I inherited an Outer’s gun cleaning kit
like that from my father in law 100 years ago before
our families collapsed.
I used up the patches and solvent, and foolishly threw out
the tin and the rod.
My current cleaning rod is a superior one piece carbon fibre wrapped metal
and brass affair. I buy brushes and jags
separately and individually…
but that ol’ tinned kit sure evokes some fond memories.
I, too, inherited a shotgun cleaning rod, along with a bunch of other stuff. This includes a box of 12 gauge shotgun shells that go back to the 1940s, six of which are sitting on a shelf right now. On the side of the box you'll find the load information:
ReplyDelete4 1/4 drams to one ounce of number 6 shot.
The hottest load made today is less than 4 drams. Back then they shot red hot loads.
I think I still have one of those metal boxes purchased by Dad before I was born. Brass swinging lid catch, right ? Contents long gone though. I think the orginal threaded aluminum .22 cal. cleaning rod still there.
ReplyDeleteMine is a J.C.Higgins 12 & 16 ga. kit that was inside a glass doored gun cabinet that a friend gave to me. These kits were sold by Sears and Roebuck back in the old days when pretty much all department stores had guns and sporting goods. My dad bought me my first new shotgun back in 1966 at Montgomery Wards. That 16 ga, Ithaca M37 Featherlight is still my favorite bird gun. Back in those simpler times every little corner store had .22 shells for sale. If I recall correctly, a box was about $.35 and they would sell to kids. My buddies and I would go around collecting returnable soda bottles to get enough change to get some plinking ammo. Then we would head down to the old mines to blast whatever was lying around. Every once in a while my dad would give me permission to take his .22 revolver instead of the single shot bolt gun. That didn't happen very often. He had to be in a really good mood at the time. This also didn't happen very often. Man, I miss those days.....
ReplyDelete