Unexpected Family Favorites

[wmg1299]

I was an LEO when my kids were little, and the department recommended introducing kids to firearms as soon as they were emotionally ready (about 6-7 yrs. Old) in order to eliminate the natural curiosity that gets kids injured by guns in the home. I figured that .22 LR was the best way to start, so I bought a Ruger SR-22 and a Taurus Model 94 to familiarize the boys with both semi-autos and revolvers. I picked both guns based on price, with the expectation that they would be forgotten about when the kids moved on to larger calibers.

I was right about the Taurus, but my boys and their cousins have now put thousands of rounds through the SR-22. It is the gun they go for anytime we head to the in-laws’ land, and it is probably every one of the kids’ favorite. When I was a kid, 1911’s and classic S&W revolvers were the types of guns that dads would pass on to their kids. I never would have guessed that the inexpensive polymer gun would be the one most likely to become a family heirloom.

Am I the only one who never thought of polymer (i.e. plastic) guns becoming family classics? Do any of you have a cheap or unexpected gun that somehow became important to your family?

 

[benstt]

My uncle has a single shot 12 gauge that he's used to teach most of my generation about the power shotguns possess. It's effective

 

[Bassbob]

My uncle has a single shot 12 gauge that he's used to teach most of my generation about the power shotguns possess. It's effective

I have about 4 of those. When I was 9 my old man bought me a break action Savage single shot 12 gauge. I hunted with that until I was about 11 I think. Then I bought myself a double barrel Stevens 12. Later on when the stock grew too short my dad made me a new stock for it and put a hand rubbed oil finish on it. He used to have a gunstock/ finishing business. My uncle , who I haven’t spoke To in 20 years, still owns the gun shop my dad pulled most of his work out of. Although from what I understand he no longer really sells guns. It’s mostly a convenience store and he does a little gunsmithing in back. I think he’s a pilot for the DEA these days.
Wow, got off topic there a little. Sorry about that. Nevertheless I have a fondness for the little guys and I have a few hanging around. A couple nice doubles too.

 

[wmg1299]

I have about 4 of those. When I was 9 my old man bought me a break action Savage single shot 12 gauge. I hunted with that until I was about 11 I think. Then I bought myself a double barrel Stevens 12. Later on when the stock grew too short my dad made me a new stock for it and put a hand rubbed oil finish on it. He used to have a gunstock/ finishing business. My uncle , who I haven’t spoke To in 20 years, still owns the gun shop my dad pulled most of his work out of. Although from what I understand he no longer really sells guns. It’s mostly a convenience store and he does a little gunsmithing in back. I think he’s a pilot for the DEA these days.
Wow, got off topic there a little. Sorry about that. Nevertheless I have a fondness for the little guys and I have a few hanging around. A couple nice doubles too.

These were the type of stories I would expect for a gun with family memories. Something timeless that is made from steel and wood, or something that someone in the family had a hand in tuning. I expected my boys to have great memories of shooting with their cousins, uncles, dads and grandfathers. Who wouldn't love to look back on times like that? I'm just really surprised that these memories will be associated with a straight-out-of-the-box polymer gun that was purchased simply because it was on sale.

I'm thrilled that the Ruger got the job done. Training 5 new shooters with almost no hiccups over almost a decade, all while running bulk rimfire ammo, shows that the SR-22 is a hell of a pistol. It just struck me as odd that between the 1911 like both grandfathers carried in Vietnam, the S&W State Trooper .357 that one grandfather carried as a cop in the 70's, and some of my higher-end handguns, all the boys seem to have chosen the SR-22 as their favorite. Maybe it's a generational thing.

 

[benstt]

I have about 4 of those. When I was 9 my old man bought me a break action Savage single shot 12 gauge. I hunted with that until I was about 11 I think. Then I bought myself a double barrel Stevens 12. Later on when the stock grew too short my dad made me a new stock for it and put a hand rubbed oil finish on it. He used to have a gunstock/ finishing business. My uncle , who I haven’t spoke To in 20 years, still owns the gun shop my dad pulled most of his work out of. Although from what I understand he no longer really sells guns. It’s mostly a convenience store and he does a little gunsmithing in back. I think he’s a pilot for the DEA these days.
Wow, got off topic there a little. Sorry about that. Nevertheless I have a fondness for the little guys and I have a few hanging around. A couple nice doubles too.

I bought a Pardner 12 gauge almost as soon I turned 18. I use it when I teach new shooters. Start with the .22lr so they get comfortable pulling the trigger, then gave them try the Pardner so they know just what a gun can do. I do let then know ahead of time the Parder with a mag shell is going to smack them around so they aren't too surprised.

 

[Bassbob]

I bought a Pardner 12 gauge almost as soon I turned 18. I use it when I teach new shooters. Start with the .22lr so they get comfortable pulling the trigger, then gave them try the Pardner so they know just what a gun can do. I do let then know ahead of time the Parder with a mag shell is going to smack them around so they aren't too surprised.

I guess it's something that has always been in my nature, but there are a couple examples I can think of where the natural or normal order of starting with the easy thing and graduating to the harder thing is something I threw out the window. I remember specifically my dad wanting to get me a 410 or at most a 20 gauge to start out with. Frankly a .22 was never considered because my father was an avid quail hunter who bred and sold dogs ( Elhew Pointers at that time) and he wanted a ready made hunting partner. I whined incessantly about his wanting me to start with a 410 ( although in retrospect it would probably have made me a much better wingshooter) or even a 20 gauge. He relented and let me pick out the " Big" 12 gauge. He cut the stock down to my size and fitted it with a nice recoil pad and I never remember thinking the recoil was too much for me.

Another example is when I first got into safety razors. For those who don't know, using a safety razor for someone who is used to a cartridge razor is a definite learning curve. Some safety razors and especially blades are mild and some are aggressive. It depends on the blade gap of the razor and the sharpness of the blade. It's usually recommended that someone start out with something like a Gillette Tech which has a very small blade gap and is a very "Mild" razor. And to pair it with an Atra or Gillette Platinum or some other "Smooth and mild" blade. It's certainly not recommended that someone start out with a Feather Hi- Stainless which is probably the sharpest and least " Forgiving" DE razor blade. The way I figured it if mistakes cause pain then you will learn proper technique faster. Pressure and angle being the 2 key elements of proper technique. So the first razor I bought was my mint condition 1956 Gillette Red Tip Super Speed. It's about an 8 on a scale of 1-10 in aggressiveness. And of course I started out with Feather Hi-Stainless blades. It took me about 5 bloody shaves to figure out how to not cut myself. These days I gravitate toward extremely aggressive razors, of which I have many, and of course extremely sharp blades. Or I use my straight. Sharp blades take much less effort and are far more efficient. And I get world class results. Yes, I think the rest of yuse guys are cretins.


Again with the off topic crap. Oh well, seemed pertinent at the time.