Remember Your First Handgun? Still Have It?

[Alan]

I’ve been thinking about my first handgun lately—an old revolver my dad gifted me. I still have it, and I love taking it to the range. How about you? What was your first handgun, do you still have it, and what’s your take on it now? Share any stories or pics!

 

[Thumb]

My first and only revolver I ever bought was a Ruger Security Six 38/357 back in 1983 and I still have it. First thing I did was take off the slim wooden handle and replaced it with I think a Pachmayr grip.

 

[Deleted member 22]

The first handgun that I personally owned was a Ruger P89DC. Great shooter and a reliable tank! It shot everything I fed it with no issues except Blazer aluminum cased ammo! I'll never shoot that crap in any handgun again.

 

[lihpster]

First handgun was a Ruger MK II. It was typically excellent. Had to sell it to pay the bills.

 

[Deleted member 22]

First handgun was a Ruger MK II. It was typically excellent. Had to sell it to pay the bills.

Yep, been there done that a few times! That's why I always believe one can never have to many! They are an investment.

 

[Thumb]

Wow, looks like Ruger is the #1 gun for 1st timers!!!

 

[rugeraficiando]

Ruger Superblackhawk 44 mag with 7.5" barrel. To say it was an awakening for my first handgun is an understatement. Sadly I did not keep it but has been replaced a couple of times.

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

My first was a Taurus (I don’t remember the model number) 357 magnum with a four inch barrel. Stainless. It was a POS. The rear sight blew out while firing it at the range. That was around 1991. I got rid of it.

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

My first real pistol was an S&W 40F…The dreaded Sigma ha ha. It actually was a fine pistol for back in the day. I liked the trigger better than the Glock 22. So, I went with it. Now this was before reports of frames cracking.

One thing that S&W did right was that they left a little space between the plastic frame and the slide. It wouldn’t lock up when the gun got hot.

I had a Glock 21 around the same time. It was an early one with the unlined polymer mags that swelled when loaded. That gun would lock up when the gun got hot. 3 magazines of rapid fire, and the plastic of the frame would expand and interfere with the cycling of the slide. You had to let it cool, or run it under cold water to get it to go back into battery. I sold off that Glock and never looked at one again until a 19X fell into my hands about a year or two ago.

I kept that 40 cal Sigma for years. I eventually sold it for 500 bucks to a guy that just had to have it. Mine was in like new condition when I sold it around 2000 or 2001. Just the gun, the box and it’s two 15 round mags. He made the offer, and I thought it was a great opportunity to get rid of it at that price at that time. I graduated to a Beretta 92 after that.

It’s funny that a lot of us don’t keep our first handguns, or rifles, but when we are young we are cash strapped and lot of times. So, if you want something new, something else has to go a lot of the time.

 

[Deleted member 51]

Can't remember which was first but it was either a S&W model 57, 41mag or a Colt Diamondback in 38 special. Long gone due to young person financial trials and tribulations.

 

[Daven11]

My first was a Ruger LCR I grabbed fresh outta high school. Sadly, I don't have it anymore, but damn, I still remember how smooth it felt and how much fun it was

 

[MisterEd]

My first handgun was a Colt New Frontier .22 and NO I don't have it anymore!

I used it as part trade for a Ruger Mk II rifle in .223 which I don't have anymore either but I wish I still had both!

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

Well, I got my first pistol back. It shot well and I have a couple more on the way, as I was able to buy them dirt cheap.

 

[Alan]

My first real pistol was an S&W 40F…The dreaded Sigma ha ha. It actually was a fine pistol for back in the day. I liked the trigger better than the Glock 22. So, I went with it. Now this was before reports of frames cracking.

One thing that S&W did right was that they left a little space between the plastic frame and the slide. It wouldn’t lock up when the gun got hot.

I had a Glock 21 around the same time. It was an early one with the unlined polymer mags that swelled when loaded. That gun would lock up when the gun got hot. 3 magazines of rapid fire, and the plastic of the frame would expand and interfere with the cycling of the slide. You had to let it cool, or run it under cold water to get it to go back into battery. I sold off that Glock and never looked at one again until a 19X fell into my hands about a year or two ago.

I kept that 40 cal Sigma for years. I eventually sold it for 500 bucks to a guy that just had to have it. Mine was in like new condition when I sold it around 2000 or 2001. Just the gun, the box and it’s two 15 round mags. He made the offer, and I thought it was a great opportunity to get rid of it at that price at that time. I graduated to a Beretta 92 after that.

It’s funny that a lot of us don’t keep our first handguns, or rifles, but when we are young we are cash strapped and lot of times. So, if you want something new, something else has to go a lot of the time.

Funny how first guns come and go, then years later you kind of wish you’d kept them.

 

[Citified]

First pistol was a WW I 1911 passed to me by my grandfather. Barrel was shot out. Had it reblued and overhauled by a smith who used original Colt parts. I will never part with it until it goes to my son. Next barrel was an Ed Brown match barrel which it still wears.

 

[Rimfire Fanatic]

Well, I picked up my two first handguns that I ordered over the last two weeks, from my FFL today. So now I have three SW40F’s and an SW40V. I also picked up 10 mags today, 9 of which are for the Smith and Wessons.

I have six guns to clean this weekend between the new ones and the ones from my last range trip 2 or 3 weeks ago. I have about 17 pistol mags to clean as well.

 

[A11mo$t]

Yup, still have it. I bought it as a novelty not knowing anything about guns.

https://guns.fandom.com/wiki/Richardson_Philippine_Guerilla_Gun

"The M5 was basically just a hunk of wood with a barrel on it. The gun lacked a trigger, hammer, extractor, safety, magazine, choke tubes, iron sights, or rifling. The wood used to make the stock felt like a mid-grade 2x4 piece of wood. The barrel was basically a smoothbore steel tube, while the trigger was nothing much more than a slightly larger guide tube with a fixed "firing pin" in the rear. To load the gun, the barrel was pulled out, and a 12 gauge shell was loaded into it. The barrel would then be put back in the receiver. Firing the weapon requires the user to slam the barrel rearward fairly hard; the fixed firing pin hits the primer and fires the gun."

I have a railroad machinist friend who probably still limps from firing a 3" magnum with BBs planted at his hip in 1978. Bwahhahh. Beer was involved.

 

[Rustybore]

My dad gave me my first revolver as a gift when I became an Eagle Boy Scout. An early double action .41 Long Colt. It had been reblued, ammo scarce but fun to shoot, which I have not done in over 50 years. I still have it.