This thread is mainly for those born in the 70s or earlier, but everyone is welcome to join.

[quinine]

Well, I was born in 1969. My parents were somewhat anti-gun and didn't let me have toy guns - which, in retrospect, I think was fine. As the "forbidden fruit", naturally, I became interested in firearms and had friends whose families took me shooting .22 rifles when I became a teenager.

I started shooting on my own in the 1990s when I was in graduate school. I had been heavily influenced by the "wonder nines" of the 80s and wanted a Glock 19. My pistol instructor, however, suggested that I buy a a .22 handgun to build skills and because they were cheap to shoot. So, I bought a Ruger Mark II with a bull barrel. Somewhere along the way, I did meet my hero and rented a Glock at the range but didn't care for it. Instead, I became enamoured with a shiny Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt and bought that instead. I still have it. These days, I do have a few autoloaders, but I count myself as a revolver guy.

 

[CajunBass]

I mentioned earlier growing up on "Combat". I've got a boxed set of the series on DVD now and find it to be one of the few shows from my youth that has held up well, and is as good now as it was then.

"Chip" Saunders of course was one of my heros and I wanted a Thompson Submachine gun. Man that thing was cool. I got a Matell version for Christmas one year and I was in heaven. I literally wore that thing out, but I kept the Germans out of our end of Hanover County, Virginia with it.

Some years ago I got to thinking I'd like to have another one...a Matell one that is, but checking around on Ebay showed they were either junk, (can you believe it? Some kid played with them! How dare they? Who do they think they were? ME?) Or they were in "new in the box" condition and cost about what a decent used car used to cost.

I had almost "pulled the trigger" on a sem-auto version once, but changed my mind at the last second. It was a pistol version with no buttstock and just didn't feel "right." The cost of 45 ACP ammo was a factor too, I admit. The quest continued.

During the Covid, I was stuck at home and started serching for a replica of the Thompson. Had to do something. Then I found it. Umarex made replica, that was full size, all metal, (plastic stock but it looks so much like wood it's hard to tell it's not) with all the controls that actually worked, and it would SHOOT! Full or semi auto! OK...it was BB's and CO2 cartridges, but you can't have everything, especially not for less than $200, shipped to me at home. The order was on the way quickly.

It arrived in a few days, and it was everything I had hoped for. A full sized, heavy (about 7.5 pounds) "Tommy Gun." Man, I felt like I was ready to defend Hanover County again.

(Kimber Micro 9 for size comparison)

Oddly enough, I've never fired it. No real reason really other than the 8 year old who still lives inside me, is happy. He finally has the gun he dreamed of on those cold nights in Hanover so many years ago. Or close enough.

 

[Cities n Dust]

I arrived late on the gun seen. Took em up in my 40's. Oddly enough it was a SIG 320 figured I should get 0ne before the GREAT BIG MONSTER hillary would end up being President. BOY did we ever dodge a bullet there. (no longer have the 320) Had a close friend show me the way. Sadley, he passed during Covid in 2020 and an old friend that I had not seen since 2005 popped up and said I had an OK collection of newer guns. I did have a HP S prefix about 65 -67 yrs old. He says to me well let me help you. Ever since it's been smith's and collector guns. He quoted " This is the Way " so I followed him deep into the forest that we call a Smith & Wesson Collection. He now claims that I have an adequate collection but still needs some more substance. I don't understand that as I own many Smiths in my collection. As he likes to say I'm, but the Grasshopper and he is the Master.

Cities

 

[chief38]

I mentioned earlier growing up on "Combat". I've got a boxed set of the series on DVD now and find it to be one of the few shows from my youth that has held up well, and is as good now as it was then.

"Chip" Saunders of course was one of my heros and I wanted a Thompson Submachine gun. Man that thing was cool. I got a Matell version for Christmas one year and I was in heaven. I literally wore that thing out, but I kept the Germans out of our end of Hanover County, Virginia with it.

Some years ago I got to thinking I'd like to have another one...a Matell one that is, but checking around on Ebay showed they were either junk, (can you believe it? Some kid played with them! How dare they? Who do they think they were? ME?) Or they were in "new in the box" condition and cost about what a decent used car used to cost.

I had almost "pulled the trigger" on a sem-auto version once, but changed my mind at the last second. It was a pistol version with no buttstock and just didn't feel "right." The cost of 45 ACP ammo was a factor too, I admit. The quest continued.

During the Covid, I was stuck at home and started serching for a replica of the Thompson. Had to do something. Then I found it. Umarex made replica, that was full size, all metal, (plastic stock but it looks so much like wood it's hard to tell it's not) with all the controls that actually worked, and it would SHOOT! Full or semi auto! OK...it was BB's and CO2 cartridges, but you can't have everything, especially not for less than $200, shipped to me at home. The order was on the way quickly.

It arrived in a few days, and it was everything I had hoped for. A full sized, heavy (about 7.5 pounds) "Tommy Gun." Man, I felt like I was ready to defend Hanover County again.

(Kimber Micro 9 for size comparison)

Oddly enough, I've never fired it. No real reason really other than the 8 year old who still lives inside me, is happy. He finally has the gun he dreamed of on those cold nights in Hanover so many years ago. Or close enough.the ONLY machine gun or sub machine gun I ever wanted to own was a Thompson! In the restrictive, liberal State I used to live in I could not own one (only the criminals could). Anyway, where I live now they are perfectly legal as long as you are willing to cough up the money and fill out all the required forms. I have thought long and hard about getting one but the ones I like are $40 - $50 K and at 72 I won't spend that on something I'd have to get rid of in the near future.

I mentioned earlier growing up on "Combat". I've got a boxed set of the series on DVD now and find it to be one of the few shows from my youth that has held up well, and is as good now as it was then.

"Chip" Saunders of course was one of my heros and I wanted a Thompson Submachine gun. Man that thing was cool. I got a Matell version for Christmas one year and I was in heaven. I literally wore that thing out, but I kept the Germans out of our end of Hanover County, Virginia with it.

Some years ago I got to thinking I'd like to have another one...a Matell one that is, but checking around on Ebay showed they were either junk, (can you believe it? Some kid played with them! How dare they? Who do they think they were? ME?) Or they were in "new in the box" condition and cost about what a decent used car used to cost.

I had almost "pulled the trigger" on a sem-auto version once, but changed my mind at the last second. It was a pistol version with no buttstock and just didn't feel "right." The cost of 45 ACP ammo was a factor too, I admit. The quest continued.

During the Covid, I was stuck at home and started serching for a replica of the Thompson. Had to do something. Then I found it. Umarex made replica, that was full size, all metal, (plastic stock but it looks so much like wood it's hard to tell it's not) with all the controls that actually worked, and it would SHOOT! Full or semi auto! OK...it was BB's and CO2 cartridges, but you can't have everything, especially not for less than $200, shipped to me at home. The order was on the way quickly.

It arrived in a few days, and it was everything I had hoped for. A full sized, heavy (about 7.5 pounds) "Tommy Gun." Man, I felt like I was ready to defend Hanover County again.

(Kimber Micro 9 for size comparison)

Oddly enough, I've never fired it. No real reason really other than the 8 year old who still lives inside me, is happy. He finally has the gun he dreamed of on those cold nights in Hanover so many years ago. Or close enough.

I too have always had a hankering for a Thompson SMG - I was a Combat junkie too. Where I used to live in the restrictive State of NY I was not allowed to own one, only the criminals have machine guns there. Where I now live I can legally own one but they are $30, $40 - $50K for what I like. Don't think one is in my future as at nearly 72 I have to be realistic on just how long I'd have to shoot it. The other issue is disposing of it when I check out. I have gotten to shoot a few on occasion and look forward to shooting them again.