Whatever happened to axe handles in rifle racks?

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pairof44sp

pairof44sp

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When I was growing up, it seemed like everyone had a rifle rack in their pickup with an axe handle in it. Now I never ever see that.

What happened? I know crew cab put a damper on it, but I feel like my culture is disappearing
 
In my case, I have a large flashlight (equivalent to a long C cell Maglite) in the cab, as well as several knives and a machete or two handy. I do have one axe handle, actually a Swiss surplus pick/ mattock, the mattock makes a good adze type weapon. It is in the tool box, I can slide the head off it with a whack on the side of the truck or even with my hand.
 
I have an aluminum T ball bat in my front door pocket; WAY back in the 70s, EVERY truck in TX and CO had a rack and an axe handle, including mine.

I still have a rack for the rear window, except now it sits mounted to the wall in a closet for "certain things"
 
What does one do with an axe handle without an axe head on it. ;) If you're going to go all Pale Rider a pick handle has better weight balance and can be taken on and off the head at short notice. :D

All my axe handles have heads hung on them, but they are frequently in my truck.
 
In 1992 I was working in Arizona. I was in Wickenburg where we had our field house and I went to the post office with my driller. I saw an old pickup truck right outside the post office. Windows open in the July heat, scoped Weatherby rifle in the back window gun rack.

I asked Archie how come he didn't lock his truck because in Canada that rifle would be gone. In an instant.

Archie said "A man with a rifle like that is probably carrying a pistol and if you stick your arm inside his truck he will come out and shoot you dead.".

I said "Fair enough.".
 
mcb said:
What does one do with an axe handle without an axe head on it.
Click to expand...

I have one in the bed of the truck. The head broke off. I use it to push things in the bed so I can reach them. It also does wonders beating on a bag of ice so you don’t have to drop it on the dirty ground. Cant have your beer covered with dirty ice.
 
I had a broken off axehandle in my truck for years. I put down a possum I hit on the road with it once and used it to knock an armadillo out of a flower bed more recently. Used it as a hood prop most often.

Never knew carrying an axehandle was some kind of thing. It just happened to be what I had at the time.

I always keep some kind of blunt instrument close at hand. Never thought to need to use it for what everyone else seems to be implying they would be used for.
 
mcb said:
What does one do with an axe handle without an axe head on it. ;) If you're going to go all Pale Rider a pick handle has better weight balance and can be taken on and off the head at short notice. :D

All my axe handles have heads hung on them, but they are frequently in my truck.
Click to expand...
“A pick handle is just for fighting your way back to the truck to retrieve a tamping iron from the bed.” -Jim Blooper
 
Every now and then a true street story might be appropriate.. This one illustrates the shortcomings of an axe handle or other club in a confrontation…

Late one night in a very bad topless (and tasteless) bar. A young man was slapped around by a grungy biker type - then chased out of the bar. He returned a few minutes later baseball bat in hand (in urban areas many young men might not know an axe handle when they saw one) to take care of business. Without even standing up almost every patron produced a firearm (including the women) and our young fool decided he’d made a mistake and promptly fled the scene… Everyone present went back to enjoying themselves as though nothing had happened… It should be noted that at that time it was very common for biker’s “old ladies” to carry their man’s gun in their purses…

The snitch that related the incident to me a day or two later was very amused at the young man’s mistake…
 
lemaymiami said:
Every now and then a true street story might be appropriate.. This one illustrates the shortcomings of an axe handle or other club in a confrontation…

Late one night in a very bad topless (and tasteless) bar. A young man was slapped around by a grungy biker type - then chased out of the bar. He returned a few minutes later baseball bat in hand (in urban areas many young men might not know an axe handle when they saw one) to take care of business. Without even standing up almost every patron produced a firearm (including the women) and our young fool decided he’d made a mistake and promptly fled the scene… Everyone present went back to enjoying themselves as though nothing had happened… It should be noted that at that time it was very common for biker’s “old ladies” to carry their man’s gun in their purses…

The snitch that related the incident to me a day or two later was very amused at the young man’s mistake…
Click to expand...
He was smart to leave. And lucky.
 
Lo-Profile said:
I have a wooden bat in my truck.

Also have a couple softballs, fielding glove and cleats.
My lawyer will thank me
Click to expand...
I keep two of my bats (a 34" which is way too long for me and a newer 32") my batting helmet and glove in my truck as I still enjoy going to the batting cage (the slow one these days) whenever I'm passing by and have time to spare.
 
lemaymiami said:
Every now and then a true street story might be appropriate.. This one illustrates the shortcomings of an axe handle or other club in a confrontation…

Late one night in a very bad topless (and tasteless) bar. A young man was slapped around by a grungy biker type - then chased out of the bar. He returned a few minutes later baseball bat in hand (in urban areas many young men might not know an axe handle when they saw one) to take care of business. Without even standing up almost every patron produced a firearm (including the women) and our young fool decided he’d made a mistake and promptly fled the scene… Everyone present went back to enjoying themselves as though nothing had happened… It should be noted that at that time it was very common for biker’s “old ladies” to carry their man’s gun in their purses…

The snitch that related the incident to me a day or two later was very amused at the young man’s mistake…
Click to expand...
I never read a 302 or a 6 I didn’t like… good story
 
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