I discussed the sale of those rifles with Bill Askins, the Col's son. I had contacted him concerning Major Charles Askins, Sr. (his grandfather's) personal 1932 Browning Superposed that I lucked into. Bill is mentioned in the Col's autobiography, Unrepentant Sinner. Bill served with the CIA in Nam, ran a Montagnard army until the fall of Saigon. He took his force into Thailand, commandeered a C-130 and flew as many as he could fit on that plane to safety. Others he put on a commandeered ship, but the Commies eventually caught them.
Bill lives in San Antonio, sells real estate and airplanes. Below is the link to the Shotgunworld thread concerning that old gun. I didn't learn about the provenance until I had gotten it thru a trade with Collectors Firearms in Houston. I did let them know...
Collectors had handled some of the Col's guns. After the Major died, his wife, the Col's mother, sold the guns the Col. had given his Dad. In fact the Col. found out his Dad had died from a friend. Charlie described his mother as a "contentious Irish woman". As his Dad, the Major, was just the opposite, makes one wonder if old Charlie inherited his Mom's disposition. Those two didn't get along, Charlie and his Dad were very close. The Major was a Cavalry officer, fought in the Spanish American War. Bill relates the Major showing him how to handle a saber as a youngster.
The rifles sold thru auction were the ones Bill inherited from his Dad. There was a good number of them, all left handed, in various calibers and rounds. Bill is more into fancy horses, not so much into guns and isn't left handed.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=124719DF
