[.45 Long Colt]

Young men need to be warned that one day they will wish they had held on to their first firearm. I’ve heard men with gaudy gun collections pine for the .22 or single shot their dad gave them. The one I wish I had was an old J.C. Higgins .22.

[wastoute]

My “little” brother has our grandad’s boy’s .22 Wincester. Made in 1903. Sweet little rifle.

[hanamizu]

My first was a J.C. Higgins .22 that I got for Christmas, 1956. Semi Auto with a sling that retracted into the butt. Got stolen in the early 70s. Wish I had it back too.

[WayneS]

Young men need to be warned that one day they will wish they had held on to their first firearm.

I agree. I am fortunate that I do not have to worry about that particular regret.

Mine was a Glenfield Model 25 which I received for Christmas when I was 12 years old. I still have in one of my gun cabinets.

[Carthego delenda est]

"wish I had was an old J.C. Higgins .22." My beat up one:

[TexasTransplant]

*** “J.C. Higgins .22” ***

Mine sits right behind me and still takes squirrels

[Hardastarboard]

My first gun was either my dad's pieced together from two guns Winchester single shot .22 rifle (inherited), or a nickel plated H&R revolver (purchased), depending on how you define it. The Winchester was fairly accurate, but wouldn't extract a round under any circumstances, and was a rusted piece of crap by the time I got it. I couldn't hit the tip of my big toe with the H&R with the muzzle on the toenail (it was the gun, not me, although I won't claim to be a world class pistolero either). So there's that.

My favorite "first gun" was a Model 66 Smith that I shot loose with hot reloads. I was smart enough to sell that and replace it a few years later with a Model 66 with a custom 5 inch Magna Ported barrel. That one's my baby, and my keeper.

[Disambiguator]

Young men need to be warned that one day they will wish they had held on to their first firearm.

My first firearm was also my dad's first firearm, so it has extra-special significance and will therefore never leave.