[cableguy657]

first handgun purchase up and coming, just lost in the choices.

PX4 in 9mm and .45
or
PX4 in .40 and a S&W 686 4" .357

not able to carry in NJ just for range and home defense
going to join the range and shoot as much as i can.


one gun now and another to follow later.

any thoughts would really help.

[spwenger]

Do you already own a double-action revolver? If not, it's hard to go wrong with a good, medium-frame .357, such as a S&W L-frame. It will allow you to shoot anything from the lightest .38 Special load to the heaviest .357 Magnum load. It is great for ball-and-dummy drills and should teach you to shoot no faster than you can hit.

The PX4 is a nice autoloader that is particularly user-friendly, with the choice of three different sizes of back-strap inserts. Personally, I prefer pistols that have made up their minds if they want to be single-action or double-action but Beretta does not sell its DAO or shorter-stroke continuous-action-trigger models to the general public.

As to .40-caliber, you might want to re-think that one, particularly for a range gun. Nine-millimeter ammo is generally more widely available and lower in price.

[possum]

i would get the wheel gun, ad a px4 in 9mm since they will be used as defense and range, seeing most action at the range i say 9mm for ammo cost. allows you to shoot more and becoe better with a handgun for less money or shoot more for the same price that you would normally spend with .40 and or .45