Just turned 21, handgun time

[DontBurnMyFlag]

Hey guys, I recently turned 21, and while I have to wait months for NJ pistol permit, I figured Id start my research early. Im really looking into the HK p9 pistol. In a recent mail ad I recieved, they have them in there for around $650. Is this a good price? How are they as guns? etc. Any help would be appreciated.

[HighVelocity]

Happy Birthday. $650 sounds like a fair price for a P9 but may I ask why you want one? Don't they have a euro type mag release (bottom of grip)?
For $650 you certainly have a lot of choices. Sig, Glock, Beretta, etc.

[DontBurnMyFlag]

thanks! I would like a glock or a sig, however, I intend on being a police officer soon. Whichever department I join will have me using a glock or a sig, so I want something a little different than what Ill eventually have. I am a fan of Euro pistols, no matter how awkward. However, I will keep my options open.

[dxkj21]

I would think you want something similar to what you will shoot in the future so you have experience with it... if eventuall you become a police officer its best if your on duty carry is the same as your off duty, or similar, or obvious reasons (you will have instincts on how to fire that gun,where to grip, how to clear jams, safeties if there are any, etc...

[armedcitizen]

Check out the forums here: http://www.parkcitiestactical.com/

A lot of us HK fans post there and there is a forum dedicated to the P9S. I'm sure they can help you out.

[Turtle Club]

Forget the handgun, for $650 you can get a Beretta CX4 storm. :D

[MachIVshooter]

For $650, you can get a Springfield "Loaded" model, or buy a Mil-Spec stainless and spend the other $100 on ammo. Those would be my choices. My first and thrid handguns were 1911's (more came later) and I don't regret those decisions.

[Black Majik]

ditto MarkIV and look into a 1911. Many will suggest .22, some will advocate getting a 9mm since its cheap and still low on recoil. But, I say get a 1911 and be spoiled in the beginning. Lifes too short to own plastic handguns. I already got that outta my system when I was a kid :D

[Chrontius]

What about a Mateba Unica?

Or a CZ-52 and $550 worth of H&K USP? CZs are dirt cheap and remarkably powerful, (armor defeating like the FN, mess-making like a .45) they developed the 3-b specification for body armor specifically because until then, nothing short of rifle armor would deal with this cheap old Czech surplus beater handgun that wasn't really a beater.

Ruger SP-101s are also nice. I intend to pick one up eventually; it will be carried in a Kangaroo shoulder holster as a backup.

If the really oddball is your sort of thing, a Webley pistol can be converted to fire .45ACP via moonclips. It's the preferred weapon of H.P. Lovecraft's 'De-Animator' and it looks really cool -- I've always had a thing for top-breaks.

EDIT: How could I forget it. Check out Kel-Tec's lineup. They're all really cool. (Get factory hard chrome, upgrading finishes just got expensive!)

[otomik]

Hey guys, I recently turned 21, and while I have to wait months for NJ pistol permit, I figured Id start my research early. Im really looking into the HK p9 pistol. In a recent mail ad I recieved, they have them in there for around $650. Is this a good price? How are they as guns? etc. Any help would be appreciated.do you want your first handgun to be something with little support in the area of spare parts and magazines? it's kind of like buying an orphan car, probably not a great idea unless it's something you just gotta have or the deal is so incredible that you're not hurting if it suddenly stops working.

i think perhaps you're looking at the deals on aim surplus, i would steer you in the direction of the s&w 9mm police trade-in. a .22 would be cheaper to feed, there are a few double action .22s out there now which are good trainer pistols.

[Stinkyshoe]

Get a Glock. You might find the 9/40 fit you better.

[DontBurnMyFlag]

hmm, you all have good ideas. i guess what i am looking for is something that is reliable, 9mm or better, access to spare parts and upgrades, and is well...comfortable.

1911's and glocks are the most comfortable to me

I just like HK weapons and thats why the P9 appealed to me.

SIGS, glocks are both reliable and used in all sorts of departments

ive never held a CZ, but they look so nice.

i suppose my next trip to the gun range will be a trial time. they have so many goodies there.

[Working Man]

What about a Mateba Unica?

He is going to spend a lot more than $650 on a new one unless he is
real lucky.

[cookekdjr]

HK's are great. If that's what you like, get one. Also look at similar offerings from CZ and SIG. You can't go wrong with any of the three.

-David

[Stinkyshoe]

You probably will find that the CZ is VERY comfortable. I have never fired a CZ though.

1911s are great. It depends really on what feels right for you. For a 1911 I have to have a Beavertail and a S&A mag well. I get hammer bite, get cut by the slide and the grip isn't long enough. There are lemons in every batch of every make and model, but I hear very good things about the Springfield Mil Spec.(the one I saw was quite accurate).

To me, Glocks make more sense. I had to discover this after owning a bit of this and that. While some complain about no external safety, I'd say safety is more of an issue of training and trigger discipline(the 4 rules). There is a valid case against Glocks in cases where LEOs guns have been taken away and a manual safety has saved their life. However DA revolvers would be in this category as well.

I'd say shoot whatever you can get your mits on, and buy what you shoot best and are most comfortable with.

[Rain_Man]

Get a 1911, a cz-52 or a makarov...

Bought my first pistols when I was 16... a small handgun case for $40 with an old iver johnson and 2 .22 pistols in it... maybe you might want to buy a .22 for cheap practice and something a little bigger for... whatever you want a handgun for. If you want buy something to 'see how a pistol feels' I strongly suggest a 1911... You can't get more raw then that.

[MachIVshooter]

To me, Glocks make more sense. I had to discover this after owning a bit of this and that. While some complain about no external safety, I'd say safety is more of an issue of training and trigger discipline(the 4 rules).

I'd say the principal complaints aren't so much about safety as the F'd-up grip angle and the fact that they are just plain UGLY!.

With the G22 I had, safety was never a concern. The fact that my natural POA was way high and the excessively "snappy" recoil were my gripe. But I don't like the way most polymer guns feel anyway, save my Beretta 9000S. I've also never been fond of .40Short&Weak, except for my S&W 4006. I would probably still have the Glock, had it not been used in a straight-across trade for a 28K mile 1984 Honda Interceptor 750 that needed only a battery and tires. I paid $350 for the G22 used and bought 2 Hi-caps for $45 that went with it. I think I came out ahead.

[Erinyes]

I started shooting when I was 18 and my grand father gave my dad and I his entire pistol collection. My first two pistols were a 1911 and a Smith M586. The 1911 was an AMT Hardballer, which was fun when it worked, but I spent more time cussing the thing than shooting it. The better 1911s out there will treat you right, though.

Of course, if you've got $650 to spend, want a 9mm, and like euro pistols, why not either buy a Walther P1/P38 and $350 worth of ammo, or buy TWO Walther P1/P38s? Reliable, inexpensive, and if one breaks... well, that's why you bought two? :p

[PlasticPistolPacker]

G19/G17 or G30/G21 and be done with it. www.glocktalk.com and welcome to the darkside :evil:

the F'd-up grip angle and the fact that they are just plain UGLY!.


Envy is the sincerest form of flattery ;)

[Stinkyshoe]

See my new siggy....

[BlkHawk73]

The P9S is a great pistol. It's by far my favorite out of all mine (20+). Actually prefer it over the P7 series guns. It's got to have THE best trigger I've ever felt. Very accurate also. Before the influx of trade-ins, the P9S moels were going for just under $900 when I was looking for one. Get one now while you can.
Those that put down this model, obviously have never tried one. maybe these same people put down the P210 as well. :rolleyes:
So...P9s...get one!

[MachIVshooter]

G19/G17 or G30/G21 and be done with it. www.glocktalk.com and welcome to the darkside :evil:



Envy is the sincerest form of flattery ;)

You can have 'em. I'll keep my 1911's and third-gen S&W's:neener:

[Stinkyshoe]

Mach IV
Fair enough. The 1911 is a great platform. This a great country. We can shoot what we like and what ever suits us.:D

[WT]

FWIW, NJ LE agencies have been dropping Glocks. They lack a magazine safety. They are going to Sigs and S&W's.


CORRECTION: 'magazine disconnect'.

[Stinkyshoe]

What is a magazine safety?

[Black Majik]

What is a magazine safety?

Possibly magazine disconnect?

Gun cant fire unless magazine is in the gun.

[PlasticPistolPacker]

If I were a cop, I know I'd want a gun with a manual safety, lemon squeeze grip, finger print analyzer, trigger lock, magazine safety and heck why not throw a cable lock on it for goodluck...



:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[Sharpdogs]

Get a Glock 19 and a .22 conversion for practice. The 15 round magazines are legal in NJ and the 9mm and .22 ammo will not burn a whole in your budget. It will be like getting two guns for your pistol permit. Congrats on turning 21.

[BowStreetRunner]

happy 21. i was more excited about being able to buy handguns than being able to buy beer when i turned 21. sharpdog has a good idea, i love my G19. but you should get what you really want....it is your first handgun after all.
BSR