Your First Shot Gun to the one you use today
- Thread starter anthony m coons sr
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anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Kevin
Sorry I read it wrong. Its still cool anyway! Thanks for letting me know the facts. Anytime anything is put in a museum you know its special.
Sorry I read it wrong. Its still cool anyway! Thanks for letting me know the facts. Anytime anything is put in a museum you know its special.
Scott Bell
Active member
I don't even know the brand of my first shot gun, it was actually a loaner. I was 10 and dad borrowed a single shot 20 gauge for me to use. I can remember missing several ducks before finally connecting on one, and hitting my first goose (well first one in the air) it was straight overhead and I nearly fell over when the gun went off. After a couple years with that, we bought and trained a puppy that year and when dad sold him, I earned a Remington 1100 for my work helping every day. It was way too pretty for duck hunting, but it shot well and was reliable. I remember disassembling it when it got dunked and then trying to put all the pieces back together. Eventually it worked again, and we hunted together for many years, and even survived the transition to steel shot. After I built my first boat, I bought a Beretta 390 and that has been my workhorse for around 20 years. That poor gun has been through a LOT and is still doing great.
Jon Yenulonis
Well-known member
I know you asked for "shotgun" but, since I used to shoot crows out of the air, while flying, I'm including this one- My first overall gun, was, and still is, a Marlin 39M lever action .22. My father bought it back in the 50's. He, (having all of the woodworking skills of a Pied Billed Grebe), cut checkering into the stock and forearm with a three cornered file. If I had a dollar for every round I put thru that gun, I'd have houses all over the country!
My first shotgun, was a borrowed 12 ga, single shot, (can't remember the mfr.), from my grandfather. I learned on it, and used it for the first season. I bagged a few wabbits and squirrels with it.
Back then, I was an avid trapper. One of my first checks I got, I purchased a Winchester mo# 37 single shot, and used it for at least part of the next season. Around then, my father, who was a big Marlin Firearms fan, used to buy, sell, swap, trade and barter guns quite often. He bought one of the brand new model 120, 12ga, pump shotguns. I immediately fell in love with that big, ole, gun. We both shot it quite a bit, and he allowed me to take it hunting. But, having a short gun attention span, my dad soon put it up for adoption. He worked me a deal, for which I soon jumped on, again, using trampoline funds. I believe I paid him $75. (Believe it, or not, back then, it probably cost about $200 new) that became my go to gun for the next long while, well after I grew up and got married. When non toxic shot became mandatory, I sent the barrel out to Briley, where they lengthened the forcing cone, and machined it for, and installed choke tubes. I sure shot a lot of ducks, as well as other game, with it. However, while I never abused it, I certainly did use it. Over time, I finally wore it out. It started jamming on me, or actually, the empty would get stuck in the chamber, causing all kinds of headaches. And of course, at the most inopportune times. Luckily, my wife was with me one of these times. I crippled a duck, and couldn't get a follow-up shot. Since she actually witnessed this malady, it took very little convincing to allow me to buy a new one.
We spent the entire next Saturday traipsing all over NE Ohio, to every gun shop, sporting goods store, and even department stores we could think of. I ended up settling on a Remington 11-87 Premiere Light Contour. That was probably close to 30 years ago, and I still use it on every trip, near and far. Unlike the old days, today I can a little more easily afford a new gun, and there are certainly some beautiful guns to choose from, but I have no desire. This Remington fits me perfectly, I shoot it as well as anyone shoots, and it performs flawlessly. In fact, the only time it has failed me, and there have been very few, was my fault for not cleaning it like I should.
Maybe someday I'll purchase a new one, but as far as I can see, I have no desire to do so.
Jon
My first shotgun, was a borrowed 12 ga, single shot, (can't remember the mfr.), from my grandfather. I learned on it, and used it for the first season. I bagged a few wabbits and squirrels with it.
Back then, I was an avid trapper. One of my first checks I got, I purchased a Winchester mo# 37 single shot, and used it for at least part of the next season. Around then, my father, who was a big Marlin Firearms fan, used to buy, sell, swap, trade and barter guns quite often. He bought one of the brand new model 120, 12ga, pump shotguns. I immediately fell in love with that big, ole, gun. We both shot it quite a bit, and he allowed me to take it hunting. But, having a short gun attention span, my dad soon put it up for adoption. He worked me a deal, for which I soon jumped on, again, using trampoline funds. I believe I paid him $75. (Believe it, or not, back then, it probably cost about $200 new) that became my go to gun for the next long while, well after I grew up and got married. When non toxic shot became mandatory, I sent the barrel out to Briley, where they lengthened the forcing cone, and machined it for, and installed choke tubes. I sure shot a lot of ducks, as well as other game, with it. However, while I never abused it, I certainly did use it. Over time, I finally wore it out. It started jamming on me, or actually, the empty would get stuck in the chamber, causing all kinds of headaches. And of course, at the most inopportune times. Luckily, my wife was with me one of these times. I crippled a duck, and couldn't get a follow-up shot. Since she actually witnessed this malady, it took very little convincing to allow me to buy a new one.
We spent the entire next Saturday traipsing all over NE Ohio, to every gun shop, sporting goods store, and even department stores we could think of. I ended up settling on a Remington 11-87 Premiere Light Contour. That was probably close to 30 years ago, and I still use it on every trip, near and far. Unlike the old days, today I can a little more easily afford a new gun, and there are certainly some beautiful guns to choose from, but I have no desire. This Remington fits me perfectly, I shoot it as well as anyone shoots, and it performs flawlessly. In fact, the only time it has failed me, and there have been very few, was my fault for not cleaning it like I should.
Maybe someday I'll purchase a new one, but as far as I can see, I have no desire to do so.
Jon
Paul Strombeck
Active member
I suspect the younger members won't believe this but: I'm 11 years old and need a shotgun. Dad is off somewhere so I was always left pretty much to my own devices. Anyhow I find this deal that if you sell X number of mail order Christmas Cards door to door you can earn prizes. One of the prizes offered was a single shot bolt action .410. So I ride my bike far and wide to sell these Xmas cards and sure enough I sell enough to get the shotgun. Recall prior to the Firearms Act of 65 they simply mailed guns to your door. So I sent in the coupons drafted a parental permission slip that looked acceptable and low and behold some weeks alter a box shows up at the door with my 410. I could ride my bike to a little sports shop that would sell me shells.
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Couldn't hit the proverbial pig in the ass with a frying pan with that gun and soon struck a deal to trade it plus a few bucks to a neighbor kid for his Winchester Model 25 shotgun. Model 25 was similar to a model 12 but solid frame. That gun served me well for 7 years. Cousin still has the model 25 which I sold to him for around $25.00.
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Learned early on that if anything good was going to happen in my life I would need to take the action to make it happen.
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Couldn't hit the proverbial pig in the ass with a frying pan with that gun and soon struck a deal to trade it plus a few bucks to a neighbor kid for his Winchester Model 25 shotgun. Model 25 was similar to a model 12 but solid frame. That gun served me well for 7 years. Cousin still has the model 25 which I sold to him for around $25.00.
??.
Learned early on that if anything good was going to happen in my life I would need to take the action to make it happen.
??...
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Scott
Get job telling your story. Single shots were really cool back in the day. I had a few of them and I still have one of them today. Heck don't feel bad about putting your gun together. It was only a few years ago. I was hunting with my son for snow geese. The guide took us to the blind on a trailer with a four wheeler . The mud covered are shotguns so bad that we couldn't even used them. When I got back to the hotel we had to put the guns in a bath tub just to get the mud off. Then we took the two 10 gauges apart one Remington the other Browning. We got the Remington back together but not the Browning. I had to send it back to the factory. So I know what your talking about. Thanks for your post
Get job telling your story. Single shots were really cool back in the day. I had a few of them and I still have one of them today. Heck don't feel bad about putting your gun together. It was only a few years ago. I was hunting with my son for snow geese. The guide took us to the blind on a trailer with a four wheeler . The mud covered are shotguns so bad that we couldn't even used them. When I got back to the hotel we had to put the guns in a bath tub just to get the mud off. Then we took the two 10 gauges apart one Remington the other Browning. We got the Remington back together but not the Browning. I had to send it back to the factory. So I know what your talking about. Thanks for your post
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Jon
Crows! you had to be a great shot as a youngster. Knocking those birds out of the sky. Marlins were great guns. My brother has a marlin 22 that was my friends growing up. We shot many wood chucks , rabbits with it. So I know what your dad loved about them. Remington made some of the best guns. There is know shame in that. Plus what would you rather have. A gun that was fancy. Or one that you could knock ducks out of the sky with. You made the right choice my friend. Thanks
Crows! you had to be a great shot as a youngster. Knocking those birds out of the sky. Marlins were great guns. My brother has a marlin 22 that was my friends growing up. We shot many wood chucks , rabbits with it. So I know what your dad loved about them. Remington made some of the best guns. There is know shame in that. Plus what would you rather have. A gun that was fancy. Or one that you could knock ducks out of the sky with. You made the right choice my friend. Thanks
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Paul
Your so right , know kid is ever going to think your story is true. What a shame! That is a story I wish ever kid would read. Not so much for the gun. But you worked your butt off to get something you loved. A art missed by a lot of are youth these days. I know you had to be really proud of yourself back then. One of the better post I read. Thank you for sharing.
Your so right , know kid is ever going to think your story is true. What a shame! That is a story I wish ever kid would read. Not so much for the gun. But you worked your butt off to get something you loved. A art missed by a lot of are youth these days. I know you had to be really proud of yourself back then. One of the better post I read. Thank you for sharing.
Tom Roberts
Well-known member
Hi Carl......The first shotgun I shot was my dad's 16ga bolt with a polychoke. It would kick the soup out of me! He loaned it to an in-law which got hocked at some pawn shop.[:/] I wish I had it today for the memories. The first gun I bought was a 20 ga Wingmaster. Got it from high school math teacher using my lawn mowing money. That was back in 1976. Still have it today.
Troy Fields
Well-known member
Not really sure which I fired first, but the guns that I hunted with in my childhood were a Remington Nylon 66 .22lr, an Ithaca featherlight model 37 20ga (mostly upland stuff), a Browning A-5 20ga (deer hunting), and a Remington model 11-48 .410ga (bunny hunting). The nice thing is that those guns listed are still with in the family and seeing the occasional hunt. As for now...I am fortunate to have a pretty good selection of new and old and hunt many different guns throughout the season.
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Troy
I think its great you got to hang on to your guns for all these years. So many times we sell them or pass them down to others. I still have my dads side by side spring field 16 ga. I know this may sound funny. But every time I pull that shotgun out of the safe. I feel my Dad telling me to always be safe. And have fun hunting. To us the hunter our guns are much more then just a tool to harvest animals. Its part of our families heritage. Thanks for your post.View attachment IMAG0560.jpg
I think its great you got to hang on to your guns for all these years. So many times we sell them or pass them down to others. I still have my dads side by side spring field 16 ga. I know this may sound funny. But every time I pull that shotgun out of the safe. I feel my Dad telling me to always be safe. And have fun hunting. To us the hunter our guns are much more then just a tool to harvest animals. Its part of our families heritage. Thanks for your post.View attachment IMAG0560.jpg
Joseph Sarno
Active member
my first shotgun was a J.C. Higgins bolt action 16 ga. .most game was safe could not hit much with it .a friend of the family gave it to me .
anthony m coons sr
Well-known member
Joseph
Most of us couldn't hit much in the beginning. But after a bunch of misses we finally get the hang of our shotguns. It was nice of your friend to give you a shotgun. Bolt actions were really neat. Thanks for your post.
Most of us couldn't hit much in the beginning. But after a bunch of misses we finally get the hang of our shotguns. It was nice of your friend to give you a shotgun. Bolt actions were really neat. Thanks for your post.
Kyle Hauck
Member
My first shotgun I ever owned and used was my Grandfathers Stevens 12 Ga break action single shot. I think duck hunting with that early on made me a better shot, or at least thats what I claim. I went through 3 different 870 Wingmasters after that, a 20ga, and 2 different 12 gauges. As of last year for duck hunting I started shooting a Franchi Affinity 3" which I love. I still shoot the 20ga Wingmaster for pheasant.