Fifty years of shooting. Where it started for me.

[orygun]

It dawned on me today that fifty years ago this summer was the first time I shot a real gun. I'd had Dad's old BB gun for a while, but this was different. It was probably July or August of 1968, so I am a little premature, but in the grand scheme of things, close enough. The rifle was Grandpa's Marlin 81DL with a 3/4" Weaver (brighter then than it is now) 6x. My Dad had carried it in his teenage years (late 40s) and while serving as a fire finder at the lookout on Bedford Point, east of Estacada. Later on I remember sitting on the ground with Dad wrapped around me teaching me trigger control. (he had been an NRA instructor). Dang, that buttstock was long!
In 1969 Grandpa died and left Dad that Marlin and a Ruger Standard 22 pistol. The next year I got to shoot that Ruger. To start, Dad loaded one round at a time in the mag. Later, after I'd proven something to him, I was allowed 5 rounds!
When I turned 12 in 1974 Deer season was already underway so I couldn't buy a license and tag to hunt, but Dad let me shoot Grandpa's old 30-30 in preparation of next year when I could hunt with him. Boy! I sure thought that thing kicked!
Since then I have burned a lot of powder through so many guns I would have a hard time listing them all, but if you ever want to know which guns are the most important ones in my safe, just look above.
Grandpa's guns handed down to Dad, then from Dad to me. It's a family tradition that fortunately carries on in most of my family.

Where did you start?

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[clearconscience]

I started shooting in Bend, OR when I was about 5yrs old. It was after my mom and dad divorced. I think it was the only thing he could relate with us.
He worked for the CIA as a tech. So he was gone alot, and from that point on was either across the US or on another continent.

It was about the only thing he got to teach us and those lessons stuck with me my whole life.
Looking back it was one of the only things I remember doing with my dad.

Maybe it's why I like guns so much now.
And why I can't stand being away from my kids, even for a night.

 

[HB of CJ]

About age 7 or so. Back in about 1954. Savage 24V combination gun .22rf top barrel, 3" .410 bottom barrel. .22 Shells were .39 cent a box of 50 at Dooley's hardware. A lot of money for a young kid. I can still remember the smell of that first fired paper .410 shell.

My brother still has that gun.

 

[Jason Brown]

My parents bought me a crosman pellet gun when I was twelve, but sadly they are not gun people, and poor, so I wasn't fortunate enough to have the pleasure of handling true firearms until I was an adult. The first rifle I bought was a Ruger 10/22 and my first pistol was a S&W shield 9mm. Still love shooting them both.

 

[Carbon]

My first outing was when I was 8 years old. Three generations of us went up into the hills for a day of plinking and clay shooting. The youngest of us shot chipmunk rifles and 10/22's, the adults shot rifles and shotguns. I did enjoy the target shooting and watching my father, uncles and grandfather compete. But I might have been more interested in the wild huckleberries, salmonberries and jelly mushrooms my grandmother would help me find to eat. I can still see that day in my mind, a pleasant memory.

 

[RVTECH]

Early 70's for me - and in So Cal of all places but an uncle of mine used to manage a huge piece of property near Temecula where we would go camping and do a lot of shooting and varmint hunting. When I got to driving age I used to go shooting at a range near Brea Canyon, or headed out on the desert to camp and shoot. This experience, along with many trips to Oregon to visit my older brother who had already moved here cemented my decision I had no desire to stay in So Cal and I planned to move to Oregon soon after as I graduated High School come heII or high water!

 

[jmh119]

June 23rd, 1976. We had moved from PDX to a little 9 acre farm out in Wash. county. For my birthday my folks got me a 410 single shot shotgun. My dad and I used to go out and throw clays for each other. Took me a while before i could hit them! I had forgotten all about that. Thanks for bringing back some good memories!

 

[IOM]

Started with a Winchester model 62A, pump 22 S,L LR... Halsey, Oregon 1958 on the farm...

 

[DirectDrive]

Camp Mishqua
About 1964
Single shot 22LR
Goofball "instructor" thought that he would impress the young recruits by dirt-shooting with his Lee-Enfield .303

Meh

 

[orygun]

I started shooting in Bend, OR when I was about 5yrs old.

At the time of my story we lived in John Day. Wonderful part of the state.

 

[JRuby]

Still have my marlin 81dl. Used it for small bore competition in 4h. It is still a very nice rifle to me and more accurate than I am. I started hunting white tails back in Michigan in 1974 with a single shot 20guage using slugs. I got my first button buck that year.

 

[Heyjoe]

Early nineties, 10/22, Boy Scouts of America, black mountain outside Phoenix, AZ.

Coming from a family where firearms weren't real prevalent, I owe the BSA a debt of gratitude for partnering with the NRA to train young'uns the proper respect and use of said. Sadly, the BSA isn't but a shadow of it's former self.

 

[Boboclown]

When I was 21, and bought a mosin nagant. I was just starting college, barely any money. Friend says "let's go to the gun show, a ticket is only $8." So I say okay and go along. Walking a few hours, saw an AK 74 but it was out of my price range. Few more minutes of walking I see a mosin nagant, it was only $120 and I only had $200 on me. So I bought it, and got ammo for it as well.

Ever since then, I've been shooting. I no longer have the rifle, but it was a long road to find rifles I did like.

 

[Medic!]

Model 67 Winchester at age five.
I was trained and put afield. Pot meat and rodent control were my main concerns.

Saddens me to be surrounded by so many that didn't get that.
Heck! That don't get us.

 

[Alexx1401]

It dawned on me today that fifty years ago this summer was the first time I shot a real gun.
<snip>

Where did you start?

Great idea for a thread!!
For me? Before old enough for school. Dad's passed down Winchester pump 22. Could not even hold it well so shot off things like a folding table or chair first. Then handgun, first one was a .22 Jet of Dads. He was so happy I took to it that they let me try a 1911 and the love affair for me was on. By 10 I was allowed to buy BB gun with money I made. That first few weeks they had a hard time getting me to come in to eat Turned me into such a good shot my Dad was shocked next time he took me out with my .22 that I could only shoot with him. After I out shot him he told me I could now take the .22 out on my own. Started bird hunting as a teen as soon as I could buy a license. Had to take an NRA sponsored safety class to get a license that early. Class was held at a school after hours, can you imagine that now?? LOL. First handgun I bought was a well used Ruger .22 of the original design, man wish I still had that. By 17 I bought a NIB Ruger .357 I was so proud of.