TBT…

First guns…

My first gun was a Stevens .22 (which I still have), the 94 was given to me in 1963, the 4 inch Python in 1966, and I bought the 6 inch Python Β in 1972 when I turned 21. I bought the Ruger MK II bull barrel in 1982 to replace the MK 1 that I’d basically shot out…

First guns

And before you ask, yes those are Herrett Custom stocks on the 6 inch. Sadly for my wallet, I didn’t stop there…

What was the first gun you ever bought? And do you still have it?

Comments

TBT… — 46 Comments

  1. First gun was a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 LC with a seven and a half inch barrel. I sent it back in for the upgrade and it is in the safe. If I could ever find Unique again, I might shoot it. And I bought it in Woolworths if I remember right.

    Temperature in Philly is down to just over sixteen F.

    John in Philly

  2. The first gun I ever bought was a Ruger 10/22. Yup, I still have it and some of is distant cousins.

  3. First gun I ever bought was a Winchester 9422 XTR which is still in my safe. It wears a 2 ~ 7 Burris today in deference to my antique eyes. The second is a mixmaster 1911 GI frame & Colt Nat Match slide & barrel, it too still resides in my safe.
    The guns after them – – – – – well, not so much.

  4. My boyhood battery of guns (in order of purchase) was a Marlin 81 .22lr, Ruger Super Single-Six convertible revolver, Remington 600 Mohawk .308 Winchester and Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge pump. Still have them all, the last one was the first one I purchased with my own funds. A lot of lawn mowing for six months, but after nearly 40 years (1976) and lot of carrying about – worth it.

  5. My first long gun my father gave me I still have. The first one I bought myself…I sold..Smith and Wesson 3953. I wished I had never done that.

  6. The first one I bought was a 22 revolver (found by a friend in an abandon house behind some bricks in the fireplace. Paid $5 for it in the school cafeteria.) Stolen out of my car.
    Dad gave me a long barrel 22 rifle when I turned 15. It is almost 100 years old now.
    British 303 Infield
    BMW (I know) 30-06 (sold it)
    Browning 16g shotgun inherited when dad died. He got it from Sears (birthday present) in ’52.
    That is all the old ones.

  7. 1st handgun: Ruger New Model Blackhawk Convertible, .357/9mm, with the “Made in the 200th Year of American Liberty” rollmark on the barrel.

    1st rifle: Remington M1903, one of the early ones they made before they switched to making the `03A3.

    I still have them.

  8. 12 gauge Parker Ballard double shotgun I bought at 18. I still have it.

  9. .22 Browning T-Bolt is the first one I bought with my own scratch. I have a one power sight on it for quick acquisition of varmints and such. Yes, of course I still have it.

  10. First rifle bought with my own money was a Marlin .22; first handgun was an Uberti Colt Walker reproduction.

    It’s -1 here, since we’re comparing thermometers, too. πŸ™‚

  11. I have always had hand-me-downs from relatives. The first handgun I bought, was right after Obama’s first inauguration. My wife and I were on the couch, she turned to me and said “I think we need to get a handgun.” Got a Bersa .380, so she could shoot it. Carry it everyday. The first rifle I bought – S&W MP15. A good shooter that.

    First rifle ever? Stevens/Savage 325. Still have it. http://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20Articles/stevens_325_savage_340_bolt_act.html

  12. Model 94 also, but it wasn’t a pre ’64. Still have it.

  13. First one I bought was a Krag 30.40 with a VFW bubba modification to shoot blanks. Paid $15 for it at auction. Family friend helped me fix it. A cousin is still putting venison in the freezer with it.

    Next up was a 1950 vintage Model 94. That was lost in a fire.

    One thought. Can you imagine a high school kid buying a rifle today at a public auction?

  14. A 12 ga.Savage double barrel.
    Every time we go to the Range someone wants to buy it off me.
    Got it at Woolworths in 1979 for about $90.
    (I started late)

    Hymie

  15. First gun was a single shot .22 hand-me-down that I sold when I was in my 20’s. Wish I’d have hung on to it.

    First gun that was new was a Marlin .22 semi-auto that I still have. It will go to my first grandchild as soon as my son says he’s old enough to have it.

  16. First gun I ever got was my maternal Grandfather’s Remington Sportsman 58. Grandpa passed away when I was in the first grade, and left it to me in his will, along with his ribbons. Dad lovingly oiled and cleaned it before putting in the safe. I shot it for the first time when I was in the sixth grade (and by that time I recognized the DSC ribbon, too)

    First gun that was mine new was the 10/22 Pop gave me in the sixth grade for Christmas. Stainless steel with the now discontinued “boat oar” stock and a Bushnell 3-10X40mm atop it. I was Gunny Hathcock in the backyard with that thing.

    First gun I paid for myself was a Belgium Browning A-5 Magnum. 3″ chamber and a 30″ barrel. Gold trigger and engraving on the side.

  17. Another interesting question would be AT WHAT AGE did you buy your first firearm with your own money. I bought my .22 when I was 13 with money I earned delivering papers. Do you recall when kids did that and mowed lawns before Mexicans took over both low wage occupations?

  18. The first gun I bought, was a CVA 1851 Colt kit revolver. the kit was $49.00 at Dolgin’s in Clayton Missouri and I was $7.00 short so my dad loaned me the rest and helped me check out since I was only 15 and they required you to be 18 to buy firearms and related products.

    I rebuilt that kit over a dozen times with new internals as I kept wearing them out. I finally perfected how to use cold blue to get that antique bluing look and how to get the grips to look like they were originals from the 1800’s.

  19. A Ruger Security-Six .357 for duty carry as a FPO. Sold it to another officer when I left the force.
    ‘Bout the same time I got a Ruger Single-Six. After 24 years I had to send it back to the factory to have the timing adjusted and the loading gate spring replace.
    First rifle was a Ruger (I see a common thread in this post) 10/22. Still use it and the Single-six to train new shooters.
    First center-fire rifle was a Winchester 1895 .30-06.

  20. Roger- Heard that, old eyes over here too… sigh

    j.r.- Nice selection, and yeah LOTS of yards mowed…

    Fargo- Ouch, but one does what they have to…

    CP- Those are some nice ones too!

    CM- Pretty much can’t go wrong with either of those!

    Gerry- Damascus barrels?

    LL- I would expect nothing else!

    Rev- A Walker??? Dang! And that temp is why I live down here… πŸ™‚

    Fla- Nothing wrong with that! And a Bersa works. Just clean it monthly… πŸ™‚ I do with my carry guns!!!

    Randy- πŸ™‚

    WSF- They don’t wear out if you take care of em, and no, it’d get a whole bunch of folks arrested today… sigh

    Hymie- I can believe that!

    LCB- Nothing wrong with that! My grandson has the 39A (I’m keeping it for him πŸ™‚ )

    SPE- That’s a NICE first gun!!!

    LL- I was 15 when I ‘bought’ the Python for $100. Mowing yards and shovelling crap for a Vet…

    Mark- I admire you for that, I’ve never had the patience for those kits!

    Stretch- LOL, yeah, lots of 10/22s… I somehow missed that check in the block till this year.

  21. My first gun was built for me by a Ranger gunsmith back in about 1980.

    It was a Colt Commander frame, with a whole bunch of other “surplus” parts that he assembled and accurized for me.

    Shot really nice, but I gave it to my best buddy when I moved out to Kommifornia in 1982. I should have kept it, because at the time, the Kommiefornia gun laws were less restrictive than those in Illinois.

    And my buddy still has it, and it still shoots fine.

  22. Hey Old NFO;

    I still have my first gun that I bought, it is the Remington 870 Police 12 GA. The second gun was a Springfield Armory .45 that was stolen out of my truck in 1992. I still miss that pistol.

  23. I bought a low serial number 4″ Python from a former police officer at age about 17. Yes, I still have it. Fine pistol.

  24. First one I bought with my money was a Mossberg 26A .22cal. Cost was $14 in 1951. Then my Dad gave me his Fox Sterlingworth 12 ga. side by each for 12th birthday. Lots of ducks and geese have come to grief with that beautiful old gun. Still have them both. And the Mossberg is still deadly to the High Bush Woodchucks that infest this place! Head shots ONLY and usually in an eye.

  25. first gun i bought myself hungarian mosin m44 with all matching numbers, first handgun smith 1911 e series still have both and many others

  26. Mine was a Stevens single shot 22. I bought it at the Western Auto when I was 12 years old. The store owner called my dad and ask if it was OK for me to buy the gun. I walked home with it over my shoulder and the Chief of Police for our town came out and asked me what I had as I walked by the police station. When I told him I had just bought it he called dad and asked if it was OK to take me shooting. I bought my first rifle and got my first shooting lesson the same day.

  27. My first rifle I bought with my own money was a Marlin 39A, used with a Bushnell scope, which I still have. My first revolver was a 6 inch Python which I also still have. I should have bought a dozen of each at the time! (But who had the money? Not me.) I started with a Sheridan 5mm pellet gun I received for my 12th or 13th birthday, which still is effective at killing squirrels quietly.I still have that one as well.

  28. My first long gun was a 11th birthday gift. It is .22 cal single-shot, bolt action J.C. Higgens model that my parents bought at Sears for $15. It still works and I’ve passed it to my Grandson via S-i-L #1.

    MikeyB

  29. M91/30 Mosin-Nagant
    Still own it (and an AR-7 and another Mosin)
    I’m not planning on getting anything else until I PCS. Unless I find a really good deal.

  30. drjim- I think ‘I’ would be calling him… πŸ™‚

    Bob- Nothing wrong with either of those!

    LL- That they are! πŸ˜€

    Ev- Yep, you showed me that shotty! Beautiful!

    Eric- I’m sure!

    Tommy- That’s a great story, and you must be about as old as I am!

    Liberty- Nice! I didn’t get a 39A until a couple of years ago, and I picked it up for my grandson.

    Mikey- Outstanding!

  31. Yep, and had to send it out for service one time. Trigger return spring broke on it. Lifetime warranty. No worries. Went well. Hey, thanks to NFO for sharing his wisdom, experience, knowlege, writing, etc. Thank you NFO. For commenting on my blog and just being you. Good deal man. Good deal. I don’t seek anything mind you, but you have been a reg commenter on my blog, and I really appreciate it.

  32. Submariner- Those will work in the interim… πŸ™‚

    Fla- You’re welcome sir! πŸ™‚ We are a community, and I figure if someone comments, I at least owe them an answer (unless I’m on the iPhone, which sucks for typing)!

  33. Ithaca/Stevens single-shot .22 lever action and Ruger Single Six with both cylinders in the early 70s and have them both. Less than $100 for both!

  34. FIRST I ever bought was “Ms.” Mossberg; the 2 Bersas are probably going to be sold {you can imagine why, Old NFO}, to be replaced with “somethings” else. Gonna make sure I go the ‘legal route’, preferably through a dealer.

    Semper Fi’
    DM

  35. Rdc- I wonder if it’s the same one I have, falling block???

    DM- Yes, can’t blame you for that. And in this day and age, legal all i’s dotted and t’s crossed IS a good thing. Best wishes.

    • It is listed as Ithaca model 49.
      When lever goes down, receiver top tips down.
      My grandfather had the octagonal barrel falling block and it was so nice.
      ~ rdc

  36. First gun Dad gave me for my 10th birthday (1959) is a Winchester Model 62 .22. Still shoots, and is in the safe. Researched the serial number, Win says it was mfg in 1946. Dad bought it from my cousin who bought it new. Second gun Dad gave me for 12th birthday, Mossberg model 185ka 20 ga. bolt action 2 round detachable mag with adjustable choke. Still in the safe. Already on paper that grandson gets ’em.

  37. Craig- Those are great! I guess my grandpa figured out I sucked at shottys so I never got one…LOL

  38. First rifle: Springfield Armory M1 Garand, one of the first to come back from Korea, complete with a huge BLUE SKY import stamp on the barrel and the shoddy parkerizing job that they’d done on those old rifles that resiled in park inside as well as outside the barrels. Muzzle swallowed a .30 round to the case shoulder, it was that shot out. Sadly, I don’t still have it.

    First handgun: A new-in-the-box Springfield Armory, Inc. 1911A1 that Patrick Sweeney himself talked me into buying when I went into his shop to order a frame after reading a do-it-yourself article on building your own 1911 from parts. Pat steered me away from the disaster project and into the new 1911, and yes, I still have that one and carry it often.

  39. RDC- Mine was a Crack shot-26 in .22 (it would only shoot .22 shorts and .22, not .22LR)

    Murph- Hence the love of Milsurps, right? and I remember you showing me that 1911!

  40. My first long gun was a 22 semiautomatic from Western Auto.
    My first handgun was a Smith and Wesson 357 mag.
    Saldy, unemployment and a need for money cause us to part company.

  41. Whoever was so generous to give you a Python when you were 18 or so was making an investment in the shooting sports!

  42. My first gun was also a Stevens .22. A Savage-Stevens Model 73Y single shot. Dad and Grandpa gave it to me for Christmas the year I turned 12. Fired a whole lotta rounds thru that one over the next several years before it was plumb wore out, we sold it at an auction and Grandma gave me her old Mossberg .22, right now its on loan to my nephew.

  43. The first gun I purchased was a factory engraved S&W M29. But, you already knew that. Nice gun for having a cylinder that turns the wrong direction, right? πŸ˜‰