had just gotten my hunting license and my parents were broke broke. Dad couldn't afford a shotgun for me. Of course I didn't know that. I didn't know we were poor. Life was great for a 10 year old living on a farm. Should've suspected because my favorite toy was a scrap metal pile. But He needed to get me a gun. He found an old broken single shot 12 gauge in a gunnshop for $25 and "fixed" it. State required sights so he hacksaw and filed one out of a block of steel and brazed it to the barrel. Old piece of tube from the scrap pile became a barrel band. I had no idea my new gun was a junker. I thought it was the best deer gun ever made.

Well, how’d it shoot?

First year nothing. Second year a gigantic 90 pound spike buck with antlers towering over the deer at 3-1/4 inches. Also the best deer anybody ever shot. Old guy at the weight station said "nice buck" when we brought it in. I knew it was.

Pretty cool memory. Thanks for sharing.

Sadly I traded off my first 2 shotguns but have my 3rd. I still have my first .22 though.

But......... it wasn't a junker. And not only how many men today COULD make a sight like that for their kids gun, but how many would even bother to??? I dunno if you're a Dolly Parton fan but this gun reminded me of her song "coat of many colors".... I may have edited it a little bit to fit this post....

Back through the years
I go wonderin' once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
I recall a box of rags pile of steel that someone gave us
And how my mama dad put the rags steel to use
There were rags of many colors was steel of all kinds
Every piece was small
And I didn't have a coat gun
And it was way down in the fall
Mama sewed the rags] Dad brazed the steel together
Sewin' Brazin' every piece with love
She He made my coat of many colors gun of many pieces
That I was so proud of

My coat gun of many colors pieces
That my mama Dad made for me
Made only from rags pieces
But I wore shot it so proudly
Although we had no money
Well, I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colors with my gun of many pieces
My mama Dad made for me

Well Dang!

Mrs. yotetrapper30, you are a poet.
Bonnie Parker couldn't have done that better.

I love it!

Keith