Happy Father's Day!

[SundownRider]

To my Dad, who introduced me to the world of firearms, and taught me how to shoot.
To my Grandfather, who taught me the finer points of hunting and the appreciation of a fine gun.

Thanks.

What did your dad/granddad do for you with firearms?

 

[Gulland]

I have the 870 my father bought in 1958, the year I was born. I don't know how he took it to the woods so much without ever putting a scratch on it's perfect, beautiful walnut stock, but he did.

His 1968 airweight S&W snubbie with the hammer shroud wasn't as pristine but is still a treasure that disappears (weight-wise) every time I carry it in place of my SIG 220. I never feel under gunned with that little revolver.

Having those guns around remind me of the good times we had going bird hunting and deer hunting in the fields and woods of Alabama.

Firearms were a part of my life as a boy growing up in the South. These 2 guns helped to create that lifelong relationship and continue to be used regularly. They will go with me for the rest of my life as a reminder of my Dad.

 

[Jo6pak]

Although my father had stopped hunting by the time I was old enough, he father taught us all to safely handle guns and to have a respect for natural things and the game we take.

He bought me my first rifle (Marlin Mod 25. bolt action .22 rifle) Which I still have, and will never sell.

RIP dad, see you on the other side.

 

[Webleymkv]

My dad is directly responsible for my interest in firearms much to my mother's displeasure (she's mildly anti-gun and was never able to get along with Dad particularly well after they divorced). Because of this, the gifts which Dad recives from me (not just Father's day, but Christmas and his birthday as well) are usually guns or gun-related items (this year he got a new front sight for his Ruger Redhawk and a speedloader for his Ruger SP101).

 

[Master Blaster 2]

My dad got me shooting when I was about 7 years old-1959. I would shoot his Ruger MK1 at his fathers farm. I would also shoot any bird that moved. My grandad didn't care so much for guns, they were tools. My granddad would get upset at me because I would shoot sparows off his outhouse and put holes in it.. He didn't like indoor plumbing.
Was all down hill since than. Got addicted and will kept this hobby my life time until Alzheimer's sets it..

 

[bedbugbilly]

Master Blaster 2 - loved your outhouse story! Such memories that you'll always have. You and I are the same age . . . your story reminded me of my own Dad and an "incident".

My Dad always wanted a Martin house . . . so, he let my brother and I help him build one. It was a regular 4 star "bird hotel" - two stories with lots of apartments for the birds. He finished it off by using wide aluminum flashing for the roof cover. We mounted in on a tall 4 X 4 in the back yard (we lived on a farm) and it brought a sense of pride to him when Martins finally showed up and took residence. About the third year it was up, Grackles started to sit on top of it and scare the Martins away. It was more than he could take so he took the screen off of the back porch window and kept our loaded 410 Winchester pump in the corner. One day, he saw a few of the "outlaw" birds sitting on the house so he quietly raised the window, sat down in a chair and poked the 410 out the window. He must of taken careful aim as he got 3 Grackles at once . . . BUT . . . the nice aluminum roof of the birdhouse forever looked like a sieve! It still served the Martins well for many years to come though and it always gave me a chuckle when I'd look at the birdhouse and see the peppered roof.

My Dad has been gone for 17 years now . . . still mis him like heck. He got us started early . . . about the same age as you started shooting. We hunted squirrels and rabbits with our 22s and progressed to hunting pheasants with the shotguns. I have many pleasant memories of him taking us out to shoot and teaching us proper gun safety. I still have his 1915 Stevens Favorite and his Winchester 63 that is scoped . . . I don't shoot the Favorite anymore but still enjoy putting rounds through his 63.

Great thread as I know many of us have our fathers and grandfathers to thank for getting us started out right in shooting. My grandfather was too old at the time I was a kid (he was born in 1867 . . yea, you didn't misread that date) so I missed out having any experiences with him. God bless you Dad . . . and Happy Father's Day . . . you're in my thoughts each day!

 

[baddarryl]

My old man started me shooting his Sears Roebuck .22 lever action when I was about 8. Cool as all get out I turned my kids on to that same gun this summer!

 

[Sparks1957]

My dad started me shooting a .22 when I was five years old.

He wasn't a gun nut by any means, but grew up honoring his Native American heritage, and he passed it along to his kids. He saw guns as tools.

He was a skilled fisherman and hunter, and taught us how to track and interpret signs in the woods.

We went through some difficult times when I was young, but became good friends in his last years. I hope to be half the man he was.