Who, What, When?

[Biggsly]

Who was the first person to take you shooting? What was it "If you remember" and how old were you?
I was around 4 or 5. I had an uncle that would take me shooting. He started me out on 22s and the old 410. I was hooked. My dad helped me buy my first AR "Colt SP1 that I wish I still had." It started a love of shooting that I have had my whole life.
Just thought I would see what started it for you guys.

[KilkennyArms]

I was in camp Subiaco Arkansas. The brothers had set up a .22 LR range. I spent a lot of time there. Lot's of fun but nothing compared to Parasailing behind their jeep. I was 10 or 11.

[Lurker66]

I really dont remember, i remember shooting squirrels with my granpa around 5-6-7 y/o. Im assuming i shot before that.

[11b1776]

Ahhh, we would take old jars like mayo, mustard jars with lids down to the river and throw'um in, shoot with the 22. Good times!

[kroberts2131]

Uncle Sam taught me at camp pendleton.

[twotonevert]

I was 10 when my dad purchased my first 22 from Otasco. I still have it. He delighted in teaching me to shoot match sticks.

[becker_atc]

I was about 5 i wanna say when i shot my dads ruger 10-22 after going turkey hunting. I remember this because we both got poison ivy that day REAL bad.

[foghorn918]

9 or 10 yr old, my dad took me and we shot his Marlin tube fed, bolt action .22 rifle.

Dad is gone, but the Marlin lives on and I got the privilege of taking two of my grandkids (8 & 11) shooting for their first time using Dad's old Marlin. It was important for me that they shot that one first, before I let them move over to the M&P 15-22 black rifle.

I got myself a couple of shootin buddies out of that trip, now to get the other 4 grandkids out to the range

[Biggsly]

9 or 10 yr old, my dad took me and we shot his Marlin tube fed, bolt action .22 rifle.

Dad is gone, but the Marlin lives on and I got the privilege of taking two of my grandkids (8 & 11) shooting for their first time using Dad's old Marlin. It was important for me that they shot that one first, before I let them move over to the M&P 15-22 black rifle.

I got myself a couple of shootin buddies out of that trip, now to get the other 4 grandkids out to the range

Great story.

[p238shooter]

Dad talked Mom into letting me have a Daisy BB gun for my 7th birthday. She was not happy, but agreed. It had an Otasco sticker on the box also. Dad taught me how to shoot it, gave me very good instruction on how to be safe and accurate with it. He set me up with a "firing range" in the back yard. He ran me through a lot of drills. Soon, with Dads instructional help, I was the hot shot of the neighborhood, which was mostly older kids. One day I remember wondering why Dad would want me to learn how to hold my Daisy BB rifle 90 degrees out from my body one handed and shoot at a target 20 ft away without looking through the sights?

When I was 8, I went out with my older cousins rabbit hunting with a real 22 rifle. Dad went through the safetydrill one last time before I left and reminded me to regroup after the "kick" of the 22. I got two rabbits in the head. They were amazed at my head shots. I stated, doesn't that make them easier to clean? They just laughed. I was serious.

Dad passed away in 1977, Mom passed away within the last year. Going through old papers I found Dad was considered an Army "Expert Marksman" and promoted for special duty in WWII. He never talked about that part of the Army he served. My Daisy BB gun training might have been more "expert" training than I ever realized. I thought it odd that he never once would shoot my Daisy BB gun, only show me how. I guess there were reasons I might not want to know about.

My Daisy is in the gun safe with the other items that are important to me. A little lube in the barrel, and I can shoot your eye out. Thinking back, I guess Mom was right.

[hard_r]

The greatest man I have ever met, the man who taught me shooting, fishing, camping, hunting, manners, morals, and generally how to be a man. My Poppa. He's my dad's step-father, but he is more of a grandpa than my biological grandfather who I see once every couple of years, and never taught me a thing.

The gun was a daisy single shot bolt action .22. My dad has it, and I imagine I'll teach my kids to shoot with it if I ever have any. I was six years old. When I was 11 he bought me my first deer rifle, a single shot .223. When I outgrew that he "traded" me for his .30-06. When I was 12 he gave me my first handgun, a Rossi .38.

I never shot a deer in front of him until last year. He came up to sit in the stand with me, he hasn't hunted since 98. I killed a little 8 point and dropped him DRT. Poppa gave me a high five, said, "Perfect shooting, son." I tried to tell him it was because of him, and how he shaped the man I became, but I got lost in tears instantly. He just patted my shoulder and said,"Let's go get that buck, partner." He knew. It was not my biggest deer by far, but it will always be my absolute favorite.


I don't have any shooting pictures, but here he is teaching me to fish on my first ever fishing trip. Foss Lake, 1989:

[Biggsly]

You guys have some great stories.

[HMFIC]

I was born with a rifle in my hand, snorting gunpowder and drinking from a Hoppes #9 bottle. A son of a gun is what I be. Dad made sure I could hold a proper sight picture before I knew my numbers and letters.

[okietool]

I don't remember how old I was, but it was my maternal grandfather, at one of his friend's farm ( I won't name him ), it was at. .22 semiauto pistol and it blacked my right eye.

[been]

9 years old. went shooting out at Wagoner with Step dad and a friend of the family who was Polish. First gun i ever shot was an RPK.