Guns you’ve owned, that you’d never buy again (and why?)

[SelfDefenseInstructor]

I’m interested to know about other people’s bad experiences with particular handguns they’ve purchased that they’ve been disappointed with? What did you get and WHY did it suck?

P.S.
I don’t mean to turn this thread into a discussion as to why someone’s opinions about a firearm are or aren’t valid – I simply want to know WHAT you didn’t like and why YOU didn’t like it. Heck, I know a lot of people will disagree with the reasons for my disliking of particular firearms, but they are what they are… and with that, here they are:

First, let me preface this by stating I’m a small guy (5’6”, 130lbs).

H&K VP70. – This thing was so incredibly front heavy for a handgun! It was well balanced when it was loaded, but as the mag emptied the front sight would tend to creep lower and lower. Guess they hadn't quite figured out the polymer frame thing yet.

S&W Early Semi-autos – Two words. Magazine Safety. Hate ‘em. Anything that makes a self-defense handgun less likely to fire is BAD in my opinion.

H&K P7 PSP – Re-read the last sentence in the last paragraph. Oh, and I’ve never been terribly keen on European-style mag releases.

Davis Derringer – I think somebody once called this the easiest gun the world to accidently shoot yourself with. ☺

Walter PPK/S – I loved this gun, BUT it’s old skool “carved from a hunk of lead” design made it impractical for what I wanted it for. Pocket carry. Without a belt on I’d lose my shorts with this in my pocket and no one wants to see that! Still, I suppose it did double as a small hammer/club.

 

[shooter521]

Similar thread, but not limited to handguns:
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...ussion/62853-most_disappointing_gun_ever.html

As I posted there:

Astra A75 .45ACP. Second pistol I ever owned. First the rear sight drifted out of its dovetail. No biggie; I had a local 'smith stake it in place. Then I started having reliability issues (gun wouldn't get through a full mag of 230gr FMJ without choking, and did it with 4 different mags). Sent the gun back to EAA; they replaced the barrel, which didn't help at all. Traded it on a Glock 26 and never looked back.

(Dis)honorable mention: Kel-Tec P40. Not particularly reliable, and NO fun to shoot! Welcome to Kel-Tec's house of pain!

I also would not buy my Kel-Tec P32 again, since there are now much better options in the pocket gun category.

 

[XMil]

Siq Mosquito. The trigger pull is horrendous, but the fact that Sig service can't even answer emails puts me off them.


And obviously Glocks of course, who wants an exploding POS.

 

[ludlow]

Well I just picked up a Kel-Tec PF9 and shot it for the first time today. I am definitely questioning this decision. But I've only got a about 100 rounds through it so I'm going to give it some more time before I completely condem it.

 

[Fishersjohn48]

S&W .40 Sigma. We all know about those.

 

[baldguy637]

S&W .40 Sigma. We all know about those.

 

[drgnrobo]

3)Raven 25 auto -Slide cracked on me as well as the frame
2)Magnum Research polymer 22-It was a chokeamatic on all 22 ammo
1)Smith & Wesson 422-Blew out the right side ejection controls & right grip panel using standard velocity 22 ammo (charles daly) S&W wouldnt honor their warranty claiming I was using hyper velocity ammo,Even sent type of ammo I was using & gun shop vouched for me,Sold it as soon as I got it back

 

[Benjamin]

Rossi revolvers. I had a .357 mag that I bought off a fellow INGO member and the single action worked fine but the double action only worked on the first trigger pull and then you had to push the trigger back forward until it clicked and reset the double action. Overall I got the impression that Rossi makes very cheap revolvers (both in price and quality).

It was very accurate though.

 

[stmoore]

H&K P7 PSP – Re-read the last sentence in the last paragraph. Oh, and I’ve never been terribly keen on European-style mag releases.

This is why I've gone with the P7M13. Great guns. Love them.

 

[andrewheath]

Taurus PT-111 pro. I hated the trigger slop and take up before it was right at the firing point. Seemed almost an inch long before it got to the firing point.

 

[CSK22]

Well I just picked up a Kel-Tec PF9 and shot it for the first time today. I am definitely questioning this decision. But I've only got a about 100 rounds through it so I'm going to give it some more time before I completely condem it.

Yep, it was my first handgun, I HATED that thing by round 150. My hand was so numb.

 

[stmoore]

That's what she said.

Taurus PT-111 pro. I hated the trigger slop and take up before it was right at the firing point. Seemed almost an inch long before it got to the firing point.

 

[MarkM]

Cobra .380 I was broke and my p85 just got stolen. My dad bought for me from Bradis it was 150 out the door I thought it would do me until I got a better one. How wrong I was it didn't even fire, tried several different types of ammo never once fired but double fed all the time. Traded it for a Rossi 357 with a 2 inch barrel. Never again will I own one of those, heaviest gun ever. Now I have an expoding POS glock and I love it. BTW not saying it was Bradis' fault it didn't fire just Cobra's

 

[red_zr24x4]

S&W 6906- (but S&W auto's in general) crappy trigger pull,mag saftey
I would buy any S&W revolver but never another auto

Ruger P89DC -crappy trigger just not a reliable gun imo
Again would buy any of their revolvers

 

[OAK]

Walther P99 .40S&W worst POS EVER!!! The rear plunger that held the sights in place broke luckily it was under warrenty unfortunately that peice was on back order I waited 3mos. As soon as I got it back from the shop I went outside stood on my deck fired one round at a target and the rear sight slide all the way to the right! I slide the sight back over put two drops of loctite and traded it to the shop that repaired it.

 

[Mr. Habib]

Hk VP70 Z. I thought I was the only one that bought one of those paper weights! Top heavy, blow back action, horrible trigger, this must have been HK's attempt to copy the Hi Point

Glock 17 Trigger almost as bad as the VP70Z, sights that fell off, and the only firearm I've ever owned that had serious safety issues and was recalled. Oh wait I can't use the 'R' word about Glocks. It was "voluntarily upgraded" at the factory. Apparently firing when the slide is closed on a live magazine was no longer considered a useful feature. Also the only handgun I've owned that would vastly shift point of impact with different brands of the same bullet weight ammo. We're talking a shift measured in feet.

Walther PPk/S Nice gun, but way too heavy for a .380 ACP and nasty hammer bite.

 

[Larryjr]

I can't remember every gun but in the last several years two specific guns come to mind that I won't be buying again:

Kel-Tec 9 & CZ 82. The Kel-Tec was long, hard pull and CZ was not a comfortable gun to shoot. In addition, I thought the CZ was DA/SA. It wasn't, only DA.

 

[EvilleDoug]

I have $300 bucks for a new gun, went to my FFL, found a Kel-Tec P11 and found my new gun. I was so happy. Got home, open my ammo container to pull out the 9MM I had in there and go shoot. Dang it, I forgot I used it all the last time I went out shooting and didn't buy any more because I wasn't going to be shooting the Helwan again for a while, why would I? I have a new .45.

Anyway, pay day come, bought new 9MM ammo, went to shoot and wanted the marriage annulled right then. I tried to give it some time, but never got used to that gun. The trigger travel was long, I found out that I am no fan of pistols with no hammer, and the recoil was so abusive I thought the webbing in my hand was going to split.

I traded it for my new (to me) Ruger P97 and have absolutely no regrets. It may be a good gun for someone out there, just not me.

I think I should have gone with the Bersa .380

 

[paperboy]

1) Kel Tec P3AT....Just didn't like to shoot it. Couldn't ever get a comfortable grip or a smooth trigger pull
2) Erma/Excam 22....Bought this used from a Pawn Shop and had constant light strikes. They did take it back and gave me full credit....
3) S&W Sig 9mm....I know alot of guys like these but I had several FTE's & FTF's. Sent it back to Smith had them work on it, got it back with the same issues. Traded it for a loss just to get rid of it.....

 

[Squib]

I'm not wild about the KelTec P-11. Others have mentioned the long trigger pull. After scientific measurement, I can tell you that length of pull is equal to the distance between Indianapolis and Bloomington!!!



NRA Lifer since 1971