What center fire rifle caliber did you start shooting with?

[Glockfan.45]

I voted .223. Uncle Sam introduced me to my first centerfire rifle. Before that I had only shot my dads .22's, pistols, and shotguns. After I completed training on the AR I moved up to the .308 (M60), and then the .50BMG (M2). The first centerfire rifle caliber I bought was the 7.62x39.

 

[JesseL]

7.62x39 from my Romanian AK.

 

[BobMcG]

For me it started with a WW1 vintage Berthier type carbine in 8mm Lebel, my first center fire rifle. It was a gift to me from my grandfather after I turned fourteen ('60s). I still have it plus another.

Very similar to this one...

 

[P99guy]

At age 11, the .30 M1 Carbine was my first centerfire "long gun" of my own, I had shot Dad's Win 94 .30-30 a few times before I got the Carbine...had my first .22 rimfire longarm at age 6, owned my first centerfire pistol at age 9 (.45acp Combat Commander)first gun I ever "shot" was age 4(dad held a Govt model .45 while I aimed his hands and pulled the trigger) No wonder its been a life long addiction so far(age 44)

 

[MechAg94]

I am not sure I even know anyone who has a .243. At least not that I know of.

My Dad had an old mini-14 and an M14. The mini was easier to shoot, but the Armscorp M14 clone was the one I wanted to shoot.
My first big rifle was an M1 Garand I got 2nd hand at a gun show. Great rifle also.

 

[FrogClan]

Throw me in the 30-30 pile.... Grandpa's old '94.

But I may of put my foot in my mouth in another thread by saying "I bet the majority of us were started shooting centerfire rifles with the .243 ".

Must be an age thing. That one didn't show up until... what?... 1960?

 

[slabsides]

Polls deceive. I voted .243. But...My first centerfire rifle was an inherited Winchester Model 1886 lever action, .45-90. Never fired it, because everyone I asked said cartridges for that old gun weren't to be had (No one told me that I could have fired .45-70's in it!!!) My first 'experience' with centerfire was ONE shot with a Remington .270 and THREE shots with a Remington .30 (pump) when I was in high school. A pal borrowed his Dad's and Uncle's guns for us to try. By that time I'd had lots of .22 rimfire experience.
My first *extensive* experience with centerfire was with the .30 carbine in the service. The first rifle I bought myself, and took my first deer with, was a Marlin .35. And finally, the rifle I really learned to shoot with was a 6mm Rem. 700.
Polls deceive. I voted .243.

 

[rbernie]

My rich Uncle game me an M16A1 to play with for a while.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

30-30 Marlin.

 

[Deer Hunter]

30-06 mountain rifle. This was my first rifle, when I was 8 years old.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Can't remember exactly, but it was either a 7.62x54r or 7.62x39 Soviet. I bought two milsurp rifles in the same week and took them both out shooting on the same day.

 

[DaleCooper51]

The first center fire rifle that I got to shoot was my dad's martini action .218 bee. It was a beat up ugly gun that shot great and killed many many groundhogs and other critters around the house.

 

[hps1]

Other: Mod. 92 Win. carbine, 38-40.
Regards,
hps

 

[HuntAndFish]

270 Winchester. Dad was a fan of this cartridge.

 

[Farnham]

.30-30, followed by .22-250. The first I actually got to practice with and shoot in any volume was the 7.62x39.

S/F

Farnham

 

[JohnBT]

.222

We share a birthday.

John

 

[CornCod]

I was young, poor and trying to find decently paid work during the tail-end of the early eighties recession, so my first centerfire rifle was a Carcano in 6.5 Italian. It was a 65 dollar rifle, but I felt like "Joe Commando" with my first "real" combat weapon.

 

[Erinyes]

.303 British in an SMLE.

 

[marklbucla]

9mm.

But if you don't consider carbines to be rifles, then it would be TBA because I've never shot a >= 20" barreled centerfire before.

 

[No_Brakes23]

5.56 NATO M855 was what I started with. It was a rainy day in February 1997 on Edsen Range aboard MCB Camp Pendleton.

I actually fired .50 Cal before I ever fired .22LR.

 

[s&w 24]

other

Bought an SKS with my summer job money before going to callege that fall. Many others followed but thats the one that got it going.

 

[robctwo]

Dad's 30-30 Winchester with 1/2 octagon barrel. First two deer, then moved to Winchester Model 70 featherweight in .243.

 

[EvisceratorSrB]

8mm Mauser.

Yugo M48. I was in love from the very first round I put through it.

 

[Lambo119]

FrogClan is correct.

FrogClans statement:

Must be an age thing. That one didn't show up until... what?... 1960?

is on target. Being almost forty the .243 was very popular in my youth. Eventhough my origional statement could be correct for my age group it appears to be way off the mark.

The one thing this poll has done is made me remember the good times of my youth. Fun with Grandpa and a rifle or Dad shotgun hunting phesants it has made alot of old fond memories come flooding back........... Thank You.

Oh, and FrogClan the .243 was first marketed by Winchester in 1955 in a model 70.

 

[BsChoy]

I made the mistake of getting a 7mm Rem Mag for my first....got a decent flinch for years with that one but now I am over it!