We had a saying, "shoot Garands in the summer and Springfields in the winter." (Heavy clothing to soak up recoil and all that.) Ah for the good old days of $5/100 GI Ball surplus ammo. Never mind the fact I had to work a couple hours to buy those 100 rounds! But, the stuff was everywhere and Springfields abounded for $40 and Garands for $60-80. .303 Enfields for $20 and ammo at $3/100. Life was simpler and no one called the cops when they saw me, a teenage kid, with a milsurp slung over my shoulder heading to the quarry to do some blasting.
Buddy of mine, when he was a kid, used to ride the city bus through town to get to the Police Range to shoot, w/ his rifle slung across his back.
My Dad said he and the other boys used to hunt squirrels and rabbits goin' to and from school. Said there was a rifle rack in the classroom, in the coat cubby.
Like livin' on a different Planet.
GR
