I went through 23 Handguns before I found the right one(s)

[DustyDawg48]

it was fun to go through the process. and i got a lot of good experience. plus I never took a hit on selling or trading any of those that I didn't keep. I never had any trouble reselling or trading any of those. some of them I traded for long guns (that I still have).

This is one of the beautiful things about the gun world. If you can manage to not blow the thing up, you can easily sell a gun for very close to what you bought it for. And, because most people will tend to sell guns they don't shoot very much or didn't like after a few range trips, most of the guns on the used market are like-new. You can almost essentially 'rent' most guns for about 10% of their selling price and get the other 90% back when you turn it on the used market.

I had a similar experience but mine was shaped by watching Shooting USA. I knew I wanted a 1911 and bought it. Beautiful Springfield in stainless steel and I was happy. But...after seeing the XDm and then finding out about IDPA and USPSA i started to buy more and more and more...selling and trading looking for that one make of gun that would be my End All Be All brand. In the end that turned out to be Glock and I couldn't be happier and with that journey I got to see and shoot a lot of great guns and I still have a few of those.

I will warn you about Glock, though. Once you get the first 1 or 2 home, they tend to multiply QUICKLY!!!

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

Someday we should go shooting. I might convert you again.

any time! I don't have any friends around anymore who own guns.

If I have learned anything in my short time in the gun world it is that the quest for the "perfect pistol" never ends.

Congrats on the Glocks. They are good guns and will serve you well. Just don't pick up the Walther PPQ, or a S&W M&P Pro series, or a CZ, or a CZ clone, or a quality 1911, or an H&K or a German Sig or a....

I would def love to get my hands on a nice CZ.
and my uncle in seattle has an Ed Brown 1911 that looks amazing. I'd love to shoot that thing.

Some of us find our destinations, others not so much. Some, I think, really just enjoy the search too much. It's all good.

I do kinda miss the selling and trading around. It was a fun process and I wish I had the money to just jump in to it head first and do that all the time.

This is one of the beautiful things about the gun world. If you can manage to not blow the thing up, you can easily sell a gun for very close to what you bought it for. And, because most people will tend to sell guns they don't shoot very much or didn't like after a few range trips, most of the guns on the used market are like-new. You can almost essentially 'rent' most guns for about 10% of their selling price and get the other 90% back when you turn it on the used market.

I had a similar experience but mine was shaped by watching Shooting USA. I knew I wanted a 1911 and bought it. Beautiful Springfield in stainless steel and I was happy. But...after seeing the XDm and then finding out about IDPA and USPSA i started to buy more and more and more...selling and trading looking for that one make of gun that would be my End All Be All brand. In the end that turned out to be Glock and I couldn't be happier and with that journey I got to see and shoot a lot of great guns and I still have a few of those.

I will warn you about Glock, though. Once you get the first 1 or 2 home, they tend to multiply QUICKLY!!!

I was truly surprised once I got into it how much value they retain. And the fact that there's always someone out there who wants what you've got. I can see myself in the future getting the G22, the 17, 19, 26, 30, etc etc etc

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I think out of that whole list, I only have two that overlap. The Taurus 85CH and the Beretta 9000S. I'd still have the Beretta, but it was too bulky to be a backup gun and as a rookie I sold it off to fund a BUG. The Taurus got traded out long ago toward a CZ40B.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

I think out of that whole list, I only have two that overlap. The Taurus 85CH and the Beretta 9000S. I'd still have the Beretta, but it was too bulky to be a backup gun and as a rookie I sold it off to fund a BUG. The Taurus got traded out long ago toward a CZ40B.

the Taurus 85's weren't so bad. I liked the stainless/hammerless better than the other 2. but recoil was a little more than I was comfortable with and I want(ed) higher capacity.
the Beretta 9000s had such a strange feel to it (for my sausage fingers). so bulky yet such a thin slide. It was difficult to get a good grip on the shallow slide.

 

[DustyDawg48]

I was truly surprised once I got into it how much value they retain. And the fact that there's always someone out there who wants what you've got. I can see myself in the future getting the G22, the 17, 19, 26, 30, etc etc etc

the only downside to that, especially if you are like me, is knowing they will retain that value so you are constantly buying/selling/trading! I should have kept the ones I've gotten rid of but if anything it's shown me what I really like and what I just thought it did. My Glock road went something like G35, 19, 21, 17, 22, 21, 26, 30, Gen 4 21, Gen 4 34 Gen 4 19... I only have 5 of those, 2 Gen 3 and 3 Gen 4 pistols, but I'll be adding more again in the future!

 

[Gluemanz28]

I was lucky enough to get good advise and smart enough to listen. (The listening part only came to me with age)
I bought in this order (All this year. My wife is pretty awesome but I'm very close to my limit with her as far as guns go. There is always next year though)

G27
PPX 9mm
G17 x 2 (my wife liked mine too much)
G23
S&W Shield .40
LCP
TCP
LCR 380
Ruger Mk III stainless 5.5" bull barrel for the wife
Ruger Mk III Blue 4.5" threaded barrel picatiny rails only. I added a TRS-25 red dot (maybe a silencer one day)
Ruger SS Single Six Convertible .22LR/.22 Mag 6.5" barrel

I traded the PPX for a Spikes Punisher AR due to the mags being unavailable for the PPX at the time and very expensive. After I traded for the Spikes AR I bought the G17. I bought the PPX so that I could run lead as it was the only components available early this year, and it was an impulse buy. Once things opened up and I was able to find jacketed bullets I decided to buy the G17.

The G27 is my EDC for OC and CC
The Shield is for CC when I'm at work. I go into a lot of business and factories for my job in sales and have been given clearance from my employer as long as I CC.

On my own time I will use both OC and CC methods.

I am looking for a 45 acp pistol and part of me says get a Glock in 45. The other part of me is thinking about jumping in the 1911 pool. Any thoughts????

 

[UncleMike]

You're hooked.
Don't fight it.
Resistance is futile.....

 

[Gluemanz28]

You're hooked.
Don't fight it.
Resistance is futile.....

Yea I know it's like I NEED MORE!!!!
"This is the last one that I'm going to buy honey"
That's when I get the eye roll

 

[Leo]

I think over the course of a lifetime, most people try and trade quite a few. I know guys that are too old and sick to go shooting, but still buy/swap/sell firearms. We need to break out some 1911 and Highpower customs and Beretta's, maybe Tyler will buy a few more. Rifles and shotguns too. Once you have made firearms ownership a hobby, trading is part of the fun, collecting is part of the fun, Competition is part of the fun.

I have a friend that loves reloading. While I reload so I can shoot more, I think he shoots so he can reload more. I support him in his reloading hobby, I shoot his guns and use up as much ammo as I can every time I go over to see him!

 

[UncleMike]

Yea I know it's like I NEED MORE!!!!
"This is the last one that I'm going to buy honey"
That's when I get the eye roll

Remind her that you don't spend money on firearms.
You invest money in your future.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

I think over the course of a lifetime, most people try and trade quite a few. I know guys that are too old and sick to go shooting, but still buy/swap/sell firearms. We need to break out some 1911 and Highpower customs and Beretta's, maybe Tyler will buy a few more. Rifles and shotguns too. Once you have made firearms ownership a hobby, trading is part of the fun, collecting is part of the fun, Competition is part of the fun.

I have a friend that loves reloading. While I reload so I can shoot more, I think he shoots so he can reload more. I support him in his reloading hobby, I shoot his guns and use up as much ammo as I can every time I go over to see him!

I'm hooked on Marlin .22 rifles. i've got 2 model 60's and an original Golden 39A.
I've also got a mossberg .410 cruiser.

I'd love to shoot an AR and an AK.
I really want a couple of Mosin Nagants
I want a 357 lever
and maybe the Kel tec Sub 2000 in .40 (I've already got plenty of Glock mags for it!)
and and and...

 

[Gluemanz28]

I'm hooked on Marlin .22 rifles. i've got 2 model 60's and an original Golden 39A.
I've also got a mossberg .410 cruiser.

I'd love to shoot an AR and an AK.
I really want a couple of Mosin Nagants
I want a 357 lever
and maybe the Kel tec Sub 2000 in .40 (I've already got plenty of Glock mags for it!)
and and and...

I like Lever and pump rifles as well. I want a .357 lever but settled for a H&R Tactical Handi Rifle for now.
I bought my grandsons a Henry H001 lever action .22. It will shoot short, long and long rifle

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

I bought my grandsons a Henry H001 lever action .22. It will shoot short, long and long rifle

Yes! what a cool present! If I didn't have the 39A, I probably would've scooped up a Henry by now

 

[Gluemanz28]

Yes! what a cool present! If I didn't have the 39A, I probably would've scooped up a Henry by now

Scooped mine up at Whittaker Guns in Owensboro, KY while visiting my Brother in Southern IN. I think it was around $240
I have a guy near me that is 93 yrs old and still has a FFL and Coon hunts, shoots trap, and skeet. He orders guns and other stuff for us and only charges 5% over invoice. He has a Shield in 9mm ordered for the wife that is $339 plus 5%. Bad news is he wont be getting it anytime soon due to smaller guys getting stuff last.

 

[bigretic]

Glueman, I have g17 x 2 for the same reason you do. funny.

the oddest thing on that list is the p230 mixed in with all the "junk". That is a wonderful gun.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Lots of low quality clones. Understandable why you settled for Glock.

I too have had a Beretta 9000 and a Sig 230. Both were good guns, and I wish I still had them.

 

[chezuki]

My list looked like this:

Glock 23
Glock 30
Glock 23
Glock 27
Glock 23
M&P 9

Turns out my favorite Glock wasn't a Glock at all.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

the oddest thing on that list is the p230 mixed in with all the "junk". That is a wonderful gun.

can't say I'm a huge fan of that style (John Browning design???) or the configuration of it (decocker, wrap around grips, etc).
but it did fire every time and the recoil was minor. the biggest drawback was it had some serious bluing wear and pitting. it didn't
seem to bother the guy that I traded it to though. he was stoked to have it for his wife's EDC, so that was cool...

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

My list looked like this:

Glock 23
Glock 30
Glock 23
Glock 27
Glock 23
M&P 9

Turns out my favorite Glock wasn't a Glock at all.

with all of the talk and good words I read about the M&P series,
I think I'm gonna rent one next time I go to the range. I'm intrigued by them.

 

[nebulous]

When I first got into guns, I swore I would never sell any of them. Now I sell them after a few years and get something I like better. The industry has been doing a great job coming up with new technologies, new materials, and new designs over the past few decades. It is fun exploring the new options and refreshing your inventory with new hardware.