Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Guns you wanted as a kid ( and now have- or don't have)

I wanted a vierling but never got one. I'll never be able to afford one.

Had lots of gun wants when I was young. Accumulated most of them later in life when I could afford them. Gov 45 Auto was always near the top as I shot my first one as a twelve year old. Took me forty + years to get to buy that same 45. Had owned several others Gov 45's prior to getting the first one I shot.

Pursuing the guns (the hunt) was more enjoyable than owing them. Have never found a 1899 Savage CD that I could afford. "Still hunting" GW

Watched a lot of war movies when I was younger. Vietnam mostly. Not sure why my parents let me watch but I turned out okay.
So I always wanted the old school colt sp1 -- closest I could get to the m16.
Finally got one this year, a 1970 all original!

My other was a python. Still don't have one but when they re-released the anaconda I snagged one and the .44 is more useful to me. So I'm close on that one.

I was 17 and wanted my buddys dad's B92...shot it an worked that butter action...got my own in 1988.... now I own..another...a unfired boxed centennial from 1978:)

Odd. The Llama was one of my first automatics. My very first pistol was a Ruger Bearcat. As a youngster I had access to a very large parcel of land with a feeder creek/river that ran the entire distance of the property and fed Benbrook lake. The creek was made up of a series of pools, 10-20' wide and the pools would vary in length from 50' to several hundred feet long. Usually the depth was no more than 3 feet. My friends and I would walk the distance of this property and wade the pools. When you reached the end of a pool, all the fish that had scattered would be bottled up at the end of each pool and in a moment of panic they'd dart around you to get back into deeper and safer water. It was literally a manic shooting gallery..., and an absolute blast. I couldn't guess how many cases of .22's I ran through that Llama but 22lr ammo at the time was 3 boxes for a dollar. I eventually lost access to the land as it changed hands when I was around 16-17, which would have been 1966-67. The little Llama was plum wore out.

I had plenty guns when I was a kid but the neighbor across the street from my folks was a collector. He had a Smith Model 41 he let me try. Damn, I could kill more ground squirrels with that handgun than I could with my .22 rifle. I loved that Smith but could never talk him out of it. Still want one but found a Colt Woodsman Match Target that is like new, so I'm happy.

Spas-12 shotgun after watching terminator, got one at 19 as my first self purchased firearm.
'An elephant gun'- read about a 416 rigby when I was 14. My first self-purchased bolt action was a used 460weatherby MkV lazermark at 19.
Also wanted a heavy gauge shotgun, heard about English 8 and 4 gauges guns growing up. Never got one and its likely to remain a childhood dream only.

A Marlin 57M.
I've now got one, and don't care for it (doesn't fit me)
If the kids/grandkids aren't interested, I'll probably trade it off.

My grandad had a Colt Woodsman Sport, 2nd issue. It may be the first gun I ever fired when I was three or four years old. It was sent back to Colt in the 80s and refinished and it came back looking brand new. When he passed in '93 my commie uncle ended up with it. I saw it a few years later, looking very neglected. Sad.

A few years ago I snagged one just like the original for myself. It's holster worn, but looks about like the original did before it was refinished. I like it, but it's just not the same. Wish I had been bequeathed the one my grandad owned.

I always wanted Grandpa's British 303, I have it now, I'd trade it back for Grandpa in a heartbeat.

Was 9 yrs old when a family member opened up a trunk of a caddy and I shot 1 of 2 brought back from a country under the radar.
Loadmasters were able to do that....
Was 22 when me and said family member broke down and cleaned both in his home in titusville before I went to germany.
Was 34 when told by another family both were demilled and are in some VFW,s in Coco Beach or Titusville on display.


I got a walnut ZPAP but it still aint a real chicom type 56s.

When I was 13 I had a paper route and saved for months for a Remington Nylon 66 in Mohawk brown…. Still have it and shoot it 53 years later. Also a Colt Python 6” with the silver Matt Finnish purchased in my 20’s… still have that one as well.

I was 11 years old in the summer of 1966 when I spied that model 55 semi automatic single shot 22 winchester in the rack at OK hardware. Had a cracked stock and needed refinishing, talked to my dad about it. I guess he figured the wood work would be good experience for me and said it was up to me. So I gathered up all my money went down there and bought it $10. The guy at their gun counter knew my dad and looked at me and said " this ok with your dad?" I told him it was, done deal. Carried it home in one hand while riding my bike. Wasn't any gca1968 yet and a boy with a 22 rifle didn't cause people to crap their pants. Still have that 22lr stands ready to hand and still shoots fine. Had it now for 56 years, turned 67 yesterday a guy needs some consistancy in his life . That is some of mine winchesters just keep shooting....mb

I wanted one of those Remington pump .22s with the high gloss finish so bad I could taste it but couldn't afford one at the time. For some reason I never owned one, though I still think about buying one from time to time, just because. Guess I got over it.

I was past being a 'kid' ...... but long ago I laid eyes a '41 Johnson, 7x57 of course......

Still 'don't have' - last one I saw had a tag of $10K...............

When I was a kid, I wanted them all, and I guess I have never grown out of it.....

Very fine choices!! Now the 700 in 7mm express. Borderline weird in my book. But to each his own! 🤣👍.

I grew up in the 50's, lot's of Cowboy's in the movies and on TV. They all had those 20 shot Colt SAA, all my cap guns looked just like theirs.
All the good guys had the nickel plated guns, with Ivory or Stag handles in two gun holster sets.
So to day I have these.

When we weren't playing Cowboys and Indians, we played War, lot's of Military Surplus available in the 50's so we all had the ammo belts, helmets, and 1911 cap guns.
So now I have these

Winchester Model 92 in 25-20. Still don't have one.

British best style rifle in 275 Rigby
British best side by side
M1 Garand
M14