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The firearm that started it all

Article about: This is the first firearm that I bought ,that started my life long collecting ,or obsession. Purchased at a local Army/Navy Surplus store in August of 1967,on the day I turned 13,for \\$9.95.T

  1. #21

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    The first firearm in my family, and the one that started my interest in guns, was a Walther PPK that my mother brought back from WWII. Yes, my mother, not my father. She was an American Red Cross Clubmobile Captain in England during the war and traveled around the continent quite a bit just after it ended. She acquired the pistol from an American Captain in Luxembourg. Of course, I still have it but don't have a photo at the moment. I'll take some and post them later.

    The first gun that I actually purchased myself was a British P.I.A.T. that was acquired in 1967 when I was 15 years old. I bought it by mail order from S&D Bookstore in Indiana for the total sum of $6. As I recall, it cost either $12 or $15 to ship it to Oregon via Railway Express. Here is my only photo of it, taken with a bunch of other munitions in my collection in July of 1971.



    When the 1968 Amnesty came along, I was still too young to register it so it was papered in my father's name to keep things legal. I eventually gave it away to a Canadian museum that needed one in their collection after I began to focus on collecting American equipment.

    When attending a miliitary vehicle convention in Vancover, B.C. in 1983, we visited the museum of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and heard the story of Ernest "Smokey" Smith, a young soldier of that unit. He distinguished himself in combat and earned the Victoria Cross by knocking out a Panther tank at 30 feet with a P.I.A.T. in October, 1944. As the musuem didn't have a P.I.A.T. in the collection, it appeared they needed one more than I did, so a donation seemed in order. That actually proved to be a more difficult task than I expected and was my first experience with ATF Form 6's, State Department export regulations, and international transport of NFA weapons. It eventually got there but it sure wasn't as easy as putting it in the car trunk and driving it up.

    By the way, even though the P.I.A.T. was the first gun I purchased, it wasn't the first one I TRIED to purchase. By the time I was 12 or 13, I had checked out all the library books on guns and really had the need for a machine gun. So at 14 I mailed off for a $49.95 dewatted M3 Grease Gun from Service Armament in New Jersey. Officially, they responded that they were sold out but I never really knew if that was true or if the letter I sent looked so much like it was written by a 14 year old kid that they just rolled their eyes and sent it back. Either way, it was 15 more years before I finally scored an M3 for the collection.

  2. #22

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    Hi, and welcome to the forum!

    What a great story! And a great collection even back then. I look forwards to seeing and hearing more.

    Cheers, Ade.

  3. #23

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    WOW1 A Piat for a first .And you say it was your mom's gun you still have.Must admit I have a real soft spot for Walther PP&PPKs. Great firearms.The surplus store I bought my Carcano at also had a Boys anti tank rifle,my Dad said no.Even if I could save enough money to buy it.You had some great folks.Nice collectionyou have there. Would love to see a pic of that Walther whenever you post it.Here is a pic of the other side of the 1911.

  4. #24
    ?

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    excellent deal.

  5. #25

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    Some times even a blind pig gets lucky.

  6. #26

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all/ M1 Carbine BB Gun

    [QUOTE=paddywonka;50109]This is the first firearm that I bought ,that started my life long collecting ,or obsession. Purchased at a local Army/Navy Surplus store in August of 1967,on the day I turned 13,for $9.95.The three boxes of ammo(of which I still have one)cost $6.00.

    What was your FIRST? Enjoy.


    Hello!! good thread idea. This is ONE of the first, and a little amusing. Not really a "firearm" , but suitable for sharing here I think. This a BB gun made by Crossman Arms. I received it in 1967-68 for Christamas, and have had it ever since.
    I have taught little kids how to shoot with it. It works perfectly. from 15-20 feet, it will embed a BB fairly deep into a wood/ lumber fence etc. I put many a streetlight out with it when a young hoodlum.
    To cock to gun, you push the barrel in. It has adjustable sights that work pretty good. You move the slide lever back to open a hatch on one of the holes on the forearm. It even has the magazine still, with the sliding cover!
    Since young, I have always keep things I really like, and kept them in good shape, or at least try to, and this was one of them. This BB gun is very special to me, and part of the beginnings of a lifetime of WW2 collecting and firearms.

    Does anyone out there have one of these M1Carbine BB guns???

    Regards, Steve
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture The firearm that started it all   The firearm that started it all  

    The firearm that started it all   The firearm that started it all  

    The firearm that started it all   The firearm that started it all  

    The firearm that started it all   The firearm that started it all  

    The firearm that started it all  

  7. #27

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    Hey Steve, when i was a kid i use to own a couple of crossman pistols. They were great to grow up with. Yes, shooting out street lights, coke cans, lizards in the summer time. Oh the memories. Thanks for showing

    I never knew they made a Carbine version. Yours looks great!!

    rgds. Ty

  8. #28
    jma
    jma is offline
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    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    [IMG][/IMG]

  9. #29
    jma
    jma is offline
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    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    My 1st was this lee enfield smle, no definate date as it is a commercial model, but around 1920, nice shooter.
    [IMG][/IMG]

    Then i got this russian capture k98, the action been a DOU 44,all other parts a hotch potch as ever. It shoots like an absolute dream though.

    [IMG]

    [IMG][/IMG]


    This is another pic of my smle, the bottom one is an L39 Target rifle which when i aquired it, had only been proof fired.

    [IMG][/IMG]

    I used to have a long lee enfield but sold it a while ago, my only modern rifle at the moment is this 10/22.
    [IMG][/IMG]

    As this is the 1st time iv posted photos, if iv done anything wrong please let me know.

    regards

    jma

  10. #30
    jma
    jma is offline
    ?

    Default Re: The firearm that started it all

    I seem to have dropped a clanger,

    With the double pic post of the mauser.


    not sure what i did

    regards

    jma

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