The explosions rocked the neighborhood and caused a furor amongst its residents. For the On Point Firearms family, it was the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day. This is the story of the little cannon that could:
Several months ago, an old client brought in some items to sell on Gunbroker— including this old Winchester M-98 breech-loading cannon. It fires 10-gauge shotgun shells and was made between 1908-1911. When he was a young boy, our client used to sprinkle tomato seeds in a field, hide in the nearby bushes, and lay in wait for his prey. Then… KABOOM! The loud report of the 10-gauge would sound, felling up to ten birds at a time. This little cannon can fire live 10-gauge shells and is not limited to blanks like some newer units.
It was a great story and of course, my mother wanted it right away. She’s quite the shopper and an avid shooter—a dangerous combination. So, now the cannon is part of the family. Yesterday was our first time shooting the cannon and we’re already looking forward to firing it again on Memorial Day weekend. Speaking of Memorial Day… please remember that we’re giving away a Glock 19 to celebrate Memorial Day. All VIP members are eligible for the drawing. If you’re not a VIP member, you can join by clicking here.
On Point Firearms is proud to announce our first ever gun giveaway: On Point Firearms’ Memorial Day Glock Giveaway. As part of our exclusive VIP program, we’re giving away a brand new Glock 19 on May 26, 2008***! Before everyone gets too excited, this is a neutered Glock 19 and will come as seen, NIB, with puny 10rd magazines. We can’t move this item, so we’re giving it away as thanks to our loyal clients.
***All VIP members are eligible for the drawing and no purchase is necessary. Drawing will be made electronically using a random number generator and our VIP member database. Winner will be notified via e-mail and have 7 business days to respond with proper shipping instructions. Gun must be shipped to a valid FFL holder. FFL can be faxed, e-mailed, or snail mailed to us. Shipping will be via UPS 2day Air, paid by the winner. That’s it! Good luck.
The Abercrombie & Fitch rifle: a rare piece of firearms history. Today’s youth recognize the brand as a stylish clothier– a purveyor of hippie clothing and frankinsense. The stores have mood lighting, loud music, and models with hopeless, confused looks on their faces– suggesting the combined weight of the world and their 1-series BMW is far too much for shoulders to bear.
However, the Abercrombie & Fitch store of yesteryear was a different animal. At its New York City location, you could buy the finest outdoors equipment in the world– including guns. Famous adventurers like Amelia Earhart, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Clark Gable frequented the store. Ernest Hemingway even bought the gun he committed suicide with from A&F. Famous weapons manufacturers, including Weatherby, were commissioned to build special edition firearms for the company.
This particular specimen was brought into our shop by a former Marine. Marines take care of their guns. So, even though it’s over 60 years old, the rifle is still in excellent, showroom condition. (Younger shooters take note: even if you don’t shoot your weapons, make sure to take them out of the safe on a regular basis for cleaning and maintenance.)
From what we know, this rifle was made by Weatherby in the 1930s or 40s and purchased from the New York City Abercrombie & Fitch store. It’s chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum and has “Made in England” and British BNP proof marks stamped into the barrel and receiver. The rifle even sports an Abercrombie & Fitch 3.5-9×40 scope. We’ve seen A&F rifles and shotguns fetch upwards of $9k at auction. Right now, this spectacular rifle is on Gunbroker starting at $1500: [View Gunbroker Auction]. Proceeds of the auction go to our client, a USMC Korean War veteran.
If you know anything about Abercrombie & Fitch rifles, please feel free to contact me. I’d appreciate any information that you can share.
