Remington 788 in .308 Winchester. The Old Man bought it for me when I was 14 years old. My first honest to God Deer Rifle. (I’d used borrowed guns before)
I started hand loading for it at that time on my older brother’s press.
Killed my first buck, and quite a few more with that gun and my own handloads.
When I turned 18, I fell in love and got married.
Best place to start a family, was the Army, so there I went.
I was stationed at Ft Lewis WA, so needless to say, I couldn’t go hunting in Pennsylvania. Not that I didn’t think about it.
I called Dad to see how it went.
“Well,” he said, “I killed a nice 8 point on the mountain the first day.”
“Oh yeah, where at?”
“Over in that hollow below The Big Rock.
My favorite spot. I’d killed my first buck there.
“What was you shooting?”
“That .308 of your’s’
Chit, my gun, my spot.
Christ, Dad, that deer had my name all over it!”
“Well, I’ll send you a couple cans of meat.” “By the way, do you wanna sell that gun?”
I said “No.” Who wants to buy it?”
“Bill M saw it when I was shooting it in. He really liked it.”
“Well, tell Bill it ain’t for sale.”
“That’s good” he said, “That means I can use it till you get home.”
When I got out and back home, I bought a 77 Ruger in .30-06. That 788 was The Old Man’s gun the last 25 years of his life. I cried when I brought it home.
I still shoot it, and I take it hunting now and then, just for the memories.
When I die, it’ll go on to the third generation of Oldhams to use it!
Hopefully my grandchild can use it. It’s a shooter!
7mm
