Good "Depression" guns?

[Eightball]

All this hooey about "the economy" got me to thinking about the role of guns in the depression--both the one in the 1930s, and now. Sorta a two-pronged approach, but, I've got some thoughts/questions for THR:

1. What role did firearms play in the Great Depression? What calibers, types, ammunition used? What were they used for, primarily (hunting, home defense, personal defense, fun)? How did folks of the day view their firearms (tools, prized posessions, inheritance items, "nothings", "somethings")? What was more valued--reliability, robustness, accuracy, capacity, mechanism, features?

2. What would be good modern firearms for a similar scenario? Not the ever-popular SHTF/TEOTWAWKI/apocalypse scenarios, but a relative economic burst/slump/depression, but with a still somewhat-functioning society? What would you think the firearms would be used for in a modern-day scenario? How do you think folks would view them? What would be the "best" firearm option?

 

[6-gunfun]

my gramma grew up on a farm in the deppresion and she said that all they had was an old winchester single shot 12ga for every one of the things u listed above

 

[Erik M]

My grandfater was just a child in the depression years. I know that he had a single shot break action 12ga and a bolt action 12ga. that were used mainly for hunting.

 

[ants]

Perhaps some folk are too young, or enough time has elapsed that we have forgotten. The Recession of the 1980's was equally bad as this one. And it really didn't change gun ownership.

In fact, it seems rather clear that plain ol' politics changes the scene on attitudes toward gun ownership far more than economics. And that works both ways, depending upon the prevailing wind in the political scene.

 

[ccsniper]

my granpa grew up during the depression. they had a single shot "white wonder". it was a tool, the most important tool in the house as it was a primary source of food... but only a tool. it was a 12 gauge. funny story, my granpa's dad gave him 5 shells and told him that for every shell fired he better have something to eat or he would get a beating (a literal beating he was a very abusive man). Well my granpa missed a rabbit, so he figured he could hit it on the head with the butt of the gun. killed the rabbit broke the gun. butt came clean off. He was lucky enough for his dad (my great granpa) to be asleep and he fixed it with a 2x4 in the barn. never got in trouble for it.

 

[Prophet]

ccsniper, awesome story! My grandpa still has his daddy's/granddaddy's 12ga single-action shotgun in his cabinet. Looks like she's been well-loved.

 

[Grizfire]

For my relatives in the great depression, it was rifles for hunting, and there were a few six shooters involved based on some old pictures I've seen.

 

[General Geoff]

I would indeed imagine that hunting arms were the most relevant firearms back during the Great Depression, since putting food on the plate was (and still is) a necessity, and is very much cheaper than buying meat from the supermarket, if you do all the stripping, cleaning, and cutting yourself.

 

[ThrottleJockey72]

My grandmothers family had a Krag that came over from "the old country" with them. It was used to provide food. My dads cousin has it today, and still hunts with it. It is in the same condition today as it was then. Very beautiful rifle. Funny story my grandma told about the depression, she claims they were so poor that they didn't wear clothes around the house (didn't want to wear them out) so they kept a stocking cap near the door. That way if someone knocked, they could put it on before looking out the window and the caller would not know they weren't wearing clothes. I'm not sure if it is true or just meant to be funny, but it is VERY possible knowing them the way I do.

Oh, and about today, the guns and supply of ammo I have would provide well for my family for quite some time. They will be used for all of your mentioned scenarios, as well as possible bartering/trading material when needs come up that they can't otherwise fill.

 

[Oro]

The Recession of the 1980's was equally bad as this one. And it really didn't change gun ownership.

Good point. And the recession then was actually much worse than this one.

1. What role did firearms play in the Great Depression?

Same as it did the 40 years before and the 40 years after - just not a big factor. Now if you want to see some really cool Depression period gun-work, go see Public Enemies.

 

[cyclopsshooter]

shotgun, 22s, 30-30

 

[NorCalRifleman]

I've got a 16ga single shot my grandpa owned and used during the great depression. He lost the forearm while finishing off a skunk (by beating it to death), but I'm hoping to find or fabricate one someday. It's a neat little gun, though hard to feed. It put food on the table though. The other gun they used was a 25/20 (it was a rolling block, but I don't know who made it) that he and his family took many deer with. That gun is still in the family as well.

 

[MovedWest]

I live in earthquake country and a "Katrina-like" scenario here is possible. In the event of that happening I plan to evacuate by walking out with at least my primary ruger super blackhawk on my hip and a gun belt full of 300gr rounds. If I have the fortune to bring more weapons, fine. But in my personal scenario I need portability, accessibility, and the ability to pack a lot of ammo in a small space.

My 44 magnum will be my primary self defense and also primary hunting weapon in the event I need to live off the land for a while.

Don't get me wrong. My 12ga is my second pick. And in a SHTF scenario I plan to be like Mel Gibson surrendering his weapons in "Mad Max Thunderdome", but my first pick is the gun I'm good with and portable. That's my SBH.

-MW

 

[DRYHUMOR]

My grandpa had a dbl bbl 12 ga. I still remember his shell drawer, everything from 9 shot to buckshot.

 

[scottaschultz]

A little off topic, but...

My late father-in-law bought a Savage 99K 30-30 from a hardware store in St. Louis in 1929. It was The Great Depression and he didn't have a lot of money and I am not sure what it cost brand new. He used it, a lot! I didn't have anything to do with the economic situation, but he just enjoyed hunting.

I sold the rifle earlier this year (with my wife's blessing of course!) for $2500.

Scott

 

[doc2rn]

Grandpa had a single shot 10g and a Sears .22 lr bolt action.

 

[Geneseo1911]

I have the Remington Rolling Block .22 that my great aunt & uncle had during that period. From the stories I hear it fired a lot of shotshells at feral cats & rabbits. The barrel has been replaced at least once.

A friend of mine recently showed me the H&R .32 topbreak revolver his grandmother carried in her apron pocket while her husband was out in the fields. It was pretty rough; definitely though of as a tool & nothing more.

 

[KenWP]

My grandfather was a poacher in the depression and all they ever ate was deer meat. He used a lot of different guns over the years as he wore them out with his weird cleaning practices my dad told me. Dad talked about shooting grouse with 22 shorts and CB caps and shooting fish in the spring. Grandpa had anything from 44-40 Winchesters to Savage 99's in 22 Savage which they shot many deer with but they always talked about hitting a deer on the shoulder with it and it blowing up on them also.
They had weird ways of shooting things also. Like useing a low powered gun and shooting a moose in the kidney area instead because a shoulder shot wouldn't work. Or useing a 22LR and aiming right behind the front leg knee to get a heart shot. I heard a million stores for over 50 years of all these expereinces.
With a lever action Grandpa was deadly on a deer herd as he was knowen to get 3 or 4 before they scattered. These were mule deer in the early 30s as white tail never moved into the area untill they shot out the mulies. They never had a Mule season again in that area until the 2000's due to poaching.

 

[Roadkill]

I have two guns owned by uncles and used in the late 20s and 30s. Both are Winchesters, one a Model 12, the other a Model 97. Both are fully functional.

 

[bryskee]

Poachers suck.

 

[smallbore]

Only depression era family members who had guns were my godparents. They had a small working farm and grew most of their meat source/all their veggies. I remember an old single shot 12 ga, a bolt .22 & the 'house gun' (Colt in .32) that my godmother was reported to have kept 'handy'. The shotgun & rifle were given to their son. The Colt was sold with the proceeds used to buy whatever neccessary item needed at the time. Seems that back then the gun was a tool 'plain & simple' & 'handing down' was the norm.

 

[content]

Depression era gun then and now.

Hello friends and neighbors// Grandfather, 12ga. single shot/ 22. bolt action rat gun single shot ( like you used to get for $.35 cents and a cereal box top or some amazingly low cost, I'm fuzzy) / H&R 22. 9shot, I think model 900( my uncle cousin have them) My mom should have been a boy or a better shot. Instead of a nurse. ;- )
Now: If only one weapon overunder 12ga., 22.lr (or other cal.rifle) If multi same with as much capacity as possible. Meat on table and SD... content

 

[fireman 9731]

My great grandfather traded a horse saddle for a Winchester 1873 chambered in 32WCF. From what I have heard it harvested quite a bit of small game to feed my family through the depression. The last shot it fired was into the floodwaters of the great '37 flood at night to see how high the water had risen. Since then it has been restored by my grandfather to its beautiful original form. Now it hangs on the wall, waiting to get passed along to me

 

[Elbert P . Suggins]

My family homesteaded out in Idaho from Missouri. They brought with them the Winchester 94 in 30-30 and a Model 97 external hammer 12 guage Winchester. I believe also Grandad had a Colt 45 but traded it soon after for a Savage 22 cal. The only other gun they bought over the years was a Newton 256 made in 1914 for a longer shooting dear rifle. These were what they had thru the depression and it was all they needed. And I still have all of these except the Newton which Grandma give to a neigbor because her oldest son which was my uncle fell off of a cliff and was killed in the winter hunting coyotes and she didn't want it around to remind her. It later burned up in a house fire. I found one 7 years ago at the gun show in Spokane just like it and brought it home. I found dies for it and it is quite an investment because they didn't make many. Sorry for rambling!

 

[scotthsi]

Probably most firearms were, by and large, used for food gathering in the 1930 era depression. If SHTF really happens and things get as bad or worse? There WILL be MUCH more defensive use of firearms and when this same question is asked decades down the road...the answer will be much different. People are just damned rude, crazy and "gimme gimme" these days. That was not nearly as much of a problem in the "old" recession/depression.