What was your first Smith, and story behind it?

[Gunhacker]

My first S&W was a M28-2, it was also the first handgun I ever owned, and it went on to be my first duty weapon.

3 days after I reached age 21, the legal age to own a handgun in California, I marched into a sporting goods chain store called Oshman's located at the local shopping mall... man, imagine being able to do that in the Kalifornia of today? Fat chance.

My budget was $150.00, more than what it cost me for a month of rent. In the display case, the only 2 handguns near that figure was a 7-1/2" bbl Nickel Colt New Frontier for $165 and the 4" bbl M28-2 for $135.00. I took the M28-2 because it was within the budget with enough left for a box of ammo, and I was not interested in a "cowboy gun". Knowing what a Colt New Frontier brings today, I think about passing that one up.

The M28-2 served me well, when I bought it I had no inkling that it (or me) would end up in Law Enforcement. Years later, I got caught up in the "Dirty Harry" M29 fever and sold the M28-2 to help pay for one... I sure wish I could find it again one of these days and buy it back... S/N #N190708.

 

[jughed440]

My first S&W (and first revolver) is this 66-2. Bought it at a LGS. I recall going there to look at their shotguns...especially Winchester Model 12s, which were my passion before the Smiths. Saw this 66 snub in the case, bit on the bait and now i'm hooked for good.

 

[gmiller0737]

My 1st was a 686M1 2.5" Traded a junker 62 Ford Truck for a Ithaca Model 37 Deerslayer & Took the 37 to a Gun Show & Trased for the 686 I don't remember for sure but I think I may have paid a little cash too,Still Have the 686 & Box/Papers Today.

 

[bluegrassrules]

I had grown up with Smith & Wesson, I was cleaning my father's M36 (Nickel) then later his M60 by the time I was 7 or 8. My first Smith came to me in 1999, I had been carrying a Taurus since 91', I guess we were still in a time when you just did not go and get whatever you wanted, and I had to wait for a Smith & Wesson. I just happened to walk into a gun store one day look down in the display case and their it was, a M637…30 minutes and one traded Taurus later I had my first Smith.

Cheers

 

[brucev]

The first S&W I ever bought was a nickle plated 4" 19-2 that I got in 1980 while I was a student in seminary. Later my identical-twin brother sat down with it at the kitchen table and swapped the hammer and trigger from a 14-2 into it. The result was just about one of the nicest revolvers I've ever owned. It fired an untold number of handloaded 158 gr. LSWC's as well as many many 125 gr. JHP's. When I graduated seminary, I gave it to my father. Years later, my brother decided our father needed a better handgun for the house... so he took my 19 and traded it in on a Beretta 92F. My father didn't like the Beretta, so it got traded on a 1980's era Colt Det. Spec. When my father died, the Colt ended up having to go to my deceased brother's wife. I now own a nice 15-3 and 66-3, and am looking for a 4" inch nickle plated 19-3 w/ RRFS, WORS, and maybe a TT/TH.

 

[galena]

My first S&W, and coincidently the first new gun I ever bought, was my Model 53, .22 Remington Jet. I bought it in the Fall of 1965 during my Senior year in college. I bought it from Jone's Sporting Goods in Greeley, CO. I had read about them in gun magazines and had to have one. I traded a nickle Colt Scout for the down payment and paid $5.00 a month forever, the total price was $126.50. I ordered a Geo Lawrence Model 100 holster as soon as I could. I still have both and the 53 has taken a bunch of Jack Rabbits and Prairie Dogs over the years. I will never sell either one. Keep shootin' and check 6

 

[baccusboy]

I'm afraid it's not good...

.380 Sigma purchased in the mid/late 90's.

Horrible gun.

 

[DaveBreck]

My first S&W revolver was a 4" M28. I purchased it at the gun shop of Mr. Gil Hebard in Knoxville, Il. Sorry no pix. Alas I sold it to a friend of mine years ago.

 

[RCR24]

My first S&W is a M&P 9. I purchased it a few days ago and I'm in my 10 day California waiting period
I did a lot of research before the purchase and have shot a rental at my local range. I can't wait to pick the gun up and shoot some rounds through it.

 

[MTKTM]

Christmas of 1965, I was a junior in high-school and my dad gave me a 1958 vintage Model 27 6.5" that he'd bought new. He'd shot it some, but not a lot, so it was pretty new when I got it.

In the next 7 years or so I used it to harvest six deer, to exterminate roughly 100 gophers, to blast countless rocks and stumps and cans, and, once, to defend my life (without having to fire a shot) from a pair of would-be carjackers in a time when that term had not yet been coined. I hauled that gun with me just about everywhere I went, stuffed into an old WW2 GI knapsack of some sort that my dad had also handed down to me from his Army days. I used to handload ammo for it with an old Lee Loader, remember that it would take me an hour to put together ten rounds. Needless to say, I became pretty good at making each shot count!

It originally came with Magna grips. I have big hands and wanted Target stocks, but finding S&W stuff back in the 1960s was tough as hell. I finally found a pair in a pawn-shop, although they were real beat up. The guy told me I could have them for $5 and my Magnas. I agreed. I wish now I'd kept the originals, but that's water under the bridge. Anyway, I refinished the Targets back then, circa 1967, and they remain on the gun to this day.

I still have the gun, although haven't fired it in years. It resides in my safe in honored retirement, but is in excellent condition and would serve well again if ever called upon.

 

[jglsprings]

My first Smith was a 4" Model 19 in 1975(ish). Unfortunately the darned thing was mis-timed right out of the box. Sent it back to S&W - 6 months later still no pistol, I let the LGS keep it. (So much for the "good old days" - was always better when I was younger B.S.)

I found a 4" Colt Diamondback and paid all of $250.00 for that NIB. - Wish I'd kept that one!! LOL!

Anyway, as I went through life I found another one to replace it. It took 35 years but I got one back...

The original was nickeled as well, but it had rosewood grips. I'm on the hunt for a nice set of those now.

 

[stantheman86]

The first S&W I actually owned, is this 67-1 that was a trade in from the Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport Police. I bought it at a gun show in 2004 or so for maybe $250 or so, back when S&W trade in's with target sights were still actually pretty cheap, unlike today with 10's and 64's being the only "bargains" anymore.......... It's a great gun, I have put a few 1,000 .38's through it and it's a tackdriver. For a few years it was my only revolver, with a CZ85b 9mm being my only autoloader pistol. The 67-1 has obviously been "duty tuned" by someone who knew what they were doing and it's very, very slick.

I don't have good pics of the first S&W I ever fired, my Dad's 586-2 6". It was back in 1992 or so, he bought the gun brand new in 1989 and we still have it. That gun is a work of art.

 

[PALADIN85020]

Flash back to the year 1964. I was fresh out of the Army, and had managed to "salvage" an immense amount of GI .45 ACP ammo from my stint on a pistol team. While I had a good 1911 pistol, I was getting tired of trying to find its expended brass in the weeds after every shooting session.

I had wandered into a gun store, and in the case was a Model of 1950 revolver, chambered, of course in .45 ACP. It struck me that here was the answer to lost brass! This one had been modified by the previous owner with a "cockeyed" hammer, offset to the left to give quicker single action cocking. I bought it, and it was my first S&W. No pictures exist of it now.

Sad to say, I modified it a bit further by converting the Patridge front sight into a ramped version by filing it down on a slant, the better to carry it in a holster.

In 1967, I was lucky enough to be working with a bunch of guys who all happened to be "gun nuts." Two of them had Model 28s, and I was SO envious of their magnum guns, which reached way out there accurately beyond anything my "bloop tube" .45 could do. Now in those days, I was not exactly highly paid, and was raising a family. The only way I could see to getting one of those neat Model 28s was to sell my Model 1950, and that's exactly what I did. I had gotten into reloading, so ammo expense was not an insurmountable problem. Plus, the 28 would fit fine in the holster I had for my Model 1950. There were 5 brand new Model 28-2s available at the gun shop I bought it from, and I selected the one with the best DA trigger pull. It was $110 out the door.

So here is my second Smith & Wesson, and my first magnum. It's served me well ever since, and I still have it. Shortly after getting it, I fitted it with some modified "coke" rosewood smoothies I found at a gun show which made it a lot more comfortable to fire. The trigger shoe was the only other modification I made, giving an already sweet single action pull an even nicer feel.

John

 

[stantheman86]

jglsprings- I agree, the idea of some people that only the "older, better" S&W's are any good is pure BS.

It's just that there was no internet in 1975 for everyone to broadcast every minute issue like there is now If I read one more "My brand new 686 has a canted barrel" post I'm gonna puke

 

[rromeo]

Two years ago, I was browsing a local gun board and saw a 642-1 for $300. There were a few "I'll take it" responses already, but I threw in another, I think i was fourth or fifth in line. He told me to call him the next day. Next evening I call up and expect to be told it was gone, he said nobody had followed up, so if I was serious, meet at Walmart in 20 minutes. It turned out to be a guy I almost bought a KelTec from and actually did buy some other things from at a gun show a few days earlier. He's one of my best "gun friends" now.

 

[BCDWYO]

The first Smith revolver I ever saw was my grandfather's Model 19 (don't know the dash number) 2 1/2" snubbie in the 70s. I thought that was about the coolest thing I ever saw! When I was a teenager in the 80s I bought my own first revolver...I can't even say for sure what it was (I wasn't into those details as much back then) but I want to say it was probably a 4" 586. I bought it used from a pawn shop in Sheridan Wyoming. Alas, I sold it around 1990 to another pawn shop when I was in need of quick cash.

Now the story comes full circle...when my grandfather died in 1989, my uncle (his son) inherited his guns including the model 19. Knowing of my love for revolvers, my uncle recently offered to trade me the old model 19 ...he didn't even specify what he wanted, just said for me to pick out something that he could shoot if he needed to. I'll be picking up the old 19 this fall when I travel to Wyoming for some deer hunting and I will deliver a LNIB Sig P220R to my uncle. I don't even know what kind of shape that old 19 is in at this point, and I don't care! I'm really excited to get it!

 

[corgiS&W]

1st was a Model 67

I'd had a Rossi and a Charter Arms earlier, the latter was sold on consignment to allow the purchase of a used 67 (no dash) back in 1990. The S&W was a trade-in from Georgia Power Security, and I chose one without the Georgia Power stamp. I later realized that the box was the original for the revolver. Cost me $200. Really a nice gun to shoot. Two years ago I bought a used 66 (no dash) for about twice the price, but I still like the feel of the 67. Both are 4" barrel, so they are not for carry; that duty falls to a 642 or a Colt Magnum Carry that I bought new. Recently bought a 686+ with a 3" barrel, and I have a shoulder rig for it.

 

[ltxi]

Four inch Model 10. Government issue.

 

[mg357]

My first smith and wesson was a s&w model 36 i did not get a chance to take pictures of it sorry fellas and unfortunately i do not own it anymore. My family needed a new refridgerator a while back and i had to sell it.

 

[LAS&W4me]

My first was a pawn shop purchase my Grandad made for me on my 18th birthday. It was a 4" model 65 that I still have to this day. When I'm gone my boys get my collection but this one goes in the ground with me.

Just an update to my earlier post. Yesterday my grandfather suddenly died of what appeared to be a massive heartattack. I cannot tell you all what a shock this is to me and my family. This gun just became so much more special to me.