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Your first Rifle

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nightranger View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nightranger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Your first Rifle
    Posted: November/24/2009 at 22:59

How about submissions of memories of your first rifle or rifles.

 
Mine was Christmas morning 1972.  I was 10-years old when I unwrapped a M1 .30 Carbine from under the Christmas tree.  I was blown away.  Never expected it.  I thought it was soooooo cool.  
 
Then at the age of 12 in 1974, my Dad gave me a Winchester Model 70 .270 (pre 64).  He told me the story of how he bought it while he was in the Navy for $125.00.  At time I didn't know what a score it was, but I sure do now. 
 
At age 18, I bought my first gun.  It was a 4" Colt Python .357 magnum.  I had it gold leafed.  It was such a cool gun.  Later at age 23, I made a big mistake by selling it to a co-worker for $550.00 so I could buy scuba diving equipment.  I no longer dive and no longer have that python.   Somebody should have slapped some sense into me back then!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/24/2009 at 23:49
My first rifle was a single shot 22 lever action and I was about 5 and would walk down along the San Marcos River and shoot turtles.  It was in the fall and I crawled under the barb wire gate to get down to the river and under the leaves was a cotton mouth watermoccasin who chased me in a circle with me shooting at it for about ten minutes. I didnt know to shoot it in the head and it kept hissing and trying to strike as I filled it full of holes.  Mom hearing all the noise came down and brought me a 30-06 and I shot it four or five times with that.  She had someone reload some lighter power loads for me.  My grandfather started teaching me how to shoot at age 3 the target was the lid from a mayonase jar with a roofing nail holding it to the tree and the idea was to hit the nail head.
He insisted you do not shoot at something you shoot at a particular spot on something. 

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2009 at 08:12
My first rifle was a Stevens single shot .22 (after my Daisy air rifle, of course).  I got it when I was about 8 years old.  Used to take it to school with me to hunt squirrels on the way home.  At the time I got it, it was legal/acceptable to hunt deer with a .22.  I killed several with it, never had one fail to fall.  As a matter of fact, the last deer I shot with that rifle dropped in its tracks.  Remember it well.  One of my best memories in my youth.  I hunted everything with that rifle, squirrels, deer, dove, quail, snakes, etc.  I had it until I was 14.  But that is a different story...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sgt. D Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2009 at 11:27
Wow Wes, What a great start you had. The old saying, "Pratice makes perfect" Isn't exactly right. A professional archer working for Browning archery taught me that only "perfect" pratice makes perfect. Too often we tend to perfect bad form or poor shooting habits. You on the other hand were given a priceless beginning. Shooting a spot on your target applies to just about every form of shooting.
 
We were brought up shotgunners and my first rifle was a british 303 with peep sights. I was 17 and that thing was not very accurate for me. My dad hunted with the snipers version and was deadly accurate with it. I did take my first deer and my first buck with mine. I was only willing to trust it out to fifty yds. so after that first season with the 303 I bought a BAR 3006. Then I was on fire for deer hunting. Been hooked ever since. I sold that one about five yrs. later to an older friend of my dad's as a favor to my Dad.
Two yrs. later I bought the BAR 270 that I have today.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2009 at 17:55

I was a late bloomer to big game rifles, first rifle was a Ruger M77 Laminate/Stainless in 7mm topped with a VXII scope.  Both have hit the road.



Edited by lucytuma - November/25/2009 at 21:17
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 3_tens Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/25/2009 at 20:47

2 deer had fallen to my double barrel shotgun when my Dad decided to get me the rifle of my choice. I picked out a Marlin 336C Centennial model for Christmas 1969. I had been saving up for one and almost had the $69.00 to buy it. I took the money I had saved and topped the Marlin with a Weaver V9-B scope. It has seen a lot of service. There were few choices for a left handed shooter back then. It was 18 years before getting a 742 Remington in 30-06. Even after getting the Remington more times than not, I carried the Marlin because the shorter barrel was so much easer to handle in heavy cover.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 08:15
What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 10:58

Got my first rifle around 1958.  While mine, I was not allowed to use it unless dad was around.

It was an old BSA Martini 12/15 single shot 22 with aperture sights - no scopes then!  Heavy beast for a young kid but taught me the basics and got pretty good with it - many frogs in the pond fell under those sights, and ground hogs later on.  Wish I still had it but was traded somewhere along the line for a bolt action repeater.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dogger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:07
Found a picture on the web:
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:09
Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.

picture sage brush that is 6 ft tall and so thick you cant shoulder your rifle, thats heavy cover.


Edited by pyro6999 - November/26/2009 at 11:10
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:11
Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.

picture sage brush that is 6 ft tall and so thick you cant shoulder your rifle, thats heavy cover.
So like three trees in a square mile doesn't qualify then? That might be heavy cover here if there is some tall grass too.Big Smile

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:13
Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

Originally posted by pyro6999 pyro6999 wrote:

Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.

picture sage brush that is 6 ft tall and so thick you cant shoulder your rifle, thats heavy cover.
So like three trees in a square mile doesn't qualify then? That might be heavy cover here if there is some tall grass too.Big Smile


Laugh it only counts like that in eastern south dakota
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 3_tens Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:14
Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.
Obvious you have not seen a Cedar glade filled with Bramble Briars and Honeysuckle.
Folks ain't got a sense of humor no more. They don't laugh they just get sore.

Need to follow the rules. Just hard to determine which set of rules to follow
Now the rules have changed again.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:15
i still have the first gun i shot, dad knew he would never get her back. he won that gun in 1974 in chadron nebraska where he was going to college. it was a raffle of some sort, cost him a whole $1!



They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 11:17
Originally posted by 3_tens 3_tens wrote:

Originally posted by trigger29 trigger29 wrote:

What's "heavy cover"? Have I ever seen such a thing? Man I need to go on a hunting trip somewhere.
Obvious you have not seen a Cedar glade filled with Bramble Briars and Honeysuckle.

we have some gnarly swamps up here, they are beyond heavy cover, you would need a blackhawk and night vision to recover a deer if it got into those areas. filled with pine and tamaracks, the branches go from the ground to well above my head, a pistol probably would be your only choice in there.
They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead"

343 we will never forget

God Bless Chris Ledoux
"good ride cowboy"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bricat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/26/2009 at 22:34
Mossberg 30-30
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 8shots Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/27/2009 at 06:14
My first firearm was a 38Special with 4inch barrel. Llama.
The bigger the better was the motto.
Those were the days of the "Swart Gevaar" (Black Danger) as our State president called it. We were embroiled in the war against communism and black majority rule. So we as citizens were all armed to the teeth. Dirty Harry had nothing on us!
But somehow survived those crazy times and had a peacefull transition. Now we are fighting for the right to own guns......
 
My first hunting rifle was a Heym 30-06. Loved it and sad to say I just sold it yesterday.


Edited by 8shots - November/27/2009 at 06:15
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote helo18 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/28/2009 at 10:40
First gun was a Norico 22LR.  I even paid for it with money I had saved up from doing a paper route.  I was 9 I think.

My first big game rifle, was a Voere Arms 270 Win.  I still have that rifle, although it has a new stock (old one broke when a horse rolled on it) and a new scope (SS Variable).  I love that rifle.  It is a shooter.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Trays 7940 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/28/2009 at 20:38
My first rifle was also an M1 .30 Carbine.  Dad and I walked into, of all places, a Walgreens store in Midland Texas.  We walked to the back where they actually sold rifles.  He picked it out and bought it for me.  I shot a lot of cans, targets, 2 deer and a really mean dog with that rifle.  By the way it cost him $90.00.  I really miss my dad.  Wink


I don't shoot innocent animals, just the one's who look guilty.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Preston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/28/2009 at 22:56
Bolt Action .22mag with a 3-9x40 on it
"I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace."
Thomas Payne, Revolutionist
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