[ben2112]

I was wondering how old some of you were when you fired your first pistol/rifle? My daughter just turned 6 this friday and it started to make me me think about it..



I was about 7 years old when I fired my grandfather's 22 rifle and 22 pistol.. I was 10 years old when he gave me that 22 rifle.. It was a nice Remington 22 rifle..



I was 15 when I fired my first real powerful pistol.. It was a Colt Python 357mag.. And a S&W 38 snubby.. And a Colt 32 Auto...



Just wondering,



Ben

 

[rowe_s]

I was wondering how old some of you were when you fired your first pistol/rifle? My daughter just turned 6 this friday and it started to make me me think about it..



I was about 7 years old when I fired my grandfather's 22 rifle and 22 pistol.. I was 10 years old when he gave me that 22 rifle.. It was a nice Remington 22 rifle..



I was 15 when I fired my first real powerful pistol.. It was a Colt Python 357mag.. And a S&W 38 snubby.. And a Colt 32 Auto...



Just wondering,



Ben

I got my first 22 rifle when I was 12. I was told to be carefull with it.... Ok, instruction were over. So I went out and shot at the shed door like I did with my pelet gun. That didn't go over real good. Then my Old Man said I could charge my ammo to him at the feed store. That ended when he got the bill.

 

[Dan Burwell]

I honestly do not know how old I was when I fired my first shot. I don't remember ever not shooting at family functions. I do know that my father gave me a .22lr semi auto rifle when I was 13. I remember my grandfather telling me to stop cleaning it as I was going to wear the bluing off

I consider myself lucky to have been raised by a family that took the time to teach me the fundamentals of shooting at a young age, and incorporated it into family gettogethers on a regular basis.



Nothing like family time at the range.

Now it will start with my daughters as soon as I feel they listen well enough to be safe.



Dan

 

[1615]

I was 7 when my Grandfather gave me a single shot bolt action .22 rifle--my parents would not let me shoot it untill I was 11 (THE LONGEST 4 YEARS OF MY LIFE SO FAR) At age 12 I was shooting centerfire handguns and rifles.





I too was raised in a family of very avid hunters and just gun people, we shot something as a family at least 2 times a week as far back as I can remember.

 

[ben2112]

Yeah... I know my daughter is far from be responsible enough to shoot a gun.. And yeah.. I grew up on a farm so going shooting was pretty much anytime we wanted to go.. Usually it was my grandfather and great uncles that went.. But when my uncles would come in on leave, that is when we would have a shooting match behind the barn... Man.. I miss those days..

Ben

 

[MilitaryPower]

Got my Chipmunk .22 short/long rifle when I was six. Shot my first boar at seven. Still have the gun; I think I'll pass it on down to my little brother.

 

[darklyte24]

20, Marine Bootcamp m16A2

 

[Buckshot]

Like Dan, I can't really remember the time I actually started shooting. I have been around guns all my life. Dad was a gun nut, I think it might have rubbed off on me a little. 8)

 

[MP40Fan]

Around 5 or 6 for me. I shot my uncle's .22 rifle and 12 ga shotgun.



Coincidently, I took my son (age 5) out on saturday to shoot my Walther P22 for the first time. His first shot was .5 inches high of center, I must say I was a very proud papa.

He has memorized the basic safety rules of shooting, including do not put your finger on the trigger until you are on target. He know reminds me of them when he sees me pick up my M&P.

 

[perris]

44 years old!

 

[mpbond]

I think I was about 5. It was my grandpa's single shot .22lr. My dad would actually kneel behind me and hold it. I would just aim and pull the trigger.

 

[G56]

My best recollection would be at about age 10, there was an amusement park in Oklahoma City called Spring Lake, very popular when I was a kid, they had a shooting gallery, I always had to go by the shooting gallery when I was there. After a lot of persuasion my dad finally let me shoot his old 22, I guess I was around 12 at the time, I've still got that rifle!



Remington Model 33, these were sold from 1932 to 1935, originally priced at $5 when they were introduced.

 

[matt7184]

7 years old for handgun w/ S&W M19 w/ .38s. 18 for longgun, my friends SAR-1.

 

[jtaliani]

I started shooting my dad's bolt action 22 around 6-7. I got my first 22lr. and a 16 gauge shotgun when I was about 12. Didn't get to shoot my first pistol until I was about 15.

 

[Mousekiller]

i was

5 years old.. bb gun at first, assisted of course by Dad, got my "own" bb gun when i was 8 moved to the 22 when i was 10.. started shooting a 22 revolver about then also. Started hunting at 12.



Going strong ever since..



Jeff.



I think it really depends on the child though how young your start them, if there's interest at 5 or 6 start with the very basics of safety keep sessions short and fun.



Both my sons(21 & 24) like to shoot, although the younger one is not activly interested and will not hunt.. the older one would do both but $$ constraints and his time are keeping him from being active.

 

[dragonlibra]

I was probably around 8-10. Once a summer my grandfather would take me (I was only grandkid) out to the swamp near Conneaut Lake and let me plink into an old railroad tie with his 22 bolt-action rifle.



He was a steel plant guard so one-time he did let me try his 38 caliber revolver. I remember I did it with the one-handed Lone Ranger grip and nearly hit myself with the revolver with the recoil.



I was sorry he died when I was fifteen - I'd have enjoyed learning to hunt with him. I'm a girl and couldn't talk my mom in to my learning to hunt at earlier age. I always enjoyed fishing with him.



My grandfather was a heckuva shot - he brought home the turkeys and hams from club shoots. Wish I'd had half his talent.



That and the cowboy TV shows stoked my interest in shooting - too bad it took me till I was in my 40's to get the $$$ and the gumption to get a handgun and get out there to compete.

 

[Eric75]

I was 13, at D-A Boy Scout camp. The next summer, the Boy Scouts also introduced me to shotguns. Shooting was always the highlight of going to camp.



In college I joined the trap and skeet club. That proved to me that I was hooked.



At 22 I shot a friend's Star pistol and another friend's Browning Hi power.



The M&P is the first pistol I owned, however there are several long guns. Now at 25 and out of the house, it has been just a couple of months since my parents found out I own guns. I have been considering a trip to shoot trap with my dad when the weather warms up, but I'm a little nervous about how he will take the invitation.

 

[hopsmx]

35 y/o

 

[mpbond]

My best recollection would be at about age 10, there was an amusement park in Oklahoma City called Spring Lake, very popular when I was a kid, they had a shooting gallery, I always had to go by the shooting gallery when I was there. After a lot of persuasion my dad finally let me shoot his old 22, I guess I was around 12 at the time, I've still got that rifle!



Remington Model 33, these were sold from 1932 to 1935, originally priced at $5 when they were introduced.

That looks just like the gun that my grandpa had.

 

[REAPER]

4. Ruger single-six .22lr, long, short/.22Magnum.