What was your first rabbit gun?

[Redhunter1012]

My grandpa's Winchester model 37 single shot sixteen gauge was my first rabbit gun.

Just picked up a model 37A in a .410 the other day. Total rust bucket and beat up wood. I already have the metal looking great and sanded the wood and applied the first coat of linseed oil. Wished i wouuld of taken a before pic.

My first rabbit gun was a savage 20 guage 22 O/U

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[GoetsTalon]

Sounds like mine when I got it. I think I was around 13 when grandpa died. It was rough. Sanded the stock and used linseed oil also and then reblued the barrel which turned out great. The receiver didn't take the blue like the barrel and is more silver than blue. Mine is a red letter with Winchester on the bottom of the receiver but no red paint remains in the letters. It's still a solid gun. I killed so many squirrels with it back then that I sent them to mepps and got free lures for them. I'll get it out tomorrow and take some pics.

 

[GoetsTalon]

I remember a guy on gunbroker had a set of every gauge made all new in the box. No serial numbers on these old 37's so dating them is plus or minus ten years lol. Felt good to get it out of the safe and remember grandpa!

 

[Redhunter1012]

I remember a guy on gunbroker had a set of every gauge made all new in the box. No serial numbers on these old 37's so dating them is plus or minus ten years lol. Felt good to get it out of the safe and remember grandpa!View attachment 59884

Ahh, what a great looking gun! Its been fun giving this gun new life. I put another coat of oil on it a bit ago. Probably one more coat tomorrow and waiting to get the forearm spacer. I will post some pics when its done

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[bigten05]

Single shot 410

 

[Hortontoter]

My first shotgun was and Iver Johnson single shot .410. That gun put quite a dent in the game population in Portage County in the late 60's. I sure miss the fox squirrel pot pies my mother made from squirrels I killed with that gun.

 

[Sgt Fury]

I asked the question but forgot to say what my first rabbit gun was....it was a Ithaca model 37 featherlight 20 gauge pump. The action was so worn that when you pointed the barrel skyward and pressed the release button on the trigger guard, the action would slide half way open. I loved the gun but upgraded to a Browning 20 gauge O/U.

 

[tracker 6]

That's not worn ' that's broken in !!!

 

[CJD3]

My first was a old Stevens 16 Gage.
And yes... I still have it.

Early to mid 1970's

 

[Archertl]

28 ga LC Smith sxs. I still hold that the 28 ga is the best squirrel, rabbit and grouse shotgun.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Here's a half ass finished pic of the model 37a i fixed up. The metal looked like it was covered in cheetos dust with all the surface rust. The wood was beat up and had most of the varnish gone. Overall just some fine steel wool, some hand sanding, and few coates of oil is all it took. Oh, and a new forearm spacer from Brownells. Should make a fine beginner gun for Greyson

 

[Jackalope]

Here's a half ass finished pic of the model 37a i fixed up. The metal looked like it was covered in cheetos dust with all the surface rust. The wood was beat up and had most of the varnish gone. Overall just some fine steel wool, some hand sanding, and few coates of oil is all it took. Oh, and a new forearm spacer from Brownells. Should make a fine beginner gun for GreysonView attachment 60298

Looming good man.

 

[at1010]

Great gun pictures and stories- I was a few of you all and shot my first bunnies with a New England Firearms - 20GA.

One of my favorite memories hunting:

My grandpa and I had a farm to hunt just about 15mins from the house. The darn deer hunting sucked but it was chalk full of rabbits. I was around 8 years old and grandpap and I pulled up that day in his old Buick. The day was just a perfect fall feeling day. We didnt have a dog - grandpa complained about it alot as he ALWAYS had dogs - but we start busting brush. We werent 10 mins into the hunt and there goes a bunny - I swing, pull, and hammer him! Honest to gosh, I dont think I could make that shot today but my 8 year old self was on it!! All done with the old NEF 20GA.

Fortunate enough to still have my granpap around but at 94 - we are not able to make memories like that anymore so these are ones I hold close to my heart. Thanks for starting this thread, brought up some great memories!

 

[Sgt Fury]

Here's a half ass finished pic of the model 37a i fixed up. The metal looked like it was covered in cheetos dust with all the surface rust. The wood was beat up and had most of the varnish gone. Overall just some fine steel wool, some hand sanding, and few coates of oil is all it took. Oh, and a new forearm spacer from Brownells. Should make a fine beginner gun for GreysonView attachment 60298

Great job! Looks like it’s brand new.

 

["J"]

Great gun pictures and stories- I was a few of you all and shot my first bunnies with a New England Firearms - 20GA.

One of my favorite memories hunting:

My grandpa and I had a farm to hunt just about 15mins from the house. The darn deer hunting sucked but it was chalk full of rabbits. I was around 8 years old and grandpap and I pulled up that day in his old Buick. The day was just a perfect fall feeling day. We didnt have a dog - grandpa complained about it alot as he ALWAYS had dogs - but we start busting brush. We werent 10 mins into the hunt and there goes a bunny - I swing, pull, and hammer him! Honest to gosh, I dont think I could make that shot today but my 8 year old self was on it!! All done with the old NEF 20GA.

Fortunate enough to still have my granpap around but at 94 - we are not able to make memories like that anymore so these are ones I hold close to my heart. Thanks for starting this thread, brought up some great memories!

Pick a nice day, get a couple of camp chairs, a thermos and go sit out in that field with him and just take it all back in...

 

[at1010]

I wish I could J. The farm went for sale around 10 years ago. My parents almost bought the ground be decided not too. Someone bought it, built a huge beautiful house on it, tore out the rabbit thicket, etc. Had I been where I am now, Id been owning that ground and built my own house there for sure!

However - we have taken him to deer camp a few times in SE Ohio. Sat him on the porch and just watched the world go buy. He almost always tells me about the moose he killed the day I was born, with his 300 savage - that is another story for another day!

 

[Geezer II]

Stevens single shot .410

 

[brock ratcliff]

HR, 20 gauge. I don't think I ever killed one on the run with it. My son likes to carry it these days.

 

["J"]

The first gun that was actually mine was a Montgomery Ward 16 ga pump. I believe at the time Stevens actually made their guns for them marketed with their store name on it.

 

[giles]

Doing some thinking while laying in bed and remembered this thread. Seems we’ve gained a bunch of new people this season, let’s bunp this. I like this kind of talking.