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Old December 3, 2012, 02:14 PM   #26
alex0535
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BB Guns and Air rifle for my earliest experiences. Too young to remember how young.

Ruger 10/22 was my first real rifle, I might of been 6 or 7. I grew up in a house full of guns.
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Old December 3, 2012, 02:36 PM   #27
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My first rifle was a gift from my grandfather, the day I was born. I have shot, honestly, since I was big enough to hold rifles and pistols. My parents used to buy me a brick of .22's and hand me an old Winchester bolt action rifle, this was what my summer breaks from school consisted of.
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Old December 3, 2012, 02:41 PM   #28
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Uncle Sam gave me a uniform and handed me a M-16 after HS graduation...in 1968.
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Old December 3, 2012, 02:52 PM   #29
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Fort Dix, July, 1970.
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Old December 3, 2012, 03:00 PM   #30
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Up until the pivotal moment, I'd had no interest whatsoever in guns. Then, one day, while still in Junior High School, I wandered down to the library during my Study Hall. Happened upon a book that looked to have been made in the late '50s or early '60s about the FBI. I sat down and began reading; and I made it to the chapter dealing with firearms training. It was at this point that the key was inserted into the lock, the hand slipped into the glove. I walked out of that library a forever-changed kid. From there, I began devouring every issue of Guns & Ammo I could find, learning the basics from Jan Libourel, Dave Arnold, and others. A few years later, when I finally got my first real firearm, thanks to all I'd learned from those gents, I was ready.
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Old December 3, 2012, 03:08 PM   #31
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In my case my sons and I did it backwards. They gave me an air rifle as a Fathers Day gift years ago which I really enjoyed shooting. Then, due to circumstances we were estranged for eleven years. About the time we reunited 2-1/2 years ago I saw an ad in a national publication from Henry Repeating Arms Company and got interested in their lever-action .22 rifle which I subsequently bought. As it turned out both my sons are avid shooters and gun collectors, one of them is in law-enforcement, and I caught the shooting "bug" from them. These days shooting and running drills is our main father-son bonding and socializing activity. Since our homes are two hours apart we have "range days" in which we meet at the range to practice and play with our various firearms then go out for a hearty restaurant meal afterwards. So, my sons got me all fired up about firearms and I'm a relative late bloomer.

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Old December 3, 2012, 05:28 PM   #32
sc outdoorsman
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I don't really remember being introduced. Hunting in my family was just like going to school or church. Everyone did it and the whole family was involved. We had pointers for quail, hounds for deer and we had to tend to all of them. My earliest hunting memory was being carried out of my uncles dove field on my dad's shoulder because I was to tired to walk.I was maybe 5 years old.
The guns, especially shotguns, were prized possessions. The shotgun was the main tool used for all types of hunting. My dad had a double barrel for birds and a Ithaca pump for deer. He finally wore the pump out and got a Remmy 1100 from the Otasco store in town when I was around 9. I remember going with him to pick it up about 40 years ago.
Good memories!!!
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Old December 3, 2012, 06:25 PM   #33
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Grew up in the 1950s watching cowboy programs, had my shar of cap pistols-even had one that was a copy of the Broomhandle Mauser. First fired an actual firearm-22 rifle-at Boy Scout Camp, summer of 1963.
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Old December 3, 2012, 09:11 PM   #34
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I too had cap-guns, cowboy boots and a horse on springs that I would ride out to Indian country. What can I say my father looked at the Lone Ranger, Big Valley, Bonanza and every western known to man.
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Old December 3, 2012, 09:29 PM   #35
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Red Rider---> Ruger 10-22---> Remington 870---> Pistols and everything else under the sun!
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Old December 3, 2012, 09:37 PM   #36
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Grew up in the north woods and with the exception of my maternal grandmother I cannot think of a single adult in my family, ie anyone over 14 years old who did not have a gun and a lot of us started out with a bow.
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Old December 3, 2012, 10:31 PM   #37
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I'm jealous of all you guys that grew up with guns in your hands. We had a cheap BB gun when I was a kid but Dad never taught me how to shoot it (despite having been an expert marksman in junior ROTC). As a Boy Scout I got to shoot a .38 Special once. Not long after I got married a younger brother left his 9mm Jennings and an SKS (and his motorcycle ) with me one summer. I shot a couple of rounds out of each. It wasn't until I was past 40 that I got the bug and taught myself. I read a ton of info off the internet until I knew how to be safe and how to line up the sights and how to breathe and ... Then I bought a .22 pistol and started practicing. Now I really need another safe! I taught my younger son how to shoot with that .22 pistol and when he's older I'll hand it down to him. I wish I could go back in time and teach the older one. He learned from a church youth group leader who apparently didn't spend much time on safety. The younger one had to repeat the 4 rules to me before I handed him a gun. For years Dad has changed the subject whenever me or my gun-nut brother brought up guns. But a year ago something changed. Recently we got him his very own .22 rifle for his birthday and he loves it! He even joined a gun club so he'd have a place to shoot. So I guess the story took a good turn despite the long, slow start.
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Old December 3, 2012, 10:35 PM   #38
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My father taught me rifles and shotguns, Uncle Sam taught me 1911's.
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Old December 3, 2012, 10:36 PM   #39
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Came our of the womb carrying my first rifle---hence the C-section delivery. One of the benefits on being Montana born and bred.
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Old December 4, 2012, 12:11 AM   #40
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My father was a hunter, and an NRA rifle & pistol safety instructor. Mom plinked, and shot pests. She was a crack shot with her JC Higgins .22, and pretty good with her Ruger Bearcat.

Learning began about the time I was big enough to hold one up. My 14th birthday present was my very own Winchester .22. At 16, Dad gave me a Remington model 600 .308 and at an auction, bought me a Winchester Model 12, 12ga.

That particular .22 is long gone, but the deer rifle and the shotgun I still have, and they have lots, and lots of relatives keeping them company these days.
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Old December 4, 2012, 12:13 AM   #41
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YMCA camp in the mountains of Colorado. Single shot 22's, RO got mad at me for shooting the clothespins off the wire.

Neither Mom or my stepfather were gun types, but weren't anti either. I found out much later in my 30's that Dad (paternal) was a big advocate of firearms...so it must have been genetic.
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Old December 4, 2012, 03:29 PM   #42
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My gun mentor was the uncle of one of my best friends ! Art was Marine veteran that I met at age 10 (1962) . I was a natural rifleman from the get go and Art was proud of how well he had taught me to shoot . We used to go to .22 turkey shoots all around the state , and kick butt . A lot of grown men , many of them WWII vets did not appreciate how well I did with Art's 52 Winchester . Once they got to know me , and the fact that my dad was a decorated Marine vet (that never again touched a rifle of any kind) we were cool , and much fun was had . My dad did buy me a poor mans Model 52 (Mod 75) that shot almost as good as Art's 52 . The lord blessed me with 20-15 vision and that had much to do with shooting iron sighted .22s well . 52 years later I've still got the bug . The games have changed over the years , from shotguns to high powered rifles to metalic silloetts (sp) with revolvers !
I managed to qualify Expert with every weapon I touched in the Army !

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Old December 4, 2012, 09:23 PM   #43
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My father bought a Ruger Single Six to shoot himself and teach me when I was 11 or 12. The next year he bought me a Glenfield (Marlin) 25, which I still have and shoot today. I later started buying firearms for myself while in the Marines.
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Old December 5, 2012, 07:31 AM   #44
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Yup, being born set the pattern. Raised on the farm with guns, hunters, and shooters. Got a Grandson who's the same way. He carries at least one toy gun most of the time. Other Grandson lives in town ona 50'x100' lot so he only gets to play with guns while at my house but they don't cool off much here.
I've lived on the farm all my life and carry a firearm most of my waking hours. Have my own range and shoot what,when, and how I want. Wouldn't live anywhere I couldn't do that.
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Old December 5, 2012, 11:52 AM   #45
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Dad never owned a gun. I loved westerns, getting hooked from the serials and movies at the theaters. That was Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and Hopalong Cassidy days. I used to play cowboys almost every day with kids in the neighborhood.

My brother, who was 7 years older, passed down his Red Ryder and after wearing that out, I bought a Daisy pump gun, wore it out, bought another and wore that one out also. By that time, my brother bought a Rem 514, a cheap single shot. When he went to college, I wore that one out also.

My B-I-L introduced me to handgun shooting. He had a cheap Sheridan Knockabout single-shot break-open pistol and one day (about 1957, at age 13) he let me shoot it at a can on a fencepost. I used it when he was away in the Air Force. After his passing a few years ago, I ended up with the piece, but have yet to fire it. I just keep it for the memory of firing a handgun for the first time.

I started buying guns with money earned working for my dad's business and kept trading about 5 times a year through high school, never owning more than a couple of guns, but shooting thousands of rounds a month.

In my 20s, I got into competitive handgun shooting, skeet shooting, and turkey shoots. I did okay and have been shooting both for fun and competitively in several venues ever since. I also learned to tune rifles and handguns and had a (hobby) gun repair/accurizing business for years.

Last edited by Picher; December 5, 2012 at 04:49 PM.
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Old December 5, 2012, 01:22 PM   #46
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I had a Daisy pump BB gun as a kid and then a Crossman air rifles and C)2 pistol in junior high (which I still have today) but it really started when I met my girlfriend (future wife) in high school and her dad had a modest collection. After getting married, his collection started to grow and I became more interested. I went out shooting with him once after having only shot air rifles and .22's. He brought with a 2nd generation 9mm S&W and S&W .357 magnum revolver. That set the hook and it was all over. I loved the 9mm auto and I'll never forget shooting that .357 magnum .... wow!

So now I have my own 3rd gen S&W 5906 and I'm hoping some day he'll pass down 1 of his .357 magnum revolvers to me.
btw - My favorite rifle (and one of my 2 favorite guns) - it's still the first one I bought, a Marlin bolt action .22 Magnum rifle.
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Old December 5, 2012, 01:42 PM   #47
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My father is/was a hunter and a reservist so I grew up around rifles but it was a friend of my fathers who gave me my first gun, a BB bolt gun that I had to cycle with all my 7 (or so) year old might, we were at a dinner at the friends house and I reckon the grownups thought we were being obnoxious so he put me outside with the rifle, empty beer cans and a small box of pellets. they watched me for a while then figured I could handle it.

Still have the rifle, been meaning to renovate it, my brother somehow jammed it up when he inherited it.
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Old December 5, 2012, 03:27 PM   #48
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TV and my Grandfather,,,

I got my first "firearm" when I was 4 years old,,,
It was a Davy Crocket set with a belt, pouch, knife, and "Old Betsy"

First you rammed a cork ball down the barrel
Then you put a cap under the frizzen,,,
The rifle had a real "touch hole",,,
The cap propelled the ball.

You had to tear one cap off of a normal roll of caps,,,
I had that gun for many years as a young kid,,,
Two caps would sometimes increase power,,,
But usually it just made some dud noise.

When Greenie Stick-um Caps came out they worked very well.

Just before I started the first grade I stayed with my Grannie and Papa,,,
Papa always wore a denim jacket with his "Owl Head" in the pocket,,,
I think it was probably an Iver Johnson chambered for .38 Special.

We were living out in the boonies of Upper Peninsula Michigan at the time,,,
I have a very clear memory of Papa letting me shoot it three times,,,
Between that experience and cowboy shows on the television,,,
I was a confirmed gun nut by the time I was 5 years old.

When we moved onto Drummond Island my father bought me a Daisy,,,
I was a very avid jackalope hunter until Mom finally clued me in,,,
Between my Father, Grandfather, uncles, and great uncles,,,
I got told a lot of great B-S stories the next few years.

I got my first rifle at a farm auction in the summer between 5th and 6th grade,,,
It was a Winchester Model 1898(?) pump chambered for .22 short only,,,
The magazine rod was missing so for me it was a single shot,,,
I was 9 years old and it cost me $5.00 (5 weeks allowance).

After that the gun-nuttery just grew and grew as meager finances allowed,,,
But it's only in these more recent years that I've been able to truly indulge myself.

Aarond

P.S. I really enjoyed reading these posts,,,
A few would be magazine worthy if fleshed out a bit.

.
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Old December 5, 2012, 04:14 PM   #49
Husqvarna
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My first time shooting a firearm is kinda burned into my mind, along with the lessons learned.

I was set to shot his hunting rifle but was too quick and tried to grab it while he was talking, the only time he ever hit me (thunk my mum spanked me as smallish child but nothing else), a quick slap on my face while he took the rifle with the other hand. I guess the lesson stuck because I still aks for permission close to 20 years later, and always check for go ahead to fire if there is a range guy or something.

after the smack he went over safety, how it worked and I don't think I ever listened so good.
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Old December 5, 2012, 05:58 PM   #50
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My Grandfather took me out to a farm and taught me how to handle and shoot a pellet rifle when I was 5 or 6. A year or two later we went back and he moved me up to a single shot 22 rifle.
After that I was on my own.
I spent countless hous and boxes of 22 ammo at Boy Scout Summer Camp at the rifle range. Just loved range time.
That is how I got started 50 or 51 years ago.
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