Bumper

Probably about 9 years old. My brothers took me bird hunting and told me that the thing I had to remember about shooting a shotgun was to brace my right shoulderblade firmly against a large tree before firing. They said that it would help steady me and keep me from dropping the gun.

I can't remember if that was before or after they took me snipe hunting, but, hey, that was with a stick and a burlap bag....

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Bumper
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gunfighter48

12 years old, Win 30-30, about a year later my dad was able to afford a Western Auto 22 (Savage made it IIRC). Used to shoot grouse with the 30-30. Learned to make head shots real quick!!

older gunner

I grew up a city kid in Chicago. I pestered my Dad for a .22 and finally got one when I was about 12 or 13. Not sure which. We had to go to a farm belonging to the family of one of Dad's friends at work. It was about a 1-1/2 hour drive IIRC. I used to shoot a 500 round brick of LR's. each trip. Fond memories.

Ride4TheBrand

I was living on a Texas farm while my Dad was stationed overseas. The chickens began squawking one night and mom and I investigated. A ring-tailed cat was getting to them, so mom went inside for the HI Standard Double Nine .22 pistol.

She shot, missed. shot. missed. Then handed it to me cuz I couldn't do any worse, she said.

I was 8

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ssssthesnake

grandan brought me a sears n robuck 22 single shot lever action yes single shot the breach droped when you leverd down take it out every so offten but seems so small now i was 7 years old wounder if it was a youth model or a ladys model might have to look it up

torrejon224

Somewhere around 11 or 12 for shotgun/rifle. When I entered the military at 17 was 1st time with a handgun.

Macattack

would go duck and pheasant hunting with my dad at age 8. Started carrying a crossman and practising safety from the start. Moved up to a remy 1100 20 gauge(tough to knock a honker down with!) Would go at least 4 weekends a year every year. (mom hated it when dad would take me out of school on thursday and not come home till tuesday) Bought my first pistol the weekend i turned 21. Had never shot a pistol before that and man what a rush!!
that was three years ago and now i have 4 and have sold 2. Next one coming soon!

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Tom357

My grandfather took me hunting from an early age, but did not let me shoot. I received my first BB gun at age 8. I shot my first shotgun at age 10. I shot my first rifle at age 13, during Army JROTC small bore qualifications, and was recruited to the rifle team.

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Baby Hulk

Dad always had a shotgun and a few .22 rifles growing up and taught me at an early age about gun safety. I cut my teeth on the classic Red Ryder BB-rifle that dad handed down from his childhood (accurate as heck tho it was over 30+ years old. You could actually see the BB fly out of the barrel, but I could 'shoot from the hip' accurately every time!) progressed to CO2 BB pistols in the 80's that I shot in our basement into bales of hay then to the .22 (uh, NOT shot in the basement!)

First handgun bought in the '90's (and still have) is my Beretta 92FS and didn't get serious and truly as excited until OH passed its CCW laws in 2004.

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blueyedevil

Got a chipmunk single shot when I was 4 for Christmas. My brother and I shared a Red Rider before that. I'm sure I had shot some before my first rifle but I can't remember it. Sure remember that Christmas being a real good one though. Dad had a shooting broam in the back pasture and would take us out pretty much whenever we wanted. Got an old Zabala Brothers side by side 20ga when I was around ten or so and my dad made me a deal that he'd give me my grandpa's old .22 winchester bolt action if I got it fixed. So of course I immediately found a smith to do the work and walked away with the best $30 dollar rifle in the world, If all the small game I've shot with that thing was in one place it would be one heck of a pile. Bought my first handgun when I was 18 and fresh in the Navy (FMF Corpsman). Since then many have come and gone (though mostly came). my safe is pretty close to full at any time, I guess that qualifies me as a gun-nut.