How I got my Winchester 61 pump rifle.

[GeneMO]

Old dreary day here, so thought I would tell you a story. Hope I haven't told this before.

So I inherited my dads Winchester 61 when he passed away 20 years ago. But how he got the gun is the story.

So to set the stage. He had been reading about this model, and had asked the local hardware store if they could get him one, and what it would cost. Yes they could get it. $60.00. This was in about 1962. So money was tight in the winter, and $60 was a bunch then.

But one thing was happening that could help. Coyotes had been a real plague in the area, so much so that our county paid a $15 bounty per coyote. It was a big deal to get one. I remember seeing locals getting their picture in the paper with a coyote they had killed. Also remember seeing our local version of a mountain man carrying a dead coyote over his shoulder as he took it into the court house to collect his bounty. Generally you just brought in the ears, and the county clerk had a hole punch and would punch a hole in it to prevent it being re-used. ( Nobody would do that would they? )

Anyway, my dad was a pretty good trapper. So he started trapping. Well, he got 3 eventually and just needed one more to get to $60, so he had Mr. Leonburger, at the hardware store in Boonville, Mo., to order it for him. Before it came in, he got his 4th coyote. My dad was really proud of that gun. He carried it many nights coon hunting, and did lots of squirrel hunting. Really a well made gun. If I remember right, my dad was wanting to buy it then, as the rumor was that Winchester was going to switch to a stamped receiver vs. the milled receiver. Or somehow make it cheaper and my dad wanted on of the better ones, before the change was implemented.

Anyway, thats my story of the Winchester 61, purchaed with coyote bountys.

[Bkeepr]

What a great story. You are very lucky to have that wonderful family heirloom. I hope you take it out once in awhile and give it a little workout.

Thanks for telling us the story.