Imagine 25 years later.... - The Firearms Forum

pickenup · 08-15-2005, 11:49 PM

I was talking to a very good friend of mine yesterday. He was/is a gunsmith, and had a gun shop. He closed it over 25 years ago.

(He closed it because he invented some of the accessories, had some patents, and was going to make a ton of money when he started Ramline (yes the gun parts) he got screwed out of that business, but that’s another story)

Anyway, a fellow called him up a couple of weeks ago and asked if my friend still had this fellow’s rifle. Now remember, this was over 25 years ago that he had dropped it off at my friends shop.

My friend had made EVERY effort at the time, to contact anybody that had anything in his shop when he closed it. He had not received any reply from this person.

The owner of the rifle said he tracked my friend down through his license. He didn’t say, but I figured it was his FFL license. (Do they give out that info?)

He told this man that his inventory from the shop had gone to a man in Illinois. My friend called the man he sold the inventory to, and amazingly enough, he still had the rifle. That man shipped the rifle to my friend (through an FFL) who turned it over to the owner. (Along with a blank piece of walnut, so the owner could make a new stock for it)

He did not say what brand of rifle it was, but he did say that it was a 355.06 caliber. Kind of a wildcat?

Who would have thunk it?
What are the odds, 25 years later, of recovering a rifle in this manner?

satellite66 · 08-16-2005, 06:25 AM

Great story. I think this says a lot about the character of gun owners. If this was a story about anything other than a rifle the media would make a big deal about it. It would be one of those human interest stories they push all the time.

armedandsafe · 08-16-2005, 03:57 PM

In the very late 40s, Curly Francis built a Mauser/Douglas rifle for Dad. He also mounted the Lyman triple peep sights and fitted a Canjar trigger on my Rock Island 03A3.

Curly died in 54 and we moved in 55. I was back in town for a visit in 71 and Curly's son called the folks I was visiting. He had heard I was back in town and wanted to know if I still wanted the sights and trigger group Curly had taken off the 03A3.

Pops

SouthernMoss · 08-16-2005, 09:22 PM

That's a great story, and it really speaks highly of your friend.

08-15-2005, 11:49 PM	#1
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,838	Imagine 25 years later.... I was talking to a very good friend of mine yesterday. He was/is a gunsmith, and had a gun shop. He closed it over 25 years ago. (He closed it because he invented some of the accessories, had some patents, and was going to make a ton of money when he started Ramline (yes the gun parts) he got screwed out of that business, but that’s another story) Anyway, a fellow called him up a couple of weeks ago and asked if my friend still had this fellow’s rifle. Now remember, this was over 25 years ago that he had dropped it off at my friends shop. My friend had made EVERY effort at the time, to contact anybody that had anything in his shop when he closed it. He had not received any reply from this person. The owner of the rifle said he tracked my friend down through his license. He didn’t say, but I figured it was his FFL license. (Do they give out that info?) He told this man that his inventory from the shop had gone to a man in Illinois. My friend called the man he sold the inventory to, and amazingly enough, he still had the rifle. That man shipped the rifle to my friend (through an FFL) who turned it over to the owner. (Along with a blank piece of walnut, so the owner could make a new stock for it) He did not say what brand of rifle it was, but he did say that it was a 355.06 caliber. Kind of a wildcat? Who would have thunk it? What are the odds, 25 years later, of recovering a rifle in this manner? __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine -->

08-16-2005, 06:25 AM	#2
satellite66 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Central NJ Posts: 2,068	Re: Imagine 25 years later.... Great story. I think this says a lot about the character of gun owners. If this was a story about anything other than a rifle the media would make a big deal about it. It would be one of those human interest stories they push all the time. __________________ “Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not” — Thomas Jefferson. "The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

08-16-2005, 03:57 PM	#3
armedandsafe Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Moses Lake, WA Posts: 10,344	Re: Imagine 25 years later.... In the very late 40s, Curly Francis built a Mauser/Douglas rifle for Dad. He also mounted the Lyman triple peep sights and fitted a Canjar trigger on my Rock Island 03A3. Curly died in 54 and we moved in 55. I was back in town for a visit in 71 and Curly's son called the folks I was visiting. He had heard I was back in town and wanted to know if I still wanted the sights and trigger group Curly had taken off the 03A3. Pops

08-16-2005, 09:22 PM	#4
SouthernMoss Admin Tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: SW MS Contributor Posts: 10,651	Re: Imagine 25 years later.... That's a great story, and it really speaks highly of your friend. __________________ My Second protects your First "I declare to you that woman must not depend upon the protection of man, but must be taught to protect herself, and there I take my stand." - Susan B Anthony