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Old October 14, 2010, 10:06 PM   #1
Uncle Buck
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A pleasant Surprise!

I was working in the yard yesterday when the old, tree hugging, biddy from across the street wandered over. I figured she was here to complain about my dogs or my geese, or my goat, or one of my tenants, or....

I shut the engine off on my mower and she said she knew I did a lot of shooting, because she hears me all the time. The she pulls out an old Colt Python with a 2 1/2 inch barrel and wants to know if I thought it was still safe to shoot.

I looked it over and gave it a few twists and yanks and put it through the motions and said I thought it would be fine to shoot. She said it belonged to her father and then her husband and she had not shot in at least 15 years.

We went in the house and I got a box of .38 and a box of .357 and we went to the back porch and did a little shooting. (My range is located so that I can shoot off my back porch.)

I actually had more fun shooting with her than I have had with my regular shooting partners. It took six shots of .38 special before she settled in and started really hitting the target very close to bulls-eye. When we switched to the .357 rounds, she was dead on.

She really liked shooting my GP-100.

Ms Biddy asked what the gun was worth and I told her I thought it would be somewhere around $900.00. We found one on gunbroker that was selling for just over $1,000.00. She told me her dad paid "Nowhere near that much for it!"

I just had to relate the experience. Now the neighbor that nobody likes actually has someone to shoot with her. (She has invited herself back for more shooting in a couple of weeks.) Maybe I was wrong about her.
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Old October 14, 2010, 10:27 PM   #2
cougar gt-e
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Glad you found out that she may be more lonely than grumpy.
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Old October 15, 2010, 01:02 AM   #3
Eagle0711
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Maybe thru your good example she will support gun rights to others, and at the ballot box. Good Job.
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:42 AM   #4
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Agree with Cougar ... most of us old folks just need a kind word and a loaded gun to loosen up ... you did good ...
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:46 AM   #5
MLeake
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Now that you are converting her to shooting...

... she might just end up finding this forum. Soooooo, you might want to give her a nickname she'd like better than the current one.

Possibly "the tree hugger formerly known as biddy, whom people now like."

Or "the biddy that only I get to call a biddy!!!"

something like that.

Much nicer when neighbors get along, and always good to have more shooting buddies.

Congratulations.
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:47 AM   #6
EricReynolds
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There's some common ground for everyone I suppose
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Old October 15, 2010, 03:07 PM   #7
markj
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Quote:
old, tree hugging, biddy from across the street
I bet her Mom gave her a real name like Sue or something....

Sounds like my mom, she also shoots a 357.
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Old October 15, 2010, 03:08 PM   #8
The Terminator
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Good for you and her!
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Old October 15, 2010, 03:35 PM   #9
bigghoss
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my mom hates guns. I managed to hide 5 or 6 for a bit over a year before she noticed the double rifle case in my room. I thought she'd have a fit but she just rolled her eyes and sighed.
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Old October 15, 2010, 04:03 PM   #10
old bear
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Uncle Buck, you did a really nice thing for a lonely old lady. Double karma points for you.
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Old October 15, 2010, 04:13 PM   #11
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Nice job with your old bitty!

Check out this little old lady shooting her 357. BTW she's a friend of mine...
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Old October 15, 2010, 04:42 PM   #12
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Fine job, mate!
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Old October 15, 2010, 05:04 PM   #13
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Great story. Thanks for sharing.
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Old October 15, 2010, 06:15 PM   #14
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What a great story. Maybe she will influence more to see your/our way of life.
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Old October 15, 2010, 06:18 PM   #15
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Ya dun good!!!!
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Old October 15, 2010, 06:34 PM   #16
frumious
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Great story. Wasn't sure where it was going for a split second when she whipped out the revolver on you, though :-)
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Old October 15, 2010, 06:44 PM   #17
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Looks like some honesty in there too. Some folks would have taken one look at the Python and taken that dangerous old thing off her hands and gotten her a real gun or just disposed of it, for a small fee.

Also somewhat sad that the times have changed so much that she feels the need to bring it out. (Smart lady) But be forewarned - don't go knocking her door down...
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:07 PM   #18
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Realizing that we might be wrong aboout someone, and being willing to change our minds, makes the day a whole lot better.
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:28 PM   #19
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And there are people out there that would have told her the old Colt was so bad the company no longer made them, and then offered her a $100 bucks for the gun. Nice to know there are still good people around.
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:33 PM   #20
Uncle Buck
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Flint Ridge, If I had stolen that gun and my folks ever found out about it, they'd cross me off their Christmas Card list for good.

I once bought a a revolver once from a lady whose husband had died. I got it real cheap (I did not know what it was worth at the time I bought it, but it was cheap for me).
I later decided to sell it and was surprised at what I had sold it for ($$$$). I went back and gave her about half the money from my sale. Did I have to do it? No. But I felt it was the right thing to do.

But I think it was good karma all the way around. I have someone else to shoot with, she'll have company. My wife was very happy that I "made peace" with the neighbor. But most importantly, I feel good about myself.

(I hope she wants to shoot again this Sunday. For a 74 year old woman, she sure is good!)
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Old October 15, 2010, 08:44 PM   #21
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I see you are from the "Show Me State". You done good.
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Old October 15, 2010, 09:21 PM   #22
treg
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Very cool UncleBuck!
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Old October 15, 2010, 09:28 PM   #23
Daryl
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Some clouds have a silver lining.



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Old October 19, 2010, 11:21 AM   #24
Winchester_73
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Quote:
And there are people out there that would have told her the old Colt was so bad the company no longer made them, and then offered her a $100 bucks for the gun. Nice to know there are still good people around.
Of course lying to her is wrong, but saying that they were and still are over rated, and that the company doesn't make them anymore partly for that reason is true in my mind. The pythons best features, other than SA pull are things which do nothing for the shooter. There would still be a python if it actually was then what people say it is today...
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Old October 19, 2010, 12:32 PM   #25
Steven_Seagal
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http://www.gunsamerica.com/976730405...on_357_mag.htm

that one is posted for $1675
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