Detonics Pocket Nine, Colt .380 Government Model, NAA .22LR.

My battery at that time was a Glock 19 and a Colt Mustang.

The Mustang was the blued-steel version.

Nice gun that I wish I never sold. Not all that accurate though. The Sig P230 I bought a little later shot circles around the Colt.

After that early flirtation with those .380s I settled on Smith J-frames of one variety or another.

I think my first J-frame was a 442.

Well what i carried back then was a .45ACP Satin Nickel Colt Combat Commander and a stainless AMT 380 Back-up.

The Colt was my first self defense gun until i bought my orange box Sig P226-9mm. The Colt never saw another day of self defense/carry. A few years later i bought a few Glocks. A G17 and a G26 gen 2.5. Never fired the 17 but the 26 worked well with a undershirt Ccarry holster.

The Sig and Glock saw daily carry for about 10 years. Have added many more Sigs, Glocks and other brands but the Sig P226 & 228, Glock 19 & 26 have stood the test of time.

Can’t leave out the S&W nickel 36-2 on the ankle for when ccarry is needed. Although the days of only ankle ccarry are pretty much over as anymore i just feel under gunned with only 5rds.

Back in the day, wearing a Badge, really no need to conceal. So a 4 inch 66 on duty and a 2.5 66 off duty.

When we went to semi autos, a 4506-1 on duty and a 3913 off. Later a 4566 and a 4513TSW.

These days, in semi retirement, I carry a compact 45 - S&W Chief Special 45. Small, light weight in St Peters favorite caliber. Regards 18DAI

I was carrying, 40 years ago, but not a handgun, as carrying a handgun, openly or concealed, would have been illegal, at the time, here in Texas. So, to tote legally, it was an Uzi Carbine, with the stock collapsed, in a bag.

Carried a GP100, P228 or our duty 5903 in the late 80's- early 90's.

Late 1970's through the 1980's, I was a LEO and my daily CCW was a Star Model PD .45 ACP carried in a Milt Sparks Summer Special. The 6+1 capacity of 185 grain "Silvertips" seemed like a good choice then and still does.

Beretta Jetfire in .25 ACP or a S&W Model 640 in .38 Special

Back then it was a satin nickel Colt Combat Commander 45ACP.

80’s I lived in NM, no CC but open carry was an option. I had a Herter’s revolver in .357 for awhile but traded it for a Iver Johnson revolver in .22 and a National Ordnance M1 carbine. Still have the M1. Later acquired a S&W M&P revolver 4th change in .38 Spl.

Moved back to Michigan 1988 and traded the Smith to a friend towards a motorcycle. Got that back from his widow after he passed. As CCW was about impossible up here I pretty much gave up handgunning. Well, until I attended a citizens police academy and my first experience with a Glock. The officer running the range let me rapid fire after most everybody else in the class declined the chance to shoot. That got me hooked again. 98 I was given my late mother’s Model 10 heavy barrel after she passed, took it out here and there to shoot.

As the rumblings of concealed carry got louder I bided my time. Once it became available I waited for the rush to subside. Forward to 2002,My first purchase after I got my CPL was a SigPro 2340 in .40 and after awhile I found it to be a little too big at times. So a P232 two tone came into the fold.

Too add to the OP.

There is no denying a, for example, Glock 17 with an RMR and HSTs is a superior weapon then most everything listed here. That said do any of you feel you wouldn’t be able to have a fighting chance to defend yourself given your “vintage” gear? For me personally I would have no issues with most of it.

Ok you .25 folks just no. And yes I WOULD rather be shot with a .25 then run through with a sharp stick.

My first real carry gun was a SIG P239 in .40. Still have it and would put it into a defensive role today without a second thought if necessary.

1979. My first off-duty, concealed carry was a Browning Hi-Power.

1979: Colt Government Model. Concealed carry with a license to carry in Indiana.

1978 - S&W mod. 13 with 3” barrel. Later, Detonics .45

Sig P225 or H&K P7M8

Cool weather Sig 228, warm weather J-frame S&W.

Wasn't old enough in '82 to carry. If I were... and the Glock 17 was available in the US, go with it. To go further with the what if. If gun forums were around would post a picture of it stating something like "The Future Of Handguns Is Here!".... Imagine the colorful replies from members with heighten blood pressure!

Star PD .45; and a S&W Sigma .380, and a P239.

Fun, But had to think about this one a little bit. On duty I carried a S&W 66, before transitioning to an L-Frame when they were released about 1980.

Off Duty, I'd been carrying a Hi Power or Government Model most of the time. Around '81 I acquired a Colt Commander, just to have something a little lighter in .45 ACP for carry. That old Commander is still owned by a family member.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:
Wasn't old enough in '82 to carry. If I were... and the Glock 17 was available in the US, go with it. To go further with the what if. If gun forums were around would post a picture of it stating something like "The Future Of Handguns Is Here!".... Imagine the colorful replies from members with heighten blood pressure!

I don't remember exactly when Glock 17s started to be imported.

It might have been a few years later than 82 before they were widely available.

I do remember seeing their adds in the gun rags of the day.

I also remember being teased for buying one. I was pretty sure Glock was on to something but I don't recall that being a widely held opinion in those early days.