How'd you get "into guns"?

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atek3

atek3

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When I was a kid, my dad took me shooting, mostly a walther PPK and some times a S&W 38 Spl. I never really got that excited about shooting. Flash forward ten years to college, I was a pretty avid gamer and I don't remember why, but I was surfing the web for info on a game (Jagged Alliance maybe?). I came across this website:
http://www.a-human-right.com/garand.html

Oleg's page on the M1.

At that moment I realize I needed one.

So my college buddy and I decided to buy M1's. We found the best way to do that was through the CMP. So one weekend I took the bus to the shooting range at 7am and shot a club Garand to get my card.

That was 7 years ago.

Anyone else got a story to tell?

atek3
 
my mom met this guy. he was really cool and really nice. he had a mean dog named northwest and lots of guns. when moms rent got high we moved in. a year later i asked him if i could shoot a gun. that was about the same time i asked if i could call him dad. he said yes to both. my mom left, but i stuck with my new dad (who was a lot better then the original one, who had issues with the bottem of the bottle) cause theres nothing like having a dad that loves you and teaches you the best he can.
did i mention the guns? he took me out, talked about gun safty and let me shoot the possem gun (charter arms ar-7) and by the end of the year i was shooting the H&Ks and other handguns. he drew silloutes of monsters like frankinstin and the mummy, filled bottles with water and was always there to teach me, keep me safe, and have fun!
 
Grew up in a gun friendly, gun owning family. I think the first time I shot was a .38 special when I was about 5 or 6 on thanksgiving day at a relative's house when the "men went out to make some noise" (made me feel grown up). I thought it was quite the hand cannon and couldn't hit any of the pop cans but dealt a hurtin on the dirt around them. A little bit later I was formally introduced on dad's .22 and my first was a chipmunk single shot 22. That was about 26 years ago.
 
It's a really long, sorted story involving me growing up and looking beyond what was presented to me as how things were when I lived in New York. I got older and started getting smarter, realizing I was being lied to about everything.

Then 9/11 happened, and that was the final thing I needed to convince me that it was time to get a gun.

I'm probably the greenest person here when it comes to guns, I've only been an owner for three years now, and I only started understanding what the Second Amendment was really about after I moved out of New York and hung around with regular people. But while my time on the smart side of things has been short, I've probably learned the most compared to others in an equal length of time.
 
Man, do I have a story! But there's no way to tell it without offending people and sharing a bit too much.

The highlights: Always attracted to guns, even when utterly outside the realm of normalcy within my community. Left my community for many reasons, including the lack of value many placed on self-reliance and self-defense. Reconnected with some long-lost relatives who taught me the basics. First gun I shot was my Grandpa's 16 gauge single-shot. *That* was the sound of freedom.

Didn't have resources of time to build skills too much, and so we acquired a couple guns, but didn't shoot much recreationally. We were focused on starting a family, and pregnancy and shooting tend to be incompatible.

Fast-forward a couple of years, for the more detailed portion. Mid-summer this year I had my third miscarriage, a messy and medically complicated one. We have one living child, now a year and a half old, but three failed pregnancies. After this last and most difficult miscarriage, I really needed time off from trying to have babies. Just too hard to deal with. And so for the first time in a couple years, I was free to get involved with guns again. This time I had a lot of frustration and other energy channel into a hobby. So now I shoot a lot, am gonna get my C&R soon, and we've increased our gun collection by two, adding a good shotgun, a .22, and a Mosin. A couple more next month.

Sorry if this last part is a bit much for some of the guys, but I remember several months ago someone posted about helping his girlfriend get into shooting, and how much it helped her move past the death of her baby. I wonder how common that is, really. Shooting has been the best outlet for transforming anger and frustration and grief into sportsmanship and intensity that I've encountered. Better than running, better than martial arts. Just a great emotional release.
 
Kinda forced onto me. A few may have heard this one before, but the lesson is still valid. I was a dumb antigun kid fresh out of college and driving an ambulance in L.A. There was a shooting, two nurses dying fast and the shooter still loose inside. We went into a highrise hospital to help the victims with a SWAT team.

I didn't know squat about guns, so the team leader showed me real quick how to use an 870 pump. "Just in case I get hit...you grab my shotgun and do what you have to do..." he said. I realized that I had better damn well learn how to shoot anything that might be thrust into my hands from that day on.

And I can.

Thank you, LAPD!

God bless all cops and ambulance folk, especially on this most dangerous night of the year. Happy New Year to one and all!
 
Started at birth.

Most dads tossed a football or baseball into their newborn baby boy's crib--my dad tossed in a Model 64.

Most parents give their kids rattles to hold and shake--my folks gave me matching .22 magnum derringers, with IDB (Inside the Diaper Band) holsters.

Most babies learn how to stack building blocks--I learned how to load and reload HKS speedloaders.

Most parents outfit their babies in blue for boys, pink for girls--my parents outfitted me in camo for the woods, and black for our visits to town.

Most kids' first words are "mommy" or "daddy"--my first words were "reload" and "I'm winchester."

In junior high, most boys dabbed a little English Leather or Old Spice or Brut on their face--I dabbed a little Hoppes #9.

Most bachelors if or when they dust their furniture use Pledge--I use G96 gun cleaner and protectant, even now when I've long been married.

Most folks name their dogs "Fido" and "Rover"--I name my dogs "Magnum" and "Special."

(grin. just having fun)

Jeff
 
Hey delta9, thank you for sharing your story. May your life be blessed with everything you need.

Happy new Year,

ironvic
 
Shot a little as a kid. Old war bringbacks and assorted revolvers. Went hunting nearly daily with a .22 by the time I was 12 or 13 and tree-rats were in season. Then I really didn't do anything with guns or do any shooting for a long time. Then the military. At that point, I decided I needed goodies at home too. I've been shooting ever since.
 
I grew up in rural Ohio my Dad started me and my two brothers with BB guns then on to 22lr's and shotguns. I was 15 when my father allowed me to purchase my first rifle...an SKS at a gun show no less. He had his FFL and we had the opportunity to shoot lots of different firearms as well as meet customers comming out to pick up their new toys! We'd do lots of woodchuck hunting during the summer break.
 
I was the only kid that i knew that wanted an ar15

I think i was the only kid in the neighborhood that asked his dad to buy him a Colt AR-15 for his 12th birthday.
I remember watching Beyond the Poseidon Adventure with my dad late one night and i saw the gunfight with Telly Savalas. I was so fascinated with the looks...and the firepower of the M-16 that i asked my dad what kind of gun that was! I WANT ONE, I SAID! To make a long story short......i finally got a Colt SP-1 on my 16th birthday. It was my baby for years and i remember feeling just like Ralphy did with his Red Ryder BB gun!
To this day i still regret selling that rifle to buy a car.
But, my Father was the one that introduced me to shooting. I can't remember how old i was. Maybe... 10 or 11. by the way i am 35 now so i have lost more than a few brain cells since then.
I remember shooting an old .22 bolt action rifle that i needed a screwdriver to extract the casing because the extractor was bad on the bolt. i also remember my dad telling me that he would cut my finger off and stick it up my nose if he ever saw my finger on the trigger again...unless i was ready to shoot.
So thats how i got into shooting......And yes, i am still obsessed with the black rifle!
 
I caught this deadly disease at age 12 when I was allowed to hunt
with an adult, with a family Iver Johnson sinle shot twelve guage.
Shot my first two deer also with a borrowed rifle (Marlin 32-40 1893
Carbine) at age 13. I was allowed to buy my first 22 that year, and my
fatal affliction has had me every since for the last 54 years. I'm told there
is no known cure:mad: Finally have given up and learned to live with it!:D
 
Dad was a Marine, and WWII vet. He felt it was something all men should do. Like carrying a pocket knife. Got my first BB gun @ 6.
 
I come from a fairly long line of hunters, so it was a fairly natural thing for me to get into hunting, and firearms as a natural extension, as well.
 
My Dad

Dad was a Marine Pistol Expert and avid hunter. I can't remember NOT having guns around. I started with the obligatory Daisy, then a .177 Crossman before getting my 1st shotgun, a Stevens 410. I then graduated up to a 16 gauge Ithica Featherweight pump, after that, too many to count! :D
 
Farm born & raised in eastern Kansas in the 40's 50's.

*Daisy BB gun when I was 4 or 5.
*Hunting rabbits for family to eat when I was 6 or 7.
*.22 Winchester rifle when I was 8 or 9.
*Dad's old 12 ga single-shot shotgun when I was 12.
*Hunting quail & Prairie chicken by myself with it when I was 13.
*.22 Ruger pistol when I was 14.
*Built a .36 cal. muzzle-loader pistol in HS shop class my Junior year.
*(Without the teachers knowledge)

*.45 ACP 1917 S&W when I was 15.
*1911 pistol when I was 15 1/2.
*Reloading when I was 16.
* Built my first 30-06 Springfield Sporter when I was 17.
*Army Infantry Basic Training when I was 18.
*(Shot high-score Expert with rifle & Pistol in my Training Battalion)

*Unit Armorer when I was 20.
*5th. Army AMTU Pistol Team gunsmith & shooter when I was 24-26.
*5th. Army Sniper-school cadre when I was 25-26.

Danged if I know how I got into guns!

They just sneeked up on me when I wasn't look'n!

1224.jpg
rcmodel
 
My father always liked hunting. We kids did not go with him ever until we were probably in our early teens. I guess his friendships were changing and he started doing more things with his kids. Shot his 22 rifle a couple of times prior to age 13.

But that did not stop me from thinking and learning about guns. I used to get copies of every gun company catalog mailed to me when I was a kid starting at about the time I could write good enough to fill out a post card or address an envelope. I had quite a stash of catalogs and I had my favorites. Memorized many of the caliber trajectories on stuff I was interested in and different specs on long guns. Really didn't even think about a handgun until I was over 21 and out on my own.

At age 14 I got a Mossberg 22 semi auto rifle. That started my shooting in earnst. The next year, I bought a new Mossberg 243 rifle for deer and varmint hunting. Put scopes on each. Got a 270 for my primary deer rifle at age 17. Used the 243 a couple of years for that task. I paid for my own guns.

Planned on getting a shotgun next, but my father had three shotguns which was enough for myself, my dad, and a brother to hunt together rabbits and ruffed grouse. We all had our own 22 rifles and started hunting rabbits (with beagles) with 22's and had a absolute blast. So, shotguns became less important to me. A friend of my older brother had a 22 revolver (a Smith Model 17) and he accompanied us a few times rabbit hunting. He used that. That was when I began to see how much fun handguns could be.

I didn't buy a shotgun until I was probably 24ish as I was away from the nest and hunting on my own at that point. It was a Remington Model 870 Wingmaster 20ga.

After college, I was working in Texas country every day and missed shooting my 22 rifles and hunting. Didn't even have an apartment as I stayed in motels all the time, pretty much 365 days out of the year. I wanted something to shoot and I naturally wanted a 22 revolver as I could transport it easily in my truck while working. Most of my long guns were still at my Father's.

Bought my first handgun and loved it. Went a couple years in grad school and picked up a Colt Diamondback 22. That began my interest in Colts. It has not changed much to this day since other than I can't buy "new" ones any more. (However, my X kept the DB even though I got it prior to being married to her.)

Bought handguns and long guns. Got married. Stopped buying guns. Spent most of our cash on photography equipment which we did together. Split up and started buying guns and more photography equipment, and art. I was probably buying 2-4 guns a month at that time to give you an idea and selling a fair amount. Got married again. Buying fewer guns; no guns for a while. Asking permission. That is what changed with the divorce from my first wife. I wouldn't have purchased a firearm without my first wife's okay and never asked. Our needs and her wants took priority over my own.
 
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Dad pulled guard duty on the Berlin Wall when it was just trash cans and barbed wire. I got to hear plenty of war stories growing up but we never had a gun in the house. There was never any anti-gun sentiment--Dad was actually pro-gun if anything--but it was made very clear that guns are for grown-ups. Nevertheless, I had a strong interest in firearms of various types and read Tappan On Survival when I was 15 or so.

A few years later in 1988 I joined the Army and held a real, honest-to-God firearm for the first time ever. I also shot Expert my first time out (38/40) and that confirmed everything I suspected about the sheer joy of firearms. Since then I have tried a couple of revolvers and pistols, shotguns, and rifles.

Sadly, I don't own a single firearm yet but I'm saving pennies and selling pro-gun stuff to fund my first purchase.
 
musta been all the cowboy flicks i watched growing up as a kid, or no wait thats were my john wayne complex comes from.

Always been around in my fam even if they werent on the table. Was always around as a little kid when game animals were being processed and what not.

was always into knives and guns. first swiss army knife at about 6 and have rarley been without one since. Even through my school years, even post columbine. killed countless hunreads and thousands of cans and bottles with bb dart and pellet guns. tin pie and paper plates were never safe.

Saw both the good and the bad of firearms as a youth 8-14/15. Legaly :eek: fired my first weapon out hunting with my uncle and my dad. 180 grain -06 rounds from my uncles 03 springfield.


after going out on the road trucking in my 16th summer my dad bought me a walther p-22. ive been adicted ever since i went to the pistol range and broke it in. It was one of the earlier ones and had to go back for some work.Shot a glock 17 that day, wont ever forget it. Diffrent from the first shot with the rifle but it came just as natural for me.

since then I have gotten and then bought for myself an averege of two guns a year. Sell one, buy two, ect ect.
 
started out with a bb gun as a kid. later joined the army. wasn't ever into guns to the extent i am now til my house was broken into, however.
 
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