Born in North Central Neb in 58. Sand Hill's are home. Family moved to my grandfather's place on the Niobrara River when I was in Third grade and tried to make a living milking cows. The first Christmas their my dad bought me a Daisy, "Spittin Image" of the Famous Remington Fieldmaster mod 26. I fell down a ice covered hill that winter and broke the stock. (I was a hunting squirrel with the dog's and I could plink the squirrels through the tree tops to a open area where the dogs would get them when they hit the ground) Dad took the Daisy and seamed it was gone for a year but must have been a few months because I remember having it for Deer season that fall. A Game warden stopped Dad to check his license and asked me "how many foot pound's does your rifle shoot." I didn't know what he was talking a bought and must have given him a "Free Stupid Look." Dad laughed and told him it was a BB Gun. The warden then got a stupid look on his face and left, never seen him since. Must have gotten bored a year or so latter and did something I shouldn't have done. Dad discovered a BB in one of his milk cows, must have been a year or better before I got my Daisy back. After getting it back I shortly lost the front site screw and the site, which allowed the barrel to shoot out of it so it was put away for years.
Fifth or Sixth grade by now Dad allowed me to get his old 20ga H&R single shot out of the gun cabinet and get a pheasant for supper. Finding a pheasant I crawled to 10-12 foot of him before I pulled the trigger. He didn't look the way they looked when dad shot them. Taking the head, skin, what feathers and feet were still attached to him home dad just laughed and informed me "son, you aint suposta to clean and gut them with one shot" Soon had my own Marlin Lever-action 22cal rifle. Good rabbit gun.
Did three years in the army at Ft Bragg N.C. and decided the military wasn't for me so got out, married went home. Eight years of agriculture struggling to make ends meet. Finally decided close as I could get was getting ends to turn around and look at each other. Maybe the Army wasn't so bad after all, enlisted again. Didn't take long to make E-5 but impossible to get the next grade. Alabama, Desert Storm, Alaska, then Oklahoma and divorce.
Four boys, two married, one collage, youngest made it to eighteen, girlfriend and a job. Two granddaughters & one grandson so far. Never bought any BB guns for them, due to my personal experience. They learned to shoot with a 22cal pellet gun that would shoot through a 4x4. 22cal rifles and shotguns.
Presently I have 30 firearms, rifle's and revolvers, bows, cross bow and hunt archery, black powder and gun seasons. Fish in the non-hunting seasons.
Cleaning out the walk in closet a year or so ago found my old daisy, (still missing the front site and screw) hanging on the wall in a gun case.
Researching how to get the parts found there was as much demand for some of the BB guns as my real shooters. Youngest son had one of the neighbors give him a Red Ryder, Limited Edition 60th Anniveresy. Also have a Mod 1200 CO2 pistol, missing some parts but still shoots. I've bought two more since and waiting on the firefighter mod I ordered.
Hope to peck to you fellas and thanks for the feed back so far. I've found you site to be extremely helpful and hope to be of assistance some how. Seams as if I've found the experts here.
Tony Painter mrsee3
