What was your first gun?

[orbruce]

First gun was a Daisy BB gun that's been lost to history. The Benjamin 22 caliber air rifle is still with me and works great. Christmas 1959, I was 11 yeas old.

Bruce Mower

 

[billwill]

I was about 10 and found an old rifle in my grandmothers attic. Asked if I could have it, she said yes and my folks agreed. Model 1884 Trapdoor Springfield. Had no idea what it was. Excellent condition with the bayonet. Stood in the corner of our den for years.

Joined a shooting club in my 20s and a guy they was shooting a trapdoor. Told him the story and he agreed to load some brass for me with smokeless powder as he was using.

I still remember the feel of the first real shot! Fantastic. I would not want to be on the receiving end of that 45-70. The rifle is still here. I have never been able to figure out how my Grandmom got it. They lived in town and that was the only firearm I ever heard of them having. Did the government give those to the 'home guard back in the early teens?

 

[nawilson]

My 10th birthday in 1968. Dad bought it used for $40 from Mikey's gun shop in Queens NY. I loved going to the basement shop he ran out of his house. What a character...I remember he was quite old and had a funny lisp and a oddly shaped index finger that was deformed from a firearm related accident. I also got my first pistol from him in 1977 after becoming a fan of "Starsky and Hutch"...almost got a 59 but Mikey showed me the Browning Hi-power and it was love at first sight. Still have both.

Sip, I love the Remington Nylon 66! My first gun was a Mohawk brown Nylon 66. I got it for my 13th birthday, some 21 years after you. I will pass it on to my son when the time is right.

 

[Cyrano]

Did the government give those to the 'home guard back in the early teens?

I don't know about home guard, but a friend of mine had his father's drill rifle from the ROTC about 1916; it was a Model 1868 trapdoor in caliber 50-70.

 

[BruceB]

No dad around growing up, and no shooters in the family, but I learned to shoot target .22 probably at about 11 or 12. My first gun of my own was an Anschutz for Intl. 4 position in about 1966.

Next one was a S&W M41 in 1969 to start my 3 gun set for bullseye shooting. I added a M52 and a custom .45 by 1970. None of which I own now, and still kicking myself.