22mag was the first rifle I learned how to shoot and many of p-dogs have fallen. I went from 22mag to 264wm (what a jump) when I was 12 and has been a favorite of mine ever since! It was the first gun I learned about on how to reload ('84) from a veterinarian that was an avid hunter from NM. He was 1 of those "my 7rm is better than your 264wm" guy. About 8 years ago I started my cartridge expansion with my 1st BA purchase of a savage ba/le 110 300wm only because it was another Winchester cartridge. In '79 (should be correct) was the 1st time to shoot an AR (Colt). What was your trip down memory lane?
your 1st love? memorable or not
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My grandfather gifted me a JC Stevens double barrel 12 gauge to go duckhunting with my father on Lake Okeechobee. It was made in 1907 I still have it. Too many stories about that gun,hunts and how we sank our little John boat. the gun sat on the bottom overnight, we were getting more decoys, guns, etc. at a sporting good store and saw guys filling their air tanks. We hired them to retrieve our gear which led to me being a certified diver by the age of 16.
I was 12 yrs old and for Christmas my parents got me a marlin 25N 22lr and two boxes of 22 wildcat a total of 100rnds so many squirrels and woodchucks sercumed to that rifle dad would stop once a week at service merchandise to get me a 50 ct box .50 cents a box I still to this day shoot it now it wears a scope back then when the eyes were sharp open sits nothing inside of a 100yrd had a chance what a great little rifle and great memories
My first rifle was a Winchester model 55. A single shot .22 with a top loading gate and auto eject out the bottom. The hot empty shell would burn my forearm sometimes. I was 12 years old and a dirt poor farm kid. My uncle took me hunting and at the end of the day told me that I should keep the gun. Terms were I could not sell it, never shoot or aim it at anything I was not hunting or a target. And hand it down to one of my kids. I remember saying " uncle Chuck, I'm not going to have kids." I still have that rifle in the back of my safe, behind some nice rifles. That little .22 started me hunting out of necessity for meat. Funny how I started hunting rabbits, and then went down the rabbit hole.
rob257
Well-Known Member
My first was a Sheridan 5mm blue streak pump air rifle. Lots of great times till replaced with better break barrel
One of my first deer was killed with a 257 roberts (don't know whose it was). I even wrote a report in grammar school saying the roberts and 30-06 were the best guns
In about 1980 I bought my wife Ruger 77 ultralight in 257 roberts. It killed lots of stuff but was never accurate 1-1/2 to 2inches at 100 yards(I even tried recommendations from this forum)
I put on a number 2 shilen 20 inch barrel on the roberts. It is still my favorite gun on hogs and deer and want to try on cow elk. I carry it every time I am out unless using 280ai for long range!!!!
One of my first deer was killed with a 257 roberts (don't know whose it was). I even wrote a report in grammar school saying the roberts and 30-06 were the best guns
In about 1980 I bought my wife Ruger 77 ultralight in 257 roberts. It killed lots of stuff but was never accurate 1-1/2 to 2inches at 100 yards(I even tried recommendations from this forum)
I put on a number 2 shilen 20 inch barrel on the roberts. It is still my favorite gun on hogs and deer and want to try on cow elk. I carry it every time I am out unless using 280ai for long range!!!!
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
I was 10 or 12 and my grandparents gave me a Marlin thurty thurty, which was a hand me down from my cousin. I killed a lot of deer with that thing.
69precision
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My dad had an Ithaca model 37 and I thought it was the coolest gun ever, especially once I saw the police version. My first shotgun was a mossberg but honestly I never bonded with it and always took my dad's Ithaca when hunting with buddies until I got my own. The only thing is it must be the corncob forend model. I now have 5 of them. A couple standard ones, a police extended magazine model, a deerslayer, and one with a vent rib. All these years later and still my go to most times even though I have many shotguns that by any measure are better like Belgian browning A-5's, benellis, etc…
Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 Ga. I got it for my 12th birthday and I thought I was a god! Still have it at 60 so it must have been special.
Equalizer
Well-Known Member
I was 16. All my friends had .22's and I was still in BB gun land. I asked both my parents (they had just divorced) if I could get a rimfire. They agreed and my mom took me to the gun store and got me my first "real" gun a Marlin 60 SS Laminated stock. I put a cheap fixed 4 power on it and ran thousands and thousands of rounds through it. (Those 950 round boxes of federal hollow points) Lots of critters and inanimate objects alike succumbed to it. I routinely spanked my buddies in any competitions we engaged in. I loved that thing. It just felt like an extension of my arm, a warm feeling every time I picked it up.
A few years ago I gave it to my son as his first rifle and he loves it too….
Nowadays my favorite is Ol' Reliable, my M77 MK2. Started out a 308 but local hunting regulations (Indiana
) dictated .357" or larger projectiles and a max case length of 1.8" so it got rebarreled to 358 Hoosier. (Trim 358 win brass to 1.8") It's a Shilen 22" barrel and I put a rifle basix trigger in it. It's pretty and it shoots!!! I have lots of great hunting rifles but I always reach for it. It too has a warm feeling and is a part of me when in the hands…
That's a 358" 180 gr TTSX in the hole for comparison…
A few years ago I gave it to my son as his first rifle and he loves it too….
Nowadays my favorite is Ol' Reliable, my M77 MK2. Started out a 308 but local hunting regulations (Indiana
) dictated .357" or larger projectiles and a max case length of 1.8" so it got rebarreled to 358 Hoosier. (Trim 358 win brass to 1.8") It's a Shilen 22" barrel and I put a rifle basix trigger in it. It's pretty and it shoots!!! I have lots of great hunting rifles but I always reach for it. It too has a warm feeling and is a part of me when in the hands…That's a 358" 180 gr TTSX in the hole for comparison…
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.
15 years old, received money for a dead relatives estate. $250.00. And bought a then very new to the market, Remington model1100 field grade, 26 inch barrel, no vent rib, for the price of $129.99. My mother wasn't happy about my spending half my money on it, then another $18.00 on a case of 12 gauge. I killed everything the walks, flys and crawls on the ground with it. It was stolen from my home when I went into the military. Friends of my younger brother I'm sure.
Worth all the memories, money well spent.
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.
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.
