Why or how did you get started into guns? 

So many political and other threads going on, I wanted to get back to discussion on guns and how they are something that we all enjoy.

I got started with shooting back in college.  A bunch of older guys were in criminal justice and a bunch of them and friends would go shooting often.  It was awesome!  Local ranges in the Seattle area had a great selection of rental guns, cheap ammo, fun moving target video projection in the shooting bays, etc.  Soon I wanted one of my own.  First gun was an HK USP Compact 40.  Don't shoot that gun that much these days, but still have it.

My dad owns guns, but he didn't shoot them when I was growing up.  He would tell me stories of how he and his brothers would shoot when they were younger and lived on Molokai.  He is into guns and knives.  I would take him to the pistol range here and there.  When he bought a couple of CMP rifles, we shot the 1903 a bunch of times at Koko Head.  Funny because I enjoyed shooting his 1903 and he liked my Rem 700 better.  I was buying all the ammo though.   

I used to shoot quite often when I lived in Seattle.  Even had CCW, but that was initially to get around the 5 day waiting period at the time, but I eventually started carrying.  Before I moved back to HI, I was close to buying a lever action and revolver combo in .357 Mag for when we would venture into the Cascades to camp and fish.

Ended up moving back to HI and took a break from shooting.  Mostly because I was not really aware of shooting opportunities.  Then a buddy and I checked out one of those ranges in Waikiki and shot AR, AK, shooty, etc. and I was hooked again, this time on the AR!  Holy that turned out to be an expensive venture to the Waikiki shooting range!

Anyways, how'd you get into guns? 

COD4

Before that BB guns as a kid

Way before Hawaii became a state, it was a part of growing up....

I've always wanted to be a gun owner, but my dad's rules of the home is no guns in the house.  He's not anti-2a (as in goes out of his way to take them away), but just doesn't like them.  So I had to wait until I moved out of the home. 

So when I moved out (with the gf), I wanted to propose so I had to save for a ring.  Then save for the wedding and to buy a condo.  Finally about 1 year ago, all the finances were in order so I could start the addiction.

But my fascination with guns started when I was in elementary school, watching military movies.  Navy Seals was one of my favorites and I loved the MP5.

2009, after o'bama elected
a friend suggested we try to take a safety class so we could purchase firearms
we were concerned that we might never get a chance to own if gun-grabbing began
he had contact with the owner of waikiki gun club, and arranged for a safety class on our day off since we both work saturdays
this was before there were so many people who were certified instructors, and it was more difficult to obtain your affidavit
we took the class from eugene lee there, and the rest is history...

1985 Nintendo duck hunt!

Half the family hated guns and half the family loved them. The gun-loving half also knew a lot more about having fun.

I was issued a M14 in August 1965 and trained to shoot it.

No one told me to stop training, though I am not so diligent these days.

Pellet guns as a youth.
We used to shoot single shot pellet guns until we cut cans in half as kids and teens. (Cans hanging from a tree. Open sight Crosman 760's)

Then the day the wife said OK, you can keep a gun in the house.
(20 years later)

My family, friends, and relatives are mostly antigun.  I grew up with the mindset that only police and military should have them.

When I was a child, my father's friend let me shoot his bb gun a few times and I enjoyed that.  In High school I joined JROTC because I wanted to shoot but found out they didn't have a program.  Joined the military where I got to shoot a firearm for the first time, then bought a Glock 22 when I turned 21 because I wanted to be a fbi agent.

used to go shooting outer island when i was a kid.

guns i was shooting was semi 22lr - kind of like a sa-22, but different model tube feed, and no takedown.  not sure what model.  22mag/20ga overunder.  then later 20/16/12ga shotgun.   Didn't get much into shooting again until much later.

COD4

Before that BB guns as a kid

It amazed me at how much COD and other games affect things.  Like when I volunteered at the SSF, I was working at the 22 table and these kids, like 12ish would want to shoot the MP5.  The procedure is to load for them, but many asked to load themselves.  After getting some feel that they're safe, you eventually let them.  I handed one kid the gun, gave him the mag.  He put it in, slapped the charging handle (or whatever the proper term for it) and he was ready to rock!  First time I saw that I was like WHOA!  I asked how he knew how to do that and the father said COD. 

2009, after o'bama elected
a friend suggested we try to take a safety class so we could purchase firearms
we were concerned that we might never get a chance to own if gun-grabbing began
he had contact with the owner of waikiki gun club, and arranged for a safety class on our day off since we both work saturdays
this was before there were so many people who were certified instructors, and it was more difficult to obtain your affidavit
we took the class from eugene lee there, and the rest is history...

I took my handgun class from Eugene, but back when he was still with OGC. 

The 2009 timeframe is when I really got into ARs.  Then the craze hit of 2012-2013 ish timeframe where everything went ballistic. 

I was issued a M14 in August 1965 and trained to shoot it.

No one told me to stop training, though I am not so diligent these days.

Do you own a Springfield M1A?  I've always wanted one. . .

It amazed me at how much COD and other games affect things.  Like when I volunteered at the SSF, I was working at the 22 table and these kids, like 12ish would want to shoot the MP5.  The procedure is to load for them, but many asked to load themselves.  After getting some feel that they're safe, you eventually let them.  I handed one kid the gun, gave him the mag.  He put it in, slapped the charging handle (or whatever the proper term for it) and he was ready to rock!  First time I saw that I was like WHOA!  I asked how he knew how to do that and the father said COD.

I'm actually seeing stuff like this A LOT now on other forums.  The new battlefield went back to WWI, so a lot of younger people are interested in vintage guns again.  Some people complain that their interest isn't really real, but I think it's a good thing.

I remember playing COD2, which was set back in wwii.  The gun i liked using the most in that game was the kar98, both iron sights and scoped.  That gun (at least in the game) was a beast.

I posted in the "WTB" section about the 1907 winchester.  If you look at this youtube video, the last 8 of 10 comments were from people that were interested in the gun because of battlefield 1, which is mindboggling because it essentially is (or was) a forgotten gun.  That is despite being a popular gun with both law enforcement and criminals due to its good, for the era, penetration ability through car doors and such.

When I was a kid, I used to play with my uncle's BB gun every time we visited.

I'm actually seeing stuff like this A LOT now on other forums.  The new battlefield went back to WWI, so a lot of younger people are interested in vintage guns again.  Some people complain that their interest isn't really real, but I think it's a good thing.

I remember playing COD2, which was set back in wwii.  The gun i liked using the most in that game was the kar98, both iron sights and scoped.  That gun (at least in the game) was a beast.

I posted in the "WTB" section about the 1907 winchester.  If you look at this youtube video, the last 8 of 10 comments were from people that were interested in the gun because of battlefield 1, which is mindboggling because it essentially is (or was) a forgotten gun.  That is despite being a popular gun with both law enforcement and criminals due to its good, for the era, penetration ability through car doors and such.

Yeah, I think it's a positive thing.  You'll always have gun snobs who will say that those getting into guns because of video games, or whatever that they don't feel is "right" isn't really real.  To me, the more people enjoying guns responsibly is a great thing!  One of the things I love about the gun community is how open many are to sharing the experience with others.  Like when first started shooting my AR at Koko Head, I would be next to a bolt gun guy.  Some would get all mad because of the brass (this was before I had a brass net), but I came across many who were genuinely interested in ARs.  So we would have a conversation and I'd let him sample my AR.  I was just starting to be interested in bolt guns when too, so he had me try his gun.  Win-win! 

Forgot about BB guns and stuff like slingshots when I was little.  There were a lot less birds in the neighborhood because of it.   

Back in 1965 the Watt's Riots took place in Los Angeles. The rioting spread throughout Los Angeles County and down into Long Beach where I lived with my parents. After hearing gun shots out in front of our house my father came into my room and made me get in my closet and hide. That was the first time I ever saw terror in his eyes. After about a week he brought home 1911 (in .45 ACP). After firing it and finding out it kicked too much for him, he sold/bought or traded for S&W Model 59 9mm. He practiced with this gun every weekend. He bought a High Standard Duramatic .22 auto pistol. I shot that pistol and subsequent High Standard .22 pistols when I was 7. When I was 12 I got into .22 rifle target shooting through an NRA program for children. Earned all my medals and patches and started shooting competition.

My father also bought a P-08 Luger made in 1918 and a Belgium High Power. That got me started in appreciating older military style guns. When I was old enough to start buying my own guns I purchased two High Standard .22 Revolvers and Victor target pistol, a Marlin Model 60 .22 rifle to go with my Anschutz Model 64, a MAB P-15 in 9mm, and I bought a S&W Model 66 in .357 Magnum. At 21 or 22 I started reloading my own ammo. I got hooked early on guns. As much as I practiced and kept the MAB as my home defense gun, I began to really appreciate the fine points of a well made revolver.

My friends were into bird hunting here on Maui when we got out of high school so I wanted to try my hand at that. Went to the local Honsport and bought a 20 gauge shot gun. Back then you could buy firearms and walk right out of the store. Those were the days.

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Im a physician,  when I was working in Oregon we had several patients threaten to kill me over pain medications at the clinic.  Mostly people that got caught selling them and didnt like getting their income supply cut off.  My employer would not pay for security for the clinic so I took a class, got concealed handgun permit and got a Springfield XD 45.  I went on to get permission to carry at the office and had a quick access safe at my desk.  I was the only employee (even hospital security) to carry at this "gun free zone" hospital system. 

The XD was big so worked my way smaller.  Spent lots of time at the range and learning to clean and disassembly them.  Loved the engineering that went into them and quickly started collecting firearms that had interesting mechanisms to them or weird quirks. 

I was thinking about getting a rifle around the time sandyhook happened.  I was not going to pay $2000 for a entry level AR.  So I learned how to do 80% AR receivers. 
Eventually got into C&R and got a C&R FFL.  Collected old and new firearms, ammo, accessories 

Started building more 80% guns.  I made a 1911 80% from match parts.  Then made a 80% 460 roland 1911. 

Then I made a single shot 80% 50 bmg that was the firearm I was most proud of.  Even had a Raufoss MK 211 round for it. 

I started making wood grips for 1911's and started making replica stocks for some of the C&R firearms that had trashed stocks. 

Long story short -
got tired of corporate medicine
Got tired of fighting for rights (like having my C&R FFL made illegal in Oregon)
Gave all my firearms and accessories to my son as an early inheritance and moved to Hawaii