[batman13]

I am looking for a good light wieght compact gun with good stoping power. I need some advice cause im totaly new to hand guns.

thanks

[ryanl]

well, if your looking for a semi-auto. I would stick with either .40 or .45 Since you are new to handguns I would suggest finding a place close to you that rents handguns and logging some range time to find one that is right for you. Glocks, Sigs, H&K's hell even High Points will punch a hole in something. Just gotta figure out what points naturally for you and what feels good in your hands. Good Luck

[Vern Humphrey]

For a first carry gun, I generally recommend a .38 Special or .357 revolver with a 3" barrel.

1. Revolvers are much simpler to use than automatics. They are basically point-and-shoot weapons, with no external safety, hammer dropper, slide release, etc.

2. For a newby, they are inherently safer. The long, heavy double action trigger pull is always there, and you can't forget to put it on safe, or accidentally dislodge the safety.

3. You can check a revolver externaly to see if it is unloaded. Many an ND with an automatic has occurred because someone removed the magazine and forgot the round in the chamber.

4. There are plenty of top-quality revolvers around at good prices.

I would recommend the Ruger SP 101, but you may prefer a Smith.

[kurtiss]

I would first decide if you want a revolver or a semi-auto. Go to a large shop and check them all out to see what you like. Once you pick something, it wouldn't hurt to go get some basic training.

If you are looking for specific recommendations for your first gun, I would say buy a Glock 19. I think this is the best all around combat handgun. They are ultra reliable, lightweight, compact, and don't rust when you sweat all over them. They are very easy to maintain. I recommend the 19 because it is 9mm. It is a great round to get your feet wet learning how to shoot, and the ammo prices won't break the bank. Good Luck!!!

[crebralfix]

The old "revolvers are easier" is so much BUNK. Concealability, capacity, power, and controllability are more important than revolver or semi-auto. If a revolver works for you...great. If a semi-auto is just fine...great. Get it and get TRAINED!

I cannot stress training enough. There are many manipulations that you'll need to know and figuring them out on a two way range is not the time to be fumbling around. You'll need to know what to say and do when the police arrive. Do you have an attorney that knows self-defense? Find out...and determine if he or she is a shooter. If your attorney does not shoot, find one that does.

But I digress.

Get what you like in 9mm, 357 SIG, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 40 S&W, 10mm, 44 Magnum, or 45 ACP. These are the common calibers. 44 Special and 41 Magnum also have their following.

Don't go thinking you're going to get a large variation in TERMINAL ballistics simply by going with a bigger round. The reality is that the deltas are SMALL with modern hollow point ammo. Some more important considerations are capacity (bad guys are running in packs now and 5 shots may not be enough for YOUR fight) and controllability during rapid shooting. Cranking out four rounds a second may be important. It's difficult to do with a gun that has heavy recoil.

9x19mm is good to learn in due to mild recoil and it will do the job...as will 38 Special. You may get a bit better terminal ballistics out of 40 S&W, but then you start sacrificing capacity and controllability. Same goes for 45...maybe more, maybe less terminal improvement with much less capacity. I learned on 45 ACP in full sized guns. I had no trouble with it; recoil is very manageable...but capacity tends to be limited in the smaller sized guns.

A 44 Magnum may be great with mid range loads, but now you're talking a large frame revolver. Again, some people love this weapon, especially with a 3" barrel. Revolvers with 3" barrels have a large following: it's a great compromise between concealability and controllability. Again, 38 Special will do the job, but a big bore gun in 44 Magnum may give you more peace of mind.

Additionally, training-wise, a revolver is MORE difficult to use in a tactical situation. Learning to shoot is one thing...learning to draw, move, shoot, and reload on the run is a whole different ballgame.

NEVER make the mistake of believing that just because you can shoot tiny groups at distance makes you a good fighter. TACTICS will keep you alive; the gun is just one aspect of the overall discipline of fighting.

[nelson133]

Before the gun is mindset, think it through, are you really ready to use deadly force to protect yourself or another? If you are not sure, you are not ready to carry a gun. Then comes training and practice, as others have said, the gun is not a magic talisman, you have to acquire a minimum level of proficiency It is better to get personal professional training, but getting some good books and/or videos can help, visualize situations and what you would do. Shoot reasonably often, shooting skills deteriorate amazingly fast with out practice. You should end up spending more on ammo than guns.
The particular piece(s) you get, needs to be for you alone. I have taught a number of newbies basic shooting and I usually bring a number of handguns. I have often been amazed by what someone picks as their favorite. One of the reasons that there are so many different models of pistol is that fit and ergonomics differ markedly between people. I can't hit anything with a Glock, and I have tried several, but others love Glocks. Beware of the expert that tells you that you need x make and model pistol, it just doesn't work like that.
Go rent some guns or get to know people who own different guns who will let you shoot them, yo still may end up with something that you don't especially like but the odds will be more in your favor.

[MedWheeler]

Seven of ten people are gonna say "get a Glock". One of the other three will say either get a .44, or a .45. The remaining will tell you that you'll really need to do some more "hands-on" research, like test-driving a different model vehicle you're thinking about. Check out range rentals, or friends with guns. maybe even a local gun club has an enthusiast or three that would love to take you there with a few samples from his collection (at least one of which will be a Glock.) Comp him for his ammo, and a few more bucks for time and cleaning, or help him clean afterward, since you'll need to learn to do that, too.
These days, there are plenty of DAO-only autoloaders (those with the same long trigger pull for every shot), which are, once loaded, just as "point-and-shoot" as revolvers. I like 'em both.
And don't think you're looking for just one gun! Everyone says that; hardly anyone sticks to it! I don't think I could make a decision if I were made to sell off all but one of mine..

[crebralfix]

medwheeler about covered it...you'll end up with more than one gun and the "flavors" will probably be all over the place.

[DWARREN123]

I would, as suggested, find a gun shop that rents guns and fire what you like.
Batman13 check out this site.

WWW.TNGUNOWNERS.COM

[Elvishead]

crebralfix

The old "revolvers are easier" is so much BUNK.

That's a can of worm's ready to be opened.

You almost sound like an expert!

[Old School]

Vern Humphrey says:
For a first carry gun, I generally recommend a .38 Special or .357 revolver with a 3" barrel.

1. Revolvers are much simpler to use than automatics. They are basically point-and-shoot weapons, with no external safety, hammer dropper, slide release, etc.

2. For a newby, they are inherently safer. The long, heavy double action trigger pull is always there, and you can't forget to put it on safe, or accidentally dislodge the safety.

3. You can check a revolver externaly to see if it is unloaded. Many an ND with an automatic has occurred because someone removed the magazine and forgot the round in the chamber.

4. There are plenty of top-quality revolvers around at good prices.

I would recommend the Ruger SP 101, but you may prefer a Smith.
I am with Vern...... +1

[skoro]

A compact revolver like a S&W Model 36 would be a good place to start.

http://www.snubnose.info/images/Model_36_flat_latch.jpg

[Mad Magyar]

a good light wieght compact gun with good stoping power.
Note that this concept has not gone un-noticed by the gun mfgr's. The sight of the poster-child, Jeff Cooper standing upright strapped with the full-size .45 is a distant memory...A quick look-over to the gun rags shows it...The smart money says: smaller, sleeker, potent.....:)

[Pilot]

I prefer the semi-compact 9MM's. Explore this list and see if you can find examples to handle and shoot. .38 Spl or .357 Magnum revolver would be my second choice.

CZ-75D PCR
Sig P228 or P229
HK USPc
Glock 19
Springfield XD-9 Compact

[moxie]

Ruger SP-101. Load with .38 Special. Remington Golden Saber and Speer Gold Dot are two very good loads.

[wheelgunslinger]

Please don't develop the idea that somehow a small revolver is the firearms version of training wheels. It's not.
In fact, if most people are truthful about what they carry, you'll find that a small frame revolver is what they actually do carry. It works in cold weather and in the dog days of summer because it conceals well in shorts or in the pocket of your mackinaw.
After years of carrying for self defense, hunting, and plinking, I still don't feel undergunned with a revolver. If you get a 38 for carry, it could conceivably be the only carry gun you ever have to purchase for the remainder of your life.
This particular reason is what makes the small framed 38 or 357 a good choice for S/D in my book. You can spend years shooting it and carrying it, attending training with it, dry firing it while watching tv (smooths the action), and you will know it backward and forward if and when the time comes to use it in a defense situation.

And, I practice this ethos instead of just preaching it. I have one 357 instead of an arsenal of S/D guns.
The 38/357 small frame revolver really isn't a set of training wheels. It can challenge you for the rest of your life, if you're up for it.

[oldrevolverguy]

You are fortunate to be near one of the premier training facilities in the country, MidSouth Institute. Having attended several primary pistol courses I can tell you that most new shooters replace their initial selected handgun during or immediately following a professionally taught pistol class.

Most training facilities will offer suggestions and/or loaners to use during training. As a new defensive shooter I believe that professional training and learning how to practice good shooting technique is more important than the gun selected. You have received a lot of good information in this thread. You could pick any one of them and, with proper training, it would be an effective defensive tool. Your top priority should be to acquire professional training. That will answer all of your questions.

My 2 cents worth. Good luck.

[SCKimberFan]

Ditto what Tim said about training and trying different guns.

Putting out a question that starts with "What gun...(or any variation)" will get you 100 different answers from 100 different people. I would suggest trying as many as you can and go with what feels best in your hand and you can shoot accurately with.

[presspuller]

While I am a big fan of the .45 acp round when it came to carrying it I found it just too heavy. I could not afford one of the light weight Kimbers that fit them either.
I ended up going with a Kel-Tec P-11. Just a shade over 1 pound fully loaded with 10+1 rounds I can carry it all day and not know that its there. It is a double action only so no safeys to fumble with when the time comes.
Try as many as you can and go with what feels right for you. I started out trying to find a revolver that suited me for the job but simply never could find what I liked. If it was light enough then it was too thick through the cylinder, if it was small enough then I was limited to 5 rounds.... the list goes on and on.
I have been very pleased with what I ended up with.
Good luck and let us know what you get.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

First, there are roughly 348634905029 threads in existence on first gun or which carry gun. So if yo search around, you will find lots and lots of input.

Second, the answer depends almost entirely on which METHOD of carry/concealment you will use to carry the gun. Almost every question of size/configuration, etc., depends on the carry method (single vs. double-stack, revolver vs. auto, subcompact vs. compact vs. full size, etc.)

I'd say decide caliber first, then action type next (true DAO, pre-sprung DAO, SAO with manual, or DA/SA), with revolver being put in the true DAO category, then decide method of carry (pocket, smartcarry, IWB holster, OWB holster, ankle holster, belly band, other), then that dictates your choices from there. Obviously, some of the choices are independent. I'd say tell us the budget, the likely carry mode, the preferred action type, how often you will be carrying, preferred caliber, and what's the climate like in your area - hot, warm, cool, cold, and we can go from there, and probably give you some ideas of which guns you should go try to rent to see if you like them.

[MICHAEL T]

A good 9mm I carried a S&W 3913 and found it slim accurate and relieable . Weight wasn't a issue either.
A good holster is a must as is a belt. With more experice a 1911 compact down road, maybe. I gave found a snubnose 38 a diffcult pistol to shoot accurate at even 10yds on DA . I don't think its a beginner pistol.
I have J frame but not carried much.

[Eyesac]

I think you're talking about my Glock 27:D Yup, that's my vote. Go check one out and see if you like it.

[bragood]

I ALWAYS carry my smith 642. Its light (supp. 15 ounces unloaded) and it goes everywhere. When I first started carrying I thought my mentor was doing the "revolvers are training wheels" thing but turns out its true what someone else said, many people carry them. I love mine. I pick it up, pull the trigger, and it goes bang everytime. What more could you want? Just my thoughts. Also check around as you may go through a few guns before you find the right one.

[Wildfire]

Hey There;
Mine is a KIMBER ULTA CARRY.. Accurate, light weight, .45acp, and very dependable.

[owlhoot]

The Kahr CW9 is one answer. It's relatively inexpensive, light weight, easy to shoot well, easy to conceal, and a very simple manual of arms.

BTW, I notice you are in Knoxville so regardless of what you chose, if you are a novice shooter of good character, PM me if you need to learn to shoot. I'm a retired police instructor and NRA instructor. Free of course.

[3KillerBs]

Find a way to handle as many guns as possible -- at a gun show, perhaps.

As a new shooter I was stunned to discover that guns need to fit just like shoes and office chairs.

I actually have ended up deciding on my soon-to-be-purchased carry gun based on size first (I'm small and have a small upper limit to what I can effectively conceal), ergonomics second, and caliber third -- and that based on the cost of shooting it enough to get good with it rather than the raw size of the holes.

My choice is a Taurus 85 revolver. 5 shots of .38special plus a couple of speed loaders and no guarantee I'd ever have a chance to use them in a dangerous encounter.

My DH's choice was a S&W M&P and he'll be getting the compact too because the butt on the full size prints with some shirts. That's 17 shots of 9mm with a spare magazine on the other side of his belt -- and a lot more weight to cope with daily.

They're very different guns, but they suit the hands that are going to be holding them and the bodies that are going to be wearing them so both are right, just not for the same person.

Unless you are under some immediate threat, in case mere availability trumps all, don't jump in too quickly but take your time to do your research and try as many guns as you can rent or borrow. :)

[crebralfix]

Quote:
crebralfix

The old "revolvers are easier" is so much BUNK.
That's a can of worm's ready to be opened.

You almost sound like an INTERNET expert!

I fixed your post!