I bought a SIG Mosquito while I was in college, which was my first handgun. A couple months later I bought a Remington 870 as my first shotgun. Then another junk Davis handgun and an AK before that year was over, bringing me up to 5 total firearms.
Seven years later, I only have 9 guns total (despite making 3x as much now as I did then). Apparently that was my best year.
Firestar M-43, 9mm, in starvel finish (basically stainless with gold tone). Still own and it's a shooter!!! (because its so heavy) Remember buying extra mags in 1990 for 43 bucks a piece!!!
Well, guys and dolls, this has turned out to be a hell of a thread. I think it has shown several things about that first gun that are fascinating.
A lot of us got some real junk for that first gun. I love it that we stayed and found better pieces to shoot. The comment about trading it for fair value or " a large pizza" was priceless.
Some of us got 44's. My gawd I don't know how you folks have survived. The pounding from that caliber can ruin your hand, flinch reflex, and your day. Congrats to you for staying. I love shooting big bang stuff now, but I can't imagine it as a first gun.
There were a lot of shotguns and revolvers listed; not many hunting rifles. I am a Sixgun guy myself. The members really show their age when they list Glock as their first gun.
A lot of us got our first gun from the government. Those 1911's and Beretta stories are just the tip of the iceberg. I didn't see any M1 stories and that surprised me.
Some of us got our first gun as a gift. Those stories are filled with emotional content and you can tell that a gift of a first gun is a special thing. I love giving away guns to family. When I give them to friends, they become family quickly.
Lots of stories in here about the first gun you bought yourself. This is a real window into ourselves. What we pick and shoot tells us lots about the shooter.
Some of us weren't able or willing to keep that first gun. But a common theme seems to run through the stories; regret. Reminds me of thinking back about my first girl friend. She may not have been beautiful; she may not have been "the one"; but, I still remember the emotions I felt when I was with her. And that, I miss.
Lost
FEG .380 given to me me by my dad. First purchase was a lightly used P226 that I bought from a close friend which I later sold due to cash issues. I regretted that and about 18 years later my dad surprised me with a new one for Xmas.
My first was a Smith and Wesson M&P .40, I got the slide cerakoted Olive Drab Green. I got it right after my training for the army on my 21'st birthday at the INDY 1500 gun show. Did a lot of research before purchasing and I fell for the ergonomics of it. I swear by this gun and carry it daily. But I have a question, back to the original post: Prescut, how did you take a pistol to school...?
hey Mcloven,
I lived in Odessa, Texas and the high school declared a "cowboy day" and everybody dressed up. Some of the guys dressed like that anyway every day. Part of the costume that was allowed was the pistol. I know it sounds crazy with todays gun hatred, but it was pretty typical for the time and place. Never really saw a pickup truck without a full gun rack. My brother and I had to share the Colt 32-20 pistol. funny , I don't remember anybody carrying a rifle to school.
well wouldnt recommend that anywhere now, I wish that kids on the most part cared about gun safety like they used to. Hell we couldn't even bring cap-guns because some kid figured out a way to hut himself with it.