Most surprising (good or bad) handgun purchase?

[Charles Johnson]

For me, I was very pleased with my Glock 26 . I had a Sig 229 I used for CCW, carried in a fanny pack. After many questions about why I had a 'purse' and if I was in law enforcement, I decided I needed to be more discreet. So I grudgingly picked the G26 over small revolvers, Kahr, and KelTec. Up to this point, I didn't like Glock because I thought they were ugly .

On my first trip to the range, first shot was dead center. Event at the max distance, I shot better with the G26 than the 229, usp compact, SW 5906, SW 629 (well, about even with the 1st round from the 629).

Months later, I let 2 friends who both had usp compacts try my G26. They both bought G26's within a week!

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Charles:

For me, it was during range qualifications a couple of years
ago. I was shooting my newly acquired Sig-Sauer P228, for the very first time. This was truly a dream come true; and
although I scored well, I found out that this remarkable weapon is a lot more accurate than me!!! After eating the
X-ring out of a B-27 target, I knew I had fallen in love.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Quantum Singularity]

Most surprising.....

Glock 26. The recoil was so much more mild than I would expect from a compact 9 (it recoils like a .38 spl target load) and the accuracy is excellent.

 

[Mylhouse]

Most surprising bad: ASAI One Pro .45. What a POS for a seemingly well made Swiss all-steel pistol with an unbelievable trigger!

Most surprising good: Full size Witness 9mm in Wonderfinish. Also agree with the G26...my everyday primary.

 

[444]

The most surprsing would definitely be the Makarov. I better not be surprised with the quality of a $500 + purchase. But the quality, accuracy, and reliability of a gun selling for less than $150 was surprising.

 

[Ragin Cajun]

Actually going out to the range and shooting an H&K P7M8. I had heard lots of hype about this gun and had high expectations. They were not met. They were exceeded! That is some fantastic piece of chraftsmanship! And it shoots accordingly, too. Now, if I can get several . . .

 

[Rodger Parrish]

I picked up a new FEG Apk MKII for $169.00 a few months ago.
Completely reliable, very accuarate, nice finish. You just don't get nice surprises like this very often.

I just remebered a bad surprise, Bought a new S&W Model 19 in, I think, 1982. It was out of time so bad I never got to fire it till I sent it back to the factory. (took them about eight weeks to fix if I recall)

 

[WESHOOT2]

Most suprising: a full-size 9mm Witness that refused to shoot straight. Couldn't understand; my friend had one and I was awesome with it (which is why I bought one). Then I slugged the barrel. Miked at .3586".

So....I sent it to Bob Cogan at Accurate Plating & Weaponry for a hard-fit Nowlin barrel and a hardchrome job. Since I got it back it has consistently given 1"/25yds and has been 100% reliable (when fed ammo that fits its tight match chamber) for tens of thousands of rounds. Thanks, Bob.

 

[David Scott]

Most surprising good was a little Firearms Industries Model FI380D, which I found out was a importer's label verion of a Star model D. Looked like a Mini-1911. What was surprising was that I gave a guy $40 for it, and he said it was a POS because he couldn't hit anything with it and it jammed all the time. Well, I actually cleaned and lubed it, which he hadn't done since it came out of the box. You would not believe the greasy pocket-fuzz dust-bunnies that came out of the action. It turned out to be a great little gun. It cycled everything I fed it, including my first experiments with handloading. It shot decent groups at social distances. It was about as much trouble to lug around as a Buck knife.

Most surprising bad? The only bad handgun I ever bought, I shold have known better. It was a Llama .357. That was the last time I tried to penny-pinch on firearms.

 

[fed168]

The worst one I bought was the HK USP .40.
The pistol shot straight, functioned without a hitch. But one day a part broke, and I had to wrestle with their customer service. At the first opportunity to trade it, I did, and swore off their guns (pistols at least).
Personally, reliability encompasses all facets of a firearm, and if getting parts is a pain in the rear, then reliability is diminished.
It is a real shame because HK makes some wonderful weapons.

 

[PKAY]

Most surprising was the FA Model 83 .454 Casull I purchased through GunsAmerica.com. The site included relatively high definition photos which were convincing. The price was right. I spoke with the seller, a FFL gun dealer in upstate New York. We reached agreement, and through a FFL here in CA, the deal was made.

Upon receipt of the revolver, my FFL called me and I went over to see it. If anything, it exceeded all my expectations. Even my FFL friend said it was the finest piece he had seen from an internet purchase. He indicated that every other internet purchase in which he had been involved for various customers had not gone well. Almost all items had been returned via the 3 day inspection process and sales cancelled because the guns were definitely not as advertised.

Oh yeah, the other was finding a 95% Python in Royal Blue with a 6" bbl. at a pawn shop for $225! **** Howdy!

 

[Dr.Rob]

More than pleased with both my FEG pistols, an AP-9 (380 Pa-63) in two tone bought used for $125, and a full sized hi power clone PJK9HP bought new for $225. Both guns have been super reliable and while finish isn't as nice as a US made gun, they continue to get better and better. Great guns for the money,

 

[10CFR]

Baikal Makarov in 9x18 for $110. Figured I was buying something I would probably regret and want to get rid of. What a pleasant surprise. It is a very reliable, sturdy little gun that I'll keep around. The only thing I want to change about it is to highlight the sights so they stand out better.

Also a well-used S&W 22A to which I attached a $39.00 BSA red dot sight, and which turned out to be a real tack driver. Another keeper.

-10CFR