[Ian11]

Unfortunately, I've traded handguns so often the oldest one I've got is a Glock 27.

Year Acquired: May, 2000

Condition Bought: New

Rounds Fired: 2000

Impressions: Packs a great punch in a really small package that is much much easier to shoot than a .38 snub I used to have. Had 1 FTF and 1 FTE so far. But no problems so far since I've changed mag springs. I think smaller guns/subcompact guns require better maintenance of parts and springs. YMMV. I do not plan to part with it any time soon.

[cool45auto]

I bought my Beretta 92fs Vertec last April. As of this past Tuesday I have 1785 rounds thru it. Some people complain about the trigger pull but it suits me just fine. It doesn't have a lot of recoil and is fast to reaquire the target. No FTFs or FTEs. I will never get rid of this gun.:)

[10-Ring]

Acquired used in late May of last year, my USP 9 has seen another 3000 (+/-) rounds through it. It has the older style non-captured guide rod, but that's not a big deal. Not knowing how many rounds it had seen, I changed the large recoil spring and because of the really good deal I got, I invested another $125 and had a match trigger installed.
Dead on accurate out to 25 yards, 100% reliable, stereotypically accurate and very durable.
It was the 4th USP I added to my collection and I'm glad I have it! :D :D :D

[ACP230]

Just after people stopped riding dinosaurs to the local university, I bought a Colt 1911 for $75.
That summer I had Micro target sights added to it. (A mistake, but one made long ago.) One box of .45 cartridges lasted me two years, then I started reloading and the old gun has fired thousands of reloads since then. The Micro sight broke after about 10 years and I had it replaced it with a set of Bomars.

In 1988 I went to the line at the Old Second Chance Bowling Pin Shoot with the Colt 1911 in my hand. I shot poorly, but got better the next year. Cylinder & Slide used to attend the match and throated the 1911 for me one year.

My son shot the old Colt at SC a few years later while I shot a new custom Para pin gun with Hybrid Comp. I still have a fondness for the 1911 and it has been around as a house gun and as a base for a .22 conversion kit since then. It is semi-retired now, but I'll never get rid of it.

I call it The Old Veteran.

[cratz2]

Colt 1991A1 bought in Apr 1993, I think. I put maybe 100 rounds through it the first year with about 5 failures. Next year was maybe 300 or 400 with no failures. Between 1995 and 2000, I probably put 4,000 rounds through it - ball, HydraShoks and the notorious flying ashtray Gold Dots. All with no problems. Eventually I had Ned Christiansen WWII-ize it for me, installed a King's wide spur hammer, checkered GI trigger, checkered GI slide stop and a checkered arched MSH. And a very crisp 5 lb trigger job along with basic reliability work just because he had it there. And I put a pair of smooth figured ebony grips on it to make it look a bit more tactical. :rolleyes: :p

Shoots like a dream and has been 100% reliable since 1994. Nice and very well broken in. It rattles quite a bit, esp the rear mating surfaces of the slide and frame. Barrel in slide fitting is just fine as is the busing to barrel fit. Accurate enough to keep must rounds in about 4" at 25 yards from sandbags which considering the poor sights, ain't half bad. I don't shoot it as much as my favorite Springfield or even as much as my Taurus but it's still nice to get out every once in a while. Esp when someone that fancies GI 1911s is over.

http://photos.imageevent.com/cratz2/guns//ColtMilSpec3.jpg

[cratz2]

Taurus PT99AF bought in 1996. I originally had a basic Beretta but just couldn't get used to the slide mounted safety. Traded it for my first 686 and the Taurus. I did get to keep the two 15 round mags that came with the Beretta.

The Taurus certainly wasn't as nicely finished inside as the Beretta. The PT has most of the black off of the frame rails. The trigger is rough and I still haven't got used to the DA first pull but this was the gun I learned what I call realistic shooting with - drill bills such as draw and shoot one target twice; draw and shoot two targets once each; draw, fire once, replace mag and release slide and fire again. Not sure what that stuff's worth but I did a whole lot of it for a year. 200 rounds a day, two or three days a week for about 4 months - about 8,000 rounds. Slow fire at 25 and 50 yards, three shot bursts and centerfire plinking, this gun help me immeasurably. To this day, it has never failed not once EVER! For a gun that was marked under $300, pretty impressive.

I shot S&B almost exclusively but the gun has fired Winchester, Cor-Bon, Tritons, and my Gold Dots. 115, 124/125 and 147 Gr all worked just fine. It's still one of the guns I shoot the most and the one I would take with me if I ever needed to start some serious poop. I have a group packed somewhere of 5 shots under 4" at 50 yards. Of course, I probably had to shoot 100 groups at 50 yards to get one that small but I'm still pretty proud of it. The barrel still shoots just fine but I suspect the groups wouldn't be as tight as they used to be. I guess I just got the best one ever from what some folks will have you believe.

http://photos.imageevent.com/cratz2/guns//DCP_0783.jpg

[sm]

Model 64 3" HB

Bought new in '80-'82, Can't remember. My longtime freind and gunsmith called and said he just rec'd something I'd like. I'd never handeled a 3" and instantly liked the weight, balance and feel of this roundbutt K frame. Buttery smooth action, accurate, totally reliable. Used for CCW, HD, plinking, target, even small game. I have no idea how many rounds have been through this gun. Recently I had my same friend/gunsmith give it a once over. It has never failed, or caused a problem, just thought after all these years I have it checked out. Still in great shape,many years and miles left in it. Just needs to be shot.

Currently wearing the original factory wooden grips. I'm thinking a set of the Eagle Secret Service would be a nice look and feel.

[cratz2]

Bought a Springfield PI9132L Loaded Target Stainless in June 2002. Best fitted 1911 under $1,000 I've ever handled. Very very little slide to frame play, barrel is tight and I still need to use a bushing wrench. I was so impressed I actually posted on another forum asking if there was any chance it was put in the wrong box by the manufacturer. I bought it, shot it some and replaced the MSH with a Wilson checkered and new Wilson internals. Dropped the trigger pull to 2.5 or 2.6 lbs and no creep. I have trigger jobs on two 1911s that aren't this good. Only other thing I've done is install Mad Dogg G-10 grips. I've carried this gun more than any other gun in the last year other than the P32, of course.

Plenty accurate, I've shot a few 2.5" groups at 25 yards which is good enough for me and a few 12" groups at 100 yards. I've used S&B and Winchester ball, 230 Gr SXTs, 200 and 230 Gr Gold Dots, 185 Gr and 230 Gr Golden Sabers and a few CorBons and . The gun itself was relatively smooth but I had to have both sights rounded down a bit as they were sharp sharp sharp.

As I've said before, it is better fitted than any $660 gun has a right to be. I am completely happy with this purchase.

http://photos.imageevent.com/cratz2/guns//SSSpringfield3.jpg

[Dr.Who]

Can't top ACP230....

My first 1911 was inherited, built 1914... My first experiance came from a the San Francisco Armorer along with a S&W 1917 built in 1918. Shoot them both. The 1911 shoots great but pinches the web between the thumb and trigger finger. Yes a beaver tail will fix it, but I'll never modify it. Just put on a glove. The 1917 is a very nice shooter for a 45acp wheel gun. Will not part with either. Like them so much, bought simular guns to compete with, as to not wear out the the history of these.

Currently shoot 1911 serise 70 competition colt and a 625 PC S&W 45ACP. They are both great and would not part with them. On the 1911 I change the Shok Buffer from time to time with the spring. The only issue I had was a stove piping occurance, which turned out the be poor mag springs. The S&W 625 is very fine, Performance Center does a wonderful job in the tuning of these pieces. Only thing you need to watch are the screws backing out. Regularly check the tension during cleaning, especially the flat spring tension screw. Both of these where bought used.

As with most guns, they will shoot better than I can hold...

Enjoy....:rolleyes:

[cratz2]

EAA Witness Silver Team. I bought this one for $575 with a Gilmore sight installed. Sold the sight on eBay for $150. It's in 98% condition except the holes on the left side for the sight mount. This gun is smooth smooth smooth. It was used by a competitor and I'm told it may have had 20,000 rounds through it before I got it. From the looks of the magazines, I wouldn't doubt it. The barrel was replaced twice both with Karts I am told. This is the first compensated gun I've ever shot much and the 40S&W that I've shot the most as well. I must say that I've been very impressed. Recoil is very light and there is no flip at all but there is a bit of flash with the 165 Gr Gold Dots, esp at night.

I've done more 100 yard shooting with this than any other gun in my collection. It has done pretty well. I have a few 8" groups to show for it. It's never failed in any way though I haven't experimented much ammo-wise. I was told by the original shooter that it worked best with his 155 Gr handloads and I've used American Eagle 155s in it for the most part. It is reliable with 155 and 165 Gr Gold Dots. I bought 1,000 of the 165s and I keep one magazine loaded with those in case I need to rip off 15 'larger-than-9mm' rounds outside. :p

http://photos.imageevent.com/cratz2/guns//DCP_0793.jpg

[TheFrontRange]

I bought a Kimber Custom (pre-Series II) back in January of 2002. All-black, five-inch barrel, Kimber's idea of "basic" 1911.

Within the first maybe five hundred rounds I had three or four stoppages, all of them as best I recall failures to fully seat the first round out of a new magazine.

Since about the five-hundred round mark this pistol has exhibited no stoppages of any kind. I've fed it a steady diet of American Eagle, MagTech, and now Blazer ball ammo, plus Hydra-Shoks, Cor-Bon PowRBall, and my current carry load, Winchester's "white box" 230-grain JHPs. My estimate is that I'm around the 1200-round mark now.

The only "modifications" I've made to the pistol have been the addition of a set of wooden grips that came off a Kimber Eclipse II and some recenty-applied skateboard tape to the grip frontstrap. I have been using Wilson Combat magazines exclusively, both 7- and 8-rounders.

The pistol continues to shoot beyond my ability! :)

[JohnBT]

I bought a NIB blue Ruger Single-Six Convertible with a 5.5" barrel in 1972.

LR rounds fired = unknown
Mag rounds fired = unknown

It's never broken and never failed to fire and is pleasantly accurate with both cylinders.

The trigger pull is still an even 2 pounds.

All guns should be so good.

John

[Bobarino]

bought an H&K USP Compact .40 in early 2000, its been my everyday carry gun since. ~3000 rounds through the gun. 3 FTF, 2 caused by defective bullets (one dented case and one bullet loaded crooked in case), one unexplained. broke my firing pin from dry firing in an attempt to smooth out the trigger. H&K fixed it for free. tigger is indeed smoother now. had trijicon night sights put on it. shot low and the front sight did not fit the dovetail and moved back and forth with only finger pressure. just replaced them with factory HK night sights and they are much better. shoots to point of aim now, unlike the trijicons. i've tried every kind of practice ammo and self defense ammo i could get my hands on and everything fed just fine. finish is holding up very well except for the exctractor and the sharp edges on the front of the slide. just holster wear and hardly noticable.

the DA trigger pull is a little on the heavy side with the stock 14lb mainspring, but it can be replaced with a 12 or 10lb unit from Wolff. (mine is getting the 12 pound spring next)

i am very pleased with it and would buy it again in a heartbeat. i think its one of the best all around guns there is...

Bobby

[Jason Demond]

S&W Sigma 40VE.
Bought it new in Oct. 99 for $314.95.
5500 rounds fired.
2 FTF with reloads, when it was new.
Trigger pull is 7#.

[trapshooter]

The handgun I've had the longest is a S&W 29-3. Blue, 6" bbl.

Bought NIB in 1985 in Commiefornia.

It's killed some snakes, literally. It is still bone-stock. I just can't bring myself to mess with it. It is accurate. It can be powerful, or somewhat less so with .44 spls. With 'moderate' loads it is fast on the followup, and a joy to shoot. Full power shock wave hits you in the chest, but that's just fun. Recoil is not what I consider excessive. I will die owning this gun.

[six 4 sure]

I was given a S&W model 15 on my 21st birthday. Ten years, and a few thousand round later never had a problem. Works like a champ.

Six

[Scott13]

Ruger 22/45

Purchased 2000

condition - used but very little

Rounds - appox 6,000

Has been a good gun for inexpensive target shooting.
The gun has failed to fire a few dozen times . But it is
probably due to the Remington ammo , i've heard
others mention the same problem.
All in all a great tough little gun .

[Ala Dan]

FireArm: .45 caliber West German SIG-Sauer P220A

Date Purchased: 31 March 1995 (2nd one owned)

Use: Law Enforcement On/Off Duty Weapon

Rounds Fired: Unknown


Impressions: Well, its safe to say that I've owned
a bunch of firearms over the past 34 years; but not
one will compare to the Craftsmanship, RELIABILITY, and Accuracy of the .45 caliber SIG-Sauer P220A! As
noted above, this is my second West German made and
assembled P220A (the first was purchased in July of 1988);
and both have performed flawlessly. Both were purchased
NIB, from two different dealer's here in Jefferson County,
AL.

The first P220A saw service as a LEO duty weapon from
July 88 to March 95; at which time it was passed on to
a rookie LEO. The 2nd P220A, is still in use by myself as
we speak. When attending to serious business, I will
always reach for the .45 caliber SIG-Sauer P220A
everytime. It hasn't failed me yet; so why change?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[bad_dad_brad]

Glock (I have a 17 & 19):

Load
Aim
Pull Trigger
Always goes boom

[p35]

6" Security Six bought used in about 1988; my first serious gun and I sometimes wonder why I bothered to acquire any others- this one does everything!

[chaim]

S&W 586, 6" barrel
Bought Used last summer
Rounds fired (by me), somewhere around 2-400

This is my current favorite so I had to list it. Being a revolver it is no surprise that it has not had one hiccup yet. It has the smoothest trigger of any gun I've ever shot, like a warm knife cutting through butter. It is incredibly accurate with everything I've put through it (at 25 feet it is your "six shots, one hole" kinda gun and I'm not even a very good shot).


Bersa Thunder in .380
Bought new about 1 year ago
Rounds fired, a bit over 1K

I picked this one since you all are probably tired of me talking about my CZs. Being a fixed barreled gun this is highly accurate. It hasn't had one hiccup while firing yet (I recall that when I first got it the gun would occasionally do something kinda funky when dry firing but I don't recall what it was since it stopped doing it pretty early on). The only problem is that the beavertail has a sharp corner that will cut my thumb after more than a box or two so I do need to have it "melted" a bit.

[arinvolvo]

edit
I was going to post a mini review of my Steyr...but I opted to post more or less a "full" review on a seperate thread...in this section (general handguns)

[plnkr1234]

Hi Guys,

I have a S&W 3913 from the early 90's when they just came out. I must have put 4-5 cases through it (4-5000 rnds). It has been very reliable. I recently replaced the recoil spring when I was having FTF's and it's back to normal. Otherwise, it has done well through a few pistol courses, as well as being my primary CCW for many years.

It's been shot so much that the frame rails are starting to thin and the slide/frame fit is a little loose, but the barrel to slide lock-up is tight and it's still quite acurate.

It's served well, and I think it is a very underrated pistol. I like it so much that I bought another one NIB a few years ago as a back up for when this one finally wears out. I'm also thinking of getting one of the TSW models. Anyone have one of these? How does it shoot compared to the std model?