I resisted telling this story when the thread was new, but can't resist now. It's pretty fitting.
Back in the 70's I was in my favorite gun shop, discussing the shape of the world with the owner over cups of coffee. He's the nicest guy in the world, easy going and soft spoken.
The door opened and this young guy kinda slides in sideways, the last thing to appear being a relatively new cast on his right hand and forearm.
"Is it here yet?" he asks.
The soft spoken shop owner bridled like a pit bull and growled "I told you I'd call you when it was here, dammit!" The guy fled back out the door.
I was shocked speechless. I'd never heard this guy raise his voice, much less mistreat a customer.
I had to ask, and here's the answer I got:
"That stupid #$!@#%!!!!. He's not just lucky I'll even talk to him, he's lucky he and his girlfriend are still alive."
What the.....
It turns out the guy and his girlfriend were out for a Sunday drive and saw a brown bear in a snowy field. It was bear season and he had a tag, so he pulled out his TC 50 cal Hawken and shot it at about 75 yards. The thing pitched forward and landed on its nose in the snow, and lay there.
Our hero got all excited, grabbed his camera and girlfriend and ran forward for a trophy photo. He was standing there with his foot on the head and the Hawken in his hand while the girlfriend shot a picture.
Then the bear woke up. :shocked2:
He hadn't reloaded and his supplies were back in the car. He spun the rifle around and did a real Davey Crockett. He whacked it over the head and knocked it down, breaking off the butt stock in the process.
Are you getting the picture now?
He ran all the way back to his car, reloaded the Hawken with "lots of powder" and ran back to his girlfriend and the now up and staggering bear.
He stuck the barrel in its ear and pulled the trigger.
Sure enough killed the bear, and he was happy in spite of the recoil breaking several bones in his hand and fingers in the process.
He had come back to the shop wanting either a refund on the gun or a free replacement stock from TC.
Far as I know he eventually did get a free stock, but the owner's last words to him were that TC warranty didn't cover replacement girlfriends. :rotf: