[aarondhgraham]

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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