Were you into firearms before the military? If not did the military get you into firearms or do you now not care for them?

2014-07-10T08:57:16-04:00

I never went shooting before I joined. After I got out I missed going to the range so when I graduated college and a week after I got married bought my first handgun. Since then I have amassed quite a collection and enjoy doing different shooting events.

I got my wife into it after a while since she wasn't sure if she would like shooting or not. She has since done several outdoors women classes where they taught her trap which she really enjoys.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Jul 10 at 2014 8:59 AM

2014-07-10T08:59:17-04:00

No I wasn't, think I went hunting once and that was with a friends dad. not my own.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jul 10 at 2014 9:00 AM

2014-07-10T09:00:36-04:00

Yes, the desire to shoot firearms is one of the reasons I joined the Army. Where else in the world is a NURSE going to be PAID to shoot....? ;o)

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jul 10 at 2014 9:05 AM

2014-07-10T09:05:15-04:00

I'm probably an anomaly here, I was more into firearms prior to joining (both with hunting and sport shooting) than I am now since retiring. Not that I'm against them, and I do own several, just not as into them as I was when I was younger.

Response by SGT William Howell made Mar 13 at 2015 3:55 PM

2015-03-13T15:55:52-04:00

I was a gun nut before joining. I was a gun nut while I was in. Now I work in the the firearms industry and I am still a gun nut. I am going to shoot in about an hour on a new barrel we just released.

Response by SGT Aaron Atwood made Mar 7 at 2017 6:15 AM

2017-03-07T06:15:49-05:00

Only guns I shot before enlisting were BB guns. After I got out I really got into gun-buying which also got me educated in how strict anti-gun states like California, New Jersey, and Connecticut are.

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made Apr 3 at 2017 11:17 AM

2017-04-03T11:17:41-04:00

I started out in cub scouts with a bb gun. Then progressed to 22 cal rifle in boy scouts. In high school we had a 22 caliber range in the high schools basement to qualify for the rifle team in the CCC (California Cadet Corps/Jr ROTC). Our armory also contained the M1 Garand to which we qualified with it at Camp Pendleton. Since I live in the country on my own 10 acres when ever I get the urge I just step out the back door set up my target and start banging away. Gun fire is heard on a daily basis out here especially after a gun show in the local area as the neighbors test out their new weapons they purchased. Although it seems like the gunfire has increased in the past 10 years as this world is going crazy.

Response by CW3 Harvey K. made May 5 at 2017 9:09 AM

2017-05-05T09:09:05-04:00

I had an interest in guns as a youngster, but not much experience. I remember a trip to the pistol range with my Marine brother. I shot a 144 out of 400 possible.
As a city kid, I did not have much opportunity for shooting after my discharge from the Corps. The first gun I owned was a 9 MM pistol bought for home defense. A .357 Magnum S&W soon followed, and I was off to the range and the gun store.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 3 at 2018 6:26 PM

2018-10-03T18:26:29-04:00

I use a 22 and a 12 gauge for hunting before the Army. I always enjoyed having a firearm, still have today and taught my children how to use and care for properly.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 15 at 2018 3:20 PM

2018-11-15T15:20:36-05:00

I don't trust myself with a gun now.

Response by Cpl Mark A. Morris made Nov 15 at 2018 8:27 PM

2018-11-15T20:27:23-05:00

The Marine Corp was like a heavy extension of Boy Scouts. But longer in the field, night time movements, more shooting and foul language. Also, I rarely saw any booze:)
Where I grew up, all my friends were armed and swam in creeks, listed to what is now classic rock, fished, hunted and dreamed of women. There was no such thing as compassion training.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Nov 16 at 2018 6:00 AM

2018-11-16T06:00:26-05:00

Yes I was, I lived in the country, and had an old 16 ga. shotgun to go hunting with, after returning home from basic and ait, I bought a single shot 12 ga. for rabbit hunting.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2018 5:07 PM

2018-11-17T17:07:48-05:00

I started shooting when I was about 8. The first few times, it was novel, but after that, not so much. When I joined the Army, I was impressed the first time I got to fire an M16, an M60, an M203, and an M249 because the first two were something I'd read about in various books about the Vietnam war, (so they had historical value), and the M203 and M249 because they were just neat weapons. (I think the SAW that I was assigned was the best weapon I ever fired.) I shot pistols fairly regularly when I first got out. Not so often now. I've been thinking about buying some 1800s-era firearm reproductions, just haven't gotten around to it or budgeted for it yet.

And now I notice this post was from 2014????

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Nov 17 at 2018 6:52 PM

2018-11-17T18:52:24-05:00

While I had many cap guns and Mattel firearms before I joined the Army I've never had a desire to have any real ones. In service, I shot what I was required and have never fired a weapon except at a range. It's not that I am afraid of such things, I just don't have any desire for them. In the Army I didn't shoot at anybody and nobody shot at me. Can't ask for much more than that.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Nov 17 at 2018 8:58 PM

2018-11-17T20:58:21-05:00

Most my time as a Kid before the service was with 22 rifles and .410 shotgun. Had some of the NRA marksmanship medals for shooting as well. Growing up no one even thought twice about seeing us go down the street with a firearm, We knew how to use them and use them safely. There was a sand pit not too far from My house We would go shooting at, You knew You had a good backdrop for the bullets so there would be no accidents in the area. We had set up target to shoot even if it was just old cans or something.

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made Feb 10 at 2020 7:09 PM

2020-02-10T19:09:39-05:00

I started out in the cub scouts with a BB gun, moved to a 22 as a boy scout. Entered into the M1 Garand in high school ROTC program. Was a member of the rifle team during that time frame back in the early 60's, competing against other high school rifle teams. We had a 22 cal. rifle range in the basement of our high school. Our armory was their also where we stored our 22 cal rifles and our MI Garands. We fired the M1's at Camp Pendleton Marine Base. Yeah this was San Diego California when California was a good state. Too bad it changed. I used too walk up to the end of the block and enter a canyon area and shoot Jack Rabbits with a 22 cal rifle all within the city limits. Bought my first pistol while stationed in Germany. Yes I carry one daily.

Response by 1LT Voyle Smith made May 27 at 2021 9:07 AM

2021-05-27T09:07:35-04:00

My dad taught me how to use a .22 rifle when I was seven and I bought my own when I was 11, a repeater from Montgomery Ward, for $25.88. I still have it.