Fondest Memories

[Swifty Morgan]

I would have to say, although not exciting or even a story really, but mine is hiding out behind the shed with my grandpa, listening to him tell stories of his youth while we ambushed crows out of the cherry trees. He used an old Marlin model 17 12g.

So many of these threads have the word fragment "grand" in them.

The main reason I like shooting is that it connects me with the only good part of my childhood. My dad was abusive, and he didn't like spending time with his kids. My sister and I were scared of him, and when he came in a room, we looked for ways to get out. When I visited my grandparents in Kentucky, it was a different story. My grandfather had thousands of acres of land, and he liked to throw me in the truck and take me out to his farms. He actually enjoyed having me around.

He sometimes brought along a .22. He had a Colt Woodsman someone ripped off after he died. He used to let me shoot it. He also had a couple of High-Standards and a Remington semiauto rifle. He took me out to shoot rabbits and squirrels. I shot very well as a kid, so I actually killed things, and it helped the two of us bond.

He was a remarkable shot. My dad said he was the best wing shot he ever saw. He also saw him shoot a grouse out of a tree from 50 yards, using a rifled slug, without shouldering his gun. Great shot, even if it was a strange thing to do.

I got his Sweet Sixteen and his crappy High-Standard revolver, plus his grandfather's double-barreled shotgun.

Gun-haters will never understand how guns and hunting bring families together. They think they're making the world safe for kittens and bunnies and baby seals, but they're killing a treasured way of life.

 

[jmorris]

So many of these threads have the word fragment "grand" in them.

The main reason I like shooting is that it connects me with the only good part of my childhood. My dad was abusive, and he didn't like spending time with his kids.

Both my Father and Grandfather worked very hard to make a good life for their family. My Father was like many, “grumpy” after 16+ hour days working, I knew well enough to know when to let him “decompress” as they say these days.

My Grandfather retired when I was reasonably young and was a good friend of mine as well as a mentor and always had a presence when entering a room, I wish I had. My Father remains a good friend to me and many of my friends growing up, despite not being there while I was awake as a child.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

My fondest memories are down range on Ft. Carson shooting artillery in the middle of the night. I hated it at the time but every time I'm working nights and I see the Illum rounds (probably fired from the same guns) pop I miss it.

 

[FindANewSlant]

First hunting trip. Didn't see anything, much less shoot anything, but the three-day excursion brought me and my father much closer to my cousin, who is more of an uncle figure to me.

 

[FL-NC]

A tie between getting my first firearm of my own (870 lightweight, 410, which I still love) and the final shot in sniper school before graduation.

 

[Labguy47]

Taking my daughter to the range and watching her put a smiley face on the target with my Ruger 77/22 in .22 WMR. One proud papa right here considering how hard it must have been with her in glasses at 7 yrs old.

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

We competed in handgun silhouette back in the early 80s when the kids were small. They played in the sand and watched us. When my son was about 8 (he's 41 now), I bought him a Chipmunk and plunked him down on a bench at the range and let him shoot until he had blisters.on his fingers. Never saw one safety violation. He always transported his rifle with the muzzle up and the bolt open. He HAD been paying attention. Made me proud then, and it does now. He's a much better shooter than I've ever been.