So what got you into firearms?

[Circle_10]

I come from a non-shooting family so as near as I can figure it was stumbling across the book "Weapons: The Diagram Group" in my high school library back on the mid 1990's. At the time, I was particularly captivated by the AK-47. I never actually fired a gun until 2002 when I covertly bought a 5.45mm SAR-2, which I alternated between driving around town (including tge college campus) with it hidden in my old jeep, or keeping it disassembled and hidden in my room at my dad's house. I still have the SAR.

[Beef15]

Dad, 18B, hunter, competitive shooter, and hero to a small boy, he had me shooting before I was riding a bike, somewhere around 4, never lost interest.

[SonOfAGunn]

Growing up in AL most of my friends hunted and came from gun owning families. My parents didn't own guns, not because they were anti gun, they just weren't interested. My first time shooting a gun was in HS with some friends and I remember them bringing a .22 belly pistol, a 20g shotgun, and a 12g shotgun. I had fun and figured one day I'd probably get one.

18 years later I purchase my first firearm, a Glock 23, and was content and figured I'd own the glock for a while and then maybe down the road I might buy a rifle or shotgun.

A coworker of mine, a former Marine and avid shooter, told me that he'd take me shooting after I bought my Glock. We met up and I had a great time. When we had shot up all or our ammo he asked if I had ever shot an AR before. I told him no and he went out to his car and came back with two rifle cases. He brought in two rifles one a 16" and the other a 10". I was amazed at how easy and fun they were to shoot and at that point I was basically screwed. I thought I had it ALL figured out about my future gun purchases. When we were done I was certain I would have one of my own within the next few months.

Four years later I've joined a gun club and purchased 3 AR's(one an SBR build), a K98 Mauser, a Browning SA-22, a Colt Huntsman, a Sig P229, a CZ P-01, and am waiting on paperwork for a suppressor.

[Airhasz]

Apple pie, ice cream and things that go BOOM‼️ Family had firearms in my hands at earliest memories.

[HCrum87hc]

My dad and family friends growing up. We used to get a group of guys and their kids from our church go camping every Thanksgiving on some mountainous land out in the middle of nowhere owned by a family friend. We'd hike and shoot all day. We did this from about when I was 5 all the way through college. It really fostered my love for firearms and the outdoors in general. I remember when we all ran around with our toy guns at night playing "war." Then we all upgraded to bb guns, then .22s. I'll never forget the first time I shot a pistol there. It was a .22 revolver. Finally, you really became one of the "men" when you graduated to shooting skeet with shotguns. I miss those days with a passion.

[AnthonyCumia]

My dad and family friends growing up. We used to get a group of guys and their kids from our church go camping every Thanksgiving on some mountainous land out in the middle of nowhere owned by a family friend. We'd hike and shoot all day. We did this from about when I was 5 all the way through college. It really fostered my love for firearms and the outdoors in general. I remember when we all ran around with our toy guns at night playing "war." Then we all upgraded to bb guns, then .22s. I'll never forget the first time I shot a pistol there. It was a .22 revolver. Finally, you really became one of the "men" when you graduated to shooting skeet with shotguns. I miss those days with a passion.

Do not miss them, try and relive them. Trust me it will help...

[mtbs247]

Family friends and neighbors got me into shooting. Grew up in OH. Half of it spent in the burbs and the other half in the country.

When we moved to the country things got real good. 20 minute hike to a river stuffed with small mouth and lots of big properties for bird and rabbit hunting. There were also miles of dirt bike trails and a 40' wide vert half pipe in the neighborhood.

Living in CO now and still fish a bunch and getting back into hunting. Still skate on a regular basis even though I'm eligible for AARP. MTB and ski a bunch as well. Probably not your average m4 member.

Until a few years ago I have only every owned hunting shotguns. The political nonsense over the last 5-6 years sparked my interest in CCW and shooting sports other than hunting. Been lurking in the shadows for a few years but finally decided to join m4 a few weeks ago. Pacing myself but my quiver of dangerous things that go boom has come together quite nicely. CCW is a done deal and planning on signing up for some real training starting next summer. Run and gun shenanigans with my buddies has been fun but feeling its time to step up my game.

[AnthonyCumia]

Family friends and neighbors got me into shooting. Grew up in OH. Half of it spent in the burbs and the other half in the country.

When we moved to the country things got real good. 20 minute hike to a river stuffed with small mouth and lots of big properties for bird and rabbit hunting. There were also miles of dirt bike trails and a 40' wide vert half pipe in the neighborhood.

Living in CO now and still fish a bunch and getting back into hunting. Still skate on a regular basis even though I'm eligible for AARP. MTB and ski a bunch as well. Probably not your average m4 member.

Until a few years ago I have only every owned hunting shotguns. The political nonsense over the last 5-6 years sparked my interest in CCW and shooting sports other than hunting. Been lurking in the shadows for a few years but finally decided to join m4 a few weeks ago. Pacing myself but my quiver of dangerous things that go boom has come together quite nicely. CCW is a done deal and planning on signing up for some real training starting next summer. Run and gun shenanigans with my buddies has been fun but feeling its time to step up my game.

Glad yo have you, glad to have you enjoy the full 2nd Amendment.

[williejc]

Guns were common place items in most rural Mississippi homes like mine. My love affair began at age 6 and was encouraged by parents and older brothers.

[williejc]

52 years ago Colt introduced the AR-15 to the gun buying public, and they were not particularly popular. About 1976 I began to notice civilian interest in the Fn Fal and its variants, HK 92's, Cetme's, and an occasional Beretta rifle. Ruger's Mini-14's(not assault rifles) became popular as a police weapon, behind the door rifle, and close range pest shooter. Once popular and incorrectly put in the assault rifle category, the Ruger has not maintained its once high popularity level. By the early 1980s, assault rifle popularity climbed. My unsubstantiated opinion is that law enforcement adoption of the AR made it much more visible to the guy in the street, who had once associated the AR with Vietnam's slightly evil M-16.. The early 80's saw the emergence of drug wars, which in turn initiated and fueled rearming the cop on the beat with modern weapons. Miami's war zone, crack cocaine violence, and the infamous gun fight that killed the FBI agents remind me of events spurring "police militarization". I HATE this term, though.

In summary, we wanted what our local police wished that they had and finally obtained, and we started buying assault rifles on a large scale beginning in 1980. The more we bought, the more respectable that the black rifle became. Here we are.