By Tank Hoover

You remember Callshot. If not, let me refresh your memory. I wrote about him last year… https://americanhandgunner.com/the-legend-of-callshot/

This story is about the Legendary Callshot Bisley. After all, a legendary man needs a legendary gun. Here’s how it happened…

There’s no denying whenever guys get together we size each other up looking for strengths and weaknesses, saving our observations for future use. We ignore the strengths and memorize the weaknesses, to be used later — in jest. So knowing this let me describe Callshot.

When he approach’s you, you’ll notice his limp on account of one leg being shorter than the other. Callshot, forever the optimist, likes to say one leg is actually longer, that’s the kind of guy he is. He’s missing his trigger finger and has a glass eye, no kidding! Despite these short… err, long-coming’s, he’s a pretty good sixgun shot.

Some Background

Callshot had it pretty tough, really. He never complained, but his wife, Betty had MS and she was bedridden. He had to retire early to take care of her. For 11 years, Betty was bedridden, but never got a bedsore due to Callshot’s care. He ran the house and took care of Betty. There wasn’t a lot of spare time, but when there was, he would go on short adventures with his buddy, Sixshot. It didn’t matter if it was ground squirrels, rock chucks, and moose or just plinking into a nearby river canyon, the short trips were an outlet for Callshot.

This is how it was for 11 years. Day in and day out, Callshot took care of Betty with nary a complaint. Some could get bitter with the hand they’ve been dealt, but not Callshot. It was this great attitude that the Callshot Bisley came to being.

Here is the infamous “Callshot Bisley.”

A Surprise

A particular gun forum was the regular meeting place for a cast of characters who hatched this devious plan. The ringleader was 2 Dogs, with Sixshot being his co-conspirator. There were others, Zeus, Hidestretcher, Rob and few more. I was somewhere in the mix.

Since Callshot was forced into an early retirement, his retirement was less, just enough to get by, basically. Around this time, Ruger just announced the release of their mid-frame Bisley in .44 Special. Everyone ordered one, except Callshot. Here’s where the plan kicks in.

When a bunch of miserable, rotten, nasty, evil gun guys all kick-in for something, the stings practically unnoticeable. A gun was ordered and paid for and Sixshot would deliver it to Callshot.

Sixshot tells Callshot he’s coming over to show him his new Ruger Bisley. He left six spent cartridges in the cylinder.

He told Callshot he had been shooting earlier and something didn’t feel right, would he look at it. Callshot reaches for the gun, opens the loading gate and spins the cylinder, seeing six spent cartridges, and removes them. He sees a piece of paper sticking out of one piece of brass.

Huh?

Callshot pulls it out saying, “What’s this…?” Dick asks him if it says anything. Callshot opens the note and reads it, “Here’s your gun buddy, from the Callshot Fan Club.”

Callshot is dumbfounded, more than usual. Sixshot explained how everyone chipped in and got him his “Callshot Bisley.” He also got a mighty fine shuck from the Hidestretcher, with matching cartridge slide. A custom Bill Snow blade was also in the mix. Callshot started leaking. He even blew his nose. He told Betty, and she started leaking — I think even Sixshot sprung a leak.

Word got out. People on the gun forum started donating things to Callshot to accompany his Fan Club treasures. COR got him some dies, someone else got a Lyman 429421 “Keith” mold for loading Skeeter loads. I think a Lyman 429215 mold also showed up. Brass was donated, maybe even some powder and primers.

Here’s Callshot in the Official Callshot Fan Club uniform. Good humor makes all
things tolerable. Here he’s playing with a table leg.

Gun Guys…

I guess this just goes to show you how ruthless, mean, nasty and dangerous gun guys are. They only care about themselves, right?

This whole incident is a great example of just how down to earth the gun culture really is. Looking out for a brother in need, for all his good deeds, asking for nothing, but receiving just a token for a job well done. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say gun guys would have to be some of the biggest-hearted, sappiest guys I know. And I’m proud to associate myself with them.

Don’t spread this story around, we don’t want people knowing what gun guys are really like — or do we?

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