Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots What was your first gun?

My Grandpa gave me an old New England 12 gauge single and I still cherish that gun. May not be a big money gun but you’d never be able to afford it neither.

Mossberg 183 410

J.C. Higgins 22 LR single shot with the bolt knob you had to manually pull back. Ordered from Sears & Roebuck in 1958 for $13.00. It was my Christmas present when I was 5 years old. Things were different in the Ozarks in the 50's....mostly better.

Winchester 37 .410
Still have it

A Stevens single shot 16 ga.

[quote=EliRawlins]My Grandpa gave me an old New England 12 gauge single and I still cherish that gun. May not be a big money gun but you’d never be able to afford it

None of my grand kids have no interest in guns, it's kind of sad. I have a 22 that my dad had too.

That is sad. That’s cool that you’ve kept it and you never know, they may enjoy it if you take them out and show them how

Winchester Cooey 12 ga. single shot. 30 in. full choke for my 12th birthday. Still got it.

Stevens 94 20ga. Sadly, it was one of 8 guns I lost in a theft in 2000.

It is interesting that except for Sharps 4590 all first guns were shotguns. Out west the shotgun is almost unheard of as a game getter. The single shot 22 rifle was the first gun for most kids in my arena, Mine was the obscure Winchester model 55 automatic single shot. Wish I still had it.

An Anschutz (my father bought quality stuff) sporter .22 under the Christmas tree when I was about 12.

I love taking people, (mostly immigrants, I work in high tech) on their first shooting trip. Probably 100 people have fired their first-ever shots with that rifle after being coached by me.

Poole

Savage .410 bolt action

Winchester Model 250 .22LR

My Dad give it to me when I was 10 years old. It still sits in my safe and will as long as there's breath in my body.

Harrington Richards Leatherneck.

Mine is a Quackenbush . It is a single shot side rotating breach, with a manual pull firing pin .

It has the distinction of being to the bottom of the Missouri river after being lost out of a boat.

It was my grandfathers and passed down to me.

First gun was an Ithica M66 20 gauge. 10 years old
First handgun was an original Colt 1851 cap and ball. 11 years old.
First rifle of my own was a Winchester M70 in 270. 12 years old.
My Dad had a Winchester M62A 22, so I always used it, and I never got my own 22 until I was about 22 or 23 and in the Marines. 94/22 Winchester.

Mossberg bolt action .410, it has an internal magazine but I was made to Barney Fife it until I got older.

My first gun was a hand me down from my Mother. It was/is a Winchester single shot .410. model 20. Looks kind of classy with a schnabel fore end. It was originally chambered for 2&1/2" shells but was re-bored to 3". It harvested quite a few ruffed grouse. It has been a wall hanger for about years as it eventually shot loose.

Roundup, what a neat little shotgun. The model 20 was Winchester's "kids" shotgun that was built like a quality pocket watch. I have been trying to talk a friend out of his. He lets my grandsons shoot trap with it. Neat neat little guns built when Winchester took pride in their work.

Anschutz Woodchucker .22LR repeater. Still have it and both my kids started out with it.

Savage over/under 22/410. Killed a few jackrabbits and a bunch of grouse. Traded it off when I was in my twenties and should have kept it. First big game rifle was a Lee Enfield. Still have it. I always wanted a H&R topper in 30/30 which I figured I could rechamber to 30/40 Krag. Never got that but, twenty five years later, I did pick up a Savage 219 which I did re-chamber to 30/40 and it worked great. I just wish it had an exposed hammer. I think a top lever, tip up single shot with an exposed hammer, floating pin, and half-cock safety is just the perfect beginners rifle; not so bad for old timers either. GD

Glenfield M60 22.

L.C. Smith 20 ga. Field Grade given to me. by my Grandfather in 1955. My dad later took it without me knowing and traded it for a Winchester Model 63 in pristine condition and proptly gave it to my brother since he only cared for one of my three siblings. At my young age I had no recourse and could not figure out why he did that. Now I know.

Winchesrer 67-A boy’s rifle. Still have it.

Daisy BB (not the Red Rider)
Mossberg .22 semi

1891 Argy in 7.65 Argentine. Kicked like a mule.

Iver Johnson "Champion" shotgun; 16 ga. break open single shot was the first working gun for me. It was my dad's pheasant gun from the late 30's until he went into the Navy in 1943. After the war it eventually went to a couple older cousins before I got it in 1967 while in high school. Still have it and it got re-blued and the receiver re- case hardened in 1978 and it still looks mint today although it doesn't get out much. I had dad's Mod. 67 Winchester .22 before the shotgun but it didn't work. Years ago a gunsmith told dad it would cost more to fix than it was worth so dad just stuck it in a closet. I was in my mid 20's before I discovered that all it needed was an easily replaced sear spring. So actually I had the mod. 67 first but never fired it until almost 10 years after I got the shotgun.

.22lr/.410ga. Over and under savage model 24.

Since this is a single shot forum, my first shotgun was a 12 gauge N.R.Davis single shot. Killed a railroad car full of quail, rabbits, and squirrels with it in the early-mid 60's. It taught me to pick my shots carefully. Other "firsts" were all repeaters.

My first single shot rifle was actually two I bought at the same time in the mid-70's: a Winchester Low Wall .22 WCF and a Winchester High Wall re-stocked and re-barreled for R2 Lovell, followed very closely by another High Wall in .219 Donaldson Wasp.

My first was a single shot bolt action Stevens 22 with the knob that was pulled in order to cock the rifle.

Winchester model 72 .22 I bought used in 1972. I still have it & shoot it once in a while.

Remington 700 BDL 308 Winchester

Stevens 20ga single shot. Lives in the back of my safe, haven't shot it for years....

It was Dad's single shot iver johnson 28 ga. Shot my first pheasant a rabbits with it, when I was about 10 yo. My brother still has the shotgun.

Mossberg .410 bolt action.

A Marlin 336 30-30 Winchester. A friend now has it.

Remington 514 .22 rimfire

Sears Roebuck bolt action single shot 410 shotgun. It was a Christmas present in 1962 and if I remember correctly dad paid like $22.00 for it.

A single shot 22 boltaction stevens that my mom bought me for my 8th birthday for $6.00 1945.

First single shot was a Browning 1885.

Mine was an H&R 20 gauge single-shot, age 11. My dad cut the stock down and put a slip-on recoil pad on it. Little thing kicked so damn hard with goose loads! I got bruises from that thing.

Winchester md. 60
I still have it

My first rifle was a BB gun, a Daisy of course. After I totally wore it out, my folks gave me a Daisy Model 10 pump BB gun. This was the big time! Then, for my 11th Xmas, there was a Mossberg .22 under the tree! I still have that little rifle, and use it on occasion to dispatch a squirrel or racoon. No telling how many thousands of .22 ammo have gone thru that rifle.

First centerfire was a 'civilianized' 03-A3 Springfield, which I also still have to this day, although it has not been shot in years.

Winchester 370 16 gauge still got it 50 years later, I think my dad paid $39.00 for it brand new.

Winchester 121Y single shot .22 for my 9th Christmas. I wanted a BB gun that year for Christmas. I was so estatic I slept with it for two nights. My son received it as his first gun.

Marlin (Glenfield) .410 bolt action single shot. $19.95 at Gibson's Discount Center when I was 6 years old. Some 60 years ago. Still have it. My dad would give me one shell. If I got a dove, he would give me another. If not, no more hunting that day. That is a very good training method for a boy. Makes him a good shot!

I'm new on this site but I was wondering if you could possibly help me. I just inherited a 20ga single shot from my grandpa. On the left side it says Springfield manufactured by J. Stevens Arms Company Chicoree, Mass. USA. On the right side it says 94B which I've found out is the model. On the left side of barrel it says Proof tested 20 gauge 2 3/4 inch chamber and on the right it just says Selected forged steel. Do you know anything about these guns or how to find out when it was made? I know that they didn't use serial numbers back then but there has to be some way of tracking it. Thank you for any help you can give.

One of these, I can't remember which was first, but I still have them in the safe...

An H&R 490 Topper Jr 20 gauge. I still have it.

Winchester 1906 "gallery" pump .22, exposed hammer, coarse iron sights. It was used when dad 'n' grandpa (mom's dad) gave it to me, it's a hellofalot more used now. I put upwards of 100K rounds through it when I was growing up shooting paper, cans, tweety birds, ground squirrels, and all manner of back porch garbage can raiders and cat food eaters. The darn thing just plain shoots ... CCI Mini Mag HPs go into a third of an inch with the iron sights (25 yards) and Stingers do about the same. Cut a fine bead ... kill stuff.

Mostly it lives in my the closet in my old bedroom back at dad's house but a few years I brought it "out here" and shot it a bit. Kinda fun whacking ground squirrels with CB caps. Broadside they'll go clear through the skull with the predicted outcome.

It's a very nice gun to carry because being so little, light, and short, I often just shove it in my belt cross-draw like a big handgun.

Since we should be talking single shots on the single shot forum ...

I semi-bought / inherited a number of guns when my grandfather passed. Among them were 12-15 single shots. The first one I shot much was a low wall in .22 long. I wish I still had it, and a couple others like a light .30-40 high wall and a rolling block .45-70. I sold 'em 'cause dad felt they were not worth owning since they weren't 06's like his.

My oldest daughter has mine. Interesting rifle. I took it apart a couple of times. Pretty tough to put together again.

Marlin 39A, 22 LR lever action. Dad got it for me I think in 1952 when I turned 7. He got a 336sc in 35 Rem for himself to deer hunt. I still have both.

........... A Winchester Model 121D was my son's first rifle. Picked it up cheap at a gun show in 1994 because the varnish (?) was peeling off the stock. Stripped & refinished the stock and gave it to him for his 12th birthday in 1995. He had it until a couple years ago when I traded another .22 he wanted for it. It now lives in my safe but it'll always be his first gun.

A Marlin 100G single shot .22. Packed it a million miles shooting gophers. Still have it in the back of a safe, thinking about how much carefree fun was had with it 40+ years ago makes me think it should get out for a walk this spring

Baikal IJ 18 12 gauge 2 3/4" made in the old USSR. It has taken ducks, geese, grouse and even a deer, it will be the last gun I will ever get rid of.

EliRawlings,

Unlike I suspect most everyone here, I didn't grow up with a home that owned guns of any sort, as my parents died in a car accident when I was about 4 years young & I was raised, until I left home at 18, by a lovely but very traditional & widowed grandmother.
(My grandmother believed that I should be "girly", 24/365 & said to me thousands of times: NICE Sicilian girls don't do those things. Those things are just for boys.)

When Tex & I met & started dating, I quickly figured out that I could either join him in his shooting, hunting, fishing & camping or I could "sit home alone" more than half of the year.
(Personal to other women here: Don't think that you can "change the personality" of an adult of either gender. - My advice is to accept them, with their faults or look elsewhere for company or a mate.)

As a result of my intent to "keep him forever", I set out to become an "outdoor woman".
First I joined the local Ladies Field Archery Club, then the TSRA/NRA & went with Tex on a few of his day fishing trips trips & finally told him that I wanted to try an overnight camping trip.
(Until that first overnight camping trip to one of our State's Natural Areas, my idea of "roughing it" was staying at a cheap motel, much less had I ever considered sleeping in a sleeping bag or a tent. - I was quite surprised to actually enjoy myself, as the spot by the creek that he picked was especially lovely when I woke up about 630 AM.)

Years later, I'm married & am learning every day more outdoor skills, that most of the members of this forum likely learned as a child.
I now have my own suitable outdoor clothing (that is made for & fits a woman of my small stature. - I wear a 2 Petite in a dress.), my own rod/reels/tacklebox & I "adopted" one of his pump carbines in .223 Remington, which is small & light enough for me to comfortably carry afield & shoot.
This year, Im going on a special "ladies only hunting trip", that is sponsored by TSRA this Spring for Axis deer & perhaps a feral hog.

By the way, if I ask ignorant or even ask "dumb questions" here, please be patient with the "new girl", as I'm still an eager beginner at hunting, fishing, etc..

By the way, my first gun is a Model 7615P police carbine.

Sincerely, DarlaG
Neophyte Outdoor Woman

30-30 Savage Lever, pretty beat up but it went bang. I paid $30 for it in 1965 and shot my first deer with it.

First gun,Nobel 22 single shot,had to have a million rounds thru it.First real gun Marlin 39A,bought it used in 1976,still own it still use it.

Belgian Browning Sweet Sixteen. Saved all summer to buy it as soon as I turned 16. Still have it.

Savage over/under 22LR/410 our favorite thing to shoot was going to the dump and kill`n rats in the summer in the old days. i still own that old rat killer !

winchester 67A still have it 60 years later. jack rabbit killing paid for my ammo.

Mine was a Winchester pellet rifle, and I still have it after 50+ years.

Mine was a Win. md 37 20 gage, but had to pass it to my brother when he turned 12. I bought a 12 gage Mossberg bolt action.

When I was probably 11 I got a nice H&R 410 single shot for Christmas. I kick myself in the ass for selling it.

Remington 700 BDL in 308 Winchester with Leupold 3-9x "Gold Ring" mounted & sighted, 2 boxes ammo, leather gun case. Paid $425 for the combo that I recall in 1977.

My grandfather gave me a pristine L.C. Smith 20 gauge SXS when I was five years old. My dad only cared for one of his four children and he didn't like it that his number one son didn't get the L.C. Smith. He took it, sold it and bought a Winchester Model 63 and gave it to his number one son. It's been 65 years and I still remember.

My first gun was a Red Ryder BB gun at age 8. The sights weren't set well by the factory, so I adjusted the front sight with a hammer... put a nice graceful sweep into it. After that it became the Hammer of Thor. I could shoot nectaring honey bees in half at five paces. I dropped many brace of House Sparrow with a bit of hold over when the right shot presented... usually singing males pointing their beak upward to expose the throat patch. BTW it wasn't a single shot... it was a high cap lever gun, a very early equivalent to today's black guns.

Mine was a Win 9422M. Paid it off until I turned 18 in 1979 and went to cop shop and got my licence. No one in my family took me shooting but that didn’t stop me!

In a week moment, and due to the Ammo accuracy - availability in the early 80’s I sold it. Bugger!

A marlin bolt action .22 lr

When I was 9 or 10 my Dad gave me a Rem 514 single shot bolt .22. I still have it, but haven't shot it in probably 30 years,

1917 Enfield that my brother-inlaw restocked, scoped, cleaned up beautifully. Mike gave me that rifle 55 years ago, I was 11 and I could close the bolt against the heavy spring easily so he determined I was big enough for that 30-06. I was one proud youngster. 20 years ago I re-barreled to 338-06, great rifle.
My first single shot was a Ruger #1 in 222 Rem, should have kept that one.

When I was 11 I took my savings down Thompson's OK Hardware and bought a model 55 Winchester semi auto single shot 22, cost me $9.50. The guy that run the gun counter cut me the deal and then told me to wait a few minutes, he had something he needed to do so I waited . Guess he was calling my Dad to see if it was ok. Still got it but youth is long gone. MB

I was 12, my Dad gave me his Mossberg 22 that he had when he was a kid in the 30's. Still have it, Dad died in '99.

Winchester 67 22lr. I still have it.

H&R 30/30

JC Higgins single shot, bolt action 22lr.

Ruger 10/22 my dad bought for me when I was a baby.

Shot hundreds of critters with that rifle.

-Jake

Belgian Browning A5 20ga. Got it in 1982. I was 14.

My father's friend offered to sell it to him for $150. He dragged me out to do some concrete work. My dad charged exactly $150 (plus materials) for the job. I watched the man put the money in my father's hand and we drove over to his friend's house. Out came a pristine Browning A5. He gave it a quick look over and handed it to me, then placed the $150 in his friend's hands. A small conversation and we were off to our house.

It was a lesson on many levels. I still have the shotgun. It's still pristine.

When I was 14, I saved up my grass mowing money and bought a 45cal Kentucky Rifle that took percussion caps. It had a wood ram rod. I bought it mail order out of a catalog.

The family rifle was a used Tru-Test single shot 22 with a pull back bolt to cock the firing pin.

It was not worth much $ but served remarkably well for our needs as we were growing up.

It was gifted to a young family with a son that needed to hunt, I hope it's still hunting for someone..

the first single shot was h&r shikari in 45/70 got it for Christmas when i turned 16, i shot the hell out of that gun! wish i still had it. the first single shot that i bought with my own money was a tc contender in 256 win mag wish i still had it very cool!

New England Firearms .410, 12yo, Refinished the new stock myself with Formby’s Tung. A modest little gun, but learned a lot or responsibility, probably kept me out of some trouble, killed a lot of cans, squirrels, a few game birds. Taught self to shoot clays from a foot thrower - I didn’t know enough to know how hard that actually is.... Still have it, sits loaded with rubber buckshot for wandering dogs, etc.

A used High Standard 12 gauge pump my step father got for me. I never deer hunted until college, so that was my small game/ bird gun for a few years before that. Heavy thing. Passed it on to a brother, he sold it sometime later. Might've been one of those made for Sears

My first gun was a Marlin 336 in .35 Rem.
My first single shot was a Handi-rifle in 280 rem with a green laminate stock. I went a little overboard with the spare barrel program adding 45-70, .223 and a 20 ga & 12 ga 3 1/2 inch turkey barrel. Then I had to get the shotgun stock to match of course. Kicks terribly with those 3 1/2" turkey loads but is sure "handy" to carry and hold across one knee when waiting for a tom to show himself.

The summer between junior and senior year of high school I worked at EUCOM Rod & Gun Club on Patch Barracks, Germany. I saved all my money from that and on the last day I bought a Winchester 101, 20 gauge with my employee discount. I still have it.

22 Cooey

My first 'real' gun was a Glenfield 60. I burned through box after box of ammo until it eventually just got old. I traded it for a summer for an Ithaca 49 and fell in love with single shots.
Haven't stopped loving them yet.

My first gun was a Winchester model 37 in 410. 55 years later I still have it.

A Springfield break-open 20 ga., until I bought an 870. It then went to some younger cousins. Years later I got it back, still have it, but would not use it now. It has seen a lot of use; My moonshiner/gun trader great uncle gave it to my father and uncle, used, at least five of my cousins started out with it. Besides being such an ill-designed stock, the last few times it was fired it was likely to open on it's own.

First "Mine only" gun was a 700 ADL, .270. Unfortunately that one was stolen over 30 years ago.

Mine too. Dad swapped a pig for it. Wish I still had it.

The first 2 guns I ever used were my dad's M99 300 Savage and his Winchester 62A pump 22.

The first 2 I ever owned were first an Ithica M66 20 gauge and second an original Colt 1851 Navy Model revolver.

First gun - chrome plated single action revolver {cap gun}.

First projectile firing gun - Daisy model 102 lever action BB gun.

First firearm - Ward's Western Field model 172B 12 gauge bolt action.

First rifle - Marlin model 989M2 semi auto .22 LR.

First gun - a Sears and Roebuck 20-gauge bolt action shotgun. I desperately wanted a pump, but I had three younger brothers and my Dad liked the idea of being able to remove the bolt when the gun was in storage. In hindsight, this wasn't a bad idea. When I was 19, in college and living at home for the summer, I left a .22 pistol, with a rat shot load in the chamber, in my duffel bag while I was out on a date. My youngest brother, who was nine at the time, found it and put a load of rat shot in the wall above my desk.

Remington 580. Still remember the day my dad said "it's time for your own rifle". Think I was around 11 or 12. Prior to that I used his Winchester 68

Winchester model 270 pump, .22 rimfire. Got it for Christmas in 1964. Wish I still had it.
Shot hundreds of jack rabbits, and other critters with it.

Winchester 370 16 gauge 50 years ago still have it. I think my Dad paid $39.99 for it new I have the paper work somewhere.

My first given to me from my dad was his winchester 67A that he got when he was 9. The first one I bought I was 13. A model 94 .44mag. new for 90.00 a month later I bought a new Remington 660 in .308 for 90.00 . Haven't stopped since. I've passed some on to my son and nephews.

Remington 700 BDL in 308 Winchester (C Suffix serial #)
Leupold 3x9 Vari-X II
Leather Gun Case
2 boxes ammo

$435.00 in 1977