The first handgun you purchased and why?

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I am younger than many of you, and didn't grow up around firearms, but in 2008 we moved back west and decided to get into hunting. While we were looking around, my wife, who did grow up around firearms but never really took to them, liked the look of an FNP9 and asked to see it. It was the first auto pistol she had ever picked up that she could rack the slide. She was so excited. Bought that gun right then and there.
Me? Well, I still don't have a handgun (finances, you know), but my wife lets me borrow hers on occasion. :)
EDIT:
Forgot about the advice portion. My advice is to treat a firearm like dating. You haven't really got a clue what you like in a girl/guy until you start to date some, so just pick a likely candidate and start. After a while, you figure out what really matters to you, but until then, just have fun with the process.
 
My first pistol purchase was a Colt Diamondback, 4", .38 special. I think it was '73. I was 23 yrs old. I've wished many times I'd gone back and bought that 6" Python that was sitting next to the D'back.
In fact, I just finished a new holster for my Colt. Wouldn't let it go for anything!

Mark
 
It was a Smith & Wesson model 64. Offhand, I don't remember the "dash" number.

I was the manager of a bar that was about 700 feet from my apartment. When the alarm went off, for whatever reason, the alarm company would call the police and then call me.

The Dallas City Council decided that due to a high number of false alarms, the police would no longer respond automatically to commercial locations (still charged us for an alarm permit though). There had to be a witness to report that a crime was occurring or had occurred.

So instead of waiting at a safe remove for the cavalry to arrive, I had to scout the perimeter of the property to ascertain the goings-on. I didn't want to rely on my sneer and rapier wit, effective as they could be, so I wandered on down to a pawn shop and outfitted myself with a revolver.

Tangentially, I was 33 at the time and I no longer own that particular piece. I no longer manage that bar, though I still have a key to the joint (tried to give it back, and was told to hang on to it just in case). Don't even live in Dallas anymore. The city has decided to change that policy as well.

Don't worry, I have lots of others now.:cool:
 
I can't believe I still have it,,,

I bought this at a garage sale in early 60's Oklahoma,,,
IIRC I was 11 years old and paid a whopping $5.00 for it and 44 rounds of .22 Shorts.

It looked brand new in the box back then,,,
The front sight fell off after less than 50 rounds,,,
The hand stopped turning the cylinder by the 100th round.

sns-l.jpg

When I went into the military I packed it up with a lot of other junk,,,
I only "found" that box in 1998 when my older sister said it was still in her attic.

It's a ROHM and truly is a piece of dung,,,
I've owned cap pistols of better manufacture.

But, it did get me out of a jam one time,,,
I was a young man in the wrong part of Dallas after midnight.

So in the long run it worked toward it's intended purpose,,,
At least as well as any other SD handgun I own,,,
No shots fired and I got back to my car.

Why did I purchase it?

Because I had the money,,,
And Mom was looking the other way. ;)

Aarond

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My first was a new Sig P226 in .40. I got the gun bug when I was in Iraq, and got it when I was home on two weeks of leave. I bought it, shot it once, then it sat in the box until I got home again.
 
1911a1

I bought it when I was a Private in the Army. Couldn't afford it but couldn't pass it up either. Made things worse that the same month, a Dan Wesson fell into my lap.

Anyhow, loved it, shot it, relied upon it and never once thought of letting it go.

After I retired, I eventually settled in Oceanside, California and came to know the MEUSOC armorer back when they were re-tooling their 1911s into their own take on a modern tactical 1911. I had him re-build mine into one of those using an Israeli NM slide I had.

Love the bejeepers outa it!

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Todd.
 

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I bought a 5.5" blued Ruger Single Six when I was a poor broke collage student because all the experts said you had to start with a .22. I had wanted a .38 or .357 but figured I should listen to the experts. Within a couple boxes of ammo I regretted not buying a .38 or .357, especially after the guy at the range let me shoot an S&W .38 for free if I paid for the range ammo. I was quickly bored by the .22 and far preferred shooting .38's. I love my 10/22TD rifle and find it endlessly useful, but handguns are different. Yes a .22 handgun's cheaper to shoot, but it has much more limited usefulness. Good for casual target shooting or plinking or somewhat cheaper practice (not so much these days) .22 handguns are certainly no guns to use for self defense, hunting or other such purposes.

The Single Six, besides being the first gun I bought is the first gun I ever sold, but it took me a lot of years before I finally got the gun I should have started with, a good double action .357 (I actually have a couple now, 4" & 6"). One or the other goes with me virtually every range visit usually digesting a couple of boxes of .38's. and the 4" is kept loaded at home for if needed for defense using .38+p's. The vast majority of rounds I fire by far are .38's, but I've no doubt at all I could cleanly harvest a deer using .357's. They're a bit large for concealed carry, but could work in a pinch and they're the most versatile handguns I own by far. As a poor broke collage student who only owned one gun for years I would have been far better served by one of these guns than I was by the the Single Six I started with.
 
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1st was a CZ-75 in the 80s from a rod and gun club in Germany before they could be purchased in the US, because I was smart.

2nd was a S&W Sigma because I was an idiot and didn't know better.
 
Back in the mid 80's I wandered into a now long gone sporting goods store, and in the gun shop he had a Hi Standard Marshall .22 revolver 9 shots D.A. I got it for less than a C-note,and I still have it
 
Ruger Single Six. Long Rifles sold for $.50 a box and Jack Rabbits were selling to mink farms for $.50 to $.75 apiece. Jack Rabbits tend to "sit tight" in their holes in the winter time unless you get to close. Aim at the eyeball. One shot, one rabbit.
Kept me in gas money in high school (40 miles one way) and beer money in college.
 
First pistol I ever purchased was a glock 23 in 2003.

I bought it to ccw and to keep in the nightstand when I wasn't carrying.
 
Ruger LC9 because it fit my criteria as a small light weight carry pistol. Then I took it shooting and discovered how terrible the trigger is and promptly sold it. After a bit more research online I then bought a G19 and am much happier with it. However, like most of you, I caught the bug and have since purchased many more to add to my growing collection.
 
On my 21st birthday I purchased a Ruger New Model Blackhawk convertible, .357/9mm w/ 4 5/8" barrel. Why? Because I could.

Soon after I bought my 2nd handgun, a Browning Hi-Power. Why? Because it was a better defensive option than the Ruger.

That was many, many years ago.
 
Dan Wesson model 15, 6" 357 mag. Bought it in 1976 when I turned 21 and wish I kept it!

Some years later I got a 357 SM Dan Wesson and then not so long ago I got a chance to get a 715 DW so life is good again. :)
 
1970.
High Standard Sentinel .22.
Wanted something for river and creeks that was cheaper and more available than 9mm. Was guiding at the time in west Texas and needed something to dispatch wounded deer also. Great pistol and I wish it were still in my possession.
 
In 1982 walked into the local gun shop. They had a 8" nickel Python for $299.00, it went to the California gun jail they came to live with me. one of my big mistakes was I sold it about 12 years ago.
 
In 1981, just after my 21st birthday, I purchased a Colt 1911, stain nickel Combat Commander in .45acp. Was the first handgun I ever purchased.
 
My first purchase of a cartridge handgun was a .357 Ruger Security Six, heavy 4 inch barrel in 1981.

My reasoning why was
(a) everything I would want extra on a .38 Spl target pistol (heavy frame and barrel, adjustable sights, full size grips) were standard features on the .357,
(b) cartridge versatility: from light target (or small game) to .38 shotshells to .357 defense and big game, plus the cartridge was easy to handload, and
(c) if I accidentally double charged one of my .38 Special handloads it would not harm the gun (never happened but the safety margin was comforting).
 
Just purchased it last week. Ruger sp101 357 3". Wanted a bridge between a walk around woods gun and carry gun. I'm 22 now and grew up on a farm. The old man only had a few long guns for hunting and I never shot a handgun until my older brother bought a m&p40. Needless to say I'm not a fan of the plastic. Love it so far! ef6a2314998014e2075e0452f56f1be6.jpg
 
cz 82

First gun of any kind. I started thinking about a handgun 5 or 6 years ago, when I realized I was getting too old to fight or run. After a lot of reading I settled on the cz 82 because owners pretty unanimously said it fit most hands comfortably, was accurate, easy to shoot well and a great value (back when they were < $200). When I discovered they were C&R eligible I went ahead and got my license so I could have one mailed to me.

Apart from cosmetics (a few paint chips and some wear on the grips) it was everything I hoped for. I later used it to qualify for my carry permit and it was a good thing I did. I had only shot in bright sunlight at an outdoor range. When I went to qualify at a very dimly lit indoor range I discovered that I couldn't see the sights clearly. I got the lowest score in the class but still passed with plenty of room to spare thanks entirely to the natural pointability of the gun.

I still own it and don't think I'd ever sell. The gun is fun to shoot and makes a great loaner that fits most hands and shooting styles (ambidextrous controls, cocked and locked or hammer down).
 
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