My step-brother showed me a well-worn Winchester Model 95 in .405 that he inherited from an old family friend who spent many years in Alaska. I t was made in 1911, and had very fancy wood in the butt, though cracked and tired. The exterior metal is worn to a soft silver finish, but the rifling is crisp. It was a take down model, but at some point the old fur trapper who owned it soldered the take-down seam closed. The elderly gentleman who left it to my step-brother had taped a note on the butt stock, saying "A hermit who lived on Bradfield Canal (south of Wrangell, AK), Ham Island Slim, killed 7 charging grizzles with this rifle." Ham Island is also know as Blake Island; I found it on Google Earth.
Googled the hermit's name and he comes up in a memoir by Will Troyer, a wildlife biologist for 30 years in Alaska, titled "Bear Wrangler." Ordered the book.
Pretty cool to see and handle an old Winchester with authentic Alaska bona fides.
Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
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Re: Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
That's pretty neat, especially finding a note under the buttplate. I must have removed the buttplates of 200 rifles over the years and never did find anything. A buddy of mine found an old $20 bill.
Some takedown rifles won't shoot decent, especially in small calibers in hotshot numbers like the 22 Hi-Power and the cure was to "make it all solid". I've seen a few 99 Savages welded up.----------------------6
Some takedown rifles won't shoot decent, especially in small calibers in hotshot numbers like the 22 Hi-Power and the cure was to "make it all solid". I've seen a few 99 Savages welded up.----------------------6
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Re: Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
Now there's a rifle with CHARACTER!
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is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
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Re: Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
Wow! if only it could talk...
Whatever you do always give 100%........... unless you are donating blood.
Re: Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
actually I think that rifle did speak...i like the story and it's history...that's beyond cool.... :)game keeper wrote:Wow! if only it could talk...
Re: Fondled a historic 95 Winchester today
+1 <{:-)~30wcf wrote:actually I think that rifle did speak...i like the story and it's history...that's beyond cool....game keeper wrote:Wow! if only it could talk...
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
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Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV