Mossberg 464 Lever Action 30-30

The Mossberg 464 Lever Action 30-30 reminded me of the rifle my father had all the while I was growing up. It resided in a wooden gun case he'd made personally. There was lock on the door but a glass front allowed you to look in at the guns. A bottom drawer was where ammunition went.

Given the Cold War and Kennedy Missile Crisis I'd wake to nightmares of Russian soldiers on the lawn. In dreams I'd crawl to the gun case and get my dad his 30 -30, my brother would get the shot gun and I'd have the little 22 rifle and the soldiers would retreat. I don't remember firing at anyone in my dreams just that image of the protected home and the threat receding.

I would later take my hunter safety courses with that same 22. I felt safe in an unsafe time knowng dad's rifle was there. The neighbourhood was safe and part of that safety was the responsible gun ownership and the training that the men who had guns had taken in military or as hunters. Fathers taught sons and so on.

Dad was ex air force and most of the men in the neighbourhood had served in the forces during WWII or Korea. Dad's friend down the road hunted geese and the men would get together sharing hunting stories. Most of the men I grew up with had rifles and gun cabinets. Dad's was this 'cowboy rifle' made famous with us kids by the tv series Rifleman.

Grandad was a rancher and we grew up riding whenever we got out to the farm. Sometimes Dad and I would ride with his cowboy friends after work. Later I'd ride alone. Mostly just a way to go places, horses being the original off road vehicle. I now have the Honda 250 enduro.

I took my new rifle out at dawn in search of deer. I'd briefly sighted it in but no deer came. Later I shot a lot of targets and cans with the new rifle admiring the classic Mossberg action. It's an American made rifle and the action of the Mossberg is one of the finest. So smooth. No jams with this rifle. I shot off dozens of shells getting used to the open sights I'd not used for years. I'd preferred scopes but open sights allow for quicker action. I'm going to see how well it works for now. Certainly the shattered bottles and holed cans spoke to my accuracy with open sites.

It's an easy carrying gun. The shell costs are almost half my 3006 shells and while that rifle is good to 300 yards the 30 00 is best around 100 yard where most game is encountered. It's a light easy carrying rifle. Now I just have to find a rifle scabbard attach to the motorbike.