Out With A Bang

The Washington Post ^ | January 20, 2006 | Stephen Hunter

[neverdem]

I normally don't try to bother you for my routine posts for the banglist unless the story has implications for national politics, but Squantos has this extremely informative essay in comment 17, that there's probably more than a few of you that has a Winchester or know someone who would be interested in reading it.

Peggy Noonan: Not a Bad Time to Take Stock

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A Gay Easter? Gay-rights groups make covert plans to crash the annual White House Easter egg roll.

Recipients of the Soulforce email were asked to be "discreet" and not to post the information on websites because the "success of this action depends on keeping it under the radar of the media and the administration!!!"

From time to time, I’ll ping on noteworthy articles about politics, foreign and military affairs. FReepmail me if you want on or off my list.

[Covenantor]

30-30 lever actions actually make a very nice "politically correct assault rifle."

Indeed, the very reason why I have a collection of lever guns.

Mine are blued clones of the Winchester 1892 in .45LC. Light easy handling and fine shooters. Available in .38/.357 mag, .44 mag and .454 Casull at very reasonable prices http://www.legacysports.com/product/index.htm

For a longer reach, a Marlin 1985 Cowboy in the venerable but still effective and versatile .45-70 gov. Sweeeeet!

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/Cowboy/1895Cowboy.aspx

And, of course, the Marlin 336 available in a variey of finish and reasonable prices. Mine is a vintage 1954 with a ladder tang sight in .30-30 just waiting for the new Hornady 'LeveRevolution' polymer tipped rounds for longer flatter trajectory.

Early American Homeland Defense Rifles

[Covenantor]

Tear-jerking ode to Winchester, from WaPo no less!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the Washington Compost. But, the writer is Stephen Hunter, author of the Bob (The Nailer) Lee Swagger books.

[processing please hold]

Very sad. Looks like those who have them will own collectors items in a few years. (including us)

[neverdem]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's the Washington Compost. But, the writer is Stephen Hunter, author of the Bob (The Nailer) Lee Swagger books.

I don't read fiction unless it's MSM. 8^)

[Cacique]

Ping

An old Connecticut institution closing.

[PzLdr]

Don't know if the .22 long model handles .22 short. The .22 mag won't.

[El Gato]

heavily bourgeois gun culture

My Dad was a factory worker. Does that count as bougeois? His main hunting buddy was also a factory worker, although he later became a supervisor. (Big Whoop, I worked there too so I know that's not biggie). Their other buddy was a mechanic for the railroad(although his son is 2 star Army general). They were my introduction to the "gun culture". Were they bougeois? Am I?

[Cicero]

[El Gato]

I believe the "Henry" rifle is still being produced in the U.S., so lever-action "cowboy" rifles aren't extinct.

But, AFAIK, Henry's don't come in thuty-thuty.

My daughter's debate teacher must be spinning in her grave to hear of the demise of Winchester 30-30s. She was infamous for bragging about that rifle, and her dog Wishbone.

I do think there are other manufactures. Browning make pick up the design, if not the Winchester name, which is owned by Olin. The right to use the name expires soon, and that fact is part of what is driving this move by US Repeating Arms. Browning, and US Repeating Arms, maker of the Winchster line, are both owned by Herstal, which also owns FN, whose US branch, FN Manufacturing, makes the M-16, M-240 and M-249 for the US Armed forces. So the 30-30 lever action may not be dead, but it probably won't be called a Winchester. That alone is sorta sad, but not as sad as losing the line entirely.

[Fido969]

When I "got into guns" a couple of years ago, one of the first guns I bought was a pre '64 model 1894. There is just something about that gun that is burned into my brain as a piece of Americana that I always wanted to have.

I took it to the range a couple of weeks ago, and although it was shooting low, I adjusted my sight picture and clang-clang-clang-clang-clang put 5 in a row onto the 5" steel plate at 100 years. Even the oldtimers were smiling at this novice.

The 1894 is a work of art - it is a beautiful tool, and captures so much of the American romance for me.

This is a sad day, indeed.

[El Gato]

Well, I guess the 30-30 lever gun that won the west isn't dead, but it will be made in Portugal and Japan. I hope the city fathers of New Haven and the leaders of Connecticut are proud of themselves. Considering that they are likely a bunch of gun grabbers anyway, secretly they probably are.

[neverdem]

Does that count as bougeois?

If you have a dog as a pet, not a working dog, that's bougeois.

I forgot where I came across it for certain. I think it was a recent show on PBS about dogs. Once folks had an existance that started providing more than the bare necessities, and they could start behaving as consumers.

[neverdem]

Thanks for the pic!

[El Gato]

THE 1887 MODEL AND 1901 MODEL
Another John M. Browning design and one of the most unusual actions ever used by Winchester. It is a rolling block design shotgun chambered in 12 gauge and 10 gauge. A few were made in the .70-150 rifle cartridge and were designed to shoot a .70 caliber bullet of 700-900 grains.

Ouch, that would probably be a destructive device today, and you'd have to pay a tax just to purchase one. I'll bet those old boys wouldn't have paid the tax, but they would have given the gun to the tax collector, bullets first.

[El Gato]

If you have a dog as a pet, not a working dog, that's bougeois.

Well, I haven't had a hunting dog in decades, while my wife and daughters have had "pet" dogs. However I'll note that the Australian Shepard mix was hell on squirrels, and a good burglar alarm, while the Char Pei/Catahoula mix would rip the throat out of anyone who tried to harm my wife or daughter. Does that count as working?

[El Gato]

The only dogs my Dad and his buddies had were working dogs. Hunting dogs. Several German Shorthairs (I had one of those as well), a couple of American Springer Spaniels, and at least one other pointer. The pointer and German Shorthairs were Mike, Pete and (re)Pete. The American Springers were Grand Duke of Terry and Lady. (Lady was the one I knew the best, and she was small but had a great heart. She was known to retrieve pheasants and ducks that neither Dad nor his companions had shot).

[PoorMuttly]

I find it difficult to take this, so I'm not. It will all be O.K. tomorrow. I just won't open my OUCH! eyes until tomorrow...starting now. O.K., now.

OUCH!

This is not easy, but it is worth it.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping. Very informative thread. BTTT!

[Squantos]

Oliver Winchester has finally lost his shirt ! Here's something to get ya by till sunup !