What Firearm Hooked You Into Being an Enthusiast?

[BrigandTwoFour]

I grew up as a video gamer, so I was always interested to a degree. But what really stands out to me was when I was in middle school or so. My best friends father took us out to the range (he was a Vietnam era SF veteran) with an bunch of toys. I didn't even know their family owned guns until that day.

While we spent most of the day messing with a 10/22, an 870, and a PT92, it was the last one that forever "turned" me. At the end of the day, when he was satisfied we understood enough about safety and fundamentals, he brought out a Springfield 1903.

When it was my turn, I hunched down behind it on the bench and tried to figure out the irons. Having been shooting a 22 most of the day, I didn't prepare myself for a 30-06. The recoil from the first shot made the solid wood stock bounce off my shoulder and crack me in the jaw. Ive been hooked ever since.

[26 Inf]

A 4" Model 66 and hearing the words 'the new dude just out shoot everyone on the department' after my first qual. (Turned out it wasn't that big of a feat, but continued me on down the road).

I had shot plenty of .45 and M-14 in the Marine Corps, but a DA revolver was completely new to me. I dry-fired that thing and practiced speed loads hundreds of reps, had to teach myself to do it left handed.

It was a department revolver, I wish I could have kept it.

[SteyrAUG]

P-08 Luger in the 4th grade.

It was all over after that. Before the end of the year I had a WWI vintage 1911 and a P-38. Springfields, Garands, Mausers and Enfields would follow. By the time I was in junior high I had more guns than most adults I knew.

[tylerw02]

Marlin 39 made in 1923.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jellybean]

The AR15

Long story short, I was 18, I was in college, and after living in a anti-gun household, they couldn't stop me now!
The college I was attending was very "criminal justice" program oriented, and lucky for me there was a "shooting 101" class put on by an officer from the local PD, that also included range time on the dept. guns, just pay for ammo.
Shot S&W revolvers (...and thus began my eternal distaste for all things revolver), Glock 17s (being new to guns, the lack of external safety scared the shit out of me), Remington 870's (*snore*), and AR15s. It was really only a "familiarization" on the last day of class, and we only got 20 rounds, but twenty rounds later, I knew what my first gun purchase was going to be....
And no it wasn't for the firepower- it was for the ergonomics and ease of shooting. After struggling with the handguns, I fired 20 rounds and made 20 mediocre but passable hits.

Then I went out and bought a Stag Model 2, two insanely overpriced Gen 1 Pmags during the great panic of '08, half a case of overpriced Black Hills red box, and a shitty knockoff Eotech 512, and I thought I was good to go.... The first time I ever dealt with BCM was when I called them trying to find more magazines, but that's a story for another time.

[CDR_Glock]

I owned a lot of guns since I was in college, medical school, and now. If there's a gun that gave me the confidence to shoot very well, I'd have to say my first 1911. Nothing special about my first one as I was in Medical School. It was a Canadian Para Ordnance P-14, which I thought was cool to have a pistol with such a high round count in a larger caliber.

I gravitated to the single action trigger, and at the time, I wasn't an excellent shoot, but I could shoot exactly where I aimed it. It was my favorite gun, and I would shoot it two to three times a week.

I enjoyed that gun. Should have kept it.


Instagram: MuzzleblastMD

[soulezoo]

I think that I had decided/wanted to buy guns long before I could buy guns. I was always a 'gun guy (kid)'.

This is me. Plus my older brother was a Green Beret. Had to emulate.

[AKDoug]

I turned 18 in 1987... I had an older co-worker that had an HK-91 he wouldn't sell me until I turned 18. The day of my birthday he agreed to let me have it for what he paid... $350.. back then I could pick up 7.62 Nato 1000rnd packs for $150.. I shot the hell out of that rifle. I even hunted with that big heavy beast. Killed a black bear, brown bear and a moose with it. I parted with it in the mid 90's for 2 grand that I used for the foundation of the house I was building.

That rifle, and my desire to put a muzzle brake on it, is what led me to make friends with a local gun smith. We build a brake so effective it wouldn't even cycle..LOL.. This guy was into IPSC big time and allowed me to build my first race gun on a CZ-75 and a Colt Combat Commander under his watchful eye. I swept the floors and disassembled guns to get them ready for re-bluing to pay for my parts.

[glocktogo]

Browning Hi Power. Bought it right out of boot camp as my first handgun. Once I completed missile school and made it to my duty station, I found a Mini 14 with a Redfield 3-9 scope at a pawn shop for $185. Needless to say it was a long time ago.

[Moose-Knuckle]

The first huh? Let's see, oh yeah my dad's HK91 and then Dr. Kalashnikov's war implement.