Favorite Firearms: A Model 84C for Bus Fare

by
posted on April 26, 2021
fare.jpg

My half-brother Charles F. Minter, Jr.—who later became a major general—owned a Springfield Model 84C bolt-action .22 rimfire rifle when he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943.

When he wanted to come home on leave after completing basic pilot training but couldn’t afford bus fare, I cashed in a war bond that I had gotten by filling my Victory Stamp Album and gave the money to him. The bond’s value at the time was $18.75, and I took the rifle from him as repayment because that’s about what it was worth.

The Springfield was a well-built, utilitarian rifle that taught me to shoot and hunt. It got me into competitive Army and Air Force rifle shooting, which I did throughout high school and college, and later I got into competitive trap shooting. 

It was also used for home protection, to repel burglars who were stealing car tires during the war, and to slaughter pigs on our Georgia farm. That old Springfield is still a cherished possession after all of these years, and it always arouses great childhood memories every time I shoot it.

W.W. “Buzz” Wells, California

Latest

NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, Atlanta
NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits, Atlanta

The Rifleman Report: New Developments

Our official coverage of new products for the current year is set for next month, but we included two substantial new developments in this issue that have the potential to make significant ripples in the firearm business even before then.

Arkansas To Begin Mandatory Gun Safety Lessons In Schools

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed into law requiring public and open enrollment public charter schools to provide age-appropriate firearm safety instruction beginning during the 2025-2026 school year.

Adams Arms Set To Relaunch

Alexandria Pro-Fab, a contract machine shop based in Minnesota, announced that it has purchased the assets of Adams Arms, along with all of the company’s intellectual property, and it plans to relaunch the company in the second quarter of 2025.

I Have This Old Gun: Bayard Auto Pistol

The Herstal, Belgium, firm of Anciens Etablissements Pieper was apparently expecting big things when, in 1908, it named its new semi-automatic pocket pistol “Bayard.”

The Armed Citizen® March 31, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

New For 2025: Benelli USA Nova 3 Tactical

This latest update to Benelli’s pump-action shotgun gives users a few upgrades over previous generations, making the new NOVA 3 the most exciting pump-gun yet to come from the Italian maker.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.