Forums / Gun Discussion / Who Taught You To Shoot?

My Dad taught me about shooting a rifle (iron sighted).
My Mother was my first teacher with handguns, then my friend Tommy Shackleford, then a lot of personal trial and error.
My Dad was a great shot with a shotgun, but a lousy teacher, because he had zero patience with me. A dove would fly, he'd knock it down (invariably), then say, "See - that's all there is to it.". He'd hand the gun to me, another dove would fly, I'd miss it (almost always), he'd get mad & cuss (a lot), then tell me I'd never learn a damn thing because I wouldn't pay attention. The most he ever told me was to just shoot where they were gonna be. I've never been worth a damn with a shotgun, very possibly because of the mental block he created.

The Tommy Shackleford (sp?) I mentioned above was from Burkburnett, TX. We worked together at CIBA-GEIGY, and used to go shooting together as often as we could. This was in in 1970's. I lost touch with him years ago. Could he have been any kin to you?

with my grandfather's winne model 1892 back when I was about 10 or so. My Grandfather was quite the sportsman but he died long before I was born, none of the rest of my family was into guns with the exception of one uncle who was into black powder, we went shooting occasionally when I was in town. In all fairness, I would have to credit the Coast Guard for teaching me how to shoot properly.

Dad- bb gun at age five taught me about making every shot count by the time I was six I was shotting pine cones off the neighbors trees.
Uncle- Taught me about handguns and how to properly hold one AFTER shooting the .357mag and catching the hammer on the top off my head! (Still have the scar! LOL)
The Army, friends of the family.

I am self taught as in when I got my .410 I fixed it and went to shooting it,but I also got more confidence to shoot more from Greasypaws and Runawaygun. I dont get to shoot often anymore with the stuff I am doing now but I try to squeeze a round or 2 off here and there. Anyways I want to thank Greasypaws and Runs.

My late & Great Brother in Law Larry Oglesby. Fantastic outdoors man & super gun nut.
Was more my big brother than Brother in Law. Many Many hours & many, many, many, many thousands of round in all calibers. Those times are my most prized memories.

I've been thinking about this one. I don't know. I remember my older brother and dad propping me up against the pickup, helping me hold Grandpa's double barrell 12 to my shoulder and shooting two shots. After that, I just grabbed a gun when I wanted one. I did some 4H shooting, picked up some safety training. That's about it.

Pop had a 1911 when we were kids.. He would always take it along on weekends when we visited the Grandparents farm.. So guess combination of Dad, and Grandpa.. Got my first 22 (best Christmas gift ever) in 58 at age 10.. That following summer when i turned 11 i got to buy long rifle ammo.. I could only shoot short before that. Thinking you can get to be a pretty good shot with 22 shorts and little green army men.. That was the game if you guys remember.. You and a buddy would both take like 20 or 30 LGAG (little green Army guys) ..

Fun stuff... Think i might have to go buy some..

My Dad, taught me to shoot. It was a Marlin, tubler Magazine feed, bolt action, with a beed front site and buckhorn rear site. My first recolections, probbly, me standing on the seat of our 1947 Ford. Dad would tell me to line up the sites, then line them up on the target,(Coors Can) and squeeze the trigger, don't pull it, but squeeze it. I don't know how old I was, but can remember standing in the seat, the rifle out the window, and telling Dad, I'm gonna shoot him (cotton tail rabbit) in the EYE! When I brought the rabbit back to the car, I had to inspect the bullet hole!!! Hit um in the eye!!!
Shotgun??? don't remember, but my alcoholic uncle Wade, let me shoot his 12ga. single shot, brake over. goose gun, that damn barrell was long!! I fired it and wanted more!
Pistol?? don't remember that one eather. Probbely pre teen, because my Grand Father always carried His Smith & Wesson. any place he went. Grand Dad was an old Cow Boy from Texas.
He told about the bar room shoot out he was in!!! He was 14 years old @ the time!
I think it would have to be His 38 Special.
My mother and her Siblings talked about Dad letting the kids shoot the pistol in the corner of the bedroom, YES IN THE HOUSE!!! ERA. 1932/35ish??
Shit, now days if you fart too loud the neighbor call the cops!!
Ok. I've writt'n annother book!! Shut UP Lyle

Lyle

Your grandpa would have been a great guy to know. I would have loved meeting and talking with him.

My wife's uncle Bill was pretty much like that. He had guns all over his house, several in each room, and all of them loaded. He was by far the best shot I've ever known, and mostly self taught. He could hit anything he wanted with any gun he owned, since he knew them so well, and knew the trajectory with his hand loaded ammo. When I knew him back in the 1970's he told me that he hadn't shot factory ammo in so long he couldn't really remember when he bought the last. He shot only lead bullets that he had cast himself. Just about every time I'd go down to Mesa, AZ where he lived, he'd gather up a few guns, and off we'd go - out in the desert where you could do whatever you wanted.

I'd better stop - I could write a good part of a book about Bill.

I taught myself shooting at pop/beer cans with a BB gun.....Then I joined the Army at 17........they taught me some,then they found out I was from Kentucky and they wanted me to teach them some Kentucky windage.........then when I got my Ranger indoctrination,I got a lot
of practice.....and honed a few more skills.Kentucky boys shoot good because we usually have to even off hillsides......flat ground is unusual.......lol

since i was young,probably 6 or so,BB guns,.177 cal pellet gun(still have that),my Dad and i were always shooting or hunting something it seemed.Got a .410 single shot shotgun and a Marlin clip fed .22 for my 11th birthday,my parents thought nothing about me grabbing the .22 and going 2 blocks down into the woods and hunting/shooting all day long.

Then i entered the Marines,qualified sharpshooter in boot camp,expert twice after,they liked that and made me a coach,then an NCOIC of the range and i taught 100s of boots how to shoot,then they decided to have me teach at several different ranges,LAAWs,shotgun,grenades,quick kill courses,all this was fun stuff.

Then i got out and got into PPC,Pins,and trap/skeet competitions.Along the way i have read a ton of books,Bill Jordan,Elmer Keith,Fairborn and applegate,Currently i am training from Rob Pincus DVD series on defensive handguns.Long winded answer i know.

Lucky i think you might have left two names out of your list..First off, like the VVMC we have the PPC and pin shooting in common as well.. Not surprised, but amazed at how much our lives have paralleled each others, so guessing since you read those you also read Col Coopers books as well.. Also guessing you read and miss Skeeter Skeleton..

I never got a chance to meet any of those guys, but at a pin shoot down in Tucson..(for those of you who never did it shooting bowling pins is a hoot, and was real popular back in the mid 80's) i talked to a guy who had met Keith, Jordan, and Skeleton at a gun show somewhere in Colorado.. He said the neat thing was that none of them could hear, and when they were talking they all had to yell, and "cup" thier ears, while other people were laughing and covering thiers..

On the bowling pins.. did you use the CCI 185 gr flying ashtray.. That was the standard, but expensive to shoot...least for me..

Hows it goin? Also hows Gary?

Nitris, cool man cave you got going. Very nice.

Vaquero.

Hows it goin?

Howdy your own self.. how ya doing guy.. you back home yet or still doing the "beav" thing.. Check out the pic Hamp put up for Bigg'n .. had me rolling on the floor..

Snake, he's not doing as well as we'd like, scary weak, and thier putting in a pacemaker in the morning. Were a little less pleased about progress than we were yesterday.. I had mentioned to Vaq that i was being a bit more optimistic than factual, but hoping he would improve more than he has, so bottom line is prayers are appreciated..

Larry.. Sorry i haven't been able to get back to you on the peoples valley info you requested, to be honest were just trying to keep the marbles on the table, soon as things settle down i will send you a long pm about who is renting and local prices etc..

Bauer, back at ya on the pm..

Guys will see you all later.. I have to make a run to the store...

You all have me prayers,god be with ya all.

Looks like at least 6 more weeks.Take care bud. Hope to catch you on later.

the MARINES taught me and still are! i hav yet to master the handgun but thats soon to come. actually.. im on the rifle range all next week. since i found this sight i been stoked to get back to shooting!