PDA

View Full Version : Just a bit of recent history in a can



TCLouis
10-16-2008, 10:14 PM
Someone I work with brought me a nice prize this week. 1 pound of Bullseye collected in an event that we host every week, she knew I would be able to handle it.

It was not in the old square metal can (as was the last Bullseye I had purchased), but rather in the round cardboard can not unlike present plastic 1 pounders.

Price sticker was for $8.97 and the seller was none other than J.C. Penny.

I never remember seeing a Penny's store with powder, but someplace had one!

mooman76
10-16-2008, 10:32 PM
A couple years ago I picked up a muzzle loader kit from a flee market. It was still in the box and everything there in fact the parts still wrapped in plastic. I finally put it together this past year but the box was marked J.C Penny. It had been ordered and the receipt was still in the box. I think if I remember right it was dated 1983. Gun turned out good but the stock had dried up so much it had a small crack and the fore arm wouldn't fit until I removed some inner channel. I didn't know they sold gun stuff at all.

hyoder
10-16-2008, 10:50 PM
In the '70's and even early '80's Penney's and Wally world were very competitive in the reloading supply market.

EMC45
10-17-2008, 07:14 AM
I have a 30-06 case that is headstamped Sears.

Bret4207
10-17-2008, 07:25 AM
I can recall spending hours pouring through the Sears "Big Book", the Montgomery Wards, Western Auto and other catalogs looking at sporting gear. I still have a soft sport for anything labeled "Ted Williams" in the hunting/fishing line. The last ammo I bought at Wards was 22LR store brand (Monark? maybe) and it was 39 cents for 50. I bought a battery for my '68 Chevelle at the same time- $14.00......

Morgan Astorbilt
10-17-2008, 08:25 AM
I still have my old J.C.Higgins red plaid wool hunting jacket. Bought it in about 1955, along with my first shotgun, a $25.00 J C Higgins 12Ga. Mod.10 tubular magazine bolt action shotgun with variable choke. Both bought out of the Sears & Roebucks catalog, when I was 15. Sold the gun, wish I hadn't. Boy, am I a packrat!
Morgan

Boerrancher
10-17-2008, 08:32 AM
As a Kid I loved to go into the local Western Auto just to look at all of the guns and gun stuff they had. I miss the days where just about every store in town sold guns, ammo, and equipment. All of the hardware stores carried guns and gun related items. I guess once again we have our great and wonderful government to thank for these business' not being around anymore.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

twotrees
10-17-2008, 08:57 AM
Yep, Remember the barrels of WW2 rifles in all 3. $17-25 take your pick.

The wife and I were in Penney's around the time they decided to not sell guns anymore. The clerk knew me very well and told me they were going to close out all their Remington 870's for $175 each. Not having disposable income, and having a very early 870 in 20 Gauge, I passed. A few days later the wife and I had talked it over and decided it might be a good deal, and I could sell it used for more than they were asking.

You got it, all gone.

Just this past spring I gave a friend an old Sears marked 3X steel tubed scope (Weaver). They all had good stuff made for them under their own name.

Good Remembering,

exile
10-17-2008, 09:30 AM
When I was a kid, we used to buy great boots at Penney's, then couldn't find them anymore. We finally determined that they were made by RedWing and sold under the Penney's brand. Great boots at a great price. Not anymore. J.C. Penney was a Christian who used to give 97% of his income to charity. Maybe thats why he was so successful.

imashooter2
10-17-2008, 04:03 PM
I have a 30-06 case that is headstamped Sears.

I have a box of once fired and a box of factory fresh Ted Williams (Sears) aught 6. The boxes are even in great shape.

WildmanJack
10-17-2008, 04:18 PM
Had the pleasure of having dinner with Ted Williams shortly before he died. We were in the Keys and at the opening of the Bass Pro Shop down there. Sorry I didn't get his autograph but I got some pictures...
Jack

Uncle R.
10-17-2008, 04:40 PM
Yep, most of the big retailers used to sell firearms and hunting equipment before years of concentrated propaganda made guns "yucky" to all right-thinking and progressive people. Heck, even Target stores (which cater to what I call "yuppie wanna-bes") used to sell guns - I got a heck of a deal on a new Winchester pump gun when they finally had a closeout and cleared those icky things from their shelves.
I know a person who worked in "the gun cage" in a big JC Penney catalog warehouse. Penney's sold truckloads of firearms even after '68 through their retail stores. I bought my first front-loading rifle from a Penney's retail "outlet store" when they were closing them out in (I'd guess) the '80s. It's a CVA .50 Hawken - I bought it just because it was dirt cheap and discovered it shoots great with a light load of FFF and a patched round ball. I took it to a muzzle loader "meat shoot" at my local club the next day and won a third prize. <GRIN> I still have it, and I still shoot it once in a while.
<
It's sure sweetly nostalgic to remember the days when shooting and hunting were "respectable" activities...
:(
Uncle R.

felix
10-18-2008, 08:07 AM
I have two completely untouched boxes that need to go to a collector rather than being shot. Hopefully, someone would have interest in these. Want bulk in 243-100 grain and/or 270-130 grain, both bulk Remmie Core-Loks. ... felix

missionary5155
10-18-2008, 08:51 AM
My first self bought .22 Springfield semi-auto rifle cams from Penny´s in 1968. My sister worked there so she got a great discount on a returned like new rifle... I paid $17 plus tax ! (17 hours+ picking asparagus in Southwestern Michigan)

Jon K
10-18-2008, 10:13 AM
Yep, strolling down Memory Lane are we? I guess that's mainly why I just bought a Sears model 54(Win 94). Took me back to being a youngster, bought a few guns from Sears & Montgomery Wards.

Did I need it?........NOPE...........Just couldn't resist.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=37768

Jon

Cherokee
10-20-2008, 12:04 PM
And when I lived outside Chicago in early 70's local OSCO drug store sold reloading supplies and equipment. My SS 22LR came from Sears about 1953-54. And we had gun clubs in school.