Guns From My Father

My Dad has gave me three guns over the years. My first was when I was 12 and it was pasted down from my Grandfather to my father to me. It was a IF Higgins bolt action 12 gauge shotgun. The second I got when I was 16 and it was a Model 94 30-30 Winchester. The last one I got was when I turned 18 and it was a Model 60 Marlin 22LR rifle. Sorry to say all three where stolen years ago.

xxjumbojimboxx said:

I am so unbelievably jealous that y'all had parents that got you into shooting...

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I inherited a few guns from my dad, but as far as I know none of them have need **** since before I was born. Dad was a city kid and I grew up in the suburbs so hunting or plinking was never on the schedule. I didn't really get into shooting and guns until I was almost 30 and on my own.

The first gun my father gave to me was a BL 22 via Santa Claus in 1972. I had to kick in a few dollars on that one to help with the cost. After Pop passed away a few years ago my brothers and I inherited HIS guns. I wound up with a Rem 700 in .280 and a Rem Sportmaster in .22 that his grandfather gave him on his 14th birthday. The BL 22 has been passed on down to my oldest son and the .280 to my youngest son. I have several others that will one day be theirs that, I hope, will be passed on down to their children to keep the shooting and hunting legacy alive.

Dad never gave me a gun, he was not a shooter. One gun that eventually made it into my son's hands is an Arisaka that came back from the Pacific in 1945, no pictures available.

Several years ago I gave my son my first gun, a Dan Wesson 15-2 that I bought new as MY first gun. He still shots it pretty regularly.

When he came home from 18 months in the Gulf,he built an AR for me. Every birthday, Fathers Day, Christmas, ... while he was overseas he ordered and shipped home the parts we "shopped" for together. When he was home, we sat down at the kitchen table and put it all together.

12 ga W.W. Greener built in 1912 that my Dad brought back from the Pacific after WWII.
He was sent ashore to secure the shore batteries at Fort 4, Tokyo Bay shortly before the Japanese surrender.
They found huge stores of civilian firearms in one of the magazines, and everybody helped themselves.

We used it a lot when I was a kid but I have to say it was a bit punishing for a youngster to shoot.
I did enjoy cleaning it though. Maybe that's why my Dad gave it to me just before he died 10 years ago.

Tinpig

I have several of my father's guns.

The one I like the most however is a High Standard HD Military, four inch 22. During WW II he met the marine it had been issued to who just hated it.

My dad had a nice bottle of rum, so they traded.

Later was sent to check out an island that the Port Captain swore had no Japanese on it. There he ran into his first one and shot him with the HD at about 25 or 30 yards.

It's a keeper.


Cat

Catshooter said:

I have several of my father's guns.



The one I like the most however is a High Standard HD Military, four inch 22. During WW II he met the marine it had been issued to who just hated it.



My dad had a nice bottle of rum, so they traded.



Later was sent to check out an island that the Port Captain swore had no Japanese on it. There he ran into his first one and shot him with the HD at about 25 or 30 yards.



It's a keeper.





Cat

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I have never heard of military issuing 22 revolvers. Interesting.......

High Standard HD Military is a semi-auto.

Not to bust family stories, but as far as I know it is a post-WWII model that duplicates a training pistol High Standard built for the US during WWII, except with adjustable sights. Guns marked "Military" were civilian-marketed guns actually manufactured in 1946 or later.

I have heard stories of privately owned .22s being carried in WWII by soldiers who were not expected to see combat. This could have been one of those.

Steve CT said:

Dad never gave me a gun, he was not a shooter. One gun that eventually made it into my son's hands is an Arisaka that came back from the Pacific in 1945, no pictures available.

Several years ago I gave my son my first gun, a Dan Wesson 15-2 that I bought new as MY first gun. He still shots it pretty regularly.

When he came home from 18 months in the Gulf,he built an AR for me. Every birthday, Fathers Day, Christmas, ... while he was overseas he ordered and shipped home the parts we "shopped" for together. When he was home, we sat down at the kitchen table and put it all together.

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That is awesome ... please thank him for his service for me.

Several guns from my Dad over the years but the one that has a special place in my gun safe is a Marlin 1936 lever action in 30-30. My Mom bought it for him right after they got married in 1941. He hunted with that rifle for many years, brought lots of meat home, and after he got his cherished .308, let us boys start deer hunting with the 30-30. My first hunt was when I was in high school in the early 1960s.

All three of my adult kids started deer hunting with this rifle as per family tradition. Here is my youngest (Patricia) on her first deer hunt this past October:



Dan

Dad slowly get into guns when I showed an interest in hunting. First was a Dasy (sp) gold eagle BB gun.

My uncle passed away and my Dad received a Rem 721 in .270, a Fox B, and a highstandard .22 revolver I have all three. .

I purchased him a Ruger .44 mag carbine when I graduated college. He used that through his deer hunting career. I have that now also.

In the 90's my father suddenly threatened my mother's life. As a result, he was committed/hospitalized for a brief time and diagnosed with two forms of mental illness.
Because of his refusal of treatment and worsening condition my mother had to move away.
I had to remove all of his firearms while he was put away. These are the same guns I was taught to safely handle and shoot nearly 50 years ago.
Out of loyalty to my father I have kept them, but the memories bring mixed emotions. I derive no pleasure in having them and they have not been fired since.
I also know that there were two incidents that he threatened to shoot two people that he felt had wronged him, prior to the threats to my mother.
I wish I had fond memories to associate with them but they have been pushed aside. I envy those of you who do. I will add that my son and I do shoot OUR guns together on occasion, and I'm proud of how seriously he takes the responsibility of ownership.

I have a few guns from my dad, but rather than that I would rather acknowledge that as a collector and gunny my dad was responsible for me shooting a really wide variety of firearms. Any expertise I have (and I don't claim to be an expert in anything) was because I started shooting real young (3 or 4). As an adult, my dad and I have pretty different tastes. He likes his cowboy guns and single shots. I like autos and modern revolvers. He loves the .270, I am a bigger .308 fan. We share a love of 10/22's. I shoot a more combat oriented style, dad likes to bang away at stuff. Dad wasn't and isn't perfect, but no matter what disagreements we are having I know I can always talk guns with him.

Let me give you an example. For my first elk hunt in high school, Dad laid out 10 rifles for me and said shoot each one and pick. I honestly don't remember all the rifles, but I remember there was a .300 H&H, a .30-06, a .300 win mag and the rifle I settled on, a Ruger MkII in 7mmRemMag. I hunted with that rifle for a long time and recently gave it back to him mostly because I had retired it and switched to a different rifle. In any event, dad bought all those rifles ober a period of time knowing one day I would pick one, and I think he got a kick out of the fact that I picked the rifle I shot best and didn't really pay attention to looks or honest wear.

So yeah. I have a few guns from my dad, but what he really gave me was a love and respect for the gunny lifestyle.

I've been given three guns from my parents as gifts....an 881 Marlin when I was 12, an American Arms 12 gauge when I was 14, and a Marlin 917 VSF they went in on with my wife for my 30th b-day. All are treasured, and don't see myself parting with any of them until I meet my maker, at which point they'll go to my nephews. However, the 917 is the only one I have a picture of readily available