What was your first handgun, and do you still own it?

[Cartel]

Glock 19 Gen 4

[Cowtown]

Mine was a Ruger MKll 5 1/2 bull barrel 22. Bought in new in 1984 for $169.00 still have it with the original box and price sticker on it. I've run over 50,000 rounds through this gun still a tack driver.

[homeagain]

Gifted: grandpa's Smith Model 30. Still have.

Bought: Smith Model 57. Sold years back. Wish I'd have kept it.

[filthy1]

Springfield XDs 45. Had only shotguns and rifles before my first handgun. 

[subsonic]

High Standard Sport King .22LR. Yes, I still own it.

[JAB]

Titan 25 cal semi auto got it in the late 70's. Still have it and the leather holster have not fired it in a few years but its in good shape.

 

My first handgun was also a Titan .25.  Got it as a gift from my mom for my 18th birthday (that would have been 1989.)  She bought it at the Sweetwater Flea Market (when folks still sold handguns at flea markets) for $50 and it was like new, in the box with manual and other papers.  It shot great and was reliable - despite the fact that I wasn't aware of how important keeping a gun - especially a semiauto - cleaned and lubed is.  Unfortunately, it disappeared from my mom's house - I am almost certain that one of my sticky fingered relatives took it.  I bought another one like it a year or so ago just for the nostalgia and because I always enjoyed shooting the little thing.

 

The first handgun I bought for myself was a later model (serial number is in a range that were built around 1976) Colt Police Positive.  I still have it and doubt I will ever part with it  for a couple of reasons.  One reason is that it was my first revolver and my first handgun in a 'real' defensive cartridge.  Another reason is that it is my only Colt.  Perhaps the biggest reason, however, is the source from which I got it.  See, the father of a good friend of mine (actually, I consider his dad a friend, too) owned it before me.  He had slipped on some ice and fell onto concrete stairs, breaking his neck.  He actually regained some mobility but was never going to be able to shoot, again.  They weren't necessarily just itching to sell the Colt but when he and my friend found out that the only handgun I had for HD was my Titan .25 they offered to sell it to me at 'buddy price'.  See, while attendign UT, I lived on East Fifth in Knoxville, just off of Magnolia, at my grandmother's house - not the best or safest neighborhood.  My buddy knew how bad things could get in that neighborhood because, at the time, he was a special deputy who worked night security at the Knoxville Zoo (which is only a few blocks away from where I lived.)  As I was in college at the time, I would have had a hard time affording 'full price' on a decent revolver and certainly on such a nice Colt. 

 

It wasn't too long after buying it that I called upon the Colt to help me dissuade three guys who were attempting to break down our front door in the middle of the night.  One look at the business end of that six shooter and they high-tailed it, never to return. 

 

My friend's dad has since passed and I don't even shoot the Colt all that much, anymore.  Every time I shoot it or even look at it, though, I am reminded of how the two of them put concern for my safety and ability to protect myself over getting the full price that the Colt might have brought.  I am also reminded of how the presence of that .38 (and, I think, my obvious willingness to use it) along with the barking of the little chihuahua I had at the time (her barking woke me up), quite possibly saved my life and the life of my grandmother.  Yeah, there isn't a lot that could get that one away from me.

Edited June 6, 2013 by JAB

[peejman]

Ruger P85 MKII, still got it. 

[79troublehead]

Ruger Blackhawk in 45 lc. I shot silhouette with that gun and some of the 250 gr SWC loads, with scary amounts of 2400, 4227, and h110 powders behind them, are a testament to the strength of Ruger's. Wish I still had it.

[Joseg]

Glock 19 that I traded for a Glock 17. Regret it a little, but I'll purchase another soon. First weapon, was my dad's M1 Carbine (Iver Johnson) that he gave me after my first duty assignment (Panama) and PCS'ing to Ft. Bragg. Still have it and just replaced a few parts on it. This is will probably be handed down to my oldest as he enjoys it more than my ARs. 

[safeandsecure]

Shortly after we married, my better half bought me a Taurus .38 Special (nickel, 4" bbl) at the local hardware store.  Must have been in '77 or '78, maybe.  And no, I no longer have it.  No clue on the model number.  I've owned a few Taurus revolvers and semi's since, and for the most part, they have been good working tools.  But THAT one, the .38, was a genuine piece of garbage.  Don't know if it was me or the gun, but I couldn't hit a 4' x 4' sign with it at 25 feet.  Also, every 6th time the trigger was pulled, it made a grinding noise that riveled the noise of the round going off.  It was hard to get the cylinder to open, and EVERY time two of the spent casings had to be FORCEFULLY driven from the cylinder.  I remember selling it to a local LEO -- and after noticing this thread, I called him up and HE STILL HAS IT!  He told me that he hated to palm it off on anyone else ... ... but thankfully, he doesn't seem to hold it against me ...

 

First handgun I ever purchased was a little Colt .22 Frontier Scout (60-something bucks).  Still have it.  And to reed1285, I bought a S&W 5906 for my first "defensive caliber" weapon, and I still have it.  I've since bought a couple of others, sold or traded them, but I still have that first one.  I added a 5903 a couple of years back.  Absolutely LOVE to shoot them.  Vision problems have hampered sight acquisition in recent years, but both of these are natural pointers (for me, anyway).  Doubt that I will ever part with either of them.

[Spiffy]

1st handgun I ever shot was Granny's Model 10 and 1st gun I ever bought was a Taurus PT99AF.......still have both.

[gl19gobang]

Ruger security six .357 bought new in 1981. Yes, still own it.

[gl19gobang]

Oh, btw, why do you ask? Your not Obama are you? bahahahaha

[Guest Ceolas]

Dad bought me a Ruger Single Six with the 22LR and 22Mag Cylinders when I was born many moons ago. He handed it over when I turned 18 and left for college.

 

Still have and use it. Used on the Carry Permit test.

[Bad Habit]

Smith and Wesson Model 17 bought in 1985 with the second paycheck I ever got. The first paycheck went to a Sako watch. I was too young to buy it so my mother had to do the paperwork. It was last shot on December 23, 1998 by my brother. It sits in the safe next to the 5 rounds he left in the gun and his death certificate.

[ac3boyz]

S&W 642.  Sold it and not sorry.  .38 special and an lite-weight revolver is not fun to shoot.

[VERO1]

The first was a Ruger Security Six, 4" stainless. I wanted a S&W model 66 but could not swing the difference. I bought this in 1979 for $200 out the door. I sold it to a buddy who still has it and will give me first dibs on it if he ever decides to get rid of it. I replaced it with a stainless 6" GP100 which I still have. It will be given to my daughter in a couple of weeks as a wedding present. She claimed it as hers the first time she shot it when she was about 12.

[Mike.357]

first handgun was an Armi San Marco replica of a 1851 Navy chambered in .44.  Still have it.  It is not much of a shooter anymore gotta be real careful that the cylinder aligns with the barrel after cocking the thing.  I dunno how many rounds I put through it,  lots and lots at any rate.  I shot it one day about five years ago.  Cleaned and reassembled and it would not cock,  it fell out of time somehow.  I met a guy on HighRoad who said he could fix it.  I sent it to him in New Hampshire.  He fixed it and sent it back.  It worked and I got to shoot  it some more.  Now the hammer will drop in a stiff breeze and it does not lock up tight.   Still it was my first and I will never get rid of it.   I ought to shadow box it and put it on the wall.

And I bought that pistol from Gander Mountain.  Mail order.  Mailed them a order form from their catalogue along with a check.  A few weeks later it came to me UPS.  IIRC that was back in about 1978 or so.

[GoneBallistic]

My first was a Taurus PT-140. I still love it and it's my summer carry gun. Best $350 I ever spent.

[Guest seadog]

My SS Ruger GP 100 6" and yes I still own her... one of the only few I would never part with ,in fact just ordered some new Hogue wood grips to dress up my old girl

[MarkInNashville]

My first was a S&W 686 6" - I swapped it (pretty quickly) for a Hi Power.

[jeff43]

Ruger MK I Target with 6 7/8" heavy tapered barrel,blued.My dad bought it new for me around 1978.It's had a lot of rounds put through it and us just as accurate as it was when new.I sent it back to Ruger in 07' and had it reblued.Yes I still have it,it will go to my son. Edited June 10, 2013 by jeff43

[StPatrick]

First handgun was an XD(m) right after they came out...I had owned a shotgun prior, but no pistols.  Sometime around the time the XD(m) was released, I had gotten the idea that every man should be able to load, fire, and clean rifles, pistols, and shotgun of various designs just like he should be able to change a tire, etc.  It's still my nightstand gun, and I can do the load / fire / clean with pretty much anything that comes my way now, so mission accomplished.  I can even reassemble a Ruger MkIII on the 1st try sometimes.

[ttocswob]

Smith & Wesson Model 36 - bought gently used late 80's. Spent too much time lost in the trunk so it's a little rough, but still shoots. Right now it's still in my vehicle, too.

[jtmaze]

My first handgun is an xd40. Still have it and carry it. Never failed to go boom. Have all the guns I have ever owned and will until I die.