Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
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- KirkD
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Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
This past weekend I came across a bunch of old family photos. Two of them were of Grandma and her bear, taken in the early 1950's. Below are the two photos and the story of how she bagged her one and only Black Bear.
My grandparents on my mother's side lived on a farm bordering the North side of Riding Mountain National Park south of Dauphin, Manitoba. I have many good memories of that farm. Black Bears were common and from my earliest childhood, I remember my grandma's instructions that if I ran into a bear, never run from it. Just stay calm and walk back to the house. Grandma shot her bear before I was born, so my mother provided me with the story behind the event.
One afternoon, my grandmother was working in the kitchen, when she heard some noises coming out of the back porch adjoining the kitchen. She took a look and found herself pretty much face to face with a Black Bear rummaging around inside the back porch. Grandpa's rifle, an old 303 Lee-something or another (not an Enfield) made in 1901 was, unfortunately, in the back porch with the bear. Grandma closed the door between the kitchen and the back porch and waited for the bear to walk back out the door. As soon as it did, Grandma slipped quickly into the back porch and grabbed the rifle. I was always told it was loaded when I was a little kid, so I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Whether it actually was or not, I do not know, but it sat in the back porch next to a 5 gallon pail that had a toilet seat on it. The women and children could use that instead of walking outside to the outdoor biffy at the edge of the bush. I recall as a pre-schooler that I would always try to get my business on that 5 gallon pail done as soon as possible in case the old rifle leaning on the wall right beside me, went off while I was sitting on the can. Anyway, Grandma grabbed the rifle and was so nervous she shot right through the screened window in the porch rather than step a few feet sideways to the door. The bear ran a few yards into the bush and expired. Grandma stayed in the house the rest of the afternoon in case the bear was only wounded, but when grandpa came home at the end of the day, the bear was clearly departed for the great honey repository in the sky. My mother tells me that Grandpa was not happy with Grandma for blasting a hole through the screen.
Many years later, after my grandparents had sold the farm and moved into town, my grandpa gave me that rifle when I was 15 years old. I have since passed it on to one of my sons.
My grandparents on my mother's side lived on a farm bordering the North side of Riding Mountain National Park south of Dauphin, Manitoba. I have many good memories of that farm. Black Bears were common and from my earliest childhood, I remember my grandma's instructions that if I ran into a bear, never run from it. Just stay calm and walk back to the house. Grandma shot her bear before I was born, so my mother provided me with the story behind the event.
One afternoon, my grandmother was working in the kitchen, when she heard some noises coming out of the back porch adjoining the kitchen. She took a look and found herself pretty much face to face with a Black Bear rummaging around inside the back porch. Grandpa's rifle, an old 303 Lee-something or another (not an Enfield) made in 1901 was, unfortunately, in the back porch with the bear. Grandma closed the door between the kitchen and the back porch and waited for the bear to walk back out the door. As soon as it did, Grandma slipped quickly into the back porch and grabbed the rifle. I was always told it was loaded when I was a little kid, so I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Whether it actually was or not, I do not know, but it sat in the back porch next to a 5 gallon pail that had a toilet seat on it. The women and children could use that instead of walking outside to the outdoor biffy at the edge of the bush. I recall as a pre-schooler that I would always try to get my business on that 5 gallon pail done as soon as possible in case the old rifle leaning on the wall right beside me, went off while I was sitting on the can. Anyway, Grandma grabbed the rifle and was so nervous she shot right through the screened window in the porch rather than step a few feet sideways to the door. The bear ran a few yards into the bush and expired. Grandma stayed in the house the rest of the afternoon in case the bear was only wounded, but when grandpa came home at the end of the day, the bear was clearly departed for the great honey repository in the sky. My mother tells me that Grandpa was not happy with Grandma for blasting a hole through the screen.
Many years later, after my grandparents had sold the farm and moved into town, my grandpa gave me that rifle when I was 15 years old. I have since passed it on to one of my sons.
Last edited by KirkD on Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
A great Thanksgiving story....thanks.
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
+1BlaineG wrote:A great Thanksgiving story....thanks.
Griff,
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Too many women these days would faint at the thought of even touching a g-g-g-gun, much less shooting one...
Thankfully, there are still some real women around.
Thankfully, there are still some real women around.
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Kirk, thanks for the great story and pictures. We have black bear here in our county but not right around me, to populated. Up on the mountain in Stone county by our church they are like coons around the garbage cans.
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Great story and photos....
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Interesting story and pictures, thanks for posting
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Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
women...rifles...dead bear...seems about right...not sure I would ever complain about a hole in the screen door, especially to a lady that just dispatched a bear...just saying... :)
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
She was one of the Pioneer Spirit type of women, or at least it sounds as if she was. My Grandmother was of that type.
D. Brian Casady
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Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
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Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
- KirkD
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
She most definitely was a hard working farm lady who grew and canned their own food and made much of their own clothing.piller wrote:She was one of the Pioneer Spirit type of women, or at least it sounds as if she was. My Grandmother was of that type.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Neat pics and story Kirk. ----6
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
That's either a Lee-Speed sporter conversion or a Lee-Metford going by the bolt.
Doesn't look right for a Remington-Lee.
Doesn't look right for a Remington-Lee.
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Great Story.
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
That sure looks like a sporterized Lee-Enfield to me. A 1901 dated rifle would be too late for a Lee-Medford.KirkD wrote:Grandpa's rifle, an old 303 Lee-something or another (not an Enfield) made in 1901 was, unfortunately, in the back porch with the bear.
- vancelw
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Thanks for posting those pics and the story.
My sister has lived on a MT ranch since she got married at 18. She turned 60 this year. Last year she shot 14 coyotes out of her bedroom window with her .243AJMD429 wrote:Too many women these days would faint at the thought of even touching a g-g-g-gun, much less shooting one...
Thankfully, there are still some real women around.
"Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world." - Thomas Carlyle
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
JB wrote:That sure looks like a sporterized Lee-Enfield to me. A 1901 dated rifle would be too late for a Lee-Medford.KirkD wrote:Grandpa's rifle, an old 303 Lee-something or another (not an Enfield) made in 1901 was, unfortunately, in the back porch with the bear.
Rifles got rebuilt, remarked, and kept in service long after people think. Long Lee-Enfields got trimmed down and turned into SMLEs, L-M's got rebarreled into L-Es....all kinds of weird stuff happens, especially with the Brits. I wouldn't put it past it being a Metford, but it's more likely to be an Enfield. Nobody said the rifle was new either.
- KirkD
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
The rifle has a cover over the bolt that can be snapped on or off. There are also a lot of stampings around the back of the receiver. The barrel was really long, at least 30 inches. I had about 12 " removed to make it into a 22 or 24" barrel. I still have the rifle, but it has been redone (shorter barrel, new iron sights, nylon stock)
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Fine story Kirk....I can see the family resemblance too.
Thanks for sharing sir
N.
Thanks for sharing sir
N.
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
The Medford and early MLE Enfields both had bolt covers. If 1901 was the original date on the receiver it would be an Enfield, but closer photos would show for sure. Neat photo and story though!KirkD wrote:The rifle has a cover over the bolt that can be snapped on or off. There are also a lot of stampings around the back of the receiver. The barrel was really long, at least 30 inches. I had about 12 " removed to make it into a 22 or 24" barrel. I still have the rifle, but it has been redone (shorter barrel, new iron sights, nylon stock)
Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Great story Kirk and the photos are a plus. Any way that you could post any photos of the rifle in its current state?
RustyJr
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
I'll see if I can do that today or tomorrow, Rusty. Check this thread.RustyJr wrote:Great story Kirk and the photos are a plus. Any way that you could post any photos of the rifle in its current state?
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- KirkD
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Re: Grandma's Bear (photos)
Here are a couple photos of the 303 British that my grandmother used to shoot the Black Bear. It is the same rifle as in the photo, except that about 20 years ago, I decided to shorten the barrel to 22", have the metal re-blued, have modern open sights installed, and have it bedded in a modern stock. The original barrel was roughly 32" long. I still have the 10" piece laying around somewhere. I don't know what kind of rifle it is. There are quite a few stampings on the iron, including (all on the right side of the band that separates the two stock pieces the following stamps arranged vertically as follows:
a crown
E.R.
L.S.A. Co. 14
1901
L.E.
I.*
N
There are also several proof stamps as well as '21' and a couple of '4886' and a couple of 'G'
a crown
E.R.
L.S.A. Co. 14
1901
L.E.
I.*
N
There are also several proof stamps as well as '21' and a couple of '4886' and a couple of 'G'
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
Thanks Kirk, that sure made a fine looking hunting rifle.
JerryB II Corinthians 3:17, Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
JOSHUA 24:15
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
That's a Lee Enfield for sure.
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
Outstanding post. Thanks Kirk.
Don
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
E.R. EDWARDIUS REX (King Edward VII)
L.S.A. Co. 14 London Small Arms Co. Ld. (Ld often looks like "14" after a hundred years of wear)
1901 Year of manufacture
L.E. Lee Enfield
I.* Mark 1 star, the updated model with no clearing rod
N Naval service
I see by the pics, it has a later style cocking piece. The original one had a safety on it. The "ER" has me confused, as Queen Victoria was still around in 1901. ????
L.S.A. Co. 14 London Small Arms Co. Ld. (Ld often looks like "14" after a hundred years of wear)
1901 Year of manufacture
L.E. Lee Enfield
I.* Mark 1 star, the updated model with no clearing rod
N Naval service
I see by the pics, it has a later style cocking piece. The original one had a safety on it. The "ER" has me confused, as Queen Victoria was still around in 1901. ????
When you have to shoot, shoot! Don't talk!
Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
That's definitely an old L-E.....the pre-SMLE models are fairly uncommon these days, there is no receiver bridge for stripper clips on the early guns, they had to be loaded one at a time, as they found out against Mauser-armed Boers, this was not optimal (same thing we found out in 1898).
Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
Victoria died in January of 1901. Despite what you'll read on Wikipedia and other online sources, about rifles "after 1901" being marked "E.R.", 1901 dated rifles are normally marked "E.R."QCI Winchesters wrote: The original one had a safety on it. The "ER" has me confused, as Queen Victoria was still around in 1901. ????
- KirkD
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
Well that is helpful info, fellows. Now I know I have a Lee Enfield. My grandpa gave it to me when I was around 15 and it was my one and only 'high powered' rifle for about 20 years. Now it is one of my son's.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- QCI Winchesters
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
I had an old BSA Lee Enfield from 1901, and it still had the "V.R." stamp. I guess that is why I had it in my head that she died in 1902.JB wrote:Victoria died in January of 1901. Despite what you'll read on Wikipedia and other online sources, about rifles "after 1901" being marked "E.R.", 1901 dated rifles are normally marked "E.R."QCI Winchesters wrote: The original one had a safety on it. The "ER" has me confused, as Queen Victoria was still around in 1901. ????
When you have to shoot, shoot! Don't talk!
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Re: Grandma's Bear (Updated Gun Photos and Info)
NICE!.....
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.