My Handgun Journey

[ChristianPatriot]

Mine started six years ago. I was engaged to be married and my future father-in-law bought me a Gen3 Glock 19. I was planning on purchasing it myself, but he picked it up from his brother and said don't worry about it. It was the gun I wanted. But to be honest, I didn't know anything about guns and it was the most common gun that I had heard of. I bought my permit and carried it in a cheap Uncle Mike's. Fast forward to the beginning of 2013. Sold the 19 because it was "too big". Purchased a SCCY CPX-2 at the 1500. My Uncle recommended it. I was impatient and just wanted something smaller. Had the SCCY for about a year, hated it. I had been on INGO for a year and HAD TO HAVE a 1911. Sold the SCCY and got a Springfield A1 Loaded. Loved it. Then I wanted something a little more compact for comfy summer carry. Got a Glock 26. Then I found myself carrying the 26 more than the Springer. Sooo I sold it for a bunch of AR goodies. I carried my 26 with a 19 mag and grip adapter. Absolutely fell in love with Glocks. But then I got to thinking, my 26 prints like 19 but doesn't have the extra fps from the barrel. So ladies and gentleman, I bought a Gen4 Glock 19 FDE. Funny how life works. Is the Glock 19 the perfect pistol? For me, yes. Just took me six years to figure it out.

MY HANDGUN JOURNEY
Glock 19 Gen 3
SCCY CPX-2
Springfield Armory 1911 A-1 Loaded
Glock 26 Gen 3
Glock 19 FDE Gen 4

What was your journey?

 

[hps]

Good thread!
I'm trying to think how my addiction all came together.
Ktec p11
NUMEROUS glocks
1911
revolver (38 Ruger)
but now Ive takin on a slightly different path. My EDC is a Glock 26 and a Ktec 32 when deep concealment is important.
Ive gotten into the 1911 thing and this is what I mainly shoot at the range. Honestly dont really carry to shoot much else. 1911's and highpowers!! eff n snob!!!

 

[ModernGunner]

First handgun I purchased for myself was a Mdl. 29, 8.375" bbl. Carried that for years in a shoulder rig. Carried a Star PD as a BUG.

Like yourself, I've bought, sold, traded my share of handguns, more often based on one of my friends wanting one I had (whatever significance there is to that, LOL!). Dan Wesson .44 (didn't like it as much as the 629), and a beautiful piece of machinery, a Colt Python from the Colt Custom Gun Shop.

The ONLY handgun I, kind of, wish I'd never sold was an .44AMP Auto Mag (of 'Dirty Harry "Sudden Impact" fame). Wish I had it today more for 'sentimental' reasons, but at the time, the $$$ I was offered for it was simply way to good to pass up.

Really though, I don't 'pine away' for any of them. They're just tools. I've never bought any firearm as a 'collectors piece'. Every handgun I've ever owned, I've carried. There are those that do buy as 'collectors', and more power to 'em, but I don't believe in 'safe queens'. Nor do I 'count' on them appreciating in value, though that often happens with some firearms. My 'motto': If it doesn't go 'BANG!', it's a paperweight.

Today, there's so many fine handguns out there, it's mind-numbing. But one of my 'mainstay' carry guns still remains the S&W .44 mag., only in stainless as the Mdl. 629.

 

[aeroe]

Mine started six years ago. I was engaged to be married and my future father-in-law bought me a Gen3 Glock 19. I was planning on purchasing it myself, but he picked it up from his brother and said don't worry about it. It was the gun I wanted. But to be honest, I didn't know anything about guns and it was the most common gun that I had heard of. I bought my permit and carried it in a cheap Uncle Mike's. Fast forward to the beginning of 2013. Sold the 19 because it was "too big". Purchased a SCCY CPX-2 at the 1500. My Uncle recommended it. I was impatient and just wanted something smaller. Had the SCCY for about a year, hated it. I had been on INGO for a year and HAD TO HAVE a 1911. Sold the SCCY and got a Springfield A1 Loaded. Loved it. Then I wanted something a little more compact for comfy summer carry. Got a Glock 26. Then I found myself carrying the 26 more than the Springer. Sooo I sold it for a bunch of AR goodies. I carried my 26 with a 19 mag and grip adapter. Absolutely fell in love with Glocks. But then I got to thinking, my 26 prints like 19 but doesn't have the extra fps from the barrel. So ladies and gentleman, I bought a Gen4 Glock 19 FDE. Funny how life works. Is the Glock 19 the perfect pistol? For me, yes.

MY HANDGUN JOURNEY
Glock 19 Gen 3
SCCY CPX-2
Springfield Armory 1911 A-1 Loaded
Glock 26 Gen 3
Glock 19 FDE Gen 4

What was your journey?

Got out the service, was given an old Colt Frontier Scout and Marlin 99m1 that belonged to my dad. Decided I'd like to get back into the old hobby and add a conceal carry. Being familiar with the Beretta 92 I sought out Stoegger Cougars, as a compromise. Pretty much forgot about it for a while.

Then Sandy Hook, everything skyrockets when my interest returned. Passed on conceal carry and became irritated with the gun panic. Decided to buy a Ruger SR22 anyway a year after.

Love the SR22, but now I hate finding 22LR.

Decided that I'll get a nice nightstand/carry gun in one package. Cougars now cost $150 more than before (price is down recently though). Got a Stingray-C, which is much more enjoyable to shoot than the SR22, thanks to the nice trigger and CZ ergos.

Now I'm buying a piece of paper, for my right to carry. Oh and looking at lighter summer carry options.

 

[TTB Yeee]

The first gun I bought to carry was an M&P 9c, and I really liked it. I sold it to buy an M&P Shield, and I liked it quite a bit too. I then sold that when I realized that the Glock 19 was the perfect EDC (for me).

I do want to pick up a smaller carry at some point for a bit of versatility. I've not yet decided if I want to go G26, or back to a Shield. I don't know if the G26 is THAT much smaller to make it worth it, while the Shield is definitely smaller.

 

[cce1302]

Only just begun.


27 years and counting...

 

[VERT]

Carry Gun Journey starting in 1993:
Charter Arms Undercover
Smith & Wesson 57 (shoulder holster and a big coat or in the truck)
FEG HiPower
Walther PPK/s
Moved to MI and back to the S&W m57 for the apartment
Glock 23 gen 2 and Walther P99 in the house
Browning HiPower
Glock 23 gen 3 & Taurus M85
Upgraded the M85 to a Smith 642
Got bit by the 1911 bug but continued to carry the Glock 23
Have now retired the Glock in favor of a commander 1911

 

[IndyGlockMan]

Great story. I'd do mine, but I don't have that kind of time or memory left on my hard drive to complete the whole story

I think the Glock 19 is the perfect pistol.
If you take personal preference out of the equation, You'd be hard pressed to find something better.
The Walther PPQ is a close second.

 

[SSGSAD]

Ruger, S&W, end of story .....

 

[WhyLighter338]

Started out at 18 with a Gen 1 Glock 17. Then I decided that i wanted something smaller so i went to get a Glock 23 (had a lot of 40 cal due to my wifes carry) but ended up getting a Beretta 92A1 instead. Carried that for about 8 months or so then got a Glock 22 RTF2. Found a 80s vintage Charter Arms snub nose with custom trigger and carried that as a BUG. Sold my Glock in early October 2013 for my 1st 1911 ( early 21st bday gift to myself. Carried both the snub and 1911 til February of this year when i bought a Sig Sauer P226 9mm. Then about 3 weeks ago i traded the 1911 in for a Gen 3 Glock 19 in FDE. So now my carry is the 226 with snub as back up til i get a tac light and holster for my G19.

That is the journey so far...

 

[James20]

A glock 30 that I still carry in the winter, A glock 26 that I sold for a ruger lc9. The ruger broke shortly after I bought it and I didn't trust it enough to carry so I sold it for an airweight smith. I didn't like the trigger so now I have a kahr cm9 as my daily carry and I love it.

 

[hps]

Good thread!
I'm trying to think how my addiction all came together.
Ktec p11
NUMEROUS glocks
1911
revolver (38 Ruger)
but now Ive takin on a slightly different path. My EDC is a Glock 26 and a Ktec 32 when deep concealment is important.
Ive gotten into the 1911 thing and this is what I mainly shoot at the range. Honestly dont really carry to shoot much else. 1911's and highpowers!! eff n snob!!!

This isnt were I Started!! Its only were I wanted to started my firearms story FOR THIS THREAD!!
Gawd I aint got that much time.

 

[STEEL CORE]

Started back in the day (1980) with whatever I could afford while serving in the US Army (they gave me guns and ammo free) so I had a S&W mdl 36/37, Jennings .22, Raven .25, (Stop laughing) then a Colt Combat Commander. Moving along I had a Walther PPK/s, and a few S&W mdls 19, 29, 39, 59, 66, 459, 659, and 686. Then I got a Sig 226, loved it, however, along came GLOCK. 17/19/22/23/26/27/30S. Oh we also have an Intratech .25 protech, a tec 9mm, and a Erma Excam .22.

Also a few un named traded out along the way. My G-22/23/27's fit the bill now and I have reached the I don't need anything else level.

We shall see!

 

[EricG]

Too many to list after 20+ years

 

[throttletony]

Started in 2003
Glock 34 (gen3) - overall favorite from.Glock
Glock 27 (gen3)
Glock 34 (gen 4)
Glock 23 (gen 4)
All sold in changing calibers, sizes, etc.
I've now settled on a Ruger GP 100 357 and m&p shield in 9mm as my do-everything guns

 

[DustyDawg48]

I've carried a bunch in a short period of time.

Springfield 1911
Glock Gen 3 17
Glock Gen 3 19
Glock Gen 3 21
Glock Gen 3 30
Glock Gen 4 21
M&P9
M&P45
M&P9c
Glock Gen 4 19
Ruger LCP
M&P9

It really depends on what I am shooting in IDPA as far as what I'll carry. I've had a SIG P226, a CZ75BD and a few other Glocks thrown in there but those on the list were my carry guns for the longest periods.

 

[88E30M50]

My journey started somewhere around 1975 when my father bought me a Glenfield Marlin 25. We did a bunch of shooting in the late 70s but had no idea what we were doing then. We owned no hearing protection and rarely worried about eye protection. When shooting a friends .357, we would sometimes bring cotton balls to stuff in our ears, but more often than not, they would be ringing for days afterwords. In 1981, I moved to CA and did very little shooting while out there. In the mid 90s, I moved to Indiana but did not start shooting again until 2008 when I bought a Springfield 1911. Since then, my son's and I have been shooting as many as three times a week with an average of around 8 thousand rounds a year during the peak but is now down to around 4 or 5k per year.

I can honestly thank Obama for getting my off my backside and back into shooting. I'd been planning on getting another gun by never got around to it until Obama won the first election. That was what prompted me to buy that first 1911 and it's been a fun ride since.

 

[Hohn]

1) Gen 4 G22
2) Gen 3 G20SF


Hopefully more to come.

 

[SubUrbanCamo317]

Mine started 5/17/11. I got my LTCH and bought 2 pistols from Indy trading post. A original Sigma 40 and a ATI CS9, I later sold those and kept buying and selling. I've recently Calmed down buying and selling like crazy not being able to make up my mind. I am now settled on the S&W M&P line. I currently carry a M&P9 full size, and will be looking for a M&P9c and a Shield next.

 

[orrin3477]

Started in 2009

S&W Sigma 9mm (sold)
FNX 9mm (Sold)
HK 45 (Sold)
HK P30L 9mm
S&W 1911 E Series .45

And according to the wife I'm done with handguns for awhile