what was the first shotgun you shot?

[aunt betty]

My dad took me shooting in 1974. I was 13.
Handed me a Montgomery Wards 410 gauge bolt action and let me shoot it a few times.
Then he handed me a model 1893 Winchester pump in 16 gauge. It was the sporting model of the famous trench gun of WW1. (the one with a hammer you pull back half-way to put it in "safe")


I still have both guns in my gun case today.

[team216]

1997 new years eve - 7 years old, also a Remington 410. Dad let me blast off a couple at midnight.

[Rick]

I couldn't say when, but the first shotgun I fired was my grandfather's A.H. Fox 12ga, so I had to old enough to have enough arm to get behind it. First game I shot with it was a rabbit. But most of my teen (and perhaps before?) shotgunning was with an ancient single shot crack-barrel 16ga of unknown or long forgotten make on long term loan from an uncle who probably hated it as much as I did. Was so light that it kicked much worse than grandpa's 12 and no amount of electrical tape could take the sting out of its broken grip. You had to be mad at a pheasant or rabbit to take what it would cost, which I guess I was.

Can date my first deer rifle, as a kind neighbor sold me a Springfield 03-A3 .30-06 still in the cosmoline for $14 on my 14th birthday. I "sportized" the stock and killed my first buck with it that fall.

Can also remember that my first game of any sort was a squirrel shot on the family place with my big brother's .20 Sheridan Blue Streak pellet rifle, but it was far enough from yesterday that I couldn't say how old I was.

Oh...and my first waterfowl was a brown duck.

[Deltaman]

Got a bb gun when I was 5, and the bird and squirrel population in our neighborhood and surrounding woods took a dive. First shotgun I got when I was 7, and it was a Winchester, bolt action, single shot .410 full choke, that only shot 2 1/2" shells. Had a round cock behind the bolt that had to be pulled back before shooting as a safety. My father's gun, which he received as 10 yr old birthday present in 1929, and passed down from my two older brothers. I passed it on to my younger brother when I got a brand new Ithaca featherweight 20 ga. pump for Christmas when I was 10. That gun has been passed down as a first gun to every boy in our family.

[SpinnerMan]

Remington .410 that my grandfather bought for his oldest grandson (me) could shoot. He had 4 girls and being the first boy, he did a ton with me.

Almost every Sunday we would have dinner at my grandparents. There were 2 pigeons living in the barn. I'd take the .410 up, flush them out and miss. I was probably around 10 at this time. This was my routine for awhile. One weekend my grandfather told me take the 16 gauge double barrel. So I did. Normally the pigeons would go out the end of the barn and I'd miss them hauling away. This time they went out the opposite side of the barn from my. Went way down the field, circled back around and came over the roof of the barn just above where they normally come out. Bang, fold the first one. The other turns on the after burners and starts heading across the field. Bang, down goes number 2. First birds and first double. And now I have no more pigeons to shoot at

My grandfather passed away 7 or 8 years ago. I inherited that .410. He had quite a few guns, but that was the one I wanted most.

[DukMan]

We had an old single shot, break action, 12 gauge with a wooden stock that all they young boys were introduced to at 10yr old up at the cabin. Shooting it did three things.. gave you an appreciation for the power a guns possesses, knocked you on your ass, and instantly created a "flinch" that would take years to overcome...

[aunt betty]

Someone gave me a single-shot 12 gauge. I carried it a while because it was light and made me take careful aim. Then one day a rooster pheasant jumped, I blasted it, and the stock split. Man I was happy to toss that pos into the trashcan. (and start using my wingmaster again)

[Darren]

First shot an old pump .410 my uncle had, think it was a Browning. Then took to dad's collection of crack barrel .410, 20 and 12 gages that sit and collect dust in the closet. First shotgun I bought was a Remmy 870 20 gage, then got big eyes when I went to a Jennings area duck camp and saw the collection of Beretta 390 12's on the rack and in the blind.......had to have it. Bought first Beretta AL390 (12 gage) I mowed a ton of grass for in I think '97 or so, still shoot it today at clays and doves.

[aunt betty]

First shot an old pump .410 my uncle had, think it was a Browning. Then took to dad's collection of crack barrel .410, 20 and 12 gages that sit and collect dust in the closet. First shotgun I bought was a Remmy 870 20 gage, then got big eyes when I went to a Jennings area duck camp and saw the collection of Beretta 390 12's on the rack and in the blind.......had to have it. Bought first Beretta AL390 (12 gage) I mowed a ton of grass for in I think '97 or so, still shoot it today at clays and doves.

The only part on the 390 that will ever need replaced is the recoil spring in the stock. Buy two and you'll have a spare. I have the spare in my truck now.

[Darren]

First shot an old pump .410 my uncle had, think it was a Browning. Then took to dad's collection of crack barrel .410, 20 and 12 gages that sit and collect dust in the closet. First shotgun I bought was a Remmy 870 20 gage, then got big eyes when I went to a Jennings area duck camp and saw the collection of Beretta 390 12's on the rack and in the blind.......had to have it. Bought first Beretta AL390 (12 gage) I mowed a ton of grass for in I think '97 or so, still shoot it today at clays and doves.

The only part on the 390 that will ever need replaced is the recoil spring in the stock. Buy two and you'll have a spare. I have the spare in my truck now.

Haven't had issue with that yet but did replace some kind of pin a few years back, was a cheap repair, shoots like new. Don't recall exact name of part

[aunt betty]

First shot an old pump .410 my uncle had, think it was a Browning. Then took to dad's collection of crack barrel .410, 20 and 12 gages that sit and collect dust in the closet. First shotgun I bought was a Remmy 870 20 gage, then got big eyes when I went to a Jennings area duck camp and saw the collection of Beretta 390 12's on the rack and in the blind.......had to have it. Bought first Beretta AL390 (12 gage) I mowed a ton of grass for in I think '97 or so, still shoot it today at clays and doves.

The only part on the 390 that will ever need replaced is the recoil spring in the stock. Buy two and you'll have a spare. I have the spare in my truck now.

Haven't had issue with that yet but did replace some kind of pin a few years back, was a cheap repair, shoots like new. Don't recall exact name of part

Once you shoot it around 5000 times that spring will get weak. One day you'll shoot and the gun won't cycle without you helping it. It'll get stuck open but first you'll notice it shooting slower.

[Goldfish]

Can't recall when, but it would have been my uncles 20ga semi auto

[aunt betty]

This is where it all started for me. Those two shotguns.
The one on the right is special. (it's a sweet 16)

13603548_288704511482417_2296400070661377470_o.jpg

[Throbbin Rods]

Started with a 20 gauge single shot that killed on both ends. Mowed a lot of lawns and bought a used Browning 16 gauge semi, the old auto 5 sweet 16. Shot it for quite a number of years and then got into waterfowl hunting and traded it in on a 12.
Stupid
Stupid
Stupid

[aunt betty]

Carried that 410 bolt-action for a season. I think I might have shot at a pheasant or rabbit...maybe.
Don't recall killing anything with either shotgun but once I graduated to a 12-gauge and got to use 870's and 1100's the spree began and still isn't over but upland is over unless someone tracks me down and offers permission. (like that'll ever happen)

My dad used to be in a club that had a duck pond and caged ducks they'd release for people to shoot.
Was pretty much tree-top level pass-shooting on tame ducks. Was cautioned that we gotta pay for cripples so shoot good.
Cut my teeth on that. They had pheasant releases too but I have always preferred duck shooting.
We'd shoot 25 on Thanksgiving day every year for gifts to customers. What a great way to learn your range and stuff.

Started out hunting in high dollar clubs with tame birds. Once I got old enough I was on my own. Found buddies at school in similar positions, formed a hunting club of our own. (sort of like the illuminati hunt club)
Speak any secrets and you're banished to oblivion sort of thing.
We might have allegedly had permission to hunt on a few really big farms.
Those were the days.

[Josh carpenter]

Remington 870 20 gauge combo bbl.

[Pennydog1]

I was 13 and i had a mossberg 20 ga bolt action rabbitt killing machine it even had a poly choke on it lol

[plainsman]

first for me was a MOSSBERG 500 12 ga

[Pennydog1]

The 500 was and still is a very good deer slug gun

[plainsman]

The 500 was and still is a very good deer slug gun

So I've heard...never tried them myself....I stick to my '06 or 30/30 for big game

[Pennydog1]

Here in illinois land of idiot lawmakers we dont have a rifle season jb prickster is supposed to sign into law a single shot rifle law this year oh boy but someone else wii probably try to take that gun away also after all it is illinois

[Ricky Spanish]

My 410 Guage ended up in Katy,Texas in my little brother's hands. He asked for it and I never shoot it so I gave him the gun plus 3 boxes of shells. I know his background and don't have to check.

He was a warrant officer in the US Army.

[plainsman]

Here in illinois land of idiot lawmakers we dont have a rifle season jb prickster is supposed to sign into law a single shot rifle law this year oh boy but someone else wii probably try to take that gun away also after all it is illinois

Seems there's a few states like that....

[Pennydog1]

Youre right we have some of the strongest gun laws but also have the highest crime rate in the bigger cities aka chitcago

[Ricky Spanish]

Youre right we have some of the strongest gun laws but also have the highest crime rate in the bigger cities aka chitcago

The closest I get is Ottawa.
That's far enough north . Manilla or bust baby

[SpinnerMan]

I'll be in Chicago on Friday for a Cubs game.

I used to like to go into Chicago for certain things, but I can't stand it any more. My brother and his latest are coming to visit and he's a big baseball fan, so we'll go.

Wrigleyville's a pretty safe place. Years ago, my wife and I unintentionally walked through one of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago It was obvious we were where we did not belong. Daylight on a weekend and we still knew we were not safe. It's hard to describe, but you could tell it was just another world. Thankfully nothing happened, but wow did we screw up. And that was 20 years ago. It's probably worse now.

[Josh carpenter]

Remington 870 ,20 gauge combo