Good starter handgun?

[Gunslinger08]

So I'm looking to buy a handgun which will make a good first gun. I'll be using it for enjoyment as well as self defense (when the zombies take over). My friend has a Glock 19 which I like quite a bit, so I'm thinking about something produced by Glock, but any recommendations are welcome.

 

[pinion9]

My first handgun was a .380 (brand? dunno, can't remember.) At any rate, ammo for that is inexpensive and it serves well for home defense. I don't know if you really want to spend $400 right off the bat for a gun, especially if it will mostly be sitting in a drawer.

 

[49erinnc]

I was in a similar position and got an tremendous amount of feedback in a thread I started. You may want to read through it because there is a lot of very useful info in it if you're looking to get your first gun:

Handgun thread

And if you search for "handgun" you'll see a few other helpful threads.

 

[phantom309]

Go to a firing range that rents pistols and try some different ones. The truth is, there aren't very many bad pistols out there. Ruger, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Sig, Glock, CZ, Colt all make excellent pistols. Find the one you're comfortable with that fits your needs.

I say this everytime someone asks a question like this - so I'm sorry if I bore anyone - but one of the most important things to consider with your first pistol is ammo cost. It takes a LOT of practice to be able to hit something with a handgun. Remember that scene in Pulp Fiction where the guy jumps out blazing with his .44 and hits nothing? That's what happens to the guy who just buys a gun and sticks it in his sock drawer, expecting to magically turn into Bruce Willis when the time comes. It takes discipline and skill to shoot well. And that means many trips to the range. You can easily burn through 200 rounds per trip. 9mm is usually around 11 cents a round or more, .45 is about double that. So you can see that adds up pretty quickly. That's why I always recommend 9mm for beginning shooters. People say the larger calibers have more stopping power. That's true, but all the stopping power in the world means nothing if you can't hit your target because you couldn't afford to practice.

 

[lozina]

good starter pistol

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I dunno about others but this is what I use

Yay!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Glock is a fine choice. Relatively inexpensive and very reliable. I have a Glock 17 and I'm thinking about getting a .45 ACP. I have a couple other .45 caliber guns so this would be a good addition.

Have you thought about a revolver? Smith & Wesson makes a few medium frame .357 revolvers and since you can shoot .38 special through it it makes it much more cost effective to practice with. Still, 9mm is about the same price as .38 special.

I'd recommend you shoot the guns you are considering before buying them though. You can usually rent them at your local shooting range.

Let us know what you decide on.

 

[lozina]

Yeah Glock is probably the best choice for a starter. You can really neglect them and totally beat them up and they will still be as reliable as ever

check out what this guy put his Glock through

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

It's a really subjective issue, but a few guidelines I would suggest, if you've never been around guns before, are to start out with a .22. They are not suitable for self defense, but if you dont' know how to shoot a gun, it's more important to learn first and any gun you get for defense will be useless anyway. .22 ammo can be as cheap ast $10 for 500 rounds (that's 2 cents a shot) which makes it ideal for general target practice. Another point (hotly debated, I might add) is that, generally, revolvers tend to be better for first-time shooters. But in reality... if you have access to a shooting range, and in instructor or knowledgable friend, you could probably buy most any handgun and use it to start with. A bigger gun will have more expensive ammo as well... I have a .44 Mag which runs about $20 for 50 rounds. That same $20 would buy 1,000 rounds for my .22. Ultimately... you have to find out what your specific needs, and resources, are. If you do buy a good self-defense gun for your first gun, do NOT skimp on practice! You have to be skilled before you can safely defend yourself with a gun. That means spending money on the ammo, range fees and instruction costs.

 

[phantom309]

The semi-autos people seem to recommend most are:
CZ-75b
Springfield XD-9
Sig Sauer 226/228
Glock 17/19
Beretta 92fs

 

[Gunslinger08]

I should have stated that I have plenty of shooting experience. I've been around guns of all kinds (handguns, rifles, shotguns) most of my life, and shot just about everything I've seen. I just haven't purchased one of my own yet.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
I should have stated that I have plenty of shooting experience. I've been around guns of all kinds (handguns, rifles, shotguns) most of my life, and shot just about everything I've seen. I just haven't purchased one of my own yet.

OH, that changes everything then... go shoot a bunch and buy what ya like then. If you've shot lots of handguns before, surely you have a rough idea? Do you know if you're going semi-auto or revolver at least?

 

[misle]

Originally posted by: phantom309
The semi-autos people seem to recommend most are:
CZ-75b
Springfield XD-9
Sig Sauer 226/228
Glock 17/19
Beretta 92fs

The CZ-75B was my first handgun. Great gun. I've never had a problem with it.

I do agree with phantom309 though. Go to a range and rent a few that you are interested in. I mean, you wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, would you?

 

[phantom309]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
I should have stated that I have plenty of shooting experience. I've been around guns of all kinds (handguns, rifles, shotguns) most of my life, and shot just about everything I've seen. I just haven't purchased one of my own yet.

That's good to know. You can't really go wrong with Glock as long as you stick to 9mm - the larger calibers have...uh...problems(they explode). But while you're looking you should try the XD and the Walther p99 if you've got your heart set on plastic.

Personally, I own six pistols - but I wouldn't miss the other five much as long as I had my 226.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Here's another one. Where do you go to buy a handgun?

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
Here's another one. Where do you go to buy a handgun?

Wal-mart, behind the diaper aisle.

 

[Conky]

I'd recommend a good S&W revolver or if you are inclined towards a semi-auto pistol I would recommend a Glock. I like the Glock 21.

 

[ValValline]

For a starter gun and basic self-defence I always recommend a revolver.

Revolvers are much more reliable, safer, and much easy to simply pick up and use in a self-defense situation. Smaller calibers are MUCH cheaper to practice with, and if you don't practice and stay proficient with handling your gun, you are more likely to screw up in a high stress situation (eg self-defense). For the price of a high-end semi you can usually get 2 revolvers. One in a small practice caliber, and one in a larger more capable caliber (.38, .357, .44, etc)

Semi-autos are "cool", but they are also more complex and require more practice and muscle memory to master. If I hand you a loaded semi, you won't know if there is one in the chamber or not. This means you may have to rack the slide to chamber a round before the gun will fire. At the very least you will have to pull the slide back and check. Then you have the issue of safeties, which can confuse and cause problems if you are in a high-stress situation.

Now imagine it's 3am and someone has broken into your house. The last thing you want to be worrying about is whether or not it is ready to fire (clip loaded?..Round chambered?...Safety off?). A revolver is always ready to fire (though you still have the safety issue, which is why practice is so imporatant), and you know if it is loaded with just a glance.