My wife and I find "surprises" for another. November 2023 she surprised me with an antique gun show. She knew I liked guns, but slowly moved away from guns. A good friend about 15 years ago took me to Sporting clays. He developed a bad neck and couldn't shoot anymore, so I gave up sporting clays.
So Anne took me to the Antique Gun Show. Walking around we saw a very nice percussion shotgun. Seemed a good price at $300. She saw I liked it and so did she, and bought it for me!
Found a muzzleloading forum and started collecting black powder muzzzeloaders. But I kept harkening back to cartridge guns. Keeping the first forum in mind, I met a friend who also liked cartridge guns and he told me about another forum that was about both muzzleloaders and also about cartridge guns, but the main focus on black powder.
I like people! Made good friends on both, but was still wanting to have my main focus on cartridge guns. Another guy introduced me to LRH! I feel very good here and enjoying guns here. I got back into reloading. I love this, it is a fine relaxing, almost like meditation.
Also guns have gotten me back into the outdoors. Beginning to walk and hike. So from my "first" gun, the Belgian percussion shotgun to my latest, a Winchester Pre-64 300 H&H. See pictures!