WB
When I was 14 yrs. old that was my Christmas present
Wednesday, August 04, 2021, 08:55

that year. An Italian 1858 Remington copy .44 that Val Forgett imported at Navy Arms. I was proud as punch and had a drop leg western holster to boot. My friends and I used to ride horses all over and it felt really good to have a "real" sixgun. Prior to that they allowed us to carry .22 revolvers with "rat shot", you can guess how that went. But now we were really duded up. We rode motorcycles too, with western style rigs flopping, we didn't care.

Honestly we only killed frogs and turtles, maybe a snake or three, down at the creek and ponds, and an unlucky rabbit and one squirrel. But it made some lifelong memories and taught us to maintain our guns and how to shoot. Mine hit a foot high and 6" to the left. I knew it and compensated with a degree of success. I think the guns were around $100 or so retail. Of course you needed $25 to buy all the crap you needed to shoot it. Flask, balls, lube, caps etc. The gun dealers made out great on us. I also had a old school gunsmith customize mine, my first custom. He cut down a Browning levergun rear sight, the kind you unscrew one side and tighten the other to move the picture. It had one elevator screw with no indices. He soldered on a ramp front to the 8" octagon barrel and brazed some brass to shape into a bead, which he skillfully did. I think it cost me $32.50, a considerable some in the late 1970's. I was able to get the sights and balls to finally align. Like Jim I got a ball or two stuck, optimistically cramming in too much powder then the ball won't go all the way in. Crap, you are stuck. Pocket knife time. I also doubled it ONCE and learned why you put lube atop the balls. No wads back then (at least no that were commonly promoted, store bought). I also shot myself rebounding a 138 gr. .451 ball off the fork of a Black Jack Oak. I learned something there too. Lots of wild and adventurous memories, I love them all.