The story of a gun: Serial number MPX753

[MadHound]

63. Story of another gun, that has no serial number,

Manufactured by Stony Hill in 1851, it was bought by my great, great, great grandfather in his youth. Blackpowder, ball and cap, approximately fifty caliber. It was used in the Civil War, fighting in the vicious skirmishes that pitted brother against brother in the Missouri Civil War theater.

After the war, it went home, where it became a farm gun, used to put meat on the table, protect the livestock and other chores needed around the family farm. It, like the family farm, was passed down through the generations. My grandfather and father used this gun, in fact it saw regular use for a hundred years, even though other guns came and went. Well treated and kept in great condition, it continued to do what needed to be done.

I fired this gun when I was a kid. It kicked like a Missouri mule, especially with that hard metal butt plate. I was amazed by the accuracy of the gun, even more amazed when my grandfather, then in his mid seventies, put on a shooting demonstration with it. His ability with this gun, a gun he had grown up with all his life, was simply stunning.

It was last fired in the late eighties, by my father. It was passed on down to me upon his death, as was the family farm it had worked on. Though still in good condition, I decided to never fire it again, not wanting to risk blowing up a family heirloom, for that is what it is. It hangs upon my wall, a reminder of previous generations of my family, and what they went through.

It never murdered anybody, though it was used in self defense more than once. It was never stolen, or used to commit a crime. It is what is always has been, a trusty tool that could be relied upon to do its job whenever called upon.

That is the story of one gun, but it represents many, many guns. Most guns are simply tools, used when called upon. Sadly, we only hear of the ones that are misused or abused. But they don't represent the majority of guns in this country.