The joy of Dad’s old $25 .22 rifle….

[Ric-san]

I’m a kid of the 1970’s…life was much simpler then as a kid. My Dad was a guy who left Mexico as a teenager in the 50’s to strike it out for the American Dream. He had basically a grammar school education but came here to the U.S., learned the language and learned some skills along the way. I’m guessing back then he heard there were good jobs in Chicago and he worked his way up from Texas. He got a factory job which he held for over 40 yrs. He raised a family and enjoyed the simple life. He passed away in 2021 from complications from a stroke post Covid shot while in his 90’s. My older sister and I both took personal time off of work to care for him under the FMLA law/rules. It was a bittersweet time to spend the last three months of his life with him. We talked about so much stuff…we laughed, cried and reminisced about everything. For the last few years prior to his death I was slowly taking up his rifle/shotgun collection. I was going through some stuff yesterday and came upon some receipts for some rifles he bought in the 1960’s/70’s. Most are gone; he sold them or took them to Mexico to his brothers/cousins. I have several BUT only was able to match up one receipt to one rifle. A simple single shot Stevens .22 bolt action. He bought it at out local Sears store on Nov 10, 1978. (The irony that I joined the Marines and did 20 yrs). Hard to believe rifles were that cheap back then but angin it was a different time. I went to my safe and dusted it off and held it lovingly at midnight last night after I came across the recept. I managed to head over to Jerome‘s house before the Super Bowl today….We talked about a lot of stuff and then JJ looked over the rifle and mentioned what good shape it was in for a 45 yr old rifle. I remember shooting it when my Dad took us fishing outside the city. We loved going as kids because we got to eat chips and soda, food not in our house in those days….and grill out hot dogs over a camp fire. I’m glad I have that rifle. I’m looking forward to having my grandkids take their first shots with it. It was a blast to shoot it again today, even though the machining of the action leaves a lot to be desired…but for $24.99 at Sears & Robuck, we’ll I’d buy it again any day do the week for that price…That simple rifle brought a smile to my Dads face when he told me to take it for my son, years ago; but now it’s for his great-grandkids.

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[J pace]

I liked your post for so many different reasons, But keep in mind $25 in 1978 After Adjusting for inflation Would be about a $120 in today's money.

 

[woodsy85]

Great post, thanks for sharing.


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[Plinker]

Thank you for that excellent post Ric!

Brings back memories of the .22 my Dad bought in the middle 60’s at our Sears in downtown Pensacola for $17.00

I’ve shot pickup truck loads of .22’s out of it and found parts from Brownells to repair the bolt when it started giving light strikes.

Cleaned the bore improperly so many times as a kid that I wore out the muzzle with the cleaning rod.
Still shoots good in spit of that and its taught many friends, relatives, wife and kids how to shoot and experience the joy of firearms.

 

[War-Buff]

Great story, thanks for posting. I still have the Remington Nylon 66 I received as a birthday gift in 1960.

 

[DixieReb]

Great story , that 22 rifle will hold up for several more generations to enjoy !

 

[BluesBrother]

Great story. Not the complications part of course. Thanks for sharing.

 

[oneshot]

Ric you forgot the range fee. And evaluation fee nice little 22

 

[5lima30ret]

I had the same .22 as my first real rifle. Mine was marked Savage/Springfield Model 120 A which is no doubt who made those for Sears. It was very accurate. Mine was made in the early 60's and was purchased at a Western Auto as I recall. I passed it on to my Nephew about 20 years ago.

 

[Ric-san]

CLP (oil) wasn’t helping the grittiness of the bolt action, then I tried some M1-Garand Lubriplate grease and now it has smoothed itself out a lot…new life in a basic old classic…