First Shotgun

[fatrap]

When I was 16 I got my first shotgun from a local hardware store my Mom worked part time it was a used Mossberg 20 guage bolt action with a two round box magazine and a big old knobby poly choke on the end. My brother lost it in the frat house when we were in college and I always wanted to replace it. Today a retired Dental Professor who a buddy of mine has coffee with found one and sold it to me for $67. No poly choke but still a bolt action 20 gauge. I doubt it will replace my SKB O/U 20 but I'm a happy camper.

fatrap

 

[AirForce]

oh that will be a nice shotgun. My first was a 410 that I traded a pellet gun for plus some cash at the local Western Auto store (50 yrs ago). Nobody said a word to me back then, walking out of town with it. I walked 13 miles to town, did the trade and walked home with it. Long day was I didn't care and I was 14 at the time.

 

[Humminbird Greg]

My first was a Mossberg 12 gauge pump with the poly choke on it at age 16. I was so afraid it would knock me on my butt the first time I fired it that I was leaning too far forwards and almost took a dive over the river bank where we were shooting. That same shotgun still shoots fine today and will join one of my son’s gun collections sometime in the future (along with the guns that I received from my father and grandfather).

 

[AirForce]

Greg you talking about that 12ga reminds me of a double barrel 16ga shotgun we had (don't know what happened to it). Had those side by side triggers. Dad and I had gone hunting and a big woodpecker landed nearby in a tree, I pulled the trigger (right one) and then next thing I knew, I had the barrels slamming into my face and my ears were ringing like a stick of dynamite had gone off. Blood is pouring from my nose and tears in my eyes I asked my dad if I got it. He says "well the feathers flew" making me think I got it. Finally got the tears out of my eyes enough to see/look around and I said where is it - you said I make the feathers fly and I don't see any feathers. He says laughing - yeah, them feathers flew off that way. Dad gum him, broke my dang nose when both barrels went off. Finally as I got older and more experience from military, I took it apart and found that the left spring we very weak, so you pulled the right trigger first, it was apt to let go of both of them at the same time. I remember him one doing it and it darn near took a finger off in the trigger guard. So we just learned to pull the left one first, then the right, never bothered to fix it. I think one of my sisters got it. Hope their husband didn't figure that out LOL until the 2nd time it goes off.

 

[fatrap]

A lot of memories go with first shotguns. My shootin pals and I would walk the banks of a local creek and shoot cans and pigeons, rats, snakes or whatever came along. My friend Ed Larson had an Ithaca 20 gauge pump and my other side kick, Chuck Benson had a Sears 12 gauge pump. Chased pheasants all over the county in and old Volkswagen Bug.

I'm the one on the left in my Navy issued ball cap, sweater, and dungaree pants. Home on leave to hunt pheasants. Note the polychoked 20 guage I'm holding and Ed's Ithaca leaning on the Bug. Chuck's sears 12 gauge behind me. I think it was 1969 0r 70. Ed's passed away and Chuck just disappeared into my past.
fatrap

 

[Greg Meyer]

A lot of memories go with first shotguns. My shootin pals and I would walk the banks of a local creek and shoot cans and pigeons, rats, snakes or whatever came along. My friend Ed Larson had an Ithaca 20 gauge pump and my other side kick, Chuck Benson had a Sears 12 gauge pump. Chased pheasants all over the county in and old Volkswagen Bug. View attachment 184
I'm the one on the left in my Navy issued ball cap, sweater, and dungaree pants. Home on leave to hunt pheasants. Note the polychoked 20 guage I'm holding and Ed's Ithaca leaning on the Bug. Chuck's sears 12 gauge behind me. I think it was 1969 0r 70. Ed's passed away and Chuck just disappeared into my past.
fatrap

Great pic..... even better memories, I am sure. I have a friend from back home in Quincy, IL that I have been hunting/fishing with since 1962 when we met. We don't get together often, but when we do it is just young teenagers all over again. We have both watchd time pass but for some reason we get together and that time fades away.