We lived in a rural area of Mass; from about the age of 7 or 8 my father would allow me to shoot a 22 single shot rifle.

In 1959, I bought my first 22 rifle at age 12 from the Montgomery Wards Catalog with money I earned working part time. It was a Western Field tubular fed bolt action. My nephew still has the rifle but all these years later it is showing signs of extreme wear from his use. He used it more than I did,

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
S&W Model 13 .357 purchased in 1977 at Herman's Sporting Goods in Springfield VA. Sold it to my CCW instructor in Jan 2002.

Herman's had a lot of Smith & Wessons that you couldn't find at other places. I was buying a gun a month at one time.
Then when the M629 came out the Fairfax County Police wouldn't approve the purchase so I had it shipped to a shop in Loudoun County and picked it up there. At that time you had to get approval for buying a handgun.

My first gun was a Remington 870, 20 gauge purchased at Worthington Hardware in Staunton. My first rifle was a Winchester Model 88 in 308. My first pistol was a Colt Python 357.

My first was a Winchester Mod 02 .22 short. It's dated "1900" but the "02" suggests it was a post 1919 production. Was allowed to shoot it at age 8.

Stevens bolt action .410..Model 59A ,.which I still have .
The story behind this shotgun, was a dude working for my stepfather when i was a kid, used to "pawn" the shotgun at a local store, finally , my step pop got tired of advancing the fellow the money to get it out of hock, bought it from the storekeeper, and I ended up with it.

I was 12-13 when I received it, and will turn 65 years of age tomorrow. Maybe I ought to get the old shotgun out and shoot it a couple of times to celebrate my birthday.

As a kid, my parents wouldn't allow me to have a 22 rifle (who knows) but okay with a shotgun (who knows), which was terrible for my squirrel hunting evenings.

My first purchase was a p228. Incredible gun, I still own it and love it as much now as I did back in 2000.

My first is was a Mossberg 46B 30 years ago. Still have it.

Marlin 39A, 22lr.

When I was born in 1965, my grandfather bought me a Ruger MK 22 pistol.

I've had that gun my whole life.

Hi-Standard model Military 107. 112 bucks at White's in Santa Fe, NM when I was 12. Best gun I ever owned.

IIRC, my very first personal firearm was a High-Standard "Sentinel" .22LR revolver with a nickel finish. As a new 2LT in USAF I was expected to qualify with a handgun and I'd never fired one before. I bought the little revolver to become somewhat familiar with a handgun. When I decided I needed something with more recoil, I bought first a Hawes Western Marshal in .357 Magnum and somewhat later a war surplus 9mm Luger. Even with all that, I still did not actually qualify until 5 years had passed and I was already a Captain. (Assignments in remote and off-shore locations without small-arms training facilities delayed my training and successful qualification.) Initial attempts using a 1911 in .45ACP didn't help, either--that gun is not the easiest to learn with.

flashguy

Remington Nylon 66. Wish Dad hadn't sold it when I was off at college...

Llama .380 purchased in 1987

First was a Remington 721 .30-06, a gift from my Dad when I turned 16. First one I bought on my own was a Ruger Single Six .22 LR/Mag convertible. I still have the 721, 43 years later.

My first gun was a Remington 870 20ga 28" full choke wing master. Still own it.

Ruger Mark II Competition. I bought it after realizing the second amendment needed to be exercised to be effective and I had until that time not given much thought to the matter.

First firearm owned: Sig Sauer P229 in .40 S&W.

First gun was a Marlin bolt action in .22 magnum. Ostensibly purchased by my dad and given to me as a squirrel gun but dad traded it towards a Savage 110 in 30.06 for deer. Neither gun served its intended purpose.

The first gun I ever bought was a Rem 870 in 12 gauge...still have it and have taken a number of dove with it.

Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 magnum. First Sig is a 228 purchased from Steve (220ST).

A .22 rifle my dad bought for me as a kid, stolen by movers I guess. The first gun I bought for myself was a Smith and Wesson Model 39, middle 70's.

Remington 572 .22 pump. Parents gave me 5k .22 every year for my birthday. Gun is almost a smoothbore now. Action rebuilt twice and likely can not be rebuilt again. Ahh, the memories.