Where did your addiction begin and with what firearms (handguns)?!!

[cundiff5535]

Where did your addiction begin and with what firearms?!!

I figured I would stray off from my typical picture posts and talk about my journey into the the handgun addiction! More specifically, the 1911 addiction as that what most of my collection consists of these days!


It was fast and to the point, while being long and drawn out. Here is what I mean.


I didn’t get into shooting or forearms until my early 30’s. Up until then I saw no use for a gun... shoot, I hadn’t even held a gun let a lone shot one (and my dad is a huge shotgun and smith revo collector). I was honestly to busy playing sports and chasing girls to pay an attention to “guns”.


One day I went to visit my uncle who is a retired Chicago cop and he had a pistol sitting out on his end table. I saw it and started sweating (lol). I literally had no idea how firearms worked, how to tell if they were safe, or even a basic understanding of them. I looked at him like he was nuts for just having that “thing” sitting out on the table. We got into a long discussion about firearms, safety, calibers, shooting, and the second 2A. I left there feeling odd... a few days later I went back and we chatted some more. I asked him what his best firearm was... he pulled out a Kimber Eclipse Target in 9mm! He talked about the gun like it was one of his kids. He asked if I would like to shoot it into his home range in his basement. I was nervous, and although we spoke in depth about safety, stance, grip, and sight alignment I worried I would shoot a damn hole in the wall... ultimately I said yes and the firearm addiction started!


So the easy answer for me, the quick answer to the question of what started my addiction is that Kimber. Two days after I shot it I ordered a Kimber Team Match II in 9mm. I became the guy who had to have every Kimber model made (that’s just my personality). I was literally the Kimber fanboy that most people hate!!


That was back 2011...


In that one year, I literally switched all interest into learning to shoot and "collecting"! I had acquired nearly 25 Kimbers in a year. I "thought" I knew a lot about 1911's at that time... and then... I stumbled upon a few firearm/1911 forums. I started reading and posting and learning.... A LOT! I learned about Wilson, Night Hawk, Baer, and Brown... I quickly started to understand what made some 1911's better than others, but I personally could not fathom dropping $2K plus on a firearm (as if that made any sense seeing that I bought 20+ Kimbers in a year lol).


As 2012 approached I stumbled upon the Wilson Contemporary Classic from Wilson Combat. It was hands down the single most impressive 1911 I had ever seen. I wanted it! Of course that gun sold out in like 2 hours when it dropped in 2011... and we were in 2012. So it was out. That gun was the one that convinced me that I would sell some Kimbers to buy a Wilson. I asked for thoughts on several forums about who was the best builder was. Joe Chambers name came up a lot... So did a lot other smiths. I quickly realized when it comes to "custom gun". style, personality, and who was willing to work with you meant a lot. Well a few calls to Joe C back in 2012 and I had an order on the books. Oddly enough, he told me the gun would not be ready for 7 years. Well.. here we are. About 7 1/2 year later and I should be getting that gun sooner than later.


I do not have one Kimber left... But, I do have that Wilson Contemporary Classic (hunted one down a few years back to add to the stable)! The rest are all custom guns built by masters... and ALL of them get shot often! Its been such a fun journey... and I have learned a crap ton! Things were def different back then! But all in all, I can gladly say I have not only been addicted to the platform, I have been addicted to learning and talking with others about firearms!


Hope this was not to long, and I hope you all enjoyed my shared thoughts!! What was the gun that got you addicted to the hobby/sport? Anything you all wish to share or add would be great! I know I appreciate reading about other peoples journeys!

 

[Expat]

I can not imagine ordering a pistol with a 7+ years waiting list. You have more patience than I
I don't really have an addiction to a specific type of gun. I received my first in 1972 when Santa brought me Remington 870 20. I was 12. A few years later a Remington 22 was under the tree.
My next was in the early to mid 80's which was a S&W Mod 66 that I bought. I have accumulated a few more over the years. On the 1911s, I have a few Les Baers, a WC, several Colts, a Kimber... oh a Nighthawk...

 

[1nderbeard]

My aunt (now deceased) bought me my first firearm in 2008. I was a senior in college. It was a Marlin 1894c in 357 mag; I still have it and it is still a sweet shooter. I killed my first deer with it. I got in to hunting about 5 years ago.
Fast forward to the day I convinced my wife in 2011 to let me buy my first pistol, a Ruger SR40. Not long after I bought it I traded up for a Glock 27, which I still carry.
A few years after my wife told me not to ask her to buy any more guns, as long as I stayed under a target number each year.
Now I have more time to shop than shoot, and so I'm accumulating 3-5 of various firearms each year. So far in 2019-2020 I've been expanding my horizons to the AR15. I have 3 and a lower that needs to be assembled waiting on an upper when things cool down.

 

[gregkl]

I have no addictions. I have 3 guns my father left me when he passed away and though I have bought quite a few firearms over the years, I have sold almost all of them. I did get a shotgun for duck hunting when I was 17-18 which I still have and a couple handguns.

I am a member of this forum and I do enjoy shooting, but my budget does not allow me to have multiples of anything and I have huge holes in many of the types of firearms.

But I'm happy with what I have. I wouldn't buy anymore at this point even if I had the money.

 

[Thor]

Mine began in the early years of B/W westerns with the Peacemaker and various Winchesters. Then evolved with "Combat!" and WWII weapons.

I like both currently relevant and historically significant firearms (many of the historically significant are also currently relevant).

The JMB designs abide.

 

[Hookeye]

I grew up shooting Colt and Ruger handguns.
Got my first revolver ( Single Six .22 mag ) in 5th grade. Didnt have enough oomph for chucks so pops got me a .357 the next yr.

Python, Woodsman, various 1911, piles of Ruger SA......shot a bunch of stuff as a kid.

Preference as an adult is Smith rev and Colt autos.

 

[Hookeye]

I do well with handguns.
But like rifles more.

 

[Arthur Dent]

I had always had an interest in guns. But it wasn't until I was in my late 30's that I bought my first one. I'd only fire a handful of guns prior to that. But it was being invited to an INGO NFA day that prompted me to start. First gun I bought was a Ruger P95, which I still have.

 

[EGParatrooper]

Started out as a young kid plinking with my dads single six 22lr. I was given a Winchester model 37 .410 for my 10th birthday, then a model 94 30-30 for my 12th birthday. Was issued a 1911 when I went active duty at 17. Raising my kids the same way. I have an indoor range in my basement (25 ft, shoot mostly rough rider 22lrs, and some 9mm).

 

[MrSmitty]

Some kids play baseball with their dads, My dad, brother and I shot....On the weekends we would go down to my grandparents houses, near My dads fathers house was an old dump, complete with rats, and near my moms fathers house was a great creek, and a dump....The first question my dad would ask when loading up for the weekend was...."Boys which guns you want to take?" My dad was a horse trader, every week it was ..."boys, here is your new gun".. they ranged from K-22's, Pythons, High Standards, Rugers, Marlins, you get the idea. That is why I love guns, and trading guns, don't really collect, just love talking guns, and shooting guns, and owning, and trading guns... if I get trading fever, i'll trade. I've also had to sell a few for bills and such over the years, those sucked! Had rent due, and something had to go, I hated it, but my family needed a roof.... These days I have a few "evergreens' (guns that will go to my son) but I have a few that could go for "that next great trade" sorry if I thread jacked...

 

[STEEL CORE]

Started with a .20 ga and.22 as a kid. My Uncle Samual let me play with rifles and machine guns and introduced me to the GI .45.
I was a Colt .45 fan , then Smith and Wesson 9.mm’s. Some revolvers in my day, even a Walter PPK/s.
Next I bought a Sig 226, and was happy with it. Then came GLOCK.
My .45’s, the Sig, and two Smith and Wesson revolvers hang out in the safe, Glocks ride on my hip.

 

[gmcttr]

Got my start with the usual BB/Pellet guns, .22LR rifle and 870 shotgun.

The first time I got to shoot a pistol was when I was 15 and a friends dad took us to Hoosier Hills Rifle and Pistol Club and put a .45ACP Colt 1911 Gold Cup in my hands. That would have been back around 1968.

 

[Contender]

Had a couple shotguns and rifles I hunted with. Friend of mine let me shoot his Contender in 35 Rem. Wow, I needed a big handgun and went deep down the Contender rabbit hole and then dove into other handguns from there.

 

[IndianaSoloMcfly]

This is a cool thread. I grew up in a gun shop in elletsville indiana, Dad started me on a cricket.22 so far back I cant even remember.
He was an olympic level shooter. And i have trophies to prove it somewhere..
I never ran handguns much until I was much much older.
I have permanent hearing damage from shooting a .308 without ear protection. Dad used to let me go out with a .22 snub and do kid things in the woods and the yard and gave me 1 dollar a head on moles in the yard.

I often wonder what the old man would say about the world now, and I had no idea how his influence would affect me.
I have a ton of stories from being very young and involved in gun culture.

Im out of state and the power is out. Maybe I will come back to this thread later and tell some stories.

 

[churchmouse]

Raised up by farm folks. Dad moved us to Indy in 1954 so he could be closer to work. We maintained our duty's as to helping out on the family farm which meant you were going to work your butt off while you were there. One of my duty's after showing a decent eye with a long gun at 12 years old was to procure dinner. 22 short/22 LR/and 22 mag was the calibers we hunted with. It was a key period in my life as My uncles started teaching me handgun on a Colt 1911.
Started at 12 and never looked back. Nothing in a semi-auto ever felt right outside the 1911. Now at my ripe old age I have found CZ offerings that work for me but I still love my 1911's.

 

[snowwalker]

I had two revolvers in my early 20's and my LTCH which expired after 4 years and then not much of anything until 7/04/08, and then it happened.

I was shot. That's right, on Friday July 4th I was shot. I was 50 years old. I got my LTCH again and bought my first pistol at Brady Firearms, a Glock 21, within two weeks. Now I don't know how many I have, they are all written down, but I have lost track.

That day changed my life. No nightmares or PTSD, but a healthy dose of paranoia. Now if you see me I'm carrying, inside or outside makes no difference. It has been a very steep learning curve and I feel good where I'm at now. I really enjoy my life but there are safety measures in place and I double check everything and life goes on.

 

[gregkl]

Since others have included some background of their life growing up, I'm throwing that in along with my comments upthread.

I was raised in a military family but I am the only one that did not serve in the military. One of my regrets in life. My mom and dad immigrated to the U.S. from Germany. Dad served in the German Army on the Russian Front. He was shot (by a Mosin-Nagant) and was a POW for 5 years or so.

We grew up with guns. Hunting mostly but dad carried a HiPower daily due to his work in downtown Flint. When he came home at night, he set it on the kitchen counter. After breakfast he picked it up, put it in his shoulder holster and was off to work. We never messed with it except periodically he would ask one of us boys to clean it. When I was old enough, I was taught how to clean it and then it became my duty. Which may be why I am not the least bit intimidated at taking a 1911 down to each individual component.

We went to Williams Gun Sight often to shoot for fun and to check zero on the deer hunting rifles. I hunted with my dad's Marlin .35 Rem which I now have. Dad hunted with a 300 mag Weatherby. He said he didn't feel like tracking the deer, lol.

As a kid we spent a lot of time in northern Michigan where we walked around the woods plinking. Just about everything was fair game; cans, birds, squirrels, twigs, etc.. I started with a bb gun, then a pellet gun, then a .22. I also have my dads Weatherby XXII .22.

Both of my brothers went Army. One during Vietnam. He has zero interest in military firearms, just hunting. He has dad's Weatherby 300. My other brother was on a pistol team during his Army years and traveled shooting competitions. Now he shoots IDPA.

I am the black sheep of the family. Always will be.

 

[Cheeki Breeki]

When I was eighteen I bought this surplus izhmash 91/30 off a friend for sixty dollars. Up until then I was only accustomed to shooting pop cans with an old red Ryder BB gun so it’s been a fun learning curve to say the least. I became very interested in the hobby and have been collecting here and there when I can afford it. My main focus have been AK’s lately but before when they were cheaper and hadn’t discovered my love for kalashnikovs I collected wheel guns, semi auto pistols, and shotguns. I’ve got a soft spot for single action steel frame guns like the 1911 and hi power, but I carry a Glock. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

BB guns as a kid. Hunted a bunch of small game with a 20 ga Mossberg and a Glenfield Model 60. Didn't get into handguns until a few years ago. Have about half a dozen inexpensive ones now in 5 of the most common calibers (.45 ACP, 9mm, .380, .22 lr, 38 Special).

 

[Wire Fox]

Started out with my dad's revolvers. Some S&W .38 special pistols, as well as a .45 long colt he had. I really was interested in trying my hand at a semi-auto, and a few years later right at the start of the .40 S&W craze, he picked up a Glock 23. I wanted to love it, but I actually ended up hating the way it felt and shot for me... Ended up being away from firearms for a while due to the circumstances of where I was living and what I was doing for a couple years, but once I got my first few pay checks while in college, I put one of them toward a Mosin-Nagant 91/30 and had an absolute blast with the thing. Probably some of the most fun $107 + ~$50 for ammo has ever bought.

With more steady pay the next year, I picked up a Springfield xDM in 9mm, my LTCH, and rapidly acquired a Ruger 10/22, 20" Government-spec AR-15 pieced together with mostly CMMG parts, and a Mossberg 590A1 SPX. The Springfield still travels with me every day and is easily my favorite gun I own. The Ruger 10/22 was given as a gift to family that was reminiscing on their younger years when they did target shooting (but I've heard that they never use it, and they've been thinking about gifting it back again since they heard a rumor that I was looking to buy another). The AR-15 has stayed with me, but the furniture and accessories have changed quite a bit through the years. The Mossberg was quickly sold to a close friend for lack of use years ago, but I just recently bought it back as I was missing having it. I've bought a few other handguns since, and inherited several handguns from my father.

It's quite the nice ride I've had so far with my firearms experience, and this year has proven to be a year that's really pulled my interest forward again. I've been to the range more times this year than I've been over the last 20 years. Expensive time to improve my training, but oh boy...it sure has improved noticeably.