Your first gun

[Fergie]

In talking with friends, several want to go out and buy their first firearms. I discourage them until they can go through some type of hunter's education course, or at least go out with someone that can show them proper safety.

Anyways, that got me to thinking. I remember shooting with my Dad and Brother from when I could hold the rifle. I have a small collection now, but I have always loved my first gun, a WWII, Hitler Youth sniper rifle, made by Anschütz. Single shot, bolt action with open sights. Best squirrel and varmint I have shot. And sentimental value too. My Granddad gave it to my Dad(when my Granddad returned from WWII), and he has given it to me.


So, what was your first/favorite gun?

Fergie

 

[Jes]

I learned to shoot some kind of .22 revolver when I was about four and a half. Scared the heck outta me, thus I never treated guns as "toys".
I then didn't pick up a gun for many years untill I bought a Russian SKS and got back into it about thirteen years ago.
I have bought many guns since that time but probably my favorite gun I own is the one that I purchased most recently. A Ruger MkII semi auto .22, just plain fun to shoot, and cheap too.

 

[olivedrabcj7]

first gun was a browning youth model pump 20 guage shotgun my dad bought for me when i was 12. now i have a 300 win-mag for elk and mulies, a browning .243 i use deer hunting, a benelli super black 12 guage 3 1/2" mag semi auto for ducks and other wingshooting. and for personal safety i have a glock model 17.

 

[IXNAYXJ]

My first "real" gun (not counting .22 rifles etc...) was my grandfather's Colt Model 1911 that he used while he was on the Army Pistol team during WWII. It is one of my most prized posessions, and all 1911s have a special place in my heart.

-----Matt-----

 

[8Mud]

My first was a Stevens single shot 22, my second a 1200 Winchester pump. The skills I learned with the Stevens, translated into some decent shooting with an M-14 and the skills learned with the 1200 really helped with the M-16. 1200/M-16 equals pretty good quick fire and instinct shooting, the skills do translate rather well.
Favorite would have to be a toss up between my lightened Gerand and my Styer Mannlicher sniper rifle. Both are tack drivers.
I actually enjoy bench shooting, working with the ballistic tables, loading my own and seeing just how good I can tune the loads for the rifle.
If they want to hunt, thinking about the weight of the rifle makes sense and a Remington or Winchester bolt action rifle in a major caliber is plenty accurate enough. I've done some decent shooting with my Winchester XL (extra light) in .308.
A good scope on a middle of the line rifle, will generally work out better than a middle of the line scope on a really good rifle. Most rifles are more accurate than the shooter is anyway. Some scopes have less parallax than others (and usually cost more) and a scope with parallax adjustment/correction, helps if you shoot for accuracy. Some scopes gather low light better than others, which is often a plus for hunters, as many shots are taken in poor light.

 

[Bent]

.54 cal. cap & ball, loaded right it can still knock me on my keister. Truth of the matter is that my brother and I had much more fun just playing with the black powder; it was years before dad found out why he was always almost out when ever it was time to go shooting. Come to think of it though he probably knew all along, funny how we're not nearly as slick as we think we are as kids.

 

[ECKSJAY]

First anything was my Crosman 760 Pumpmaster when I was 11 (still have it). First gun I shot was an old Winchester single shot, bolt-action .22 rifle when I was 9. Bought my first .22 (when I was 15) from Dad's co-worker for $20. It is (I still have it) a Mossberg 346KA. Tube-fed, bolt-action. Bluing was in excellent condition but the stock looked like someone had paint thinner on their hands the last time they held it. Wrote to Mossberg and got the parts diagram for it, tore it down (completely), and refinished the stock. That thing has taken out various birds, waterfowl, cats, rats (especially), and possums. Can't tell you how many hundreds of rats I shot in my youth at my grandparents' farm in North Dakota. They (rats) had trails going from the henhouse to the shop and corncrib. Under the moonlight I used to play sniper and take them out one at a time.

Next firearm was given to me on my 18th birthday. 1873 Springfield .45-70 (trapdoor carbine, officer's model). That thing is a hoot at the range.

After that was a Mossberg 500 pump 12ga combo. Hated that thing.

Now it's a sickness.

 

[brokexj]

After the military, it was a Taurus PT-111. Now it sits in the bottom of the safe.

 

[Rev Den]

1st - Ruger P90DC .45ACP - Outstanding reliability and accuracy, double action 1st shot allows me to keep it loaded at home (no kids) and my mind at rest.

Fav - Ruger (see a pattern?) Super Blackhawk .44Mag, 4 5/8" barrel in Stainless, satin finish.

Rev

 

[Skullver]

started with a Ruger .22 at 10, then bought a glock 27, now traded that for HK USP .45, and now pops gave me his S&W .44mag revolver, .44mag lever action saddle gun, and a ruger .22 that breaks down and fits in the stock and acually floats, good for backpacking. I am now looking for a shotgun to round out my collection. Here in cali we are severely limited to what we can own, boo-hoo, I want an M-4.

 

[5-90]

Air Force surplus Armalite AR-7 "Pilot's Survival Rifle." Sweet little shooter, with the advantage of being probably the "ultimate" takedown rifle and therefore easily packable. VERY nice, and quite accurate.

It's in a "remote" collection - I don't trust California. I'll reclaim it when I repatriate...

5-90

 

[copperhead]

First gun: Smith & Wesson MOD 65, 3"barrel (still my favorite pistol)

Favorite: William Powell & Son 12 bore Hammergun.

 

[Geepfreak]

First Daisy BB gun(don't remeber model)

Favorite Ruger 44 Mag, Limited edition North American Hunter, Stainless, Composite Grip, scoped.

 

[thecozmo65]

My first gun was a youth Marlin .22 single shot. My favorites are my .357 Colt Python and my mint WWII paratrooper M1 Carbine.

 

[Steve98XJ]

Les Baer "Thunder Ranch Special" .45 ACP 1911.

 

[Bowzer]

In talking with friends, several want to go out and buy their first firearms. I discourage them until they can go through some type of hunter's education course, or at least go out with someone that can show them proper safety.

I completely agree :thumbup:


I dunno too much about guns (dad passed before I was born)... mom, ofcourse wouldn't let me have one - check this out, I wasn't able to have squirt guns! freakin hippie for a mom.


anyways, my best friend in high school let me go to the shootin range with him his brother and dad every now and again.

my buddy had a 30 odd 6 (sp?) rifle, pretty sweet for a righty, I'm a lefty- kinda difficult to shoot.

His brother has a Savage somthin-er-rather.

His dad usually played with his hand guns: .38 Special S&W and 22 Pistol...

I really liked the S&W .38 Special :lickout:

 

[jrsxj98]

H&R single shot 20 GA. still got it gonna pass it on to the boys someday.

 

[5-90]

First - it's a .30-06, pronounced "thirty aught six" - the cartridge name, fully expanded, means "Cartridge, caliber thirty, pattern of 1906." It's a military cartridge, and a great utility shooter. Thought you'd like to know...

Second, if you're used to Savage Arms goodies, they make some damn decent left-handed bolt guns, and you can start looking toward one when you move out. Savage stuff is usually priced quite nicely, and is well-made for the money. You can take pretty much anything in North America with an -06, with the exception of bears (actually, you CAN take bear with a .30-06, but you'd better know what the Hell you're doing! It's not for beginners...)

Smith makes nice pistols - my wife has a 1972 Smith N-frame in .38/.357, and I've taken it all they way to fully-loaded handloads and then had it x-ray inspected. No trouble at all - those pre-75 N-frames are tougher than the hinges of Hell. I told her I'd shoot her if she ever sold it. One nice thing about all revolvers - you can also "down-load" them without incident. I've got some training loads I've worked up using plastic bullets and primer power that are great for newbies, since they recoil less than a .22 auto!

5-90

 

[thecozmo65]

Air Force surplus Armalite AR-7 "Pilot's Survival Rifle." Sweet little shooter, with the advantage of being probably the "ultimate" takedown rifle and therefore easily packable. VERY nice, and quite accurate.
5-90

You want to see another fun little survival/takedown piece? Check out the Springfield M6. Its an over under .22LR .410 shot. All metal single shot, break action. Just a simple, reliable little gun. Plus it has internal ammo storage in the stock. Springfield also makes one with a folding stock that will take a .45 though I dont remember which.

 

[5-90]

I've seen it - they call it the "Swiss Army Gun" or something like that, don't they?

It's a nice idea, but I can store more ammo in the AR7 and I'm more used to it. Besides, while the .410 will keep the pot boiling, I've always felt it was a little underpowered.

Besides, once I take down the AR7 and stow everything, it's fully waterproof! That's a plus...

I've nothing against Springfield (I've owned several,) or the "Paradox" idea (useful in the right calibres - I once had a custom-made piece in .223 over 12 gage,) but there is a time and place for everything. Besides, we all end up with favourites, don't we?

5-90