope I never experience those problems in my life ever again, divorce, loss of employment, financial etc. But I have a degree of gratitude to my maker to have experienced them. I see friends and others go through it now...and I believe I have the education to give and have given some sound advice to others over the years as to not make some of the same mistakes.

It was a Great Day to reflect! RIP my dear friend......Thanks for the rifle! I will keep it close and safe! And another generation awaits its arrival patiently!

Sorry for the 40 viewers... I forgot the picture.....

And 40 views.... I surely cannot be the only one that has had these experiences in the road we call life..?

Thanks Flopsweat and Sky....Thread is off to a surprisingly slow response.

@ Flopsweat ... Regarding the .30-06 and friends wife.... go to someone who reloads and load up some 125 grain with a light load...can even get recoil under a .30-30 and still achieve what she wants to do.

And yes Sky .... Rain does bring out the best in memories sometimes. Maybe Gods on way to put a hold on our busy life and reflect on where we came from?

+ 10 on picture of the bird dog! An Old friend never forgotten!

That is what I was after when I started this thread.....

That will be a great moment at the Range when she gets to shoot his rifle! Do Share on THR if possible!

He will really be proud that day......

I have three sons and one of them in particular has a soft spot for a firearm with a story behind it....

He already has some of his grandfathers hand made muzzle loaders, and deer rifle...He left to him....( And I was thinking I might end up with his Rem. Mowhawk 600 .308? )

I love that rifle....the Manlicher stock is gorgeous, and it is a shooter to be short! Hunted with it and Him on a few occassions. Dang that thing will kick like a mule tho! ( Should be MAN LICKER stock )

But I am glad my kid got them.....they fished a lot and all. I think he was a favorite grandchild...lol even if he would not have admitted it. His Grandfather got cancer and from then til the end it was my son dragging him and the boat to the lake until he got to where he could not get out real well.

And thanks everyone....biker, flop, sky, M.wieir, allaround and anyone else... I wanted this thread to take off for some reason! Like I said it makes us who we are in a way. And those that leave us are truly never lost as long as someone keeps remembering and honoring them!