My old man wouldn't let me have a handgun until I was 12. Still have the old
Ruger Single- Six. Worn down to silver in some places. Basic carry method
Back then was canvas holster sewn in my news paper delivery sack. Mean
dogs were a problem back then. I was getting stitched up every other week,
from dog bites. Had to go to Mayors court once over dog, he fined me $3.
I only had $2.37, he "lent" me the rest and returned my gun.

Yes I bought a then brand new on the market Ruger Security Six .357 4''in 1972

I really wanted a Smith 19, but in that era trying to find a new or used Smith like that was very hard. My dealer showed me that Ruger and it seemed decent, so I bought it.

Still have it alone with a few Smiths I got my hands on as time went by. More of a Safe queen now but I do shoot it now and then.

__________________
14 S&W Revs none with locks!

My first handgun was a 4" Highway Patrolman, I still have it, still love it.

I wish I did. It was a beautiful Model 15 (don't remember the dash) 4" that my father gave to me in 1986 after I started my first real job and got "off the payroll" at home. A few years later, I traded it back to him for a Model 60, which I still have.

__________________
Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

First pistol 1971, Colt 1911 Series 70, 38 Super. First wheelgun, S&W Model 29 in 1978. Yes, both are still in the safe and get exercised as much as possible.

I bought one of the very first Ruger GP-100s when they were first introduced 30 years ago. 4" blued. Still have it. Although I've come to own more S&Ws than Rugers, the GP-100 was my first revolver. I've shot plenty of full-house .357 Magnum ammo through it, and it's none the worse for wear. I replaced the stock wood grip inserts with elk stag from Patrick Grashorn the "Executioner". Also put in a custom front sight.

__________________
'Merica!

I still have my first handgun a ruger 4 5/8" single six. My uncle gave it to me for hauling rocks all day for him when I was in middle school. He had a large gun collection so he gave me that instead of money. A year later he gave me a 6" 686 for clearing limbs around the lake with a pole saw. Which was a tough job for an 8th grader on summer break.

Yep. I sure do. When I was 14 I saved up 100.00 working in my uncles plant nursery. I gave it to my father and asked him to see if a friend of his had a pistol I could buy. He sold me an old model Ruger Single Six with both cylinders. That was 33 years ago.

Gotta love those single sixes

My Dad traded for 2 High Standard Military 22's when I was about 5 and said one was mine. Next thing I knew both were gone for a Browning Sweet 16. So no to your question, but;

A little later Dad bought a late 50's Ruger Single six. He was over his gun trading spell, liked the Ruger and kept it. I was 12-13 then. I claimed it for the loss of the H-S Military. Dad thought I was kidding. I learned to shoot pistols with it. A classmate's Dad had a liquer store/LGS and always had lots of USA marked target Win ammo in the back. His son sold 2 boxes of 50 to kids at school for the same amount as our 50 cent lunch.

I bought ammo daily, would go home and shoot it before Dad got home.

I was cleared by him for gun safety and use by the time I was 9. He bought me a Stevens 94 single shot in 410. I taught many to shoot with it over the years and gave it to my oldest grandson a few years ago.

I was not afraid of what Dad would say if he knew I shot the Ruger but was pretty fearful of his reaction to me spending lunch money for ammo because he might have quit handing out lunch (ammo) money.

There were always leftovers in the fridge to eat after I shot up the ammo.

I inherited the Ruger and many folks have shot their 1st revolver with it.

yup got mine back from a friend few years back,not going anywhere now,model 15-3 ,got from a viet-nam chopper pilot i worked with

Attached Images

002.JPG (137.7 KB, 75 views)

Mine was a second hand High-Standard Double Nine. It dates to 1968, but I acquired it in 1979 while in high school. I still have it too, no telling about many varmits it has dispatched from around the barnyard.

Attached Images

High Standard Double Nine.jpg (84.7 KB, 98 views)

__________________
- Change it back -

I still have my first handgun, a 1951 production second series Colt Woodsman that my grandfather bought new. He taught my mom how to shoot by setting up a shooting range in their basement in Spokane. My mom got it when he passed away in the mid '50s. It became mine in the mid '70s but I had her keep it in her bedside drawer until about ten years ago. She could outshoot me until her eyesight started to fail. She passed away just before Christmas and I think of her when I shoot it.

Nope. First one was a Charter Arms Target Bulldog. 18 ounce, five-shot, 4-inch 357. I kept it for, maybe, a year, before deciding it was not a good plan. It had two major problems. The barrel was a steel tube, and there was an aluminum shroud over it, to make it look kinda like a Smith. The front sight was on the shroud. The shroud was held in place by a set screw. 18 ounce gun plus 357 equals heavy recoil, which makes shroud move around, which makes front sight move around, which makes accuracy go in the toilet.

Then there was the other thing about the heavy recoil from an 18 ounce 357. The other bullets in the cylinder had a tendency to walk forward. Several times, before firing the last shot, the cylinder would lock up because a bullet nose was sticking out the front of it.

Used it as a trade-in on a Steyr Mannlicher rifle in 308. THAT I've still got.

__________________
I always take precautions

My first handgun was my Security Six .357 S/S 6" in the 80s still have it still shoot it

Sort of. My first handgun was a Colt Delta Elite. It had a failure-to-feed on every magazine so I returned it. With the money I bought a Dan Wesson. I don't remember the model. It's either a 715 or just a 15. Either way, I still have it.



It has no part number on it so, I can't determine which exact model it is.

One thing I do know is that it is a target model. It has adjustable target sights on it and a very nice trigger. It's the best trigger I've ever felt on any stock gun.

__________________
Freedom isn't free.

My first handgun was a Ruger Standard Model 21st birthday gift from my wife. After more than 60 years, I'm keeping them both. Both are great companions every day.

Nope, got rid of that "good for nuthn ***". It was a Ruger blackhawk in 357 Mag. Ever time you shot it will a full house load, the dang thing would turn straight up in your hand. It was my first handgun, total pistol novice around 21-22 years old. Almost gave the thing away after I shot a M19 S&W in 357. I got rid of a Volkswagen and moved up to the other German car, a Porsche. Never looked back, still buying and shooting those Porsche/ Smith and Wesson wheel guns and will admit to looking down my nose that the owners of those Blackhawks. Love Rugers, have a bunch and the son is a total Ruger nut because of me, but nope, first gun is gone, good riddance.

I really wish I did. It was a 6" 586 and I foolishly sold it in the early 90s before I knew what sentimental value it would hold now! I've replaced it with others much like it, but they are not the "first"!

__________________
Brad

My first was a S&W mod 19-3 6". Had it in my hands today.

Yep, sure do. It is a 1985 Belgian manufacture Browning Hi-Power.

Russ

First handgun was a 686, bought in 1986. Still qualify with it and its one of my CCW weapons.

__________________
Not enough space

My first handgun was a Ruger P95DC 9mm. I no longer own it. I am not sad. I traded it for a 4" 19-2.

Just pretend this is witty.

__________________
Just pretend this is witty.

Yep. In 1960, I was 3 years old.

Nope, it was an Erfurt Luger, and the barrel wasn't too good. Had a couple of other problems too. I kept it a few years and shot it a lot, but when someone wanted it, he got it.

Yes, it makes almost every range trip, My Model 915

Thank you, OPD Sharpshooter!

No. It was an Iver Johnson 38 break open 38 S&W. Long gone.

Yes. A Browning Hi-Power that I bought at Dillard's. In 1970 you could buy Browning firearms at Dillard's - at least in Texas.

It is still one of my favorite shooters.

__________________
6/23/2022

Yes. It was the first handgun I bought brand new, and I bought it in the sporting goods department at Montgomery Wards in the early 70's.
It's a S&W Model 19-3, 6" still in it's original box with papers.

I remember at the time that I just had to have a "Combat Magnum".

Obviously a sentimental piece, I imagine it will disappear into the hands of one of my nephews before my body gets cold.

Yup a Harrington & Richardson 929

Bought in a combination Gun-shop / Dry Cleaners
in Northern Berkshire County MA around 1980

__________________
Compact 9mm Just my $0.02

Yep. I was around 8 yrs old.

__________________
Halfway and one more step

Mine was a Ruger Bearcat and I still have it. Bought in 1973.

__________________
I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

Yup.. still got my S&W m17
Picture in the other "first gun" thread

My first guns were a pair of CZs, a vz. 50 and a vz. 52. The 52 came with a pigskin holster, a spare mag and about 1200 rounds of Chinese and Russian ammo. There were a couple of boxes of 7.65 for the 50, just one mag, and a gun rug.

At the time, I was in my '40s, and had a mild interest in guns. I thought I wanted a 1911 but had never seen my way clear to spend that kind of money on something non-motorcycle-related.
I had some CZ motorbikes, and a buddy thought the guns would go well with them. The price was pretty attractive, so the guns became mine.

I still have the guns and the bikes, although the '66 twin-pipe MXer is a project I will probably never finish.

__________________
Not in jail.

Christmas, 1965, I was a junior in high-school and wanted a handgun. Dad gave me a 27 6.5" that was manufactured in '58. He'd bought it new in '61 and shot it some, but not a lot. He had a 28 that he used a lot and saved the 27 because it was "too nice" to shoot.

I lugged that thing around for years, in an old WW2 vintage Army bag or satchel, took it everywhere I went. During my college years it was the only gun I had (aside from a .22 single-shot rifle) and I hunted deer with it, actually got six over a period of about 10 years while I was in college, military, and vo-tech school. I also shot countless gophers, rocks, pine-cones, tin-cans and sundry other targets-of-opportunity. I handloaded for it with an old Lee Loader, took me about an hour to put together 10 rounds so I was pretty careful not to waste ammo. I even used it on two occasions for self-defense. Fortunately I didn't have to fire it either time.

Still have the gun. It's a safe-queen now, although would be a fine shooter still.

Here she is:



PS: The grips are not original. It came with Magnas and they seemed too small for my big paws, so I traded them to a guy for these really beat Targets (I think I had to toss in a few $) and then refinished them. I wish I still had the OEMs, but they're long gone. These are at least contemporary if not the matching SN grips.

Long gone!
I was down at Roswell and fell in with some guys who were into jackrabbit shooting.
I started with a borrowed 22 rifle but decided a handgun from the hip was really my style.
So I bought an imported 22 convertible revolver with the sleeved inserts and pot metal cylinders.
Didn't take me long to figure out that was a mistake and traded it for a Ruger.

__________________
NRA LIFE MEMBER

Nice to see a good few Ruger Single Sixes in the mix. Makes me miss mine.

I came from a very anti-gun household, but had been crazy about firearms as long as I can remember, much to my parents' dismay. I got this Model 27-3 for entry into the police academy. The dealer had no 19's or 586's at the time, and I was not revolver savvy then...but I sure made the right choice! Still have it and the box and tools as well as the receipt. The original target stocks were immediately removed and put in the box. It cost me $285 dollars in 1986.

__________________
No good deed goes unpunished.

Yes, I have the first gun my dad gave to me. A model 15-2 that has now been reblued a couple of times.

__________________
USAF AMMO

My great grandfather was the sheriff of Barbour County Alabama. He had a prisoner in his jail and one day the prisoners wife baked him a cake. When Sheriff Teal saw the cake he said, "This cake is too big for one man, we'll just share it with everybody." When he cut in to the cake he found this Smith and Wesson break top .32 (Like in the photo). My grandmother gave me that pistol in 1977. It was stolen from my house in Nashville TN in 1982. Now the criminals have it back.

__________________
Have Gun Will Carry

My first was a Ruger Bearcat, purchased in 1973. I still have it and all other firearms I have acquired over the years. Never sold or traded any, but I only have 20. Most purchased in the last 18 months when I got infected with the S&W 3rd Gen disease!!

NO, went in the divorce 1985

17-3 Bought new in 1974

Attached Images

SW17-3.jpg (94.2 KB, 20 views)

My first handgun was a Series 70 Colt I bought right after turning twenty one. It was my self-defense gun until I had it rebuilt as a bullseye target pistol, which it still is. It's the one on the bottom:

Still have my first SAA Colt in 38WCF. Bought it for 15 bucks in 1958. I was almost 11. ThunkI was gonna show them TV cowboys how to shoot...then realized my parents would confiscate it and I'd be out 15 bucks. Hid it for 7 yrs. before I drug it out. My mother let me have a free 30 carbine that same yr...and I got a 22 Hornet too...which led me into reloading. Handguns were frowned upon at home kinda

I bought my first handgun in 1976 after I turned 21.It was a ww2 browning hi Power.It took months of waiting for purchase permit in Detroit.A few years later it was stolen in a home burglary. DPD did not even want to do a report.

Yes, I still have it, a High Standard Sport King 22lr. Bought new in 1977,no telling how many thousands of rounds I put through it. Now retired but I could never part with it.

I had been lusting after a single six convertible for most of my life. Just had to have one. I finally got my pistol permit, went to the LGS to order a single six, and there was a .357 Blackhawk used that called my name and went home with me. Still have it.

No. Norinco 213 Tokarev in 9mm.

1st Handgun was a Ruger New Model Blackhawk .357 Magnum (1979) Yes I still have it