[Wedge]

What was your first handgun that you purchased (as opposed to given as a gift) that you selected and why did you get it? What did you learn after that first purchase?

My first handgun was purchased after MANY months of deliberations. I wanted the ultimate gun, one that could do anything, and ended up purchasing a .45 Colt/.45 ACP Ruger Blackhawk. The price was right (after some coupons and discounts I ended up getting it below cost), but the gun was definitely not the perfect gun.

Pros:
It shot .45 Colt which basically meant it could be loaded up to .44 Mag levels
It shot .45 ACP which meant I could shoot "cheap" (compared to .45 Colt)
It was concealable under a flannel or a Carhartt

Cons:
It shot .45 Colt which basically meant I needed to start reloading. After spending $60 on some Cor-bon ammunition it didn't take long to figure out that anything heavy needed to be loaded on my own. This isn't necessarily bad but I was on a budget and didn't realize how expensive .45 Colt ammo was.
.45 ACP was cheaper, but still cost about 20 cents a shot.
It was concealable under a flannel or a Carhartt. Basically it was useless as a CCW (though I did carry it on occasion, mostly because it was cold and I could)

I bought the gun to target shoot, hunt, carry in the woods and thought possibly CCW. Well the CCW part was a big maybe and turned into a definite no way. Target shooting was fine, but got expensive and then after I got the reloading equipment became much more enjoyable (and more accurate). I never really hunted with the gun, only carried it with me hunting, I never sat down with just the pistol and said I was going to hunt with that only.

Being my first gun, I really love it and still have it. I reload for it and occasionally bring it to the range. But it ended up not being what I really wanted. I should have prioritized more. What I thought I wanted was something uber powerful, like a Dual quad-cab diesel and what I really needed was a Subaru Outback. I got tired pretty quickly of loading up the Ruger only loads and just save some of those for when I do take it with me hunting...my loads are almost all standard .45 Colt pressure with a 200gr. LSWC to reduce the felt recoil.

Target shooting ended up being top of my list and the cost/time for producing ammo really started to get to me. Plus I could realistically only shoot so much heavy stuff before fatigue set in. Second was the desire to have a sidearm in the field but not necessarily for hunting with. Third was the impossibility of CCW.

Like I said I love the gun, and love the versatility of the caliber but it really wasn't a necessary caliber for me.

A friend of mine went one step further and bought a Ruger SRH in .454 Casull. His thinking was he could shoot .45 Colt "cheap" and have the .454 loads for hunting. This was his first handgun.

Both of us went into this thinking we needed the biggest and baddest gun out there with the mindset that we could always download. In the end we would shoot downloaded ammo 95% of the time. The guns were expensive reminders that you need to prioritize and quit lying to yourself.

I bought a 9mm as my second handgun and have shot that more in 3 months than I shot the Ruger BH in 3 years. My friend bought a snubby .38 special and did the same. Turned out that target shooting and CCW were more important to me (and him) than having a hunting handgun that you only use once or twice a year. The Blackhawk is still awesome and I will never part with it, but it was a poor choice as a first handgun.

So what stories does everyone else have about their first? Was it the right choice? What did you do different on the second.

[Croyance]

I was not looking for the ultimate gun, but mine boiled down to a choice between the:
Beretta 92 FS
Browning Hi-Power
CZ-75B

I was looking for something a beginner could control that could be used for home defence. What I read seemed to indicate that the 9x19 would be adequate.
The CZ-75B was not to be found in my area at the time and I wanted to be able to handle what I would buy, so that was off the list.
I was iffy on whether or not a single action would be right for a first gun. I now think it would be if the person stays aware of their trigger finger, as everybody should be anyways.
I ended up getting the Beretta 92. I have found it to be reliable and durable. Thousands of rounds through it.

I don't know how much looks had to do with it, they are all good looking guns.
I have now owned all three. I see that my choices were all good guns.
Had I known then what I knew now, my list of potential guns would have been larger. Of this list, I would have gotten the HiPower first - it simply fits my hand better so I am more consistantly accurate with it.
I might have gotten a 1911 if I knew more about recoil, but I was iffy on the subject then.

[yongxingfreesty]

glock 19, issued gun to the terrorists in counterstriker

[GroovedG19]

Glock model 19 was my first(pistol and firearm).

Wanted a Glock due to their reputation for reliability.Seeing so many policemen carrying glocks was definitely a factor.It was a reliable and enjoyable pistol for the time I had it(traded).

Some downsides.At the time I purchased it, it came with 10rd mags.These caused "last-round nose dive" jams.Got the standard capacity(15rds.)mags after the ban and it was 100% reliable.

I'll eventually pick up a G26 to replace it as a main carry pistol.

[ChiefThunderstick]

Since getting a permit in NJ, where I used to live, was such an ordeal, I didn't want to waste it on a small caliber, such as a .22LR. I opted to get a Dan Wesson Pistol Pack, as my first HG. I got the .357 magnum in high gloss blue steel. The pistol pack consists of the frame with 4 different length barrels, 2 grips-1 combat 1 target, there is a foam lined attache case, with the foam cut out so everything fits in it, 4 extra front sights, a feeler gauge to set the gap on the heavy vented barrels, and a wrench to assemble-disassemble the barrels. The barrel lengths are 2.5, 4, 6, and 8.75 inches.

I love this gun, I didn't find any problems with the recoil, not even with the short barrel. It is one hefty chunk of iron. The gun can be used for hunting, target shooting, home defense, concealed carry or just collecting it for it's sheer beauty.
I will part with it, when I move on to better pastures.:)

[PythonFan]

4" Colt Python because I wanted a .357 revolver so I could shoot either .38 or .357 and I got the Python because I just thought it was/is the sweetest .357 ever made.

[benelli12]

Ruger blackhawk 41 magnum, 4 5/8" barrel. I bought it because it was only $250 a couple years ago, I later traded it for a Ruger SBH 44 mag.

[Eightball]

A Remington 1858 .36 BP Uberti. Why? Because I could, and because I got it for $135. Eventually, I may even shoot it.

[brett30030]

Ruger p-89, because my fiance had an ex stalker that came after her at her workplace with a fireplace poker.:fire:

Main reason for purchase was middle price range and 9mm was "it" in the day/age. Not the best of criteria, but it is still around and shot regularly.

[Dionysusigma]

Vektor SP2. Basically, it was A) 50% off due to distrust of the Vektor name thanks to the CP series; B) centerfire, powerful enough to defend myself if needed; and C) Kerry was getting really close in the polls.

Downsides? It's .40, so the mag capacity is 11 and the ammo costs as much as .45 ACP without the extra punch. Spare parts cannot be found. A poor refinishing job (more like de-finishing) has left the pistol less than pretty, but just as functional.

[Pilot]

Browning Challenger II in .22. I wanted a .22 to learn the fundamentals and for cheap target shooting and plinking. It was not a defense gun, so when I could afford it I bought a Browning Hi Power 9MM which was my first centerfire pistol.

[copper4262]

My first HG (Not including a couple of .22's given to me and my siblings by my father) was a Ruger P95 - I wanted a gun that was small enough to CCW and also at least a 9mm - Of course the sticker price was a HUGE factor. That gun taught me alot - I took it to the Chapman Acadamy a few years ago and it stayed with me through the whole thing -No problems with it at all. Alot can be said about how unreliable Ruger's P-series was, but I dont have alot bad to say about the P95. Even though I have moved on to bigger and better things (Sigs- H&K's - Smiths - even a Glock or two) I still have that gun - I dont shoot it much anymore and probably wont. But its a nice reminder of where I started. Maybe someday I will pass it on to my son.
In the meantime I gotta hit the Range - I finally got my first full size 1911 the other day - seems like a long way from the big blocky 9mm I started with - Maybe ill pull it out someday soon and just look at it - just for old times sake.

[greener]

My first purchased handgun was an S&W 22A. I hadn't shot much other than annual qualifications in the Reserves for about 30 years and wanted an inexpensive way to de-rust any shooting skills I may have once had. I started with an inexpensive handgun that is inexpensive to shoot. If I decided that I didn't want to shoot much, I wouldn't spend a great deal. I've since purchased two rimfire handguns and a 9mm.

I'm going to the range in a bit. The bag will have 3 rimfires and the 9mm. Most of the ammo downrange will be rimfire. I shoot for fun and rimfires do that very nicely for me.

[DRMMR02]

A Walther P-22. I wanted something I could learn about guns on, with minimal recoil and price. The ammo is dirt cheap and the gun itself was $270.

[Cousin Mike]

First purchased handgun:

Was a Hi-Point .380 :rolleyes:

Why?

Because it was cheap. I didn't know much about guns. I'd been given a Beretta 92, a Beretta cheetah, a .32 Magnum revolver at 19, and I figured they all did the same thing... At the time I made about $400/week after taxes - I didn't want to spend an entire 2 weeks pay on a gun, or even a weeks' pay for that matter.

What did I learn?

Don't buy cheap guns...

My first trip to the range with my new toy taught me everything I ever needed to know about that. When I compared my Berettas side-by-side with that Hi-Point, I knew I had messed up pretty badly. The trigger felt like it weighed 20 lbs., and the amount of jamming, misfeeding, and other types of failures was just unbelieveable. Out of every 9-round magazine, that thing would fail in one way or another at least 2-3 times.

I got lucky. I bought it when they were fairly new for $100 NIB, but I was able to sell it to someone I didn't like for $90. Since then, I only buy quality.

Thank you, Hi-Point! :neener:

[bender]

first purchased handgun was an original Colt M1911, made in 1922. Was kind of a quick decision, I was at a flea market where I occasionally visited for record hunting (those 12" vinyl things). There was an older couple there (probably in their 70s or 80s), who had the M1911 and an original trapdoor springfield.

I bought both (on different vistits). The Colt .45 because of its reputation, and at the time I was an avid Mickey Spillane reader :)

over 20 years later, still have the colt,
but no longer have the trapdoor... DOH !!!!

[madmattmd]

S&W Model 13 4" in .357 magnum.

It was what I could afford at 21. I would have preferred a Model 19, Python, or a Colt 1911. That M13 always worked perfectly. I'm still sorry I sold it. :banghead:

Oh well, I now have a M19 4" and a Colt 1911. Still looking for an affordable 4" Python almost 30 years later.

Matt

[armoredman]

Embarassingly enough, a Jennings J-22.:o Only thing I could afford in 10th grade. Yes, I could legally carry it back then, too. Got rid of it some time later, and my first centerfire handgun was a Charter Arms Off Duty .38 snub. Nobody else could hit the broad side of a barn with it, but I could use it fairly well.:)

[loki.fish]

Star Firestar 9mm is about all I can tell you about it. About the size of a Glock 26, metal instead of polymer.

I bought it because my uncle had taken me out shooting for the first time when I was around 16 and that was what I shot. He died of a heart attack before I turned 21. His 2 pistols mysteriously disappeared after he died and I was supposed to have gotten them. So in his memory, I bought one that was identical to his as soon as I turned 21.

I still have it, but it hasn't seen the light of day in a few years. I was just thinking about it taking it out and shooting it the next time I go to the range.

[KINGMAX]

That was a long time ago

[bigsarg99]

My first handgun was a Ruger P85 which I quickly traded in on Norinco 1911. The P85 was clunky and mags were high. With the 1911 I could parts easily and mags were only a few bucks back then for USGI. 230gr ball surplus is always to be found, ( now I roll my own). I still am and will always be the owner of some sort of 1911 today I own 2 colts but love to find another Norinco! John Moses Browning had a great time tested design!

[ChefJeff1]

first gun---- taurus tracker .357 6" barrel.
why----'cause I didn't know any better.
I liked the power and the look but I didn't know anything about triggers or those ribber grips which ripped after about 500 rounds.

[heritagesb]

First purchased handgun - Sig P220STw/ Doctersight, fully worked over by TJs. I did quite a bit of research online first and wanted a reliable, all metal, accurate, and good looking gun. I've never sold a gun and don't regret a single purchase.

[Lou629]

First handgun? BHP
Why? See above^:D

[10-Ring]

My 1st purchased? handgun/firearm? 1st off, I wish I knew people that would give me guns...what a wonderful world this would be! :D I've had to buy all my guns starting w/ a Taurus 380 - mostly because it was cheap and it fit my hand well.
That was about all it did well - sold it a year or so later & bought a real gun...my HK P7M8 which I consider my 1st real gun :cool:

[Dusty Rusty]

1st purchased handgun: Taurus Model 605 .357
Why? Protection!

[Starter52]

My first handgun was an H&R Model 999 .22 revolver, 6" top-break w/ adj. sights, used.

Cheap to buy, cheap to shoot, much more accurate than I was at the time.

[hank327]

My first purchased handgun was a Colt Government Model Series 70 1911A1 5"
in .45 ACP. Why? Because I had been issured a 1911 during my time in the military and I was intimately familiar with the weapon. It also happens to be a very good handgun.

[Dr.Rob]

Colt 1917 New Service Army

Why? Already had a .22, already had a Colt .45 auto as a graduation present.

Had read an article in Shooter's Bible about the SW version of the 1917, which perked my interest in these old big bores.

Paid $275 for it (not including tax, bkgrd check etc.)

[highlander 5]

German made 22 mag SA Hawes I think. paid $35 for it no 22lr
cylinder though

[Confederate]

My first handgun was a .357 mag Ruger Security-Six.

The reason I got it was that I got the holy crap beat out of me on Oahu by two Polynesians. I had a friend who was a military cop and he kind of put the thought into my head. So when I got back to Utah, I sold a telescope I dearly loved and bought the Ruger. I soon found I didn't have enough money to shoot it at the time, so I got me a $68 RG single-action .22LR.

Years later, I was almost mugged again, but I had a Rossi M88 in my overcoat pocket. This was in D.C. in an underground garage. I had a date and an illegal gun in my pocket, but was lucky and didn't have to shoot anyone. Now the penalties in D.C. are so draconian that I durst not carry a pistol. So I stay out of D.C. now and stick around Virginia.

[shaggycat]

Browning Buckmark Camper. Pretty simple really, it was inexpensive, I had no intention of carrying because I wasn't 21, and I could shoot all day for less than the cost of a movie.

[Smokin Gator]

I hadn't shot much as an adult. Did shoot quite a bit as a kid/teenager. I decided I missed plinking and wanted to have something around the house for protection. Checked things out for a while and decided to get a Taurus 445 stainless 2" snubby in 44 special. Not exactly a plinker though. Now I have gotten into cowboy shooting and shot a steel challenge match with my Springfield 1911. Next I will probably get a Ruger 22/45 for steel challenge. This is my first post here.

[Shear_stress]

Ruger Security Six in stainless.

Lesson learned: don't sell your Ruger Security Six to finance another gun.

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Shear_stress. Amen. Did that twice.

First handgun I bought was in San Francisco in 1972 after coming back from Vietnam. I didn't know much, just that I wanted a hand gun. I got it from a shop in downtown San Francisco. What I settled on was a Ruger Blackhawk .357mag/9mm SA revolver. I just wanted something to plink and target shoot with. I had imagined that SA revolvers were safer and easier to load.

The one I had had a hair trigger and had screws that kept loosening up and falling out when I shot it. Loctite fixed the screw problem. It was a bad choice for a first handgun. Uncomfortable grip, recoil. Loud back in the day before ear protection was de rigeur. Expensive to shoot before I started reloading. I can't believe I used to throw away brass. I kept it for about a year and half and replaced it with a BHP and a P-38.

[461]

Ruger Single-Six in 22lr/22mag. Great gun at a great price and I wish I still had it today. I bought another one to replace it and sold that one too. Currently looking for another one to replace them both. Any clue what I'm slowly learning? :banghead: Quit getting rid of guns you like!!!

[battlehatch]

My first was as Ruger P944D .40S&W. I chose this model because of it's safety features. DA/SA w/decocker. Perfect first pistol IMO. I learned all the basics on that gun and it pretty much set the standard of what I judge other guns by. By no means is the P944D the perfect pistol, but what it has that is good, is really good. After owning it, I learned what I wanted from my weapons. I found the XD45 to fit me better, but it lacked safety features. I bought it anyway because I am more confident in my handling abilities now. I think the ruger P94 series is great in any caliber, and an excellent starter pistol.

[Sisco]

Ruger P95. Why? Because I liked it and the price was right. Unfortunately for me the price was right only after I traded a Remington '03A3 and some cash to boot.:barf: In my defense I was gun-dumb at the time and there was no HighRoad to consult before getting screwed.
First wheel gun was a 6" GP100.
Still have the GP, the P95's been gone a long time. It was a good gun but after I got a taste of 45acp I didn't need a 9mm anymore. :p

[Glock22]

My first handgun was a Glock 22 because they are dead reliable and just plain great. The reason I got it was because I had recently finished my Eagle project and it was a gift from my father for finishing.

[The_Shootist]

Being my first handgun I wanted a .22 while I sorted things out.

8 or 9 handguns later (and one WASR10) I STILL haven't sorted out what I want.

But it has (and still is) fun in all its flavours :D

[RH822]

My first was a Erma KGP68A 380 auto, (a sweet little 3/4 scale Luger toggle design) it was priced right, $150 at a pawn shop in Killeen Texas. I traded it off for something when I moved back to Indiana. :banghead:

RH

[Glockfan.45]

A used 92FS. I ended up hating it, let the sales man at the shop talk me into it.

[Sisco]

Woah, let me back up a few years. Just out of high school I bought a Clerke 1st .22 revolver from a buddy for $5.00.
Still have it, made a bookend out of it because it wasn't worth putting good ammo in. After all these years I still feel like I got ripped off. Does make a nice bookend though.

[Don Lu]

My first purchase was Just 4 months ago. It was a GLOCK 23. It was the gun I rented When I took my first gun safety class.

why....this is probably the worst reason to actually but a gun but...at the end of the gun safety class we got an hour on the range, and at 7 yrd I coldnt even hit the target half of the time and (my first time shooting), but I love challenges. The instructor suggested i start out w/a smaller caliber and work my way up. I bought the gun just to prove to myself that I could learn to shot THAT gun and shoot it accuratley w/o having to work my way up from a 22lr. 4 mnths later and i can shoot 4 leaf clovers at 7 yrds.

[Sistema1927]

I bought a Ruger Blackhawk convertible in .357/9mm on my 21st birthday (many, many years ago). Why? Because I could.

[TexAg]

Glock 36.
I already had a .22 and a .45 Long Colt for plinking and hunting and was looking for a CHL gun. I still pack it often. Big bullet, thin package, enough rounds, reliable and durable. Not too much $$ either.
Then it was a S&W 637 for the wife and her CHL, then a G17, then a....well y'all know how that goes.

[Joe Gunns]

My first was a Ruger Single six .22/.22WMR. 7 1/2 inch barrel. It was inexpensive and fit my college-boy budget. Cheap to shoot as much as I wanted. With the Magnum cylinder it was my car and camping SD gun. Sold it 20-some ya, wish I still had it. Fun little gun.

My wife's first was a .22 S&W Kit gun w/ 4 inch barrel. It was her purse gun for many years.

[Good shooter]

Mod 29 in 44mag for me back in 1986 fun to shoot but hard to keep the tank full.

[SergeantC]

My first was a Glock 22, purchased used w/one standard capacity magazine at a gun show in St. Paul, MN, about three years and three months ago.

I'd wanted to own a gun for a long time, wanted to get my CCW permit, wanted to learn to shoot a handgun. However, the real reason I selected a
.40 Glock was kind of esoteric.

I had written a mystery novel in which my Private Investigator character carried a Glock in .40, and I wanted one of my own so I could learn how it handled, what it was like to shoot it, etc.

Now I own about a dozen guns, with no sign of things slowing down.

[Richard Simmons]

Four inch nickle plated Colt Trooper MKIII, .357 mag back in 1978. Why? because it was a Colt, it was a .357mag and well................cause it was pretty. :o

[Black Majik]

Mine was a Colt Government 1911 when I turned 21. I always wanted a 1911 when I was a kid, and had some experience with it prior to turning 21. So for me it was easy, my decision was set. Only question was, which 1911?

Figured I start plain jane and get a Colt :D

[kbheiner7]

My first purchased handgun was a Beretta 92FS.

Why, I liked he looks and reliability. Proved to be every bit as good as advertised. I put many thousands of rounds through it with no problems.

Sold it when I found the 1911 and .45 ACP - never looked back. :)

[el44vaquero]

Springfield 1911

Belonged to my great uncle and was his sidearm during ww2.

[daysleeprx]

USP9 compact, because I had read good things about it. I really liked that gun, and it fit me much better than any of the fullsize USPs did. I think one day when I can afford to expand my collection without selling / trading something first, I'll have to pick up another one. :)

I ended up giving it to my dad as a present, since he liked it so much.

[GunnyBob]

Bought a 1911 that struck my fancy during a trip to SE Asia in '68. Wanted a sidearm at the time, and the $20 was well spent. Hid it in a secure place, retrieved the thing on my second tour, and more than once was glad I had it.

[MD_Willington]

S&W-5906

Wanted something that was:

9mm
Under $300
Stainless
Reputation for boringly reliable
Used as a service pistol (aka good enough for the police)
Safety with decocker
Well crafted by a domestic manufacturer


Met all those criteria, so I bought it.


MD

[Confirmedkill]

Glock 17

My first firearm turned out differently than I expected. I was doing some research and decided that I was going to purchase a Sig Sauer P226 in 9mm. I went down to my local gun store and took the handgun safety course. I passed it :what: and I asked to see the Sig. Then I noticed the price :eek: I then looked at the Sig Pro and H&K, still sqeamish about the price the salesperson suggested a Glock. I listened to him and how reliable Glocks are (which is true) so I decided on a Glock 17. I don't regret it and I still have it today. But buying firearms is kind of an addiction. I can't stop buying them! :neener:

[BobMcG]

The year was 1980 and the handgun was a 6" S&W Model 28 (.357mag) with target grips.

The reasons:
1) It was a friend's and I enjoyed shooting it.
2) He knew I loved it and let me have it for a fair price.
3) It was a "real" version of a pair of Crossman 6" .22cal Co2 pellet pistols (S&W clones) I had owned over the years and thus it felt right at home in my hand and to my eyes.
4) Having put thousands of rounds through the Crossmans and with the feel and sight picture being similar, I did quite well with it from the start.
5) It had a long enough barrel for hunting, which I intended to do with it, and the fact my friend had already taken a Whitetail and a Black Bear with it told me it would do the job.
6) Simply adding a set of dies for it made it inexpensive to practice with and practice I did.

The result:
Shortly thereafter I added the models 17, 18, 29 and 10 to round out my collection and shooting pleasure.:)

[wildburp]

Why get a gun? kill targets or bad guys? that is the question. many guns are available for targets, varmits, et cetera at various ranges. telescopic sights can put the cross hairs on the bulls eye, but what about the bad guy? for bad guys, get a .45 auto or .45 LC and just point at them - they will die trying to go away, or go away dying. the primary function of guns is to kill attackers, but killing deadly water-filled plastic jugs is good too; it teaches us to shoot straight and ask why the government is so screwed up. It also reminds us to teach our children civics - the study of government, and our responcility to keep it running as our fore fathers intended.

wildburp

[wildburp]

My first gun was a Colt .45 SAA w/ 7 1/2" bbl purchased in Eugene, Oregon, from an old fashioned family owned hardware store downtown on Willamette street about 1965. I saw it, and immediately fell in love, and plunked down $10 toward the $125 purchase price. That was when Colt still built the original design (current, at least), unlike the abominations vomited up for the public today. I once hit an old pot from about 100 yards in a pasture without even trying. It shot straight. Where it was pointed.

Yeah, that was my first. Like my first (and last) wife, Colt just got worse. Too bad - want a good SAA? - check out USFA (US Firearms). Want a wife? Checkout UWAA (Used Wifes Are Awful), as old girls tell us. Old ladies were once young girls. Yes, it is true. But young guns are forever. Bang, bang. Get a .45, and stay alive.

wildburp

[4fingermick]

My first pistol was a used Ruger 22, bull barrel Bi Cent model, My wife and I joined a target pistol club. Picked up a well worn 22 Browning medallist for her. We dropped out of the club for awhile and we sold mine to feed kids (they would not stop eating and wearing clothes out!). I still have her Browning and got it done up for her about 6 years ago. She doesn't shoot any more as she broke her wrist and does not have the strength. I fancy buying myself a smick new target pistol, but kick on with the old Medallist. I should get Browning to really do it up.

First centrefire? 586 Smith bought well worn to shoot in Law Enforcement Olympics in 1988, still got it and it has serious miles on the clock!

First SA? Ruger 44Mag Vaquero, started a love of SAs, have a lot now! :)

[Buzztail]

The first handgun I purchased myself was a Norinco 1911-A1. Why? Because Col. Cooper said so.

GunnyBob, Great story!!

[MaterDei]

My first handgun was a CZ-75 that I bought in Germany at a Rod and Gun club in the mid 80s. I bought it because it was cheap (this was before you could easily buy a CZ in the US) and I thought it would be fun to shoot. It was very fun to shoot. When I left Germany I left the gun with a 'friend' who was going to ship it stateside for me. Never saw it again. I'm still cursing that 'friend'. :fire:

[45. caliber]

The first firearm i purchased was a .25 acp Tanggfolio Guiseppe for $50 !!!!!
It was a score, it was brand new and in excellent condition but had gotten stolen, that was 1 year ago.

[MCgunner]

My first was a Hawes single action .22LR with a .22 mag cylinder. My first center fire (not including a .25 auto) was a Ruger Security Six 4 inch stainless .357 magnum.

[jamz]

I bought my first two handguns at the same time, but I filled out the paperwork on the 1911 first, so I consider that my "first gun". :D

S&W 1911 Stainless "first gun"

Walther P-22 "Second gun, about a minute after the first".

I'd done my homework you see, and I knew that 1911s were the best, and that averyone needed a .22 as a first gun. :)

[Redneck with a 40]

My first purchase was a Taurus Tracker 357 magnum 4" stainless. Why? One word = versatility.:D I can shoot 38 special wadcutters at 700 fps all the way up to 180 grain magnums at 1300 fps. The price was right back in 2002, $350 new in box, about $200 cheaper than the Ruger or Smith. I'm completely satisfied with it, I've had no problems with it. The seven shot cylinder and factory barrel porting is another bonus.

[22-rimfire]

First handgun was a H&R 999 22 revolver. Needed something to plink with, carry out in the woods, hunt rabbits, and shoot cotton mouths or water snakes. Later got rid of it and picked up a 4" Colt Diamondback 22.

[ZXD9]

I purchased an XD9 Tactical to use in USPSA Production Division. I wanted to try competition out without spending an arm and a leg. So far I don't regret the decision one bit after 1 year.

[motorheadjohn]

SiG P226R .40, got it 4 months ago. It's a little big for carry but more fun on the range and just what I wanted for home defense. A future purchase may be for a smaller pistol for easier carry, but for now this SiG is everything I wanted.

[SSN Vet]

Why? because the Navy's idea of proficiency training was not quite the same as mine.....one range session, shooting ~50 rounds a year :barf: (that's right....once a year).

Worse than that, all topside sentries were trained in a unique FTF drill......raise your right hand and wait for the range master to come and clear it for you.....:eek:

I needed to know that at least one person in my duty section could handle a weapon properly.....so I decided to make that one person me.

lot's of Saturday nights down at an indoor range in Charleston, SC.

That Thompson Auto. Ordinance .45 gave me lot's of practice clearing stove pipes :rolleyes:

[PX15]

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/Laserlips/100_5833.jpg

This one...

The used Colt Cobra I wanted was $65.00 :banghead:

The new Galesi was $35.00 :barf:

I had $35.00 :D

I still have it.. It is my 13th, 14th, well I forget.. But it's NOT my first choice for cc... ;)

Good news.. It's STILL worth $35.00 (more or less)

Best Wishes,

J. Pomeroy

[cookekdjr]

First handgun I bought was a Browning Buckmark. I owned some other before that, but the Buckmark was the first one I bought.

[DerekF]

My first was a Sig P226 bought about 3 years ago. Why? I loved the gun the first time I shot it and wanted one for a long time. Then I happened to walk into a gun store with money in my pocket, saw a nice used one and decided to buy it. Been in love with Sigs ever since.

[chaim]

The first handgun I bought was a Taurus 82 revolver in .38spl. I searched for months, checking local stores, renting at the range, and decided I wanted to start with a .357mag revolver. I wanted a .357 because I was into revolvers and I was into .357s even before I ever shot a handgun, and I liked the idea that I could shoot both magnums and .38spl in the same gun. I saw average prices around here (about 6 years ago) were in the low $300s for new Taurus revolvers, upper $400s for new S&Ws. I found a used Taurus 82 in nice shape for $200 and decided to save a little money. I wanted it for fun- I can't carry in MD, and I didn't yet think in terms of home defense (though within a month or two of having a decent HD revolver, I did start thinking in those terms).

[mljdeckard]

When I was 13 or 14 I got a Remington Nylon 66 for christmas. I didn't like it much, because it didn't cycle very well. My little brother dusted it off a few years ago, and tried it again. He found that if you use hotter ammo, (No stingers or velocitors back then,) it worked much better. He is in Iraq now, and my dad just called me to tell me to rescue it again, since it's taking up space, so I guess I'll get re-acquainted.

I bought a Taurus T-92 from a friend of mine in the army. If I hadn't later bought a first-gen Sigma .40, I would say this was the worst gun I have ever owned. Failure to fires, failure to eject, failure to feed, and the double action started to slip. No thanks.

I ALSO had an Auto Ordnance 1911 that was junk. If I had known then what I know now, I would have kept it as a project gun to learn how to treak, tune, and replace parts.

[doubleg]

My first pistol was a Kimber Custom II with a external extractor. Alot of people say they have had problems with the external extractors but I have'nt! :D

[Handgun Midas]

Kimber Stainless Target II

Purchased mid summer because I wanted a 1911 and I just couldn't wait to have an ideal 1911 ordered.
This one is the closest I could get; the target sights are my only gripe.

Very accurate and very few malfunctions, right out of the box.
None of that "break in" BS for this one.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g257/identity_2006/ColtCustom.jpg

[doubleg]

Whats wrong with your sights? I'm thinking about getting some Kimber white dot target sights.

[bp78]

Ruger MkII 22/45 5" .22lr

Why? Walk before you learn to run.

[Handgun Midas]

Whats wrong with your sights? I'm thinking about getting some Kimber white dot target sights?Nothing, now that the slide has been back to Yonkers and the sights re-affixed.
(they came loose around the 500rd mark)

Honestly, I just don't like the gun's profile with the target sights. I wanted Novak style low combat sights.
That's just the look I wanted in my first 1911, and you'd think $900 would get a guy exactly what he wants in a pistol,
but the local market at that time backed me into a compromise.

In any case, the target sights work great. I do love this gun.

[Coyote3855]

1960: Iver Johnson Trailsman 66 .22 8 round break-tip. Because my Dad had an Iver Johnson breaktop .22 when he was a kid and wouldn't let me get a Single Six. The IJ was NIB for $36.00. Went back to the factory for timing problems twice. The third time it started striking the back of the cylinder instead of the cartridge rims, my Dad let me trade it for a used Ruger Single Six. Which is still in my gun safe. NIB Ruger SS were about $63.00 at the time, the Standard Ruger Auto was $36 bucks.

I suppose this dates me somewhat.

Coyote3855
Still young at heart

[md7]

the first pistol i owned was a gift to me from my parents on my 16th birthday. it is a ruger 22/45. still have it. The first pistol i purchased for myself was a glock 23. i got it to be a "do everything" pistol. keep it in the truck, CCW, it stayed in the night stand for a long time too. reliabilty, capacity, and the size of it fit what i wanted in a HD/CCW/truck gun.