Poll: Who else literally grew up with firearms?

[Dirk]

Ours was not a shooting family, but I found out as a teenager that my dad was pro-2nd Amendment. He was a pastor who's first charge, way before my time, was a rural church in SoDak. He joined his parishioners for several pheasant hunts and came away with the opinion that he wasn't qualified to safely operate a firearm! (He related a couple of humorous stories to me, one of which was a close call, but it sounded like he was being too hard on himself.)
I always like guns, and when I was 19 I bought an Enfield #2. Then I went to a sporting-goods store and asked for .303 ammo. The guy shoved some premium hunting ammo across the counter, and the price tag (remember those?) nearly gave me a heart attack. I never bought any ammo, never fired it. I finally sold it to a customer at the lumber yard where I worked.
It was another 10 years before I tried shooting again, and I've enjoyed it ever since. I often think about that event, and how much of a head start I'd have if that sporting goods salesman had told me about all the surplus ammo available cheap back in 1981; or if I'd walked into one of the army surplus stores that were still plentiful back then. (OK, or if I'd just been a little more inquisitive and not given up at the first disappointment.)
The upshot is that forums like this are invaluable for the ease and speed with which we can share information. Glad to be here!

 

[MilGoo]

My mom and dad grew up in Tennessee no electricity or running water until they moved at 17. Most food was raised or from hunting. At 6 I got my first gun, a single shot 20 gage, my dad carried my shells in his shirt pocket on hunts and give it to me when I was ready to load and shoot. When I was 10 I was given my 1st 22. I can remember duck hunting at 4 with my parents and my mom was 7 or 8 months pregnant with my sister, my job was to chase down the winged ones. My dad opened a gun shop when I was 12 and I learned so much from him over the next few years. I have great memories of sitting on my papaws porch hand loading and shooting his s&w 32-20 at a cast iron skillet hanging in a tree. After he passed I carried this gun as a teenager running traps in Louisiana. Definitely grew up with them. Many great memories and good life lessons. Tried raising my son and daughter the same way, they both have several guns and are comfortable but safe with them.

 

[MikeSD]

I was born and raised on a small horse outfit outside of Moscow, ID. My biological dad was a writer for Field & Stream, owned a chain of gun shops in the region, and was a Marine sniper. Stepdad was a rancher, then a cop, then FBI, then Chief of Police.

Just wondering who else here had a proper upbringing like me.

Born in Arkansas, I've been around firearms since about 1953. Maybe sooner. I've had a concealed weapons permit since about 67. 24/7 with a firearm within 3 ft of me, day or night. I was a Marne too 1963-1967.

 

[titsonritz]

Born in Arkansas, I've been around firearms since about 1953. Maybe sooner. I've had a concealed weapons permit since about 67. 24/7 with a firearm within 3 ft of me, day or night. I was a Marne too 1963-1967.

You spell like one. What color is your favorite flavor of Crayon?

 

[NonServiam]

I was raised in a home which despised guns. I couldn't even have a BB gun. So once I turned 18 and moved in with a friend, I began a little spree, picking up whatever I could afford. Parental disapproval be damned!

 

[wired]

Myt dad was a genius in the literal sense. One of the smartest if not the smartest person Ive ever known . His sense of self-preservation kept many guns out of our home when I was a kid.

 

[ClownWorldNow]

my family wasnt the outdoors type....but my grandad was, he taught me hunting, fishing, archery, reloading and home gun smithing and I still have his 20gauge he bought from the local hardware store....I miss him

 

[GDUB JR]

I think when parents choose to teach and allow their kid to shoot they automatically do a lot of other things that change the kid fundamentally. For starters, they take the kid more seriously. You simply do take a creature more seriously when it can kill you than if it can't. Second, you introduce a whole lot of teaching of ethics, morals, and responsibility for your actions and for making the right choices that you might be more casual about otherwise.

This sums up my experience and feelings. Started shooting and hunting when I was 7 or 8. Sage rats and varmints then. First deer when I was old enough at 11.

 

[linedog62]

It really is amazing. I also know quite a few people who are that way; avid shooters who will tell you how pro-2A they are, but then vote Democrat exclusively. It's as if there is a literal mental block that prevents them from seeing how voting Democrat in the modern era (especially on the West Coast) is a direct vote against the 2nd Amendment.

you ever think its because the parties have swapped ends? All us old farmers and ranchers were exclusively democrats... now its just the opposite.

 

[linedog62]

In Eastern Washington, as a kid you couldn't wait to turn 12 and take your hunters safety class. Our Hunting licences were free until you turned 16 We had been shooting since 8-10 year olds... bb pellet, and 22's . So much fun growing up and not having to deal with the lunatic fringe of today. I got a big dose of reality dealing with the california gun laws of today. Absolutely ridiculous the laws they impose now.

 

[snorkleboots]

My parents were not gun enthusiasts. My dad was ex military so he was familiar with guns but didn't really give it much thought. There was always a loaded pistol in the house but I was forbidden to touch it. We never 'went shooting.' My grandfather (WWII vet) and uncle (Navy) were very enthusiastic about shooting and hunting, but I didn't live near them. I got a little exposure from them but only a little. Bought my first rifle on my 18th birthday, my first pistol on my 21st. So a little later than most of y'all.

 

[rdb241]

than most of y'all.

"than most of all of you"

 

[sandydan]

I was born and raised on a small horse outfit outside of Moscow, ID. My biological dad was a writer for Field & Stream, owned a chain of gun shops in the region, and was a Marine sniper. Stepdad was a rancher, then a cop, then FBI, then Chief of Police.

I got my first .22 at age 10 and was let loose in the Idaho woods alone with my trusty firearm. By age 13, I was riding horseback 50 miles a day in the mountains with a .22 Ruger Single-Six on my hip, alone, and would camp out in the woods occasionally.

I don't remember ever not knowing about guns or having one handy.

Seems a lot of folks these days grew up without firearms and got into them later in life.

I admit to sometimes not understanding their perspectives or issues with firearms and being a bit insensitive about certain subjects with folks like that.

Just wondering who else here had a proper upbringing like me.

I grew up with guns my first weapon was a 22 Ithaca falling block when I was 8 years old and I learned to shoot with that and then graduated to a 45-70 and then graduated from there to a 30-06 and my first pistol was a 38 special and went from a 38 special to a 3:57 then a 45 no 44 Magnum and then 9 mm and rifles I prefer a 338 Winchester Magnum because it will take down anything on Earth and a 30-06 because it'll take that anything in the North and South American continents however for the big bears wake up in Alaska I do prefer the 338 win mag with a 250 grain bullet 4000 lb of energy is plenty of energy at the muzzle

 

[Vrod]

In contrast to most here on the forums, I grew up in LA. To be associated with firearms in Los Angeles growing up, you were either mostly gang related or you had police influence in the family. Fortunately my Uncle Herb was a tank commander in the Korean war becoming an MP for the remainder of his service. After his service he became a deputy sheriff for LA County, eventually becoming a homicide detective. He loved guns and this is where my story starts. He loved taking my two cousins and myself down to the marine base in Oceanside to the shooting range when we were 10. Fell in love with guns and shooting ever since. He was big on gun safety fortunately.

 

[linedog62]

In contrast to most here on the forums, I grew up in LA. To be associated with firearms in Los Angeles growing up, you were either mostly gang related or you had police influence in the family. Fortunately my Uncle Herb was a tank commander in the Korean war becoming an MP for the remainder of his service. After his service he became a deputy sheriff for LA County, eventually becoming a homicide detective. He loved guns and this is where my story starts. He loved taking my two cousins and myself down to the marine base in Oceanside to the shooting range when we were 10. Fell in love with guns and shooting ever since. He was big on gun safety fortunately.

I took a sailing buddy to the range in Inglewood and it was his first time shooting. He fell in love with it and probably owns 15 pistols now! I worked as a lineman/Troubleman for Edison there for years and always was in the hood hearing the gunshots working at night. Lots of guns there but not too many pheasants!

 

[Vrod]

I took a sailing buddy to the range in Inglewood and it was his first time shooting. He fell in love with it and probably owns 15 pistols now! I worked as a lineman/Troubleman for Edison there for years and always was in the hood hearing the gunshots working at night. Lots of guns there but not too many pheasants!

Small world. A good friend of mine worked as a lineman for Edison for 35 years who lives in Lawndale.

 

[linedog62]

Small world. A good friend of mine worked as a lineman for Edison for 35 years who lives in Lawndale.

I bet I know him... I worked in South Bay and santa monica service center as a trouble man for years as well...

 

[Vrod]

I bet I know him... I worked in South Bay and santa monica service center as a trouble man for years as well...

Jim Andrade

 

[orygun]

I bet I know him... I worked in South Bay and santa monica service center as a trouble man for years as well...

Jim Andrade

I know nothing of these people, but quoted these posts for an example of how this site can bring people together.
There's a member here who became the step-brother of a guy I went to grade school with. We connected over a completely different story.
Small world it is.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

I know nothing of these people, but quoted these posts for an example of how this site can bring people together.
There's a member here who became the step-brother of a guy I went to grade school with. We connected over a completely different story.
Small world it is.

Indeed!