When I was 13 years old, I stopped by "Uncle" Leo Warren's General Store in downtown Pulaski, GA and he had a brand new, in the box, Hi Standard, 22 Caliber Rimfire revolver for sale. If I recall correctly, it had a list price of $30.00.
I went home and dragged out my "Money Box." When I counted all my dollar bills plus the change-I only had about $20.00! DRAT !!!
My younger brother Karl, also had been saving money so I talked to him. He agreed to pitch in $10.00!!
So we went down to the General Store and plunked the money down on the counter.
Uncle Leo got the gun out from out of the counter and then asked me: "Are you sure this is all right with your Mother?"
Actually, neither Karl nor I had mentioned anything about buying a pistol to Mom, but I figured what the heck-" Go for Broke."
I said: "Mom said you should also throw in a FREE box of .22 Ammo!"
I almost fell over when Uncle Leo turned around, pulled a box of .22 Long Rifle cartridges off a shelf and put them down next to the pistol. Karl and I were out of the store in a heartbeat carrying our brand new Hi Standard, 9 shot "Treasure." Then went down out to a part of the farm about a mile out of town and burned up that entire box of ammo taking turns shooting the pistol.
Well, three months later we had sold some hawgs we had raised. Feeling "Flush With Cash" I talked Karl into throwing in some money and we ordered a brand new replica Zouave from a mail order house in California.
The local hardware store sold us some DuPont FFFg black powder (they kept black powder in stock because farmers fed it to their hawgs to worm them!) The hardware store also sold us a lead plumbers pot, ladle and a 25 pound of pure "Plumber's Lead." The store also ordered us a Lyman 575213 Minie Ball mould and some musket caps.
Anyway, a week later we were shooting the Zouave on an isolated section of the farm and having a heck of a good time when it went off accidentally!! Out in the field, a couple of hundred yards away. Karl pointed out to me a Hereford cow running in circles and then fall over!!!
When we got to the cow, it had already expired with a Minie Ball in the head!!!
So ended my first adventure with a Zouave!!! Cow Killer extraordinary!!
WHO ELSE ON THIS FORUM CAN BOAST OF ACCIDENTALLY KILLING A COW @200 YARDS WITH A ZOUAVE!!!