Economy
Behold the .22 long rifle cartridge.
These, Winchester Wildcats to be specific, contain at once a brass casing, a bullet of 40 grains (0.09 ounces) of lead metal, primer, and gunpowder sufficient to accelerate the bullet from rest to a speed of 1250 feet per second (860 miles per hour) and 135 foot-pounds of energy (twice what the US Army considers necessary to produce a disabling wound in humans) as it exits the rifle. Uniform in size and content, these cartridges are as near defect free as anything I've experienced. Indeed, in shooting them since June 26, 1958, I've never had one to fail to fire on demand.
So, you might ask, how much does such a near perfect thing cost? Well, I went to Farmer's Hardware Store today to purchase a new supply of Winchester Wildcat .22 long rifle cartridges, expecting the worse. Yet, there they were, made in the USA yet, packaged 50 to the box, for $0.0234 apiece, a whole box of them for $1.17.
Wow! For a grand total of $2.34, no more or less, I could acquire the "Made in America" means to dispatch 100 groundhogs. That's less than the cost of a caffe latte at Starbucks, folks. Indeed, they are less expensive today, I do believe, than when my rifle was new in 1958.
I think, perhaps, that can mean only crude oil plays no part in their creation.
These, Winchester Wildcats to be specific, contain at once a brass casing, a bullet of 40 grains (0.09 ounces) of lead metal, primer, and gunpowder sufficient to accelerate the bullet from rest to a speed of 1250 feet per second (860 miles per hour) and 135 foot-pounds of energy (twice what the US Army considers necessary to produce a disabling wound in humans) as it exits the rifle. Uniform in size and content, these cartridges are as near defect free as anything I've experienced. Indeed, in shooting them since June 26, 1958, I've never had one to fail to fire on demand.So, you might ask, how much does such a near perfect thing cost? Well, I went to Farmer's Hardware Store today to purchase a new supply of Winchester Wildcat .22 long rifle cartridges, expecting the worse. Yet, there they were, made in the USA yet, packaged 50 to the box, for $0.0234 apiece, a whole box of them for $1.17.
Wow! For a grand total of $2.34, no more or less, I could acquire the "Made in America" means to dispatch 100 groundhogs. That's less than the cost of a caffe latte at Starbucks, folks. Indeed, they are less expensive today, I do believe, than when my rifle was new in 1958.
I think, perhaps, that can mean only crude oil plays no part in their creation.
Dave, somewhere around 1950 I was allowed to squirell hunt by myself. I had a rifle similar to yours. I believe it was a Remington Model 13 Targetmaster single shot.No scope. I shot .22 shorts. They were about $0.46 a box.
ReplyDeleteI used to catch gopher tortises and other turtles and take them into town to be sold at the General Store. No matter how big or nice the turtles were, Ole Man Denton said he sold them for 46 cents. I was happy I bought a box of shorts from him. We ate a lot of squriells back then.
Even now some 55 years later, when the first cold snap comes I want to go hunting. Wish I could get the old wheelchair into the woods without bogging down. (g)
I do enjoy reading your "mindless" ramblings. Keep it up.
Big Jim Awaiting the next Pete Jones Memorial Pig.