Handgun Forum banner

What guns surprised you? Good or Bad.

8K views 56 replies 46 participants last post by  danelectro 
#1 ·
Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get.

The famous Forest Gump quote was to imply how surprising life may be, how assumptions may not reflex reality.

Same hold true for guns, as we are often surprised by certain brands; good or bad. Many times we try out a gun based on recommendations, but our experiences can differ from the people who suggested them. In my short shooting history, I have had a few surprises, both good and bad.

Almost everyone I have talked to have had a Glock at some point. Near unanimous, Glock is the most popular manufacturer in the US, especially among military and law enforcement. I hated the feel of Glock, no matter how much I tried to like it. I shot both the 9mm and the .40, and hated them both. The grip feel is awful with the checkering; and the beaver tail pushes my grip hard and often. Shooting the Glock is as comfortable as receiving kisses from mother in laws. Same could be said about the Springfield XDM, the perceived Glock clone.

One gun I shot that was surprisingly smooth was the H&K P30. Have not thought much about the H&K products and hated the price tag, the P30 was incredibly awesome to shoot. The grip feel was light, just enough to provide decent grasp. The short trigger is perhaps the best I have experienced to date, with just the right weight for single or double action pull. Although my experience with the P30 can only be described as short and sweet, but will always be in my heart.

What guns surprised you, good and bad? Thank you for reading, have a good labor day.
 
See less See more
#27 ·
My S&W Model 60 Pro (3" barrel) suprised me with recoil.
Before this I had never shot a 357 magnum and from what I'd heard I was expecting it to really kick.
When I shot it I was suprised at how "not bad" the recoil actually was.
Dunno if it's because I'm used to shooting 45 ACP or what but the 60 pro is really fun to shoot.
 
#28 ·
I found stoger cougar to be one of the most accurate softest shooting 45 acp guns I have ever owned mag cap is a little low for grip size but for 360$ NIB it has never failed me in over 1500 rounds various HP,Ball ammo. It is my nightstand gun with streamlight for the $ this gun is awsome for the money. I have 2 other 45s XD45C,RugerR11911, they both are flawless also I bought the cougar on a whim and was very surprised the other 2 were researched buys and turned out as expected. I'm happy the way it turned out and will prob never part with any of them.
 
#29 ·
I was surprised at how much CZ's impress me, and by how unimpressed I am with the Sigs and HK's I have handled.
Me too. When I was buying my first hand gun in a long time, I wanted to like my brother's 226. I just couldn't do it. So I bought a Glock. Glock is OK and I liked it just fine. Then my son bought a CZ75. I had to have one. After hating the Sig, I figured I hated all DA/SA pistols. CZ surprised me.
 
#30 ·
Ruger LCR 38 Special. The MOST BRUTAL handgun I have ever fired. Far, far worse than my 7 !/2" Ruger Redhawk .44 magnum. Shooting the LCR with +P ammo is electric....quickly turning hands and wrists numb....kinda like hitting an oak tree with a baseball bat.

At the same time I absolutely adore the pistol. Just can't stand to shoot it. Much like marriage.
 
#32 ·
For small caliber target shooting I'd have to say my Ruger MK2 with the ten inch bull barrel, Bought it as an investment and really like shooting it, I picked one up for one of my sons.
For small caliber carry for fun gun I'd say my new stainless Ruger Single-Six 922LR/22Mag) takes he cake. I had a couple of cheaper 22LR revolvers over the years and didn't like any of them at all. I bought a older blued Single-Six (22LR/22Mag) and shot it occasionally but never carried it, I sold it and bought the new one and BINGO. More accurate, better looking and fills the void.

For large caliber handguns my favorite target gun is my stainless Ruger GP100 six inch 357 Mag. Just feels so good in my hand and a pleasure to shoot, run 39SPL through it and i'ts like being a kid in a candy shop.

For large caliber revolver close to home carry it's my S&W 642 Aieweight 38 + P, compact, comfotable to pocket carry in a pocket sleve and big enough to get it done. I bought it on a whim and thought it would sit in the safe. I carry this gun EVERY DAY! Best $400 I ever spent on a handgun.

For large caliber semi-auto carry it's my Colt Combat Commader.

Best suprise and value was the S&W 642 Airweight 38 + P.
 
#33 ·
I love my LCP 380. And I love my P226R Tacops. I have had Glocks and can not find a way to like them. And I had a Glock 22C that shot better than any gun I have ever had but sold it couse It's just some thing about Glock that eats at me as far as a defence gun, kinda like fighting with a plastic spoon. Yea I know the LCP is plastic too but its just a pocket gun.
It's like having a rock in your pocket you can defend your self or not but you have some thing.
 
#34 ·
The worst surprise in a gun I have owned would have to be a Dan Wesson .44 magnum revolver I had years ago. I paid waaaayyyyy too much for it but it was new and with the Zebra wood grips, beautiful. Darn thing spit lead out at the cylinder to barrel gap. Factory ammo or hand-loads, they all did the same thing. I returned it to the factory three times and finally had them take it back and swap out a new one with me. They did not put the Zebra wood grips on my 'new' gun. I didn't even shoot it, I traded for a Desert Eagle.
Best gun, biggest surprise. Star M45 .45acp. I have owned three or four and think I have ran a total of 2-3K rounds through them with zero breakage over the years. The price was right too!
 
#35 ·
I picked up a little colt 1908 25 auto that I shoot with at 17 yards with a 2inch groups. That was really cool that a small gun like that is so accurate. .I always surprise people at the range with it .....they shoot there glocks or 1911 full size and at the same distance I can group better on paper .....
 
#36 ·
Taurus 22-PLY and 25-PLY,,,

Back when they were only $201.00 at budsgunshop.com,,,
I ordered a 22-PLY on a whim because it was just so danged cute. :oops:

But it turned out to be an extremely fine little handgun.

The older steel versions of the gun (PT-22) were plagued with malfunctions,,,
The new polymer version (still marked PT-22 on the slide) are better.

Mine runs Federal Bulk Pack ammo with no problems at all,,,
It also likes CCI Standard and CCI Mini Mags.

It fits my hand so well it is a natural pointer,,,
Which is good because the small sights are hard to see.



I'm a mediocre shot at the best of times,,,
But at 7-10 yards I'm shooting a 4" rapid fire group.

It has a long DAO trigger pull and a long trigger reset,,,
But again the gun fits so snugly in my hand,,,
This is only a minor thing to deal with.

I liked the little shooter so well,,,
I ordered the 25-PLY to pair up with it.



So I practice with the cheap 22 ammunition,,,
And use the 25 ACP as a convenient jacket pocket carry pistol.

The 25 like it's rimfire sister points very naturally with little recoil,,,
I practice with it at 7-10 yards and put 3-tap groups in the neck/clavicle area.

Both guns dirty up fairly quickly,,,
But they disassemble and clean very easily,,,
So I keep them pristine and they haven't given me any problems.

The one thing that isn't ideal is due to their small size,,,
They do not have an extractor to force ejection of the empty cartridges.

If you have a fail-to-fire and multiple DAO trigger pulls don't fire the cartridge,,,
You must flip open the barrel to toss out the dud cartridge,,,
Racking the slide only tries to feed another round,,,
Then you have an even worse jam.

Fortunately this hasn't happened to me,,,
Except with Remington Golden Bullet 22 LR ammo,,,
I've not yet experienced any failure with the 25 ACP cartridges.

So what started out as a whim purchase,,,
Became a part of my carry rotation.

Aarond

.
 
#37 ·
I picked up a new Wather ppk/s last year and just love the way this gun shoots. Smooth triger, feels great in the hand was dead on target from day one.

Thirty years ago I had an Erma .380 (baby luger) when I worked for the forest service on a mountain in Maine. That gun filled the stew pot quite often with rabbits and partrige and I grew to really like a .380.

Sold the Erma years ago. I have had several .380's since but could never find anything that would shoot like that old Erma until I got the ppk/s. I just love this gun.

Lots of people on this forum think they need a cannon to put down something. I knew an old trapper when I was younger who killed bears with a .22 pistal and that's a fact.

Boy's it ain't the size of your piece it's how you use it.
 
#38 ·
I think we're all fond of recalling memorable firearms we've owned over the years. Ones that we are sorry we ever let go and genuinely miss. My first firearm was one of these.

Purchased new on April 5, 1968, it was a Ruger Super Single Six Convertible (now called Single Six) with the 5 1/2" barrel. For $78 you got two cylinders; one for shorts, longs, and long rifle and one for .22WRM only. I loved that little revolver and curse the day I let it go. I had ordered a Single Six, those didn't have adjustable sights, but I was anxious and when it hadn't come in, I settled for the Super Single Six, which did have adjustable sights, for $13 more. I really miss that gun at times.

I had three Taurus 92's in the early 90's, one without the decocker and two with this feature. One was a compact which I had a gunsmith tune for me. That's the one I should never have sold. Dumb. It was not only beautiful with its fine wood grips, but accurate and reliable as a rock.

A Ruger PC4 I bought in the 90's should still be in my collection. Accurate right out of the box, it is one of only three rifles I have ever bought that didn't need to have its sights adjusted when new. An anomaly for sure.

There are a few others but those seem to come to mind right away. Oh and a 1971 version of the Winchester 94. Yes it had the alloy receiver but it was a fine .30-30 carbine. My wife stood in line at a department store for two hours to get it for $71 new. Should have kept that one.
 
#42 ·
Glock 17. People rave about Glocks. Ya know what? They just don't fit the hand well. The trigger is about as bad as any other crappy striker-fired semi-auto, and (IMHO) about the same as the SD40VE. I owned two G17's over a few years period, thinking I'd give it another chance. Both have been sold for other hammer-fired pistols. Plus the slide is just the blocky slab that just doesn't do it for me.
 
#43 ·
What surprises me is that I keep coming BACK to the 1911 regardless of how many OTHER "lovers" I seek out. I own a few Glocks...and I LOVE them...my G20SF is the quintessential 10mm and has digested the most potent loads on earth! I love my Beretta's and my Kahr, and my Desert Eagle, and my S&W .460's and .500's, but I keep coming back to my 1911's...doesn't really matter what brand...ANY brand is fine...

BTW, the BERETTA TOMCAT INOX is the truly surprising handgun...it fits the hand perfectly, can be carried cocked and locked or DA, and has proven to be 100% reliable out of the box!
 
#44 ·
P11 9mm. Bought it as a greenhorn neophyte. Paiid too much, but didn't know any better. Still it's been 100% reliable from day 1.

Intratec Protec .25. Purchased at some local gun show by my wife for the size. Complete POS from day 1. Finally, unloaded it at a fair loss. Worth it. Totally.

Sterling Arms 300 .25 acp. By far the biggest and most pleasant surprise. I needed a CCW as she and I have been swapping the 9 for CC. Very limited budget. Really did my research this time. Once bitten twice shy. So, uncovered alot of info on Sterling Arms. The upshot was that I got one manufactured in Gasport, NY between '72 and '76. All the 300 and 302(.22 lr)models were machined from stainless steel. Upon being purchased and moved to Lockport in '77 the new owner lowered the inspection criteria and introduced 'cast' parts to save on the bottom line. The first time I shot it I really didn't expect too much. After 2 mags I was in love. At some future point I'll upgrade to a Micro Desert Eagle .380 as it's machined steel as well. The Sterling is now a family heirloom. It's my intent to acquire another one and teach my 2 grand daughters the fine art of HG self-defense. When they turn 21 I'll get them what they want for their CCWs.
 
#45 ·
A Star " Firestar " in .45 ACP . A nickel plated gun. I cleaned it for a friend. Went all out , Polished what I could.... to smooth its trigger, action , & slide . ( polished the feed ramp ) Tightened the rear sight from drifting after shooting some UMC 230 HARDBALL. Used a special & personal blend of ..........." Bowman Gel -lube & " Synco , Super lube"; applied on every friction point, Very slick and loosed , just enough, at that time. I even went so far as to polishing the , frosty,dulling... Exterior sides , with "Wenol". Turned out to be a sweet & reliable shooter....Very accurate for a 3.5 in. Bbl. Did it all for that distant cousin.
A "diamond in the rough" , when I saw it first. WISH IT WERE MINE TODAY.
 
#46 ·
A buy that was A great surprise for me. 1985 dated Taurus M66 6" blued revolver (yea lots of bad Taurus rants) This gun is just A Great shooter!
Bad surprise. A Beretta Px4 compact 9mm. Just never got the warm and fuzzy feeling for it after 1 1/2 years. It is the only handgun I have ever traded. Or sold for that matter.
As for Glocks never really considered buying one, Just not for me. But then again I am A Sig Guy and the P226 .40 is my ccw when in the real America. (NJ here)
 
#47 ·
Bad-Without a doubt, my brand new Colt Combat Commander, bought about 1980. What a dog. Nothing straight or smooth in it. A gunsmith looked at it and shook his head, "Garbage!". Two trips to Colt fixed a couple of it's issues, but mostly it got scratched up. I finally sold it for a small loss to a guy who apparently was a Colt fanboy. I bought an Italian made Beretta 92F and it was like it was made on another planet, it never missed a beat.

Good-Astra A-75. I've had three of them, all great. The first one, a .40 was painful to shoot, so I sold it off for a small profit. I bought a NIB 9mm nickeled one and would still have it, but I needed cash, so off it went. A year or so later, I found a black one on Gunbroker, and it's been great. It's my present house gun, but it will probably be replaced on that job by my Tanfoglio "Mossad" 9mm.
 
#49 ·
I was surprised by the poor quality and workmanship of the Bersa 380CC. I had never fired one, but read so many great reviews online that I purchased one. NEVER AGAIN!!! My first Bersa will be my last Bersa!
Really? Not that I'm challenging your opinion here, but, you bought one but never fired it? The reason I ask is because I bought one too and never fired it. But, I will be firing it very soon, and it doesn't seem real fair to give an overall assessment when you never even fired it. It's a cheaper gun, that's for sure, but if it fires great and performs without a hitch, heck, I'm not going to be unhappy with it.
 
#50 ·
The new Remington R51 - bad! Poor quality - a real disappointment.
Chief, please, please detail your problems with this new pistol!
What's gone wrong?
Was anything right?

Tell us about fit, function, feeding, ejection, and all the rest.
Write a detailed review, please.

(I've repeated this request in a PM.)
 
#51 ·
Chief, please, please detail your problems with this new pistol!
What's gone wrong?
Was anything right?

Tell us about fit, function, feeding, ejection, and all the rest.
Write a detailed review, please.

(I've repeated this request in a PM.)
Steve, let me begin by saying I was predisposed by personal bias to like this pistol. I very much enjoy my Remington long guns and my R1 1911. In other forums to which I belong, I opined that I would own an R51 as soon as I found one. I absolutely loved the futuristic look of the pistol and was encouraged by the early reviews in the popular gun rags (for what they're worth).

When I actually got to handle the pistol and put about 300 rounds through it, my initial desire to own the pistol quickly dissipated.

IMHO, the look and feel of the pistol screams "Cheap," and I don't mean inexpensive, notwithstanding the pistol's reasonably low MSRP. There are a number of far superior 9MM pistols out there for a $100 or so more.

While the pistol was accurate enough, it was literally painful to shoot, something I don't experience with ANY of the pistols I own. I found this surprising, especially with a 9MM pistol, even taking into account the R51's very thin frame.

The "slide bite" was somewhat problematic and the trigger reset was, in my view, awful. The trigger appears to be constructed of a cheap plastic material and felt as if it needed to be 1/3 longer than it actually is. I also think the grip safety, a feature I enjoy on a number of my firearms, will be the root cause of many future RMA #'s for this pistol.

Lastly, I will say that I read the owner's manual for every pistol I purchase. Having said that, I believe many of the best firearms I own can be assembled and disassembled intuitively. This is not the case with the R51, which will NOT function if the slide stop is improperly installed. For those who refuse to acquaint themselves with the manual, the odds are much better than even that the pistol will be improperly assembled.

While this is much less than what I would characterize as a comprehensive review, Steve, it's the best I can do on a Friday afternoon after a crazy work week. Cheers.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top