Ditchdigger, when you said you put your guns on the floor of the truck it reminded me of a story told to me by a young gunsmith I knew many years ago. He told me about an incident while he was away at gunsmith school somewhere in the midwest. The school would take in guns and the students would work on them and be graded as part of the cirriculum near the end of their studies. (Anyone near a gunsmith school should call or visit and see if you can get you guns done!). My friend had drawn an old dinged up, beat up, abused hulk of a pre 64 Winchester Model 94 in 30-30. He agonized sweated and slaved over that gun for weeks, replacing parts, rebuilding parts, drawfiling the pits out of the barrel, high polish rust blue all over, very careful to not round off a edges while polishing, new walnut stock with many coats of handrubbed finish. It was now a jewel and his instructors gave him a great grade on his accomplishments.
After the grading the owners were called to pick up their guns. The 30-30's owner, a crusty old rancher came in to pick up his gun. Mike waited with baited breath for the ranchers explanation of joy. Well, the rancher didn't say much, something like, " I see you finally got'er done". Mike dejectedly walked out to the ranchers pick up parked outside the school while carrying the gun for the owner and trying to engage him in small talk without much luck, "Uh-Huh, nope, yup" is about all he got. When he got to the truck Mike mentioned to the rancher as was the schools policy, thanks for letting me work on your gun and if there is anything we can do for you in the future please call. This is the part of the story that almost brought tears to Mike's eye's. He handed the rancher the beautiful, perfect rifle, the one he had spent weeks agonizing over to be just PERFECT. The rancher said something like a disgusted "yeah", THREW that beautiful rifle into the bed of the pickup, where it bounced on the steel floor, climbed into the cab and drove off with the rifle bouncing around in the pickup bed with Mike standing there on the sidewalk with his eyes like this - :shock: . To hear him tell the story would make even the toughest gun fancier sad. I know it made me cringe....<><....
