Do You Have an Awful Handgun that was Expensive?

[Deaf Smith]

Yes, there are inexpensive handguns that are excellent, but...

There are expensive ones that are pitiful.

Back in IPSC days were I used a Colt Series 70, I just never saw one, OUT OF THE BOX, that didn't jam.

It had to do with quality control. Saw many that had to be sent to a smith to get them to work.

Nowdays, with Series 80s and 90s, I never see one jam (and I own two of 'em.)

Deaf

 

[guyfromohio]

Not any more, but I paid a pretty penny for the two brand new Hi Powers that I bought in the early 2000s. One was a MkIII jam-o-matic. I sold that off. I then fell in love with a blue model with wood grips. Absolutely gorgeous. Surely, I must have just had a lemon with my other Browning. Nope...gritty trigger, stove-pipe after stove-pipe, failure of the slide locking back on the last round. Very disappointing. I really like the aesthetics and history, but I couldn't keep an unreliable piece.

 

[Tallball]

Great thread idea.

This one is embarrassing. I paid over $500 for a used revolver that my wife really liked. I don't like to pay more than $200 for a used handgun. Maybe $300 if I really like it. This was a 32 H&R magnum with a 3" barrel. It fit her hand very well and she really wanted it, so I bought it for her.

Of course it developed problems by the third time we took it to the range. It has been back to the factory twice and SEEMS to function correctly now. Time will tell.

I usually get good deals, but that definitely wasn't one of them.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Ten years ago I'd have looked at this thread title and thought "Oh, a Kimber thread."

 

[Zerodefect]

Kimber for me.

And my J frame. The J is a fine CCW, I just hate shooting it.

 

[Twiki357]

Mine would be an old (1920) third generation M&P in 32 S&W Long. Bought it on a whim at a gun show. Not only did I find out after the fact that I paid about $100 more than what they were selling for on Gunbroker, thanks to that damn blue book of gun values, but all six chambers were oversize. I assume that a prior owner fired some hot loads in that pre-case hardened cylinder. Other than the oversize chambers, the gun is in great shape.

 

[steveracer]

I had a P7M13 for a few years. Cost about $2k. Horrible thing to shoot. I had terrible problems with mags, but they cost so much I wasn't willing to shell out the dough to troubleshoot them. Parted with it to my brother who spent the money on mags and carries it. I hated the thing, he loves it.

 

[bannockburn]

An Awful handgun that was Expensive? That would be a T series Hi-Power I bought years ago at a gun show. If you just went with outside appearances you would would think this was gun making perfection. Incredible mirror-like, deep blue finish, beautifully checkered wood grips, and great overall construction. But when you went to actually use it the awful flaws became apparent. A trigger pull that went past the 12 pound setting on the trigger pull gauge (we estimated it to be around 14 to 15 pounds), a thumb safety that required a mallet to push it up or down, and factory sights that were so tiny as to be nearly useless to see. MOA with this gun was SOB (Side of Barn). Only good thing was I didn't have any trouble selling it for more than I paid for it to another eager Browning collector.

 

[AirForceShooter]

Yep. A Kimber

They're made in my old home town and I thought it would be kind of cool to have.

Mistake

AFS

 

[anothernewb]

The closest I can came is a Kimber Grand Raptor II I bought. most I had ever spent at the time, and it had the worst trigger in any of my 1911's. How I didn't notice that when deciding to buy it - I'll never know.

However, even with a crappy trigger, it grouped great. and one quick trip to a gunsmith and the trigger is excellent now.

 

[Lord Teapot]

so a lot of votes here for kimber and hipower....guess i know what to avoid.

 

[highpower]

I have a C series Hipower (made in '69). I bought it used and it has heavy carry wear. The trigger and hammer have been jeweled, so it is quite likely that it has been worked on. Mine shoots and functions perfectly. It

As for an expensive clunker, I would have to say that so far the PAP M92 I recently bought has been a bit disappointing. Only AK style gun I have ever owned that has FTE problems. I THINK I have figured it out, but I need to go out and shoot it a bit more I would ever trust it to work properly.

 

[Winkman822]

I had a Kimber Eclipse Target II that was nothing more than an $1000 paperweight.

 

[DeepSouth]

Ten years ago I'd have looked at this thread title and thought "Oh, a Kimber thread

It may still be one.

They lost me about that time, I never owned one but I shot several that were terrible. Their CS was equally as terrible.

 

[lightning]

Series 80 Colt Stainless Gold Cup. Biggest POS I ever owned. Inaccurate when it did feed, which wasn't often.
Moved it on down the road at a break even price.

 

[Rodentman]

This Rhino. Had to go back twice for repair for light off-center strikes. Now it sits. I have enough other .357's that tickle my fancy more than this one. I don't know that it's "awful" but it's not one of go to guns, nor my pride and joy like my 28.

 

[Sol]

Sig P220 elite (lol) stainless slide, alloy frame, about 60% reliable.

 

[Webmonkey]

sig p238 hd - $700, plus $40 per magazine has resulted in an $850 gun that I wouldn't trust my life with, too many failures. ...as of now I'm down to 1 failure per 75 rounds.

 

[Bullnettles]

Had a Para P12-45 (it's been a few years, that may be off) two tone I bought while in school. It would only feed HP ammo. I sold it to a guy who bought from where I worked, explained in detail its issues. I won't touch another Para because there are other options and I felt like I got burned.

 

[Elkins45]

Smith 329PD scandium framed 44 magnum revolver. Way expensive and totally unreliable with full power ammo.

 

[Sol]

This Rhino. Had to go back twice for repair for light off-center strikes. Now it sits. I have enough other .357's that tickle my fancy more than this one. I don't know that it's "awful" but it's not one of go to guns, nor my pride and joy like my 28.

That mat under the gun is ironic to say the least.

 

[eldon519]

I had a 5.5" RedHawk that was a total lemon. Internals broke on the first outing to the range, didn't even make it 25 rds. Not sure what broke, but it wound up stuck in a cocked state and the trigger couldn't be pulled. Also suffered sticky extraction. Went back to the factory several times and never resolved the sticky cylinder even after replacing it. At least one of them had chatter marks inside the chambers. Just a total piece of garbage and Ruger was not very helpful about it.

It sat in my safe for years because I didn't wanna sell it dishonestly yet I didn't wanna admit it sucked and take a big hit on resale value. Then I heard Ruger's website had a new feature where you could directly message the CEO. I told him the tale, got a shipping label immediately, and sent it in. Ruger sat on it for awhile before finally telling me they didn't make them anymore but that I could either have it back or get any other gun they make +/-$100. I got a Ruger .454 Casull Alaskan out of it. I like it much better.

 

[Rock185]

Just a comment or two on your mention of Series '70 Colts. During the '70s and early '80s I had several '70 Series Colt Governments and Gold Cups, most all purchased new. They were expensive to me at the time. Since "Original" Series '70s seem to have become iconic and expensive "collectors items", I suspect that most people don't believe me, but most Series '70s I owned didn't function reliably without some work. Out of seven S70 Gold Cups, I did have one that was reliable and accurate from day one. It is still in the family. I've had several new Series '80 Colts since around 2000. All but one have been good, acceptably accurate and very reliable guns. The one that wasn't (two trips back to Colt) is my Gold Cup Trophy.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Kimber Eclipse waster of money and a Par Ord Hog 45 They gave it right name Never own either brand again.

 

[OneFreeTexan]

Hey, Tallball, what kind of 32 H&R Mag was it? I like that caliber, at least in a Dan Wesson revolver.