your 1st love? memorable or not

[Rich Coyle]

Savage 110 .30-06, Leupold 3-9X. Winchester 180 silvertips. I was eighteen. I made payments to the sporting goods store. That was 1962.

 

[Critter Picker]

Many people today do not realize that prior to the GCA of '68, we could go into hardware and other stores and simply purchase a firearm and take it home. Or like my brother, order one from a catalogue and have it delivered to the country mail box.

Similar to when farmers could buy dynamite from the hardware store to blow beaver dams.

I completely forgot about dynamite, we used to buy it by the case at the local bait shop.

 

[Brad Quarnberg]

My grandfather started me bird hunting with a single shot Winchester (model 37 I think) 16ga: still carry the scar under my right eye from the hammer when I was shooting an overhead shot on a grouse and the butt stock slipped off my shoulder.
When I was 15, I shot my first deer with a 270 my dad bought at an auction and gave me: shot everything from rabbits to elk with that and still have it: Winchester model 70.

 

[MtPockets]

In the early/mid70s my Mom bought Dad a brand new Marlin Model 60. Of course, my brother and I knew where they kept it and every now and then, we'd sneak in and oggle over it- knowing better than to play with it.
Dad was a great teacher of shooting and gun safety and by the time I was 10 I was hunting squirrels and wood chucks on my own.
We had some city transplant neighbors who were a little nervous about me shooting by myself but I was always very careful.
I wish I knew how many hundreds (or thousands) of rounds I ran through that thing!

 

[del2les]

In the early/mid70s my Mom bought Dad a brand new Marlin Model 60. Of course, my brother and I knew where they kept it and every now and then, we'd sneak in and oggle over it- knowing better than to play with it.
Dad was a great teacher of shooting and gun safety and by the time I was 10 I was hunting squirrels and wood chucks on my own.
We had some city transplant neighbors who were a little nervous about me shooting by myself but I was always very careful.
I wish I knew how many hundreds (or thousands) of rounds I ran through that thing!

The summer I was 17, I was lucking enough to acquire a 40 hr/wk state sponsored job with our local high school at the then minimum wage. Much better pay than farm work. That summer break I and a friend cruised the country dirt roads, bridges, dumps, etc and shot 22's almost every weekend. Earlier, I had purchased a Remington 572 pump, and by the end of the summer break, I counted the empty cardboard 500rd "brick" boxes I had opened and flattened out and kept in my bedroom. I had acquired 21 for approximately 10,500 rds shot that summer. Mostly, 22LR's but a couple were shorts for their added capacity in the 572's tube.

If memory serves, I think we purchased those bricks at about $6 each from a nearby Gibson's store, and that summer was one of my most memorable for its shooting, having a little money, eating large homemade burgers from the local dairy bar that were $1.50 for the plate of home fries, dressed burger and a Coke, and having much fun with a good friend.

 

[MtPockets]

The summer I was 17, I was lucking enough to acquire a 40 hr/wk state sponsored job with our local high school at the then minimum wage. Much better pay than farm work. That summer break I and a friend cruised the country dirt roads, bridges, dumps, etc and shot 22's almost every weekend. Earlier, I had purchased a Remington 572 pump, and by the end of the summer break, I counted the empty cardboard 500rd "brick" boxes I had opened and flattened out and kept in my bedroom. I had acquired 21 for approximately 10,500 rds shot that summer. Mostly, 22LR's but a couple were shorts for their added capacity in the 572's tube.

If memory serves, I think we purchased those bricks at about $6 each from a nearby Gibson's store, and that summer was one of my most memorable for its shooting, having a little money, eating large burgers from the local dairy bar that were $1.50 for the plate of home fries, dressed burger and a Coke, and having much fun with a good friend.

As much as Dad (I think, anyway) liked when I was occupied with shooting that .22, he only ever bought them a box or 3 at a time. Then, a few days later I'd ask for more.
He'd grumble a little and go buy more!

 

[Bucklowery]

My first 870 pump 12g and bought my first Remington 270 bolt action at 15 from working summers. My dad had browning A5, it was the first gun I ever saw as a kid. I still like that gun

Thanks

Buck

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

For me I didn't fall in Love with anything till I got my Anschutz 22mag. I have had more than a few different rifles but sold do to NOT really loving it. But since my Anschutz I now have 3 loves
Anschutz 22mag
MPA BA 6mm Creedmoor
Mcwhorter 45XML
Now I LOVE these. Just don't ask me to rank them in any order

 

[ducky]

.270 Winchester Parker Hale 1200, the first true big game rifle I purchased. I had a Parker Hale 1200 in .243 prior but didn't feel it was adequate for elk.

 

[tribb]

My most memorable firearm is my 1890 Winchester my father gave me when I was 9.
It had belonged my grandfather who had given it to my dad when he was around 10.
Dad had re barreled it to 22lr from 22wrf because between him and granddad they had shot out the barrel.
It had headspace issues as the receiver was worn and when firing it made a loud crack if you didn't keep the pump for end pushed forward with pressure against it.
I don't have any idea how many 1000's of 22lr I put through that gun, but it was a lot. It was my constant companion and went with me most of the time.
When I graduated high school dad gave me a Ruger 10/22 sporter, and I retired the old Winchester.
About 20 years ago I found an original model 1890 22wrf barrel that had a good bore and re barreled the old gun back to original chambering, I don't shoot it much but it's one gun I will never sell.

22wrf is a great cartridge sir way to go! My dad's friend had one when I was a kid. He could shoot squirrels farther than we could with our 22lr's

 

[tribb]

I worked the summer at an auto parts salvage yard pulling parts when I turned 13 and when the Summer was over bought my first gun...870 wingmaster...still my favorite.

Great gun

 

[436]

Dad gave me a Winchester 67-A single shot 22 for Christmas, I was 12. I taught my daughter to shoot with it. At 15 he gave me a Browning 20 ga. A-5, It's going dove hunting with me today. He wanted me to start deer hunting with him at 16 and he gave me a Remington 700 BDL .270 Win. It unleashes my 142 gr bullets at 3150 FPS. So many memories, I miss my Dad but now shoot with my Grand Daughter.

The same here I was 9 years old, I still have that old Winchester 67-A That year was 1954... Cheers.

 

[MtPockets]

I worked the summer at an auto parts salvage yard pulling parts when I turned 13 and when the Summer was over bought my first gun...870 wingmaster...still my favorite.

I saved up my hay baling and corn detasseling money to buy an 870. It replaced my Dads Stevens model 59A bolt action 410 in the duck swamp.

 

[USNavy06]

My friends dad had a couple of Marlin glennfield model 60's that we would beg to get out of the closet every day after school. We shot thousands of cheap federal and Remington bulk .22.

It was a cheap .22 but those guns were so accurate. Ah the good ol days of shooting squirrels with no worries in the world.