Memories are important so keep that old air gun!

[r1lover]

Every time I see a thread picturing an air gun someone still owns after 40 or 50 years I regret all over again tossing my 1974 Sheridan in the trash in the late '80's because I acquired something bigger and better.

There probably aren't many kids reading these forums but 99% of adults here have kids or grandkids. If you have young ones in the family who shoot, don't let them throw their early (especially first) air guns away because they graduate to an "adult" air gun. Keep them for them if you have to.

Past memories will eventually outnumber future dreams 100:1 and they will appreciate being able to hold and look at those old guns, even if they're broken, and relive those memories in their minds.

I wish I still had every one of mine.

 

[AaronKrebs]

Well said!

 

[Bandito]

That's some deep philosophizing there. And 20/20 hindsight. Not criticizing you at all r1lover. As it applies to me and I'm sure others here, it is truth, but stings a bit too. Had a Daisy model 25 pump that I wish I could still mess with. Still have a Crossman 600 .22 I may have to get fixed. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Be Well Brothers, Bandito.

 

[silverstreak]

Very true- my childhood sheridan was stolen years ago, no other rifle can or has replaced that loss...

 

[Treefrog]

R1Lover is correct.

After over fifty-years of looking for a 760 like the one my (now late) brother received for Christmas in 1967, I finally found it at the swap meet. It's not identical, but with the wood furniture it's close enough.

Every time I shoot it, it takes me back to the time that we spent (on the back steps and in the cold) putting BBs into the pine tree in the back yard. I wouldn't trade it, (or those times) for anything. It's the gun I shoot the most.

Remember when,

J~

 

[Kgphotos]

Great post. My very first air rifle was a Crosman 760 Pump Master. Christmas 1979. Lord knows how many poor birds fell to that little rifle and my “blood thirsty youth”. My grandparents lived on five acres and were bordered by fruit and nut orchards. It was heaven for kids like my brother and I.
I still have that Crosman 760 and it still holds on to those memories. It needs a rebuild of internals as it won’t hold pressure any longer. Looks pretty good on the outside though.
Kenny

 

[Moog]

We often took for granted what we had.

Like others have said above I also started out with a Crosman 760. I was about 12 when I got it. It came from a neighbor that was having a garage sale. I had lots of great adventures with it in the woods at our summer home in the north east. I can't remember why but I preferred shooting bbs out of it instead of pellets.

 

[orangeokie]

Still have my Benjamin 312 from 60 years ago. I need to refurbish it.

 

[Struckat]

Bought this one new in 1986. up to 2008 or so it was my only. Shot a lot, and (gasp) I’ve let my kids use it too.

it shoots as good as new and has never been apar.

 

[threesuns]

The regret is likely what rekindled my obsession.

 

[jccams]

Wish I would have read this 10 years ago. I pitched my Daisy 880 that I had since I was 11 because it no longer developed pressure. Didn't realize it could be rebuilt until I got into airguns and joined a couple of forums 6 years ago. I did buy a replacement and it is as accurate as my original but it's all plastic compared to steel like my old one, I miss her.

Anyway, great advice!

 

[grackleblast]

Crosman 760 , smoothbore ; 1968. A 12 year old terrorizing the sparrows and chipmunks. 10 pumps of the forearm and look out critters.

 

[steve123]

My poor old BB and pellets guns from my youth got severely abused by myself and my friends. My Diana M27 the barrel got bent from friends pulling the trigger while the barrel was cocked back. The Daisy Field Master quit working. The M760 quit creating pressure.

The curse continues a bit because a dozen years ago I won a soft gun case in raffle and left my FX Royale in it and next time I got it out it was rusted up pretty bad. I wondered why because I live in a arid region in AZ, "hadn't had a problem like this before in my other gun cases", and after some research it turned out some foams retain moisture. Why they'd put this particular foam in a gun case to save a few bucks is stupid and if the company who donated this case knew about this problem well that's even worse.

 

[Bngen3]

My late Pops 1976 342 on top and my 1975 on bottom. Just resealed his and replaced the safety switch and hammer spring. New hammer spring in mine and refinished both stocks all within last few months. Mine is worse for wear as I was gifted this by my dad’s cousin when I was a kid and I took that thing everywhere in the woods. Pops got his new 10 years earlier and looks way better than mine. Still have the 1377 which was the first gun I bought myself at venture in ‘85

 

[Northwoods22]

Every time I see a thread picturing an air gun someone still owns after 40 or 50 years I regret all over again tossing my 1974 Sheridan in the trash in the late '80's because I acquired something bigger and better.

There probably aren't many kids reading these forums but 99% of adults here have kids or grandkids. If you have young ones in the family who shoot, don't let them throw their early (especially first) air guns away because they graduate to an "adult" air gun. Keep them for them if you have to.

Past memories will eventually outnumber future dreams 100:1 and they will appreciate being able to hold and look at those old guns, even if they're broken, and relive those memories in their minds.

I wish I still had every one of mine.

Well said.

There have been many airguns and firearms I've regretted selling, trading, or just forgetting about over the years. Wish I would have kept many of them. I still have a few guns from back then. Back in junior high school I was into shooting NRA rimfire pistol bullseye. The club also had 10m air pistol matches that I really wanted to participate in.

The guys at the club let me try out, and told me I should buy a Daisy 717. Saved up $60, a fair amount of cash for a teen in the early 1980's, and bought one. I still own that pistol, and I still enjoy shooting it 40+ years later.

I must have done something right, because my now adult daughter loves all the guns of her youth enough that she'll never sell or trade any of them. So many good memories.

The 717 I bought in junior high-