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Got to quit. Told I was “‘unsafe at any speed’” by a couple of quacks.


Cherokee Maddog 48430

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I have collected a lot of SASS and Cowboy Fast Draw items ,including guns, rigs, clothes, loading equipment, hats, wax bullets etc.  I will start listing items tomorrow.  Some examples would be a Warden’s 1897 breakdown in excellent condition.  Has two barrels with matching numbers.  Sequential Colt .45 LC.  All gunsmith work done by Bob Munden.  Only fired by him for testing and me in one of his classes.  Paper work included.  Pair of 125th anniversary Colts.  Not sequential, but gold washed.  Used for B-western, but still in great condition.  Box looks like it has been to hell and back, but pistols look great.  They both have anniversary S/N.  
 

I will be including pictures of every thing, so expect a lot of entries.  I will include also include prices in all listings.

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Doctors know that if you quit your outdoor hobbies and sit on your butt all day watching old Westerns, you'll get even sicker, faster, and they'll make even more money on you and your insurance.   THAT SAID, however, "unsafe at any speed" does remind me of my own doc's advice after I recovered from a disastrous surfing accident in which the entire right side of my ribcage was crushed with 20 fractures (it took a few years to fully recover).  Doc said "no more surfing."  My wife said that even if another wave didn't kill me, she would kill me if I ever surfed again.  Point well taken.  The same doc said "no more bicycle riding -- any fall will shatter your ribs again and might kill you this time," so I gave up bike riding too.  But give up shooting?  No way.  And I'm stronger today and have better stamina than before the accident, and do much more adventurous and strenuous hiking and hunting adventures.  You are the boss of you (well, the wife gets a vote); do what you feel you can do safely.

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Your doc sounds like he's antigun and doesn't know anything about what your doing. What is it about your health that he said would be dangerous if I'm not prodding into your personal life too much. I'm just curious.^_^

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How do YOU feel about shooting? That would be my decision maker. Wishing you the best.

EH

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Statistically true fact: Fifty percent of all doctors graduated at the bottom of their class and fifty percent were in the top of their class. Your goal should be to find one from the later group. 

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26 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

How do YOU feel about shooting? That would be my decision maker. Wishing you the best.

EH

I'm with Eyesa: as a wise old feller once said,  "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right." All the best wishes for what's best for you, pardner. 

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Quitting the game is a big and difficult decision that at some point we will all have to deal with. I have been involved with a few episodes. I don't personally agree with those that say "You'll know when it's time". In most cases (not all), people just don't want to admit it. It's not just here in this game... how many people are out there driving their cars putting others at risk because they just don't want to give it up. I don't blame them, but there comes a time when someone other than the person involved must get involved. To that end, I have ALWAYS done everything possible to kick that can down the road as far as possible. When the same old fella just could not walk from the loading table to the stage without sweeping everyone on the range, we finally made the decision that we would stage his firearms for him. When things got even tougher, we would have him shoot the stage from just one position. When he kept dropping guns, we finally had to end his action shooting, but we got him involved with some Bench rest shooting. Your peers and your friends will know when it's time for you to step back.... the only thing I can see your doctor deciding on is whether your physical situation can take the abuse that a Shotgun or such can deliver on recoil. We owe it to ourselves and to others the help each other to enjoy life as much as possible. We also owe it to everyone to ensure that we maintain a safe environment for everyone. Bottom line is this..... if the people your shoot with have real concerns that cannot be addressed, then, and only then should you consider stepping aside.

 

Snakebite

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Of course if you cannot do an activity safely (both to yourself and others) and you cannot tell the difference between "safely" and "not safely," then it is time for others to step in and make that call for you.  Dealing with an elderly parent who has no business getting behind the wheel of a few thousand pounds of rolling death metal is the classic situation many of us have had to handle, and it can get plain old ugly.  When my late father's wife said "but he only drives locally" my response was "that's great, he'll only kill the neighbors' kids."

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Just now, Nostrum Damus SASS #110702 said:

Of course if you cannot do an activity safely (both to yourself and others) and you cannot tell the difference between "safely" and "not safely," then it is time for others to step in and make that call for you.  Dealing with an elderly parent who has no business getting behind the wheel of a few thousand pounds of rolling death metal is the classic situation many of us have had to handle, and it can get plain old ugly.  When my late father's wife said "but he only drives locally" my response was "that's great, he'll only kill the neighbors' kids."

Been there, done that, with Dad, an impossible and unwinnable situation.  Hindsight, I don't know if I did the right thing.  I may have shortened his life.

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1 hour ago, Rip Snorter said:

Been there, done that, with Dad, an impossible and unwinnable situation.  Hindsight, I don't know if I did the right thing.  I may have shortened his life.

I didn't shorten his life (Parkinson's did that), but I did extend the lives of his neighbor's kids.  It was a terrible fight just the same.  When both he and his wife threatened me for caring, I did what had to be done and reported him to DMV using the procedure DMV set up specifically to deal with this situation.  DMV reads the sworn statement on the provided form, signed by at least two family members (it was me, my sister, and my firefighter son), and then they call the person in to take a road test.  If the person doesn't show up for it, the DL is automatically revoked.  And that's how it went down.  And I KNOW me, Sis, and Son did the right thing; the 100% correct and responsible thing to do.  I would not have been able to live with myself if he ran over and killed a family while I dithered.

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1 hour ago, Nostrum Damus SASS #110702 said:

Of course if you cannot do an activity safely (both to yourself and others) and you cannot tell the difference between "safely" and "not safely," then it is time for others to step in and make that call for you.  Dealing with an elderly parent who has no business getting behind the wheel of a few thousand pounds of rolling death metal is the classic situation many of us have had to handle, and it can get plain old ugly.  When my late father's wife said "but he only drives locally" my response was "that's great, he'll only kill the neighbors' kids."

Hardest conversation I had with my Dad when i took his keys ended with him angrily telling (in spanish) “But I’m still able to drive!”… with me answering”yes dad, youre still able to drive… what youre not able of doing is SEEING!”… even after cataracts removed.. that darned diabetes… tough call to make but when he understood that part he started laughing and gave me a big ol’ hug! 

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My father couldn't control his legs well enough to walk anymore, but insisted that he could control them well enough to drive as long as his wife rolled him in his wheelchair to the car door and helped lift him out of the chair and into the driver's seat.  It was ridiculous.

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This is a good discussion which we all need to take seriously, especially as we age.  
The screenshot below is of the booklet “Dementia and Firearm Safety” recently published locally (Florida) by an expert on dementia with input from our Sheriffs Department, a local gun shop owner, and an attorney.  I highly recommend it.  In the booklet you will find very good, concise information about mental decline and also helpful information about steps to take to help keep you and your loved ones safe as you age.  Also in the booklet is a letter I wrote my older son (an FFL) in 2019 where I promised that when he determines that time has come he has my permission to remove all firearms from my home.  If anyone would like a copy of my letter, then just send me a PM.

respectfully, 

Capt’n Rudy, USCG, retired

2DE294E0-85AB-4E5C-A0C5-1C39417999F1.jpeg

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My FIL was a diabetic as well as starting to have dementia when he tried to drive through a creek to get my MIL to a yard sale. In his defense my MIL had suffered a stroke, had a child-like mental capacity, and would hound him to no end once her mind was set. My kids were in the car screaming as he did it. Not long after he had a wreck as he was trying to get home to relieve the in home nurse. He hadn’t eaten a thing all day so we assume he passed out from low blood sugar. As he was in the hospital recovering, my MIL had to go into a nursing home where she contracted pneumonia and died. He had survivors remorse after that. His driving continued to get worse to the point if I was around he handed me the keys and had me drive him. We finally took the car away and had him move in with us. That was entertaining to say the least. I work from home at times. I heard him walking down the hall and something made me check on him. He was naked except for shoes! I asked him what was up and he responded that he needed toilet paper. I told him to head on back and I would bring it to him! It kept getting worse from there. At the end he thought he was me. (Men want to be me, women want to be with me…)

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Taking the keys and car away from my mother was one of the hardest things I've ever done. She was 94, and actually could drive the car, but her reactions and alertness were slow, and she was a disaster waiting to happen. I'm 75, have my cancer problems, but at this point I can still function pretty well. I can shoot most stages in the low 20 sec range, take my mile and half walk every morning being dragged by the dogs, tow and back my new truck and trailer and do most things that don't take a large amount of stamina. We all age at different rates, and our abilities to function vary greatly and can change virtually over night. As time goes by and my lifetime of being an extremely active person slows down at a faster rate every year, I wonder what adventure God has waiting for me around that next corner. Many folks won't admit to the fact, but our Game is heavy with folks either like us or very close behind us. We all need to look out for one another and help one another as much as we can. One thing I learned over many years of being a volunteer and paid call Fire Fighter is this.... you MUST take care of yourself or you will not be able to take care of anyone else. So do that.... take care of yourself as best you can.

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8 hours ago, Cholla said:

My FIL was a diabetic as well as starting to have dementia when he tried to drive through a creek to get my MIL to a yard sale. In his defense my MIL had suffered a stroke, had a child-like mental capacity, and would hound him to no end once her mind was set. My kids were in the car screaming as he did it. Not long after he had a wreck as he was trying to get home to relieve the in home nurse. He hadn’t eaten a thing all day so we assume he passed out from low blood sugar. As he was in the hospital recovering, my MIL had to go into a nursing home where she contracted pneumonia and died. He had survivors remorse after that. His driving continued to get worse to the point if I was around he handed me the keys and had me drive him. We finally took the car away and had him move in with us. That was entertaining to say the least. I work from home at times. I heard him walking down the hall and something made me check on him. He was naked except for shoes! I asked him what was up and he responded that he needed toilet paper. I told him to head on back and I would bring it to him! It kept getting worse from there. At the end he thought he was me. (Men want to be me, women want to be with me…)

Sad, but I lost a mouthful of early morning coffee at the end...blessings !  SB

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Ran across several shooters who were encouraged to stop shooting matches over the years. Accommodations are made for physical issues, but should not allow unsafe practices. A few that wouldn't listen were banned from the matches. 

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Cap't Rudy's post is a good one, too, and reminds me of the time it was clear to me that I had to get all of the firearms out of my father's house.  As I said, he endured the horrors of Parkinson's, including dementia for a few years at the end.  One day a few years back I offered to take him to a gun show but only if he used a walker.  Of course he refused the offer, still saying that he could walk when he clearly could not.  I said the offer was non-negotiable, so we didn't go!  But then he blurted out "do you want my Mauser?"  "What Mauser, Dad?"  He couldn't remember what kind of Mauser, nor when he got it, where he got it, what he paid for it, from whom he got it, even roughly how long he had it ... in short, zippo.  He told me to go to a closet and in the back I'd find it and I could have it if I wanted it.  My jaw dropped open when I picked up a low 4-digit serial number Swedish M96/38 that looked for all intents and purposes as it did the day it left Carl Gustafs Stads Gevärsfaktori in 1939 after its arsenal refurb.  That was when the little light bulb went on over my head ... he had no idea what guns were in the house.  Why the idea of the Swedish Mauser popped into what was left of his brain that day will always be a mystery.  Fortunately, over the next several months, he allowed me and my sons to find and remove all of his guns from the house, and his bayonet collection, too; he knew that his shooting and collecting days were over, if nothing else.  His wife was greatly relieved by all of that.

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On 5/24/2022 at 9:55 PM, Cholla said:

My FIL was a diabetic as well as starting to have dementia when he tried to drive through a creek to get my MIL to a yard sale. In his defense my MIL had suffered a stroke, had a child-like mental capacity, and would hound him to no end once her mind was set. My kids were in the car screaming as he did it. Not long after he had a wreck as he was trying to get home to relieve the in home nurse. He hadn’t eaten a thing all day so we assume he passed out from low blood sugar. As he was in the hospital recovering, my MIL had to go into a nursing home where she contracted pneumonia and died. He had survivors remorse after that. His driving continued to get worse to the point if I was around he handed me the keys and had me drive him. We finally took the car away and had him move in with us. That was entertaining to say the least. I work from home at times. I heard him walking down the hall and something made me check on him. He was naked except for shoes! I asked him what was up and he responded that he needed toilet paper. I told him to head on back and I would bring it to him! It kept getting worse from there. At the end he thought he was me. (Men want to be me, women want to be with me…)

 

FIL?  MIL?   Not familiar with those abbreviations...

 

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Cherokee, my motto is "Don't Give Up".  I am 92+ and shoot every match (with help staging guns) and plan to do so till a RANGE OFFICIAL says I am ubsafe.  The cowboys are my real friends and it is their encouragement  and my motto that keeps me going.  If I listened to my doctor I would have bit the dust 20 years ago.

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1 hour ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

FIL?  MIL?   Not familiar with those abbreviations...

 

Father in law, Mother in law

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yes we all have them once we are married - some of us have more than one [ill not disparage them tho they treated me better than their daughters did] but thats a whole nuther discussion entirely  

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