How old were you?

[bigmoney]

Somewhere between 5 and 7. Dad's Ruger 10/22, shooting at the lid of a vienna sausage can at the family deer lease. At least that's the earliest I can remember. Not too long after dad traded the lease and quad for this annoying thing called a computer and got all techie and business, and less outdoors. After that I was 14 when he bought me a .54 muzzleloader.

[Soldiernurse]

I was 19 years old. My weapon was an M-16, which was not by choice but the standard military issue while a recruit at MCRD, San Diego. The snapping-in & qualification range was more the proximity of Camp Pendleton. I would say the USMC PMI's were (and probably still are) the best at what they do. The M-16 of the 1980's to the M-16 A1 & A2 through the years then & now are not much different.

After 15 year gap in military service (1980/88 to 2003) and another 3+ years added before a visit to the firing range to qualify with the M-16 (A2). This time as a Soldier. Different uniform with virtually same weapon. To make a long story short... qualified expert.

[tboesche]

6 years old. My dad bought me a Winchester model 270 .22 pump action rifle. It would shoot .22 short as well as .22 LR. Looks like this:

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It currently sits in my safe. I have over 10K rounds thru it. Still shoots awesome.

[2farnorth]

About 6. It was a 22 rifle, bolt action, single shot. The kind where you had to pull back on the knob on the rear of the bolt to cock it. Don't remember the brand. It was accurate out to about 100 yards. Much of the time it hung by twine on the side of our John Deere A or B for dispatching groundhogs and copperheads
Shot my first deer at about 10 with a Savage bolt action 30-30. I miss being a farm boy.

[srothstein]

Marinemom,

We are not normally this bad about it and I can't believe I am the first to notice that this was your first post. I can only assume it was the nostalgia that made us miss that. Welcome to the group and to shooting. And we do appreciate the sacrifice of allowing/encouraging/supporting your child serving the country.


I learned to shoot when I was about 8. My father took us out with his revolver, an old S&W M&P liberty model chambered for the 38S&W round. It took more than just a couple rounds until i hit my first target (tin cans in the woods). When he died, I asked for that revolver as my inheritance. A couple years ago, I gave it to my son as his first pistol - but he was around 30 at the time.

[MadMonkey]

5 or 6 the first time I shot a firearm. Probably 4 when my dad first took me out with a BB gun. I got my first gun when I was about 8... NEF single-shot .410

First handgun was given to me by a good friend when I was about 15, and I still have it.

[thatTexasLady]

Took my baby girl out last night for her first shoot. She did quite well with her little pink cricket. Had a great time and saved her first shell.

[Middle Age Russ]

I was shooting BB guns by around 6 years old, and .22s within a year or two of that. Received my first firearm as a gift (Remington model 572 pump action .22 just like my father's) at 12 years old, but had been shooting Dad's for years.

Began shooting 12 ga. at 11 dove hunting with Dad. He handed me his old Stevens bolt action 12 ga. and had me shoot at a soda can. Since it didn't knock me over and I hit the can, I became his hunting partner using my grandfather's Winchester auto. Dad then gave me a Winchester pump action Ranger just like one he bought for himself when I was 16.

Don't really remember when I shot my first pistol, but I bought both an S&W 659 and a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 (Stainless, 10.5" barrel) around the age of 23. I've since sold all the guns mentioned and have others in their place now.

[Dadiggla]

I was a late bloomer at 18 when my Uncle Sam started letting me shoot his guns. Been shooting ever since.

Ditto.

[Matt78665]

Age 7 at Camp Urland (Cub Scout and Boy Scout Camp in SE Texas) 22 rifle

[elpjt]

I was 14 and my Dad and I built a 5 shot .36 cal pony express cap and ball pistol. I had shot other guns but this one was mine. Dad is gone but each time I see it in the gun safe it brings me back to those get times at the range with him. It would make a great carry gun and would make a huge racket if shot. Just can't figure out how to keeep the darn caps in place over time.

JT

[mgood]

Probably 7, maybe 6, with my dad. I got my first gun for my birthday when I turned 8.

[biggyin]

For the first 25 years of my life I was subject in Scotland. Though not technically (at least not here, in Scotland it now is!) a fire arm, I got heavily into air rifle shooting/hunting when I was 16. I purchased an air arm TX200 with a amazing walnut stock when I was 16. I finally managed to bring that rifle back here last year, as it was so difficult to get it out the UK. I had taken it to the airport several times before only to have my parents take it back to their house. Sir, that is a fire arm! No it's not, it's a air rifle! You need paperwork to travel with that to Texas! No I don't as it's not a firearm over there as it is here! You need the correct export papers! I own it, why do I need export papers for something that is not a firearm and why do you not want to see my export papers for my pants (British or US version, whatever get more giggles for you) that i'm also taking over?

Long story short, moved to Texas and got me a pickup truck, a dog and some firearms! Never looked back

[RockingRook]

I was 22 and the Air Force introduced me to the M-16 and the K-38 Combat Masterpiece. I have been around guns
ever since.

Chuck

[punkndisorderly]

Seventeen. Went to the pawn shop on my birthday and bought an old mossberg plinkster with a thumbhole stock and factory tasco scope.