My first Gun was an Iver Johnson Champion in 20 Ga. like the one in the above ad
It was given to me when I was 9 and I gave it to my Grandson when he was 9.
This is in Bremerton WA.
This went with the 20 Ga.
Hey Pard,
I thought I would tell you the story of that old 20 Ga.
When I was 9 years old I started hunting Squirrels with may Dad and Granddad in September.
I was using my Granddads old 12 Ga. double barrel at the time.
Rabbit and Pheasant season started in October and I was to little to carry that old double barrel the long distances Granddad, Dad, and I had to walk to find the game. We would walk all day long looking for Rabbits and Pheasants. There weren't very many at that time. So it was a lot of walking. Since I didn't have a gun to take I was just the Dog on those days. That meant I would have to shake the brush piles to get the rabbits to come out and go after shot game.
Well one Saturday morning in November my Dad and Gramps took me to Coon's Hardware store in the small town that we lived in to look at shotguns.
It had to be a 410 or a 20 Ga. with a hammer . Both Dad and Gramps always thought one with a hammer was safer. If the hammer isn't cocked it won't go off.
Both Dad and Gramps were pretty poor so they couldn't afford a double barrel or one of those fancy pump shotguns. Besides they were both heaver than a single barrel. Mr. Coons had one 20 GA. on the shelf. When we looked at it we noticed it had a piece of wood missing in the stock. Mr. Coons wanted $25.00 for it but after my Gramps talked to him they decided that was to much since it had a piece of wood missing. After a little more talking my Gramps made the deal to buy that old 20 Ga. for $15.00. Boy was I happy! Now I had my own shotgun that I could carry and I wouldn't have to be the Dog anymore.
We all went hunting the very next day. I don't remember if I shot any Rabbits or not. It didn't really matter because I had my very own 20 Ga.
Since that time that old 20 Ga. is the only shotgun that I have hunted with.
When your Dad and I hunted he would use that fancy Pump Gun, that I bought for him, and I would use that old 20 Ga.
I couldn't give that old 20 Ga. to him because he was my Son not my Grandson.
I have been waiting for you to get to be nine years old so I could give that old 20 Ga. to you like my Gramps did
I think I did let your Dad shoot it a little. But after shooting it though he wanted one of those fancy Pumps like the rest of the kids had.
One time I took your Dad, Aunt Kathy, and Nanna hunting Rabbits around the house and your Dad used my Gramp's Old Double Barrel.
My Gramps, my Dad, your Dad and I have all hunted with that old double.
The only shotgun I have owned was that old 20 Ga. until I started shooting Cowboy.
I hope you will enjoy and keep this old 20 GA for along time. I have walked a lot of miles carrying it with my Gramps and my Dad when I was your age and older.
When I got older I would get my dog and the two of us would go hunting. Most of the time she would chase the rabbits so I couldn't shoot at them. But it didn't matter because we were having a good time in the woods.
Love, Gramps
Gramp's Old Double in the story.
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