Who Taught You How To Shoot?

[rebel]

I don't want to get to deep in family history, but Dad was a college professor and Mom was a school teacher. Pretty sure they would have been happier if I played with Barbie dolls. But something deep within me showed itself early. Mom consented and there it was. My Dad and I have had a contentious relationship to this day. He considers himself a deep thinker, a philosopher - he gets upset when I call BS. I love him, he is my Dad, but I can't do nothing with him.

 

[Outrider27]

My Grandfather taught me. He and my grandmother had a farm in Cameron County in the Big Woods area of north central PA, so lots of room to set up a range. Started me with a 22RF when I was 6.

 

[Sandstorm]

Shooting Pigens of the barn roof when I was 10. My neighbor kid who was older showed
me how to cook them on a spit after i plucked and cleaned em....yes that was back in the 60s
and I pretty much didnt get many chances to shoot after moving to the city....but im making up
for it now big time.....zip bang.

 

[nakneker]

My uncle and to some point my grandpa. Grandpa grew up in the depression and the idea of wasting ammo practicing and having fun just wasn’t his way of thinking, my uncle didn’t have a lot of excess $$ but he always had a rifle in the truck and he helped me and my cousin get our first 10/22s at a very young age. We were obsessed and when we could find a free minute on the ranch we had our 22s, that led to more 22s, centerfire, shotguns and by age 15-16 we were at a point that to learn more we had to self teach ourselves. Most of our wages went to Ammo. I ended up winning Grand Champion with my 4-H steer a couple years in a row which yielded some good gun money. Eventually we found reloading, clays, etc etc. I thank God everyday for those two men, not only did they teach us how to shoot they taught us how to work and how to be an asset to the our community and family.

 

[PhilKeil]

Influences were my dad and my grandfather. A lot of self taught in there as well especially when it came to handguns.. My grandfather hung out with the Topperweins. Shooting was big for him he had a competitive nature that was instilled early in me. He always pushed me to try to be better than him and push the envelope. Growing up down the street was a high power shooter who also took me under his wing That man forgot more than I will ever know. I was privileged to have a lot of people in my life willing to spend time to teach me about shooting. Being in San Antonio the Air force marksmanship unit folks had a influence also I was privileged to work with and learn from them as well.

 

[Felton]

My dad and my uncle taught me to shoot a rifle.

Olympic gold medalist Matt Dryke taught me how to shoot a shotgun. I’m still only okay at shooting the scatter gun.

 

[bpd459]

Both my father and uncle (my moms brother) were Military team shooters. I was sorting pistol bullets out of their moulds when when I was 5. Pulling targets at 11 and got my first 7.62 M-1 Garand at 12, straight from Don McCoys hands. A Jim Cloward M-70 in .30/06 at 14 and I was off to the races. 45 years later, I'm still at it.
Besides my wife and my kids, competitive shooting has been the most fun I've had in my life.
John

 

[tsyarnall]

My Uncle took me deer hunting, rabbit hunting, squirrel hunting, turkey hunting and lots of fishing, but I guess I am really self-taught. I started trap shooting at 11 years old and the rest followed.

Scott Y

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

WOW! I certainly did not expect to read such a GREAT bunch of stories from you folks. Thanks for sharing the memories that are forever ours.

Dennis

 

[Coonman300]

My dad- he loved to hunt. He grew up dirt poor during the depression and hunting was for food. He was a shot gunner primarily. I started shooting doves with him at 6 years old with and old single shot 20 gauge my 2 older brothers started with. He was an excellent shot and wasted no ammo...or anything else for that matter. We ate a ton of doves, quail, and squirrels.

 

[Retired Grunt]

My dad a Korean War Veteran, his Step Dad a WWII Veteran, HS Rifle Team Coach, Shot Muzzle Loaders before the Army, then the Army was my first venture into Modern Center Fire weapons. I went to a Marksmanship school in the 101st taught by two retired officers who had shot in the Olympics. After the Army I shot mostly pistols until 2014.

 

[wkdickinson]

I grew up in a family of hunters (mostly ducks and pheasants growing up), so shooting was always an important consideration. When I was a kid we had a range down in our basement where we would shoot 22 rifle, with "shorts" - my Dad was my teacher there. We also shot 22 handguns down there and my Grandfather was my teacher for that discipline. When it came to shooting a shotgun it was my Dad. hew was an avid duck and pheasant hunter. I honestly don't remember him ever missing a pheasant, I know he did, but they were few.

I taught myself how to shoot a centerfire rifle. I had hunted dear since I was 14, but those were the days were you shot the gun 3 times before season - "just to check" it, then hunted (a box of shells could last 4-5 years). In my early 20's I became interested in "shooting", mostly rifle. Then in my mid-30's a new work associate and friend introduced me to NRA High-Power and my life has not been the same since.

 

[madmixerman]

My Dad.

 

[Chas49]

My father before I was old enough to move from grade school to junior high school. He provided the firearm, the ammunition and the guidance. More importantly, he provided ample opportunities to learn what every young kid should learn with regard to ethical hunting, firearms safety and the obligation one has when possessing a firearm. Can’t say enough about the good coming from growing up in the country and experiencing the country ways.

 

[dogdude]

My story is one word, ME.

 

[Uthink Uknow]

Long story condensed. My grandfather’s brother was a rum runner and made several trips across the Detroit River. His sister was an old country farm girl and always had a single shot .22 at her side. She would shoot the heads off snakes with the trusty iron sight single shot. Then I got a .22 and she taught me to shoot but with the stern words that I had to eat what I shot. Four and twenty blackbirds aren’t enough for a pie if you are cooking just the breasts. I do know that. At least Canadian blackbirds aren’t big enough. Then I was drafted into the US Army and Sgt. Trujillo was my instructor.

 

[snert]

My dad started me with safety and shooting a double barrel 16 ga, and a 67 Winchester. A few rounds here and there and I was hooked. Dad couldn't hunt because he was a double amputee and walking chaffed his legs, so I was on my own for the most part. Mostly I shot a 881 Daisy to death, twice. Wore two out. My targets of choice were sparrows and glass bottles that had been dumped in the woods years ago. My buddy and I would shoot a box of 550 bbs in a day...at ten pumps each. (That's where my arms got so long...) We got to where we would toss bottles and shoot the bottle and the tosser would mount his gun and shoot a piece. When it came time to learn to hunt, and to shoot a shotgun, it came naturally. We were the scourge of the local rabbit population, and soon, because we didnt mind walking all over Gods creation, grouse too.

When I went to the police academy I had never fired a DA revolver. I took top gun in 1993 CNY police academy. I shot skeet for a season and finished the year AA and was breaking 22 with a 410. I quit cause the guys all drank. I was not in favor of that.

I loved the range, became an instructor, then taught shooters to be instructors. I retired and returned to what I liked most...and can still do...shoot groundhogs and play with retired BR rifles. I miss rabbit hunting with a dog and a Ruger MK2. I really miss grouse hunting in CNY. Those days are now gone. I'm grateful for the freedom my parents gave me to shoot, shoot, shoot. They never discouraged me and I was totally hooked on it. I know that the confidence I built with those early days carried thru in my demeanor and ability on the street, and while I never had to use my firearm in defense, I am certain that the confidence deterred a few who might have died trying me. And that I am forever grateful for.

 

[Juppe12]

My dad and Finnish defence forces.

 

[ebb]

My dad bought a box of 22 long rifles at Wisemans country store and air strip on the way to my uncles house. We were visiting my uncle Joe Ingram and took his Remington 22 bolt action up on the hill behind the house and learned safety and to load and shoot that same day. We had to go back to Wisemans several times while we were at uncle joes that summer.

 

[wkdickinson]

Some more about my family and learning to shoot. My Grandfather on my dad's side worked for the County Road Commission all of his life. Back in the 30's & 40's in rural Michigan as a Road Commission worker, people were primarily employed to plow snow, so often times they were layed off during the summer. As I said my family were hunters (and fishermen), and while they certainly enjoyed hunting, it was also necessary to feed their families. Back in those days the "thumb" of MI was the pheasant capital of the world. My Dad used to tell stories about my Grandpa (his father) and his uncle who had a farm, going out on opening morning and having a contest about who could shoot the most pheasants from a box of shells (the kids carried bushel baskets to collect them). Usually one would shot 24 and the other 25 from a box of shells - always only roosters. Then at "dinner time" they would bring them back, eat and my Grandma and aunt with clean and can them. In the afternoon it was the same. They did this almost every day of the 20 day season.

People will say "well that is why we have no pheasants anymore", but that's not true. Back during that period, even with that kind of harvesting there were always bigger population the following year. Modern farming methods spelled the demise of the pheasants in the Thumb of MI.

My Dad told stories of my Grandpa and Uncle being very competitive, both were very good shots with shotguns and 22's - because they shot a lot! So they used to play a game and bet on who could hit a quarter in the air with a 22. Apparently, it was often a draw, with both hitting them all.

So I guess shooting is in my blood and I am glad!