My some time bridge partner, who's almost 20 years older than me (I'm 59), tells me about being on the rifle team at St. John's U. and carrying his .22 rifle on the subway, storing it in his locker, going to practice, then taking it back home by public transportation to Forest Hills.

 

I attended Xavier H.S. in NYC. Xavier is/was a Catholic, all-boys, military high school (the military part was optional beginning in 1975).

 

Back then Xavier actually had a rifle range on site. The address is 30 W. 16th St. The range was in a sub-basement, a feature in many many NYC buildings (some even have sub-sub basements -- eerie). From my weak recollection the direction we shot was "across" 16th St., but like 25-30 feet below. But it might have been under 28 or 26 W. 16th, or even maybe under the church next door, or towards 15th St.

 

I recall shooting a bolt-action, but I don't remember loading magazines. Yet, strangely, the first time I recall doing so, a tad more than a year ago, I knew what to do.

 

Maybe it was a single-shot trainer. Makes sense, we were 13-14 -- but definitely not a semi-auto.

 

Sgt. McGowan (US Army, very old to me at the time, retired) was the range officer and dispenser of the surplus army blouses (jackets) and trousers we wore twice a week when we were semi-officially in the army, sort of. 

 

Sgt. Daly was active but never went into the basement. He was not "equipment," he explained. But according to legend he was an alcoholic. Well, he was a good guy. One day, on the first Earth Day, he railed against "THE UNWASHED ONES." So about 30 of us, in full uniform, went to check it out at Union Square that very afternoon. "I was at chess club, Ma!"

 

I must say, in that environment WE were the freaks. We found ourselves in a sea of hippies, druggies, the UNWASHED ONES but nobody, nobody gave us shit. By that I mean everybody was kind and accepting. Sort of like in the musical Hair.

 

Anyone else have similar recollections?

I grew up on 3rd st near NYU. I am about 6 yrs behind you, but back in those days, I guess I was one of the unwashed ones. Not really a hippie, but had long hair and wore ripped jeans and the like. Definitely not military material..

My high school used to have a range in the basement similar to what you described. My dad was on the team in '82, long gone by when I entered in 2005.