How it all started

[JIM FRANCIS]

It all started with this plain, unmarked, perch belly Ohio rifle. She's nothing special, but this is the first longrifle I ever bought. I think I paid $100 for it. That was 50 years ago. Man, that is a hard number to grasp. A lot have come and gone over the years, but I guess I just kept this one for sentimental reasons. Anyone else still have their first one?          Jim

[dogbest]

Nice gun.

[Shreckmeister]

Here's my first one.  8 years ago.  Wish I could have got it for $100

[OLUT]

OK, I'll add my bit. The purchase of my first muzzleloader was when "It all got started" for my collection of over under percussion guns . It was a William E. Robbins  .40rifle/.44 smoothbore gun that I bought from an elderly collector for $100 in 1960. In 1967, I was able to later buy a mule ear type of Robbins in .40rifle/.40 rifle for $259 from Abercrombie & Fitch Co. at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs. That started me on a lifetime interest, and a sizable collection, of this type firearm. I keep swearing that I'm too old to be buying more of them!!!! ( but  the brother of Robbins mule ear should be shipped from Cowan's auction to me in several days)

[homerifle]

I got these two guns when I was 12 years old. That was over 50 years ago. We were a farming community and what we did for entertainment on Saturday nights was go visit with a neighbor. Long story short a good friend had these two tucked  away in his attic. I asked him if he had any old guns and he told me he had these two. He got them out of the attic a week or two later and when we were over for a visit again I got to see them. They looked good to me even though the one was in several pieces and tied together with twine. He said he wanted seventy dollars for the pair. I didn't have but a few dollars saved but if I had all summer I would try to get the money. I picked up soda bottles along the back roads to cash in for the deposit and worked in the hay fields and digging weeds for a local tree nursery. I finally got the funds together and paid for them late in the fall of that year. I should of left the guns alone but worked on them the best a kid could. I used saw dust and glue and put the one back with a Dixie gun works lock. That made due for a while but seeing it was speckling my face whenever I shot it. I put it away for a while until I could fix it properly. Like I said that was over fifty years ago and I still have them. Others have come and gone but these two stared the fever for Hampshire county guns that I still have today.

[JIM FRANCIS]

Thanks guys for posting your "first". Great to see the different styles that started us down this path and the stories that go with them.         Jim

[Avlrc]

Nice stories fellows, thanks for sharing.  I really thought this was going to be a hot thread, maybe a lot of you are like me , started too late and paid high. , that doesn't  make for a good story. You hear a lot of good stories at the shows from  the "old collectors" oops, I mean "experienced".  I always enjoying hearing them.

[JIM FRANCIS]

Avlrc,           I thought it would generate a little more interest too. It doesn't matter when you got it or what it cost. We all had to start somewhere and I enjoy hearing the stories too. I will say that I'm guilty of being an "old collector" and proud of it. LOL          Regards,  Jim

[lexington1]

Here is where I started. It's a J&S Hawken half stock rifle that I bought from a sporting goods store when I was in high school in Colorado in 1978. A very cool old rifle. The lock was marked J&S Hawken and the barrel J&S Hawken St. Louis. The wrist had been snapped and repaired with strips of iron and wrapped in rawhide. The original trigger guard was replaced presumably at the time of the break by a crude iron guard. Has anybody ever seen it? I know these are really crappy pictures, but it was the best I could do with my old polaroid, lol. Man I wish I still had it. I sold it in 1980, because I was as poor as a church mouse, but I always felt like I sold my soul to the devil.

[lexington1]

Here is the first one, that I still have. It's a Daniel Border Bedford rifle.


postimage org browse

[JIM FRANCIS]

Lexington1,   That is a very nice rifle. Thanks for posting. I understand how you felt about selling your Hawken. I'd feel the same way if I sold my first one.  Jim

[douglass]

My 1st longrifle is a Tenn/VA (48" bbl) with iron patchbox & furniture, attached with nails that came from my Newspaper Route Customer, unable to pay $18.00 Paper bill. Happy 13 year old placed rifle across handlebars & hurried home to show Mother the new Prize. Narrowly avoided a whipping for such a stupid trade. Made matching Pistol borrowing the rifle lock (14yrs), parts were not available back in those days. Compounded black powder (recipe from Library) in wooden salad bowl, used #1 buckshot with patch (Percussion Caps were original Civil War period) to kill squirrels behind my house. Rifle still resides over my fireplace after 60+ years. Doug

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... Douglass .... you gotta post a few pictures of that gun .... Me luv'em  Tennessees rifles ... !!!

[homerifle]

Doug, I was hoping you would share that with everyone!

[Avlrc]

My 1st longrifle is a Tenn/VA (48" bbl) with iron patchbox & furniture, attached with nails that came from my Newspaper Route Customer, unable to pay $18.00 Paper bill. Happy 13 year old placed rifle across handlebars & hurried home to show Mother the new Prize. Narrowly avoided a whipping for such a stupid trade. Made matching Pistol borrowing the rifle lock (14yrs), parts were not available back in those days. Compounded black powder (recipe from Library) in wooden salad bowl, used #1 buckshot with patch (Percussion Caps were original Civil War period) to kill squirrels behind my house. Rifle still resides over my fireplace after 60+ years. Doug

That is a great story.  That rifle almost 6 feet long across the handle bars of the bike, made me laugh. Reminded me of the crazy stories Pat McManus use to tell about him, Eddie Muldoon & Retch Swinney. Thanks for sharing.

[lexington1]

I found another pic of the Hawken. I'll keep looking. I know there are some others 

[lexington1]

If anyone ever does run across this, I would love to get some better pics or possibly buy it again

[Cades Cove Fiddler]

  ... Wow, Lex  .... an original Hawken ... !!! .... do you recall the cal. & bbl length ..? ... would be great to be "found" again ......!!!
   

[louieparker]

Lexington its got a great Western look. I hope it still has that look. That all depends who got their hands on it. The guard is a bit different. I love it  .....Louie

[lexington1]

... Wow, Lex  .... an original Hawken ... !!! .... do you recall the cal. & bbl length ..? ... would be great to be "found" again ......!!!
   

I believe the barrel was about 36" or so and ~ .52 caliber. The trigger guard was definitely different. It looks as if somebody had made a replacement out of a strip of iron.

[Shreckmeister]

Here is where I started. It's a J&S Hawken half stock rifle that I bought from a sporting goods store when I was in high school in Colorado in 1978. A very cool old rifle. The lock was marked J&S Hawken and the barrel J&S Hawken St. Louis. The wrist had been snapped and repaired with strips of iron and wrapped in rawhide. The original trigger guard was replaced presumably at the time of the break by a crude iron guard. Has anybody ever seen it? I know these are really crappy pictures, but it was the best I could do with my old polaroid, lol. Man I wish I still had it. I sold it in 1980, because I was as poor as a church mouse, but I always felt like I sold my soul to the devil.

   Man I bet that one could tell a lot of stories.

[lexington1]

I'll bet it could. It definitely looks like it's 'seen the elephant'.

[Feltwad]

A flintlock conversion with a left hand lock in 12 gauge which I bought 69 years ago for the sum of 7 shilling in Pound sterling ,still have it
Feltwad
Patrick of Liverpool

[iloco]

My first rifle was bought in 1974-75.  It was sitting in the gun rack at a Black Powder shop in Fayetteville, NC.
 The shop was run by Lew Sanchez and Buck Buchanan.  The rifle is a SMR Tenn rifle with a Hadaway lock.  45 caliber.
It has one the elonquated grease holes like a few we have seen recently.  Hand forged Trigger guard.  Finish looks to be hand scraped. Walnut wood.
Why I have kelp the rifle all these years I don't know.  I still like it as well as the day I bought it.








pic upload edit

[oldtravler61]

  Iloco I wouldn't part with it either...If I was going to buy an original that would be the style I would look for...