What path did you trace to shooting?

[snayperskaya]

Got a BSA Meteor for Christmas when I was 12 which was followed by numerous other air rifles and pistols over the years and fairly recently decided it was time to move on to full bore with an interest in Russian firearms.

[Demonic69]

I wonder how many air cadets vs army or navy still shoot.

[HALODIN]

Father in the military who taught me to shoot air rifles around 13 years old --> bought an air pistol at university --> bought deacts when I came home --> sold deacts and bought 3 air rifles a few years ago --> eventually found my way here and then a way in to a rifle club about a year ago. If I new how to join a shooting club 10 years ago, I would have. I'm a ripe 41 now and I'm starting the cycle earlier with my son, who's 8 and also a member at my local club.

[BamBam]

Grew up in Africa. Got handed a .22 single shot and a box of ammo at age 11.
Cadets and army followed.

[StangGT]

Interesting stuff folks, thanks for sharing. It's a fairly confusing hobby for us newbies...!

[mr smith]

As somewhere above started out with a BSA Meteor shortly joined by various other air rifles and pistols.Also shot in the cadets and T.A. not that there was ever much in the way of ammo on the go.Joined one of the local clubs and shot pistols and full bore rifles and a bit of vermin control till the ban came in.The timing of the ban and a young family meant i sold everything off,then several years ago i won tickets for a local country fair.There was a stand for the local airgun club,i joined them and shot CO2 pistols for about a year till i found my old fullbore club was still on the go so quickly rejoined.Now shoot gallery rifle PSG and vermin....happy days.

[paulbradley]

Started with air rifle as a boy. Joined a small bore rifle club. Joined the NSRA. Became interested in full bore many years later. Joined a local fullbore club. Joined the NRA. Joined clubs at Bisley. I find the forums have been a godsend. Pre internet it was all word of mouth with no easy way of gaining relevant info. Now its all at our finger tips. Fantastic.

[DaveB]

Started as a lad, with a very uphill battle - my father developed a severe dislike of firearms post WWII and didn't want me to have anything to do with firearms. I finally got him to agree to let me have a Daisy Red-Ryder BB gun (about 1966 as I recall), then progressed to a pellet gun. Joined the army at 17 and subsequently shot at service competitions (pistol, SMG and sniper rifle). Then of course I got a staff job, where I was expected to have little if anything to do with firearms. I joined the army because I loved shooting and got promoted to the point where I didn't get to do any shooting - go figure!

Since it was clear the army wasn't going to fund my passion, I joined civilian clubs to pursue my hobby (my wife would argue that it goes way past a hobby - and that I go through withdrawal if I don't shoot for more than a week). Been shooting ever since - pistol, F-class rifle, Service Rifle, and clay birds.

[IainWR]

Went to university, at the freshers fair the University Air Squadron (that I set out to join and led me to a 33-year career in the RAF) had the stand next to the University Rifle Club (that had never occurred to me, but led to a sport to GB level and a job at the NRA). They offered me a free shoot - I'm not just Scottish, I'm from Aberdeen - so I went, and was hooked.

Five years later I passed out of Cranwell and went to No1 Flying Training School, where an RAF Regiment officer with the slightly unfortunate name of Mike Ryan asked me to go to Bisley with the Station team for RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

In amongst the SLR, SLP, LMG and SMG events, somebody handed me an L39 Target Rifle. I duly competed in the Karachi Cup (for newcomers) and shot well enough to be in a tie-shoot for the trophy. As I got up having lost the tie-shoot, the nice bloke who had kept my score said "I have a club you need to join young man". That was Chris Fitzpatrick, Captain of the RAF team, who took me through the sport and led me to people who taught me to the standard where I shot for the RAF, then Combined Services, then for Scotland (thank you Hamish Hunter for the step up to National competition and the recognition that goes with it), and Great Britain (thank you John Bloomfield for the critical break), and went on to lead Great Britain, and then when 34 years after we met Chris led GB to Canada last year I was Adjutant for one of his winning teams and a shooter in the other against Canada.

It's a sport for life.

[Charlotte the flyer]

Air Training Corps for me : 2352 Sqn L98 :-( L81 and No8
A bit of .22 at the Michelin range in Stoke
Few goes on fun stuff in the USA
Hooked up with Leeroy on here who got me back into UK shooting. (who was also a Cadet)

We could start a virtual detached flight with all of the brill creams on here!