Posted on 02/15/2013 7:08:31 PM PST by San Rafael Blue
Most of you here felt 'that moment' a long time ago, when you were too young to vote, too young even to get behind the wheel. You may not even remember when it happened. My Rite of Passage was today. I went to Big 5 and purchased a 12 gauge shotgun. I actually won't be able to drive my 'new friend' home until later this month, after a background check. Hopefully, there is no evildoer using my full name while commiting their evil deeds. I'm legally clean though, never even been arrested (yet).
I purchased a box of bullets, and a zip-up gun case. When I return for the gun, I'll need to buy a gun lock. Once I have access to the gun, it is likely to lay idle and locked away, until I can take a class at a local firing range for beginner gun handling. Today I was shown how to open and load the shotgun, very simple procedure, thank the Lord. The young man at the counter was patient and respectful. I was glad for that. I already felt foolish for my scant knowledge of firearms. My Dad had two guns back at home. one named Brown Betsy, the other named Black Beauty. Sharing the family home with guns was easy, my sisters and I followed the house rules and just never tampered with them at all. I learned a little while in the Navy, but not much, nothing that was repeated. I made an effort not to let on just how excited I was, that, in itself might raise an eyebrow. Just why is that guy so 'happy' about buying a gun, when he knows so little about them. I played it sort of cool.
As I get older, arthritis has taken me out of my Karate class, till I can pay for private lessons. Otherwise, I would slow the whole class down. (Un-Good!, to make up an expression) I used to love Boxing or Sparring night in Karate. Practicing chokeholds too. Maybe sometime down the line, but not now. What I can do now is to use my sharp vision. I'll look into skeet shooting. So much to learn!
I told the manager he would make even more money if he had a photographer ready to snap a picture of the owner with his or her new gun. I absolutely would have pulled out a few bills and paid for such a momento. It was that much fun.
Your first shotgun good for you. You are going about firearm ownership in the right way. Getting some good professional training with your shotgun is a very good move before using the weapon on your own. Excellent for you! Stay Safe!
I do remember the first firearm that my daughter shot, and got to share that information with her last year. She didn't remember it even after I handed it to her and she cleared it and stripped it and reassembled it without help. She had the practiced skills for that rifle, but had NO idea where she got them from.
Yes, she can have it after I'm dead and gone.
Welcome to FR, by the way. I don't think I've ever read or responded to you.
/johnny
First one I bought myself was a Remington Nylon 66 .22LR. Anyone remember those? Long gone now.
BTW, for your shotgun, you bought "shells," not "bullets."
No sh...
Big 5 in Chicago. Maybe?
Shot all my dad’s guns in the 50’s. My 1st gun of my own was a Remmington Nylon Model 66, First gun I ever bought on my own was in the 60’s, a Revelation pump 12 ga shotgun I bought it at the local Western Auto.
A .410 single barrel shotgun - Bridge Gun Company ‘Black Prince’. Was my dad’s, and his dad’s.
“According to legend”
No legend. A Carcano was used. There was an annual shutzenfest (dunno if still going on) where the same model was use to shoot at a towed car with dummies, from a tower of the same height of the book depository. and the same time frame. no one can make the same shots, FWIW
PT99 Taurus 9mm
California has gone down the toilet very far since I bought my last gun there many decades ago. Used to be able to sell private party with no BS either.
My first gun was a M44 Mosin carbine
My first was a single shot .410 in the third grade
M1 Garand 30.06 at Fort Ord in 1958.
Thanks for the welcome, been ‘hangin’ out since a little before last Christmas.
Colt M1911 45 acp. I bought the best first. No need for any other pistol.
I “borrowed” my dad’s guns while in college. After I graduated, the first gun of my own was a Remington 870 12 gauge left-hand. My second gun I bought was a Remington 700 30-06, also left hand I love them both. Shooting right-hand guns was a pain.
I too am 56 and first timer. 380 kel tec
shot my first shotgun this passed sat.
just finished class for CW.
My first gun was when I was 7. It was (and is--still have it) a Stevens 22-410, a single-shot rifle over a shotgun barrel. Two in one. I shot my first dove, quail, rabbit, crow, etc. with it.
very first check I ever wrote was for a brand new Winchester 1200 12 ga.
1970. I was 14
1964 in Salinas, California from a pawn shop. I don’t remember any background check or other bullsh!t we have to deal with today. I was 18 years old.
It was a French MAB semi-suto .22 pistol. I think I paid $18 for it. No matter how much I cleaned it, it was a persistent jammer.
Got rid of it a few weeks later for a Walther P-38. Major improvement. Followed a few weeks later by a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington. Followed by...
You get the picture. Between hopping up my ‘57 Pontiac and acquiring an arsenal, I worked almost all summer with little money in the bank to show for it.
Still, I wouldn’t trade those times for anything.
Did I mention the ‘47 Harley?
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