I was searching for info on a different photo of President Reagan and came across this one, from the Reagan Library.


C18587-24, President Reagan aiming a rifle at a window while flying aboard Air Force One during trip to California. 11/23/1983.


It's photos like this one that remind me why I felt good about most things when he was president. It would've been nice to have met him, shaken his hand, and just have a nice conversation with him, and maybe even a laugh or two.

Anyone have any additional info or context for this photo?

I'm going to assume the Secret Service agents cleared that bad boy before the Gip put the booger hook on it.

He’s a lefty! Which sucks when the edge of the raised comb on a right handed rifle is digging into your cheek preventing you from getting a good cheek weld.

Looks to me like he’s got a Weatherby, which is very fitting for a man from California.

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Originally posted by BMR:
Looks to me like he’s got a Weatherby, which is very fitting for a man from California.

My thoughts also; a Weatherby. Maybe a .270 Weatherby Magnum.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
I'm going to assume the Secret Service agents cleared that bad boy before the Gip put the booger hook on it.

I wonder what a .30 caliber hole through the side of the airplane would do? I would guess it would stay a small hole, but it would certainly let a lot of the air out. But, yeah, I would assume someone made sure there were no shells in it.

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Originally posted by jhe888:

I wonder what a .30 caliber hole through the side of the airplane would do? I would guess it would stay a small hole, but it would certainly let a lot of the air out.

If it's anything like those 1970's "Airport" disaster movies, papers and debris will be flying all over the place and its quite possible a stewardess would be sucked out of the plane.

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Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

I wonder what a .30 caliber hole through the side of the airplane would do? I would guess it would stay a small hole, but it would certainly let a lot of the air out.

If it's anything like those 1970's "Airport" disaster movies, papers and debris will be flying all over the place and its quite possible a stewardess would be sucked out of the plane.

Unless it was one of those "Airport" movies about the Concorde in which case you could just open the side panel cockpit window and shoot out a flare from a flare gun without issue.

quote:

Originally posted by BMR:
Looks to me like he’s got a Weatherby, which is very fitting for a man from California.

Well, it used to be.

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Originally posted by radioman:


If it's anything like those 1970's "Airport" disaster movies, papers and debris will be flying all over the place and its quite possible a stewardess would be sucked out of the plane.

[shirleybassey] GoldFINGERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR [/shirleybassey]

And here I thought the title of this thread was the answer to the Game of “Clue” whodonit.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
I'm going to assume the Secret Service agents cleared that bad boy before the Gip put the booger hook on it.

I wonder what a .30 caliber hole through the side of the airplane would do? I would guess it would stay a small hole, but it would certainly let a lot of the air out. But, yeah, I would assume someone made sure there were no shells in it.

A .30” hole would do nothing but make noise. The pressurization system dump valve in the tail area of the aircraft dumps out way more than a .30 hole ever would. Now if the .30 hole was in the window and it caused the window to shatter and depart (I have no idea whether it would or not) a window sized hole might get a little more sporty…

I'm sure, back then, if Roy Weatherby knew that this rifle was going to President Reagan It would be fitted with a left hand stock in the most gorgeous Walnut or Maple you could imagine.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
A .30” hole would do nothing but make noise. The pressurization system dump valve in the tail area of the aircraft dumps out way more than a .30 hole ever would. Now if the .30 hole was in the window and it caused the window to shatter and depart (I have no idea whether it would or not) a window sized hole might get a little more sporty…

Just a bullet hole no problem according to the MBs. Blowing out the whole window, bit of a problem. Blowing out side of the plane, well...

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Originally posted by radioman:

. . . its quite possible a stewardess would be sucked out . . .

Or vice versa had it been the Clinton Administration.

How do we know the plane was airborne at the time, and not just sitting on the tarmac?

He is aiming it at his favorite reporter.

All’s fair in love and war.

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Originally posted by 2BobTanner:
And here I thought the title of this thread was the answer to the Game of “Clue” whodonit.

Yeah, I guess my subject line leaves something to be desired.

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Originally posted by chbibc:
How do we know the plane was airborne at the time, and not just sitting on the tarmac?

I considered that also.

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Originally posted by Redhookbklyn:

He is aiming it at his favorite reporter.
...

As the photo was taken during the Cold War I was thinking he might be taking aim at "Ivan".

If you skim through photos of President Reagan you find him in a number of them posing with props. There is one where he is wearing a football helmet while wearing a suit, one in which he is posing with a lifelike cardboard cut-out of himself, one in which he is posing with a giant Sara Lee cake, and yet another in which he is riding a large wooden rocking horse inside the Oval Office.

It's clear he had a good sense of humor, didn't take himself so seriously that he couldn't laugh at himself too...and that he was comfortable using props as a way to create laughter. This is why I won't chide him for pointing a rifle at an aircraft window with his finger on the trigger.

I'm guessing that either he, or someone else cleared the rifle first and also that he saw the rifle as another opportunity at a gag.

From what I've heard, President Reagan knew the basics of gun handling.

Years ago I caught an interview with a Secret Service agent that I believe was either on his personal detail, or in service at the time.

Apparently Reagan would occasionally walk his California ranch and point out various rattlesnakes to the agents in tow, before blasting them with a SAA. The agents were duly impressed with the President's sharpshooting skills... but, little did they know he was using snake shot...and he led them on for quite a while.

30 cal might not even go through in this scenario. It is Air Force One after all.