I had BB guns, then air rifles & dad had a pump .22 which I loved but it was the family gun. What I consider my "first-gun" was my deer rifle. It was handed down to me from my brother. It was a used Savage 99 take-down .250-3000 that dad had bought from a friend. It had a Williams peep sight & I shot 100gr silvertips out of it. Killed my first deer with it & many more there after. It was a real tragedy when that rifle was stolen years later.
I've looked at gun shows just to hold one again, but they are scarcer than hen's teeth!
...bug