I am not handicapped. I may have disabilites, but I am the least handicapped person that I know

My old grandpa once said to me, "Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin'.

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to Heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because, unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Free citizens must protect themselves. Police do not protect you from crime; they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'."

..author unknown

I have brought up that I live with disabilities, it is no secrete.
Being disabled is something I have learned to live with and I do not look for anyone to feel sorry for me.  I feel sorry for myself enough that I do not need it from anyone else. :o)

I was a pawnbroker/FFL here in Phoenix before I was forced to retire, due to my disabilities. While an FFL, I bought product from Galco for resale and personal use.  I also remember them carrying a Middle of the Back holster, but never for the Sig Sauer P239 that I carried.

This last Sunday I was walking (for lack of a better term) around the NRA convention.  We stopped at the Galco booth.  I asked the man if they still carried the Middle of the Back holster and did they have it for the P239 yet?
The Galco salesman must have just finished lunch as he sat on his stool, trying to lean back and picking his teeth.  He gives me an anoyed look and says "That is a really dumb place to carry your gun"

I am fairly sure that he could determine I am disabled, as I depend on a cane to walk and was not walking very well at that point of the day.  So I explained the obvious, that I am disabled and due to my physical limitations, that is the only place I can conceal a pistol and still be able to draw it if necessary. 

He then says that I should use a shoulder rig.  To which I replied that I have had numerous shoulder surgeries and I am not able to use that type of rig.

The guy then looks at me with my children and says "Then, you need to leave your guns at home"

Well, I think I am done ever purchasing product from Galco and if I am ever asked for a referral, I will recommend anyone but Galco

On Sunday, I took my two daughters and next door neighbor (Joe) for a walk around the NRA convention here in Phoenix.

Walking in I saw the Winchester display and it brought back memories of the commemoratives.  I explained to Joe that I have had a number of the commemoratives, but the one I have wanted all my life and had always been on the lookout for was the Rifleman's rifle.  You remember, Chuck Connors on early b/w television.

I told him what a great disappointment it had always been that Winchester never had the nerve to make a replica of that rifle.  I still have the pictures of myself back in 1958 proudly wearing my Rifleman's t-shirt and carrying my plastic Rifleman’s rifle.

Even at almost 56 years old I still watch the old re-runs when I spot them on the Western's channel.

We wandered around for another couple hours and on the other side of the hall from where we entered I sat down at the Sportsman Channel booth.  First, because they were nice enough to send me enough tickets to bring my kids and friend to the show. Second, they had the most comfortable seating area in the entire show and my crippled up old legs were hurting pretty bad by then.

While relaxing there, I looked up and across the aisle, Lo and behold; there it was, hanging on a display.  I did a double take to make sure I was not seeing a mirage.  A Rifleman's rifle. 

I got off my dead butt and onto my dying feet, walked across the aisle and stared.
This guy standing there with a big black western hat on started talking to me and brought the rifle down off the display for me to handle.  He had 'autographed 'pictures of Chuck Connors with him.  I asked how much they were and immediately bought one and gave it to my daughter to hold. 
I mentioned that I would put this on the wall, next to my Harmon Killebrew autographed picture.  Immediately three guys were around me asking me where I had gotten the Harmon Killebrew picture and that discussion ensued.

The man, behind the booth, that took my money asked me which picture I wanted. I told him that I already gave it to my daughter to hold. He asked for the picture back for the autograph.  Somewhat confused, I handed it back to him and he took out a marker, turned the picture over and started to sign it.  Now I am really confused, why was he ruining my picture?

I then looked at his name badge; it took a second or two to realize that the guy ‘ruining’ my picture was Jeff Connors, Chuck Connors son.  Now it all made sense.

We must have talked for at least half an hour.  He told me about how he was able to get a replica of his father’s rifle produced.  The rifle was made by Chiappa Firearms of Brescia, Italy.  As there were three different rifle’s used in making the TV series, he had to pick one of them to use as the model.

Jeff then started talking to my daughter’s and suggested that he set them up to meet and go out with his son.

As much as I enjoyed the convention, meeting Jeff and talking about old times sure made my day.  I am now trying to justify spending that kind of money to buy the rifle.

It will be a wall hanger, for sure, But it will also be MY wall

with the help of a friend, I found the privacy settings for my profile.  Apparently all the settings were set to the default mode, but one.  I have changed that setting to the default setting.

Now the only thing I can find is my inbox and posts in there,

Is there an email address so someone off this website is able to send an email to my inbox, from their yahoo email carrier (for example)

There has been very slight improvement in what I can figure out.

Thanx all,

Ed

NRA Life Member