1. .40 isn't that much better than 9, buy 9mm Glocks not .40s!

2. Don't turn down any Glocks a co worker offers you for $325,  even if its on a 9mm and is baby shit brown.

3. Don't buy anymore 1911s or browning hi powers. Never buy a gun with the intent to modify it to make you happy. It's like marrying a girl you plan on changing. Your just never going to be happy with it

4. Never trade a rifle for a handgun. Especially not a SAR48 Springfield for a bubba'd 70 series(even if he throws in cash)

5. Stay away from the .44 magnum, you really don't need one. But, if you find a Colt Amaconda for $500 go ahead and buy it

6. Shoot as much idpa as you can.

Glock in 9mm with night sights. If I was in a restricted state I would probably go a different caliber since I can't stand having wasted grip space, but it would probably remain a Glock Or other striker fired pistol.

Had a Beretta 92F, cheap import 1911 and an XD9, After years of resisting I bought two Gen 4 Glocks a 19 and 26.

Reasons; cheaper purchase price, cheaper mags, cheaper training ammo, holsters galore, mag pouches galore, parts all over the place, easy to work on and the go bang 99.99% of the time. I installed the NY1 spring to increase that reliability at the cost of a heavy trigger but I feel it's worth the trade off.

I have a Sig 228, Khar P9 and a Springfield 1911 as well but all I carry anymore is my 26 and 19. Primarily my 19 due to the weight and magazine capacity. Important for the holidays at the shopping malls these days with the prospect of aloha snack bar.

I invest in quality purpose built holsters made of plastic and mag pouches made of plastic. I thought about the holsters from blade tech and comp tac that are built for all guns in a series but different barrel lengths but decided I want full coverage so the muzzle and more importantly the front sight has a smaller chance of snagging on something. I carry the guns in blade tech with magazine in the Blackhawk mag pouches. I also have leather but prefer the plastic for the friction retention and the ease of reholstering won one hand.

Training I would like to get a membership to a range that allowed from the holster draws with some ability to move around but that is a tall order. I guess I will have to wait until I can get a piece of land and build berms so I can go 180 degrees around.

Now I jump on every opportunity the .gov gives me as the fundamentals never really change and supplement that with as much static range time as I can afford.

I need to invest in a shot timer.

I call it being gun drunk, wanting something new and too willing to sell or trade something off to get that "new toy", instead of thinking that particular firearm I already own really fits me well. We have all gone through it. In the case of the S&W model 13. It was a wore out police trade in when I got it and I abused it with factory 125gr .357 mags rounds, I basically broke it. I probably wouldn't get another, I would love a S&W N-frame .357 mag with fixed sights like a model 13.

I would have bought a Dillon 650 a decade earlier

I would have not spent all the money on Colt Combat Elite's, Delta Elite, Wilson, Kimber, Les Bauer,etc. I mean 50/60 Chip McCormick & other high end 1911 mags, thousands in gunsmithing and over 20K in pistols. The $130 Glock 21 mags back during the ban. The 10MM fad I rode, the .40 trend I rode. I should have just got the "new plastic/tupperware pistols" and stocked up on mags sooner. And bought the crates I passed on. I should have just stocked .45 ACP and 9mm and spent the money on more training or ammo/mags.

The $99 SKS with 1000 rounds of imported ammo, the $150 MAK 90 with ammo,etc are all I passed on. I wish my Dad would have gotten the gun bug 20 years sooner, instead of the 100's of thousands on hot rod/classic cars.

I should have started out with a Glock.

i wish I enjoyed a .22 pistol when I started as much as I do now. Its my favorite range pistol now and my shooting has improved significantly with my ruger 22/45. fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. If I had shot slow and deliberate my first few years getting into pistol marksmanship I would be wayyy better, instead of the countless range hours wasted blasting off mags at silhouettes 25 yds out (when I couldnt even get an index card group at 15 yds yet).

Basically, I should have taken pistol marksmanship more serious and focused on fundamentals instead of saying "thats good enough". in my defense, my family growing up placed emphasis on rifle marksmanship and the pistol was "to hit a man at 10 yds is good enough" mentality...


That said, im only 23. so unlike the old guys, I have plenty of time to pick up the slack

ETA: shunning glock because Im a 1911 guy at heart and didnt want the ugly brick...now im issued a 17 and its damn near perfect for me. still ugly though...

I know, I know, I know...why didn't I?!?!?!

Odd how life works, isn't it. I started out with a Glock 19 because so many people recommended it. Every thing seemed ok until I shot a friends Kahr. Gave the Glock to my son, bought a Kahr and never looked back. Whether we like it or not, only YOU can make YOU happy regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Dear younger me,
Learn to shoot from the side where your dominant eye is. I know you're left-handed but you're right eye dominant. Trust me on this one.

Sincerely,
Older Me

PS: In 1993 when you're almost 25, DO NOT pass up on that mint condition Colt Series 70 1911 that is only $25 more than the S&W 4506 that you went to the store to buy. Just DON"T. You'll forever regret it.

1.  Don't buy a glock other than the one you bought for your wife, you don't like them, but your refusal to sell them leaves them taking up to much room in the safe.

2.  Don't buy anything in .40, now you have dies and have over 5k in reloaded ammo for a platform you own 3 of, and NEVER shoot because you like .22lr, .22mag, 9mm and .45 much better...

3.  There is no such thing as to many firearms, but at some point you can own enough Ar's...

4.  Your wife calls it a weapons addition, but is ok with it.  Buy her more flowers for the fact.

5.  Buy the biggest safe you can afford, see 1-3


PS.  Don't think about how much money you have spent on guns, it will only make you sad until you get to go shooting again

1. Never sell firearm that you purchased.  (Will only regret it later)  After all there was a reason you purchased it in the first place!
2. Train more!!!
3. Stick to one gun and caliber and train, train, train!
4. Purchase more S&W Revolvers and 3rd Gens.  Carry a Glock but have an affinity for S&W revolvers.
5.  Stack ammo tall and deep.
6.  Invest in good quality equipment and stick with it.  (Box full of holster and other gear that will probably never see the light of day but still afraid to get rid of it)

Been carrying a firearm for 20+ years, I am sure there is a lot more than this!

I would have ignored all the Glock haters and been using Glocks exclusively years ago.

Unlike most of you, I don't regret any part of the journey.  It's a hobby, and I do it for fun.

Advice from myself to myself?

1.  Get a P7M8.  Maybe two.  

2.  Don't buy so many mags before the ban sunset...  Hindsight is 20/20 and all that.

3.  Don't ever use a credit card on a gun related purchase. (See #2).

4.  Get the unique stuff when it is available.  I wish I had a good FAL, for example.


I would not advise myself never to buy those Sigs or anything like that.  Sure, there are LOTS of guns I owned and then sold, but that's part of the fun.  They retain their value, and so to buy and sell is a small price to enjoy the hobby.

I did everything perfect.  No mistakes.  

......ya....right!!

I just wished I would have figured out other ways to come up with necessary funds years ago.  Sold several good weapons I regret not having these days.

buy a safe, buy a reloader and you will never feel guilty about another gun purchase. I have no problem selling a gun to get another one as long as gun funds go towards another gun purchase.

I wish Glock came out with their 34 gen 4 20 years ago.

10mm why did I wait so long

Would there be a certain pistol you would tell yourself to focus on and quit trying to replace it with the flavor of the month? What pistol / platform?
Practicality, 1911/2011's
Plinking, always have a S&W Model 41/Ruger MKII/High Standard around.

Would you spend more money and attention on training?
No.

Would you focus on competition?
Sort of, at 26 I couldn't afford the ammo until after graduating.

Would you tell yourself to stick with one caliber? Which caliber?
9mm/9x23mm/10mm/.22

Or are you happy with simply collecting and shooting every pistol you can get your hands on regardless of the caliber? (noting wrong with that either)
I can't stand the people that just own a bunch of shit, quality over quantity.