My dad retired as a full-bird Colonel from SOCOM, but he was a reservist his whole career. He is a Green Beret but the vast majority of his service fell in that valley of peace, unique in the history of the USA (and western world), between 1972 and 2001. As far as I know he has never purchased a gun. In 2009 I got a “deal” on a top notch, semi-custom AR 15 that I bought for him since my folks live out in the country now and there is bear shit all over their property. Although we like to take ourselves seriously here on TTAG, and we don’t “hit” (get it?) the range without purpose. On Father’s Day 2011 I showed my dad how to work the Butler Creek .22 magazine loader that was his present, and we spent most of the day plinking a 10/22 Compact (i.e. “youth model” b/c his shoulder is fucked up) at a cardboard box just for the fun of it. Did you commune father-and-son, or son-and-father via firearms on Father’s Day?
Sure did. My son and I blew the hell out of a bunch of orange clay Frisbees at a local trap range. Had a great time.
My dad took me out to the woods exactly one time. Once. He brought his 20 gauge. I brought my break-action, single-shot .410. At the time I thought it was pretty cool. Looking back, I realize we were a couple of clueless Nimrods. We waited, none-too-patiently, for something to shoot. “Something” was busy that day so “Nothing” showed up. Eventually, we went to plinking at cans. This attracted the attention of a couple of buzzards. I asked my dad if I could shoot them. He said, “Sure.” I raised my .410 and drew a bead a foot or so ahead of the buzzard. BAM! I hit him! But with a .410 with a full choke and some bird shot, the buzzard was barely fazed. He dropped about five feet in altitude and kept on flying. That was the closest I got to ‘getting’ anything. We left not long after than, and I suppose my dad felt like he’d done his fatherly duty, training me in the manly arts.
We didn’t go back.
On a brighter note, I just got back from the range with my 13-year-old daughter, where she tore a silver dollar-sized hole in a target at about 15 feet with her Ruger 10/22 and my Henry Golden Boy. The kid can handle herself.
No actual firing pin action on my part. But, I did melt lead to make about 50 pounds of ingots – ready for the bottom pour pot into the bullet molds. I suppose you could call it “firearm related” as that lead will find it’s way down a barrel in the next few months.
My Dad has been gone for almost 45 years, but I remember when he taught me to shoot as if it was yesterday. My first shot with my little .22 rifle went right into the red. If that wasn’t the best day of my life, it had to be in the top two. Treat your parents well, my brothers and sisters. Treat them well.
I, very thankfully after his battle with cancer, still have mine. He started me on a K-Mart special Enfield No.4Mk.1 at the age of 10. The shot went into the red, as did my shoulder.
I went to shoot sporting clays with my step-dad. I asked my dad to come along, but he wanted to stay home to watch golf. I explained that sporting clays was like golf, except things actually happen. He still didn’t want to go .
Me and a buddy took his son out to the range. Shot a hundred or two of shells, a bunch of 9’s and .40’s then we rented a couple to try out.
Buuurr said “then we rented a couple to try out.”
The image that popped into my head after this line was not family friendly.
Nice. Get your mind out of the gutter Bob.
Yes, I conducted day two of an NRA Pistol Instructors Class for a high value group of instructor level candidates. It was a long day, exhausting but a ton of fun!
I would have but it was Father’s day for my WIFE’S father too…
Yup, went the gun range in Wilton, ND. Shot my sps .308, vtr .308 and mossberg maverick 88 tac 12…good times for sure.
Had Fathers day today since my daughter was at her moms for the weekend. She was able to ring the gongs at 200 yards with her 10-22 equipped with a red dot. She is only 6. I was real proud 🙂
Nice Shooting!
I worked on hand polishing a throat and ramp job on my High Standard 1911 with Spyderco ceramic files-while in company of my furry babies, Piggy and Odin.
Oh, I got a card on my pups’ behalf from my girl.
My dad turned 60 last month. I got him a Ruger LCR. It was the only gun at the last gun show he liked. On Father’s Day my daughters and I took dad out to the “back 40” and we all shot about 300 rounds of .38 and about 1500 in .22lr.
He was a proud Grandfather that day. He just loved watching his granddaughters destroy soda cans all day. Watching him made me a proud son.
That old fart turned out to be pretty cool.
Fired off 100 rounds at the local sporting clays course.
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