No not miltary, was in the air cadets and got one of those RAF scholarships for university but lost it when me and the air cadet squadron CO had an altercation he lost. I never could take being told what to to do by a**eholes so I obviously wasn't a disciplined service type. If I had joined there would have been a confrontation that I would certainly have lost so it ended well.
Firearms background pretty much self taught, born and brought up with shotguns and rifles on the croft in the highlands. Worked the estates from the age of 12 as Ghillie/Stalker and Keeper then when at Edinburgh university I dabbled in target rifle but then took up fencing seriously I still shot game and clays though. Then got into pistol shooting and military rifle/pistol shooting and collecting in the early eighties and did that 'till the ban in 1997, then concentrated on military rifle collecting and shooting. I have section 7.3 so still shoot pistol. Regular attender and competitor at Pistol AD/Phoenix, HAM and the Trafalgar for more years than I care to remember and have had the odd competitive success. NRA qualified RCO, NSRA qualified RCO, NRA qualified Club Instructor. HBSA full voting member, have given lectures and workshops over the years on firearms history, hand loading and boolit casting. Served in various capacities on club committees currently chairman of St Giles Yarners rifle and pistol club. Been handloading and boolit casting since I was eight years old with my father and various keepers and stalkers I was lucky enough to meet and work with. Now having retired from the world of work I'm self employed as a RFD specialising in historic firearms and hard to source cast boolit supplies
There is a snapshot of a lifetime with guns and shooting just as many others here have done, so nothing special really. I feel myself fortunate to have found such a rewarding interest and passion that has been my companion all of my life so far.
Sorry to bore but you did ask.