What are your thoughts on getting educated in this sport?
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What are your thoughts on getting educated in this sport?
by Buck Conner 22/9/2022, 3:39 pm
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I get questioned about how I got involved with the firearms sport or how to get involved in antique firearms. Brother that's a long haul to get educated, most with good knowledge have years of research and going to events where these types of weapons are available (gun shows but you're looking not so much listening (lots of stories and most don't hold water ....).
What are your thoughts on getting educated in this sport?
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH FIREARMS
___________________________
STARTING IN 1945
At my house we spoke guns as my father was an officer involved with gun collectors, a shooter and a hunter. I would be taken to his collector meetings; gun shows or on his hunting or scouting trips at a very early age.
At 5 years of age, I wanted a Roy Rogers Cap Gun Set. My father told my mother he would not spend money on a scrap metal piece of junk, he would take care of my needs. He took a non-number matching original 1849 Colt Pocket Revolver, soldered the nipples shut, gave me the gun, several tins of caps and an old cut down cartridge belt & holster for my cowboy adventures. Crap in our wars I was always the first one to die only having (5) shots and having to reload while my friends could shoot for an hour before reloading. Such was life ...
There were no limits to the type of weapons found and used at our house, .22 rifles, pistols, and revolvers. Then rifles of different styles & calibers, shotguns - side by side, over under, single shot, trap, skeet. Needless to say, my father and his friends were "Gun Nuts", I blame all my success and failures on them.
Then there were all the gun collector meetings, antique and modern weapons from around the world, they covered everything. Turner Kirkland (Dixie Gunworks), Jack Davis, and a dozen other well-known anitque weapon collectors would show up from time to time. There was always something gun related at our house, my frineds would never go home they loved hanging around the Conner's place.
I successfully competed in serious competition for a number of years burning more modern powder than you would believe. My father and a few of his friends would spend every free moment either loading or doing dry firing in our basement and then range work weekly.
MARKSMENSHIP SKILLS
Because of my involvement with firearms it was a natural for me to go into that business as a side line from my regular job. Over the years of selling weapons and associated goods at gun and trade shows to having a "Blanket Trading" operation until opening a store in the early 1980's. I always have had my hand in selling, trading or swapping goods. The muzzle-loading trade was always an interest - in the early years we were dealing with originals from the F&I War to the American Civil War, mostly American made but the European makers arms would cross our table from time to time. My father and his friends were always on the watch for a deal with money to be made with the better pieces finding their way to our home.
WHEN INVOLVED IN ANY SPORT YOU WILL BE TALKED INTO HELPING. BEWARE ... of the fishhooks, getting hooked can be time & money.
I worked my sideline of guns in Pennsylvania until moving in late '64 or '65 (can't remember the true date now) to Colorado at our shop or a friends shop until 2002. In 2007 we moved to Utah, and I went back to work, this time at Cabela's Gun Library until 2012. Finally ending years of dealing with weapons finally having had my fill of them and the smell of cleaners to protect the investments. Now working part time as an 'antique firearms consultant' - Cabelas and several other local shops send me firearm customers wanting to know what their gun is or its value.
GRADING ANTIQUE FIREARMS - THERE IS A NATIONAL RIFLEMAN'S ASSOCIATION STANDARD TO BE FOLLOWED.
Shown below are businesses that we have owned & sold as well as one sold for a friend's family after his passing. Small businesses are fairly easy to start, being successful is the hard part. Lots of long hours and hard work has always seemed to work for us.
My wife always says, "about the time we are seeing a nice profit on the investment someone offers Buck some cash & it's gone". Only a couple of these businesses were full time employment. Try working a regular 40-50 hour a week job plus another 6-7 hours at night & weekends is tuff in anyone's book.
BUSINESS
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Now a member in good standing
Offices ended in 2012 (now just a member in good standing, no positions).
Having lost my taste for shooting in contests (remembering the pressure that my father & instructors put me through many years ago). As well as growing tired of dealing with old and reproduction weapons ending with selling off a (400) arms collection.
Now late 2015 - Holy Cow now I got involved with helping to gather the former gunsmiths of Green River Rifle Works [GRRW]. We started building again after a 35-year layoff under the name of GRRW CA (Collectors Association). Lots of fun dealing with these guys and sharing the memories of the old firm. Doc White passed away this year and with the state of our country everything has slowed down.
Later Buck Conner
___________________________
2022 Copyright Beaver Plew Productions
I get questioned about how I got involved with the firearms sport or how to get involved in antique firearms. Brother that's a long haul to get educated, most with good knowledge have years of research and going to events where these types of weapons are available (gun shows but you're looking not so much listening (lots of stories and most don't hold water ....).
What are your thoughts on getting educated in this sport?
MY INVOLVEMENT WITH FIREARMS
___________________________
STARTING IN 1945
At my house we spoke guns as my father was an officer involved with gun collectors, a shooter and a hunter. I would be taken to his collector meetings; gun shows or on his hunting or scouting trips at a very early age.
At 5 years of age, I wanted a Roy Rogers Cap Gun Set. My father told my mother he would not spend money on a scrap metal piece of junk, he would take care of my needs. He took a non-number matching original 1849 Colt Pocket Revolver, soldered the nipples shut, gave me the gun, several tins of caps and an old cut down cartridge belt & holster for my cowboy adventures. Crap in our wars I was always the first one to die only having (5) shots and having to reload while my friends could shoot for an hour before reloading. Such was life ...
There were no limits to the type of weapons found and used at our house, .22 rifles, pistols, and revolvers. Then rifles of different styles & calibers, shotguns - side by side, over under, single shot, trap, skeet. Needless to say, my father and his friends were "Gun Nuts", I blame all my success and failures on them.
Then there were all the gun collector meetings, antique and modern weapons from around the world, they covered everything. Turner Kirkland (Dixie Gunworks), Jack Davis, and a dozen other well-known anitque weapon collectors would show up from time to time. There was always something gun related at our house, my frineds would never go home they loved hanging around the Conner's place.
I successfully competed in serious competition for a number of years burning more modern powder than you would believe. My father and a few of his friends would spend every free moment either loading or doing dry firing in our basement and then range work weekly.
MARKSMENSHIP SKILLS
Because of my involvement with firearms it was a natural for me to go into that business as a side line from my regular job. Over the years of selling weapons and associated goods at gun and trade shows to having a "Blanket Trading" operation until opening a store in the early 1980's. I always have had my hand in selling, trading or swapping goods. The muzzle-loading trade was always an interest - in the early years we were dealing with originals from the F&I War to the American Civil War, mostly American made but the European makers arms would cross our table from time to time. My father and his friends were always on the watch for a deal with money to be made with the better pieces finding their way to our home.
WHEN INVOLVED IN ANY SPORT YOU WILL BE TALKED INTO HELPING. BEWARE ... of the fishhooks, getting hooked can be time & money.
I worked my sideline of guns in Pennsylvania until moving in late '64 or '65 (can't remember the true date now) to Colorado at our shop or a friends shop until 2002. In 2007 we moved to Utah, and I went back to work, this time at Cabela's Gun Library until 2012. Finally ending years of dealing with weapons finally having had my fill of them and the smell of cleaners to protect the investments. Now working part time as an 'antique firearms consultant' - Cabelas and several other local shops send me firearm customers wanting to know what their gun is or its value.
GRADING ANTIQUE FIREARMS - THERE IS A NATIONAL RIFLEMAN'S ASSOCIATION STANDARD TO BE FOLLOWED.
Shown below are businesses that we have owned & sold as well as one sold for a friend's family after his passing. Small businesses are fairly easy to start, being successful is the hard part. Lots of long hours and hard work has always seemed to work for us.
My wife always says, "about the time we are seeing a nice profit on the investment someone offers Buck some cash & it's gone". Only a couple of these businesses were full time employment. Try working a regular 40-50 hour a week job plus another 6-7 hours at night & weekends is tuff in anyone's book.
BUSINESS
________________________________________________________
- The Camp Blanket - 1974-1984 then with a building became Buckhorn Rendezvous.
Buckhorn Rendezvous - 1984-1996 - SOLD - to Cache La Poudre Rifleworks.
Buckhorn Limited LTD - 1996-1998 - SOLD - to Cache La Poudre Rifleworks.
Conner One - 1996 - 2002 - purchases of muzzleloading businesses made for Cache La Poudre Rifleworks.
Cache La Poudre Rifleworks 1973-2006 - SOLD - death of owner at family's request.
________________________________________________________
- Clark & Sons Mercantile LLC - 1998-2002 SOLD - private sale.
Accourements 2002-2006 - SOLD - private sale.
Powder Measurers LLC 2006-2007 - SOLD goods in a trade.
________________________________________________________
- Sitting Fox Agency LTD - 1998 - present - appointment only ~ antique weapon appraisal). OPEN Use trade name Beaver Plew Productions for articles.
FurTradeBooks/OneWhoTrades - 2007- present - (writing articles for several magazines & Ebay sales). OPEN
________________________________________________________
Now a member in good standing
- NRA [Past Board of Directors - Whittington Center]
GUN OWNERS Of AMERICA [Past Officer]
COLORADO STATE MUZZLE LOADING ASSOCIATION [Past Officer (12 years service) ]
NATIONAL MUZZLE LOADING RIFLE ASSOCIATION [Past Territorial Coordinator]
BUCKHORN SKINNERS MUZZLELOADERS [1 0f 2 Founders]
BUCKHORN BLACKPOWDER CARTRIDGE CLUB [1 of 2 Founders]
AMERICAN MOUNTAIN MEN ASSOCIATION - Hiverano
NORTH AMERICAN FRONTIERSMEN ASSOCIATION - Mountaineer
LENNI-LENAPE SOCIETY [DELAWARE] - Life Member.
THE GOOD OLD BOYS CLUB - member in good standing.
Offices ended in 2012 (now just a member in good standing, no positions).
Having lost my taste for shooting in contests (remembering the pressure that my father & instructors put me through many years ago). As well as growing tired of dealing with old and reproduction weapons ending with selling off a (400) arms collection.
Now late 2015 - Holy Cow now I got involved with helping to gather the former gunsmiths of Green River Rifle Works [GRRW]. We started building again after a 35-year layoff under the name of GRRW CA (Collectors Association). Lots of fun dealing with these guys and sharing the memories of the old firm. Doc White passed away this year and with the state of our country everything has slowed down.
Later Buck Conner
- AMM #1641 Hiverano Degree
NAF #003 Mountaineer Degree
___________________________
2022 Copyright Beaver Plew Productions
Buck Conner- Moderator
- Posts : 1007
Join date : 2021-07-02
Age : 84
Location : Utah, Colorado, Wyoming -
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