The first handgun you purchased and why?

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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subcompact XD in .40 S&W. because I wanted it and because there was no XD in the overall collection and it seemed like a good addition.

Still have it.

*shrug*

People seem to get way bent out of shape on buying their first gun. It seems weird to me. Then again, I grew up with a father that wouldn't decide if a gun was worthy or not until he'd bought it, shot it and decided for himself if it would stay or go, so I never saw buying a gun as something to spend *that* much time obsessing over.
 
My first pistol was a Springfield Armory 1911A1 Loaded model. Why? Because after listening to my Dad's tales of shooting a 1911 during WWII I just simply wanted one. I still have it and have no plans of ever getting rid of it.
 
My first handgun was a Ruger MK1, I was 13. MOst of the firearms I owned were given to me by my father and grandfather.
The first pistol I purchased on my own 20-some years later was a Ruger SR9.
I chose the Ruger because it was in my budget, and I thought it was a decent looking gun. The dealer threw in a 3rd magazine with the deal, which was great. Gun dealers kept trying to sell me a Glock, but I spent the cash difference on more ammo. :)
That thing has been 100% reliable through about 5,000 rounds at this point. Unfortunately, I haven't shot it much in the past few years, I've been enjoying my SR1911 a lot, as well as a Savage 1907 I recently inherited.
I carry a Shield 9mm, so that gets more use these days as well.
 

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PSP said:
My first handgun purchase, in 1968, was a Colt Woodsman Match Target. I lived near Coral Hills, Maryland, just outside Washington D.C. Even back then Maryland had a week long waiting period. The day I was to pick up the Colt was the day after M.L. King was shot. All gun stores near D.C. were closed and guarded. Took me an extra week to retrieve her. Beautiful pistol, well worth the $75 I paid.
Click to expand...

That's a great story with a very interest history!

aarondhgraham said:
Why did I purchase it?

Because I had the money,,,
And Mom was looking the other way.
Click to expand...

Great story Aarond!


sir_n0thing said:
My first handgun was a Ruger MK1, I was 13. MOst of the firearms I owned were given to me by my father and grandfather.
The first pistol I purchased on my own 20-some years later was a Ruger SR9.
Click to expand...

This is what my son is debating. He will be Enlisting in the GA National Guard next month and attending Basic this summer; his advanced training will be next year after he graduates...I would like to get him his own nice 1911 as a graduation present. He's already apprehended my Beretta Centurion, my older Glock 19 and my S&W 686 (3" barrel). He has his first pistol I bought him, which was a Heritage .22LR/WRM single action with bird-head grips. Once he turns 18 (January of next year), he can legally CCW in the state of GA while Enlisted; I'm hoping he tries out the 9mm Shield. All these are gifted or hand-me-downs...great choices, but that first pistol you purchase is a lot like your first girlfriend; something you never really forget.

He's vacillated on several choices, but I just told him to figure out what one handgun would mean the most and be kept for his kid down the road.

ROCK6
 
CZ75. I knew that a high capacity 9mm was what I wanted. A friend of mine was working for a small excavation company owned by a retired special forces guy. One afternoon we were talking firearms and he told me how much they coveted the CZ75 during the cold war days. He told me they would often "find" one while on assignment overseas. He lifted the towel that was always in the middle of the bench seat of his work truck and showed me his personal CZ75. I did a little research and started looking for one for myself. A few months latter a used one showed up at the local hardware/ gun store in my small town. If you have ever handled a CZ75 you know how well they fit your hand! With a little haggling, it was mine. I have shot the snot out of this gun >15,000 rounds and many competitions. The only problem I have ever had was when I didn't clean it for a long time to see what would happen. Gunk filled in behind the extractor and caused the claw to chip and fail. Other than that it has been bulletproof.

If I could give your son any advice it would be to get something economical to shoot. Probably only 22lr and 9mm these days.
 
My family had a pretty sizable arsenal so I never purchased my own handgun until I needed it for my LE duty. We had to purchase S&W 9mm DA/SA back in '90 so I got a S&W 5906.

It functioned fine and was accurate but it was heavy and the slide and frame "clanked" when shaken. Eventually we were able to go to Glock 9mm so the 5906 was sold to a buddy whose 5906 was stolen in a home burglary.
 
I joined a Gun Club in the UK, aged 18. The only target .22 I could afford, a Star "Target pistol" A total piece of crap, pulling the trigger felt like you were moving a big spoon through a bucket full of rocks.

Went to my first match! A disaster. A rich member of our Club, lent me his Walther target pistol, at the next match, my first slow fire, I shot a 96!

No he never lent it to me again. I went into the Army at 19, the gave me a Rifle!
 
1970 I purchased my first. It was a 4" Python that a neighbor(LEO) sold me
when I joined the Aux PD in my hometown. My brother was an LEO with the State
and he had a 5 shot 38 spec. When given the choice, I bought the Python not knowing zilch about revolvers.
This now resides as a SQ. If my God Nephew wants it when he's old enough
it will be his.
Doc
 
An S&W Highway Patrolman 4" barrel (1970). Dad signed for it (I was 16) Dad helped me decide what to buy. I was in High School (obviously) and spent many a golden hour with my departed father shooting when we could.

Dad had just divorced my mother (Mom was "not allways there" when abusing her medications, and had been cheating on him). After she left the house, I had the Highway Patrolman available when Dad wasn't home.

It was stolen later in life when I lived in Eugene, OR. I miss dad so much.
 
Smith & Wesson model 915 bought it on Feburary 27 1996, the day I ETS'd.

It caught my eye and I had my terminal pay in my pocket.

I gave it away about a year later
 
My first was in 2010 and was a CZ 75b 9x19 black polycoat. I bought this because every single person told me to get a Glock or Beretta, seriously about 20 people. I listened to their opinion but decided I wanted something that did not feel like a toy and something less chunky than the Beretta 92. I have never regretted the CZ and is one of my favorites. I am glad I went hammer fired first and all steel as this baby should last forever. I am sorry if i sound like a Cz Fanboy, I do no cup their balls, but they make quality firearms at a well valued price. Especially when I got mine new back then $485.
 
Ballester-Molina .45 Auto. That was the gun I had with me the sole time thus far I have needed a firearm in self-defense. It later got away from me during a period of serious penury, but I have since acquired two more.
 
A 5.5" SS Ruger single-six .22/.22 mag.

Long gone now. Great gun. Can't remember what I traded it for or what my reason was at the time. Probably just the restlessness of youth.
 
I had plenty of long guns for years. But one day I was browsing a Pawn Shop in Anderson, Ind and they had a Titan 2 .380 acp. Looked really cool and was cheap $149. I had that gun for 15 years. Then Like a dumb bunny I sold it.
Wish I still had it.
Funny how things work. It was my only hand gun for years.
Now I have about 40 of them.
Might have some thing to do with at that time we needed diapers more. Now we dont...:D
 
i bought my first handgun which was also my first gun at 36 years of age. It was a Smith and Wesson Model 10-8. The reason i bought it was because I was promoted and it was required for the position. I still have it 22 years later. It has lots of company now.
 
Used Hi-Point C9 to see if I really liked handguns with a $125 risk. Liked handguns, Hi-Point was a good gun and it led to S&W. Ruger, Phoenix, Heritage, Taurus and RIA. Started at 64 years old and now 68. Like them all and they all work well.
 
I was in the Navy stationed in Key West, Florida in 1962. I bought a 6 inch Ruger Single Six convertible 22/22 mag. Still have the gun. Actually my son has it now and it still looks and shoots as well as it did then. Nice first purchase. I can't remember what I paid for it. The number $74 and change rings a bell but I do not know for sure.
 
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