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My first gun thread

K

KillerCharlie

Diamond Member
I took the NRA basic pistol course through a local gun club a couple months ago and had a lot of fun. Since then I've probably put about 150 rds through a glock, 100 rds through a Sig (both 9mm), and 400 rds through a Ruger .22.

I want to buy a gun for fun just so I can go more often and use my own ammo. I won't be using this for self-defense in any way, just shooting for fun. I know .22s are fun, but I like shooting bigger calibers too. I would buy a 1911, but ammo prices are ridiculous for the kind of recreational shooting I want to do.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1) Ruger .22 - cheap and fun to shoot. They're also extremely cheap to shoot. What do you think about the 22/45 with the 1911 angled grip? I have my grandfather's 1911 from the war (it was actually surplus from WWI - it's serial number 30,000 and in awesome condition) and love how it feels in my hand. I don't think the range has one of the 22/45 grips, plus it would take a lot of shooting to find a difference. Are most semi-auto pistols closer in grip to the regular Rugers or the 22/45?

2) Some 9mm - any suggestions? I want to keep this under $500, lower if possible. I really just want something fun to shoot. I didn't like the inconsistent trigger pull on the glock, but at the same time the sudden resistance of the single-action Sig made it hard to get a smooth pull.

Any thoughts? Above all I want something that's fun to shoot on a regular basis. I'm heavily leaning toward .22 (mostly for ammo cost and for developing skill). What are some good places to buy online? How well do pistols hold their value?
 
Originally posted by: adairusmc
Glock 19 9mm, then pick up a .22 LR conversion kit for it.
Click to expand...

I was actually thinking about that for a 1911, but how much are the kits? The ones I saw were more than a brand new Ruger.
 
Originally posted by: KillerCharlie
Originally posted by: adairusmc
Glock 19 9mm, then pick up a .22 LR conversion kit for it.
Click to expand...

I was actually thinking about that for a 1911, but how much are the kits? The ones I saw were more than a brand new Ruger.
Click to expand...

They are $249 for an advantage arms kit (which I have). Runs flawlessly for me, and you have the advantage of using the same platform as your centerfire pistol for familiarity.
 
One of the most popular inexpensive firearms I've seen come out lately is the Hi-Point semi-auto pistols. I picked up a 9mm about 6 months ago for ~$150 (including sales tax), but with the prevailing, "OMG, buy guns and ammo NOW, before the new prez is in office" attitude, the demand for them has driven up the price. Went to a gun & knife show this past weekend, and they were going for $175-200, before sales tax.

The thing that people love about this pistols is that the company gives a lifetime warranty on it. Yeah. 20 years from now, something breaks, ship it to the company (legally, of course!), and they'll repair/replace it for free! Combined with the dirt cheap price, they've gained a lot of popularity in recent years, and the gunshop owner I bought mine from said he'd never had one returned/traded back to him.

I think Hi-Point makes their pistols in 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers. They only come with one magazine (my 9mm holds 8 shells, I believe), but you can send off for additional magazines from the company for $15, shipped (if I remember right.....they include the info in the box it comes in). I came about this >< close to buying a .45 caliber model at the gun show, but held off, since I already have a .45 semi-auto.

Oh, and with the low price of the pistol, you'll be able to afford to buy more ammo (which you'll appreciate, with the higher ammo prices these days!!). 🙂
 
Wait, you didn't like the inconsistent trigger pull on the Glock? I don't own any Glocks, I own a lot of other pistols, but Glocks have very consistent trigger pulls, especially compared to traditionally SA\DA pistols like Sigs. So basically 😕.
 
If you just want a kick ass fun gun to shoot with cheap ammo, take a look at these.

GSG Guns

They are right around 500-600 and super bad ass.

they take the .22 LR and are exact replica's of the MP5...

They have cool accessories and its pretty sweet to shoot I hear.

 
if you want cheap(er) ammo that has more kick than a 22, a 9mm is pretty much your best bet. 9 bucks a box at walmart versus 12-14 for 40 and 45. i think 357 sig is about the same as 40 price wise. i don't know much about traditionally revolver calibers like .38, 357 mag, 44 mag, etc. but i imagine they run higher too. 9mm gets a bad rap from a lot of people, but it's really undeserved. i know you're not intending to use the gun for protection, but just remember, knockdown power is a fallacy.
 
Originally posted by: Nebor
Wait, you didn't like the inconsistent trigger pull on the Glock? I don't own any Glocks, I own a lot of other pistols, but Glocks have very consistent trigger pulls, especially compared to traditionally SA\DA pistols like Sigs. So basically 😕.
Click to expand...

Well I obviously haven't shot much... I think it was the trigger safety that messed me up a bit, though I guess it was pretty consistent.
 
I love my Glock 19 (9mm) I run through about 200 rds a couple of weekends a month and it's a "blast." I've also got the .22LR conversion kit for it. $14 bucks for 550 rds at wally world = fun all day. My roommate has the Glock 21SF (.45) and it is a beauty. The trigger safety isn't a hinder at all if you're apply all the fundamentals, the best thing is field stripping and cleaning. 4 parts, takes me approx. 15 mins to clean and lubricate.
 
Originally posted by: Mackie2k
If you just want a kick ass fun gun to shoot with cheap ammo, take a look at these.

GSG Guns

They are right around 500-600 and super bad ass.

they take the .22 LR and are exact replica's of the MP5...

They have cool accessories and its pretty sweet to shoot I hear.
Click to expand...

Those look like they would be fun for ten seconds
 
Originally posted by: FDF12389
Originally posted by: Mackie2k
If you just want a kick ass fun gun to shoot with cheap ammo, take a look at these.

GSG Guns

They are right around 500-600 and super bad ass.

they take the .22 LR and are exact replica's of the MP5...

They have cool accessories and its pretty sweet to shoot I hear.
Click to expand...

Those look like they would be fun for ten seconds
Click to expand...

They'd be cool conversation pieces though. They're supposed to be pretty high quality. What ruins it for me is their price-point. For another $300 you can move up to an AR-15. The only downside to getting an AR is that you'll be spending a lot more on ammo if you're just wanting something to shoot targets.

For a first gun, I recommend going with a .22. Ruger is probably your best bet. There are a couple of different models. The key thing to look for is the grips. The lowest models they sell have really cheap grips and you'll know them when you see them. A decent Ruger .22 will likely be in the $270-320 range. They may not look as cool as some of the other guns out there, but they are VERY good and hold their value well. If you buy it and want to sell it later, you should have no trouble finding a person or dealer to buy it from you.

I've got a .22 pistol. It's a Beretta U22 NEOS 4" barrel. It was $239 and was a decent buy. It's not as good as a Ruger, but was cheap, futuristic looking, comfortable to hold, and shoots straight.

If you end up shooting on a fairly regular basis and still want to invest, consider moving up to a 9mm or .357. Th advantage of a 357 is that you can save cash by shooting .38 cal cartridges in it. 9mm will save you cash over a .40 or .45 cal by about $6-15 per 50 rounds.

Most people shoot through 50 rounds of target practce in 15-20 minutes. My XD9 holds 15 in the mag, so I only reload 4 times per box. Most .22 pistols hold a max of 10 rounds in a standard magazine, but you can buy cheap .22 ammo for $15 per 500 round box @ Walmart.

For a good 9mm, there are a lot of decent guns under $400. Stoeger Cougar 8000, Taurus 24/7, and of course the CZ 75B are good buys. The Cougar feels really good in your hand and is a solid gun. The Taurus 24/7 is a double-action pistol made in Brazil in an old Beretta plant using much of the Beretta design. The CZ 75B is just a solid gun with a lot of great features for the money.
 
Another vote for Glock 17 or 19. Also, check gunbroker.com and try to find a cheap used sig P226 or P229. I got two used sigs for $500 on there.

You'll get used to the trigger on the glock and the DA/SA action on a sig. I don't even notice either on either weapon at this point.
 
Originally posted by: marvdmartian
One of the most popular inexpensive firearms I've seen come out lately is the Hi-Point semi-auto pistols. I picked up a 9mm about 6 months ago for ~$150 (including sales tax), but with the prevailing, "OMG, buy guns and ammo NOW, before the new prez is in office" attitude, the demand for them has driven up the price. Went to a gun & knife show this past weekend, and they were going for $175-200, before sales tax.

The thing that people love about this pistols is that the company gives a lifetime warranty on it. Yeah. 20 years from now, something breaks, ship it to the company (legally, of course!), and they'll repair/replace it for free! Combined with the dirt cheap price, they've gained a lot of popularity in recent years, and the gunshop owner I bought mine from said he'd never had one returned/traded back to him.

I think Hi-Point makes their pistols in 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers. They only come with one magazine (my 9mm holds 8 shells, I believe), but you can send off for additional magazines from the company for $15, shipped (if I remember right.....they include the info in the box it comes in). I came about this >< close to buying a .45 caliber model at the gun show, but held off, since I already have a .45 semi-auto.

Oh, and with the low price of the pistol, you'll be able to afford to buy more ammo (which you'll appreciate, with the higher ammo prices these days!!). 🙂
Click to expand...


the reason no one trades them in is because they'd get next to nothing for it. $150 gun, they might get $25 if they're lucky.
 
Isn't this like the 4th or 5th 'i am a gun newb so what should I buy?' thread recently??

Maybe we should have one official gun thread so the same stuff doesn't get repeatedly hashed over and over again?
 
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Isn't this like the 4th or 5th 'i am a gun newb so what should I buy?' thread recently??

Maybe we should have one official gun thread so the same stuff doesn't get repeatedly hashed over and over again?
Click to expand...

No, because people have different needs. That'd be like saying just to have one "what car should I buy" thread.
 
Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: spacejamz
Isn't this like the 4th or 5th 'i am a gun newb so what should I buy?' thread recently??

Maybe we should have one official gun thread so the same stuff doesn't get repeatedly hashed over and over again?
Click to expand...

No, because people have different needs. That'd be like saying just to have one "what car should I buy" thread.
Click to expand...

Yep, agreed.

Honestly, a first gun should be bought for what you like.

My first gun was a Ruger 10/22 Rifle. Cheap, you can get 25 round clips for them, easy to clean and service. Having a cheaper weapon as your first allows you to learn the basics of gun safety and care without learning that you really hate that .45 cal hand gun the hard way.

EVERYONE loves shooting a .22 rifle for plunking pretty much, and anyone can shoot it.

Get a .22 Rifle for $200, a .22 handgun for $300 and be done. You'll be able to share the ammo and pretty much shoot it anywhere you want.
 
I'm more partial to rifles myself. Mine was a .22 caliber Stephens 66C that I obtained from my great uncle. The 4x scope he added makes it pretty fun for target shooting. If I were to go for a handgun, I'd probably go for some type of revolver. I just happen to be a fan of the mechanics of those. 😛
 
Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
I have always liked the Ruger .22 pistols, but I much prefer my Browning Buckmark.
Click to expand...
My cousin is about to get one of those. I think it definitely looks cooler than the Ruger. I just had trouble coming to terms with spending $419 on such a low-calibur weapon.

I can think of 5 other guns I'd rather have for the money....unless I wanted to compete wiht it.
 
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