Criminal Justice Student needs Handgun

[spicer]

Hi I am a criminal justice student here in Texas and I am about to take my CC class and I am currently gathering information on the different hand guns out their. I am fairly new to the gun world and I'm not real sure as to which one would be the best for me. I am needing something that I can train with and I wont "grow out of" when I finish school within the next year and join the police academy.

[cloudedice]

The best thing to do is try out a bunch of different guns, and see which feels the best in your hand.

I would like to suggest, since you mentioned you want to go to police academy after you graduate, that you research what the LEA's in your area are using and try those out. Sigs or Glocks are usually good choices, from what I hear.

(I'm a bit shy on gun experience myself, but I come here just about every day to try and learn more.)

[sgt127]

Do you have an agency in mind? If so, I guess you could get what they issue/authorize. If not, go find a used Sig/Glock/Barretta/Smith whatever in 9mm (Because its cheap to practice with) And take a few shooting classes. Chances are, you will be issued a gun by the agency that may, or may not, be the same gun as you originally bought. So, find a decent and reputable gun and just get started.

[Geronimo45]

Haven't researched it, but it appears that a lot/the majority of Texas LEOs have glocks of some make... never seen anything else, but then I'm not a frequenter of the hoosegow, either.

[El Tejon]

Go to a rental range and find out what you like.

Go shooting with buddies and see what is out there.

1. Remember, it's only a handgun.
2. In the gun culture, the subjective is objective. What works for someone else may not work for you.
3. Get all the training you can. A professional class is in your best interest. Borrow a pistol(s) and holster and belt. Take the class with it. See what works and allow your software (training) to select your hardware (the pistol).

Best wishes.

[Starter52]

Glock Model 19 9mm.

[Dienekes]

I graduated with a BS Police Administration, MSU, 1965 (Drafted instantaneously upon graduation!) Tempus sure fugits.

Even though I don't much care for them I would advise a police trade-in Glock 17--or 19 if you prefer. Everyone has now gone to bottom feeders and this is just about the most common of the bunch; and 9mm ammo is cheap. If you train up on one and then later want to change there is always a market for them so the cost of owning and using it will be minimal.

In this enlightened day and age just about any agency you work for will unilaterally decide what the very best handgun in the universe is and mandate that you carry it. That they will probably change their minds and charge off in another direction in a few years is beside the point.

A very good thing to do is to go off to one of the better schools (I liked Gunsite) and get your mind and skillset properly adjusted. That will matter more than the particular bullet launcher you happen to have.

Personally I liked it better when officers had a fairly wide range of approved guns they could choose from instead of this "one size fits all" ideology.

Good luck.