Thursday, August 02, 2007

Dad's Seven

This is my Dad's formidable old rifle. It is an Obendorf Mauser, serial number 6643, and started out as an infantryman's rifle for World War One. It was originally in 7 millimeter, and Pop, like so many returning GI's of WWII, picked it up from some other Veteran who had liberated it from the Kaiser. Dad succumbed to the fever of the 1940's, which was to customize a fine-shooting German rifle into something that suited...him. Not anyone else, necessarily... just, him. He stocked it in a Bishop's plain walnut stock, complete with cheekpiece for a simple scope, and in the classic Griffin and Howe style. He put a simple Weaver scope on, first in 4X, then a 'big' one...the Weaver V5. Pop was a deadly shot with it, and would help out the other guys when they were about to end their season without filling their tags.

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Here is Dad when hunting with his buddy, Mack Stirman, in Colorado.








Mom thought it would be a fun thing, to take Dad's picture while he was washing his tired feet.

He was very amused.








Here is the only shot we have of the two old Mausers back in the 1952 era of Colorado hunting....









This is Mack Stirman, Dad's very favorite hunting buddy. Also, his minister. Here Mack is packing in a little skipper deer that he killed. The deer is not amused, but was tasty.



Dad had made this rifle into the very first 7 millimeter magnum that we had ever heard of, by sending the barreled action to P.O. Ackley, with instructions to craft new dies and chamber for a cartridge based on the old Holland and Holland belted case. This way, Pop could get a good deal more power out of the rifle, for shooting at the Colorado distances. In 1962, Remington Arms came out with the hot idea of a commercial 7mmMagnum, and Dad simply rebarrelled his 'Wildcat', as they called his brainstorms. I had the work done for him, and had it reblued as well. Pop was not happy, though, because the gunsmith's had put in a replacement trigger that was not near as good, thinking that the old man would never notice the difference. The old man did, and I bought him a Dayton-Traister target trigger, plus a wide shoe...nothing worked. Dad seemed to just give up on his old favorite rifle, and handed it to me to shoot in some matches conducted by the Franklin Targeteers, in Franklin, New Hampshire. That was when I fell in love with 'the old girl'. I handloaded for her, and found that she would win me matches if I shot only at the head on the standard deer targets...and that was what the best competition was doing, anyway, as the head counted for 5 points. 3 shots....15 points. Miss just a little, offhand at 100 yards, and goodbye, baby. Thanks for coming by.

THE ELK HUNT

What kicks off this story, I suppose, is today's re-investment of thought and energy into the venerable old Mauser, because I decided to go on an Elk Hunt. Notice that this is captitlized... because I have only ever dreamed of going on such a venture... and, what rifle do you take to Colorado? No .243 Winchester, or even the cute little 6.5 mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer. I have to take something that will shoot flat and hard, for a long distance. Elk are tall, heavy deer, much larger than Whitetail deer. So---I picked up Dad's rifle and noticed that time had not dealt well with it. The recoil pad had sagged completely out of shape..the old Weaver scope had clouded up,and the whole package needed a tune up.
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Here is what I did: a new Pachmyer recoil pad...a glass-bedding job, a new scope, AND---boys and girls, I found a set of double-set triggers, such as was used on fancy German hunting and sniper rifles, and had them installed by a local young gunsmith, Mike Falvella. The stock is still plain, but the whole thing has completely changed character....in a good way. Here are some pics:





Here is the new Pachmyer recoil pad...and yes, it HELPS, with the heavier bullets and calibers.



You might take note of the scope...a Burris 3X9 Fullfield...still not a Cadillac among scopes, except in its brightness...
Notice the 'Classic' lines of the stock...Pop had good taste, and the rifle still feels 'right'. The white spacers are passe, but authentic 1940's and '50's.






The piece de resistance is the go button on any rifle. Unless, of course, you are a gorilla, like my son, Russell, who likes 15 lb. triggers. Those give me hernias...but the set trigger is the sniper's edge, and I understand that today's Austrian Mannlicher sniper models still offer them. They were first on the Crossbow...and now, a nice set is installed on Dad's Seven.
Just thought you would like to know all this, or you likely wouldn't have gotten this far...and there is the fact that I needed to pass on some family history to my kids and Grandkids. Thanks for listening...and wish me luck with Pop's old rifle, please.





Thanks, Pop. I love you. Hope you like the additions.







Peace




















































































































































































Crash goes the Weasel










This was my new van, a couple of years back. [on right]A Plymouth Voyager, or 'Veger', if you are a Trekkie. I'm not, personally, but some of my best friends...well, you know.








May 17th, a blonde-haired lady tried to beat traffic and came flying down Ivy Road only to smack into my little Burgundy van, and trap me inside for the better part of an hour. Up on its side, and requiring opening like it was a sardine can by the firemen. I was banged up pretty severely, and still hurt from the impact---this early August. Let me show you the van as I last saw it.







Hmmm...not a pretty sight. What you do not see is that the inside of the van is plastered with a whole gallon of barbeque sauce from Sam's...the rescue people thought it was blood, and did all they could to get me out alive. Thank God I was spared to drive another day...I haven't been blogging much, obviously, but this was a real set back.






The new van[s] look like this:

a Grand Caravan...




And, this....
A Pontiac Montana








Now, please Lord...continue to put angels on my shoulder, and protect me from fast Blondes.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Men's Retreat










MEN'S RETREAT, MARCH 2007



Well....it happens every year, lately. The men of the Schuyler church plan and execute a Friday night/Saturday morning series of 3 talks, 3 grand meals, and recreation. They try to be spiritual about it all, believing it to be 'good for them'...but it is a good time, pure and simple.



This year had a new wrinkle...the Hispanic Ministry of the Piedmont Association brought in about five Mexican men and boys, along with its translator, Evan Johnson.


Our speaker was Dewayne Martin, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Amherst County, Virginia. Dewayne is shown here telling about the 3 Things Every Man should Know.


The menu, you ask? Prime rib on Friday night...killer breakfast on Saturday morning, including bacon, sausage, eggs, hash browns, and for the intrepid---baked fish [well...one has to provide for Lent, you know].



The Recreation Phase...began with horseshoes, accerlating into archery, .22 rifle shooting, and high power rifle target shooting. Prizes were awarded the best team, and the top three aggregate shooters.



We are indebted to Ronnie and Florence Dorrier, who opened their hearts and their farm to the annual invasion, in the name of God.





This shows Mario pitching with some Vaquero style, and Jose lining up the horseshoe stake.....

Friday, January 05, 2007

Big Doin's in North Carolina on New Year's Eve
















Hey everyone....the big news was not Christmas, but Russell and Amanda Faye's wedding! The family, all but Karen and her tribe, were able to gather in Charlotte and take part in a lovely wedding adventure, and a delicious after-nuptials dinner with Frank Sinatra. Well....at an Italian place that was named after Frank S, from Hoboken. In the men's room was a picture of young Frank from a police lineup, complete with numbers across his chest.








Pedicures....Mom and Daughter...Dottie and Amanda Faye


The girls in the wedding party got hairdo's, manicures or pedicures, and the guys went out for nine holes of golf. Coif dolls and golf balls....have to think about that. Amanda's parents were great folks, and we all feel like our respective families just got bigger and better.














Enjoy the pictures!



Love is wonderful!














Monday, December 25, 2006

A Hubbard Christmas






This piece goes back to a visit our family made one Christmas when I was nine years old, in Andrews, Texas. We visited a farm family, and the lady of the house brought out some pumpkin pie. It was absolutely the best of any pumpkin pie that I had ever tasted! The lady took me aside and explained that it was indeed the best of 'pumpkin pies'....but it was a Hubbard Squash...not a pumpkin. Even nine year olds can retain certain things, and this old gentleman bought his first Hubbard Squash this Fall...put it on the porch for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and just before Christmas, cut it up and put it in a huge pot to cook. The recipes and pictures are a simple result....and yes....it must be experienced to be believed. The sticky sweet pumpkin pies that are commercial efforts are not even close to the homemade Hubbard pie. Don't trust me on this...don't even believe me. Just try it, and let me know what YOU think....


Tom

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Updating blog, December 13, 2006

Hello...

Back to blogging, today. Harvested a deer off the farm on Opening Day...going to the podiatrist today. His name is Mengele...speaks with a foreign accent. Has the deftness of a lumberjack.

Tom

Saturday, December 17, 2005

Tell me something you are Passionate about!





This world is full of followers...it is refreshing to find a real leader, once in a while.

Anyone seen one, lately?

Tom