Handguns - Suggestions or tips

[Vic Vega]

I knew some ass would come post this but second reply? Nice work. Do you also correct people if they ask for a Kleenex?

Ya'Know, the OP plainly said he was new to firearms. Having someone point out the correct terminology should not be viewed as a bad thing. The guy didn't criticize or insult the OP, he simply offered information. What exactly is the problem?

 

[clamum]

I have to wonder where some of you get your info from, lol.

For a first gun I would say go for .22 or 9mm as they are going to be your cheapest to shoot and less recoil. If you're uncomfortable with the recoil or can't hit anything because of recoil, that might turn you off to shooting.

Browning Buckmaster or Ruger Mark III are probably the best bet for .22 handgun.
A very easy to control 9mm would be a Beretta 92 or Taurus PT92 but they are very large handguns and may not fit your hands if they are small.

Try to go to a range that rents guns and try them out too. Or at least go to the shops and handle the guns so you know what feels good in your hand.

Under $1000 will get you pretty much anything but the most high end models.

Most .45 caliber Government model 1911s are going to have 7 rounds at minimum. You can buy 8 rounders and even 10 rounders in single stack. Don't think I've ever seen more than 10 in single stack.

6 rounds must be for the compact model 1911s.

You should be able to get a Springfield 1911 GI model or Mil-Spec model for about $5-600 or a loaded for about $7-800.

Agreed on all points.

 

[JulesMaximus]

8"? Bear gun? I know you're not carrying that thing around in public, hah.

Nope. Just wanted one. I love taking it to the range and making people flinch when I touch it off. That 8" barrel really makes it reasonably pleasant to shoot and accuracy is fantastic.

 

[Electric Amish]

I always carry chambered. So all I need to do is draw and flip the manual safety for a single trigger pull discharge. Not really any slower than a revolver. But I do agree for those that don't carry +1, and I like the simplicity of a revolver as well. I'm saving to pick up a Ruger LCR for an ankle/pocket holster.

Yeah, that Ruger LCR is nice. It's a little light for the 38spl load and bucks a little for me, but it fits my wife's hands. That's probably what she will carry. We're going to shoot it again this weekend.

 

[TheVrolok]

Yeah, that Ruger LCR is nice. It's a little light for the 38spl load and bucks a little for me, but it fits my wife's hands. That's probably what she will carry. We're going to shoot it again this weekend.

Yeah, I've heard good things about it, but never shot one myself. I'm definitely going to be trying it a few times before any purchase, I'm a pretty big guy and not too worried about the buck, but moreso about a lack of fluidity/finesse with my larger hands.

 

[twinrider1]

...For a first gun I would say go for .22 or 9mm as they are going to be your cheapest to shoot and less recoil. If you're uncomfortable with the recoil or can't hit anything because of recoil, that might turn you off to shooting.

Browning Buckmaster or Ruger Mark III are probably the best bet for .22 handgun.
A very easy to control 9mm would be a Beretta 92 or Taurus PT92 but they are very large handguns and may not fit your hands if they are small.

Try to go to a range that rents guns and try them out too. Or at least go to the shops and handle the guns so you know what feels good in your hand.....

Absolutely this. And I made bold what I thought was the single most important info.
I would only add this....Find a range offering a "basic pistol course." It was the best gun money I've ever spent; 4 hours classroom and 4 hours on the range. Fired everything from a .22 to a 'Dirty Harry' S&W .44Mag.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Any loaded revolver is faster and easier to pull out and fire in high stress situations.

Revolver: Aim, pull trigger
Automatic: Determine whether or not round is in chamber, pull hammer or rock slide, aim, pull trigger

Yeah, you could always leave a round in the chamber and half cock an auto I suppose... but revolvers eliminate that complexity.

Stop giving out firearms advice as you don't know what you are talking about.
Rock slide? Are you playing Metallica to it or something? It's rack the slide. If you are carrying a firearm, it needs to have a round loaded and ready to go.
Any of my semi-autos that I carry are allways loaded and ready to go. None of them have safeties to worry about. just draw and fire.
I can't believe how many people will say don't carry a semi-auto with a round in the chamber it's not safe, you should carry a revolver. When they don't think about what they are saying. A revolver is going to have a round in every cylinder and the hammer is going to be down on the revolver while carrying.

OP. Your best bet is to go to a gun show and handle as many weapons as you can. Note the ones that feel the best in your hand. Go home and research those models and check the reliability of the weapon. Then purchased based on that. Caliber is irrelivant. Shot placement is. Modern jacketed hollow points all have excellent penetration and expansion characteristics that make them good choices.
Go out and practice, practice, and practice some more. Make sure you are comfortable with whatever you choose and can manipulate any controls on it without having to look at what you are doing.

Personally I suggest paying a bit more money and getting something like a Sig or H&K.
For your 1st firearms ownership experience you want it to be a good one. If you buy a POS it can sour you to the whole thing. The Sigs and H&K are going to typically have better recoil characteristics, are typically more accurate, and are more reliable.
Whatever you do, don't get a subcompact as your first gun. Recoil is harsher, and sighting on a shorter sight radius will make your groupings much larger.

 

[irishScott]

Any loaded revolver is faster and easier to pull out and fire in high stress situations.

Revolver: Aim, pull trigger
Automatic: Determine whether or not round is in chamber, pull hammer or rock slide, aim, pull trigger

Yeah, you could always leave a round in the chamber and half cock an auto I suppose... but revolvers eliminate that complexity.

Show me where this, in the act of firing, is more complicated than a revolver.
http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/p-11/

Half cocked, no safety, point-and-shoot. And there are plenty like it.

For my money, I'll carry something in condition one and train to sweep the safety upon drawing.

 

[sourceninja]

First gun I always recommend a 22. Helps you get trigger control down.

Home defense I always recommend a shotgun. Easy to use, easy to store, hard to miss.

For carry/personal defense. I like small guns that stay out of the way, yet fire 9mm or higher. The Walther PPS 9mm is a great choice. It's light, shoots great, and is very easy to conceal.

 

[edro]

Rock slide? Are you playing Metallica to it or something?

You don't?

 

[sourceninja]

Show me where this, in the act of firing, is more complicated than a revolver.
http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/p-11/

Half cocked, no safety, point-and-shoot. And there are plenty like it.

For my money, I'll carry something in condition one and train to sweep the safety upon drawing.

I carry condition one and I have no safety to sweep (besides the trigger itself). I just train not to point my gun at anything I don't intend to kill.

 

[alkemyst]

A clip is not the same thing as a magazine. A clip holds multiple rounds and you insert those rounds into a magazine. The magazine then goes inside your weapon.

I always like to say that your fucking magazine and then a real paper magazine and stick them on a table at a gun range. Just ask randomly "can you hand me that magazine over there"

I am willing to bet you end up with Time 9 times out of 10.

It's like the asshats that make a personal war of emergency vs parking brake.

 

[Zebo]

Always buy sig anything else is complete trash.

Sig is like an A

next closest is H&K but only warrants a C there are no B's only D&F after that. That how big gap is in quality.

Try yourself, feel, mechanics, trigger, machining, attention to detail, options. Nothing is close.

Plastic guns recommended is this thread = Hyundai , Sig = S class. Sure they all shoot fine just like all cars drive but one feels a lot better doing it.

*my bias excludes 1911s which run gambit from A-F

 

[Electric Amish]

Always buy sig anything else is complete trash.

Sig is like an A

next closest is H&K but only warrants a C there are no B's only D&F after that. That how big gap is in quality.

Try yourself, feel, mechanics, trigger, machining, attention to detail, options. Nothing is close.

Plastic guns recommended is this thread = Hyundai , Sig = S class. Sure they all shoot fine just like all cars drive but one feels a lot better doing it.

*my bias excludes 1911s which run gambit from A-F

Typical ATOT opinion....

 

[Zebo]

I recommend a 9mm Sig P226 for first gun.

Full size. Finest handgun made with high resale. Cheap ammo, low recoil to get used to it. Then you can buy +Ps to down two and four legged predators after used to it.

If you want to obtain carry license down the road Then P229/P239 is what to look at since it's smaller.

Options are dozens with both models but I recommend tritium night sight equipped models.

http://www.sigsauer.com/products/showcatalogcategory.aspx?categoryid=1

If you have very large hands the Elites with beaver tail is way to go.

 

[Zebo]

Typical ATOT opinion....

Of course its an opinion. an informed one though after owning and shooting most everything in this thread.

 

[Zebo]

Any loaded revolver is faster and easier to pull out and fire in high stress situations.

Revolver: Aim, pull trigger
Automatic: Determine whether or not round is in chamber, pull hammer or rock slide, aim, pull trigger

Yeah, you could always leave a round in the chamber and half cock an auto I suppose... but revolvers eliminate that complexity.

You always carry condition 1. And with SA/DA's like sigs/fnps etc there is no half cocked. Pull trigger and it fires. First just a little harder to make sure you want to fire. "aim pull trigger"

 

[irishScott]

Typical ATOT opinion....

Zebo's a Sig whore, just let him be.

Sigs are awesome, but if you put H&K at a C level and say "there are no Bs" because of the little perks that don't really matter when it comes to function or feel of the weapon, you're just being a fanboy.

To use his own car analogy, he basically thinks if it doesn't have leather seats, seat warmers and TVs in the headrests, it's "trash."

 

[cheesehead]

I've never owned or fired a gun, but various police officers I've met have suggested that a revolver is generally the way to go if you're not spending lots of time at the firing range. From what I hear, a good revolvers' functionality won't be affected by anything short of eating it - and in the case of some of the good stuff, even that won't do much other than ruin the finish.

 

[Electric Amish]

I've never owned or fired a gun, but various police officers I've met have suggested that a revolver is generally the way to go if you're not spending lots of time at the firing range. From what I hear, a good revolvers' functionality won't be affected by anything short of eating it - and in the case of some of the good stuff, even that won't do much other than ruin the finish.

Sorry, I don't understand that opinion....

 

[pontifex]

Sorry, I don't understand that opinion....

i think he's trying to say that revolvers are generally thought of as more reliable.

if a round doesn't fire in a revolver you just pull the trigger again. if a round doesn't fire in a semi-auto, then you have to rack the slide and/or remove the mag. there are more things to go wrong in a semi-auto vs. revolver.

 

[Zebo]

Scott You just don't get it all other pistols are commoditized and take short cuts to fire just fine. Sig does not. You ever heard expression you get what you pay for? You think it's an accident Sigs cost $1000+ and the big name plastic pistols are $500? I would not buy a $500 Sig either they make junk to compete in that range as well.

 

[Electric Amish]

i think he's trying to say that revolvers are generally thought of as more reliable.

if a round doesn't fire in a revolver you just pull the trigger again. if a round doesn't fire in a semi-auto, then you have to rack the slide and/or remove the mag.

Yeah, that's a good point. No stovepipes or mis-feeds. Yeah, I tend to buy cheap range ammo.

 

[irishScott]

I've never owned or fired a gun, but various police officers I've met have suggested that a revolver is generally the way to go if you're not spending lots of time at the firing range. From what I hear, a good revolvers' functionality won't be affected by anything short of eating it - and in the case of some of the good stuff, even that won't do much other than ruin the finish.

They can be effective enough for home defense I suppose, but beyond that IMHO I see the revolver as obsolete unless you need absolute reliability. Even for home defense I'd only settle for a 6-8 shot handgun if I could reload it quickly, and to get anywhere close to pistol speed of reload is nigh impossible on a revolver even with extensive training.

Another point to note is that you will go through ammo faster at the range with a revolver. Lot easier than to hand-load a cylinder as opposed to a spring-loaded mag.

Not to knock revolvers, they are fun to shoot, are impossible to jam and a good one will last forever, but their time is coming to a close in terms of practical use.

 

[jlee]

Yeah, that's a good point. No stovepipes or mis-feeds. Yeah, I tend to buy cheap range ammo.

On the other hand, if you're going to be carrying it, you'd damn well better be familiar with the weapon and know how to use it properly.