Have you ever opened a new handgun/longarm on Xmas morning?
- Thread starter 9mmforMe
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armoredman
Member
Never. I've given several away.
GBExpat
Member
9mmforMe said:
49 years ago, my Mom & Dad gave me a semi-auto .22 rifle (with 4x scope) for Christmas ... still have it.
I had a hard time waiting for our summer visit(s) to the farm where Mom grew up (my house is on the west side of that farm) so that I could thoroughly enjoy it. Prior to that my Dad did allow me on a few occasions to shoot it, some, in the back yard ... we lived on a deadend road and behind us was a ~80 acre wood.
SuedePflow
Member
Only once. I got my first pump shotgun for christmas as a teenager. Mossberg 500. I still deer hunt with it too.
Fryerpower
Member
I got a single shot 20 GA (H&R) when I was 10 or so. It was in the corner by the tree and I kept ignoring it. I just KNEW there was no way it was for me, and I didn't want to look at the tag and confirm my thoughts! I was in shock & eventually very excited once I figured out it was mine.
Jim
Jim
Marlin 39A when I was 8 - 20 ga Wingmaster Mag when I was 11 - both from dad.
Wife got me a Super Redhawk our first Christmas together.
Obviously - any gun Christmas morning is beyond cool. I've enjoyed giving my boys guns Christmas morning too.
Wife got me a Super Redhawk our first Christmas together.
Obviously - any gun Christmas morning is beyond cool. I've enjoyed giving my boys guns Christmas morning too.
mgmorden
Member
Couple times. My first gun - a NEF Pardner 20ga - was a Christmas present from my parents when I was 8 years old. Still have that gun (tis my only 20ga).
When I was 14 they bought me a sporterized 1903-A3 .30-06 which was to be my first hunting rifle, but it wouldn't stabilize a bullet and I sold it several years later (knowing more now I'm almost wondering if it wasn't rebored to a larger caliber like .35 Whelen and the pawn shop just didn't know it and sold it as a .30-06).
Then at around 23 my brother bought me a Marlin 60BSS .22LR for Christmas one year.
I've also given a few guns as gifts as well. Gave my brother a Winchester 94 for Christmas one year and a Rossi .270 single shot as a birthday present another.
When I was 14 they bought me a sporterized 1903-A3 .30-06 which was to be my first hunting rifle, but it wouldn't stabilize a bullet and I sold it several years later (knowing more now I'm almost wondering if it wasn't rebored to a larger caliber like .35 Whelen and the pawn shop just didn't know it and sold it as a .30-06).
Then at around 23 my brother bought me a Marlin 60BSS .22LR for Christmas one year.
I've also given a few guns as gifts as well. Gave my brother a Winchester 94 for Christmas one year and a Rossi .270 single shot as a birthday present another.
Yes - my wife surprised me many years ago with a Ruger 22-250. She actually had one of her friends show it to me two weeks before - saying she was giving it to her husband and asked if I thought he would like it. She wanted to see my reaction, and see if I was jealous (I was). To my surprise and amazement, I found my new gun - that I had seen two weeks before, on Christmas morning. Pretty sneaky. wyatte
bobinoregon
Member
Wife got me a Stag carbine for Christmas a couple years ago, best Christmas present ever. I never even saw it coming, she did it completely on her own.
Panzerschwein
member
Santa Claus once left me a Han Solo limited edition DL-44 blaster pistol one morning But for guns from this galaxy, unfortunatly, no.
But for guns from this galaxy, unfortunatly, no. PJSprog
Member
Great stories so far, guys.
I have never opened a gun for Xmas ... but I will this year. I acquired over the weekend a (new-to-me) S&W M64 (no dash) DAO revolver. The wife checked it out and said, "Nice! That just made shopping for you a whole lot easier." So, she wrapped it and put it under the tree. The down-side is that I have to wait another week to shoot it. The up-side is that I know I'm getting a gun for Xmas.
I have never opened a gun for Xmas ... but I will this year. I acquired over the weekend a (new-to-me) S&W M64 (no dash) DAO revolver. The wife checked it out and said, "Nice! That just made shopping for you a whole lot easier." So, she wrapped it and put it under the tree. The down-side is that I have to wait another week to shoot it. The up-side is that I know I'm getting a gun for Xmas.
I received a rifle for Christmas about every other year or so, for several years, beginning when I was 4 years old. The first was one of those tiny little Winchester single-shot .22s that my dad had made a replacement stock for. I was unable to cock it myself for at least a year or so. I still have it around the house here somewhere.
The next rifle at Christmas that I remember came a couple of years later--a Mossberg bull barrel target 22 that I owned until about 1976 or so.
The next Christmas rifle was a British Enfield .303 carbine when I was, I think, about 7 maybe, then an 7.65 Argentine Mauser when I was about 13 or 14. That was the same year I got an Argentine-made Colt 1911, which I still have--that was 1968. Somewhere in between there I received a Remington 870 that was manufactured in the second year of 870 production, one I still have as well that sits by my desk.
The Holidays also brought a Springfield 03A3 rifle, a rifle I despised out of the gate, and somewhere between my 14th and 16h Christmas, I received an absolutely gorgeous burled-walnut stock all-original 7mm Mauser, which I also still have although I lost the bolt for it during one of many moves while in the military.
Also in here somewhere and also I think for a Christmas gift--most likely when I was 15, I got a lovely FN 49 semi-auto rifle in .30-06, which I owned until I sold it about 3 or 4 years ago, after about 40 years of ownership.
The 1911 was the only handgun I ever received as a gift, and in fact the only handgun I ever owned until only about 5 years ago.
It was a tradition, and no gift was more exciting to receive. All were used and most of course were war surplus, all purchased either from a local pawn shop, or selected literally from a pile on the floor of a local department store in my tiny Michigan home town.
I fondly remember my days hiking on the back 40 as a young teen, with my trusty Enfield carbine slung over my shoulder and my 1911 in leather flap holster and WWII issue web belt at the hip. I also remember the first times I ever fired the .303, when my shoulder came up just to my dad's belt--and he would place his hip behind my shoulder to ensure I didn't get all tipped over.
As I remember it, all of these rifles sold for somewhere around $12-18, except the FN49. I believe the 1911 was the most expensive, purchased I later found out at the local K-Mart for $65 in '68. The good old days.
The next rifle at Christmas that I remember came a couple of years later--a Mossberg bull barrel target 22 that I owned until about 1976 or so.
The next Christmas rifle was a British Enfield .303 carbine when I was, I think, about 7 maybe, then an 7.65 Argentine Mauser when I was about 13 or 14. That was the same year I got an Argentine-made Colt 1911, which I still have--that was 1968. Somewhere in between there I received a Remington 870 that was manufactured in the second year of 870 production, one I still have as well that sits by my desk.
The Holidays also brought a Springfield 03A3 rifle, a rifle I despised out of the gate, and somewhere between my 14th and 16h Christmas, I received an absolutely gorgeous burled-walnut stock all-original 7mm Mauser, which I also still have although I lost the bolt for it during one of many moves while in the military.
Also in here somewhere and also I think for a Christmas gift--most likely when I was 15, I got a lovely FN 49 semi-auto rifle in .30-06, which I owned until I sold it about 3 or 4 years ago, after about 40 years of ownership.
The 1911 was the only handgun I ever received as a gift, and in fact the only handgun I ever owned until only about 5 years ago.
It was a tradition, and no gift was more exciting to receive. All were used and most of course were war surplus, all purchased either from a local pawn shop, or selected literally from a pile on the floor of a local department store in my tiny Michigan home town.
I fondly remember my days hiking on the back 40 as a young teen, with my trusty Enfield carbine slung over my shoulder and my 1911 in leather flap holster and WWII issue web belt at the hip. I also remember the first times I ever fired the .303, when my shoulder came up just to my dad's belt--and he would place his hip behind my shoulder to ensure I didn't get all tipped over.
As I remember it, all of these rifles sold for somewhere around $12-18, except the FN49. I believe the 1911 was the most expensive, purchased I later found out at the local K-Mart for $65 in '68. The good old days.
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pockets
Member
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CajunBass
Member
Got my first gun for Christmas about 1966 or so. An Ithaca Model 66, "Supersingle" in 20 ga, with a 26" modified choke barrel.
My reaction? I stepped out on the back porch and fired a half dozen shots down across the back yard.
(Side story) I had found the gun, in the box from Sears, hidden under my folks bed. I forget what I was looking for in there, but when I saw the box I knew what it was. I was pretty sure it wasn't for one of my sisters, and I didn't have any brothers. I was afraid to take it out of the box, but the box had been opened, so I'd sneak in and open the box and stare at it.
My son has that gun now. Or maybe his son does.
My reaction? I stepped out on the back porch and fired a half dozen shots down across the back yard.
(Side story) I had found the gun, in the box from Sears, hidden under my folks bed. I forget what I was looking for in there,
but when I saw the box I knew what it was. I was pretty sure it wasn't for one of my sisters, and I didn't have any brothers. I was afraid to take it out of the box, but the box had been opened, so I'd sneak in and open the box and stare at it. My son has that gun now. Or maybe his son does.
Devilfrog
Member
No, not me. But my 8 y/o son will be this Christmas, a 10/22 stainless
DeadFlies
Member
Yes, one time.
My FIL gave me his late father's unfired Winchester 120 Ranger 12ga, along with the extra barrel. It even came with a really nice Pelican case too, since they had to fly with it.
The case is probably worth more than the gun but, that shotgun is now my HD gun and it's a joy to shoot.
My FIL gave me his late father's unfired Winchester 120 Ranger 12ga, along with the extra barrel. It even came with a really nice Pelican case too, since they had to fly with it.
The case is probably worth more than the gun but, that shotgun is now my HD gun and it's a joy to shoot.
GBExpat
Member
Devilfrog said:
Good on you!
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