I May Have Created an Enthuaiast!

We have some friends that are about our kids age that live near Chicago. They have three sons, the youngest, Noah, is 14 and will start high school in the fall (if they open schools!). Noah wanted to spend a couple weeks here on the farm with my wife and I. His experience with firearms is near 0.

So yesterday we spent the day at my 100 yd. range here. We spent the morning with him shooting some of my collection of Mossberg .22 auto-loaders. I decided that when the school wanted to study WW!!, I wanted Noah to be probably the only one that had ever handled a WWII combat rifle, let alone fired one (including, no doubt, the teacher). So, after lunch, my 1944 Winchester came out. I didn't trick him; made sure he knew that there was going to be recoil, set him up with glasses, ear muffs, shoulder pad, etc. I had him watch me fire the first 5 rounds and then turned the rifle over to him. He did well; about as well (or maybe better) as I did. 14 vs. 82 year old eyes make a difference. He had fun---so did I. When I told him that the rifle was made in Feb., 1944 as the war was getting hotter for the US, I don't think it registered. But when I had him read the barrel date of SA 11-43, then he was impressed.

Maybe I made a dent in his generation. One old man and one old Winchester tried, anyway.

Well done!
Since I started bringing my son to the range, all his cousins and a few friends started fretting about coming with me.
As soon as things will be normal again, I’ll have work to do.
And the kids are so disciplined! A real joy to tech them.

Since I received my 1956 SA from CMP, it has had the pleasure and honor to "ping" more than 20 new shooters who have never experienced the genius of John Garand. There is something special in watching their faces light up when you explain what that rifle did and who used it. A special rifle and a special generation.

Yes. That “enlightment” is worth more than I could ever imagine.

Kudos! Some of his teachers may have done that, like me, who wish we could include that as well as teach gun safety and responsibility but are prohibited from it. But every new collector who knows to respect the history and capability of weapons is welcome!

Its good to hear that a young one has had the experience of handling a great grand rifle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ArtPahl

Maybe I made a dent in his generation. One old man and one old Winchester tried, anyway.

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May God bless you. He already blessed the kid. Young folks who know their history and in this instance handle it will not be the ones out tearing down statues.