Poll: Who else literally grew up with firearms?

[bsa1917hunter]

my Father would not allow even a BB gun in the house. He was in the Navy in the South Pacific during WWII. I never shot a gun other than a fanner 50 until I joined the Navy at 17. Been a Gun Nut ever since.

My dad was a Navy Seabee. I gave this to him last year:





I also did up my Noveske in the same way:

 

[Andy54Hawken]

A friend of mine's dad was a SeaBee during WWII...I gifted him my Remington 1903* after learning that he had one in the Pacific and always wanted one later....
* Yes a 1903 rifle made by Remington...before they made the 03A3 Remington made 1903 rifles in early days of WWII.
Andy

 

[CLT65]

Yes, and no. Growing up on a dairy farm, there was always an old .22 and bolt-action 12 gauge in the closet, but they were farm tools that never got shot. I had a BB gun since I was pretty young, but never shot an actual firearm until I was a teenager (my grandfather told me when I was much older that he let me shoot his .45 when I was 5, but I don't remember it). My dad always discouraged my interest in firearms as a hobby. To this day I always have to remember to not talk about it at all to him. My maternal grandfather hunted and owned several guns. I still have the Mossberg .22 that he gave when I was a teenager.

My dad hates guns, even more as he's gotten older. He strongly supports the right to own them, and has always had a couple around as a necessary tool on the farm, but on a personal, emotional level, he hates them. To him, firearms are inextricably linked with killing and death. In my late teens, a life-altering incident happened to him and he decided to buy several more for home protection. I've never seen it the same as he does, so around that time I took a strong interest, and it's been my thing ever since.

My grandfather and my mother hunted, but my dad never did. I hunted for a few years just because it's "what guys do", but eventually decided that I didn't like killing things any more than my dad does, so I quit. I have absolutely nothing against responsible and humane hunting; it's just not for me.

 

[Dat]

I grew up around buck an elk hunting. I have at several fun memories. I recall around 8 years contemplating hiding in the car that dad and his hunting partner were going to drive to Spray for buck season. Better judgement prevailed and I waited until Hunters Ed class and my first buck hunt at age 12.
Got to go elk hunting at 16. Shot a nice 5 point! What a thrill.
Also I have fond memories of playing army with Dads Arisaka .31 caliber rifle from WWII. I shot lots of bad guys with it ( no ammo, & no firing pin and yep, had Dads ok to play with it!) Guess it was different back then. My son replaced the firing pin a few yrs ago. It still shoots!
Best to all.

 

[slimmer13]

Shot guns since 4. Owned guns since 10. Literally.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I sure miss the days of gun cabinet's that displayed firearms like the works of art they are, damn criminals ruin everything.

My Ranch in Co. Has two semi free standing display cases in the living room to proudly display my collection. I also have several antiques above the fireplace centered around my monster Rosey Swamp Donkey Full caped mount!

 

[PDXbiker]

I never touched a firearm until I was nearly 30. Didn't know the muzzle end from a buttstock. At a job one of my coworkers was a total huntin', fishin' and gun enthusiast. After I asked him what the obsession was all about, he invited me out for a back woods shooting session. The guy showed up with a truckload of various firearms, including a machine gun (legally owned). We had a great time. I got a crash course in firearms and shooting. Purchased my first .22 rifle a week later with many more to follow over the next 35 years.

 

[joken]

Reading the attached poll makes it clear how important it is to get kids involved with shooting.

 

[CLT65]

Reading the attached poll makes it clear how important it is to get kids involved with shooting.

I agree, starting with good safety training of course.

One thing that has struck me in this thread is the number of people who talk about growing up in the country or on the farm. Even town kids used to ride their bikes out of town, or work on the local farms bucking hay bales in the summer.
Statistically far more people grew up rural or on family farms in the past. The family farm is practically dead and gone now, a bygone era.

The vast majority of kids now grow up in town, where they're more likely to spend most of their spare time playing video games or riding skate boards. It's even getting harder for them to get summer jobs. Farming is bigger and more automated, and wage and age laws have an impact on what's available.

It's a different world now. My kids have no concept of what the world was like when I was a kid.

 

[2A-Jay]

My dad was a Navy Seabee. I gave this to him last year:

View attachment 545123
View attachment 545124
View attachment 545125

I also did up my Noveske in the same way:
View attachment 545126

Small World, My Father was a Sea Bee in the 88th Construction Battalion in the south pacific

A friend of mine's dad was a SeaBee during WWII...I gifted him my Remington 1903* after learning that he had one in the Pacific and always wanted one later....
* Yes a 1903 rifle made by Remington...before they made the 03A3 Remington made 1903 rifles in early days of WWII.
Andy

My '03 is a Remington dated 10/42

 

[tac]

I agree, starting with good safety training of course.

One thing that has struck me in this thread is the number of people who talk about growing up in the country or on the farm. Even town kids used to ride their bikes out of town, or work on the local farms bucking hay bales in the summer.
Statistically far more people grew up rural or on family farms in the past. The family farm is practically dead and gone now, a bygone era.

The vast majority of kids now grow up in town, where they're more likely to spend most of their spare time playing video games or riding skate boards. It's even getting harder for them to get summer jobs. Farming is bigger and more automated, and wage and age laws have an impact on what's available.

It's a different world now. My kids have no concept of what the world was like when I was a kid.

I have to agree, especially since I live in a country that, for the most part, is a firearm desert. Less than 1% of the population, excluding those who serve/served in the Armed forces, have ever legally touched a gun of any kind, let alone fired one for fun. And NOBODY shoots to put food on the table - there is no necessity to do so in a supermarket society.

We have guest days - one per month - at our club, and what often happens on those occasion just horrifies me. Why? Well, a guest comes long with a couple of youngsters, and almost without exception, they spend their time sitting in the bleachers, thumbs flashin' away as they play their STUPID FREAKIN' GAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If dad remonstrates with them they usually go and sit in the car, so that they are not interrupted.

I watched one such mental hero playing some kind of shoot-em-up, and asked him why it was better than actually shooting a real gun when the chance was there to do so.

They're noisy, and you have to aim them properly...was the resplone.

 

[Alexx1401]

My Ranch in Co. Has two semi free standing display cases in the living room to proudly display my collection. I also have several antiques above the fireplace centered around my monster Rosey Swamp Donkey Full caped mount!

I too VERY much miss the days of the display case. Used to always be in the living room. It was always a point of pride when others came over. Show them your's, listen to them tell you about theirs. Sadly that is a long lost memory now. I find myself feeling leery when I am cleaning guns now. Always looking to make sure I am not where some neighbor can see me when I take one outside to use spray cleaner on. Often end up doing it in the garage so as not to be seen. So damn many people just freak out at the sight of an evil gun now. Really damn shame.

 

[tac]

Here in yUK you do NOT take guns outside, for any reason. Unless, of course, you are a criminal. Then there is, despite anything you may have read, seen or heard, a very high probability that you'll get shot dead right there. British police do that kind of thing, especially during vehicle stops.

The fact that they also shot dead an old cripple carrying a set of plastic-wrapped table legs, or tased a deaf and blind man who ignored their call to stop, is neither here nor there.

The words 'police' and 'marksman' are mutually incompatible.

 

[PNWguy]

Wow! Lot's of great stories and memories!

The UK and Russian stories are fascinating, and frightening.

I traveled to Japan last October to visit my daughter and grandkids and it was surreal. I had traveled all over in the military, but this was my first trip as a civilian and with a passport.

The Japanese LOVE guns, but they are super restricted, so airsoft guns are hugely popular. I compete in GSSF matches and always get to pick up some Glock swag, so I give it to my son-in-law. He always gets thumbs up and smiles when out in town in Japan.

But they are so restrictive, that even pocket knives are outlawed. The official blade restriction is 5cm, I believe, but I was told that even having a little Swiss Army knife is a bad idea and the police will arrest you just because having any sort of knife means you are likely a criminal.

It's sad to see that same mentality pervade our society these days. My daughter and my son both have shot firearms from a young age, but really have no interest in them now. My son works for Facebook and lives in Lake Forest Park by Seattle. He has the Marlin bolt-action .22 I gave him as a boy, but hasn't shot it in years. I offered to give him a spare 9mm I had and he declined.

No idea what I'll do with all of my guns when I get old. Hopefully one of my three grandkids will show an interest.

 

[Member 5605]

My first rifle I had before I was even nut juice. My second was too long and we had to cut the stock down with the table saw to make it fit (later to be reattached when I grew).

Yup.

 

[raylo]

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.

Ok. Let's start off with I was born in LA in '61 and lived there till I was 12, then moved back (with dual residence in a very rural county) after turning 17 and left for good before I turned 30. I own some timber land in Benewah/Crystal Creek outside Fernwood. Lived N ID for 15 yrs. Will probably wind up there again.

I know what most of Y'all are thinking with the 'CA' mention. Think again. I used to walk past the Winchester Dealer every day (still there) that was a block from my elementary school in Culver City. I went inside most days. If I took a note from my Dad I could buy a brick of .22 for $5 in my pre teens. Two semi auto rifles were in the closet with ammo next to them, next to the couch we watched tv on in the den. The sliding closet door was often left open. We didn't dare touch the rifles. They were right there. We didn't take them to school and shoot the bullies. There were bullies. Dad said don't touch the guns and we did what Dad said.

Once or twice a year I would go with my best friend's family to the ranch they were partners in in San Gorgonio (San Bernardino County) to hunt quail and reduce the parasite squirrel population. I was raised in suburbia but spent time outdoors with friends and Scouts. Our Scoutmasters were all vets. Some fought in foreign armies but they were military mindset. There was always a pistol with the adults on backpacking campouts.
I recently had a debate with a guy on FB that has spent his whole life in Queens, NY but is a trucker. He was sick of the NRA and liked them in the 1950's and 60's when they weren't political and focused on youth activities. I told him maybe the fact that 'youth activities' being banned may have something to do with the evolution in the NRA.

Lastly I would like to add that the best EVER gun show I have attended was in the mid-late 1980's at the LA county fairgrounds. HUUUUUUUGE! Times have changed. I was in Victorville, CA around 2007 at a joke of a gunshow. All of the dealers gawked and kow towed my ID driver's license like it was the Wonka golden ticket. They told me that with that ID I could go to Vegas and buy anything but with CA ID they could not. Sad.

 

[PNWPrepper]

Hi, I'm Damien and I am addicted to guns.

I grew up on a 140 acre junkyard in northwest Oegon. Started shooting pellet guns around 8 and was running around the property at 10 with a 22. Got my first AR for Christmas when I was 15. Went shooting with friends when I got my drivers license. Now I conceal carry everyday and buy way to much gun stuff for my wife's liking and that will never change.

 

[MxOverkill]

I grew up learning :
How to shoot...
How to safely handle a firearm...
To respect all life...
That being able to "Keep and bear arms" is both a Right and a responsibility...

That's pretty much my story. I started with a 12 gauge, but only after I'd taken - and passed - the safety course. With respect to gun ownership, the "responsibility" part has faded. THAT, in my opinion, is what has changed over the past 40 years. You certainly see that attitude on this forum. Responsibility was traded away in favor of boosting sales.

 

[CLT65]

With respect to gun ownership, the "responsibility" part has faded. THAT, in my opinion, is what has changed over the past 40 years. You certainly see that attitude on this forum.

I'm curious about how you mean this (no offense intended). I've always felt that responsible, safe firearm usage was encouraged pretty well on this forum, and that attitudes to the contrary called into question quickly.

 

[teflon6string]

City slicker here (Hillsdale), but immersed in Indian Guides, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Camp Collins, BB/pellet guns, .22s, bows and arrows, etc., etc., as far back as I can remember. Just a normal part of being a normal kid in the 50s and 60s.