The first handgun you purchased and why?

My first was a stainless Ruger Old Army that I bought back in 1980.
I was 17 years old and wanted something easier than a long gun to carry while fishing some private lakes that myself and two friends had permission to fish, on condition. The condition set by the land owner, was that we shoot every turtle and beaver we saw.
All three of us were underage for legally owning a center fire handgun, so each of us wound up with a black powder handgun, all Ruger Old Army models.
Sadly I did trade that one for a purpose specific turkey shotgun, but fortunately was able to replace it some years later.
Still a pleasure to shoot, and my oldest will ask to take that one to the range over any of the other couple dozen hand guns I currently own every time.
 
First handgun with my own money was a 6" S&W 686-3 in June, 1989. I was 16 and it was mostly saved up paper route money that funded it, although I had just started my first "real" job.

Why? Well, I really wanted a .357 (mostly for .38) and I wanted to learn to handload but perhaps mostly because it was similar to what most of the local cops were shooting every Saturday morning at my club in PPC matches.

Of course I still have it! ;) And yes, I've done countless recommendations over the years to new handgun shooters and while I definitely did (in the past) often recommend .22cal pistols as a fantastic place to start -- I do NOT do that anymore because it's a God-awful catastrophic NIGHTMARE for a poor, interested and enthusiastic new shooter to find and purchase the ammo.
 
Beretta 92FS.... I've owned it for 14 years and I still regard the Beretta 92 as one of the best handguns ever made. I won't be selling it.
 
USP Tactical 45. My motto is usually "buy once, cry once" so I went all out on my first gun. I didn't expect to want to buy any others so I wanted one that was ridiculously reliable and rugged, accurate, well-made, and cool looking. I liked the idea of a hammer and 45acp for my "one and only," and all the trigger/safety configuration options were appealing in that regard, too. I knew I'd want a silencer at some point so the Tactical was a natural fit.

I've never regretted it and have since become a devout USP fanboy.
 
Heritage rough rider 22lr/22 mag. $90 two cylinders and still have it after 30 + years. Along with a nice leather holster.
 
I lived in a unique household. My dad was perfectly fine with me saving up and buying my first handgun when I was 9 years old. It was a black powder cap and ball revolver 1858 Remington in .44 (Italian copy).

The reason I chose it? I wanted to be a cowboy. :) The moment I saw the Uberti commercials in the gun magazines with the story of the James Brothers and explaining that Frank James preferred the Remington. "When history repeats itself," was an excellent advertisement slogan as well.

My dad helped me make a holster for it.
I was allowed to keep it loaded in my drawer, but was not allowed to keep it capped. I always kept a box of caps next to it. Ready to defend the place with a Civil War weapon :D

I still have it, and never plan to let it go. The finish is quite worn now. I carried it all over southeast Idaho.
 
I first bought my XD mod2 in 9mm because I wanted a double stack 9mm that I could carry, or use extended mags should I want a full grip or higher capacity. I remember someone recommending the XD line if you wanted a gun like a glock but not a glock (not a big fan). I almost went with the XD(m) but after renting them both I felt like they were close enough that I went with the subcompact so I could carry better (I felt like it was more concealable). I wasn't sure when is get another gun (hahaha) so I wanted one that could fit multiple roles.

Since then I've purchased a Walther PPS and that is the gun I carry 95% of the time. I found I shoot it better than the XD (took them both out a few days ago and I still like the PPS better).

I don't intend to sell my XD tho, especially since the next several guns I'm gonna buy are not hi-cap. When I eventually get a gun like the VP9 it will get replaced in its role, but as of now it's sitting in a quick access safe in my bedroom with the 16 round mags loaded plus one in the chamber. :D

Lee
 
I sold a gentleman his first ever handgun and the tale is almost too unbelievable to repeat. And the post-script almost makes me FEEL like a liar when I tell it.

To make a long story short, I came in to a NIB Ed Brown Special Forces model with the Gen 3 coating. This was the kind of handgun that a working class guy with two little kids can't justify buying but the deal I got removed all "decision" and I kept it for more than 8 months (unfired) before offering it for sale.

When I met my buyer he was an interesting guy who's collecting passion was 100% in foreign rifles. So his first handgun EVER was a 2-owner, NIB Ed Brown and he paid $1,850 for it. So, IMO -- not your typical "first handgun."

The post-script? He was a lurker on one of my gun forums who read often and almost never posted. One day many months later, I saw that he was active reading and I very genuinely wondered just how well that expensive first handgun worked out... so I sent him a note and asked.

He said it was great, really great, and he liked it so much so for his 2nd ever handgun, a quality 1911 seemed to be the way to go: he had his order in and was waiting for delivery of his Wilson Combat SuperGrade.
 
Although I had several rifles and shotguns, my first pistol was a brushed nickel 45 Combat Commander I bought the day Uncle Sam said bye bye. They gave me a few thousand bucks in back pay and travel, so I went down to a gun shop in Colorado Springs with the intent of buying a full sized 1911. The CC was used but in very good shape, and the price was very good.

The only thing I never liked about that pistol was the sights. Back in the 70s they nickeled the sights along with everything else and it was tough to sight in bright light, so I traded it for a Government Model 6 months later. It was my first experience with the collet bushing, which I never did have an issue with.
 
Glock 20 (10mm) I traded a rifle in for it that I had won in a drawing. I got the glock for personal protection at home once I knew I was going to be a father for the first time.
 
The first handgun I ever fired was a 1911 45ACP in the Army, first center fire rifle was a Garand again in the Army, loved both of them. My first handgun was a Colt 1911, I used the pistol for a Gun Smithing project while attending TSJC in Colorado and eventually sold it to one of the students. I have a Springfield 1911 that replaced the Colt plus a Beretta (Danish) M-1 Garand both were purchased in Colorado. The Garand now has a Springfield barrel but I still have the original Danish (Var) replacement barrel the rifle had when I purchased it. William
 
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I could afford it.

I kept it for several years because it was a quite accurate. I sold it because the bluing began to wear off.

I'd like to find another in stainless.

1907806_01_ruger_mk_ii_target_22lr_6_7_8__640.jpg
 
My first handgun came from my father-in-laws estate, a Ruger Mk II exactly like the one pictured above. When I say it came from his estate I mean I swiped it while we were clearing out his apartment so no one else could glom onto it. Unfortunately he had sold all of his other firearms before he died, leaving just the Ruger.

The first handgun I ever purchased was a Walther P1 which I bought because it was cheap and it was cool as hell (still is). It is still one of my favorites for a day at the range.
 
That ruger above is exactly like the one dad had 2 of. I assumed at one point he might have planned the let me have one of them... lol
 
Hi-Point

Pistol: Hi-Point .40 :eek:
Reason: I was tight on cash, and I wanted to have something for protection for my family.

I sold it a long time ago, and upgraded. But since owning one, I have respect for what they accomplish, and they are good pistols if that what you can afford. No shame for having owned one.:)
 
My 1st was a lightly used 4" Stainless 357 GP-100... bought it because of the versatility... I could hunt deer with it, use it for home or self defense, target practice with it, with 38 Special or 357 Magnum

it was going to be one "one gun" that could do most anything... I could always borrow something specific from my FIL... however I started collecting, & ended up ( MRS & I ) inheriting my FIL's collection of handguns, rifles & shotguns... I no longer needed my "one gun" but because it was so versitile, I doubt I'd ever sell it...
 
Taurus M82 heavy barrel .38 Special 4 inch bought in 1993 at an Oshman's in TX for something like $300 out the door if I recall. Added Pachymar grips and called it done. Had browsed books at the local Half Price bookstore and saw something about an Army study that suggested 200 fpe as a safe minimum energy level. Can't find that article to save my life these days. Oh, and I was a broke college student dating a girl who went camping with me in remote places like Big Bend NP. M82 was "good enough" and cheap. It was also amazingly accurate. Have neither the ex wife nor the revolver anymore, sold the M82 for $200 to get a GP100 back in 2008 or so. Best deal ever considering the annual cost.
 
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