[plowboy22]

As the title says what type of handgunner are you? I'll start....

I have my basic military experience and have hunted for years. I only recently got into handgunning. My overall reason is self defense and I am waiting on my CCW. I plan to start shooting IDPA...... more for training than competition.

I look for reliability and value in my guns. I don't have a lot of money to spend so bang-for-the-buck is VERY important to me. I want to know that when I pull my weapon it is gonna fire. It doesn't have to be the fanciest but it does have to work. Now I know some people will say that if reliability is so important then I should I should use a revolver but the trade-off in ammo capacity is not worth it. I like semi-autos....what can I say. I also don't want to have to do a lot of modding to my gun. I want it to work out of the box.

I currently own a Springfield XD-40 and a Taurus PT1911. In the future I would like to get a .357 revolver and possibly a 9mm. I have put over 600 rounds (from cheap to good) thru my XD and haven't had a single failure. I pick up my PT1911 on Friday and will post a range report after I break it in.

Well that's me....so what about everyone else?

 

[Reconvic]

Ployboy22; It feels like home week I am Retired from the Marines, then worked for Ruger in Prescott as Quality manager in the early 90's and now retired and shoot IDPA, Steel and Bullseye matches. I have had a CCP for over 19 years now. I do work on my own pistols and love shooting matches. I am also a Glock Armorer, and own many Glocks,SIG 220's and 1911's, which I feel made it mark in history many years ago.

 

[ZeroTA]

Hello Plowboy! Good to see some new faces...it's been gettin' kinda quiet around the old campfire.

I don't have a huge budget either but I don't mind doing mods to get my pistols how I want them,and to get them how they will work best for me. But I usually have an idea of what I want before I buy,so I might buy a pistol knowing that I'm going to change things on it. And,I'm not opposed to paying more for something that might come from the factory with the options I want on it.

Good choice on the Taurus. I have one and while it's not the flashiest,it does have the "bang-for-the-buck" that you're looking for. In fact,mine hasn't had a failure yet,which is more than I can say for the three Kimbers I've had!

 

[El Pistolero]

I grew up where a lot of meat we ate came from what we killed. Deer, squirrel and rabbits mostly. I shot a duck once and after eating it I decided I would not shoot any more ducks. I shot my first deer in grade school. I did 11 years in the military and have had guns all my life. I have a chl.

 

[plowboy22]

Thnaks for the replies! I live about an hour south of Tampa, FL. and we only have one decent gun shop/indoor range. The upside is that they get all types of people. I find it interesting to see how people approach firearms choices. I have seen guys that only buy top of the line custom order guns and guys choose guns based solely on appearance. I even saw a guy (wannabe gangsta LOL) walk in and ask to look at four different guns. The clerk pulls them out of the case and sets them on the counter. The guy NEVER touches them and then says "Yeah, I'll take that one." I know for sure that he didn't know anything about the gun he just purchased and it is these type of people that scare the hell out of me.

So that is my reason for asking what type of handgunner everyone is.

 

[El Pistolero]

It's a good question. I remember when I thought eveyone grew up with guns, that changed pretty early though.

I was just thinking about the p220 I put on layaway. I was checking frame to slide fit, barrel lockup, chamber and barrel wear, trigger pull, and everything else I could check.

 

[redmonster13]

I have hunted since I was 14 and started using a .44 super blackhawk instead of a rifle when I was 16. I am an avid shooter and wanting to try IDPA. I like to shoot at least twice a week and dont feel that a range trip is complete without firing at least 200 rounds. My only carry right now is from the house to the car, I am still waiting on my CHL.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[45shooter]

I'm relatively new to handgunning. Competitive shooting has always seemed interesting, and I would like to get my ccw permit. Right now I'm just a bit of what you might call a range rat.

 

[kansas45]

I don't hunt much anymore. I do like to shoot at the range as much as possible, usually 2 times a week outdoors & one time indoors. I have shot a little TSA & USPSA stuff & do enjoy it. I shoot in a big bore pistol league once a week. Besides the handguns, I like shotguns & rifles also.

 

[Blackhawk]

I was first exposed to the 1911 at 18 y.o. age. Spent 6 years with 82nd Airborne as a Medic. My only other experience with handguns was shooting my Grandfathers old Colt .22 pistol at snakes/armadillos etc. Got very interested in recreational shooting about three years ago and now I own three different 1911's
Colt Series 70 Gold Cup National Match
Colt Series 80 Gold Cup Trophy
Colt Series 80 XSE Combat Commander

 

[Frenchy]

I've been shooting handguns for about 50 years, but have never done any serious competition (IPSC, IDPA, etc). Have shot some LE comp though, and have hunted with them (small game).
My first taste of handgun shooting was at 9 years of age. My uncle returned from the war in Europe with a P-38 that he had collected as a war trophy. Shooting that pistol hooked me for life. I should pick up one of those post-war models while they are still available cheaply.

 

[tsp45acp]

Started shooting late in life compared to many here. Got my 20 ga when I was 14 and hunted with it until I married my 1st wife. Bambi lover gave me more grief than I could stand and eventually gave up hunting. Haven't been in over 20 yrs. Bought my 1st handgun 05/97--a Russian Mak in 9x18. Went shooting w/ a co-worker who had a Colt 45 auto he bought when he got out of the Army in '85. Pulled the trigger on the 1st mag, put the gun down, walked off the range and put a SA 1911 on layaway (they didn't have any Colt's ). Picked it up 07/97, 3rd wife got her 1st 1911 09/97. I realized I was in trouble when the catalog orders ( S&B from Cheaper Than Dirt) was shot up and gone before the credit card was paid off. Started reloading 04/98. Over 108K loaded so far.


Thats my story. :wink: Tracy

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I grew up where a lot of meat we ate came from what we killed. Deer, squirrel and rabbits mostly. I shot a duck once and after eating it I decided I would not shoot any more ducks. I shot my first deer in grade school. I did 11 years in the military and have had guns all my life. I have a chl.

We have alot in common....all of that except the military part, but I did join the USMC...made it almost all the way through Parris Island...then they wouldnt graduate me..."failure to adapt to military life" they called it...my Grandad always just called it stubborn, bullheaded, and contrary...but I'm pretty sure they mean the same thing.

My Grandad taught me how to hunt, fish, shoot, hide, track, not be tracked, and a few other tricks. As far as handguns go...I'm sorta new...I've had a few all along but only recently started taking them seriously.

Now put a 9 lb. 308 Win. or a 13 lb. 300 Win. Mag in my hands and I can play pop the groundhogs (woodchucks to you yankees :wink all day long....waaaaaaay out there.

Edit: I've had my Handgun Carry Permit for almost 12 years...got it just after I was old enough to get it.

 

[msjdgman]

I`m really just the occasional, for fun type of handgunner. But I`m definately home/self defense minded too. I`ve been shooting handguns for well over 30 years, and shooting/hunting nearly 40 years. I used to shoot much much more than I do now, but I do shoot enough to remain proficient. Since I`m new (1 year) to the 1911 platform, I will be shooting with more regularity than I have in recent years. I`ve even been stocking up little by little so that now I have 1000 rds to play with this winter. Maybe someday I`ll take a look at some type of competitive shooting, but right now with my other activities, I just don`t have time.

 

[CopperKnight]

I have carried concealed (legally, of course) for over 10 years. I own and shoot many different handguns. Have been shooting them all of my life thanks to my dad. I shoot them when I can and when budget allows for a new box of ammo. I reload a lot of the time for reasons of said budget.

My greatest desire is to be able to shoot an auto as well as I can shoot a revolver. <sigh> one of these days.

 

[tonyniev]

My greatest desire is to be able to shoot an auto as well as I can shoot a revolver. <sigh> one of these days.

Come to Las Vegas and make your wish come true. One of the tourist attractions here in Las Vegas is renting full auto guns in indoor shooting ranges, the typical cost is $50 for an H&K MP5; TSMG in 45 cal or M16 in 223 with 50 rounds of ammo.

In the my club they run machine gun matches and many folks use MP5's M16, TSMG, Stens etc.

I learned to shoot from my late dad, starting with BB guns, then in ROTC I learned to handle military wares.
Now I shoot IPSC an IDPA and next year will try the 3 gun matches, need to get a semi auto shotgun.

Cheers

 

[CopperKnight]

Come to Las Vegas and make your wish come true. One of the tourist attractions here in Las Vegas is renting full auto guns in indoor shooting ranges, the typical cost is $50 for an H&K MP5; TSMG in 45 cal or M16 in 223 with 50 rounds of ammo.

In the my club they run machine gun matches and many folks use MP5's M16, TSMG, Stens etc.

Sounds like fun. I'll definitely file that away in my "future stuff to do" list.

 

[Barry in IN]

I'm a rifleman temporarily carrying a pistol.

My main interest has mostly been rifles.
I started shooting IPSC matches to have something to do in the winter when the Highpower (rifle) matches weren't running.
I always liked handguns, but they took a back seat to rifles.

I had had a carry permit since becoming old enough to get it (except for a few years in Chicago), and while I accepted the responsibility that came with it, I did little to refine my handgun/defensive skills beyond reading a pile of books.

But things changed.

First, I walked in on a break-in and had to use my gun.
There's a wake-up for you.
Then, I got married and realized that I wasn't responsible for just myself anymore.
By the time the kids came, my interest had shifted over to defensive shooting. If I was going to be looking out for my little kids, I wanted to get a little more skilled than I was.
Also by this time, a back injury/condition was catching up to me and I was walking hunched over, limping, and using a cane some- obviously the weakest of the herd.

My primary interest is defensive shooting now.
I started getting training- something I had wanted to do for years, but finally got the kick in the butt to do it- and have taken at least one class a year since.

Now-
When I go shoot, I always take my carry gun(s). I may take others, but I work with my carry guns first. If I have any extra time, I play with other stuff, but the carry guns always get shot.
If I go to a match, it's an IDPA or IPSC match. And I shoot my carry gun, using my carry holster, and concealed like I do daily.
Even if I go to the rifle range to shoot my beloved Garands, I shoot a house/car gun like an AR or M1 Carbine, just to stay familar with them.

 

[TraderJack]

I started with a BB rifle at age 6. By age 8 I had shot all of Dad's pistols and rifles(he had quite a collection).
At 10 I got a Ruger Blackhawk for Christmas with a Lawrence western quickdraw rig. My sister would throw the lids from 5 gal buckets into the air & I would draw & fan the .357 - hit the lid most every time after a while. I was quite the 'cowboy'.

Hunted and traped for a few years, then lost interest in shooting at 16. Discovered motorcycles and wimmin!

But, I found USPSA a few years ago and have picked up my pistols again. But, the eyes are going south.
I doubt if I could hit those lids as well anymore... maybe if they were off a 55 gal drum!:shades:

 

[PLINKING .40]

Grew up around BB guns and Dad was a State Trooper in Washington, and went with him Grouse and Pheasent hunting and target shooting before he had to requalify for the Dept.
I got in to Security and was Commissioned by the State of Texas when I turned 19 to carry a Colt Combat Commander and went target shooting all of the time for about 4yrs, Tryed out for the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission (TABC) Didn't get in, Now shoot IDPA and Varmit and Quail Hunt.. Haven't got a Deer yet...