What was the first handgun you ever owned and how old were you when you got it?

I bought a Detonics Combat Master, a “chopped” 1911, when I was 21 years old, in late 1982 or early 1983. It would feed empty cases, all day long, but was unreliable in live fire, with 230-grain FMJ. I fed it a few 200-grain JHPs, which it fed fine, in live fire, but I could not afford to train with JHPs, which were relatively so very much more expensive, in the early Eighties. I never carried this one, and sold or traded it, about 1984 or 1985, when I was a rookie LEO, and needed duty/carry revolvers, rather than autos, which I was not yet allowed to carry.

In my late fifties, a couple of years ago, I became nostalgic, for some of my early guns, and bought a “replacement” Detonics 1911, but not one of the small ones, which require a special, proprietary recoil spring assembly, no longer being made, as Detonics is defunct, but a full-sized 9-11-01 commemorative, which can use a standard Government Model recoil spring.

Brubz said:

I'm glad you enjoy the thread I've been trying to make a positive contribution to this forum

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I'd say you're doing good so far.

Ruger RST-4. I was 14.

I had worked all summer and saved and "pop bottled" and what have you to have enough money to buy a Browning HighPower, spare mag, and a couple of boxes of ammo...

Maternal GrandMa stepped in to the family talk with a FIRM NO! Maternal PaPa convinced her a .22 would be alright and so I ended up with a pistol that was better for me....even if I bought corrossive Mil Surplus ammo for the BHP I could buy four times as much .22LR for the RST-4.

Yes, I still have it.

-kBob

I bought a Ruger Single Six from my best friend when he needed money, with the stipulation he could buy it back when he had the money. I was 17 at the time and he came back three years later and bought it back from me. Of course it had about 2,000+ more rounds by then.

I did not purchase a handgun until I was in my 40’s. Mine was a Ruger SR9c which I still have. Long Guns I’ve had since I could walk.

Jeff

A Czech surplus CZ52. I think I was 20 or 21.

My first handgun was a Sig P320, bought last year at age 55. Wish I'd discovered this hobby sooner!

Heritage .22lr/.22mag , I was 21

K22, I was fourteen or so. $87.50 plus tax, IIRC. 1958 or '59. Another I'd pay good bucks to get back. Either as it was originally or as the K-Chuck it was when I stupidly sold it for tuition money.

H&R 650 convertible. 1978. Still have it.

Mine was an arminus 22rf with a war cylinder. It was junk and I was 22 year’s older

Colt Diamondback 38 spl, I was 18

I was a little late to the handgun market at age 38 because of the Nazi state I grew up in. I would have much earlier had it not been for that. I got my first rifle when I was 21. When I moved to P.A. I went all out and had 12 handguns within about 2 years. My first was a Bersa Thunder Pro Ultra Carry in 45 ACP, which I actually just sold yesterday along with 6 others. I liked that gun actually, but a few things just made it totally safe-bound within a couple years... 1. Sometimes it gave me hammer bite, not seriously but enough to be annoying. 2. Only 7+1 capacity, and 3. I've become tongue-in-cheek about short barreled 45's. The barrel was 3.6" and right at the threshold of serious velocity loss.

I was never sorry I made my first handgun a 45 though! I really enjoyed shooting it when I didn't get bit.

Brubz said:

For me it was a Colt .22 caliber single action Peacemaker a commemorative reissue I bought when I was 23

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I was 14, split the cost with my Dad, Browning Nomad 22 LR semi-auto. I screwed-up (really badly) and traded it off a couple years later! memtb

I wanted to get a revolver, and I'd heard a lot about the .357 Magnum. For example, I wanted something that would drop a bull elephant at 250 yards (who could miss?). Something that could go through the engine block of an 18-wheeler Mack truck (with movies like Duel, who could be too careful?). And finally, I wanted something that would pick up an evildoer and hurl him against the wall, instantly mushrooming into a .78-caliber size. I couldn't lose with a stainless Ruger Security-Six, which would be completely impervious to rust, even immersed in acid.

So when the gun sales guy assured me the .357 was the ticket, I bought one. This was in 1978 and I've shot no elephants, nor trucks, nor people, but I still have Rugers in every barrel length! Who could all for more?

1966/67? R-106High Standard Sentinal Deluxe 9 shot .22.
Given to me by my grandfather in 1984.
Still have it to this day. Box and all paperwork.
First I ever purchased myself new was my 5904 S&W

Bronco72 said:

Colt Python, 6' barrel ! I was 17 and gave my dad the money. 52 year later it still is going strong $ 175.00 and out the door she went with one box each of 38's and 357's.

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ha-I did the same at 15... 6 inch blued Colt Python picked out paid for it and dad did the paper work... still have her...i paid 469.00 in 79

Glock 22, 2nd Generation, .40 cal. bought when I got hired by a local P.D. Still my EDC gun today.
ETA: I was 25 at the time.

M30 PK, shortly after I turned 21, in the fall of 1991.

I almost got a Springfield P9 compact as I like the CZ and that was the way to get one, it was in stock but: 1) This was the .40 hype era, and that was the only caliber they had (a friend got a 96 for the same reason... traded for a 92 within a year) and 2) It just wasn't that well done. Visible machine marks inside the slide, for example. The Star was very nice, sorta sad it went away during the era of selling a gun to fund another.

This actual gun:

Ruger P89, bought it when I was ... 22 or 23 I think.

Smith and Wesson Model 19; bought it in 1998 when I was 23. Stupidly traded the gun off about 10 years later. Still kicking myself in the derriere.

Ruger LCP in summer of 2009. But I came to my senses immediately and also bought a Springfield 1911 in the One True Caliber. Age, 46. Still have them

s&w 915