What bad guns have you bought, and why?

[ToddG]

Why do people buy bad guns? Instead, let's ask: What bad guns have you bought, and why?


First pistol I ever bought was a Taurus PT-99. I wanted a P7M8 but couldn't justify the cost. My next choice was a Beretta 92FS, but the Taurus was just like it and was less money even though it had cool tactical adjustable sights. After the second trip to Taurus for repair, I sold it.
BHP-40. Duane Thomas said it was the greatest combat pistol he'd ever touched and I bought one. Next month, he said the same thing about the HK USP40 and I bought one of those, too. The month after that he said it about a third gun and I stopped reading gun magazines.

[Kyle Reese]

Kimber 1911- Bought in early 2000 when I didn't know any better.

Sig P-226R Elite 9mm - Bought late 2009, shortly after I returned from Iraq. I hadn't heard about Sig's nose dive in quality in my absence.

Romanian Tokarev- Bought with my former C&R, long since sold.

Glock 31- Purchased in the summer of 2003, I sold it after having to buy more than 5 boxes of ammo for it.

Glock 37- Purchased in late 2004 / early 2005. Sold within a week of getting it as I pondered "What's the bloody point of this?"

Others over the past decade that have come and gone.

Hungarian PA 63
Walther PP (Manhurin)
Soviet Makarov
Nagant M1895 revolver
HK P7M8
Beretta 92 INOX
Walther P22 (Blech)
Walther P99
Glock 20
Glock 21
Glock 22
Glock 30
Glock 35
Sig P220
Sig P225
Sig P226 (West German)
Sig P229 .357

[MTechnik]

Beretta Storm Carbine.

It was my first gun of any kind. I bought it because I wanted a gun that could do "anything" and came in an affordable round.

The trigger was bad, but it was a lot of fun. However, it really didn't do any job well. It couldn't shoot from a bench, it isn't a pistol. It did point naturally and make holes with little recoil.

Sold it, got a marlin 39a, because I realized I needed a 22lr.

But then I found it is great if you are hunting rabbits and walking around in inclement weather with it. Which isn't my plan. I was shooting it from a bench. The trigger isn't good and isn't easy to change. The barrel isn't free floated, and to fix that would really bubba up the thing.

So it became cz452. Which I still have. The trigger is adjustable, and modifiable. The barrel is free floated, and it's as nice as I'm going to get without going crazy.

[jslaker]

Sig P-226R Elite 9mm - Bought late 2009, shortly after I returned from Iraq. I hadn't heard about Sig's nose dive in quality in my absence.

I've been quite lucky with my 2007 vintage P226R. Only issues I've had have been user-induced failure to lock back on last round. It's made me wonder if the action job that was done to it before I got my hands on it played a role there.


Glock 37- Purchased in late 2004 / early 2005. Sold within a week of getting it as I pondered "What's the bloody point of this?"

I've yet to figure out what the point of .45 GAP is. I know what the claim is, but the claim is a pretty dumb idea to begin with, IMO.

[Pistol Shooter]

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I bought a Mac 10 back in the mid eighties.

It was very accurate though. :eek:

[Kyle Reese]

There's no shame here...

http://www.seoconsultants.com/just-say-no/images/no-shame-480.gif

[ToddG]

Didn't I just answer this in another thread?

[Joe in PNG]

CZ-52- Though it looked kewl, and dang if it wasn't cheap! Broke a trigger spring, and I wound up trading it in for a Winchester 30/30.
Taurus PT-100 .40cal- Also thought it looked kewl, and also cheap! It worked ok, but man, I don't know what the heck was the deal with the trigger disconnect. Like getting whacked with a thing you get painfully whacked with. Traded for a Sig 229 9mm.
Glock 27 .40- I got this the same day my CCW arrived. I should have got the 26, but noooo, I wanted all that .40 S&W stopping power goodness. Yeah, and then I shot the thing. Owww oww owww owww. It was a rare day I shot up to 40 rounds through it. Traded it for a S&W Model 15 .38.
Kel-tec PF-9 9mm- Was looking for a pocket pistol more powerful than my Baby Browning .25. Got this one, shot it, and found something more painful than my old Glock 27. I fired one shot of Winchester White box, and carefully put the gun down. Traded it for a lovely S&W Model 64 snubbie soon after (I love K-frames).

[JodyH]

I haven't really bought any "dogs".
My first pistol was a Ruger P89 then I upgraded to a Berreta 92, then a Glock 17.
All of them ran great, even the Ruger.
I went through a lot of guns as experimental toys, but my serious gun has always been a good gun.
My worst purchase was a Kimber compact 1911 back in the early 90's.
That was my first and last 1911.

[willowofwisp]

Worst purchase ever, A DoubleStar 1911, the gun broke the sear during the first 50 rounds, got the gun back and it was failing to return to battery and the hammer was riding the slide home..I immediately sold it off and replaced it with a Les Baer PII

[VolGrad]

The guns with the most questionable quality I have every owned were Kimber 1911s. Why? I didn't know any better and my local gun shop had great deals on them. The guys behind the counter told me I needed one. :mad:

The gun I've actually liked the least and had the hardest time unloading (selling) was a Beretta PX4 Storm in .40. That thing sucked ... not quality but the ergonomics, trigger, sights, etc.

[jetfire]

Oh man, here comes my personal failboat.

Taurus PT-92: First gun I ever bought right out of the Coast Guard. I wanted a 92FS, but this was cheaper.

Taurus Tracker .357: I wanted a .357 Magnum revolver, and this was a lot cheaper than a 686.

Taurus Stellar Tracker: I wanted a .45 ACP revolver, and this was a lot cheaper than a S&W 625.

And finally: A Hi-Point 9mm. I did it to prove a point that you get what you pay for, and I was right.

It's worth noting that I don't own any of those guns anymore, and in the case of the wheelguns I now own a proper 686 and 625.

I'm deeply ashamed.

[Joe in PNG]

Oh man, here comes my personal failboat.

Taurus PT-92: First gun I ever bought right out of the Coast Guard. I wanted a 92FS, but this was cheaper.

Taurus Tracker .357: I wanted a .357 Magnum revolver, and this was a lot cheaper than a 686.

Taurus Stellar Tracker: I wanted a .45 ACP revolver, and this was a lot cheaper than a S&W 625...


...I'm deeply ashamed.

I'm beginning to see a trend here...

[gtmtnbiker98]

I really don't have a big fail list:

Walther P22 - intended training gun; however, proved to be a pot metal mess. Quickly sold.

Kahr PM45 - owned it for a whopping three weeks, during which time, Kahr had it two of those weeks for repair. One return trip to the factory, initial problem fixed with a new problem upon receipt. I have zero patience for a troublesome weapons, so it was off loaded at a huge loss.

Other than that, I've bought quality weapons with little to no issues to include Glock, Sig, Walther, S&W, and H&K.

[vcdgrips]

Kel Tec 32. Dumped and put the money into a 642 J frame.

[JDM]

All the handguns I've bought have been "quality" but some were definitely not for me.

These are listed below:

229R in .357
USPc in .357
Glock 35
Glock 20
Glock 27
S&W 1911PD
Beretta 90-two (gross).

You live and learn.

[Prdator]

Smith and Wesson, Sigma.

I read all the hype and bought one, Told a buddy that wanted to buy a gun that he should buy the baddest combat handgun EVER!!!!!!! Well I was Right!! it was the baddest one ever!!! We took it to the range and with in a few hundred rounds this little pice of metal fell out and I thought Hun?? it was the tip of the striker!!
After two trips back to S&W, I sold it!!!!!
So did my buddy!!

[jslaker]

Smith and Wesson, Sigma.

I read all the hype and bought one, Told a buddy that wanted to buy a gun that he should buy the baddest combat handgun EVER!!!!!!! Well I was Right!! it was the baddest one ever!!! We took it to the range and with in a few hundred rounds this little pice of metal fell out and I thought Hun?? it was the tip of the striker!!
After two trips back to S&W, I sold it!!!!!
So did my buddy!!
That's even more impressive than the extractor I saw break in under a thousand rounds.

[Wheeler]

Sig P232 It was almost as big as my P239, but in .380, with more muzzle flip.

S&W Model 22-4 Heritage I tried everything I could to like this revolver, I thought it might become my IDPA game gun, I hated it. Plus, it had that ugly little hole in the frame. I traded it off and went back to shooting my 686.

IMI Baby Eagle .40 The gun actually ran fine, the magazines were junk, holsters were hard to find, expecially for a lefty. This was when I learned that .40 was over rated.

I've got a Browning BDM that I'm trying to convince myself that I like. If it doesn't step up and impress me soon, I'm going to sell it and buy a Coonan :D

Wheeler

[Joe in PNG]

I've got a Browning BDM that I'm trying to convince myself that I like. If it doesn't step up and impress me soon, I'm going to sell it and buy a Coonan :D

Wheeler

No, man, what you really want is one of those Kel-Tec PLR-16s in 5.56!

[NickA]

This thread reminds me how lucky I am to have found a good, honest gun shop when I started buying my own guns. The owner guided me (at the time a broke college student) through various guns and always steered me clear of craptastic cheap guns. He warned me not to try and "perfume the pig"- if a gun starts as a piece of shit it will probably stay that way.
I traded through various revolvers ending up in a Python that I still own (bought for $400 back in the day:D)
then i went to autos and had a BHP, SA 1911 that he did a lot of custom work on that I traded for a Glock 19 (still have it), and somehow ended up buying the 1911 again after he did more custom work for the second owner (still have that one too).
So with his guidance i've ended up with some quality guns and pretty much no missteps along the way.

[Wheeler]

No, man, what you really want is one of those Kel-Tec PLR-16s in 5.56!

One of the best purchases I have ever made was a Bushmaster XM-15. It's an A3 variant, but I've never felt the need for the flat top system. I'll pass on the PLR-16 :) Admit it, the Coonan has a certain amount of panache :)

[YVK]

5" Kimber, with external extractor. I was getting into 1911 then, and asked somebody who knew 1911s very well for advice. He suggested a used Kimber and I couldn't find one. Then Hilton Yam listed those new Kimbers as one of recommended basic options, and I got one.
It had multiple issues. with extractor problem proving ultimately uncorrectable and I traded it, at loss and with disclosure.
Subsequently, Kimber implicitly admitted that external extractors were crap, and Hilton Yam retracted his approval, but that was a little too late for me.

[Savage Hands]

My USP .40 had a crappy DA pull and started having double feeds and stove pipes after 2,000 rounds. In retrospect it may have been the S&B ammo but I got rid of it before I found out.

Sig P226R DAK which I bought before ever trying the DAK system, what a retarded reset that added 2 additional pounds.

[BigT]

A Star DKL. I luster after one for years. My grandfather had carried one and I worked in a gunshop where it was the Cool Guy gun to have( I know I know :) ) my primary carry gun was a 1911 in those days so this gave me the same manual of arms in an easy package for carrying when you don't feel like carrying.

Found one and finally go the license nine months later. Bled like a pig after two mags. Looked at it and thought there is no way I want to get in a fight with this little thing. Tried carrying it as a BUG for a bit by wasn't wild about a single action ankle or pocket gun. I never once carried it on it's own like I intended when I bought it.

I sold it , my first gen Beretta 92 and a Tanfoglio P19 compact ( another POS ) three months later to buy GLOCK 17. Best gun choice I ever made.

[Doug]

I shot my friends custom .45 1911 when I first started and did well with it. At least at the time I thought. So I decided I should buy a .45, read a gun magazine and bought an XD45. It was my first pistol. Boy was I in for a surprise.

Then I kept buying guns thinking that was the problem.

Ruger p95
Cz75
Sig 226
Ruger P90
Beretta 92f

I finally decided to stick with one platform after reading an article on Todd G's site about shooting too many different types of pistols at the range. It rang too true.


Currently shooting an M&P9c with Apex sear.

[BCL]

My first gun was a S&W Sigma that luckily ended up melting in an apartment fire.

After that I owned a Bersa Thunder .380 and a Sig P250 .40 that both ended up getting sold quickly.

[TCinVA]

Colt Anaconda -

Purchased because I wanted a handgun for the woods and I was enamored with the Colt Python like every proper gun nerd on the planet. I discovered to my great consternation that Colt's heyday of handgun production had long since past when I found that the trigger would not reset. Pull the trigger and it would stay fully rearward locking the gun up completely. I was mystified at how a company who had been making revolvers since the mid 19th century could possibly screw that up. I figured everyone had a bad day now and then and sent it in for repair. Several weeks later it arrived back at the shop and I went down with great eagerness.

I opened the package, ensured the weapon was clear, and then pulled the trigger...and the trigger stayed fully rearward. Back into the box and back off to Colt for repair. Several more weeks and it returned. I was enthusiastic because now I might be able to fire my extremely expensive revolver. I opened the box, cleared the weapon, and attempted to dryfire...and the trigger stayed to the rear.

http://images1.memegenerator.net/ImageMacro/5086802/FUUUUUUUU-UUUUUUUU-.jpg

I told the shop when it came back this time put the thing on consignment and sell it for whatever they could get out of it. Apparently after the fourth trip Colt fixed the reset problem enough to get the revolver sold. I used the proceeds to buy a S&W 629. Shortly after this the Anaconda became a Custom Shop only gun from Colt selling for an even dearer price than I had paid for my paperweight. I wondered if P.T. Barnum had ever been on the board of directors for Colt.

Springfield Armory "Loaded" 1911 -

Would not feed hardball out of the box. The plunger tube was made of silly putty and eventually dinged enough to freeze up the plunger that held the already improperly fitted safety in place.

[orionz06]

Glock 23. I bought it for all the wrong reasons because I had no friggin clue. I bought a compact to conceal better, a .40 because I thought stopping power was something that was real, and to top it off, I carried Hydrashoks in it. I also kept the stock sights because if they were good enough for Glock they would be plenty for me.

Sig Mosquito. I bought it to get more trigger time with a service pistol type trigger. That being said, since I had no clue what the hell I was doing, any amount of shooting was just about as good as not shooting. Fortunately the gun works and is fun to use now and again. The slide finish is absolute crap, but when I get around to it I will have it coated. I did make a weapon mounted light holster for it, it looks pretty slick with an X300 on the front of it.

[turbolag23]

Glock 23. I bought it for all the wrong reasons because I had no friggin clue. I bought a compact to conceal better, a .40 because I thought stopping power was something that was real, and to top it off, I carried Hydrashoks in it. I also kept the stock sights because if they were good enough for Glock they would be plenty for me.


That sounds like the same reason I got my g23. Just got my CPL, wasnt going to carry my 6" 686, I went with Pow-R-Ball instead of Hydrashoks and have Trijicon's on mine. It also spawned a g27 and g35.

This is still my current setup, however I'm starting to wonder if I should have went 9mm. I shoot the 40sw pretty well but the 9mm is easier to shoot better.

[orionz06]

That sounds like the same reason I got my g23. Just got my CPL, wasnt going to carry my 6" 686, I went with Pow-R-Ball instead of Hydrashoks and have Trijicon's on mine. It also spawned a g27 and g35.

This is still my current setup, however I'm starting to wonder if I should have went 9mm. I shoot the 40sw pretty well but the 9mm is easier to shoot better.

That is not me saying it is a bad gun. If we all agree that the G17 is one of the best guns out there, buying one can still be a bad decision for some people. In this case the G23 was purchased based on lots of wrong reasons, and out of luck, it was not a completely terrible decision.

[Kyle Reese]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Desert Eagle .50 yet....:D

[willowofwisp]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Desert Eagle .50 yet....:D

No one has baller status here..thats why.

[MTechnik]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Desert Eagle .50 yet....:D

Why, that was still a great purchase!

(joking)

[David]

I shot my friends custom .45 1911 when I first started and did well with it. At least at the time I thought. So I decided I should buy a .45, read a gun magazine and bought an XD45. It was my first pistol. Boy was I in for a surprise.

Then I kept buying guns thinking that was the problem.

Ruger p95
Cz75
Sig 226
Ruger P90
Beretta 92f

I finally decided to stick with one platform after reading an article on Todd G's site about shooting too many different types of pistols at the range. It rang too true.


Currently shooting an M&P9c with Apex sear.

I have a P90D I love it!

[jslaker]

I'm actually somewhat curious about the Ruger P9x series. I know a few people that have bought them because they were on a budget, but really don't know much about them. I know they had the trigger recall where Ruger added a Glock style trigger face saftey, but I haven't heard much about them -- positive or negative -- beyond that.

[win_nut]

I bought a Ruger P85. FTF, FTE, went back to Ruger twice and still had problems. Different ammo did not make any difference. Sold it and bought my first HK, USP40 in '94 never looked back. I did break with tradition and bought a Sig P232 SL.

[Joe in PNG]

I'm actually somewhat curious about the Ruger P9x series. I know a few people that have bought them because they were on a budget, but really don't know much about them. I know they had the trigger recall where Ruger added a Glock style trigger face saftey, but I haven't heard much about them -- positive or negative -- beyond that.

I had a P-95 ages ago. Worked pretty good- ate everything I put through it. Ugly as homemade sin, though, and the sights could use a little work... plus it's slick as snot...

[BigT]

I'm actually somewhat curious about the Ruger P9x series. I know a few people that have bought them because they were on a budget, but really don't know much about them. I know they had the trigger recall where Ruger added a Glock style trigger face saftey, but I haven't heard much about them -- positive or negative -- beyond that.

It was the striker fired SR9 that had the recall because of the trigger. The P-9x series are the hammer fired DA/SA and DAO pistols.

[TCz]

I've never purchased a bad gun... apparently you need money to do that. I own a CZ-82 for carry, and a Browning Buckmark for lots of practice, both have been stellar.

[Slavex]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Desert Eagle .50 yet....:D
one of my favorite guns, and also one of my oldest. Bought mine in 91 or 92 I think. It has eaten over 12,000 rounds of factory and hot loaded reloads. One spring change so far (all springs). Tons of fun to shoot, one of my most requested guns for shooting experiences and my wife's favorite gun too. I've got the holster from The Whole 9 Yards that Michael Clark Duncan used in the movie, so that just makes it that much more fun to take out and blast stuff.
worst gun purchase for me is my Browning Buckmark. A decent .22 but to clean it you have to take the sight rail off. Very annoying, and the slide release doesn't work properly either, and never has.

[David]

It was the striker fired SR9 that had the recall because of the trigger. The P-9x series are the hammer fired DA/SA and DAO pistols.

Correct, Here is my P90D:

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg10/imdavid/p90d.jpg

[eagle]

A Smith & Wesson sigma 9mm when they first came out had nothing but problems
sent it back to factory. They repaired it and sent it back still could not get thru a
magazine without a stovepipe traded it for a new Kahr p9 and am very happy
with this weapon never had a failure in over 700 rounds of any kind of ammo
and is very accurate also.

[KentF]

A High Standard .22 Magnum revolver

A Glock 26 - bad in the sense that the safe-action trigger gave me blood blisters. I sold it a few days after I bought it.

A Kel-Tech P3AT - At the time I felt the need for a "pocket pistol". I HATE the way it feels when I shoot it.

These are bad on a personal level, not mechanical.

[Ga Shooter]

Taurus 24/7 OSS .45 Made for the new SF handgun trials. So it had to be as good as the H&K right? HAHA. Sold it quick!

Del-Ton AR. Before "The Chart" on M4C. Enough said.

[jslaker]

The willpower it requires for me to stay polite and accomodating to strangers when socializing and they start talking about how awesome their XD .45 is... astounding.

[SecondsCount]

Why do people buy bad guns? Instead, let's ask: What bad guns have you bought, and why?


First pistol I ever bought was a Taurus PT-99. I wanted a P7M8 but couldn't justify the cost. My next choice was a Beretta 92FS, but the Taurus was just like it and was less money even though it had cool tactical adjustable sights. After the second trip to Taurus for repair, I sold it.
BHP-40. Duane Thomas said it was the greatest combat pistol he'd ever touched and I bought one. Next month, he said the same thing about the HK USP40 and I bought one of those, too. The month after that he said it about a third gun and I stopped reading gun magazines.


Funny, my first centerfire pistol was a PT-99, purchased for the same reasons. Guy at the gunshop told me it was "just as good as" the Beretta. Mine ran well but I traded it off.

Duane Thomas just reviewed the P30 in the Blue Press and said it was a good pistol so I went out and bought one...not really, I was just tired of getting beat on for carrying a 1911. ;)

[wl518]

Rock Island 1911 Tactical. This was my first handgun and I didn't know any better. At the time I had barely started shooting and went to the local range, rented a few 1911s and being the naive young man thought they were the coolest thing this side of the universe. So after seeing the prices on decent 1911s, and unwilling to pay that I went the RIA route. 250 rounds and 3 chip mccormick power mags later I found out all the cool kids ran G17s and M&Ps. Haven't looked back since.

Some ppl have a hard time parting ways with their first handgun.... I sure as hell didn't have that feeling. :eek:

[MD7305]

I've been fortunate that almost all of the guns I've owned have been great (HKs, Glocks, & Sigs). I've had two that had notable, repetitive issues. First was a S/A Loaded 1911, it was super picky about mags. Nothing reliably feed or locked the slide back. I decided I wasn't willing to deal with and traded it for a P2K. The second was a Sig 220 Carry. It came from the factory with a bur on the inside edge of the slide's groove. I found the bur after several failures to feed. When firing it felt like the slide had its e-brake on, slow and sloppy. Upon disassembly I found the bur by seeing a deep scratch on the frame rail caused by the bur. I was disgusted. I learned that day that a close inspection is mandatory on a new gun, not an expectation based on brand reputation. The 220 Carry was traded with full disclosure to buddy for a Glock 19.

[Creeper9]

Ruger Blackhawk .357. I've always wanted a .357 and I was convinced I needed a single action because they looked cool....Never got used to the creepy trigger, and the funky way you had to hold it to shoot.....Ended up looking cool in the used guns case at my local gun shop after 6 weeks.

Replaced it with a S&W 686 4". Is it wrong to like a gun as much as I like this one??:D

[Jason]

I will turn this around slightly since I have actually owned very good pistols, all reliable believe it or not.

Got rid of and shouldnt:
My first glock 19 back in 1996 (sold it to a friend, corrected mistake)
2 S&W J-Frames one model 60 and a 642 (currently correcting this mistake)

Got rid of and happy about it (simplification is awesome):
Sig 239 (too big for 8 shots)
Sig 225 (too big for 8 shots this one was hard to sell but couldnt justify keeping it)
Ruger SP101 (too heavy for 5 shots)
HK P7 PSP (reliable until it breaks)
S&W 686 (what was I thinking!)
Kimber Custom Compact (actually 100% reliable for me but it was an old one)
Kel Tec 9mm (trigger sucked but very reliable)
Kel Tec 32 ACP (not comfortable with caliber, but very reliable)
Walther P22 (reliable but not similar enough to carry guns for good training)


Only unreliable pistol:
Uberti 45 Long Colt (fun but once you stop reloading not worth it)


NOW: Glocks, a Kahr PM9, and soon to add back the Jframe I shouldnt have sold.

[TheNewbie]

Kel-Tec PF9. I read about people complaing and thought "no way it's that bad." Well it is "that bad".

[JFK]

First gun I ever purchased. A Jennings .380. Purchased it off my boss at the time the day I turned 21. It was cool, it was chrome, I knew nothing about guns whatsoever.

First time I fired it I ended up needing two stitches because the bottom of the slide ripped my hand open on recoil.

It was so bad I did not even sell it, I ended up giving it to a guy who was going through gunsmith courses.

[jwperry]

I've broken a few guns..

Sig P226 Navy - my first gun. I knew nothing about guns but needed something for home protection after a few incedents, so I turned to my cousin who was in the Navy and asked his recommendation and this is what I got. 300 rounds into it the recoil assembly came apart when firing. I was never able to get the gun to return to battery. I took it to the gunshow and sold it for $300..

Sig Mosquito - After discovering internet gun forums and hearing how Sigs are such great guns and I'm an idiot who was making up my broken P226 story I gave Sigs another shot with the Mosquito. The gun shot well for the 100 rounds I fired out of it. The problem came on clean up; when running the brass brush through I kept getting what I thought was unburnt powder coming out...what was really happening was I was sanding out the rifling of the barrel. Response from Sig's customer service agent "What do you expect from a $300 gun sir?". I now boycott Sig..

Kimber Tactical Custom II - never, ever buy aluminum framed 1911s
Kimber Covert Pro II - see above post. If you do buy two, don't buy them at the same time so that you see the problems at the same time.
CMMG AR15 - mil spec is mil spec right? Until you break your bolt catch, then the your gas key looses a screw and causes the action to seize up.

[fuse]

My USP .40 had a crappy DA pull and started having double feeds and stove pipes after 2,000 rounds. In retrospect it may have been the S&B ammo but I got rid of it before I found out.

Sig P226R DAK which I bought before ever trying the DAK system, what a retarded reset that added 2 additional pounds.


I believe I read somewhere the DAK trigger is best used with letting the trigger fully reset to the lighter long pull for every shot. The heavier, shorter pull is just there to save you from short stroking.

Though I agree this doesn't seem ideal.

[dravz]

My biggest disappointment would have to be my very first handgun, a Ruger P97DC. I still remember the huge rollmark that said P97DC and I'll never forget it. But probably due to a lack of skill, the caliber of the gun (.45ACP), and the pure surprise at how difficult shooting a gun was, I absolutely hated this gun the very first time I took it out to the range. I bought it at a local gun store, sold on it because of the guy behind the counter (because I didn't know any better), and paid way too much for it (because I was taken advantage of). I was so jaded I almost gave up pistol shooting entirely, and is the reason why even today I still hate Rugers (completely irrationally) and hate gun stores (completely justified).

--

Also I had this Mossberg 500 that was pretty beat-up. It had a combo pistol grip + full stock on it (the name for this kind of stock escapes me) and I had a blast with it every range trip. But racking the slide is rough and it's just generally a beater. So I sold it to a friend of mine who needed a bed gun (he had no firearms) for $150 because I had big plans to upgrade to a real nice 870.

I ordered some super expensive 870 police model with a Surefire forend and all this other fancy shit. This thing looked so fucking badass, I mean it made me an honorary SWAT team member just being near it. I take it to the range though, and boy howdy did I hate it. It was way too heavy, the light sucked, I hated where the safety was, the shell tongue was annoying as hell, on and on. The whole time I'm thinking, I paid HOW MUCH for this??? (Have you seen what these cost? Ugh.)

I ended up selling it to a dude in NY, and that turned into a whole separate disaster. The FFL tried to reject the transfer until I faxed him some bullshit document he wanted on DEPT OF THE ARMY letterhead, that cleared him up quick. But the FFL had dropped it or something before the buyer arrived and dorked up the front sight, something like that. Fun.

I actually went without a shotgun for a long time after that (this all happened in 2005? 2006?). However I recently bought another Mossberg last year, a PGO, which I've already sold off too because I really am done with shotguns for good.

[EricP]

Tanfoglio Witness P Carry-Comp in 45 with Wonder finish. I don't really know what I was thinking in the first place buying a comped 45 with a name so long that it wouldn't fit on the slide. It couldn't get through a a magazine without multiple FTFs. EAA wanted $35 and shipping both ways to even look at it.

Doing some research on EAA and this model gun after purchase (naturally) showed that sending it back would be throwing away good money after bad.

I traded it back to the shop where I had purchased it, who knew its history, for a 50% loss.

[peterb]

However I recently bought another Mossberg last year, a PGO, which I've already sold off too because I really am done with shotguns for good.

Note for prospective shotgun buyers -- A pistol grip stock on a Mossberg shotgun is usually a bad combination because it is hard to reach the safety without breaking your grip. The top tang safety works well with a conventional stock.

[John Ralston]

G34...I just had to have it, even though Glocks don't fit my hand (I am digitally challenged). I traded a Sig P225 for it (the G34 was brand new). Put a Dawson FO Front/Heinie Rear on it, Shot a few hundred rounds and it sat in the safe.

However, I sold it and a few holsters to one of my customers and went out and bought a P30 that fits like a glove :cool:

[Oscar 319]

Bad Gun: Rock River Arms "DEA" build.

Why: It passed the "DEA Torture Test" :rolleyes:

http://www.rockriverarms.com/images/pdfs/gm_oct04.pdf

In the 12 weeks it took to complete the build, I actually researched the AR15 and realized my $2,200 investment was gun magazine hype.

Sold it, got a Colt and quit reading gun magazines.

[webster223]

Bad guns:


Taurus Model 66, .357 Magnum. Cylinder kept binding. Traded it to a friend who sent it back to Taurus and raved about their great warranty service. I was happy for him.
Colt Defender. Averaged about one stoppage per magazine. I've been told that some Defenders actually run, but I've never seen one.
TZ-85. I went with this over the Browning P-35 in the case next to it, because I liked its pretty wood grips and the shop owner told me it was a "DA version of the Hi-Power." I sold it back to the same shop for a $100 less than I paid and didn't regret it. The Browning was gone.
Springfield Mil-Spec. In 2000 rounds the front sight flew off; plunger tube worked loose; and the grips cracked, revealing grip bushings with stripped heads. Sold it to a guy who wanted to customize his own 1911.


Guns I no longer have and don't miss:

Glock 23. I believed my CCW course instructor when he said .40 was the bare minimum caliber for a carry gun.
Taurus Ultra-Lite .38 Special. It concealed well and ran reliably, but the barrel porting made it quite unpleasant to shoot.
Kimber CDP Compact. I got this to replace the G23 because it was twice as cool, at twice the cost. When it was stolen I didn't replace it; Kimber had gone to Gen2 by then.


Guns I wish I'd never let go:

My first three G19s. You'd think I would have learned my lesson after the first one.
Sig P228. Needed money. Should have sold blood instead.

[dookie1481]

Para P12.45

Because I had to have a double stack (despite me having tiny hands), and it had to be 45, because 9mm is for pussies.

Yeah.

At least I got $650 out of it when I sold it.

[Chris Rhines]

A couple of CZ-75s, all but one long since sold. This was back during the dark days of the AWB, and 15-round magazines for the CZ were inexpensive and plentiful.

A Steyr M40. To this day, I have no idea what was going through my head when I ordered that thing. It was the most unreliable and unpleasant-to-shoot gun I've ever fired, much less owned. I traded it for a Glock 35 after only about six weeks, proof there that I can pull my head out of my ass once in a while.

A Century Stg-58 FAL clone, 'built' on an Imbel gear logo receiver. I was in college, destitute, and wanted a cheap black rifle. The gun was mistimed and would not run reliably. I managed to sell it off eventually, although I still have some of the magazines around.

[JV_]

Taurus Titanium Tracker (617TT) in .357 Magnum.
Every edge was razor sharp.

My 4" GP100 is 100X the gun.

[part-time shooter]

I bought a Taurus .357 as well, was "such a deal" and so much cheaper than the 686 I was looking to buy. I gave it away 3 months later.

I traded a great Sig 226 for a buggy Beretta 92FS that ate magazines and was less accurate than my garden hose. Traded that one back to the dealer it came from for a two tone Sig 228, which I still have. One of the original wonder 9's and it's still going strong 15+ years later.

I then bought a Sig 229 40, the only caliber it came in at the time, on the day the Brady bill passed for WAY too much money because "we'd never be able to buy hi cap mags again!!!!", yeah my Visa hated me for that for a long time. It was a great gun though and I kept it for well over 10 years, at which point I traded it for a Kimber 1911...:p

I bought several Kimber's thinking they were the best thing ever, I still have one but there's very little Kimber left in it. It's mostly Ed Brown/Wilson now plus a lot of time with a good smith. Lost a ton of money on those ill advised purchases.

[David]

Browning buckmark, the top-strap screws would continuously work loose not only causing severely canted sights but major feeding + firing issues. I kept it for a month trying to work out a solution, first it was blue loctite, then it was red loctite. Nothing worked and it kept working loose after the first mag or two. I sold it and got a Ruger MKIII.

[superr.stu]

I traded the gun shop owner a tree for a Sig p250 back when they first came out. I know him well enough that I probably would have done the tree for free, but I figured "what the hell, if he's gonna give me a pistol..."

I lost 2hours on a Sunday morning for that POS. In the end though he has some really nice evening shade over his patio, and I have an awesome SIGUSA paperweight. I don't think I would feel right dumping that thing off on someone though....

Such is life
-stu

[Chuck Haggard]

Years ago, since my Jennings J22 was shockingly accurate and reliable, I took a chance on one of their .380s which wasn't much bigger than the .22.

Total POS

I had a Charter Arms J frame copy, whatever they called it back then, shot it to non-functioning status with exactly 47 rounds of Federal 125gr +P JHP

While my Taurus PT99AF that I bought after basic (couldn't afford the Beretta, and the Taurus was just as good, ya know?) was a very, very reliable pistol even after 10K or so rounds through it, every other Taurus I have had since has been either an inaccurate, or non-functional, or both, total POS

My brand new S&W .380 Bodyguard is now at the factory for the third, I say again third, time since they didn't seem to want to fix it the first two times I sent it back.

I never bought one, but my department had half of the troops in Sigma 9mms before our rangemaster at the time decided that he had made a horrifying mistake and traded them all to S&W for 5906s.


I traded for a Century STG-2000 AK47-ish rifle, I had no idea until then that an AK could be totally unreliable. It also was so far off that even set to max elevation and windage the gun shot a foot low and two feet right at 15 yards.
I ended up sending the gun back to the factory through the gun shop it came from, and trading it for a Marlin 30-30

[smells like feet]

I have a made in China Norinco 1911 that blows goats. I actually don't feel that bad about it because guys with 1911s that cost 3 times as much still complain.

I also have a Basque .380 that is very sketchy it jams frequently, and it's sights and POI are barely on the same planet...but with taxes, shipping, a trigger lock and 2 extra mags it cost me $77, so how can I complain.

[Tamara]

Bad guns I've owned...

Hmmm...

Well, my very first handgun was an FIE Targa GT-25. I've owned a Grendel P-10. A couple Hi-Point/Stallards and a Bryco 9. There was that Charco Bulldog that was a wretched, pulsating ball of crap that was shot to death in a little over 300 (that's three hundred) rounds: Nickel flaking off the topstrap and forcing cone and the frame stretched badly enough to cause serious endshake issues.

I had an Astra A-75 in .40 that ran okay, but shot itself unacceptably loose over the course of a summer.

My early Seattle Detonics Combat Master was a lump of fail that couldn't shoot a complete mag without a malf, no matter what we did to it.

There was that early Smith 581 where the bore axis wasn't even remotely coaxial with the center of the top chamber; it already had all the forcing cone it could handle, too, so it was a jacketed-bullet-only gun, because lead bullets sprayed fragments to either side of the b/c gap like a claymore mine.

I had a Para parts gun, built with worn out GI Colt parts on an early Para frame kit. Could not get it to run.

There's others, but then again, I've owned a lot of guns. And, in fairness, some of them you just don't expect to work all that well: When you buy a hundred-year-old FN M1910 with a shot out bore, you forgive it the occasional light strike and 7-yard groups that look like you might want to switch to an Improved Cylinder...