My nephew thought I was a wizard when I fixed his jammed .22

I was at a family BBQ and my nephew brought his old .22 that kept jamming. I took a look, cleared a fouled round and showed him how to clean the chamber properly. He was so amazed he told everyone I used magic, which got a lot of laughs. It felt great to pass on a bit of knowledge and see his excitement.

3 comments

3 Comments

the_noah1mo ago

I read that .22s jam a lot because rimfire rounds foul up more. What @derek656 said about his buddy Dave really fits, those simple fixes do feel like magic to a kid. It's cool how just showing the basics can make someone's whole day.

olivia_lopez161mo ago

You ever feel like your lack of skill accidentally makes you look like a pro? I once spent twenty minutes fumbling with a bolt action, finally got it, and my cousin’s kid swore I was a gunsmith. Nope, just stubborn and got lucky. Guess sometimes TOTAL confusion looks like magic from the outside.

derek6561mo ago

My buddy Dave had the same thing happen with his kid last fall. His boy was ready to quit on an old single-shot because of a squib load. Dave just showed him how to tap the rod and clear it, real simple. The kid looked at him like he'd just revealed the secrets of the universe, and now he won't stop asking to go to the range. Those little moments really are the best part of sharing a hobby.