Fella's;

The first pistol I bought was a Ruger new model Blackhawk in .357 with a 6.5" barrel.  The reason I got it was self-preservation.

Two friends & myself had gone pheasant hunting up out of Frenchtown Montana in the early '70's.  Frank was to stay at the bottom of a small meadow while John & I hiked up to the top & then were to drive birds down to Frank.  Frank had a pump 12 gauge, while John had a single shot 16 & I had a single shot 20.  John & I walked a road off to the side of the meadow till it turned left & crossed a small creek that ran down the other side of the meadow. 

We turned at the creek & entered a thick brush area that was about 20 yards deep before ending at the top of the meadow.  We got about half way through the brush & trees when we came upon two beds in a very small area, maybe the size of two ordinary desk tops.  We looked at each other.  Then John pointed at the steaming fresh bear crap about 2 feet away from me.  Then on the far side of the willow scrub that was on my immediate right came WHUFF!!.

Followed by the odor of bad breath.  Whereupon we set the world record for the downhill 100 yard dash while carrying single shot shotguns & wearing hunting boots while scaring pheasants.  Still stands to this day.

Frank says the bear did not follow us out of the woods.  We didn't care.  Hopped into the car & drove to town.  Went to Sportsman's Surplus in the Tremper Center in Missoula & put my money down & laid the gun away.

That was the first I bought.  The Army had issued me a Colt .38 Detective Special that I carried for duty in Europe, previous to this occasion.

900F

My first handgun was/is a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 LC with a 4 5/8" barrel. I wish it shot straight and i wish i had gotten the 5 1/2 inch barrel. Too late now eh

NH_Hunter

my first, and i still have it, is a s&w 686 (357 mag). not sure on the barrel length... maybe 4.5" or so? not sure. but, it balances beautifully, and is a pleasure to shoot.

got it originally as a carry piece. and, carrying it kept me out of 2 tight spots. the gun was too heavy, though, and has been replaced as a carry gun, but i do enjoy hunting w/ it on occasion.

my wife fell in love w/ it, and has commandeered it. she carries it on occasion, and it is the only handgun she enjoys shooting.

1. Smith & Wesson Model 66, non revision.

2. Colt Series 70 .45 ACP

3. Remington XP100

The S & W was a gift from my father and one of his duty revolvers. THe Colt I purchased at 18 because of the influence of the many early pin, bullseye and IPSC shooters around here. The Remington because of Bob, oh hell, the train of thought has derailed, can't remember his last name....oh well, he was a well known firearms writer and passed away some years ago. He was a strong advocate of the hand rifle and being a kid I thought it was "neat".

Good God times change.

My first gun was a S&W madel 17 aka K-22 with a 6 inch barrel.  I got it when I was 15 years old.  And I got it so I could shoot at the high school.  Back then every high school around here had a range in the basement.  Kids had rifles and the school had 6 target 22s fot them to use.  Once a week we shot, even had kids from other schools shoot in leagues.

My S&W lived in my high school locker.  THINK OF THAT TODAY.  This was obvioulsly before the 1968 gun laws.  One guy even made a pistol in shop, with the help of the inctructors.  But in those days they put drug users in jail and gave school metals to sharpshooter kids.  Just the oppose today.

That K22 is still with me, lots of holster wear and the barrel rifling maybe getting thin.  But If a young kid wanted a starter handgun, even today it would be hard to beat.

BEAR  

First handgun was a Pietta 1858 Remington repluica imported by Navy Arms.

First centerfire handgun was a Ruger Security-Six, with a six inch barrel and a double action pull a gorilla couldn't cycle.

First rimfire handgun was a Ruger New Model Single-Six, with a seven and a half inch barrel. Traded it for an old madel Flattop Single-Six.

Still have them.

My first was a S&W model 422 for use on my trapline.  Still carry it everywhere I go and take a good bit of game/varmints with it.

I believe my first handgun was a Smith Model 29 in 44 mag.

Still got it.

Haven't killed anything but paper with it and I got it from my father as a Christmas gift. 

I'm not a big handgun hunter yet but I still enjoy shooting them.

First was a S&W Model 10,  4" heavy barrel,  .38 Special revolver...(it was the 'duty sidearm' that my agency issued & carried at the time).

Looked just like this:

Interestingly enough, things seem to go full circle... although we don't use wheelguns anymore for duty, the last handgun that I bought (about 1 1/2 months ago) was also a S&W .38 Special... a Model 14, 6" heavy barrel... The reason was just pure nostalgia...

Marcus.

S&W 357 mag given to me by my dad.Lent to an "ex mate" and never returned.If there is justice in this world we will meet again.

Macca

I grew up in England and New York State, handguns all but verboten in the first and an arm and a leg to get a permit for in the second, rarely seen by me in either.

My first handgun was a used Uberti Remington .44 cap and ball repro that I got while a grad student in Texas. Then after becoming an official State resident when I began working here I bought an Enfield Mark 1* .380 British revolver (1943, with sand in the grips when I took it apart).

When Clinton got elected in 1992 I got serious about buying guns while I still could and got a 3" Smith Mod 60 in .38 Special.  When Smith brought it out I upgraded to this same revolver in .357.  Still is my favorite handgun.

Birdwatcher

The model #17 aka "k-22" is great .  I have one with 6 inch barrel and 'Fitz grips' on it.  it carries like the 38 frame it is built upon and cost nothing to shoot, but shoots like a house on fire.

Go for it.

I have probably only sold 4 of my guns in the last 45 years of gun buying.  Take my word for it, you don't need more safes......just more gun rooms.

BEAR

Like many others I owned and shot rifles an shotguns before owing my personal first pistol.

Bought a 357 mag from a very good friend who's uncle was a police officer, who died of cancer and the close family only kept one special gun.

We have pistols in the family so I didn't miss out on the shooting fun.

Bojon

Mine was a Ruger Redhawk 44 Mag,

followed closely by a S&W 44 Mag model 29 with a 8 3/8" barrell.

WHY -  Because I was a Magnum NUT! 

  Spot

Spot;

So?  Ya still got 'em?  What's the rest of the story?  Whatcha handgunnin' with now?

900F