What Gun Types Have Sentimental Value to You?

[ReadyontheRight]

What action, brand, caliber, etc. has the greatest sentimental value to you and why?

I have three:

1. My Dad always Deer hunted with a "new" Remington 742 that was totally rebuild once and eventually replaced by a 7400. 30-06 of course. With Weaver K4 Scope. Used hard and cleaned hard. It was the "grown up" deerslayer rifle. Everyone who went through the family deer camp seemed to get one when they could afford it. I shot my Dad's when I was pretty young and got a shiner from the scope because I didn't listen before firing. Scopes still kind of freak me out.

2. I started out shooting an old Remington single-shot bolt-action .22 when I was seven. After constant safety instructions and tests from my Dad, I would spend days walking around the woods with a pocketful of "birdshot" loads for chipmunks and a few .22 shorts for squirrels and the rabbits I never saw in those days. Got a few Grouse by shooting them in the head. Taught me trigger control and to focus on the front sight. Hard to imagine a seven-year-old wandering around with a rifle where I did now.

3. The first centerfire I shot extensively was a Remington 760 pump action in .244 Remington with open sights. It was the "first" rifle for the young deer hunters in camp. What a sweet little rifle! I never got a deer with it, but I shot a lot of rounds before every season and got pretty accurate with it shooting offhand. I spent a lot of time in deer stands with that rifle. I also had it for a few seasons as an adult and once loaded it up as a security measure during an incident which involved watching some weirdos in my backyard while waiting for the cops to come. Extremely comforting to hold a rifle you know when people are doing strange things right by your house at 3am.

Pistols never entered my family's sporting or self-defense life until the gun-grabbers decided to start making laws about owning them. Suddenly the attitude shifted from "long guns are safer" to "get a pistol while you still can". The Colt 1911 I got after starting a family (couldn't leave a rifle in the closet anymore with youngsters around - you can stick a pistol in a handly little safe) rank right up there, but it's the rifles of my youth that I keep coming back to.

I'm very thankful my Dad had the foresight to introduce guns to me and other young shooters in the family and that he still drums gun safety into the heads of everyone he meets who has a gun in their hand. I've met a lot of shooters who had to figure it all out themselves as teenagers or adults. Some without guidance didn't make it.

I hope you all make your own traditions, safety lessons and memories with any youngsters you can.

 

[Okiecruffler]

SXS's, in particular the Stevens 311. My grandfather taught me to wingshoot with one, later gave it to me and I've been obsessed ever since.

Mosins, I have no idea why. Maybe because that was my first C&R. Although that would be a reason to resent them I would think after all the money they've cost me.

 

[sm]

High Standard Sential , 9 shot .22 Revolver
Gov't Model of the 1911
J & K Frame Revolvers ( old , blue & wood)
Win 94 , 30-30
Model 70 in '06
Win Mod 52

Shotguns -
Win: Model 97, 12, 42, 21, 101 and SX1 .
Rem. 870 , 3200, 1100
Citoris
Perazzi MX8
Stevens 311

Marlin 60
Rem Nylon 66 (access tube thru buttstock)
Browning Lever action .22 and "Automatic" .22 rifles.
Colt Woodsman
High Standard Duramatic
Beretta Minx

I have a real soft spot for just about any single shot shotgun (ie. Stevens, H&R) and single shot rimfires (ie. Rem 514)

Probably forgot some ....tell anyone I'm sentimental and like the old stuff better- I'll deny it.

 

[TXBera]

My first one would have the most value to me since it was my first firearm. I've had BB guns when I was a kid, but my Marlin Mod. 60 .22LR would be my first choice and my Yugo SKS would have to be my second. It's also my first centerfire rifle and has helped me enjoy my .22 a little more.

When I get tired of my SKS, I move over to my .22 and work on my trigger control.

 

[Jarhed]

My Dads two shotguns, a 20 ga Browning Auto 5 and a Wincheser modle 12. I saw him kill a thousand birds with those two guns, he was a phenominal shot. Used to kill quail on the covey rise with hip shots. Was an even better trainer of Weimaraners. I lost him two weeks ago to cancer. The quail and pheasants are certianly celebrating.

Category two. My Grandfather was a MSGT in the Army during the invasion of Germany. His guys..........."liberated"...........some sporting clubs. You couldn't have a gun at your house, it had to be kept at an aproved club. He sent home several interesting .22's. One has a wrapped octagon barrel, like demascus twist. It has a revolving breech like a buffalo rifle. Its got to be one of the first .22's made. Has the owners name on the stock "Agusta Links". The other is a Mouser sniper training rifle. It is a single shot .22 and it weighs 9lbs. You'd swear it was a 30-06.

 

[sturmruger]

I have my Great Grandfathers Marlin 1894 30-30. It has a really nice octagon barrel and can fit like 12 30-30 shells. The bore is perfect and it still shoot fantastic groups at 100 yards.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

My newest acquiston, a Springfield G.I. WW-II MIL SPEC has too
be the most sentimental piece in my collection as far as shooters
go.

OTOH, I guess my dads Smith & Wesson model 30 (discontinued)
in .32 S&W Long would be the most sentimental "safe queen".

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[ducktapehero]

Lever action rifles and wheelguns. That's what everyone in my family had plus I watched too many John Wayne movies.

 

[Battlespace]

When my grandfather passed away in 1959 he left his guns to me in his will. I was nine at the time and so my dad kept them until I was old enough to understand fully what I had.

First is a Winchester, M94 in 38-55. The stock has some carving and notches in it. Since the gun (almost - is that better entropy?) came from Minnesota around the time of the Sioux uprising (what is 30 years + or -?) . . . . . . ?

Second is a Quackenbush .22 that is chrome plated. An interesting little rifle. The cocking knob was missing, but my dad found a gunsmith who replaced it.

The last from my grandfather is an Iver Johnson 16 guage single shot. Nothing remarkable about it. I did get to use it in my early shooting years and it put more than a few pheasant, rabbits and waterfowl on our table.

When I was old enough to earn some "real" cash I bought my left handed father a Savage 12 ga as a replacement for his Model 12 pump gun that he bought when I was born in 1950. As part of the deal I got the Model 12. I would file for chapters 7, 11 and 13 before I parted with it.

As far as handguns go, my father-in-law gave me his M1911A1 which he fished out of the Hahn River in Korea in the spring of 1950. He took it back to the states and then on to Germany where he had it reworked for competition. It is now my primary carry gun. If anything it has gotten better with age. My FiL will be 90 next month and for his birthday we are going shooting.

 

[entropy]

Battlespace, I'm pretty sure your Win. M94 wasn't used in the 1862 Sioux Uprising.
sturmruger, my dad has a pristine M94 takedown in .32 Win Spl. that looks like it did when it left New Haven @ 1906...I've always had a fondness for it. And Okiecruffler, I agree, Mosins, even though they have me knocking on the poorhouse door....