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Old May 5, 2013, 07:54 PM   #1
Venom1956
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You always remember your First.

I think we need another one of these to start up!

What was your first handgun? Do you still have it? Does it have a story?

My first was a gift from my father a Beretta Neos .22 6" that had a reddot on it. I was in junior high when he gave it to me. I shot it as much as I could but that was dependent on if I could get him to buy me more ammo. I have alot of fond memories shooting that in the summer.

It has since been past on to my younger siblings. I do now own one just for old times sake.
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Old May 5, 2013, 07:59 PM   #2
Plumbnut
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Beretta 92fs 9mm and I still have it.

I installed a bathtub and took the money directly to the store and bought it. Back then we had a 3 day waiting period and I was mad because I had to wait four because Sunday didn't count.
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Old May 5, 2013, 10:10 PM   #3
shouldazagged
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When I was thirteen, nearly 63 years ago, a family friend who had fought in North Africa and Italy gave me a very clean, little-used Walther PP he had taken from a Wehrmacht officer who "no longer needed it". Had the late owner's name penciled inside the holster flap. When I was fourteen my dad interrupted a would-be burglar trying to steal it--it was a neighbor kid who knew I had it, though we couldn't prove it. My mother insisted on selling it. Took it to a pawnshop. The guy offered her fifteen bucks, and knowing nothing about guns, she took it.

The neighbor kid became a police officer and retired as a captain.
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Old May 5, 2013, 10:18 PM   #4
allaroundhunter
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Re: You always remember you First.

My first handgun was a Smith and Wesson M&P given to me by my grandfather on our last Christmas together. Almost a year and a half later it means more to me than ever. It isn't an expensive gun by monetary value, but it is the last gun that I will ever part with.
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Old May 5, 2013, 10:38 PM   #5
9mmfan
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Mine was a S&W model 64 don't remember the dash. I wasn't opposed to guns, just didn't own one. For a little while in 2006, the Dallas City Council decided that the police were not going to respond automatically to commercial alarms. There had to be a witness that a crime was occurring or had occurred. I lived about 700 feet from my job at the time, so when the alarm went off, the monitoring company called me. Thought I needed more than a stern glare, went to a pawn shop. Six and a half years later, that has burgeoned into quite the hobby, though I no longer own that particular Smith.
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Old May 5, 2013, 10:58 PM   #6
22-rimfire
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My first handgun was a H&R Model 999 Sportsman (22LR). I loved it at first until I learned what made "better" revolvers better. I then got a Colt Diamondback in 22LR as my first real handgun.
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Old May 5, 2013, 11:19 PM   #7
BarryLee
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My first handgun was a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44Mag since I didn’t really want to mess around with anything less. No, I do not still have it after I realized how utterly inappropriate it was for my needs and at the time the only way to finance a new gun was to sale one. Yes, I have always regretted letting it go along with a few others I let slip away for various reasons.
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Old May 5, 2013, 11:26 PM   #8
Venom1956
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rimfire thats funny i just tracked down a 999 even though I have better revolvers! They are SO neat.

shouldazagged that story is nuts! hopefully he matured a bit? Shame I've seen many people get 'taken' because they don't know or don't want it.

allaroundhunter is it the classic revolver M&P or the newer one? I couldn't quite tell I'm leaning towards Revolver by context.

Plumbnut I did the same thing with my first purchase. I bought it right before closing time so I had to wait 2 + 1 long days... Man it was worth it.
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Old May 5, 2013, 11:42 PM   #9
allaroundhunter
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Re: You always remember your First.

Venom, it is actually an M&P9, semi automatic. My grandfather was never much of a revolver guy after carrying a 1911 in Korea.
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Old May 6, 2013, 09:35 AM   #10
Tactical Jackalope
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Oh yeah I still have it too. It's 2..got them the same week. A blue Browning Hi-power and a Glock 22. Shortly afterwards a Model 19-3

Been through 30+ guns since then
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Old May 6, 2013, 09:54 AM   #11
L_Killkenny
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Hell I can't remember what was my first handgun. Not like it was a life changing event and not even close to being like my first car or first woman. Heck, I can even remember my first bicycle over my first handgun. I can tell you that the first handful of short guns I owned, all bought about the same period, are long gone. Not for financial reasons, not cause they were all crap but I simply moved on to better things. Can't remember the first hammer I bought either.
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Old May 6, 2013, 10:14 AM   #12
Scorch
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My first handgun was a Ruger Standard Auto 22LR pistol, one of the early ones with a red eagle in the grips. I got it in trade for working on a friend's truck, along with a Nylon 66 and an Ithaca Auto & Burglar pistol his grandfather had left him. The Ithaca became a liability pretty quickly, so it was sold to a collector. But I had the Ruger and the Nylon 66 for many years. I traded the Ruger straight across for a stainless Ruger Government Target model. I was happy, and the gun store owner was happy. I don't miss the Standard Auto, it was never accurate.
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Old May 6, 2013, 11:55 AM   #13
BoogieMan
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Quote:
When I was thirteen, nearly 63 years ago, a family friend who had fought in North Africa and Italy gave me a very clean, little-used Walther PP he had taken from a Wehrmacht officer who "no longer needed it". Had the late owner's name penciled inside the holster flap. When I was fourteen my dad interrupted a would-be burglar trying to steal it--it was a neighbor kid who knew I had it, though we couldn't prove it. My mother insisted on selling it. Took it to a pawnshop. The guy offered her fifteen bucks, and knowing nothing about guns, she took it
This has got to be one of the saddest gun stories I have ever herd. I actually shed a tear for you my friend.

My first handgun was a Beretta 96 with hogue grips, bought second hand a couple years after I got married. Its still in my nightstand keeping watch over my family.
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Old May 6, 2013, 12:53 PM   #14
glenncal1
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First one I bought at the age of 21 1977, S&W model 48-4, still have it still have it still shoot it.

First one I shot, S&W .22 Outdoorsman, purchased by my great grandfather, still have it, still shoot it.

Take good care of your guns and they will take good care of you.
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Old May 6, 2013, 01:14 PM   #15
southjk
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I bought a S&W 686-3 in 1990. My best friend and I both bought the same gun at the same time and I still have mine and he sold his. Every time I see him he asks if I want to sell mine. Not a chance.
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Old May 6, 2013, 01:27 PM   #16
Dragline45
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I don't have a first as I bought two at the same time, one was a Ruger 22/45, the other was a S&W 60 3" for carry. Still have the 22/45 and shoot it all the time, I sold the 60 a few years back as I am not a fan on .357 in a snub. It was a damn nice gun, but just didn't fit my needs anymore.
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Old May 6, 2013, 03:40 PM   #17
GyMac
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As a 17 year old, a Ruger Blackhawk with a 6 1/2 inch barrel in .357. A short time later, a S&W Model 19 Combat Magnum. Then I wised up and got a Colt New Frontier in .22. It allowed me to shoot and learn how to shoot. The others are gone (regrettably the S&W), but the Colt New Frontier remains. My son and daughter took their first shots with it.
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Old May 6, 2013, 03:46 PM   #18
Old_Dog
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Colt Detective Special. Finally found one this year and it was not as good as I remembered it. The trigger was horrible and I did not like the exposed extractor rod and grips. Sometimes memories are best left as memories. I am not the sentimental type that likes a gun that is dated. I want the best tools with the latest features whether it is a gun or TV. Not typical for a man my age as I live in a retirement community where time ended 20 or 30 years ago.
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Old May 6, 2013, 04:12 PM   #19
csmsss
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Ruger P-85. I will always be grateful to that pistol for teaching me everything a pistol should not be.
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Old May 6, 2013, 04:45 PM   #20
Sharpsdressed Man
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Spreewerk German P-38. It was 1966, and it cost $55 of hard earned lunch money. Traded a year or two later for A Mossberg 351c .22 carbine.
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Old May 6, 2013, 09:52 PM   #21
2ndsojourn
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I inherited several guns at the same time from my grandfather. The first one I picked up was a FN Hi Power. So I guess that one is my first.
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Old May 7, 2013, 12:50 AM   #22
Chowder
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Mine was a Taurus model 66, 1993 production according to Taurus. Not the fanciest of firearms and doesn't compare to my S&W, but it was utterly reliable and was good looking to boot. If I find one just like it I would have to buy it.
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Old May 7, 2013, 02:41 AM   #23
okiewita40
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My first Handgun was a S&W sigma.40cal. Got stolen while I away overseas. Just replaced it with a G19.
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Old May 7, 2013, 11:42 AM   #24
22-rimfire
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Quote:
rimfire thats funny i just tracked down a 999 even though I have better revolvers! They are SO neat.
Venom, I won't deny that they are neat revolvers. I didn't know much of anything about revolvers or handguns at all when I bought that H&R 999. I thought sights working loose and spitting lead and gun powder was normal. I learned. I basically had a dog and didn't know enough to even realize it unltil I took it to a gunsmith and he explained things to me.
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Old May 7, 2013, 12:17 PM   #25
LynnTX
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My first was a Beretta semiauto 22LR compact (don't recall actual model number). I bought it from an ex police officer for $20 about 1970 because he was in need of money at the time.

I later sold it during a time of hardship of my own - sigh!

My second was a Taurus .357 model 65 revolver with 4"" barrel. I still have it.
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