[ixl4]

Hey all. I heard from a jeepforum member that this was a friendly place.

I have never owned a 9mm, but am looking to buy one. The .45 is a bit much for the lady (too loud and recoil too rough).

I am looking to go with 9mm because ammo would be cheaper as well as it would still offer some decent house protection.

Most say 9mm is ghetto etc etc etc, but my mind is fairly made up as far as that being what I want.

I am trying to stay under $400 for a used model.

Any help and insight would be appreciated. Thanks. :)

[Freddymac]

My advice to you is to shop around.
I have seen used Beretta 92FS’s for around $395 with to standard cap mags (15 round). Also keep your eyes open for a police trade in or refurbished SIG 226 or 229. They can be found for $350-400. Check out D&L Shooting supplies in Warwick, RI. They will ship to anywhere (FFL required). Do a google or Yahoo search. I would post the link but I’m at work and cant get into the site. Remember, just because you don’t want to spend over $400, doesn’t mean that you cant get a good side arm. You gust have to look around a bit.

[ixl4]

is the S&W 990L a good gun?

i found one for $280

[modifiedbrowning]

www.bersafirearmsusa.com

[RNB65]

The problem with 9mm is that there are SO many choices! It's enough to drive you nuts!

You'll find the Springfield XD's are very popular and can be found on the Internet for around $400. Gunstore prices are higher.

Download the CDNN catalog and take a look at the used Sigs. They usually have plenty of police trade-in 228's and 229's. Great guns.

http://www.cdnninvestments.com/

[pogo2]

I have always felt that some of the best 9mm guns for the money are the third generation S&W semiautos, like this used model 5906 on Gunbroker for $350:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=51659052

It has the advantage of an external thumb safety, which might be useful in a house where some of the people are new to guns.

[wardog]

Welcome to THR ixL4!

9mm is a great choice. With the right loads it is a good defensive round, plus it's cheap to shoot which means lots of practice. Check out CCI Blazer 9mm prices at
http://www.natchezss.com/

You will have many great choices used for $400. For that price you also have some good new options. As others have said, go download CDNN's catalog. A used SIG would be a great choice. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/

Take a look in the used case at a couple of local shops. I've got a local shop that always has a few good/great deals. Last time I was in they had a Ruger P89 used but in good shape for $219. They had the same gun for sale new for $370. Those are very solid guns that should last a lifetime or more.

I got a sweet Browning Hi Power used for $400. The S&W 3rd generation autos can also be found used for great prices. I got a 6906 for $300. Great gun.

In the new section, check out the Taurus PT92 abd CZ 75. Both are proven designs.

[OH25shooter]

I don't know if you are new to handguns, but something to keep in mind is customer service, if needed. Personally, I've used S&W, SigSauer and Ruger. S&W was excellent. Sig was very good and Ruger, I'd rate fair. With the inexpensive brands you may or may not have repair issues. Maybe even reliability questions. I think it's fair to state, in 9mm the major brands SigSauer, S&W, Glock or Beretta should serve you well. Your problem may be staying under $400.00 used.

[Demiurge]

CZ-75 would be the best gun for a new guy, IMO. The Baby Eagle that I have is a CZ-75 clone. I would check the CZ-75 out as it's in your price range and they're hungry pistols. It would be great for you to get your feet wet with.

[ixl4]

any thoughts on the sw99?

basically a cheaper clone of the walther p99 as far as I understand.

retail is around $750, i found used for $300

[mwpslp]

I also as mentioned in the previous post would go with the CZ. That's just personal preference though. At $400 you will have a lot of choices. Maybe attend a gun show so you can pick up and handle several. The "feel" of one may influence your decision over another.

[ugaarguy]

ixl4, is the SW 99 you found from a dealer or private seller? If from a dealer do they offer a used gun warranty (15 to 30 days to return for store credit is normal)? That sounds like a good price to me. If you have a local friend who's familiar with guns maybe have him look it over before you buy. Otherwise, yes it sounds like a great deal to me.

On the topic of your original post, I think 9mm is a great place to start. The low practice cost, low recoil, and comparatively low blast & flash are excellent reasons you state for choosing the caliber. Ammo availability is another great reason to with the 9mm; goes hand in hand with the low price - common is cheap, hard to find is expensive. Who cares if some say its ghetto, they're wrong, and it your handgun anyway, not theirs.

I'm also going to highly recommend getting training. Take the NRA basic pistol course before you buy! Have your wife/fiance/girlfriend take it with you. Call the local gun shops and ranges and they can tell you when and where one will be held. You'll get great training and have a chance to fire several different handguns so you get an idea of what you like. Find out what works for both of you. Is it comfortable in the hand? Do you like the trigger compared to other brands/models? Do you like the style and location of the magazine release? Do a little homework first. The website www.corneredcat.com, written by PAX, who's a moderator here, also has tons of great info all in one place.

Welcome to THR, be safe, and have fun. Keep us updated too.

[ugaarguy]

basically a cheaper clone of the walther p99 as far as I understand.

Not a clone, same pistol. About half the parts are made in Germany, other half here. S&W does all final assembly on both S&W and Walther branded 99s. You just pay more for the Walther name.

[coinshooter]

The Springfield XD IN a 4" OR THE SUB-COMPACT is a great deal for the money. Also the CZ 75 our a good deal. But the first choices would be a new XD EVEN IF YOU HAD TO pay 450

[ixl4]

I've shot plenty of guns before and always loved the Walther p99

After debating and looking around for a while (i know i only asked your opinions today, didnt know about the forum earlier) I snagged a deal today.

I bought the SW990L with 2 clips and a tactical light for $311. Gun is in excellent shape.
Good price?

Retail on the gun is $773

Thanks for the input.

[progunner1957]

Most say 9mm is ghetto etc etc etc,Based on what? That's an arbitrary and plain dumb thing to say! The 9mm is a good round, provided you get some good high performance hollowpoint ammo - it will do a good job for you. Of course, an auto in .45ACP will do even better! (Sorry, had to throw that in, as I'm a .45ACP devotee)

You could do alot worse than 9mm for defense purposes - such as .22LR, .25ACP, .32ACP, .380ACP, .32S&W, etc.

As far as used 9mm autos, look for a Glock or Springfield Armory XD9 - both are reasonably priced new and should be reasonably priced used. Also, look at the IMI Baby Eagle in 9mm.

[MachIVshooter]

My suggestion for 9mm's is usually this: S&W 5906 or CZ/TZ 75/ Baby Eagle. All can be had new or slightly used for under $400. All are 15 round traditional double action steel handguns.

[ugaarguy]

I bought the SW990L with 2 clips and a tactical light for $311. Gun is in excellent shape.
Good price?

In that condition w/ both mags it sounds great to me. Don't know what light came with it, but thats just icin' on the cake at this point.

[pablo45]

WELCOME
I would say take the lady down to the gun shop and let her hold a few.Then you should make sure you like it as well. There is no point in getting something you both are not comfortable with. My choice for the lady is a Glock 19. It holds 15+1 and the fit is excellent for us both. The price is alway's reasonable with a Glock and accessorie's are alway's top notch. The magazine's are very inexpensive at around 20.00-25.00 each and they last forever. Plus if you want to step up the recoil you can get some +P or +P+ the Glock can handle it just fine. How can anyone go wrong with something 80 percent of law enforcement in America relie's on. Good luck
P.S. The ghetto round is only because they know no better.That is all they see in the movie's and it give's the round a bad name. The 9mm round is an excellent round that has many purpose's. Great knock down power and fairly priced. Don't let the bad guy's and the stereotypes through you off. Many police and leo's carry the 9mm.

[CraigJS]

If it's for the lady, bring the lady along when looking for the "right" gun... (If you are the "lady", NEVER MIND!!:D )