Have you been shooting longer than I've been alive?

[Hawk]

I've got plenty of years. Although Old Fuff claims I could not contend directly for the title we haven't actually compared notes.

Shooting is another matter. There were long stretches where I just lost interest and/or funding. I had other concerns between '78 and '99 but was awake for the runaway train that was GCA '68.

Also, there's a less than subtle distinction between having 30 year's experience and having one year's experience repeated 29 times. I would confess to being largely in the latter group but one does what one can to rectify the situation. There have been times when what I see on the interweb leads me to believe I may not have been the only one stuck in the "recycled experience" mud but this has not proven to be a comforting observation.

All in all, though, it's nice to be back. How things change: expensive Lugers and plastic autos - who'd a thunk it?

 

[HammerBite]

I fired my first shot in 1955.

 

[The Unknown User]

"Let me see, I was twelve when Dad taught me the basics of firearms. If you want the exact number of years... we all have our little wants and desires in life.

Selena"

Typical woman.

Edit: I'm not replying to the poll as the choices aren't consistent, so the poll's visual result will be skewed. When I was about six or seven years old, my grandfather about the basic rules of firearms (i.e. assume they're always loaded, never point it at anything, etc.)

Other than that, I haven't shot one yet, and I'm 20. I'm almost there--cut me some slack.

 

[10-Ring]

I bought my first firearm when I turned 22 almost @#$%&* years ago!

 

[jfh]

57 years

I was taught to shoot a .22 pump when I was 5.

Jim H.

 

[bakert]

Although I was allow to shoot a .22 a few times earlier my Dad started to let me carry a little Stevens single shot rifle in the fields at age 11 and a Win single barrel model 37 12 ga at 14. I remember that sucker kicked like the Devil at first but I killed a lot of rabbits and squirrels and even a few quail back then. 69 now so it has been more than a few years.

 

[The Wiry Irishman]

Since the poll topic was

Years of practical experience with study and/or application of firearms

I answered five, because that's how long I've been shooting seriously. Since a lot of people seem to be measuring from their first shot, however, I think that would put me at something between 12 and 15 years. I didn't think a shooting a box of .22 or 20 gauge every six months while I was still living at home really counted as "practical experience." I knew safety, but outside of that, I was totally ignorant of firearms until I started befriending gun guys in college.

 

[Schutzen]

I'm with JohnBT and Pat McCoy, I need a 50+ years block. I've blasted away with everything from 106MM Recoilless Rifles to .22CB's and a whole slew of stuff in between them. I've never found a piece of iron that would go bang that I did not enjoy.

 

[Schutzen]

I'm with JohnBT and Pat McCoy, I need a 50+ years block. I've blasted away with everything from 106MM Recoilless Rifles to .22CB's and a whole slew of stuff in between them. I've never found a piece of iron that would go bang that I did not enjoy.


This is a good example. I know quite abit about firearms and learn more everyday, but computers still whip me. Duplicate post.

 

[Moondoggie]

I also need a 50+ yr category.

Shot my first squirrel at about 5, in 1957.

Started competing with BB guns at 10.

Bought my first gun, a Mossberg model 42b (still have it) in 1963 and used it in 50 ft indoor competition.

Been all downhill since then.

 

[Rokyudai]

Aww geez...only 20 years...since my father's "There is no such thing as 'oops' speech."

 

[Floppy_D]

I'm at 10, not counting BB guns. Looking at the numbers, you guys are OLD!

... but wisdom and experience are hand in hand.

 

[KABA]

I shot a Stevens Model 1915 single shot 22 when I was eight years old.


I spent 31 months in the Army including 18 months in Vietnam. I qualified with both the M-14 and M-16 and, at different times, carried an M-16, M-60, and M-79 while in Vietnam.

 

[stevereno1]

Started with a remington 410 when i was 12, also used to shoot dad's colt trooper 357 also. I'm 35 now and have been shooting, and hunting ever since

 

[Sistema1927]

I first shot a Winchester 1906 at age 8. That was 43 years ago, and I haven't gotten over it yet.

 

[oweno]

Let's see ... made my first .22 when I was in the 7th grade, that must have been in 1951 or so ... that is something like 56 years or so.

and yes, back then a kid could walk in to Western Auto store and buy a box of .22s

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

I also need the 50+ category.
When I was about 8, I started shooting a Winchester pump in .22 WRF that my dad inherited from his father.

Dad ran an M1 Carbine range during WWII so I had a good teacher.

We would go chuck shooting with my uncle Al. He was a tinkerer and his .270 Winchester never missed. He was also a handloader and this was the early 50’s. Uncle Al received his pistol permit and now we were shooting a High standard 9 shot .22 revolver. He died in 1960 and my dad inherited all his guns, which I now have in my collection.

Here in the foothills we had quite a few checks and we would hunt them in the spring before the hay was too high.

I started handloading for that .270 in 1968.

My first real gun was a Sears .22 single shot bolt action. I was 12. My first shotgun was a Nobel 16 gauge at age 14 then a .308 Win. model 742 at age 16.

My first pistol was a colt huntsman .22.

 

[OEF_VET]

I started when I was 12 or 13. I'll be 37 next month. So, about 24 years.

 

[Ramius]

35 years plus...
The good news is, there is a wealth of knowledge on THR.
The bad news is, the lack of inexperienced, younger shooters here shows an alarming trend- fewer and fewer young people are learning about firearms safety. Most get what they do know from movies. If we aren't careful, we are a generation away from disarmament from lack of interest.

 

[M2 Carbine]

I'm 70.
Shot the first pistol when I was about 11 or 12.

 

[Red Neck64]

Started shooting in 1947,with my new for Christmas Cadet rifle"that was the name"22 single shot rifle that you had to pull the cocking piece before you could shoot it.They should have called the rifle Instant Addiction.

 

[rero360]

first time for me was around the age of 8 or 9, it was a .410 shotgun, then went to the .22 in cub/boy scout. and got a 12 guage for my first gun at the age of 17 after spending a year borrowing guns for hunting. I'm 24 now so thats 16 years if my math skill are good for being greatly sleep deprived.

 

[Hardtarget]

I started hunting at age ten. I used a Savage .22/410 . I was plinking before that. Cut my teeth, (shooting teeth, that is) on Daisey BB guns. Wore out several, but my favorite was the mod. 25 pump.

First pistol to shoot was my dad's S&W K.22...some how my brother got that. My first pistol of my own was a Ruger .22. I was 16. When I turned 21 I bought a Colt Diamondback .38. Should have picked up that Python...$165.00. Oh, well.

Mark.

 

[General Geoff]

Well one thing's for certain. THR's membership has a good representation for the Old School.

I've only been in the shooting scene for about three years.

 

[CW-op]

Started to shoot squirrels at age 8 with an old Hopkins & Allen 12 bore given me by my grandfather. I still have it. I use a Win Mod 1890 for squirrels now. Am now 75 years old.