Kevin McCormack |
07-24-2021 07:49 PM |
Very timely post - spent a few delightful hours yesterday at the PA Trapshooters Hall of Fame in Elysburg PA, about an hour and a half north of Harrisburg. There were quite a few pictures of "The Beav" about the place and a few noteworthy items of memorabilia connected with him.
Also quite a few super rare artifacts: a late 1919s-early 1920s Peters "mouse trap", a simple straight rod-type spring arm with a mini - Y-shaped head, mounted on an 18 x 20 inch board. The 'Y" head set below a semicircular steel column (picture an enclosed column on any standard trap machine) which fed a black clay target about 1/8 inch diameter smaller than today's standard mini target. You cocked the rod type spring arm, set a target into the "Y" head at the end of the spring arm, then pulled the launching lanyard (about an 8-ft. length of clothesline cord) to release the target on the shooter's call. The half length of the spring steel tubular launching arm and "Y" head at the end of it were all completely enclosed with a flat tin square housing about 8 x 8 inches, no more than a matchbox in height. The donor included a stack of original Peters clay targets as well as a small instructional pamphlet. Without a doubt, one of the coolest shooting artifacts I've ever seen!
Second more modern rarities were the side-by-side displays of the massive World Championship Flyers (life bird) trophy, won by Charlie Miller of New Holland PA in Madrid Spain in June of 1976, right next to the framed shooting vest worn by Don Haldeman of Allentown PA when he won the Gold Medal in International Trapshooting at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada barely three weeks later!. Two local PA homeboys who outshot the best of the best!
Only a few Remington 32s pictured in the museum, but their owners' records are impressive. Lots of early SBTs of all makes (with my 1923 Fox SBT soon to be added in a 'soft' display), plenty of M 12 Winchesters and other repeater SBs before 1950.
My M 32 Remington is a 2-bbl. TC, 30 inch M/F and 28 inch IC/IM. Love shooting it but switch off due to the weight with a Browning SP 28 inch M/F. Both are grinders from the 27. Have never shot doubles, but will try it someday.
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