Great Discovery

Posts about the Model 8
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Superimposed
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:17 pm

Great Discovery

Post by Superimposed »

I have become associated with a local museum as its treasurer following my retirement. The museum president learned of my interest in guns and said, "you will be our gun curator". The gun collection consisted of several guns from one benefactor and a single gun from another. I was delighted to find that the lone gun contributor donated a Model 8 to the museum. Upon my inspection of the Model 8 I discovered that it was serial #118. Imagine, first day production? Did John M hold this rifle? My excitement over this discovery could not be shared until now. The museum had little security and no gun safe to protect this treasure, until now. In the course of becoming familiar with the museum contents, I discovered a newspaper account of 1921. The local sheriff borrowed the Model 8 to pursue an ex convict who had murdered his wife and terrorized the rural neighborhood with cabin break ins while evading apprehension. Rural residents were terrified of this criminal to the point of moving to town until he was apprehended. The fugitive made a critical error by writing a letter to his relatives to come and get the cabin plunder that was "too valuable to leave". He wrote a letter detailing the location of his bivouac and taped two cents to it and left it in a rural mailbox for the letter carrier to dispatch. Long story short, the letter was suspect and turned over to authorities who then knew the exact location of the fugitive's hide out. The sheriff and two deputies located the hideout which they found vacant, and set up an ambush. Soon the fugitive returned to his hideout with rifle in hand, and was given an opportunity to surrender. The fugitive shot first, wounding one deputy and again, temporarily blinding the sheriff who was positioned behind a log. The newspaper account relates that a dozen shots were fired in the course of seconds. The fugitive was felled by the sheriff and his Model 8, shot through the heart. Residents were not satisfied that the sheriff got his man and would not return home until they viewed the body at the mortuary. It was a spectacle that involved the entire town, young and old. Great, now I am the curator of a man killer. I am having mixed emotions about this gun's notoriety. This rifle does have a common denominator similar to the Texas Rangers pursuit of Bonnie and Clyde. The Model 8 was the companion and gun of choice when going against a lethal force.
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Hardrada55
Posts: 277
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 1:40 pm
Location: Southwest Oklahoma
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Re: Great Discovery

Post by Hardrada55 »

Well, in retirement, you seem to have gotten yourself a really good position. Gun curator at a museum....Excellent! As always, please share pictures, when you are able. Does your gun have stripper clip guides milled into the rear of the ejection port? These very early guns sometimes do not. Thank you for sharing that account, it's fascinating. Walt
...the right of citizens to bear arms is just one more guarantee against arbitrary government, one more safeguard against the tyranny which now appears remote in America..."
- Hubert H. Humphrey, "Gun" magazine, Feb. '60
TNrifleman
Posts: 60
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 7:15 pm
Location: Tennessee

Re: Great Discovery

Post by TNrifleman »

Very interesting story. Congrats on your new position. Retirement should be a grand adventure.
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Viper Spray
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Great Discovery

Post by Viper Spray »

Please post pics ASAP , we all would love to see an early 8 .
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