What was your first centerfire handgun?

Mine was a Dan Wesson 357 mag with a four inch barrel...bought a few days after I turned 21.

Shot that revolver a bunch...eventually it got where it would "push off" so I traded it.

Took me a long time to figure out that not all handguns were going to be as accurate as that Wesson.

Ruger GP100, 4" .357 Magnum.

XD Tactical 45. Still one of my fans next to my STI

Interarms Virginian Dragoon in 45 Colt. It came in a real cool plastic case that I still have. My GI Joe my parents bought me at Woolworths in Big Town in Mesquite, Texas is stored in it.

4" Royal blue Python sitting on the used gun shelf for $310 plus tax.

Colt MK4 Series 70 Government Model, bought in new in 1971 for $125.00. Still have it.

Smith 686 4in, bought it when all the PD's were upgrading to autos. 219.00. I sold it long ago when I had to have the "latest and greatest" which at the time was an HK USP. Ive since replaced the 686, but it cost me more than 219.00

S&W 28 Hwy Patrolman 357mag. 6" blued.

Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag. I don't have it anymore, and don't miss it either. I got an Andaconda instead.

Colt detective special

Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag, 7 1/2" barrel, old flat top that I traded a rifle and some cash for. Thought I was Dirty Harry, went out shot it 3 times without ear muffs and all I heard for the next day was that high pitched whine! I learned in a big time hurry. Man I wish I had that one back!

.36 cal Navy replica....

S&W 1006 10mm; wish I still had it.

The first centerfire that I bought was a Ruger Blackhawk .357 / 9mm. I think it cost me $95 new. Still got it of course. Never get rid of the good stuff! Being broke is temporary, selling a good gun is forever.

Ruger Single Six 22

same here, wish I still had mine though.
#^%^%^$^*#!@% wimen's priorities!

S&W 629, 6" that my folks gave me when I graduated High School. I've got plenty since, but it's still my favorite and go to gun. It's the one they'll be prying from my cold dead hands.

Colt Delta elite 10mm, it was a good shooter, but expensive! Traded for a 45 acp.

A .45acp Witness-P. Great gun, shot well, felt good but rarely miss it.

CB

My first centerfire was a Smith K-38, 6 inch. It would put all six Western 148 gr. WC Match rounds into 3/4's of an inch, outside spread at 25 yds.
Am I ever sorry I sold that. No centerfire handgun I've owned since could match that. E

My first revolver was a Starr double action percussion revolver that I bought back in 1956 with my birthday money when I was nine years old. Armed with fifty dollars, and bus fare, I went into downtown Seattle to what today would be characterized as an "antique warehouse" where one of the stall holders, a retired Seattle police officer, sold what he described as "neat [bleep]"-- old guns, swords, daggers, the kind of stuff that is a magnet for young (and old) boys. Anyhow, after agonizing over this treasure trove for about an hour I finally decided on the Starr, which had one of those old-fashioned, ivory colored, paper luggage tags dangling from its trigger guard with $60 written on it in big black numbers. The gun was in its original holster along with its belt and cap box. We did a little haggling and, minus the leather gear, the gun was mine for fifty bucks. As I paid for the gun the guy that owned the shop asked where I got the money, and I told him it was from my birthday, along with my life savings of fifteen dollars. He chuckled, then reached behind him and took the original Civil War holster and belt off the wall and handed them to me. "Happy birthday, son," he said. "Come back again anytime." About three weeks later the building he was in caught fire and was pretty much destroyed, so I never did get to go back and spend any more time looking, and learning, as he patiently explained everything from tin type photos to Indian arrow heads. I suppose that's why, at gun shows, I always have time to talk to kids.

My first modern revolver was a S&W Model 1917 I bought at the Glendale, California, gun show in 1963 when I was sixteen. Another $50 purchase, the seller made me go home and get a note from my dad that it was okay to sell me the gun! Damn, how things have changed in the last fifty years...

32 auto in the early 60's

Heh, heh. Mine was a Stevens tip up .22 that I got from Grandpa at 8 years of age. Was a whole different world in the late forties & early fifties, even in northern IL farm country.

XD 45... 4 inch compact model, with the short 10 or 13 round mag, soon after a Kahr 9mm for carry (though recently changed for the glock 26 for carrying) Both were my 21st birthday presents to myself The only way i could let that go is for the new xdm, yet i still feel connected with it as it was my first, its in continual debate.

Taurus 92, was also my first gun show purchase. I later sold it to upgrade to a Beretta.

Second was a GP100 6" that I still own.

S&W 686-Plus 6" .357 magnum

First handgun was a Browning Challenger III, first centerfire, Ruger stainless Security Six with 4" bbl. I don't have either one anymore. Sorta wish I had the Browning back.

Smith 686 in a 357.

I guess I missed the first centerfire part. Ruger Blackhawk 357 Magnum.

Beretta 92 FS Centurion model (9mm obviously).

Glock 23, when they just came out. Didn't think about ammo costs and sold it pretty fast. No real regrets.

A used Herters Single Action .44 mag with a 6 1/2"? barrel & black plastic grips; also came with a holster and a Lee Loading Kit with no directions that I bought for $90 from my preacher in 1983 (when I was still 17)- with my parent's permission.

Ruger SBH in .44M back in circa '70, IIRC...

A nickel 8 3/8" M29-2 I bought new when I was 16 in 1978. I still have it though the barrel was swapped out under warranty by the factory in '94. They asked what I wanted and I requested a 5" Classic barrel and they complied. They also tightened it all up and re-nickled it. All at no cost. Darn impressed. Kind of unique and a proven 4" gun at 100 yards when I had it scoped and did my part.

Mine was bought about 16 years ago when money was scarce. I was determined to shoot though, so I bought the cheapest gun in the store - A phoenix Raven .25 ACP. I bought one box of ammo, a Lee hand press, dies, one pound of powder, a box of bullets and a box of primers all for less than $120.00. I learned to reload with that little pistol and put quite a few rounds through it. It was cheap, but loads of fun.

My first was a Beretta 92 I bought in Italy in the early eighties. I've still got that pistol along with a few other M9s.

My favorite? I've got too many from which to choose just one, Plus I fear I might hurt the feelings of the others if I were to do so but ... I am quite fond of my 686-6 seven shot and my SIG P229 DAK SAS.

Mine was a 1911 built on a rewelded USGI Frame....I told my dad I wanted one...he handed me the frame and pointed to the parts box.....followed up shortly with a 4" S&W Model 19.

First center firearm was a S&W 32 followed soon after by one of the first Ruger Security Sixes in Jacksonvillel,FL that was not alloted to Law Enforcement, paid $95.00 for the Security Six.

My first was my grandmother's Colt pre- Woodsman made in 1919. My Dad gave it to me when I was about ten and said "Be careful with it." I was.

Having been reading Elmer Keith, I had to have a revolver and purchased a second hand S&W Combat Masterpiece .22 when I was about 12. Actually my Mom bought it but with money I earned doing various jobs around the little community I lived in. I ran a trap line in those days and the principal of my school let me leave the Smith in his office so I could run the line when I left school in the afternoons. At age 15 I swapped that gun for a model 34 Kit Gun 4 inch which I still have. I wouldn't know how many squirrels, foxes, groundhogs, coons and possums that little gun has taken.

All of this was in the early 1960s when it was assumed that a kid with a gun was normal, and proof that he had reached a certain maturity that his parents would allow him to have it. We always thought of guns as tools, knew they were dangerous, and thought only bad people misused them.

My very 1st handgun WAS 'centerfire' - 9MM Parabellum.

A German Luger my father sent home from Germany WWII.
I got some ammo for it (somehow?) and would sneak it out of the house and go shoot it -
I probably was around 10 years old.

Still have it.

My first handgun was a Ruger BearCat. Bought new for me with my money, by my Mom when I was 10. (1962)

First centerfire was a Ruger 3 screw BlackHawk .45 Colt, bought new in 1971.

Sure wish I still had BOTH!!!

Virgil B.

Springfield XD .40, bought from college roomie about 4 years ago. Safe full of rifles and shotguns, and only a couple pistols, I like the thought of having one, but just don't get the enjoyment out of shooting them as much as a rifle or shotgun.

My first handgun was a HyScore 22cal air pistol. It was tack driving accurate and many pigeons fell to it's pellets. The next was a Colts Wells Fargo Conversion to 38 rimfire. Original nickel was still good. Serial number was 3558. Only thing I have ever been shot with. Got 1/2 box of ammo with it and took it in the backyard and fired one shot at the base of a big silver leaf maple. The lead slug bounced back and shot me in the shin. Didn't even get full penetration and the bullet just fell out. Bled like crazy though and my Mother was not exactly happy about it. Bought it and the ammo from Robert Abels of NYC. I'll never forget his slim blue catalog that I memorized regularly. But the question was what was the first CENTERFIRE. It was a Colt New Service with a 7 1/2" barrel 44 special in mint condition purchased for $20 in 1950 from a family friend who recognized a 16 year olds need. I saved up and bought a belt and holster form the Lawrence Leather company. Traded it to Steve the Greek in Trinidad,Colo in 1952 for a Sharps Old Reliable rifle in good shape. Don't know which I had rather have today.

A Hawes .38 special with plastic "cow-horn grips." I cast bullets, reloaded, and shot Lord only knows how many rounds out of that revolver until I was sixteen and old enough in my mother's eyes to be allowed to get a real gun - a S&W Model 10.

Terry

One of my first was also the Dan Wesson you speak of. I had three barrels for it.

My very first was a Ruger Speed Six. I was nineteen when I bought it. Still in the family, as I gave it to my mom after owning it for about ten years. Just recently handled it on my visit for Easter.

My first handgun was a 4 inch S&W 586. That is the same as the 686 but not stainless. Still have the gun.