BB guns...Christmas...first

[sheepdog]

The other thread about BB guns, and how cheaply made they are these days got me to thinking (danger, danger!). I was thinking about my first BB gun, which was a birthday present, I do believe. I know many other folks got their first one at Christmas. I think we've had threads about first guns, anyone remember their first BB gun? Mine, after much begging (You'll shoot your eye out!), was a Daisy that looked JUST LIKE a Remington .22 pump. It didn't last a long time, but was solid and hefty like a "real gun." I moved up to a pellet gun after that...a Crossman 760 bolt action with a pump. Shot a lot of things I should not have shot back in those days, but luckily, no eyes. All this was... over 30+ years ago.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[SIXTO]

Mine was a Daisy, then a Crosman 760, and finally a Sheridan. I still have and use the Sheridan almost 20 yrs later.

[archer51]

my first gun was a Daisy Cub BB gun. Still have it and it still works fine. Of course the plastic stock is warped from heat. Come to think about it it is in better shape that I am.....of course I'm 56 and it is only about 50 years old!!! LOL

[P95Carry]

My first was actually not a BB but a smoothbore version of a Webley air pistol in .177 ... that was mostly for using small feather tailed darts tho pellets went too. Probably a darned site more potentially dangerous than a BB! Forget age but I was pretty darned young - but for quite some time Dad supervized.

I still have and use the Sheridan almost 20 yrs later.

Sixto - I wonder if that is same as a buddy of mine had in UK way back - .20 cal pump-up - called the ''Blue Streak'' IIRC ...... the UK one was limited for pressure I think but even so - this guy used it effectively on squirrels and rabbits!

Biggest joke - because of it's muzzle energy it had to be declared as a firearm - yes even back in approx late 70's

[SIXTO]

Yup, mines a blue streak. I love it. Sheridan still makes them today.

I think it shoots around 800fps and it does a great job on squirrels and rabbits.

[raevan]

Mine was a break open single shot, don't know the maker, I was about 3. my brothers got Red Ryder leveractions. Theirs had more power then mine. I could barely open mine and it probably only shot 50 to 60 ft at most. My brothers shot at least 100 ft because the barn was at least 100 ft from the house and we were in the hay mow one day shooting at the chiminy, some one hit the kitchen window while mom was in the kitchen, we all lost our BB guns for 6 months. Dad was a real stickler for gun safety and losing the use of the gun drove safety home.

[Agave]

My grandmother keeps my Red Rider to ward of varmints. Grandpa had a high powered air rifle, but grandmother isn't strong enough to use it, so we traded.

[P95Carry]

Sheridan still makes them today.

Hmmm - makes me think! One other question - how long can you keep it pumped and ready - or does pressure leak away over time?

My spring air rifles I always leave ''relaxed'' to be kind to springs but a pump-up seems like it could be kept ready longer. May just have to look out for one.

[SIXTO]

You're supposed to store them with a pump... something about keeping the seals good. I dont know if they will hold any power overtime though, I've never tried too.

[ridurall]

I've had a Diana mod 52 for over 26 years. Killed about a thousand pigeons with it when I was in the Air Force keeping hangers free of the varmints. Had a lot of bunny huggers give me a ration of crap for it but never found any that would volunteer to clean up pigeon crap either. I also shot 70 squirrels with it at Pope AFB in NC. The golf course was over run with them and Col. row kept loosing power from squirrels getting electrocuted running down the power lines to the 80 pecan trees behind their houses next to the golf course. We fed them to the CE Squadron that Friday. I still use it from time to time. My 7 year old son is starting out with one of those plastic Daisy BB guns. When he shoots it I always count the BBs going in and make sure it's empty when we are done. That saved me a big screen TV the other day when I turned my back and he cocked it and pointed it at the TV. We had a come to Jesus moment after that. Right now is playing with his blow gun. I figure he can't shot himself with it.

[raevan]

I don't know about the new Pump guns, but the old ones you also had to keep them oiled because the washers were made of leather and you couldn't let the leather dry out.

[Shizzlemah]

Crossman 760, Christmas, a few decades ago. Dad's old but reliable hand me down :)

Dont know what happened to that one, but about 3 years ago I was doing some work in the shed and found another 760 left behind by the previous owners. Plastic stock, unfortunately, versus the old 760 with wood.

Every so often I take the 760 out to the 75 yard range and try to ring the plates :-)

[SIXTO]

The 760 has got to be right up there with the Red Ryder in units sold. I think everyone has had a 760 at some point in time.

[zxd9]

My first gun was a Daisy model 99 Champion. Still have it 30 years later. The spring is pretty well shot. You can almost watch the BB come out as it archs through the air. Bought my 10 yr old a Red Ryder last year for Christmas and was actually shooting it this afternoon with my 12yr old. It's only a BB gun, but it's still fun when you're shootin' with the kids.

[Andy W.]

I've had my Sheridan Blue Streak for 38 years and it still wreaks havoc on pests.