I have learned that to find what you like in a firearm you must shoot it first.(most of the time) I have spent alot of uneccessary dough buying guns I "thought" I would like to later trade/sell them for another. I wish every make and model was available to shoot first before you buy, almost like how you can test drive a new car before you buy. Here is my list beginning in 2005 when I bought my first gun on my own.
2005 bought a new Stainless Taurus PT92, I kept it till 2008 to buy a Glock 19
2006 bought an 870 and a Colt AR15, traded the 870 for a M500 in 2007 and sold the Colt in 2009 during the AR15 craze
2007 bought a NIB 24/7 in .40 I hated it and traded it for a Rem 710 man that 710 sucked so I traded that for 597 with a scope for a loss
2007 Tried 40 again in a Glock 23 I hate it as well and traded for a MPA30T, the MPA30T wasn't my style so I traded it for a Winchester Model 12 in 2009, I sold the Model 12 to fund accessories for my M500
2009 Bought a Used Kimber Custom II sold it to a bud and bought a NIB Springfield Loaded, sold the loaded to the same bud and bought a Kimber Tactical. The same friend sold me a Para GI the fit and finish sucked so I sold it to another friend.
2010 Traded a camera for a Colt commander and Sig GSR, the Colt was too pretty and I never shot it so I sold it and bought a Kimber Pro TLE, the Sig was just ugly so I traded that for a Howa. Traded a RRA LAR 8 for a Bushmaster LE Carbine, I hated RRA customer service and the unique parts used in the LAR-8.
I am sure I ain't done yet, guns are kinda like baseball cards to me I guess, but man talk about some lessons learned.
2005 bought a new Stainless Taurus PT92, I kept it till 2008 to buy a Glock 19
2006 bought an 870 and a Colt AR15, traded the 870 for a M500 in 2007 and sold the Colt in 2009 during the AR15 craze
2007 bought a NIB 24/7 in .40 I hated it and traded it for a Rem 710 man that 710 sucked so I traded that for 597 with a scope for a loss
2007 Tried 40 again in a Glock 23 I hate it as well and traded for a MPA30T, the MPA30T wasn't my style so I traded it for a Winchester Model 12 in 2009, I sold the Model 12 to fund accessories for my M500
2009 Bought a Used Kimber Custom II sold it to a bud and bought a NIB Springfield Loaded, sold the loaded to the same bud and bought a Kimber Tactical. The same friend sold me a Para GI the fit and finish sucked so I sold it to another friend.
2010 Traded a camera for a Colt commander and Sig GSR, the Colt was too pretty and I never shot it so I sold it and bought a Kimber Pro TLE, the Sig was just ugly so I traded that for a Howa. Traded a RRA LAR 8 for a Bushmaster LE Carbine, I hated RRA customer service and the unique parts used in the LAR-8.
I am sure I ain't done yet, guns are kinda like baseball cards to me I guess, but man talk about some lessons learned.