Michigan Gun Clubs

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I've been doing a project since hunting season went out. Trying to visit all the little gun clubs that are scattered across S.E. Michigan. So far I've been to Detroit Gun Club, Birmingham Gun Club, Carleton Sportsman Club, and this weekend it's off to the Manchester Gun Club. Been some fun times for sure, met some interesting people too. Been shooting my big 34 inch Parker which always helps start conversation. Here's a few pics to show what I've been up to.

P.S. Those two old characters were really a pleasure to visit with, both Korean War veterans with tons of great shooting / hunting / fishing stories. The one on the right is a multi time Michigan State Trap Champion, shot on the All American Team, fished and hunted everywhere. The one on the left was General MacArthur's personal mechanic in Korea and even drove for him a few times. He was in charge of the early stock car racing program for Chrysler after he got home and also hunted / fished all over the US.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

And a couple of the gun, that's me with it.

[Jean Swanson]

Destry

You look rather distinguished-- nice photo . Do you still have that E.J. Churchill straight grip 8 bore ??

Allan

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Thank ya Sir, I appreciate the compliment.

The big Churchill is long gone, it financed a couple other far more useful (and really nice) shotguns plus several memory making hunting trips.

Destry

[Bill Murphy]

You ingrate. You know I coveted that Churchill to add to my eight gauge collection. I guess you sold it to your Canadian goose guide, but I don't really know. Can you tell me where it is? We had it at a pigeon shoot in Maryland before you bought it, but I didn't have any ammunition to shoot it.

[John Dallas]

The Canadian guides Destry and I know don't have enuff money to buy 8 gauge shells, let alone the gun

[Eric Eis]

Bill,
If I remember correctly the Churchill got left in England on one of Destry's hunting trips to the UK as it fetched a lot more money over there then here.

[Jean Swanson]

The history of the 8 bore.

While in England on a driven pheasant/ woodcock shoot in the 80's I visited Holland & Holland and purchased the E J Churchill 8 bore in rather poor condition. Upon returning to the States,I had Herb Stratemeyer from Hollis,NH cold rust the barrels, Bud and Betty Richards of Chichester ,NH freshen up the checkering and finish on the wood.

Several years later, Jerry Fisher ,was hunting with me in New Hampshire and stayed at my home in Vermont. Naturally the conversations was mostly about guns. I consigned several 8 bores to him---E J Churchill, Charles Daly diamond grade /ejectors, and 4 or 5 Parker's of various grades .

Some time after that while at the Southern S X S Destry showed up with the Churchill.

[Jean Swanson]

I do not know a Jerry Fisher, but I do know Jerry Smith .Sorry about that.

Allan

[Destry L. Hoffard]

The Churchill was a purchase I was glad I made, I had fun owning and hunting with it, and I enjoyed selling it afterwards. I didn't know you had owned it at one time Allan, that's very interesting. That gun had the oddest stock of any big bore shotgun I've ever handled. Do you know anything about the history of that?

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Hey Destry, if you want to swing down this way you would love Hunting Hills.
So many clubs, so little time.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I appreciate the invite Harold, I might do it.

I love old gun club pins and patches, so I've been trying to visit ones that I've got "stuff" from in my collection. It was customary in the old days for a trap shooter to wear the pins and patches from clubs they had visited on their shooting jacket / hat.

I've been collecting that stuff for years. Have an old school trap shooting jacket being made at the tailor right now for patches and a new 40's style fedora on custom order for my nicer pins. Now I just gotta visit enough clubs to fill them both up. It's off to the Manchester Gun Club this week so I can add their pin to my hat.