Do you remember the first centerfire rifle you fired and do you reload for that caliber today?

[Robert Kwallek]

The first one I ever shot was a Savage 250-3000. I remember you could tell how many rounds was in the gun by the number count on the side of the reciever. It was my Dad's gun. Don't have any idea what he did with it. I shot two or three deer with it as I remember.It was a blast as a 12 year old

 

[ajkellerusmc]

A Ruger #1 in 45-70 and no I do not have one. I was 10 everyone laughed except for me!

 

[mnoland30]

My first centerfire shot was around 1960 with a sporterized 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, my dad had fixed up for my mom. She hiked (wore Swiss army boots), but didn't ever hunt. I shot my first deer (doe) with that rifle and gave it to my grandson after my dad died. I never shot anything but reloads in it.

My dad must have liked that rifle, because when I asked for a rifle to hunt with, he gave me the 8mm German Mauser. I shot my first buck with that rifle. I sold it years ago.

Going through my dad's papers I found the receipt for the 30-06 Springfield military surplus rifle he bought. IIRC it was $23. Surplus ammo was cheap enough to shoot as much as we wanted.

I just wish I'd had earplugs back then. I have special earplugs now....called hearing aids.

 

[Poe]

Good old Lee Enfield 303 British. Still have that gun

 

[T-Roy.]

First rifle was a Model 70, 30-06 Lightweight…it was my only hunting rifle for over half a decade…it's no longer my primary hunting rifle but I still keep it close to my heart and well as almost a box worth of reloads I have for it.

 

[Bob Wright]

30-30 model 94. Bought it on sale for $69 mowing lawns to earn it. Killed my first deer with it in 1972, a coues near Patagonia, Az. Still have it but don't shoot it much. Have to figure out which grandkid gets it!
Can't believe how much recoil a skinny stock can whack your shoulder. Same with a semi auto 30-06 Remington 742. Ouch.

 

[Big pumpkin]

In 1970 I got to shoot my mothers Winchester model 55 take down lever action. It was a blast. I still have that rifle in my safe. I dont reload for it.

 

[Huntz]

A 30/06 Garand in Boot camp.

 

[.300 Dakota]

First ever fired was a borrowed Marlin .30-.30 lever gun with open sights at about age 12 or 13. The first of my own ever fired was at age 18 and was chambered in .444 Marlin (also another Marlin lever gun). That was what was available and what I could afford and all I knew. I neither own nor load either today.

To the OP, man they were just wrong for that!

 

[Rick79]

My grandfather's Winchester 670 in .243. He'd broken his arm so I was shooting for him that deer season, I went 3/3 on does opening morning. I did have a number of years shooting .22's before that. My streak ended when I tried a freehand shot at a buck when I climbed out of the blind.

Now it's in the safe the same way it was when I first shot it 30 years ago. I'm not into the reloading side yet but I do still have 50 or so of his hand loads. I also can't bring myself to change anything on it since it was his, still has the weaver 3-9x40 on it.

It does shoot lights out when it does come out of the safe.

 

[Buran]

The first rifle I ever fired was a 375HH. I was 10 years old. It almost took my arm and shoulder off. The bruises were massive, taking weeks to heal. But the grin on my face never wore off. My buddy's dad showed me how to fire it after a lot of instruction. I already had 3 years of proficiency on a .22, but the 375HH was my first centerfire. When I turned 24, I got one of my own. I still reload for it today and will never get rid of it. 66 years passes quickly.

13 years old shot a 7.62x54r mosin. Hurt like hell because I didn't hold the rifle proper. Still have that gun and on ocasion do load a few shots for it. But with the amount of surp 54r i have, its more of a way to spend some time when im bored.

 

[RidgeTop]

Winchester Mod 1894, 30-30 fired it sometime in - '56, rifle was made in '56. Yes I do load for it. Nosler Partitions, Rem CoreLok and also use Hornady Levrevolution's. I wish I had a dollar for every mile I have carried this. Got a fare amount of deer and some bear with it also. Never drilled stock for a sling. When I got something I had a length of clothes line I would tie on it and sling over my back.

 

[PA Plumber]

1992 - Had just moved to Pennsylvania from Ohio (Shotgun only back then), and looking for a deer gun.
Caught a lot of grief for buying a New 700 BDL Rem. .280. (I was told a .308 or 30-30 would have been a much better selection.)

It's been a great deer gun, although I had always hoped to have a chance to take an elk with it some day.
"Someday" happened last November with a small 5 point in Colorado. Very Cool.

Edit: Yes, I do reload for it. Have for the last 15 or so years.

 

[338 dude]

Greatgpa's iron-sighted 30-30 Win lever killed first deer with it 6 yro. It is still in the family passed on down to the future. Don't reload anymore. Saving money is meaningless, irrelevant, virtually unlimited replenishable resource; heartbeats....NOT. At my age I've clearly become the weak link limiting factor in the consistency, precision chain. I can improve consistency by reloading, however, the small gain is irrelevant for hunting, banging steel. I teach some kids how to reload essentially to pass along the knowledge to the future keepers of the hunting/shooting brotherhood.

Thank you very much!