Who else literally grew up WITHOUT firearms?

[Frank RW]

Thanks for visiting, let's hear your gun-free childhood to gun-nut transition!


I never shot a gun, or even held one, until I joined the military. Waaaay back in 1983.

I was even borderline "anti-NRA", seeing the politics more than the actual Work.

Then, one day, oh.... 10-ish years ago, someone I barely knew died and left me a GP100.



Changed my life.


Dozens of guns, 100s of hours, and 1000s of dollars later...
(sheesh, now I'm not so sure he liked me much! lol)



Frank in Hillsboro

Read More

 

[Nosferatu]

I'll let you know if I ever grow up.

 

[cigars]

We may have been in boot camp together.

 

[Frank RW]

We may have been in boot camp together.

Ft Knox, KY

 

[cigars]

Ft Knox, KY

Cav or tanker?

 

[Frank RW]

19D (armored cav).

Later re-enlisted as 05D (sigint, signal intercept/locate). Way nicer indoors than out, that's for sure!
That's how I got my Morse-code skills to help toward being a ham radio operator later in life. (73, de k2ncc)

 

[cigars]

Nice! Sounds like you played your cards nicely. I stayed Cav, went to small arms school, had fun playing in the snow in Germany. When I took the ASVAB's though they wanted to put me in nuclear missile repair. But I saw some laser disc in the recruiters office playing the Cav stuff. The rest is history. The recruiter was shaking his head. If I only had an ounce of common sense back then...... Naaaaah!

 

[ma96782]

I grew up without firearms in the household. My father and mother didn't believe in firearms ownership.

It was only a couple of months before I actually got into the PD that I had an opportunity to fire a real firearm. Some might remember the old King's Sporting Goods in downtown Honolulu. It was one of the gentlemen that worked there, a big time hunter, that agreed to teach me with some of his firearms.

But....
I had to wait until I joined the PD before I made my first purchase of a new S & W Mod 18 in 22LR. Also, my first used firearm was a S & W Mod 60 in .38 special that I bought from another policeman who was a little hard up for cash. That was my first lesson about being married and saddled with "responsibility".

Aloha, Mark

 

[Frank RW]

I ended up in Germany about 1988, honorably discharged 1991. Got to see the fall-of-the-wall and a lot of history in the making.
Ah, the good ol' cold-war era.

 

[cigars]

I ended up in Germany about 1988, honorably discharged 1991. Got to see the fall-of-the-wall and a lot of history in the making.
Ah, the good ol' cold-war era.

I got out in 87. I did border patrol along the Communist borders of Czech and E. Germany for two years. I remember watching the wall come down on CNN (before they went Commie). It was one of the most emotional days of my life. The Cold War, indeed.

 

[shibbershabber]

I had it both ways.

My dad had guns when I was born and never bought another... the guns he did have he never shot and guns, shooting, 2A, etc were not a part of my childhood.......... though I was obsessed with guns as a kid.... much to the dismay of my liberal teachers in the late 80s-90s

I remember reading Guns & Ammo at the store when I was probably in Kindergarten, 1st grade or so. I wanted to shoot so bad!


Had to wait til I was 18. 18th Bday I rolled into BiMart and bought a Marlin 25N.... and also had my first BGC delay... wtf I was 18 for a few hours!

Then it was a Czech VZ24 from Big5 I got for $89.

It was on from there. Since then I have owned or shot pretty much every single model of firearm produced since WWII. I had an FFL for a while, had a C&R twice... brought new shooters into the game... got into casting, reloading, gunsmithing.... I went all in.

Now Im imparting that onto my kids. Got to keep it going

 

[TTSX]

I grew up in a household that was pretty much gun neutral. They were never discussed, I was never around them, I never had an opinion. Got an opportunity to not only see, but SHOOT some guns at 19, invited by a family friend. I was surprised how LOUD they were. Didn't wear any hearing protection, never thought to and the old guy probably never did, either. Bought my first gun, a 12ga mossberg 500 at 20, got my CHL at 21 and here I am today with a Barrett M82A1 at 30.

 

[Lazyfaire]

Grew up in downstate Illinois in the 50s-60s. Close enuf to WW2 & Korea that we used to play army in the draws in/around the neighborhood all the time. Guns were never an issue in our house. My dad did not hunt or fish so I was left to my own devices. Hunting was not much in a county covered in cornfields. FF to the 80s-90s w/ a family and going camping I realized that there were other 'things' in the woods and that I needed to consider protecting my small family. Still no gun. (Someone might get hurt! Ralphie, you'll put your eye out!) Child grown, marriage over, bought my first pistol (Ruger 2 tone 40 cal SR40c), then I tripped and fell into the rabbit hole!!

Word to the wise--- A high maintenance girlfriend might be a cheaper alternative!!

Wouldn't change a thing!

 

[shybladder]

Guns weren't talked about in our household as kids in the '70's.. Dad was a mult co corrections officer, mom was a secretary. We knew how dangerous guns could be when put in the wrong hands, but that was it!! . Dad never took me up in the woods to fire off his hiway patrolman revolver Or his 20ga shotgun. He Never thought I was ready to handle a firearm I guess? He also knew I was a type of kid who thoroughly enjoyed the 4th of July and anything that went BANG!! I didn't get it. He passed before I could really ask him that question.
Looking at my 7 yr old boy today, I get it now.

 

[BigDog67]

I grew up with a house full of firearms. So did my son. But the neighbor kids did not. One day when the son was 8 or so, he came in with the 3 neighbors around his age. One of the boys spied a rifle I was working on and says "Hey look, a gun!" To which my son responded "Yeah, and you don't touch it!"

 

[caliberbob]

I grew up on acreage (which we were blessed to recently have purchased from my parents). My parents were by no means anti-gun. We had BB guns. I remember my dad had a bolt action rifle in the closet that he had basically bought from my uncle cuz he needed money. But my dad never had ammo for it and it literally never moved. Fast forward to my engagement to my beautiful bride and one day her grandpa surprised me with a 10/22! My world was opened up. He created a monster. After shooting unknown number of squirrels and birdies with my brothers in law her grandpa (papa) surprised me again after our wedding with my first hunting rifle. A cheap savage 110 30.06 that is a tack driver and I still have and use. I mentioned in my intro that I used to be on this forum before kids and I used to wheel and deal with a bunch of guys on here and built up a nice little collection. Then I slowed down. With family growth and what not. But kids are getting old enough they don't need babysat all the time so I've gotten back into it a bit. I'm mechanically minded and I truly love the involvement and engineering a firearm needs to operate. I've only recently gotten into AR's and built my first one. While I used to sell some in the past I don't think I'll ever sell any again. At least that's my goal. It's an investment too as guns usually don't depreciate in value. Good thread sir. Love this type of topic

 

[CountryGent]

We had firearms in the house all the years of my childhood. The number, however, was miniscule compared to what is in many collections these days. Different time and place, I guess.

 

[Stepside2000]

My parents weren't anti gun, we were just poor and couldn't afford it. I remember my dad had a couple hunting rifles, but he sold them when I was close to school age. I asked him about them when I was older and he said he sold them to pay bills since he didn't go hunting that often and couldn't take the time off work. He had a pellet pistol stored under his bed I would spy on every once in awhile. I was taught enough about guns that I knew not to touch it. At least until I was older and realized it's just a pellet gun. I loved shooting BB guns in cub scouts but never did get one since we couldn't afford it. Eventually a few years out of high school I got married and we did the citizens academy for the Clark county sheriffs to see more of what it was about. One of the weeks towards the end was range day and we got to try out a 9mm, .45, and one of the swat guys brought his rifle and I got to try out a mag worth of 3 round burst. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face that day. That's pretty much how it started.

 

[Boboclown]

I grew up without the joy of a diesel engine, firearms, etc.

Did grow up with a gun though.

 

[Lesliet]

Mom was a pacifist to the point that we weren't allowed even toy guns, but dad always had his old .30-06 behind a door. Never saw him shoot it, but he let me take it out, once after they got divorced. Got my first real training at Boy Scout camp up in Arrowhead. Of course, when I turned 18, I had to have all the guns, ever.
73!