looking for sugestions for a first handgun

[MedGrl]

I am a 5'10" 200 lb female. I am researching possibilities for my first hand gun which would be primarily used for target practice and home defense. CCW is not realy a concern. I would apriciate any suggestions you all may have.

the suggestions I have been getting from friends have usualy been 9mm or a .22 but...let me know if you have any spesific make/modle or suggestions.

Thanks

[longarm]

Hi MedGrl,
Get yourself a .22 revolver. Ammo is dirt cheap and everything you learn with it (including how to shoot without flinching) will apply to all others you purchase afterwards. Which .22? Without a doubt I recommend the Smith & Wesson K22 Masterpiece. You will have to buy one used as they are no longer made (later models are called the Model 17 and are also fantastic). These are extremely accurate blue revolvers with history and so much style.. Another option in the same family is Model 617, the modern version of the same gun in stainless steel.
You will be Very happy. With one concern.... that you will then want (NEED?) to purchase other S&W's .. and this can get expensive.
Now for Home Defense.... look into a .38 or .38 special.

[lee n. field]

I am a 5'10" 200 lb female

How big are your hands? 2 points: 1)Don't let anyone (esp. gun store commandos) snow you into thinking you need a small or underpowered gun because you're a woman. 2)Ergonomics is important, and what I like because it fits me may not fit you.

What's your budget? (For the gun, and it's accessories (holster, magazines or speed loaders, cleaning supplies, etc.), the class you are going to take , and the continuing cost of ammo).

Mental ergonomics: Would you be OK with a gun with a lot of little levers and controls to remember, or is point-and-click simplicity the best for you?

Lots of options. Low end, less than $200 for the hardware, Makarov. Up from there, oh, lots of choices. And if you make a mistake with your first purchase, it's easy to remedy.

[rustymaggot]

i like the ruger markI and markII. its a .22lr. very easy gun to learn with. the extended mag release is a good idea cause the mags are a pain in the butt to get out. far as revolvers in 22lr go i like the old ruger singleaction ones. the smiths are great too but i like the western feel of the ruger revolvers.

9mm is definately the better one for home defense.

[Cueball]

Since it is your first ever handgun of any type, I would agree with the suggestion that you start with a class and a .22 revolver. That will get you the basics, proper safety, and practice with cheap ammo. Once you get comfortable with that and get your accuracy and consistency down, then look at moving up to something else for HD/SD. A 357 revolver would be a good choice after that because you can practice with cheaper 38 ammo and use the 357mag loads for HD/SD purposes.

[JShirley]

Hi, welcome to THR.

A .22 LR is always a good thing to have, but if it's going to be a while before you have any other firearm, you may want to start with something that would work a little better for home defense.

One good, all-around performer would be a 4" barreled .357 double-action revolver. If you look around, you can probably find a nice used .357 for just over $200. You can start out practicing with cheap .38 Special loads, and as your comfort and skill increases, you can move up to .38+P or even .357 Magnum rounds.

In general, I prefer automatic pistols to revolvers, but if you may only have one firearm for a while, this is a good one to have. Revolvers are also easier to customize grips than on autoloaders.

Honestly, an even better solution would probably be an inexpensive pump shotgun in 20 or 12 gauge, AND the .22 pistol. That way, you could have a very effective (and inexpensive) home defense piece, and a dedicated target gun. It all depends on your priorities and budget, really. If home defense is your first priority, the first firearm you purchase should have a stock.

Pump shotguns are probably the least expensive commonly available, very useful shoulder arm for home defense. There are other longarms (rifles and shotguns) that are inexpensive and could work well- the SKS, for instance- but these pieces will not be available everywhere. A 20 gauge, or even 12 gauge shotgun can often be found quite inexpensively, and while not the "perfect" home defense weapon, will probably work well unless you're attacked by zombie ninjas.

On the other hand, if you have a fairly high budget, and want a fun piece with little recoil, that IS just about the perfect HD weapon- even for zombie ninjas- you probably want a nice carbine. Any AR-15 with a 16-20" barrel (depending on your strength) will be ideal, with some instruction and practice.

Good luck with your decision,

John

[gudel]

Answer this first: how much are you willing to spend? :)

[CAnnoneer]

MedGrl,

It is nice to hear another person is about to join the proud club of gunowners.

My recommendation is to start with one gun and build up from there as you feel need or desire. That will also be easier on your wallet and create less confusion.

Since it will be only one gun with dual purpose (training/self-defense), IMO the best all-around calibers are 9mm for semiautos and .357 for revolvers. 9mm is an excellent compromise among power, recoil, availability, and price. The .357 can fire the more powerful .357 for self-defense, but also the .38sp that is less expensive and kicks less, making it better for target practice. Other calibers are either smallish/weaker for self-defense or too kicky for your average novice.

Between autos and revs, I think semiautos with single-action triggers are better for a novice because the trigger pull is very low and thus it is easier for a novice to keep the sight picture and learn the basics faster. That is especially so if the same gun is to be used by the same novice for self-defense. It is true that revolvers with hammers can be manually cocked and fired in single-action mode, but it is not realistic to do so in a self-defense scenario, especially by a novice. Finally, IMO revolvers take more maintenance (than the reliable makes of autos) and more things can go wrong with them if not serviced properly, which is something of a liability for novices.

As to specific manufacturer recommendations, I think the best one can do is keep it inexpensive without sacrificing quality. Thus I would recommend Ruger - well-made, built like tanks, excellent customer service, American-made. You can expect to pay 350 for a new Ruger auto or 450 for a new Ruger revo. By comparison, new German and Austrian autos are in the 500-800s, Smith&Wesson revos are 650-900, Italian are ~ 800, and American manufacturers make 1911-style .45's around or above 1,000.

In any case, you have to figure out which gun is comfortable in your hand. To do so, it is best to take a self-defense course at your local shooting range to learn the basics, then rent as many guns there as you can and shoot a bit of each. Very quickly you will then narrow down the platform and caliber, and then the make and model you feel is a best compromise among all factors. Then practice, practice, practice.

Good luck and let us know how it went!

[Universal]

If you plan to use the gun for home defense I would not recommend a .22 caliber weapon. I would suggest you look at a .38 special or .357 Magnum revolver. I like Smith & Wesson K frames like the model 10 for example. One with a 4 inch barrel would be a great choice for home defense and target practice. They are easy to find used since there are so many different models. Right of the top of my head I can think of the model 10, 13, 15, 19, 64, 65, 66 and 67 that would all fit the bill. If you pick up one chambered for the .357 Magnum you can still shoot .38 special rounds in it. The .38 is a great round for the range and with the right load it does well for self defense. The hollow points from Speer, Remington, Winchester or Federal are all good rounds. If I could recommend one or two it would be the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain or 125 grain rounds. For practice the Winchester White Box 130 grain can be found at places like Wal-Mart very cheap.

When we started having guns in the house my wife learned how to shoot and quickly decided that she prefered revolvers over semi-autos. Her current home defense gun is our Smith & Wesson model 15 loaded with the Speer 135 grain Gold Dots.

Hope this helps.

[ccw007]

the suggestions I have been getting from friends have usualy been 9mm or a .22 but...let me know if you have any spesific make/modle or suggestions.


Welcome to the forum
Do your friends have handguns you can shoot to see what you like best or is there a range in your area where you can try (Rent) several types? My recommendation would be try shooting several types and find what works best for you before you buy anything. A 22 is good to start out with and is cheap to shoot, but it is not good for protection. My wife likes shooting my CZ75 (9mm) the best of any of my handguns, but its operation is not as easy as a revolver where you can just point and squeeze the trigger.

[poppy]

Hey MedGrl, I don't know where CAnnoneer is getting his numbers, but being a Ruger man myself, I think some of his prices are a little off. There are certainly Ruger pistols and revolvers with the prices he quoted, but much depends on model and caliber. Take a look a gunbroker.com and do a search on different models and you will get a feel for pricing on both NIB and used handguns.

CAnnoneer also has the opinion that revolvers require more maintenance than pistols. That's a new one on me. I would not get hung up on maintenance as a deciding factor; all guns need maintenance.

And as I told you in another thread, once you get your first gun, don't ever sell it. poppy

[WillBrayJr]

The 9mm doesn't have hardly any recoil what so ever so a 22lr handgun is basically useless unless you plan on shooting a round like 40S&W.

If you don't wan't to spend alot:
The Taurus PT92, Springfield XD-9, and Ruger P89 won't burn a hole in your pocket. All three are very dependable.

If money is no object:
The Sigarms Classic P series should seriously be considered. The track record of the P226 is legendary and I consider it to be one of the finest 9mm autos in the world. Sigarms does have a CPO program which cost about $300.00 less. They are police trade-ins that are sent back to the factory inspected and then certified by Sigarms for sale. If you don't mind C&L, The Browning Hi-Power is another 9mm to consider.

If you don't have a cleaning kit, get a micro kit at www.otisgun.com. The micro kit cost $10.00.

The most important thing to do is find a firearm safety coarse in your area to take if you're not familier with firearms.

[MedGrl]

thanks to all for the suggestions.

WillBrayJr and Poppy I will check out those websites.

[Sport45]

+1

Get a shotgun for home defense. A 20" barrel pump in 12 or 20 gauge. Buy a brick (100rnds) of shells at Wallyworld for about $16 and take it to the range or out in the woods and shred a few paper plates. Don't forget hearing and eye protection! You'll gain confidence and learn the weapon pretty well with these 100 shots. For home defense range (50' or less unless you live in a mansion) #4 shot will stop anything that might come at you. 00 buck (pronounced double-ought) will do nicely in a 12 gauge, but it has more kick and will penetrate walls more than the heavy birdshot, like #4. If you read up on "stopping power" no handgun will come close to a shotgun for stopping an adversary. 12 gauge, 00 buck will always be on or very near the top of the heap.

For a starter handgun, I'd suggest a Ruger 22/45 .22lr pistol. The grip and controls match a 1911 frame centerfire pistol. You'll be used to the controls when you feel you are ready to move up.

Honestly, an even better solution would probably be an inexpensive pump shotgun in 20 or 12 gauge, AND the .22 pistol. That way, you could have a very effective (and inexpensive) home defense piece, and a dedicated target gun. It all depends on your priorities and budget, really. If home defense is your first priority, the first firearm you purchase should have a stock.

Pump shotguns are probably the least expensive commonly available, very useful shoulder arm for home defense. There are other longarms (rifles and shotguns) that are inexpensive and could work well- the SKS, for instance- but these pieces will not be available everywhere. A 20 gauge, or even 12 gauge shotgun can often be found quite inexpensively, and while not the "perfect" home defense weapon, will probably work well unless you're attacked by zombie ninjas.

[grizz5675]

some might disagree but some always do ,for the cost ,accuracy ,dependability,and size put a bersa 380 or 9mm in your hands.

[f4t9r]

22 is nice for plinking around
Let me suggest the P226 Sig in 9mm if it fits your hand

[Euclidean]

I am a 5'10" 200 lb female. I am researching possibilities for my first hand gun which would be primarily used for target practice and home defense. CCW is not realy a concern. I would apriciate any suggestions you all may have.

the suggestions I have been getting from friends have usualy been 9mm or a .22 but...let me know if you have any spesific make/modle or suggestions.

Thanks

Don't let your physical stature dictate what you can and can't handle. I'm 5'10" and 250ish and I know some very skinny people who carry guns bigger than mine, and I know people way bigger than me who stick to smaller guns and smaller calibers.

Handguns are very personal.

I will agree that a .22 is ideal for a completely new person, but if you're going to only have one gun and can afford to practice with the centerfire ammunition, I can see starting bigger. My first handgun after all was a .357 Magnum revolver, but then again I had general experience with firearms and handguns already.

My personal reccomedation for anyone who isn't sure has always been a .357 Magnum revolver made by a name brand maker (Ruger, S&W) with a 4" or 3" barrel. The reason why is this format of gun, in a pinch, will do just about anything most of us could want to do with a handgun. You can also get one relatively inexpensively. $350 should get you a real nice used Smith and Wesson in good enough shape to last your entire lifetime and it'll retain most of its value. There's no magazines to buy (speedloaders are cheap) and you can experiment with .38 Special and .357 Magnum loads and see if you prefer lighter or heavier.

If you're definitely not going to CCW for whatever reason, I'd personally get the biggest one that felt comfortable to me.

[cookekdjr]

For $200 you can get an excellent condition Smith and Wesson or Ruger .38 revolver. This guy always has plenty on hand, but you can similar deals at a number of auction sites:

http://64.227.196.27/index.html

If you shop around, you may even find a good .357 for that price. .357 also fires .38 rounds, by the way.
You can find .38 ammo everywhere, its cheap, and there are a number of great self defense and target loadings available. Revolvers are easy to learn, easy to maintain, and very reliable. You can leave one loaded in an accessible (but safe) place for two years, pick it up, and it will fire.
.38 is also a great choice because most people can shoot it comfortably, without fear of excessive recoil, yet it has enough stopping power to rely on it to stop an attacker. Once you go smaller than .38 in power, though, you're really taking a gamble.
I say, get a Smith and Wesson Model 10 or 64 (13 or 65 in .357) or the Ruger equivalent, with a 4'' barrel. You can't go wrong with either choice.
Good luck,

David

[WillBrayJr]

Guys, this a handgun thread not rifle or shotgun thread.

The problems with rifles that everyone is listing is that they are considered "assault" rifles in the media and while the recoil is low rifle rounds like the 223rem and 7.62X39mm over penetrate.

MedGrl sounds like she's tall enough to handle the 14in LOP on a 12ga Remington 870 Express. The recoil 12ga is heavy but it's not uncomfortable. It takes quite a bit of practice to allow follow up shots.

If MedGrl chooses to go with a rifle, I recommend Ruger's PC-9. At 36 inches it's short, very low recoil, light weight and with a 16.5in barrel should give the 9mm the stopping power of the 357mag. Since it looks nothing like an "assault" rifle MedGrl doesn't have to worry about what the media will call her if she uses it for self-defense.

[poppy]

MedGrl, based on your original question and some of the good suggestions by others, I would suggest that you consider a 357 mag rev. with a 6" barrel. This forum tends to consider handgun HD and CCW in the same vein. You did not ask for CCW, so a longer barrel enters the equation.

Another thing that I have not seen discussed is the muzzle blast of a HD handgun. I would think that a 6" barreled rev. using 38 sp. loads would be a little easier on the ears in a HD situation. A small case may also be made for more barrel in a target gun.

Being the Ruger guy that I am, I would be dishonest if I did not recommend the GP100. poppy

[Ala Dan]

Sticking with the revolver theory (target practice and home D'), I would
look for a used but not abused Smith & Wesson 4" barrel model 10, .38
Special.:) As many will tell you, this is a good center-fire training weapon,
and loaded with some of todays modern ammo it packs a pretty good
puch as a defensive weapon. Usually, these can be had anywhere from
$160 ('bout an 85 per center) to close to $300 for a NIB model. Follow
my friend Mr. Jim March's most excellent revolver checkout tips posted
as a "sticky" at the top of the revolver threads. There are plenty of
these weapons available to consumers, so look at several before you
buy~!:D

[miko]

Definitely get a revolver (preferably .357, possibly loaded with .38) for home defence with the longest barrel possible - say, 6 inches.

Revolver can lay around loaded for years with no springs to weaken and betray you.
The long barrel will significantly reduce flash - which is very important if you have to defend yourself in the middle of the night. You do not want to blind yourself with your very first shot.

miko

[Stainless0ne]

ohio- just a suggestion, but i would get a ruger p89 in stainless steel, i have had about 10 of them and have never had a jam with a facyory magazine They are relatively inexpensive, have little recoil (kick) and yuou can get 15 round magsn cheaply. Also 9mm are the least expensive shells you can get except for 22 cal. I have kept mine in the floorboard of my vehicle for the last 3 years, and take it out and clean and shoot it every so often, without problems. You should be able to buy a good used one for around 250.00 or so. thanks for your time, and good luck. john

[gremlin_bros]

guess my advice wont help much other than to say my wife is 5' 6" 115 lbs and her first after shooting several of mine she went stright for the 1911. lets face it 9mm = 45 acp set to stun as she likes to quote as for home defense i still like my 12 guage loded with 00 buck

[Sistema1927]

If I could only have one handgun, it would be a 4" .357 revolver.

You can shoot .38 wadcutters on the cheap, and can load it up with serious ammo as needed. Simple manual of arms, and very easy maintenance. Decent accuracy, coupled with a handy size.

[Eskimo Jim]

MedGrl,
I'd echo most people's advice.

22lr revolver such as S&W 617 or their discontinued 17 or 18 if you can find them. You can't beat a 22lr revolver or automatic.

22lr auto pistol Ruger Mk II, Mk I or the new Mk III. Since the Mark III came out you might find a good deal on a used Mark II because someone else just has to have the latest Mark III. cheap to shoot.

Semi auto center fire, 9mm because it is cheap to shoot. I'd stick with a full sized auto. 9mm is probably cheapest to shoot.

S&W model 66 or 686 4" barelled revolver in 357 magnum or Ruger GP 100 both in 357 magnum because you can use light 38 special ammunition and work up to 38 special +P and 357 magnum ammunition. A 357 magnum revolver is probably the most versatile handgun.

Good luck

-Jim

[JJJJ]

I haven't yet figured out how to put a quote from an earlier post in a box, but CAnnoneer, the statement below from your post seems contrary to most of the advice I've seen about revolvers versus autoloaders. Can you explain, or can anyone else comment on this? Thanks.

"Finally, IMO revolvers take more maintenance (than the reliable makes of autos) and more things can go wrong with them if not serviced properly, which is something of a liability for novices."

[CAnnoneer]

I haven't yet figured out how to put a quote from an earlier post in a box, but CAnnoneer, the statement below from your post seems contrary to most of the advice I've seen about revolvers versus autoloaders. Can you explain, or can anyone else comment on this? Thanks.
"Finally, IMO revolvers take more maintenance (than the reliable makes of autos) and more things can go wrong with them if not serviced properly, which is something of a liability for novices."

Hi JJJJ,

I am happy to elaborate my position.

1)
The distance between the barrel and the cylinder is very important in performance. Too little distance and buildup of unburnt powder can produce a jam. Too large a distance and the revolver spits sparks and burning powder sideways, while the muzzle velocity of the slug is decreased. Some revomen suggest distances set for a thickness equal to the width of a credit card - that's between the frame and the cylinder. IMO, this means you either have to have a new revo or you must know what you are doing to set it right, or you have to go to a gunsmith, especially if you buy used. All of this for me is a pointless hassle.

2)
Depending on how old a revo you buy, you may or may not have a transfer bar or a similar safety device. Without it, you must carry hammer down on a spent cartridge, or you are asking for a hard blow on the hammer to produce accidental discharge. Again, you need to know what you are doing.

3)
Revolvers have small parts that are exposed to the elements far more than the parts of a modern auto. For example, lint, pieces of paper, paper clips, and other junk can get into the works and interfere with proper function, e.g. cylinder can get blocked. And that, at a disopportune moment. Again not something I'd look forward to.

4)
Sustained fire from a revolver collects crud and powder, making extraction of shells and putting new shells in more difficult. Also, shells that do not get in completely can stick out enough to lock the cylinder.

All of the above problems either do not exist or are far less likely or more manageable with good autos like Ruger and Glock. For example, cylinder distance is irrelevant and crud accrual is less critical because of inbuilt clearances, especially with the Glock. Cylinder spitting sideways obviously does not happen because there is no gap or cylinder. Also there is no cylinder to lock up.

On the other hand, autos can jam, but a good auto with quality factory ammo virtually never jams. I have fired thousands of rounds through my Ruger KP89T and the four times it stovepiped on me was because I was getting tired and limpwristed it.

I agree that all guns require at least some maintenance, and while I do not hate revos, I prefer autos for the above reasons, among other things.

[only1asterisk]

Despite CAnnoneer's dissent, the 4” medium frame .357 is probably the best first handgun for 85% of people if a defensive capability is required and initial cost is a factor. It excels as both a marksmanship trainer and self defense tool. While the .22’s have the advantage of negligible recoil and low cost ammunition, they sorely lack the defensive capability you want.

Another choice might be a 9mm pistol. Ammunition is less expensive than the 38 Special or .357, but there trade offs. For the same money you get better accuracy and a better trigger pull from the revolver. The revolver also allows you increase you recoil tolerance starting from well below any factory 9mm and slowly building to well beyond what the 9mm is capable of.

My advice is: Buy a 38 Special, .357 or 9mm and borrow the .22. To be specific, a medium frame S&W or Ruger 357 magnum with a minimum barrel length of 3” or an all steel 9mm with an absolute minimum 3.5” of barrel (4” or longer preferred). Stainless steel construction and adjustable sights and desirable features as is a single stack magazine on an auto. I’d avoid large frame revolvers and check the trigger reach on whatever handgun you consider. Your hands aren’t particularly petit so you should have plenty of options.

Specific revolver models to check out:

Smith & Wesson 38 Special Models

J (small) frame: Models 36 (carbon steel) and 60 (stainless)
K (medium) frame: Models 10 and 64 (fixed sights) 14, 15, and 67 (adjustable)

Smith & Wesson 357 Magnum Models

K (medium) frame: Models 10 and 64 (fixed sights) 14, 15, and 67 (adjustable)
L (medium/large) frame: 581 and 681 (fixed sights) 586 and 686 (adjustable)

Ruger Models

Small Frame: SP101 (found in both 38 Special and 357 Magnum)
Medium Frame: GP100 (found in both 38 Special and 357 Magnum)
Medium Frame: Speed Six, Security Six, Service Six (found in 38 Special, 9mm and 357 Magnum)

Specific 9mm pistol models to check out:

1911 types in 9mm
Star BM
Smith & Wesson 5906
CZ 75
Kahr K9
and many, many more…

David

[icehouse1]

Sig 226 9mm.