Posted on 02/15/2013 7:08:31 PM PST by San Rafael Blue
Most of you here felt 'that moment' a long time ago, when you were too young to vote, too young even to get behind the wheel. You may not even remember when it happened. My Rite of Passage was today. I went to Big 5 and purchased a 12 gauge shotgun. I actually won't be able to drive my 'new friend' home until later this month, after a background check. Hopefully, there is no evildoer using my full name while commiting their evil deeds. I'm legally clean though, never even been arrested (yet).
I purchased a box of bullets, and a zip-up gun case. When I return for the gun, I'll need to buy a gun lock. Once I have access to the gun, it is likely to lay idle and locked away, until I can take a class at a local firing range for beginner gun handling. Today I was shown how to open and load the shotgun, very simple procedure, thank the Lord. The young man at the counter was patient and respectful. I was glad for that. I already felt foolish for my scant knowledge of firearms. My Dad had two guns back at home. one named Brown Betsy, the other named Black Beauty. Sharing the family home with guns was easy, my sisters and I followed the house rules and just never tampered with them at all. I learned a little while in the Navy, but not much, nothing that was repeated. I made an effort not to let on just how excited I was, that, in itself might raise an eyebrow. Just why is that guy so 'happy' about buying a gun, when he knows so little about them. I played it sort of cool.
As I get older, arthritis has taken me out of my Karate class, till I can pay for private lessons. Otherwise, I would slow the whole class down. (Un-Good!, to make up an expression) I used to love Boxing or Sparring night in Karate. Practicing chokeholds too. Maybe sometime down the line, but not now. What I can do now is to use my sharp vision. I'll look into skeet shooting. So much to learn!
I told the manager he would make even more money if he had a photographer ready to snap a picture of the owner with his or her new gun. I absolutely would have pulled out a few bills and paid for such a momento. It was that much fun.
I feel the same way about my “19”. It is willed to a son in law with the restriction it stay in the family. It has special meaning to me because I had a great uncle who was Boarder Patrol and worked with Bill Jorden.
My first gun was a 16ga Ithaca Model 37 Featherweight. Bought it used in 1964 for $50. Earned the money working in the family grocery store on Saturday mornings for fifty cents an hour.
M1 Carbine here, when I was 23.
Remington produces left-hand firearms. I hated right hand bolt action rilfes. Operating the left hand 700 is wonderful. I do everyrhing left-handed; write, throw, bat, slap shot and jump shot. But I have the same issue with pistol shooting you describe. My dad taught me to shoot a .22 rifle before he taught me to ride a bike, and I can hit anything with a rifle. We used to pick off wasps with BB guns as they hovered in the air outside their nests. But with a pistol I can’t hit a house standing on the front porch.
A Springfield .22 Automatic rifle and a .410 Mossberg 3 shot bolt action shotgun. I was about 13 or 14 yrs old. The .22 was a Christmas gift from my folks, still have that one.
I shot a lot, but all my guns belonged to my father before he gave me a Winchester model 1200 for my 12th birthday. Still have it.
Same here. Feels very natural now with pistol, but it took a while.
Now I am in the process of re-training myself to shoot rifle right handed. Just a muscle memory thing, so I am starting with a pellet rifle.
With AR type rifles it does not matter to me about the controls, but I want to get a bolt gun. Also want to see if I do better on a rifle with my dominant eye using red dot type sights.
Harrington& Richardson “Topper” single-shot 12 gauge. Loved that gun. Cops confiscated it on New Years Eve 1977 after my drunk-ass brother was shooting it into the air, in Philadelphia! I’m still pissed-off at him.
Dad gave me a few guns, Ithaca Deerslayer, Winchester 30/30. The first gun I bought was a Ruger p89.
First gun, Savage Springfield .22 single shot for $9.00 new in 1961.
Second gun, Mossberg bolt action .22 42-MB US government. $19.00 in 1965.
Cash form an Army surplus store. Cash and carry. No questions, no paperwork.
My first, at age 14.
I have a bad right eye so even though I am right handed, I've always shot left handed too. I shoot right handed guns however.
Shot a 22 rifle for the first time when I was about 4-5 setting in my father’s lap shooting out the window of the pick-up.
Was given a pump BB gun a age 7. CO2 Pellet gun at about 9.
My father bought my brother and I our own first real gun when I was 13, two 20 gauge single shot shotguns (still have mine, fine weapon). We got very good at that very fast. The “old guys” complained they never got a shot. hee hee hee
I had access to many rifles after that. In addition to what I bought. First hand gun I purchased was a Remington .221 Fireball. Had only seen 1 other when I bought it. Fine little gun.
There were others after that.
I can’t remember my first gun. It doesn’t matter much anyway as they were all lost in a horrible boating accident.
Yes, that’s the same safety and bolt. The peep site mounted on the left side of the reciever.
I inherited a Winchester Model 94 30-30 from my dad. It kicks like a mule.
.22 Iver Johnson single shot rifle. Age 8.
Welcome to the world of gun ownership! Congratulations!! My first gun was/is a Glock 17 9 mm. First shotgun-bennelli M1super 90 slug gun-my favorite!
Any date on yours? Should be stamped into the trigger guard.
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