I started shooting at around 12 with my Dad's Sears single shot .22. My grandfather died when my Dad was 16 and he bought it for him just before he died. As far as shotguns I started with my Dad's Winchester 97 16 gauge. The first guns that I bought was a Remington 572 BDL .22 when I was 14 and an Ithaca 37 12 gauge when I was 16. I bought the Ithaca at J.C. Penny's for $169.