Well, for me I was told about this place by my dad (megabucks), he had just learned of this place from his boss at the time Dennis (muledeer). He called me one day and said, you gotta check this out. I decided to try it out, didn't post a ton for the first couple years. Read a lot, learned not to be a dumbass (I may still be in training), and now I have a full on addiction. What about you guys?

Followed the great exodus from Shooters as it was melting down.

I ran into the Campfire when seaching something by google or maybe yahoo. This was 2001 and I was a lurker for quite a while before joining up.

A buddy at work (Swampfoot) told me about it. I lurked around for about a year before joining.

I was part of the Shooters exodus also.

My best friend, "The Professor", told me about it, so I lurked for a couple of years until I had time to throw my $0.02 in.
Now I'm hooked.

Ed

Searching for stuff on the then new Kimber 84M in 7-08. Bought one despite the postings and still love it.

John Barsness mentioned the 24HCF a few times in some of his articles published in Wolfe magazines.

I started out slow, literally, because we had dial-up until late winter of 2008. Then I became a regular visitor and occasional poster.

oh man sometimes I hate telling the truth.


someone from the Kifaru site mentioned this place.

so I checked it out.

absolute truth, I found a discussion by TRH and Barak fascinating about gov't. (flame suit on)

this was many years ago, it was different here then.


also the other hook was big stick, the guy flat knew some chit about rifles and how to use them, it was just blind luck I reckon that I'd already been using some of the brands he touted so highly, 700's, Zeiss Classics etc.

while he was funny with his posts, he was much kinder to folks really interested in learning what he'd found out by experience.

IIRC he started the "YMMV" disclosure


I also loved the backpacking thread as it was an area I had a pretty fair amount of experience in, so I could share some knowledge I'd gleaned thru trial and error and still learned some valuable tips from other guys with a like passion.

Also gave me great hope that so many here shared my political views....in a nutshell, love my country, hate my government.

I miss the old days, course I miss my wife being 25 too, but things change, and I wouldn't want to be without her or the campfire.

both things I love and enjoy

A friend of mine was involved in a new website called Rifle Shooter. He was one of the moderators, so I decided to become involved too. Apparently this site went up because 24hourcampfire was down for a long time and they thought it was permanent. I had never heard of 24hourcampfire, but the members at Rifle Shooter spoke well of it, and wished it was back. Anyway, Rifle Shooter was going just fine for a month or so, then someone announced that 24hourcampfire was back up, and there was a mass exodus to 24hourcampfire, so I figured I'd better check this 24hourcampfire out.

my dad

I found Shooters just as after the exodus happened. Ken Howell invited the rest over there to check out 24CF. The rest is history.

That shows you've got lots of smarts.

the classifieds... looking for the ever elusive Rem 700 VLS in 260

a google search for Glock 20, back in July or August

Randy;

Check your meds.

Found it "googling" info on rifles, lurked for a good long while, then joined up.

originally my kids showed me how to surf the net so I could look for archery info, then when my wife started shooting the rifle I decided to reload and on some searches 24hour came up, years of lurking and then my first post anywhere a little over two years ago.

Kent

Looking for info on the Vanguard trigger. I lurked for a long time before joining.

I googled gun forums or hunting forums, checked out a bunch, and liked this one the best. Nice combination of guns ,hunting, politics, sports and other topics. Some other forums are too tightly regulated. One in particular is run by a paranoid tyrant, IMHO

Yep, me too. Sonny (need one) told me about the place.

Seriously, I don't remember how I found this place. Been here for a few years now and occassionally show my denseness by trying to participate in some threads.

Ya know, for a bunch of manly men (and wimmenly wimens), there sure is a lot of humanity and empathy here. A lot of deservedly harsh reality is exposed, too. I like it here.

I was lucky that my first forum was 24HCF. I've explored others, and only post on this and one other forum. This place is great.

At the moment of hearing that that he was living near here, I went to his home to introduce myself and to see if I could be a helpful buddy - turned out that I could - and during one of the many regular visits since then Ken Howell told me about the Campfire. Cannot think of a better way to be introduced to the Fire.

I stumbled on to the fire while searching the web for gunsmithing and reloading information.

I then started reading the hunter's campfire section and was simply amazed by all the goodwill and kindness of the folks here. I lurked for a long time and finally joined to buy some stuff in the classifieds. My first purchase was an RCBS Casemaster run-out tool. I'm still using it.

Lot of interesting characters here too. The fire has given insights to other people's minds, experiences and ways of life I would never have imagined. Plus more info on hunting, reloading, rifles and such than I ever could have found anywhere else.

was looking for info on a Savage 99 i had acquired, course most searches turn up the Savage forum here so i started there and after a couple weeks discovered the other forums

Lee24 told me...

Kent

Yep,

The Savage 99 brought me here.

Bought one and needed to find out what it was...

Google led me here.

From shooters.com.

I got to that site thinking it was about girls in tight white t-shirts and orange shorts.

From something that JB wrote. Lurked for a while before joining. In addition to learning a lot, I get to tell morons that they're morons.

Me too!

Mike

I was gettin educated on Scopes, I found opticstalk.com and from there learned about 24HCF, lurk here everyday, I just don't post often. I still lurk at opticstalk too, but spend most of my time on the FIRE. Tons of good info and some attitudes too

My first post, and the reason I found the "Fire".


"My pet whitetail load for years has been 46.0 grains of Varget, pushing a 165 Nosler ballistic tip from a custom .308 (24" barrel). The rifle is very accurate with the load and does not show excessive pressure. I have never chronograghed the load until recently, where it showed a velocity average of 2870 fps. According to all the manuals, this is too fast! What am I doing wrong?'

was googling info on the 300 rum and a thread in the alaska forum came up. use to post on LRH put the pace was to slow and not as a diverse group as here

plus the campfire has the best trolls on the net to [bleep] with

Blurb from MD in one of the Wolfe publications. Was worded in a way that caught my attention as a different kind of forum, IRC.

Kept it in mind, and eventually checked it out. MD was right, been hooked ever since. Lot of respect for Rick and the free rein he gives here, and there is plenty of that which I'm sure makes him shake his head. Most moderators have a tendency to grab their ball and go home so to speak.

We got it all here:

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Thats it man now you've done..... the FBI is coming for you now. You go sending play money to good honest folks, and then say that.... well Mr. you it coming now.
Oldman1942 impression off now.



I found this site from some linked photos on the old, now dead azod website/forum. I lurked around here for maybe a yearish before I joined and started posting.

Danged if I can remember!

It ain't easy bein' senile � even among passels o' peers!

Couple of guys on the outdoorsdirectory (Alaska) mentioned the "fire" and I sent a PM asking what the heck they were talking about. They pointed me here and have been here ever since.

"How'd you find your steak, Sir?" the solicitous waiter asked.

"Oh, I just moved one of the fries, and there it was!"

yep, that's what attracted me here too. it's a good place to be.

Found the Fire googling something. Lurked for a while, then joined.

I was in a stall down at the Greyhound Station, "for a good time, visit www.24hrcampfire.com"

Me too. TLEE what happened? I never did find out.

Lunatic moderator over at Shooters gave me the boot. Ran into Waders on another site and he directed me here. Freakin place is addictive.


Phil

i was lookin' for info on reloading did a google search and ended up here, friggin place is awesome! lots of great info here and people willing to give it freely and also some fairly smart arsed answers you didnt ask for but send you to the floor laughing you arse off
i only hope that ill be able to give someone some usable advice some time but i doubt it since im a dumb arse too
thanks campfire

It just finally disappeared one day never to return. I was still looking in the "Cracker Barrel, Handguns & Rimfire sections once in awhile and POOF, it was gone.

I think I ate there once!

A customer, now a good friend introduced me to the fire...my wallet has regretted it ever since!

Don't remember really.

I found it smaller! lol

What got me to sign up were guys like CAS, Stick, the brothers etc. Charlie Sisk, Gatorgado etc.

Lots of good guys, still are - even tho it's bigger.

There, fixed it....

well, he invented the site. d'uh.

"Waiter, what is this fly doing in my soup?"

"Looks like the backstroke, Sir!"

daily Sean, daily

lmao


seems like a long time ago, think there might have even been a forum "2nd ammendment" IIRC

Looking for info on Savage rifles and someone on another site said to try here. Lurked around to see what it was like and decided to join.

I learned about the fire when my cousin Northern Dave started "Birth of a deer camp".

I was looking for info on the Savage 99.

Wish I had bought one at that time; really clean ones were about $300 locally then.

Yeah, but he had help from his Boy Scout troop.

I did a search the web for "flouride poisoning in America and how it affects people in diferent ways such as a curious aversion to blue tape"...

And Al Gore, to begin with, of course.

Sudden web site death syndrome.

I did a web search for Christian gun owner forums and it led me to a thing called, "Christ At The Campfire".

My son found it and told me about it.

Rick called me up one day when he heard I was learning to use the computer and asked me to contribute a little humor to the site. I've contributed little ever since.

A friend told me about it.Just idle chitchat while making the long drive from Arkansas to Wyoming to hunt.Lurked a little while,before joining. Lightman

My son.

Came over as Shooters was imploding about 10 years ago.

JB




Ingwe

When the shooters site was running folk's off Big Stick posted a link to the fire saying how awesome it was so over I came.

Google sent me here. I was looking for a forum that could help me with a .30-30 lever action Marlin 336 that I have. It was then new to me, and the action was bound up some how, and I was totally frustrated. One of the employees at a gun shop I like ended up helping me out. He looked at me like the total noob that I was (am?), held the rifle at a funny angle, wiggled his fingers into the action, and some how unbound the action. BTW, this whole problem was caused by my putting the rifle back together incorrectly after the first time I cleaned it. I've enjoyed Rick's page ever since.

First heard it mentioned on another forum that I frequented at the time. Glad I found it.

Best Regards

I used to post on HuntAmerica (will anyone else admit to that?) After seeing references to The Fire I checked it out. I lurked for a long time and then made a post.

Landrum

As an avid salmon & steelhead fisherman, I spent a bunch of time on a popular Northwest fishing board.

One night a dude appeared out of nowhere.
He plastered like 250 posts in one evening.
He had a twist on the English language like none other.
He literally blew the place up.
While many of the regulars were busy ridiculing him, I saw a man with a genius-like IQ in rifle science.
Then he plastered up like half a dozen Boone & Crockett class Sitka Blacktails and glorious steelhead eyecandy.
I wanted to see more of this dude.

I Googled "BigStick" & landed here.

The fire has become a wealth of knowledge and experience, a collection of characters and misfits.
Damn tough to beat this place.
I like it here.

Same here.

Brian.

I think that I Googled shooting forums, was led to Shooter's archives, and then to the link to the new Campfire.......


Lee:

What caused the meltdown there?

I confess I don't remember

but I was living in another state at the time...

From Shooters.

Trolls & over moderation me thinks.

My huntin' pard (Nebraska) got me hooked.

I loved the classifieds from the get go.

Learned a ton on the Savage Collectors, Single shots, Hunter's Campfire, Big-Bore and Big game hunting forums.

The 'fire is my main place to go.

I moved over when Shooter's died. I have spent a little time at several other firearms related boards, and more than a little at AR, several years ago.

None of them ever really felt like home.

searching on line for some load data and found this place.
Just read for around a year before joining and posting, now I read here every day and post If I think I can contribute to something.

And some of it's even true!

Bwahahahaha!!!!

Are you new here Ken...?


Ingwe

I heard about 24hourcampfire on accuratereloading.com. There's a really good bunch of people here and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. I only look at the campfire now because I lost the ability to log onto accuratereloading when I got a new computer recently and you can't contact them unless you can login. The security question for a new password is my Mother's maiden name which I am absolutely certain of and they keep telling me I'm wrong.

Charlie Sisk posted on GBO and mentioned the fire. I checked it out and have become one of the most prodigious posters. Bob

I found it 'bout the same time I found some other places by doin' word searches on firearm stuff.

I been run off from the rest of 'em.

Saw a link to it from listed on another site. Good move!

Was off work after a hernia repair and read one of Mule Deer's articles in Rifle or Handloader, where he mentione d the site. It's been downhill ever since.

Wuz wanderin' around the net looking for implausible adventures and found the 'Fire. Great place! Met some of the COOLEST people and have several expeditions with them under my belt.

Came over with the crowd from Shooters. Used to post on HuntAmerica some and AccurateReloading but this is the only place I visit anymore.

Yep, me too. I came over when this was a lot smaller group. I am member 100. Ken Howell and Waders were here before me but they are the only two I can remember that still post here. It has been a long, fun ride.


Thanks Rick.

I was stalking some family members.......

Nah, not really, was a second set of eyes on some posts and liked the fellowship (for the most part) that I had seen.

Figured what the heck?

I was pointed here by a friend.

Said there is some old farts on here who know a bit about guns and hunting.

You got seniority on me there, old timer. I'm only #205.

You may be a latecomer but in my opinion you are still a keeper.

A gentleman who posted on Accurate Reloading, Gatorgordo. He told me it was a friendly place with good people that would make me feel at home.

Lynn

JB mentioned it a couple of times in various articles and I decide to come over and check it out.

I found out about the 'fire when Rick Bin was trolling for members over at Shooters. So, I checked it out and signed up. Me, Rick, and Rick's dad were about the only people posting back then. How times change!

Ditto, what T Lee said.

Waders was here a couple of months before I came. I'm no. 85, and he's about no. 20 or 25, I think. Too many of the early fellows are gone now.

Yukoner showed me the way.

Showed me other tricks too.




.

+1 for me (although I think I lurked here for about 5 months before registering).

I still read a LOT more than I post -- lots to learn here.

John

I Googled 'Stupid Ass Dumb [bleep]' and the first hit was a post by The Real Hawkeye.

I was a Shooters emmigrant, though it took a couple years for me. I have enjoyed much of the stuff here. Made a couple friends as well. Still a good source of good guys with good information, and some dolts too.

I was also on Shooters when I learned about the Campfire.

I too came from shooters. miles

I blame 1B for telling me. Seriously, a lot of nice guys & a few not so nice, but that's typical of life. As an engineer some of my best laughs was about the poster that designed bridges as a teen & later entire condos or office building which ever it was. Old Stick is/was good for a laugh.

That was "If It Flies It Dies" here, I really miss having Charley around.

Yep, it's too bad that we lost IIFID � and Need One � and so many others.

AMEN Brother Ken, and let us not forget that we still have "Boggy Creek Ranger" in our midst, another one of the good guys from times past.

Yep � ol' BCR came leapin' to mind in brilliant contrast as I was pecking-out that woeful post.

You can blame Safariman..."Mark"...I think it was a "Rokon" or parts thereof he had on ebay...I gave him a call & we ended up talking about guns & hunting IIRC...I think at the time I was looking for a 10-22 mag. & he said there was a classifieds here...

Thank you Sir
What's left of him is still hanging on.
Hard to believe Sonnie (NO) has been gone almost four years ain't it.
I miss the old coot still.

BCR

The 'fire came up in a conversation I was having with Jim Borden about a rifle he was building for me...

What's left Boggy, is still a lot for us!

Keerp hangin' in there, !

Now here's a bitter-sweet thought for us �

A Campfire old-timers' get-together would be the greatest, an affair to remember!

But we're scattered far 'n' wide, and the least able of all here who can go anywhere.

A fella from the Nosler website mentioned the 'Fire to me, in connection with a question I had concerning the fate of Bob Hagel. I logged on here...it went downhill from there.

My boy (Big Hunter) led me in here right after Shooters imploded.

Along the way, It's been my privilege come to know Cat, Sonnie, and many others that I still think of as freinds.

The knowledge I've gained from here would fill a warehouse.
7mm

Found the site doing research on Savage 99's. Liked the family atmosphere. Ask a dumb question and get bit. Reminded me of family. Next line they would break their neck to help.

Fire is a funny place, you get it all. Criticism, anger, tension, trolls, nuts, wise crack and sadness. Same people will wish you well, pray for you, offer advice and assist you in numerous ways. Seems like home, think I will hang around, might be a new guy/gal who needs a little help. GW

I was talking to Micky Coleman about a re-barrel job and he mentioned the fire.

The Short Mags forum was the first forum I joined and when it started to go away someone mentioned the Fire.
I lurked a bit and joined after web searches on the 257 Roberts kept bringing me back to the Campfire.
I still don't post a lot but I enjoy the forum and learn a few things too.

Ernie

I started out with rec.guns before it was a newsgroup, part of the original email list back in the late 80s / early 90s. Once it went to newsgroup, I also got on rec.hunting. Through one or the other I ran into a feller known here as Jeff_O who was pretty dang early in his hunting/guns "career". We started swapping emails. He lived in the town I'd just moved out of so I could give him some pointers without giving up my spots. Some time later he mentioned this thing called 24 hour campfire he'd found. I was up to my ass and too busy to investigate right off, but after a couple years, I gave up 'n' came over here to see what it was he was tellin' me about. I've run into several people here I already knew from other places, met some new ones.

Tom

I miss him too. Was fortunate enough to enjoy a lunch with him in Dallas, after meeting you way back when. Your boys still wrestling wild hogs?

How did I find the "fire"? That is a great question.


ddj

I was pointed in this direction by someone from the old Coffee Shop site - might well have been Rick. I signed on as JODAR (lost that handle during a site reorganization in 2005) on 3-25-02 as the 1759th member.

Tempus fugit.

Can't honestly say how I landed at Ric's joint but the above quote and the man behind it are really two of the reasons I stayed.

My friend ChipM who posts here pointed it out to me.

Makes two of us Boggy, the guy was great.

That in fact would be a hell of a gathering Sir, it truly would.

i was just searching for something gun related and found this place. one of several i try to visit daily.

The line fot the wheelchair races forms to the left.Lies and tall tales to the right.

So what were you doing wrong???? Enquiring minds want to know!

Chuck you Farley!!!!

ONe of the gun writers in either Outdoor Life or Field and Stream gave the readers an invite to log on and try it here. I did and enjoyed the knowledgeable folks. Not to mention the occasional characters.

IIRC I came across it in Google or some such type thing. Have garnered quite alot of good info on here along with buying and selling a few things. Seems most on this site are folks you would be proud to call friend or neighbor. Hopefully it stays that way.

From a co-worker.

IIRC, I was reading a thread about Ross Seyfried at the Shooting Sportsman BB, and somebody posted a link here.

Got my first PC in '03? and got onto the internet. Searched for gun stuff, found some forums and thought it was great to finally be able to correspond with other like-minded gun people... at first.

But after several months of things like: "What's the hardest kicking gun you've ever shot?" followed by answers like: "My daddy's got a 32 Special and it would break a telephone pole in half if you put the butt up against it." Or how, "You should use a .410 rather than a 12 guage for deer hunting because it's smaller and they shoot like a rifle."- I got really, really bored and did some more looking around and came across The 'Fire.

A breath of fresh air! (Funny but I don't remember any trolls back then.) Rather than attempting to give a kindergarten-level education about guns to some pitiful soul(s), I could obtain a post-graduate level myself. Did, and do, much more listening/reading than posting myself.

Have never been back to those first long-forgotten sites, and only a couple of times have even browsed any others since. They fall well short and besides, I don't even have time to read a fraction of what I want to here!

Shooters refugee......

Duwane Adams told me about it. He was advertising on here at the time and told me it would be a good place to visit.

My first post here was on the hunt swap thread if I remember correctly. I wanted to swap a javelina hunt for a LH 300 mag. I got made fun of.lol!

how things have changed!

I don't remember exactly, but I think I followed a link from another site to some sort of pissing match here.

Ringman told me about it. one day i looked it up and decided to join in the fun

Found it searching for info on Beretta Mato's. I dont post much but I read quite a bit. This place has cost me a lot of money.

Hmmm, I think it was either in "Varmint Hunter" magazine or in Rifle/Handloader magazine. Lurked for a while, then decided to join up and toss a couple of posts out there.
Great people on this site, even when there are disagreements, things usually work out. Thanks Rick for putting up with all of us.

Tom

Google, yep, Google. now why? Bear

I was following up on Savqage 99s and was referred from Savage99.com.

BMT

A friend at work (T Rex) told be about it, I'd been a member at the old Shooters site and was happy to find some of that mob here too.

I came over during the shooter's meltdown as well

tom

DAYUM Tom, where ya been?

hello T

I have been around just not posting.

tom

I met dogzapper on a prairie dog shoot and he pointed me in this direction. It was a while until I remembered it and logged in though.

Hmm, I've been here so long I don't recall how I found the place. I think Sitka Deer told me about it, but I think I've been over here for around 10 years, too long to remember how I found my way here.

Why, I believe I was looking for domestic security threat groups. You know, like christian and former military who believe in the constitution.


Heck, I don't really remember

I was researching some load data and came across a link to the Fire...best link I ever clicked !!!