What age were you exposed to firearms?

P

Patton

Inactive
In a previous thread I talked about getting a 1911 style auto and brought up some safety issues regarding kids and guns. I am just curious as to what age any of you were exposed to firearms. I have two boys, 2 and a half and one year old, and I am wondering when would be a good time to show them my handguns. I currently keep a pre sellout 686 in a Gun vault in the bedroom and a .22 rifle and Pony Pocketlite in a gun safe in the basement. I would probably show the oldest the rifle first and maybe the Pony. Either way all my guns are under lock and key. (PS: I still want that 1911 for safety, yeah, that is what I'll tell my wife, safety reasons ;-) I shot my first firearm, a Marlin .22, when I was 12. Been hooked ever since. Thanks for any replies in advance.

------------------
The most famous military response to being surrounded by a numerically superior force........NUTS!
 
I had my own .22 bolt action rifle when I was 13. I was exposed to shooting my own air rifle and my dad's .22 a year or two before.
 
Got my first rifle, an Ithaca lever action single shot 22 that I still own at the ripe old age of 9 and my first handgun (Ruger Single Six) at the age of 12.

------------------
Rick
 
I shot for the first time probably about 9 or 10.Got various rifles and shotguns for christmas and b-days up until my 17'th b-day thats when I got my first 1911 nickel plated gov't model .45 WOW what a day and got to go out and put some big chuncks of lead into the targets.After that I got handguns for b-days and christmas.
My kids are 7 and 9 and just as it was for me
I allow them to see a gun if they ask.They are taught saftey if the first priority.All the guns are in my room and they dont have access or any reason to go in there because they know all they have to do is ask and I will allow them to have a supervised look.

------------------
Glock-Never leave home without it.
 
Exposed at a very early age; my Dad was an FBI SA and his sidearms were a part of the routine household environment throughout my childhood. I was stringently taught firearms safety, respect, and discipline long before I entered elementary school.
 
I'm a little fuzzy on my exact age, but I was around 7 or 8 when my dad took me to the Marine Corps range to shoot a .22 single shot rifle. Then I watched him shoot his .45 for a while and I remember thinking how I would never be able to shoot one of those huge heavy guns. :)

As for Sam, I have it on good authority that his umbilical cord wasn't cut, he shot it off with an original SAA! Then he cauterized it with a cartridge full of black powder. He was very precocious. ;)

Now, as this is more of a General Discussion topic, let's share it with everyone over there....
 
Pre-natal. As far back as I can remember I've been around guns, hunting, competitive shooting, reloading, etc. I was "offically" given a 22 single shot bolt that had been my dads at around age 9 or so. As with many, I didn't actually have my very own handgun until 16, an ancient S&W .38 if I remember correctly. Not counting air guns, bb guns, etc. Yup, lots of great memories. All this reflecting really makes the current state of affairs very sad. Hope everybody goes out and votes for liberty. Stay safe.
 
I got to shoot a .38 special and .22 pistol courtesy of an uncle and his policeman father-inlaw when I was about 11 yrs old. My ears rung for a day. I got a winchester semi-auto 12 gauge for Christmas at 14.(still have it 26 yrs later)
 
Country n Mal....weren't cut, I bit it off.

Sam...carnivorous, cantankerous, and never lost, just checkin out new road.
 
I was given a Mossberg 22 bolt gun for my 7th birthday. Had a BB gun before that but was so long ago I don't remember NOT having it. Grandad gave me my first shotgun at 12 (note: Mossberg .410 bolt shotguns kick worse than ANY 12 ga I've ever owned! Don't give one to a kid!)

------------------
Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club
68-70
true story, a Union Gen. once said "Don't worry about those Rebs. They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..SPLAT.
 
Greetings,

.22 rifles and .410 shotguns in Boy Scouts, then only occaisional (very seldom) shooting with friends, air pistols and air rifles until two years ago.

Now, well, things are more favorable. 12 gauge, carbine, revolver, some pistols. Also NRA, JPFO.

Would have liked to see the doctor's face when he decided whether or not to give Sam that first slap on the . . .

Regards,

Ledbetter
 
Always I guess. My father was a Va. State Trooper after WWII and the family was from the backside of Walton's Mtn.(up the road really.) Can't remember exactly how early - I just turned 50 and don't remember a time when every household didn't have firearms in the corners and the closets and folks coming by to shoot them.
When I was 5 my dad's parents gave me a BB gun with a metal wall rack that holds a hinged metal box on the bottom level for all of the cleaning supplies. Even has a small bottle of blue in it. Yes I still have it, though the gun quit working years ago and the blue is dried up.
Always had the pick of the spare bolt-action .22 rifles or .410's when I needed one, but wasn't allowed to go off with my uncle's Belgian Browning .22 or my dad's Win. Model 12 20 ga. My uncle gave me a Marlin Golden 39-A Mountie in 1963 and I still have that too. Eventually got rid of the .22 Mag/.410 O/U and the 12 ga. Fox Model B. Bought my Single-Six Convert. at 21.
Screwing up with a gun was never an option if I wanted to keep shooting.
I remember the moment now. I was knee-high and insisted I wanted to shoot the 20ga. Model 12. My father held his hands under it while I pulled the trigger. Sat me down in the dirt - he caught the gun. John
 
BB gun, Daisy Red Rider (still got it) age 7 frostbit feet following dad in the snow hunting rabbits age 7. The old man could shoot it and skin it before I saw it. Grew up needing the rabbits to supplement our diet. Learned to skin at that age. Didn't get to shoot his Winchester 62 pump until I was 11, he would put only one shell in the gun and then said I was wasting ammo when I missed! My older brother told me he was a better shot but I never found out, dad died at age 60 when I was 12. In my mind he could hit anything in his sleep. Oh I envy you guys who got to know your dad as an adult. I have a feeling mine was pretty cool! PS My youngest was 10 when we started playing with guns. She is a crack shot with the .22 and the .380 walther and knows how to disarm you big bad attackers. Look out bad-guys! If I were to recommend an age I'd say 10 or 12, I wasn't mature enough to understand the BB gun could hurt someone, and under the influence of others actually had bb gun wars. Not smart! All guns and ammo in cabinent and clips to childrens guns in there too. By the way, youngest doesn't know it yet but dad just got her a Marlin M-2 (m-1 look alike) for Christmas. She is going to love it cause she hates to wait for big brother to finish shooting to use his gun!
 
When I was about 10 my dad bought me a double barrel 410 to go rabbit hunting with but I wasn't really raised around guns other than that two times a year walking out in the field to go hunting, so I guess I would say I was 41 when I was really exposed to guns and thats when I met Gunslinger and he has familiarized me with them alot and I'm enjoying them.

------------------
WHEN IT COMES TO FRIENDS THE SKY IS NOT THE LIMIT
 
Very early on, I figure, 11, big brother (who had learnded the basics of shooting by hunting crickets with a BB gun), took me out to a desolate area, explained some safety rules, and handed me a .22 rifle single shot.

[This message has been edited by Shin-Tao (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
Christmas present marlin 22 auto when I was 7.Got my first handgun at 16 Hi Standard sentenal(sp) and my first heavy cal pistol at 18,ivey johnson to brake in 38 S&W.Firt high power rifle at 16 bolt 257 roberts.Oh first shotgun at 14.Side by springfield 12 gauge.

------------------
Bob--- Age and deceit will overcome youth and speed.
I'm old and deceitful.
 
I started shooting BB guns when I was 10. My family was never into guns. They were never against them either. Just didn't care either way.

Then a friend of mine asked me to go with him to the hunter's safety course. For my reward, his dad took us rabbit hunting. So I guess my first real exposure to a gun was with a lever action .22

I went into the service after graduating high school. That's when I got into the real cool firearms. After I got out, I began to miss the smell of gun powder and recoil.

About a year later, I bought my first handgun. The neighbors have looked at me funny ever since. Plus the gunshop owners smile everytime I walk into their stores :D

[This message has been edited by ArmySon (edited September 21, 2000).]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top