Guns with meaning and memories

[SubUrbanCamo317]

Does anyone else have a few special guns in their collection that have a special meaning? Any fond memories attached? I've got a few, My dads old Mossberg 500AB 12ga Combo; first gun I ever shot, I learned how to shoot clays on this gun, I fell in love with shotguns after this. My grandpa's Iver Johnson break action single shot 16ga; been in the family since prohibition era, My own Mossberg 835 12ga Turkey gun; my dad bought it for me so we could go turkey hunting, still have her to this day. What about the rest of y'all?

 

[Mosinguy]

My 1938 Tula Mosin-Nagant. First rifle I ever owned. Dad bought it for me at Bradis.

 

[copo]

Smith & Wesson 4516-1. First issued gun from work. And a Smith & Wesson model 36 I received from a buddy who is now retired from the US Marshals.

 

[bassmatt]

My dad is not into guns and never owned one till one day he saw a henry commercial on tv. He looked at me and asked if the henry guns were any good, I told him yes made a few calls found a big boy 44mag in stock. The next day we went on a road trip with dad not knowing what the trip was for. We pulled into the gun shop we walked in I point out that they have the henry that he wants. While he is looking at it I tell him that it's his. Dad about teared up because he could not afford it and knew he would never own one . He was like a kid that just got a new bike. After we got back and shot a few rounds I ask dad that the only thing I wanted from him was to leave the henry to my son when when he passes. My dad and I don't see very many things the same way but I know that he was on cloud 9 for about 3-4 months because that's all he talked was the henry. Over the last 20 years that is the most bonding we have done was the drive to the gun shop and shooting the gun. I hope that my son understands the meaning of the henry when he gets it.

 

[freekforge]

My zehna pistol which was taken off a dead German was left to me when my grandpa died. I received it when I was 4 Im 19 now and have shot less than 50 rounds through it but it is still my favorite gun. And my chipmunk .22 which was my brothers first rifle and when he got a shotgun he passed it down to me as my first rifle. I tried to pass it down to our sister but she didn't want it so if I have kids it will be theirs.

 

[1911ly]

A Ithica Model 37. My Father in Law redone it for a project while he was recovering from cancer. He passed away shortly after getting it done. It's now my boy's.

 

[Bill of Rights]

It is up to you to ensure that he does. Tell him this story, and include the parts you undoubtedly left out in telling us; the parts that are none of our business, but are his, if you want him to know and understand.

Congratulations on making a good memory. Use that gun to make more good memories.

Blessings,
Bill

My dad is not into guns and never owned one till one day he saw a henry commercial on tv. He looked at me and asked if the henry guns were any good, I told him yes made a few calls found a big boy 44mag in stock. The next day we went on a road trip with dad not knowing what the trip was for. We pulled into the gun shop we walked in I point out that they have the henry that he wants. While he is looking at it I tell him that it's his. Dad about teared up because he could not afford it and knew he would never own one . He was like a kid that just got a new bike. After we got back and shot a few rounds I ask dad that the only thing I wanted from him was to leave the henry to my son when when he passes. My dad and I don't see very many things the same way but I know that he was on cloud 9 for about 3-4 months because that's all he talked was the henry. Over the last 20 years that is the most bonding we have done was the drive to the gun shop and shooting the gun. I hope that my son understands the meaning of the henry when he gets it.

 

[YoungGunLover]

Mossberg 500 with a cherry wood stock and slide and a Blued receiver. Won't ever have to worry about this thing rusting. My dad bought it for me when I was 10 as a Christmas present. He wasn't raised with guns so he took hunters education and everything with me. He died 2 Christmas' later. Didn't realize how special that gun was to me then, but now I wouldn't get rid of it for anything. And it will be the one thing my son(s) will have to connect with my father one day.

 

[STEEL CORE]

All of them, but mostly my Grandads sporter converted military Springfield 03a3, for Deer, my Dads passed down OCT 1941 Springfield M-1 Garand, and surplus 1911 My .Colt .45, the safe king 1911 US Army made in 1915 95% condition, with three notches cut into the bottom of the mag well for the three banditos it sent to Taco Hell in 1916.

My Glocks.

 

[Bigtanker]

A JC Higgins .22 bolt action that my dad had when he was young. It is beat up but it is also the first real gun I ever shot. Dad still has it in his safe but says I can have it anytime. I'll let him keep it.

 

[Rattler]

Mine would be a Winchester Model 37 20ga..... took my first squirrel when I was 8 or 9 years old with it and carried for years in the woods when would go squirrel hunting with my dad. Many good memories with it and I think of those days often as I see it sitting in the safe

 

[M67]

I have several that carry sentimental value. My WWII Colt I received from my grand dad's estate after he passed, same with his first issue Woodsman from 33. He served in Korea, and collected guns his whole life, but I never got to ask him if this was something he collected in life or if he had a WWII pistol issued to him in Korea. After he passed, most of his collection just disappeared, it's a shame what death does to some families.

My other grad dad's Security Six snub nose, with adjustable sights. Made in 1974 and he bought it new in 1975 when he opened up his leather store in Indianapolis. Has a lot of wear from him carrying it through the woods and who knows what.

I knew an older gentlemen who just passed 2 months ago or so. WWII veteran. Served under Patton at the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded in the Ardennes, patched up, and kept fighting. Had a purple heart and 3 bronze stars. His last action during his tour was being part of a group who liberated a concentration camp. Anyway, about a month ago I had the chance to pick up a Garand with the receiver dating to February or March of 1943, so I picked it up because it reminded me of him. After he got out of the service, he didn't fire a Garand again until his 85th (I think) birthday when his son surprised him at a shooting range, that was this past year before he passed.

Have a couple others that have meaning, but those carry the most weight I think

 

[8th SPS USAF]

I have a Win 1897 that my Grandfather gave me that he hunted with as a kid.

 

[T-DOGG]

Dad's old H&R .22 revolver. It was the first handgun I ever shot. Dad used to carry it around in an old Western holster on his hip when we went shooting together. He smiled like a little kid who just got his first BB gun when he had that revolver on him. I never really cared to shoot it much when he was still alive, but since he passed away from cancer a few years ago it has been my favorite to shoot. I think about him every time I look at it and hold it. Then I remember how much I miss him. That gun is never leaving my family, ever. It has no street value, but it's value is priceless to me.

 

[jagee]

It isn't in my collection yet, but will be eventually. A .32 Iver Johnson revolver that was my great-great grandpas he carried with him while transporting mail between rail cars on the railroad. It was given to my grandpa and will be given to me. (My uncle, grandpas son, isn't in to guns and doesn't want it).

Also some shotguns that were from when my grandpa was young and poor and used those guns to help the family put food on the table.

Once these guns are in my collection they will never be sold and if I ever have kids I will be sure to pass them down along with the story behind them.

 

[WebSnyper]

Unfortunately no. All of my guns now are black plastic. I probably should have kept a revolver or 2 I had to pass on to my son one day, but I traded/sold them off. They were all bought new by me anyway, so there wasn't any sentimental value there at that point. I never inherited any guns, and at this point, my son and daughter will only inherit Tupperware. I just hope they are all well used by the time anyone gets them

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Mine would be my dad's old Stevens 12 gauge double barrel. First gun I ever shot (in our back yard!) other than bb/pellet guns. Don't know exactly how old it is since it doesn't have a serial number, and I never thought to ask him about it while he was still alive, but I'm guessing he bought it shortly after returning home from WWII.

 

[mayor al]

My Tokarev TT-33 pistol is my one "War Trophy" from my visit to RVN over 50 years ago. No great war stories, I bought the gun for $25 in MPC from our houseboy at Bien Hoa just before I left. I just stuck it in my duffle bag with all my clothing. No one seemed to care enough to ask, or search my bag when we arrived in Hawaii....Flying Tigers Airline Lockheed Constellation. Anyway It was made in the USSR in 1940, then took 22 years to find it's way to me in Saigon. I would love to be able to trace it's path for those years, but that is lost in the fog of history.

 

[jontheturboguy]

Model 33 Remington 22 rifle.
First rifle dad gave me at 8 years old.

 

[JohnE]

I have my dads Model 12 that he used to hunt with back in the late 60's and a Stevens Crackshot .22 that was the first gun that I was given.