USMB Members: When did you get your first firearm?

[HereWeGoAgain]

Got a 20 gauge Savage single shot when I was nine and a Remington pump action .22 the following year.

We used to ride around on our dirt bikes with em to reach those more distant hunting grounds. The cops would just wave.

 

[Likkmee]

Sa

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

Same here. I got a 16 ga bolt action JC Higgins shotgun for my 9 th Christmas.
At 13 my uncle gave me a model 31 snub nosed S&W revolver, caliber 32 Long

 

[cnm]

.303 Lee Enfield at sixteen.

 

[sealybobo]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

My Greek grandfather gave me his 4-10. He gave my brother the first born named after him the higher powered gun. I’ve never shot anything except flying skeet. I think I got 19 out of 25.

I would shoot a coyote with it up north if one attacked my dog.

Could a 4-10 shoo off a bear? It’s long so I could use it as a stick but what about the one shot? Should I aim for the body or face? It’s not gonna kill it but will it make it run away?

 

[sealybobo]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

Do you count my daisy B.B. gun? I shot a bird and felt terrible.

 

[Ringel05]

I was pretty young when I got my first weapon.

 

[Bush92]

Easter holiday great weekend for camping (church of course), shooting.22’s for fun, and first real fishing trip of the year. Hunting rifles and shotguns left at home. But .22’s always come along for fun. Like Hank said...”It’s a family tradition.”

 

[PredFan]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

I got a Savage Arms bolt action 22LR when I was 8.

 

[Bush92]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

I got a Savage Arms bolt action 22LR when I was 8.

Old Savage Arms. Good stuff.

 

[Bush92]

I was pretty young when I got my first weapon.

Death Star. Funny.

 

[Ringel05]

I was pretty young when I got my first weapon.

Death Star. Funny.

I honestly don't remember what my first one was though I think I was six when my dad let me shoot his. He and my uncle took me on a hunting trip with him, I pretty much stayed in the cabin. They had set up a small log on a stump and were trying unsuccessfully to hit it using a 9 shot .22 revolver. Don't remember what the distance was but it looked like a mile away to a kid, my dad cocked the hammer back for me and I nailed the log three times in a row, pissed my dad off and had my uncle rolling on the ground in laughter.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I think I was 8 or 9. My Dad was not at all an outdoorsman and only had a single shot pistol for protection that he bought in 1959. And never fired it all the way till he died last year.
My Uncle took us boys out on his farm and we shot bottles and other items. I really have no idea what kind of rifle it was. I can't remember what it looked like.
I bought my first gun at 18, a 20 gauge pump. Thought I was going to be a big time game hunter, but found out quickly staying completely still in the cold ass weather was not for me. I now own three guns. I shoot at the range from time to time. Only "loaded" gun in the house is a 12 gauge security pump with three buck shot shells in the magazine.

 

[PredFan]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

I got a Savage Arms bolt action 22LR when I was 8.

Old Savage Arms. Good stuff.

It got stolen by movers when we moved from California to Florida in 69

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I grew up around firearms Lived with my grandparents mostly and Grandad had like 20 long guns and shotguns. He would take me shooting and we started around when I was 10. Shot my first pistol at about 15. Grandad did not own any so he borrowed one to show me how they worked. I was a little intimidated. Got my first rifle when I was 19 and then started collecting them off and on at its peak after I got out of Marine Corps I had 3 pistols a shotgun and 2 rifles. Eventually traded or sold them all got rid of last rifle about a year ago. My shrink and therapist were after me to get rid of them since I started seeing them. My paranoia is under control now so I could oblige them.

 

[ding]

12 gauge when I was 14 and a .22. Used to hunt refrigerators where the UCF Research park now is. People used to dump their trash there. Shot and killed a Woodpecker once. Decided not to kill anything unless I intended to eat it after that.

When you ate your wood pecker, did you swallow?

 

[ding]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

I got my first gun AFTER PRISON LOL.
I quickly decided that was a dumb move and it is now in a river rusting away.

That's fucked up.

If you've "paid you debt to society" why are you still being punished?

There are many forms of punishment. I'm 54 and still paying for choices I made when I was 17.

Such as?

 

[deannalw]

I got a bb gun when I was 9. Clearly, I was too stupid to own that particular item cuz it wasn't a week before I shot my little brother in the leg.

After my brain cooked a lil longer and got some more smarts, I started buying some after I married James in '83

 

[deannalw]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

My Greek grandfather gave me his 4-10. He gave my brother the first born named after him the higher powered gun. I’ve never shot anything except flying skeet. I think I got 19 out of 25.

I would shoot a coyote with it up north if one attacked my dog.

Could a 4-10 shoo off a bear? It’s long so I could use it as a stick but what about the one shot? Should I aim for the body or face? It’s not gonna kill it but will it make it run away?

If you shoot a bear and don't kill it, it best be you running because hurt or angry bears are perfect killing machines wrapped in fur.

 

[cnm]

Could a 4-10 shoo off a bear? It’s long so I could use it as a stick but what about the one shot? Should I aim for the body or face? It’s not gonna kill it but will it make it run away?

I bet it will work if you stick it in the bear's ear or down its throat...

 

[sealybobo]

I got a 4-10 shotgun on my 9th birthday. Shot my first squirrel shortly thereafter. Went hunting with my dad and he saw the squirrel first and let me have the shot. Good times.

My Greek grandfather gave me his 4-10. He gave my brother the first born named after him the higher powered gun. I’ve never shot anything except flying skeet. I think I got 19 out of 25.

I would shoot a coyote with it up north if one attacked my dog.

Could a 4-10 shoo off a bear? It’s long so I could use it as a stick but what about the one shot? Should I aim for the body or face? It’s not gonna kill it but will it make it run away?

If you shoot a bear and don't kill it, it best be you running because hurt or angry bears are perfect killing machines wrapped in fur.

Yea but I bet a shotgun blast would make it run.