What is the 'one gun'

[Jim Norman]

Reading the story of Ari and the return of his revolver got me to thinking.

We all have probably several guns that we shoot a lot and more than a few that we shoot only occasionally if at all. But what gun, regardless of whether you ever shoot it has the most meaning to you?

I have several guns that have been in the family since before I can remember. My father was not a real collector, he did do a few really amazing conversions as I remember, a 1903 to a class hunting rifle, same for an old Enfield. Those are long gone, traded for other guns he had more use for. What is left and was left to me are a 1911, a Ruger Mark I, a Marlin 39a and an old Stevens Marksman single shot .22 break open rifle. The other gun is my first real rifle, a Remington 513T. The Ruger is in really bad shape, but when refinished it will be nice. The 39A is a fun shooter. The Marksman was so bad when Dad got it that rounds would nearly drop down the barrel. Dad bought a H&R barrel, cut it just so and it still shoots fine today. we used to shoot flies with it on our little indoor range (oh to see so well again. The 513T was mine at about 12 years old. Got me through the Junior program in pretty good stead. Still nice to shoot this one.

So, what is my #1 fav? Hard to say, The most sentimental is likely the 1911 as it was Dad's drawer gun and the one Mom answered the door for a brief period of time. It is, if memory serves, the first centerfire handgun I ever shot, I was probably about 10 or 11.

I just might have to shoot a SS match with the 1911. Should be fun. I'd have a hard time parting with any of these although I may give the 39A to my brother some day.

Jim

[Dan O]

Do you really have to do this?! You can't just pick one!

I'd have to say the one that means the most is still my Remington 870 20ga. Youth that my Dad gave to me as my first gun. Woke up one morning early to go do a pre-deer season scout / small game hunt and while still rubbing the sleep out of my 12 year old eyes, walked into the laundry room to see a Remington gun case wrapped with a bow.

There are several more though that I will never part with ever....

[John Z Sr]

I have many that fit the bill, but the ONE, is the S&W 625 JM version my son gave me for father's day 2 years ago. Great kid turned into a fine man.

[-JQ-]

My brother has it...our dad's P38 bringback from WW II.

In my safe, is dad's Glenfield .22 - I took it squirrel hunting as a kid. Hasn't been shot in 20+ years...but maybe I will someday soon. It won't hurt the collector value to shoot

I learned to shoot with that P38 though.

[Classic_jon]

My Dad's S&W 4th model in .38 S&W. It was his drawer gun and was the first pistol I ever fired.

Next would be the Remington pump in .22LR that he got me for my 14th B-day.

Brings back good memories!

[steel1212]

My Dad's S&W 4th model in .38 S&W. It was his drawer gun and was the first pistol I ever fired.

Next would be the Remington pump in .22LR that he got me for my 14th B-day.

Brings back good memories!

My great grandfather's winchester pump or my grandfathers officers 1911.

[bigbrowndog]

My favorite used to be the first one I bought with my own money, a Savage 99f is 300 Sav. It was my favorite hunting rifle, but that was replaced by a Marlin 1895 45-70, and now that has been replaced with a Winchester 1886 45-90.

I still have all three though.

trapr

[salilus]

Got a old .22 bolt action rifle, I think its a savage, I'll have to check. It was the rifle that my grandfather learned to shoot with. He then taught me to shoot with it. I have pictures of me with that rifle when I could barely hold it up straight.

[twodownzero]

After I bought my first 1911, I sold nearly all of my other handguns. So, if I could have just one, I guess it'd be my (parkerized) Kimber single stack.

[twodownzero]

double tap

Edited February 18, 2010 by twodownzero

[Sarge]

At the risk of getting booted out of the forum, I am not a big collector of anything. So this story might make a few of you wonder WTF is wrong with this guy?

My dad had a mint late 1950's model 12. I left to go into the Army and he had no children anywhere near him for years and years. He befriended an old hunting buddy of mine who stayed around the area. They hunted and fished for almost 20 years. When my dad was suffering from cancer my buddy would manage to get him out of the house to fish or something like that. When Dad died my mom gave me the model 12 and said it meant the world to dad. After alot of talks with Mom I decided to give it to my buddy for taking care of my dad.

[Classic_jon]

They hunted and fished for almost 20 years. When my dad was suffering from cancer my buddy would manage to get him out of the house to fish or something like that. When Dad died my mom gave me the model 12 and said it meant the world to dad. After alot of talks with Mom I decided to give it to my buddy for taking care of my dad.

Makes perfect sense to me I am sure that your buddy treasures it too

[Nik Habicht]

My oldest Glock 34 -- I shot many matches with it: Local matches both defunct and still active, Sectionals, Area Matches, IDPA Winter Nationals, PSA Shootout, and three Production Nationals....

It's got a new slide and internals, but the original frame and barrel are still going strong....

[AWLAZS]

When I first started shooting at the local clubs I had a big old .44 mag revolver. My Grandfather had a nickel plated Colt commander. He let me borrow it. well I had it for quite a while before he reminded me what borrow meant. He developed cancer. One day while I was visiting he gave the gun to me. He passed soon after.

[JTew]

Although I do not own it yet, the Glock 21 I carry on duty, and will own upon retirement, will be the one worth the most to me.

[Jadeslade]

My Colt Service Ace, ridiculously low serial number, given to me by my father. Best shooting gun ever for me. It ran great for years-shot it everyday behind my house in upstate NY. Got ammo at the hardware store and kept it running with 3 in1 oil and Hoppes number 9. Stolen in LaGrange, Georgia a few years ago. Miss that gun. mostly because it shot so well and I trusted it.

[M-TRAIN]

Although I do not own it yet, the Glock 21 I carry on duty, and will own upon retirement, will be the one worth the most to me.

That's so cool!

Mine is my Glock 20. Just love the power.

Mick

[usmc1974]

Of all the expensive gun I got probably, my favorite is my old Beretta 92, it just fits .it is the gun I take every where, and care as a duty weapon part time in the city. I have had it forever and have 18 mags for it. So if I shoot Production, I don't need to load mags for the whole match.

[HRider]

As far as sentimental value goes, I still have my first gun, an Ithaca M66 supersingle in .410 and my father's Remington 870 that he gave me when I was 12. But my favorite gun is my old frankenstein Colt Government that I shoot matches with. It is a nickel Series 70(1976 manuf.) frame with a 1949-52 Colt replacement slide and barrel that I fitted to the frame. It looks pretty rough finish wise (it has lots of character), but it is my favorite gun. Even though I have many nice 1911s, this one just feels a little different. One that comes to mind after that is my old HK/Benelli M1, love that one too.

Hurley

[blue edge]

My Great Grandfathers single shot 12ga and my Cheely Caspain SS

[Graham Smith]

When I was a teenager in the early 60's, my cousins gave me a used Winchester .22 target rifle. Even though I never shot it after going into the Army, I still held on to it until recently. Then one day it occurred to me that there was probably someone out there who would shoot it and a nice rifle like that was made to be used, not to sit in a closet. After some thought, I put it up for sale here and was fortunate to connect with someone who wanted to buy it as a retirement present for their rifle club president. So, even though I no longer have it, I know it has a good home and will serve someone well.

[Caspian_45]

I have 2 that mean the world to me my Browning Buckmark I got in '89 and my Jim Garthwaite 45 I won at the SSC a few years ago.

Dad wasn't into guns at all. He really frowned when I started reading the gun rags and didn't approve at all when I started going to matches.

Deb has one that she got from our super great friend, Rich, when he died. A blued PPK/S 380.

[GrumpyOne]

Mine is the Remington 870 Wingmaster 12 gauge my dad me on my 13th B-day, shot many a duck with that one. Still have it...Second would be my Winchester Model 94 in 30-30. I bought it from an old man when I was 15, who had bought it new in 1959, shot it 11 times exactly, then put it away. I know he was telling the truth about the eleven times cause he still had the 2 boxes of ammo he bought with the rifle. One was a box of 150 grain silvertips, the other a box of Core-lokt. There were 5 Core-lokts missing and 6 silvertips missing. The silvertips were so old, the aluminum had disintergrated from the tips....

[LJE]

My favorites would be my grandfather's A.H. Fox Sterlingworth 12 ga that has been fed less than 200 rounds in it's lifetime, and my father's 30-30 Savage vintage 1930's. Unlike most 30-30 tube fed rifles, the Savage has a rotary magazine.

Larry

[diablodawg]

Great Grand-Uncle's Original Quality M1 Carbine- he carried it as an Army Officer in the Phillipines in WWII. Its absolutely cherry: no rust, gorgeous wood and still has 95% of the original finish. Plus it is a blast to shoot.