A wonderful reunion with my first gun - got it when I was 11 & it's still fantastic!

[chief38]

A wonderful reunion with my first gun - got it when I was 11 & it's still fantastic!

On my 11th birthday my Dad bought me my very first real gun, a Marlin/Glenfield model 25 in 22RF. I believe he purchased it at Klien's Dept. store and paid $29.99 for it back in 1965. Of course he kept it locked up until Saturday afternoons when I'd shoot box after box of ammo through it. It handles 22 short, 22 long and 22 long rifle and the detachable box magazine holds 7 rounds. It's a bolt action rifle and it came with a Marlin branded 1/2 diameter rifle scope too. I never really used the included scope as it is a real cheap one and hard to see through the 1/2" diameter tube, but I still have it in the original box. Back then I just used the standard sheet metal elevation adjustable rear sight that came on the gun. At the time I think I was shooting 22 shorts at about 30 feet or so. Hey, the shorts were cheap and I was only 11. At the 30 foot distance the shorts were more than accurate enough.

If memory serves, about 30+ years ago I purchased a Bausch & Lomb 4X basic scope for it which still sits on top of the rifle today. I was intending on giving it to my son, however his wife has nixed that. I think the scope cost about $35 bucks back then and ironically, $5 more than the rifle! The rifle stock is made out of Birch, the Bolt is chromed and the magazines are riveted to hold them together. This rifle set up is hardly high end but I have to give the JM marked barrel kudos for being superbly accurate! BTW, the trigger on this rifle has an exceptionally clean, no creep, 3 1/2 pound trigger and I did absolutely nothing to it.

When I was 11 I thought this rifle was the Bee's Knees!! Well I had not shot it in the 30+ years after mounting the scope on it and figured I'd get reacquainted with it today. I hung targets out at 50 yards and loaded it up with 7 rounds of 40 grain CCI Mini-Mags. It only needed 2 clicks down and one click to the left and I was pretty much spot on. I shot over 100 rounds and let my shooting bud's try it as well. We all get great with it! The targets below were all set up at 50 yards and our outdoor range is always a bit windy so the target frames move in the wind.

Believe it or not, the only 22 rifle I have that is more accurate than this one is my CZ 453 American which is an absolute tack driver and a high end 22 rifle! I've got lots of 22 rifles and this Marlin/Glenfield 25 comes in second place only to the CZ but obviously not even in the same class of quality. The CZ wears a high end Leupold scope and the B&L on the Marlin/Glenfield is a beginner grade 1" dia. scope - not even close in comparison. Anyway, I really enjoyed shooting it today and will be taking it out more often now days. While not a high end Beauty Queen, it certainly holds its own in the accuracy dept. and would make a fantastic squirrel gun!

 

[smoothshooter]

I think your son should not be taking orders from his wife when it comes to denying him one of his God given and constitutional rights. He needs to man up.
I can tell you, if she is a lefty, she is going to be trouble if most of your family are “regular Americans”.

 

[Muley Gil]

I think your son should not be taking orders from his wife when it comes to denying him one of his God given and constitutional rights. He needs to man up.
I can tell you, if she is a lefty, she is going to be trouble if most of your family are “regular Americans”.

I haven't fared well in the "marriage wars" until this time around; however, all of my exes liked guns. Ain't no way I would have married them if they had had reservations about firearms in the house.

 

[chief38]

I think your son should not be taking orders from his wife when it comes to denying him one of his God given and constitutional rights. He needs to man up.
I can tell you, if she is a lefty, she is going to be trouble if most of your family are “regular Americans”.

His wife - his life. While I am obviously in a different camp, I am not going to get in between them - that's their business. She adores my son and is a good, faithful, loving, caring wife. Yes, it bothers me, however you must choose your battles as they say. While I am still trying and still hoping, I will not alienate them over this matter.

 

[chief38]

I haven't fared well in the "marriage war" until this time around; however, all of my exes liked guns. Ain't no way I would have married them if they had had reservations about firearms in the house.

I would not have married a woman who was anti either, so we agree there! But that is me, not my son. He was and is free to make his own decisions. BTW, I have not given up quite yet!

 

[Golddollar]

On my 11th birthday my Dad bought me my very first real gun, a Marlin/Glenfield model 25 in 22RF.

You are inspiring me to pull out the Stevens Favorite .22 rifle my dad gave me for Christmas when I was 6 or 7 years old.

 

[A10]

Take her shooting, she might change her mind.

 

[alwslate]

A man will either wear the pants in his own house or he will wear the dress. Your son needs to take off the dress and put the pants on.

 

[chief38]

A man will either wear the pants in his own house or he will wear the dress. Your son needs to take off the dress and put the pants on.

I posted this thread to talk about my first gun that I received at 11 years old and the fantastic shooting experience I had today - not whether my son should bring guns into his house or not. That is his and his wife's business, not ours. I would much appreciate discussing our first guns here and not whether or not my son should man up. Thank you.

 

[petepeterson]

My first .22, as well.
I've since replaced the iron rear sight with a Williams aperture. Makes teaching easier, and tightens up the groups a bit, until my old eyes can't see through the smaller ones!

As I proudly have my Grandfather's Remington 512 in my safe, this Marlin will go to my 1st grandson, when Mama says it's OK for him to keep on his own.

 

[Bosquebass]

My first .22 was a brand new Mossberg Boy Scout Target Rifle that I got for my birthday in 1966. It was a single shot with a factory peep sight. Oh man I thought that gun was cool. Dad and I rigged up a sort of clothesline that ran across the creek on our place. It was on two pulleys and you could hang cans on it and run them across the creek. I think the distance was about 40 feet. We shot up many boxes of shorts shooting those cans. BTW, .22 shorts back then were around .39 cents or so a box at Kmart. Sadly, that gun, my first shotgun, and a nice Colt Trooper III were stolen 35 years ago.

 

[jimmyj]

My first was a Red Ryder BB guns that my Father purchased for me in 1946. In 1950 a Savage Model 1904 .22 single shot bolt action rifle used for $7.00.

 

[erikpolcrack]

My grandfather gave me an almost identical Marlin back in the early 60s when I was about the same age. I foolishly sold it years later, and was thrilled a few years back when I was able to replace it from a local store's 'bargain' used rifle rack.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

The Marlin 25 is proof that you don't have to spend a small fortune to get an insanely accurate .22 rifle. They are still a great choice as a first rifle for a new young shooter, and can be had for well under $200, quite a bit more than the $29.99 that you dad paid. And while the detachable magazines will now cost close to that, they can still be found.

John

 

[pharman]

My 1st gun...

My 1st gun was given to me by my Father in 1960 when I was 12 years old...it was a Savage Model 24 22LR/410 over/under with the side button...I kept the hang tag but not the original box...Dad paid $43.50 for it in 1960...I used this gun every chance I could get hunting squirrels, rabbits and pheasants...I actually used it when I was in Pharmacy College hunting rabbits which my roommate and I ate for supper...it is very interesting that you brought this topic up Chief...I appreciate you starting this topic...just a few months ago out of nowhere my oldest daughter now 49 years old asked if she could have the gun when I pass...I am 76 years old and have been thinking about this the last few weeks...I have decided to give her my 1st gun next week...I want her to have it to enjoy NOW and NOT wait till I am at the end in a nursing home or hospice...I WANT the pleasure of giving it to her NOW...something for other Forum members to consider doing the same with their 1st gun...Roger

 

[46er]

Mine was a Sears clip feed bolt, ca. 1957. Traded it for a Mossberg 16 Ga. bolt. Currently there is a Stevens Ranger tube mag. (C. 1940) with a Redfield receiver sight and post front that shoots much better than it's worth.

 

[max503]

My wife of 32 years is a lefty but we came to an agreement before getting married. All her family has guns, too.

Dad gave me one like this for my 12th birthday in 1967. Still got it. Still shoot it. It's a Savage 22/410 over under.

 

[JRB416]

First gun stories are great.

My first was not a .22 rimfire but a Crossman 760 air rifle. With a smooth bore barrel it never was very accurate with pellets or bb's, but I was enamored with it nonetheless. It was a Christmas gift from my parents.

My first real gun was a .410 single shot shotgun. It was made by CBC and marketed by Spesco a company out of Atlanta, Georgia. If I remember correctly my dad purchased it at Woolworths.

The first rifle I owned was not a .22 rimfire, but this Remington 592 chambered in 5mm Remington Magnum. I got it when I was about 12 or so and wanted something with a little more reach than my dads .22 rimfire I was using on groundhogs.

I shot a round of skeet with the .410 a few years ago just for fun and the 5mm gets out on a hunt occasionally for nostalgic reasons. The Crossman needs its seals replaced again but it still works.

 

[pharman]

Excellent gun!

My wife of 32 years is a lefty but we came to an agreement before getting married. All her family has guns, too.

Dad gave me one like this for my 12th birthday in 1967. Still got it. Still shoot it. It's a Savage 22/410 over under.

Excellent gun Max...just like the one I got from my Dad in 1960...see post #15 above...Roger

 

[Bald1]

His wife - his life. While I am obviously in a different camp, I am not going to get in between them - that's their business. She adores my son and is a good, faithful, loving, caring wife. Yes, it bothers me, however you must choose your battles as they say. While I am still trying and still hoping, I will not alienate them over this matter.

Chief, this is a good attitude and anyone here offering advice or opinions to the contrary are way out of line.