What was the first firearm you ever shot?

[Alan]

I am curious to hear everyone’s stories, what was the very first firearm you ever shot and how did it go?

 

[BearBio]

Dad's 22 High-Standard Duramatic. Was pre-teens. Scared me a little.

 

[CastleRocker]

Iver Johnson single shot 410. I couldn't cock the hammer. Dad threw a beer can up as high as he could, and I hit it first try. Dad told me it was mine. I don't recall what I had for dinner last week, but I remember that like it was yesterday. Probably 51 years ago or so.

 

[NW Hunter]

Shooting cans with a Daisy BB gun.

 

[Renton Indian]

Mossberg Target 22.
7 pounds, peep & globe sights.
7 shot mag, bolt action.

Shot that until I was 12 then when hunting for the first time with the ole man.

My second firearm I fired was my Dad's A303 Springfield.
He hated me.

 

[Kevin Stich]

Age 16, Ithaca M49 single-shot .22 falling block

 

[Unshaven2897]

Dad's .22 rifle that shot shorts. And no, I didn't have permission. It was hiding deep in the attic. He hadn't shot it since he was probably my age.

 

[CoyoteHunter]

My 1st was a Colt 22 ca. Woodsmen. It seems like around 1962 when I 1st pulled the trigger.

I even have a picture of it and I still have the gun, along with ordinal box, manual, warranty card, brass brush and Colt screwdriver.

 

[Hilldweller]

Way back when we lived in Gahanna, Ohio (think we moved there in 1957/58) my dad set up the ping pong table in the basement as a target holder. I think he just nailed 5-7 pieces of 2x12 together and set it at one end of the table.
He took out his dad’s Winchester Model 62 (vintage 1938) and loaded a single .22 short into it. A minute later I shot my first rifle at the age of 5 or 6.

He had inherited the rifle when he was 13 years old (1939) after his dad passed away. He passed it down to me when I was 13 years old. After almost ruining it throughout my life I had it fully restored after I retired. Still have it today and it’s still a tack driver.

 

[Unshaven2897]

Dad taught skills.
Just recently I responded to a tread where G'Pa has guns and they are not locked up So the family and Kids won't go there. It's not safe.

G'Pa really screwed up. He didn't teach and his son didn't teach. This is today's world.

 

[VancMike]

My uncle Tom (no relation to Harriet) was an aspiring pistol champ in Nebraska. On a visit one time, when I was about 12, he took me out in their back forty and let me shoot his matched set of K-22, K-32 and K-38. I remember being very impressed by all three and had a great time. He gave me a vague promise to give me one or two of them someday and I began devouring gun magazines to learn all about Smith & Wesson revolvers, particularly the .32 S&W Long.

Uncle Tom went on to establish a restaurant that became comparatively famous. Apparently, people came from all over to partake of Nebraska "frontier" cuisine. To enhance the ambience, he decorated the restaurant with most of his extensive firearms collection, suitably locked up behind glass cases.

But stupidity runs deep in the masculine gender of our family* and one bright, sunny Nebraska morning the IRS showed up and confiscated the restaurant, contents and all. Seems ol' Uncle Tom forgot about paying taxes. Eventually, all was sold at auction. Sure hope they got a good price on the .32.


*in all candor, I am not immune. Fortunately, I married well.

 

[VancMike]

Way back when we lived in Gahanna, Ohio (think we moved there in 1957/58) my dad set up the ping pong table in the basement as a target holder. I think he just nailed 5-7 pieces of 2x12 together and set it at one end of the table.
He took out his dad’s Winchester Model 62 (vintage 1938) and loaded a single .22 short into it. A minute later I shot my first rifle at the age of 5 or 6.

He had inherited the rifle when he was 13 years old (1939) after his dad passed away. He passed it down to me when I was 13 years old. After almost ruining it throughout my life I had it fully restored after I retired. Still have it today and it’s still a tack driver.

Pictures?!

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

M16 when I was in the Air Force.