Late Bloomers

[NIGHTWATCH]

When I was about 8 years old, I walked into my parents bedroom while they were in the living room with some company. I dont recall where I found it but I did. A revolver. Big. I didnt even know it was a gun, all I knew was that I liked it. I was facinated by the way the chambers rotated and the clicking noise it made. Its weight and its semi-shiny coating.

I walked out into the living room, completely oblivious to the people standing there and there mouths hitting the floor. I looked up from it for one second, only to see my fathers angry face and feel his hand knock me across the room. This was my first experience with a gun.

Im what you might call a late bloomer when it comes to guns. I always supported the RKBA in principal but didnt actually see the need for one until the L.A. riots and how it was affecting communities here in brooklyn. I was 32 years old when I first fired a gun. So many years past since I first picked up that revolver. And now, I find myself resentful sometimes that I didnt come from a background with positive firearms experiences. Instead of hitting me, my dad should have taught me how to shoot!!!

That being said, I often feel pretty small here. I own a shotgun. I know how to work it, clean it and make it perform well in the event I have to defend my life, but thats it. That was the reason I bought it right? It serves its purpose.

Because of my ignorance though, I am grateful to so many here who know much about what there is to know about firearms. Its the one thing that makes my resentment a little easier to swallow. I like to think that in the latter part of my life, I will be able to make up for the many years of not knowing the joys that comes with this freedom.

Are there any other "late bloomers" here or am I the only putz around?

 

[Croyance]

I started at 27. Dove into as many different resources as possible, then tried to filter out the garbage. Asked many people and thought out some issues.
Since then, I've owned a few guns and obtained a CHL whenever possible.
I'm not resentful of what my background lacks. I figure I learned other things that are useful to me in that time.
Now I'm learning motorcycle repair from the ground up. Someday I may build one from and old frame and engine.
Life is full of things to learn, and a lifetime to learn them.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I found my father's World War II souvenir pistol when I was nine or ten. I immediately looked it over, aimed it at the wall, and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. It didn't even go click. I figured it was broken. By and bye, I discovered how to release the magazine, and realized it was empty.

My father should have introduced me to firearms at an early age, probably starting with a BB rifle at five or six. He taught me plenty of other stuff, some useful, some not, but nothing about firearms.

In middle age, I have to figure he did the best he could with what he had. Part of what he had was a severely hoplopobic wife.

 

[blackhawk2000]

I got a late start, and I really regret it. I wasted a lot of money in my youth, and have nothing to show for it, but the memories of spending it. I didn't fire my first gun until my early 20's, and bought my 1300 around 23. Even then I still did not buy guns at a rate I wish I did. I will be sure to start my Son, and future kids out ASAP. If I only knew then what I know now:banghead:

 

[Bonker]

I was 8 when I got my forst gun which I consider late because I wanted one when I was 6

It's not important when you learn to play the game. It's only important that you play.

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

Gentlemen, I hate to use a cliche but you know what they say,
"Better late than never" !
With that I'll also add " Better to be SAFE than sorry"
Know your four rules about gun safety !

 

[Jesse H]

Started maybe 3 yrs ago, I'm 24 now. There was a time where I was scared of guns and couldn't imagine why I'd want to spend so much money on an item I would never use.

 

[Peetmoss]

I started relitivly early but had a real bad expierance with my BB gun. My cousin snuck it out of the house and shot my best friend in the eye blinding him when I was about 11. I swore off guns for a long time after that.

About 7 years after that I purchesed a Marlin 22 and had fun with that and my old man gave me a Mossie pump 12ga the same gun my mom took a picture of me holding when I was about 3 and a Semi auto Mossie 12ga. I kept them for about 6yrs. Then gave them all back.

It wasn't till about 9 months ago I got back into it. Since then I have gone all the way I have purchased 7 guns got my pistol permit and I am totaly happy and broke I don't forsee me ever giving guns up again. They are so much fun and it gets me away from the computer. Plus theres nothing like shooting a jug full of water and watching it just about explode man what a blast.

 

[Preacherman]

I've never worn bloomers, so I wouldn't know...

 

[hops]

Sorta late. My step-dad tried to get me in to guns( I was on cultural overload at the time) when I just came over in the airplane. Took me hunting (rabbits) with a work buddy of his. I still remember the event to this day. Had me shoot his .22 lr at an apple. Too bad my mom was not too keen on me and guns and him having too much free time (her 2nd marriage, his first so we know who was at a wee disadvantage). I think he liked having instant 9 year old son(s).

Did some shooting in the boy scouts, but really only got back to shooting a few years ago after my divorce, thanks to my best friend (guns, not the divorce). Had a chance to get in to it in the early 80's had I not been working 100 pct and college 100 pct.

Always been pro gun - even when I was a wee one in the former fatherland. Have pics of me and my brother and our toy silver revolvers that our step-dad to be gave us when he was stationed in Germany.

 

[Peter Gun]

I never shot until I was 25. I came from a strange mix of medico/military family. I was always into all things military, but I had been indoctrinated w/ the "guns are for law enforcement and military only" theory. I decided that was wrong. My mother and sister (nurses) are always trying to ridicule me about it, but I think my dad (retired navy doctor) really wants to shoot with me, but cant say so.

 

[Navy joe]

In between for me. Shot guns at an early age infrequently, had airguns I shot a lot. Bought an AR and bolt .308 when I was 19-20 but they got shot maybe once a year. got divorced at 25, bought lots of guns so there wouldn't be money tempting another party in the bank; also as cheap therapy, haven't looked back.

My dad did such a good job scaring safety into me that my early handgun experiences were hard, nervous, elevated heart rate and all that, almost an anti- response.

Night- , your dad undoubtedly did the right thing by knocking you across the room. You always associated with the gun, but the real lesson was in the safety aspect of not accessing guns you weren't supposed to. As a result you grew up as one kid who didn't accidentally shoot another. The next day he should have taught you to shoot, but then and there he got his message out. Nowadays some folks put trigger locks on guns and lie to themselves that the kiddies don't know about the key, combo, or whatever.

 

[Don Gwinn]

Your dad wasn't mad at you, he was filling his drawers at the thought of you killing yourself with that gun because he let you find that gun.

 

[michiganfan]

Have had a pistol of one type or another for about 15 years. But when Michigan became a shall issue state and I got my ccw I realy statred to spend money. Went from one pistol and a 22 rifle to 8 pistols three rifles and a shotgun. It is very addictive. My wife's desire for a new kitchen lost out to my desire for new guns. Oh forgot to mention the ammo dump I have in the house.

 

[Alpha752]

I started 1 month after my 21st Birthday...I turn 22 in July

 

[whitebear]

I grew up around a gun case full of rifles and shotguns...

and aimed one of them, a cocked and loaded .22, at my father after he had beaten me in a drunken rage. I was 9 or 10. I told him he had best never beat me again. He didn't.

I hunted with my high school friends until they discovered beer and whiskey and decided a day in the field wasn't complete without a flask in their pockets or a 12-pack in the truck. Because of this, I stopped hunting at about 17.

I went to college, went straight into grad school, and took a job that had me living out of a suitcase for 7 years. No chance to shoot.

Finally, 11 years ago, I married and settled down. I started pistol shooting after taking a class about 4 years ago, got my concealed carry license, and now have 2 revolvers, 4 pistols, an M1 Garand, a scoped Ruger 10/22 and a Anschutz 1903 target rifle, used mainly by my 14-year-old stepson for competition. My daughter has a Daisy 499B BB rifle, "the most accurate BB gun made", according to Daisy.

I still consider myself a newbie.

 

[Magnum PI]

Another Late Entry...

At 32 yrs of age now, I consider myself a late bloomer to the gun world....but to no amazing surprise since I grew up in NJ (anti-gun central), had an anti-gun upbringing, no hunters at all even in my extended family, as well no military either. A bunch of SAPS for the most part!

I had an interest in firearms as a teenager as one of my father's acquaintences was a hunter, and took me phesant hunting once (as an observer) and ended up dishing a stack of hunting shooting magazines on me. I have been reading gun rags ever since and still remember the Stainless Colt Mk IV Trooper on the cover of one of them.

Anyway, as I became less sheltered from my family, I was able to meet others with similar interests and have been buying firarms since I was 21 where I worked part time at a sporting goods store. I found myself to be one of the most gun knowledgable people there (with little to no ACTUAL experience) from all the reading!

Since then, I have found that my social acquaintences all tend to be "shooters", "hunters", "LEO's" etc. In NJ, I think the "interest" is so relatively uncommon that pro-gunners really gravitate towards one another. So many people here think guns should be banned and it's purely because they have had no POSITIVE exposure to firearms. Just the 6:00 news and the top Philly shootings each night. Truly a shame.

Well, if I'm lucky I'll be able to move out of NJ in the near future and begin to enjoy the outdoors and the shooting sports more in life. Wish me luck!

Magnum

 

[DragonRider]

I waited till I was 25, 12-5-01 I bought my first gun, HK USP .45F, I now own 12 Pistols, 2 Rifles and 3 Shotguns. Playing catch-up is interesting. Dad finally is going with me on this(skeet) Shot a BB gun a few times as a kid, but never got anywhere with the rents. Times a changing.

John

 

[Jim March]

Didn't shoot at all until 25; bought a couple of lousy guns, got turned off, in 1997 when some excrement seriously hit a rotary air movement device and I had crooks hunting me, I applied for a CCW permit thinking I could buy another gun once approved for "good cause" - needless to say, I wasn't "elite" enough and had to go in hiding for a bit. Meanwhile bought some better guns, got serious about RKBA, filed my first lawsuit in early '99, haven't looked back.

Am 37 now.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Who here can beat my Dad's lateness??

Until he hit 46 he was middle of the road/slightly anti. Then 9/11 happened, he did some research on the net, and snagged a CHL, handgun, and rifle in the span of about 3 months. He still shoots for fun with my grandfather, my brother and I.
Grampa got my brother and I started. We've been shooting BB guns since 10 and .22s since 11.

 

[Mikul]

I was 30 when I started and I certainly didn't grow up around guns. The closest thing was when my father bought a S&W semi-auto for home protection when I was about 14. He couldn't take it apart... but I could. It was quite a while before he ever shot that gun.

The nice thing about starting later is that I had the intelligence to choose wisely. I'm very happy with all of my purchases and avoided wasting money on silly things.

 

[10-Ring]

My Dad never had a firearm in the house. He tell me that if I wante one, I'd have to get one when I got old enough w/ my own money. Well, when I turned 21, I bought my first handgun & haven't looked back since.

 

[SB1]

Also a late bloomer

I am 32 and am in the midst of the permit process of NYC right now. My grandfather was a NYC detective for over 20 years and was hired to handle security measures at Shea stadium for 10 years before retiring in 1986 when the Mets won the WS. The players chipped in and bought him a WS ring for his retirement.

HE always wore a .38 snubby in his holster until the day he retired. He sold it to a neighboring police officer. The thing I remember is always knowing it was Grandpa's gun. It was never ignored, disguised, or frowned upon. I was 12 when he called me into the kitchen once. He took out the revolver and unloaded the bullets. He then put it in my hands and explained how it all worked. He then explained to me that it can kill you and should never be handled without his supervision. IT IS NOT A TOY.

He then told me stories of all the times this item in my hands saved his life and I should thank it because he would not be here today without it.

He grew very sick and passed away without me every really taking an interest in firearms, until recently. Part of me wants to locate the PO who bought that pistol so I could see if I get it back for a fee. I think it would be great to own a piece of personal history again. I hope to continue this with my own kids someday. I am not in law enforcement but respect the people in uniform because they will be somebody's grandparents someday too.

I have learned soo much already from THR and TFL and I hope to add to this great forum too. Keep up the great work.

 

[Bulldozer]

My mother and father were avid shooters and reloaders. They have pictures of me popping primers while still in diapers.

First went shooting in kindergarten. Promptly put a .22 shell into the hood of Dad's Toyota Hilux pickup (gun was a Ruger Mk. II and it was HEAVY). Folks laughed at that.

He joked about that day until he passed last April.

 

[Safety First]

Nightwatch, I grew up with rifles and shotguns for hunting purposes, but even at that I am much a novice about hunting guns. I had no interest at all in handguns until after 9-11. After that I guess I became a little more aware of the need for everyone to own a personal defense weapon,and not just to be safe from terrorist but any BG who would do me or my family harm. So after much thought and research I purchased a handgun late last year. I feel it was a wise decision and fully realize the importance of the 2nd amendment and in that regard I guess I to am a late bloomer. But better late than "too late " and as long as we learn how to safely handle/keep our weapons and train with them we are better off having them than not. Amen?