The gun that surprised you the most

[Stainless44]

I once bought a S&W 625-3 at an auction along with a bunch of other guns. My plan was to immediately sell it as I couldn't think of a single reason to have a revolver chambered in .45 ACP...and what a pain it would be to have to use moon-clips.

Dang...was I EVER wrong. After shooting it once, it became one of my favorite guns. I love the .45 ACP in a revolver because I don't have to chase my brass everywhere.

My son was probably 10 when I got the gun and it instantly became his favorite gun in the collection. I've never been so wrong about a gun in my life...it was a huge positive surprise.

What's your story? What gun surprised you the most...positive or negative?

 

[Skye]

The .45 auto was my biggest surprise.

Shot .22 competition rifle for many years and wanted to go to pistol because I could no longer get into the four positions.

A friend who was a lifetime pistol master mentored my and told me He could get me ready for pistol competition in one year.

At years end, he sold me a National Match .45 (predecessor of the Gold Cup) and I found out how accurate a .45 really is.

Skye

 

[Seraphim]

An old Astra model 600D I picked up because it was cheap in a pawn shop. Looked nice and shot great. Pointed perfectly and naturally for me.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In the early 70's my older brother bought a Ruger Blackhawk in 357. He was shooting it off the back deck, the surprise was it shaved lead every shot! He got rid of it and got another same problem. I heard that they got better so in the early 80's I bought a Super Blackhawk in 45 Colt, it never shaved lead, but couldn't hit a barn from inside. So I went with S&W 25's and 625's and have been happy with everything but the cost. Ivan

 

[Hillbilly77]

My 29 surprised me.
I didn't ever care about owning a .44 magnum, and I'm not supposed to like shrouded extractors, either.

Somehow, when I saw this gun for sale, I just couldn't help myself - I fell in love with it.

I added the scope & the Kuracs shortly after buying it, and now it's near the top of the list of my favorites.

I can't wait until hunting season this fall.....

 

[yashua-p]

I have shot the Astra 400 in 9MM Largo since the late 60s. Bought my first from Walter Craig for $17. Excellent. My greatest surprise has been the S&W 329PD. Even with the wood stocks, I find it a pleasure to shoot I never take it to the range with more than fifty rounds, though.

regards

yashua

 

[wrhk33]

I have two. Around 1989 I got a used HK P-7. I never liked the looks of them but for some reason I thought I would give it a try. It became one of my favorites. It is a gun you have to try, most love it or hate it.

Around 1993 I saw a S&W 625 on the cover of a gun magazine. I was not into revolvers at the time but thought it was really odd that someone would want one in 45 ACP. Why??? I don't get it. Well fast forward about 20 years, I picked one up. I love it. Since I don't reload I really like the price of the ammo compared to 44 special/mag., and 45 Colt. The 45ACP has so many self defense loads and you don't have to worry about them feeding in the revolver like you do in a semi auto.

 

[rwsmith]

My 3rd gen.....

The first few mags sprayed wildly over the range. I even hit the target holder. I was thinking, "What an awful gun." Well, the next few mags I got the hang of the DA trigger and convinced myself that I had a real peach and now I wouldn't trade it in for everything.

Most disappointing gun. I got a Kel Tec P-11 mostly because the price was right and I was nearly broke, but I needed something to carry or have in the car. It's is the most UN-fun gun I ever fired. I believe it will do the intended job but training with it is a total bear. I'm not going to trade it in (soon) but a Shield, Sig, Kahr..about anything would be nicer shooting than the Kel Tec. The Kel Tec only weights like 12 oz.
,

 

[walnutred]

Two come to mind mainly because they fit their intended uses so well. First is a KAHR CW40 that I bought when I wanted something with more punch than the 380 I was carrying. It has served that roll well.

The other is a 10/22TD that I bought as a behind the seat gun. Over the years I've owned a couplefirearms that I'd bought for that roll but they never really worked for me. A H&R snake charmer, Springfield M6 22Hornet/410, a couple Charter M7s, to name a few. This Ruger works well in that roll though.

 

[CajunBass]

I've got two. Someone else mentioned the Kel-Tec P-11. I can't say I was disapointed with it, but man that thing kicked like a mule. After 50 rounds my arm would tingle for a week. It was a reliable gun though and small enough to conceal most anywhere.

When I first started to read these "gun boards" it seemed every other day someone would ask about a gun called a "Hi-Point." Most people said they were junk because they were cheap...yada, yada, yada. I remember there was one guy on another board who said he had owned dozens of them and none of them worked (why would keep buying them then?). I mean it was his life's mission to rip Hi-Point. The only thing I could think of was the guy who owned the company must have taken his milk money in school, or stolen his prom date or something.

However, a few people who said they had one of the guns said they were decent and actually worked. I decided to see for myself

So I bought a Hi-Point 9mm. It was sort of big and ugly, but that silly thing just shot and shot and kept shooting. I don't know if I was surprised or not. I kept that thing for years, probably put more rounds through it than any other single gun I ever owned that wasn't a 22 and I had a total of four malfunctions (jams) with it. Those four all came out of one box of reloaded ammo. With factory ammo, it was perfect.

I finally sold it for almost what I paid for it.

 

[joeintexas]

I have always said I have no use for plastic guns, give me a nice 686 or a 3rd gen smith and I was happy. Well I finally broke down and picked up an M&P 45 acp. I am impressed! Grips and shoots like it was made for my hand. I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.

 

[islamoradamark]

when i first shot the 45 acp s&w revolver i thought it was going to kick to my surprise it did not, now its one of my favorite to shoot

 

[oneflycowboy]

Rock Island Armory TCM

This gun has been excellent. I have over 400 rounds through it without a single malfunction. The trigger was really good right out of the box as well.

 

[Smith357]

The one that really surprised me was my 1st 3rd Gen S&W, a 4506.
I believe everyone needs a full sized combat .45 acp pistol in their stable and have tried 1911s, Glocks and the M&P line but none of them really worked for me.

I had read all the hoopla about 3rd gens and figured it was just fan boy love, turns out all the hoopla is true. While the 4506 is a beast of a pistol weighing in at 41oz empty, it fits my hand, has a very good trigger with a smooth DA pull and a crisp SA pull. This duty pistol is accurate enough to be a target gun, and very reliable, it really does feed empty cases. I am a convert and will now be keeping an eye out for more 3rd gen single stacks.

 

[mstem]

About a year ago my wife bought me a S&W MP9. That gun has the worst trigger in the history of guns!!!!!!!!!! I called S&W about it & they said for $129.00 they would "fix it". I aks the customer no service guy just why in the Hell am I going to pay S&W $129.00 to fix a s%*$$y trigger that should have never left the factory like that to begin with? If my wife hadn't of given it to me as a gift I would have traded it in on a good gun!!!!

 

[cmort666]

My Savage 112BVSS.

I had originally wanted a 110FP Sniper in .30-06, but they stopped making them. I had to special order the 112BVSS through a [then] local gun store. It was the only heavy barreled .30-06 I could find at the time.

I had a rail for a handstop inlet into the fore end. I've also had an inclined scope base and bases for target iron sights installed. I added a Canjar single set trigger.

I have been simply amazed at the 600 yard accuracy of this rifle.

I never use anything but IMR4350 and Sierra 200gr. Match Kings. I trickle and weigh every charge.

I've been VERY satisfied with my 600 yard results. It's fully the equal of any Remington or Winchester I've seen.

I've never had the opportunity to shoot it at 1,000 yards, but I expect I'd get similar results.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Buying a S&W Highway Patrolman turned me into a revolver fan for life.

 

[MOONDAWG]

After a gun show 1993 I bought a new in the box Chinese made NORINCO 1911 for the princely sum of $299 as a truck gun.

It's bluing ran from blue to black and back to plum purple depending on what part of the gun you were looking at.

It had exterior tool marks and a safety that took a crow bar and two orangutans to engage.

But man was it a tack driver. It out shot every other 1911 in my stable regardless of the the Colt, SIG or Springfield monikers.

 

[Farmer17]

CZ75, it is all steel and heavy when loaded with 17 rounds but It has a great feel and great ergonomics so it handles like a lighter gun. It is very accurate and I can clear the plate rack with it faster than any gun I have ever owned, and I have owned over a 100 guns.

 

[JamesArthur60]

My first and only Colt handgun, a Colt Defender 9mm. My first used LEO trade-in a 1996 manufactured Sig Sauer P229 9mm. Both surprised me, since I prefer S&W handguns.