Your first

[runtohunt]

Curious to know how many of you still have your first fire-arm(s). My first was a Winchester 70 xtr in 30-06. Received her for my 12th Christmas. No scope no recoil pad, she pummeled me unmercifully. My dad was pretty much a hard arse. I had the distinct feeling that if I complained I would have been done and that this right of passage would have disappeared. I hunted with this old girl for 22 years until the gun bug developed. I still have her. She is a safe queen now and I am feeling pretty bad about it. Two weeks ago I took here and a few other rifles up to the hills. While the other rifles were cooling I took her out and plugged four milk jugs with four shots at 250 yards off the shooting sticks. There is something nice about something that familiar. I think I need to purchase some 150 g E-tips and get her back out again.

 

[DrMike]

Nope, don't have my first, nor my second. I don't even have the first I received in Canada--a Model 94 Big Bore chambered in .356. However, I do own two more of those Model 94s chambered in that same cartridge. It is still a favourite. The first bolt action purchased in Canada was a Browning Eurobolt chambered in 7RM. Alas, it, also, is departed. I do, however, still have the Model 70 stainless/walnut chambered in 7RM that was purchased while waiting on the Eurobolt to come from Winnipeg. I encountered the Model 70 in a gun shop in Vancouver. I couldn't pull out my VISA fast enough to grab it. Either of those rifles would shoot wonderfully tiny groups, and I loved each of them. I sometimes get quite blue wondering whether my Eurobolt found a good home; she was a great rifle. I once put ten rounds of 162 grain SSTs into slightly less than an inch at 100 yards. The Model 70 still places three 175 grain TBBCs into ~0.75 inches at 100 yards and three 175 grain PTs into ~1.4 inches at 200 yards. It has taken a good number of moose, elk, black bears and mule deer since I've owned her.

 

[Kodiak]

Nope, my first is gone also. It was a Ted Williams, JC Higgins mauser-action .270 with open sights, bought in 1950. Traded it and some cash for a very fast 1955 Chev. sedan. I was a fast guy back in those days!

I need to add that I had other hunting rifles at that time that I thought more of.

 

[REDGREEN]

Nope! I don't have my first or my 2nd or third. Some I miss, others I don't miss. :grin:

 

[gerry]

It's kind of funny you mention it, my first rifle was a Remington Sportsman 78 in 30-06 which I don't have anymore. It of course was a right hand gun and I'm a lefty but I have been keeping an eye out for another one as a loaner and youth hunting gun in 270 or 308 or even another 30-06. My first real gun was my Baikal IJ-18 12 gauge from my dad which I still have and am going to be taking out tomorrow in search of a goose or duck.

Here it is from last year and a nice Canada goose.

 

[DrMike]

Good luck, Gerry. I'm pulling for you, man.

 

[Woodycreek]

Still have my Granddad's Revelation 30-30 that was my first deer rifle. Also have my Rem 700 270 Win and 1100 20ga shotgun given to me by my parents.

 

[pre6422hornet]

I have my first rifle, shotgun, revolver and pistol.

Marlin 30as in 30/30 given to me by my great Uncle.
Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge given to me by the same uncle.
Ruger Single six 22lr/22mag bought by myself when I was 21.
Smith and Wesson 5906 also bought by myself when I was 21.

Those 4 will never go away. Ever.

 

[243win]

I still have my first rifle. It's a Rem 700 youth 243 win that I got for Christmas when I was eleven. I was the happiest kid in the world.

 

[Desert Fox]

I still have mine; Model 94 30-30

 

[Guest]

I have every gun I've ever bought or received as a gift except one. That one was a 7mmRemMag in a Rem700 that was horrible in terms of fit, finish, and QC. I bought it because I figured I could get 3100fps out of the 26" barrel, with 160gr ABs. Well, long story short, I could barely get 2800 out of 160s and the shotgun patterns were beyond ridiculous. The chamber was reamed well out of spec (shoulder was visibly much longer than spec on a fired case) and I got tired of trying to make it work. I sold it to a guy I knew who was looking for a donor action for a magnum build. Best decision I ever made regarding that rifle.

But I still have my first, and all the others. The first is my old Win94 30-30WCF, affectionately known as Dr. Jekyll.

 

[Guy Miner]

Yup. Grandpa gave me a 28 gauge Winchester Model 12 skeet gun when I was 10 years old. Used it that year for dove hunting. I still use it off and on for quail, pheasant or grouse shooting. Good old gun, still tight 45+ years after he gave it to me.

First centerfire rifle was the 6mm Rem 700 BDL that my youngest son now uses. Got that in 1974 or so, and it's still MOA, or a little better, most of the time. It's whacked a lot of varmints and a few mule deer over the years. My son did ask that I replace the 1970's Leupold with a newer one, so I did. He likes the rifle and scope.

Guy

 

[ajvigs]

First shotgun was a Remington Model 870 Express super mag. Used it a lot, and shot my first upland birds and waterfowl with it. Still have it, and now my brother is using it around the farm.

For a rifle, I bought myself a Model 7 SS in 308. It went down the road to someone in Alaska shortly after I bought it, for reasons I still dont know. It was replaced by a Remington 7400 Woodsmaster in -06 I bought off an old timer for $100. My brother is now the owner of that Woodsmaster.

 

[CMBTshooter]

My first rifle was a Charles Daly AR-15. It looks a lot different than when I've got it, pretty much only the lower is the same. My first bolt action was a stainless Remington 700 in 300 Win Mag, I love that rifle. My second bolt action, a 700 SPS in .308 Win is my favorite though.

I have no intentions of getting rid of any of those rifles, or any of my rifles for that matter. The only rifle I ever got rid of was a WASR 10 AK variant that I bought a few years ago and HATED shooting. I gave that one to my brother.

 

[rjm158]

My first is kind of an anomaly. My mom's first husband (Clarence) was a WWII vet who sent home (it actually made it which is a miracle by itself) a 12 ga. side by side. The stock was blown off at the wrist, the break open lever was in a U-shape, and the trigger guard was in three pieces. Mom said he would never tell how he got it other than to say "the other man didn't need it anymore".

My dad was his best friend and used a torch to bend and re-weld the parts back together. Not like brand new but serviceable. Their landlord had lost an arm in a farming accident and had a hook and he used it to hunt quail with after having a Bishop walnut stock installed. He could break the gun open over his "bad" arm to load/unload, then aimed it the same way.

Clarence died from a kidney disease caused by an illness he caught during the Battle of the Bulge. After his death, Mom and Dad got married and then I came along. As a little kid the two barrels fascinated me and I thought the gun had to be more powerful than others that only had one. As I got older I researched the gun and couldn't find any brand name. I could only find an inscription on the matted rib in French that stated it was proof tested for smokeless powder. More investigation found proof marks that identified it as being Belgian made. No identifiers specified what the barrels were choked but the old "dime test" confirmed this thing is CHOKED!! When I was deemed old enough, and safety conscious, the gun was given to me and I hunted squirrels with it a lot.

Years later we ran into Mom's old landlord at a farm auction and he asked her about the gun. She told him it was mine now and he offered to buy me a Browning or whatever I wanted in exchange for it because he had never found another gun that worked as well for him. It might sound silly to some but I declined for sentimental and historical reasons.

 

[DrMike]

It might sound silly to some but I declined for sentimental and historical reasons.

Doesn't sound in the least silly; it sounds quite normal. Great story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[adm1977]

I still have the first one I purchased. It is a Marlin 336 cs in 30-30 Winchester. I have never killed anything with it , but my brother shot his first deer with it when he was twelve. It was a neat day. He shot his about two hours after I shot my first deer with a rifle on the same stand. It made for an awesome day and a lot of memories.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I still have the action from my first rifle. It was a older shortened Rem. 700 in .243 Win. In my early 20's I used the action to build a .284 Win. with a Douglas barrel and MPI stock.

I still have my original shotgun as well. It was a Remington 870 Wingmaster in 20ga.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

I have my first rifle, a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08. Very handy, little gun. Also my first shotgun, a Remington model 870 LW Special in 20ga.

 

[Guest]

First was an 870 for Christmas from my Dad when I was 13. Darn thing mostly hits everything I've shot it at, any misses are mine. :lol: Still have it and still shoot it.
First centerfire was a 788 in 6 MM. Terrific rifle. Bought it in college and made a bunch of "sleep in the truckbed" shoestring deer hunts with it. Just got it back out and zeroed with a new load.
First pistol Dad also bought me was a Smith Model 28 for a duty gun. Still have and shoot it.
Neat topic. Brought back some good memories. Thanks!
Dewey