What firearm have you owned the longest?

At about 6yo, 8yo and I suppose about 10yo, only the Daisy has been replaced, the original is long lost:



This is about 1966 when I was 12yo:



But there are these two which predate me and I have been shooting and as much owned forever and belong to my grandfather before he gave them to me:




And this one has been around a while though I have another about five years older purchased when I was 18 and then 23ish:




And there is a Remington single shot .22 and a break barrel .410 and some others I have either owned or been responsible for since childhood. I am like a gun black hole, they come in, they do not go out.

Back when kids could go to a gun store with their parents and buy a gun without the government getting involved. Personal accountability meant something.

I saved my money from chores and odd jobs around the house and with some money I got for Christmas my dad and I went to a pawn shop and bought an H&R topper model 20 gauge. As a teenager I took it apart and refinished the wood (somebody bubba’d it with some dark brown stain and thick polyurethane). I still have it, I still use it from time to time.

Model 60 with a squirrel stock purchased in '76. I have a Walther LP53 that I've owned longer than that if you count airguns.

An old Winchester Steelbilt 16-gauge single shot.
I was 6 or 7 when my uncle brought it to my house for me.
I'm the 3rd Paul to own it. Hopefully not the last.

It's got great stories with it as well.
There were days my father's family didn't eat meat with dinner unless they killed something with it.
Then there's the story about the load of birdshot my uncle put into a peeping tom when he was caught looking in my aunt's window.
Are all of the stories true? Maybe, maybe not. But who cares.

I was born into a quail hunting family. I hunted quail with a Daisy spittin image bb gun for a few years. (Never got a quail with it) .
The summer that I was 9 dad bought a LC Smith 20ga sxs at the lgs. I shot a tin can with it in the driveway, and dad and I went squirrel hunting the next morning.

I still have it, and still enjoying hunting with it once or twice every year. It is fun in the dove fields and the upland fencerow.
I am thinking about using it for turkey this spring. I want something easy on the shoulder!

In 1958 when I was 8 years old my grandfather and uncle took me hunting upstate NY. My uncle's friend Charlie had a nice cabin up there and gave me a rifle to carry around, a Remington Model 510P. While I had no ammunition I carried that rifle up and down that mountain every day all day. When afternoons came they gave me a box of ammo and taught me to shoot. All good things come to an end as did that Thanksgiving weekend. As we left Charlie motioned for us to stop. The trunk opened and closed, Charlie gave me that rifle and I still have it. The one on the top. I have had it 62 years and have no idea how old the rifle actually is.



Back in 2004 my uncle turned 75 and there was a big party, Brooklyn NY Architect Turns 75. Charlie was there and asked if I remembered my first time hunting and shooting. I told him yes, very much and I still had that rifle. He was amazed. Charlie and my uncle have since passed away but the little rifle is doing just fine.

Ron

The oldest firearm I bought and still retain is a sporterized (as I bought it) is a Swedish 1896 in 6.5x55mm. Bought it from a dealer in 1975.

Mossberg 340 BB, wasnt the first one I have owned, but is the one I have currently had the longest

My firearm I have owned the longest is the second one I bought, a Win 94 in 30-30. This was back in 1983 or 84. The first one I bought was an Universal M1 Carbine. The were both bought around the same time frame. I actually have both, but the Universal was sold to a buddy who had it for some years, and he sold it back to me a few years ago.
As far as oldest firearm - a Vetterli Vitali claims that title in my safe.

My first personally owned firearm is a Mossberg 500 12 gauge combo given to me by my wife for Christmas 1987. Still own and shoot it.

My dad gifted me with my first rifle back in 1943, I just turned 8 that summer...that Remington 511 sits in my safe now. It's showing a little loving wear, has introduced 4 generations to the fun of shooting, it will go to my son, and he can pass it down from there. Lost the 7 round Magazine some time back, but found a 10 round replacement...more joy.

For me the gun I've owned the longest is a Remington 700 VS in .25-06, my first centerfire rile. Still have it and shoot it every once in awhile.

Funny thing, while thinking about the gun I owned the longest I started thinking about a Model 60 Marlin (with the squirrel stock) which is the second longest firearm owned. I hate the gun, couldn't tell you why but I just don't like it. Shot it when I first got it but I'd bet It hasn't been shot in 30 some years.

Still own my first one; was never given any. 1980 Remington 700 BDL in 7mm mag; still shoots 3/4" 3 shot groups at 100

Eugen said:

What firearm have you owned the longest? When did you get it? Do you still own it?

...This was an inexpensive 22 firearm then, but it is invaluable to me now...

What is your oldest one?

Click to expand...

My first gun, a Marlin 925R. Far more accurate than any customer for an inexpensive .22 has any right to expect.

Seems about like yours, an inexpensive .22 that I won't be getting rid of anytime soon. I got it at my 16th birthday (I guess it wasn't really mine until later, but when we went shooting it was "mine").

My oldest one didn't grow old in my possession. I've got a few antiques. Several of them are Mausers, surprise! Also a couple of S&W revolvers that don't work. Not all of the Mausers work either.

Colt 1911 1970 model. Bought in 1971 for $190. Considering I was an E4 earning all of ~$3,000/yr that was the most expensive gun, relative to income I've ever purchased. A few upgrades, but still works well.

[updated with picture]

When I was 10 (1977) I was given a lightweight 870 in 410, my first gun that I used for a few years hunting dove. Prior to that, I hunted dove with a borrowed 410 single. I still have that 870, but it hasn't been used in decades and is in a case at dad's house. I outgrew it pretty quick and got a hand-me-down 20 gauge. That 410 870 came out once in the 90's to kill some squirrels.

In 1960 at age 12, I begged my divorced mother for a bb gun. I was a city boy and just planned on shooting in the backyard. Well, it seems there was a war on between my Mom and Dad for my affections. She gave me a brand new Remington 572 pump 22, with a yellowish stock and copper colored aluminum barrel with a steel sleeve. My dad gave me a used Savage 87D semi auto 22. My paternal grandfather gave me a Stevens 310 double barrel shotgun in 20 ga. Boy was I shocked! On his 12th birthday, my oldest grandson got the Remington. I still have the Savage and the Stevens. Still shoot both and hunt squirrels with the Stevens.

Savage 775 12 guage, bought it in 83, still alot of fun to shoot...

HOWARD J said:

The gun was lost when my brother took it hunting with a bottle of Old Grandad-

Click to expand...

Too funny! Stupid kids, huh?

The first firearm I received was a Winchester Model 67, a single shot .22 bolt action rifle. It was my Mom's Dad's.
Got it on my tenth birthday from my folks because Grand Dad must have gave the rifle to them to give to me?
My tenth b-day was in 1967, he passed about the time JFK was assassinated.
Still have it after 53 years.

Hi Standard over/under pistola. Biological dad gave to my mom -same age as me.

Absolutely inaccurate.

Beretta 950 Jetfire .25, bought about 1/78 as a BUG for work. It has some scars and abrasions from being in a pocket for about 4 years, but it's never had a single issue, not one.

My Ruger .44 "deerslayer" and it's little brother the 10/22 both from the 60's

My first gun was a JC Higgins bolt action 22LR that my parents bought me about 1954. Although I still have it, it doesn’t work to good since the tube magazine got crushed decades ago to make it a single shot.

My first handgun gun was a shiny new Colt Frontier Scout Buntline Special in 22 magnum. My parents bought it for me in 1958. Thanks to a bulged Buntline barrel, it now sports a 4” barrel. And, yes, I still have it although I haven’t fired it in probably 15+ years.

Model 60 bought in 1964 with the help of my father. Grandson has it now.

The firearm I currently have in my possession the longest is a Beretta 950/Jetfire .25 ACP. Bought in 1979 and was my first LEO backup gun after going through the academy in 1981. Carried in my uniform right front pocket for several years until I could afford something else. It's long retired now and sits in my safe and shot every year or so.

Browning High Power and Winchester M1917, purchased both in the Fall of 1967 when I was in the Army. Havent't fired the M1917 in years but shoot the Browning regularly with a Ciener conversion unit.