Have you ever loved a handgun that you thought you'd hate?

[88E30M50]

Has anyone bought a handgun that they had written off in the past for some reason, only to realize they really like it? For me, there are two that come to mind. I used to be very anti-Glock. I thought they were internally complex (wrong) and that they just sucked. I'm not sure the reason, but I ended up buying one and came to like the things. They never did overtake my love of 1911s, but they do fill a role in the collection.

More recently though is the CZ P07. I've liked CZs for years, but never liked the look of the P07. I've seen them for good prices and always figured that was because the sucked. The square trigger guard really looked funky and the poly frame gave the gun a cheap feel. Fast forward a number of years to when I had the chance to pick up a nicely tuned P09. I bought it because it was a high capacity .40 and I figured that it would make a good winter carry gun. I liked it enough to pick up the same seller's P07, also tuned. I remember thinking that I was making a mistake before ever feeling the gun though and was sure that it was going to be a safe queen that was in perpetual back up mode. I shot it and changed my mind pretty quickly. It turns out that the P07/P09 are pretty solid guns and since the first two, I've added another pair to the family.

I find myself wondering how many other guns are out there that I dismissed for some reason but that would work well for me. How about other INGOers? Have you had to eat crow later one after discovering that a gun you dismissed as crap turned out to be pretty darn nice?

 

[deo62]

Glock 19 was that gun for me. Maybe not love it, but like it . Had a definite dislike like for all things Glock for years and had no specific reason other than plastic. I do enjoy shooting it now (trigger is still blah) but it fits the bill from time to time.

 

[churchmouse]

CZ's in general.
Boy did that change.

 

[88E30M50]

They do get under your skin, don't they.

 

[gregkl]

I think I may be that way with Glock. I have dismissed them for no particular reason other than they are not that good looking and striker-fired guns feel like squirt guns when you pull the trigger.

Though I don't own one, I am beginning to wonder if a G17 might just be the perfect pistol for me for IDPA, Steel and occasional carry when I don't want to carry my Shield.

My brother once told me to own and shoot what works for you. Go go function and don't worry about how it looks.

 

[churchmouse]

They do get under your skin, don't they.

Yes they do.

 

[MCgrease08]

Hi-Point

I'd imagine the Beretta PX4 Storm would be a gun I'd enjoy shooting, but I'll probably never pick one up, since it's just so dang ugly.

And yes, I say this after admitting to shooting Hi-Points.

 

[SSGSAD]

For me, it was just the opposite .....

I wanted a S&W 422, and I finally got one, and I hated it .....

Maybe not the gun, but the trigger literally hurt my finger to pull it .....

I kept it quite a while, then I finally either sold it or traded it, I can't remember .....

I didn't know any "gun guys" back then, I guess I could have changed the trigger, IDK .....

Sorry for the threadjack .....

 

[MrAverage]

I thought CZ was going to be a cheapo loose fitting rattle box that success would consist of keeping all my fingers. After testing one out at the range I started scanning the state for a SP-01 and ended up in Greenwood OD Sports. Still think about it....better than thinking about work.

 

[Brad69]

Walther PPX
Looks like a Hi Point shoots like a dream it's like a poor mans PPQ. I have never regretted the $279.00 I shelled out for it.
Check out the review Hickok45 did on it. That pistol is a great value no matter how ugly it is.

 

[churchmouse]

I thought CZ was going to be a cheapo loose fitting rattle box that success would consist of keeping all my fingers. After testing one out at the range I started scanning the state for a SP-01 and ended up in Greenwood OD Sports. Still think about it....better than thinking about work.

I am a dyed in the wool 1911 guy. I now own 4 CZ's. All of them (except 1 and it will be done soon) full Cajun packages.

 

[WebSnyper]

I've usually gone the other direction. Thought I'd like something and turned out to hate it. I attribute most of that to lack of experience when those purchases were made.

I'm not sure it has ever went the other way for me. I don't venture very far from my chosen path in my gun purchasing these days.

 

[churchmouse]

I've usually gone the other direction. Thought I'd like something and turned out to hate it. I attribute most of that to lack of experience when those purchases were made.

I'm not sure it has ever went the other way for me. I don't venture very far from my chosen path in my gun purchasing these days.

I have been lucky in knowing folks that run a variety of platforms. I get to fondle and run something before I make any decisions.

 

[Lil Bob]

Glock 19. I first shot a Glock over 20 years ago and I hated it. I bought a Glock a year ago for carry purposes. It is a mid-size full capacity gun that I carry in the winter. I do not love the gun, but I like it. I still prefer my VP9 or PPQ over the Glock. Glocks have crap triggers, but I have worked with mine to get accurate with it despite the crappy trigger.

 

[bjenkins]

Love my CZs and Sigs but will say bought and sold 3 Glock 19s and my fourth I have had about a year and yes I love that gun!

 

[Sniper 79]

Glock for me. I wrote them off years ago because I thought they looked weird and felt cheap.

My uncle strapped a G21 to my hip and said give it a chance. I ran an informal coarse with it and did great.

That gun never left my head for the next year or so. I finally made things right by selling off all my pistols and revolvers. I spent the money on a new G21 gen 4 and a new G17 gen 4, mags, ammo, holsters, sights, lights, and upgraded to a progressive press to feed them.

I see more Glocks in my future. Man have I been missing out.

Another one practically same story is the Benelli Nova pump shot gun and the AR15 rifle. All life changers for me. All other types of guns got gone.

 

[MikeBrennan]

I can only say the Glocks I have experienced confirmed my expectations.

 

[oldpink]

It's probably no contest what gun fits that description for the greatest numbers of people, although you'll have to go clear back to the late 1980s and early 1990s: Glock 17
Not only did people not like the way that it looked, but it was believed that it would be poor quality, unreliable, and unable to handle the rigors of personal carry, much less riding in cops' duty holster, much less in military applications.
The worm has turned in a major way all these years since.

 

[Leo]

The M9 fits that category for me.

I had a long history with the 1911 and when the M9 became the service pistol I did not want to even think about it. After resisting, I finally got around to learning to shoot the Beretta. Getting used to it, I found it to be a very reliable and easy to shoot platform.

Even though I have specifically modified handguns for specific purposes, the Beretta 92 and the 96 are my go to pistols for all around use.

 

[Mgderf]

I didn't really have a dislike for mine.
I took a trade in thinking, "I like most handguns, and I don't have one of these yet, so..."
Took it on a whim, but Is one of my favorite pistols to shoot.

Mine is the Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless in .32acp.
I thought it would just be a fun little range toy.
Turns out I like it more than most.

I read somewhere recently that Colt had authorized a re-release of both the 1903 and 1908 Pocket Hammerless pistols chambered for .32acp and .380acp respectively.

If I run across a new 1903 I'll be buying another one.
Feels like it was built for my hand.