Not my shot, but one I'll never forget.
It was on some kind of holiday when our family and Uncle's were gathered at my grandparent's place for one of Grandma's holiday meals. Probably Thanksgiving, maybe Christmas. No snow on the ground and pretty warm so I tend to think the former. After the meal, Granddad, Dad and Uncle were out by the round grain bins shooting clay pigeons. Uncle was throwing, Granddad and Dad were missing and I was watching, hoping to get a chance to try (but never did).
Uncle said "I'll show you how it is done" and went in the hose to retrieve Granddad's Remington Model 24, a licensed version of J. M. Browning's semi-auto .22 design.. This was back in the late '50's or early '60's. Granddad had purchased the rifle new in the early '30's.for about $20. It only shoots .22 Shorts. (The rifle now sits in my safe and still shoots great.)
Uncle loaded the rifle, chambered a round, engaged the safety and leaned the rifle up against a wire fence. He then threw a pigeon, which Granddad and Dad both missed. As soon as he threw it, Uncle dropped the thrower and grabbed the rifle. He fired as the pigeon passed the third grain bin. Much to everyone's surprise, the pigeon broke up.
Uncle refused to attempt a repeat.
Granddad, Dad and Uncle all passed away in the last decade, but that rifle is the reason my first major purchase after leaving the service in '74 was a Browning SA-22. Didn't think I would ever inherit the Remington. Turns out the Browning was a good purchase - my girls grew up shooting it just a I did the Remington. Granddad passed at 100 in 2011 and I got the Remington after Dad passed about six years ago. I also ended up with Granddad's High Standard Model C, also a .22 Short shooter. Granddad bought it for $22 back in the late '40's. Like the Remington, I would shoot it every chance I got. It still shoots great, too.
