Recommendation for first handgun?

[VNgo]

I'm considering what I should get for my first handgun (turning 21 in October of this year), and figured this would be a good place to ask around. As this will be my primary defensive and practice piece for the foreseeable future, I'm willing to invest in a top-quality brand-name weapon -- I cannot, however, afford to pay more than about a thousand dollars at the very most.

The only absolute criteria are that it has to be California legal and it has to be able to reliably feed JHP ammo when properly maintained; I would greatly prefer something that has or can be inexpensively refitted with ambidextrous controls and have a slight preference for semiautomatics over revolvers. Concealed carry is not a factor.

My previous firearms experience, which is probably somewhat relevant to what kind of gun I should be getting, is relatively limited; I've been to firing ranges three times and have fired the following (in order):

First Session:
- A range rental generic double action .38 Special revolver
- A range rental generic double action .22LR revolver
- A range rental generic double action 9mm semiautomatic

Second Session:
- My best friend's mom's old snub-barreled double action Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver
- A range rental Beretta 92FS

Third Session:
- A range rental Beretta 8040 Cougar
- A range rental Ruger P90
- A range rental Smith & Wesson 686 revolver w/ 6" barrel
- A NAA Mini-Revolver lent by the really nice lady in the next lane
- A Sig P226 lent by the same lady

I was able to score consistent head, center-of-mass and groin hits at five and seven meters with all of the handguns except the NAA Mini, shooting with both a two-handed Weaver stance and a one-handed "Cowboy" stance with the gun in either hand (I'm ambidextrous, so I wanted to practice shooting with either hand). Accuracy didn't seem to be appreciably less using one hand, although muzzle flip was increased and it took longer to line up the next shot; shooting the Ruger one-handed was somewhat painful after about the sixth round, although I'm not sure whether it was because of the recoil or simply the straight backstrap which didn't fit my hand very well. I didn't have any problem shooting it two-handed, though, so I'm reasonably confident that I can comfortably handle any medium caliber up to a .40 S&W or .45 ACP.

Thanks in advance, everyone.


Viet H. Ngo

P.S.: No arguments about shotguns being a better choice for first firearm, please. I thought about it a long time and finally dedided I simply want a handgun, even if it's somewhat less effective.

[AnklePocket]

Sig P228

[P95Carry]

Hmmm ... this is quite a popular question ......... and you'll get a whole panoply of answers!!

My thinking .... do NOT go and spend a grand cos you can .... unless that is you are 100% set on a particular piece that you just know will be right. Many will suggest the inevitable .45acp ... 1911 and variants thereof. Nothing wrong there but .. I reckon you need to allow for other things too.

I would consider tho thinking for this first gun/carry piece ... more of a 9mm ... such as P95 (OK I have slight bias!) .. but this gun will be yours for probably under $350 ... and if not quite what you want for carry in the end ... it is still a good piece to have in the (coming!) collection ... and you have not broken the bank.

Prepare for MANY suggestions to come ... in the end you will still have much decision making left to do for yourself.

Tell ya what ... once you have I hope ''narrowed the field'' .. maybe post a new thread with your three most likely choices and let us vote on those .... all might help to narrow down what is in fact .. a huge choice.

Later

[Preacherman]

I'd side (strongly! :D ) with P95Carry, and recommend a cheaper gun for your first handgun. The Ruger P95 is very, very reliable, and very low-cost compared to many alternatives. With the over $600 you will have saved, buy ammunition! Lots of ammunition! $600 will buy you about 4,000 rounds of 9mm. ammunition from an online dealer (including shipping costs), and that's an awful lot of good practice right there!

Later, you'll be able to buy guns more suited for CCW, hunting, etc.: but for a first handgun, buy something reliable and practice, practice, practice!

An alternative might be to buy something like the P95, and also a good .22 pistol or revolver. If you invest, say, $600 in two guns, the remaining $400 will buy you a thousand rounds of 9mm. and at least TEN thousand rounds of .22 ammo - even more practice! :D

[VNgo]

My thinking .... do NOT go and spend a grand cos you can .... unless that is you are 100% set on a particular piece that you just know will be right. Many will suggest the inevitable .45acp ... 1911 and variants thereof. Nothing wrong there but .. I reckon you need to allow for other things too.

I said that to prevent people from recommending uber-nice guns I couldn't possibly afford. Because then I'd be all depressed.

Prepare for MANY suggestions to come ... in the end you will still have much decision making left to do for yourself.

I'm hoping to come up with a list of recommendations to take to a gun store and check out; then I'll pick my top five based on look and feel, find a range where I can rent them and test-fire a box or two of ammo through each.

[Kestryll]

For a first handgun I would recommend medium framed .357 Magnum with a three to four inch barrel. Start with some target level .38 Special ammo and get real familiar with it then move up to .357 mag ammo.
A revolver makes a nice starter handgun because they are so versatile. You can download them for target or range work, upload them for hunting or defense, and there is very little in the way of manual of arms to learn. There are no complex failure clearance drills that you MUST learn with a semi-auto to deal with when you use a revolver. If the round doesn't fire, squeeze again and move to the next chamber.
Saftey concerns are just as important but somewhat easier than a semi-auto. Open the cylinder, not only can you check whether the weapon is loaded but now it is in it's safest condition.

Look at Ruger, Smith or Taurus for a decent mid-sized 4 inch .357 with adjustable sights. You should find them to be about 1/2 to 2/3 the price of a decent semi-auto. Take the resr of the money you have alotted and buy ammo, range time and training.

[George S.]

Rather than set a dollar limit on a handgun, you might think about what fits your hand the best. IMHO, there's no point in spending a lot of money for somethat doesn't feel right in your hand.

Assuming you intent to practice a lot to gain proficiency, I would suggest something like 9mm as that particular caliber of ammo doesn't cost a lot. For example, Wal-Mart usually had the Winchester White Box 100 round valu packs for about $11.00. While there are a lot of arguments about the defensive capability of the 9mm round, a 130gr JHP like the Federal Hydra-Shoks or even a 147gr Remington Golden Saber JHP will provide good stopping power should the need arise.

My first centerfire handgun was a Ruger P89 9mm. It has an ambi-safety and an ambi mag release. I'm left-handed so that was an important feature to me. The particular model I bought came with Hogue rubber grips and it fit my hand quite well. The 9mm doesn't have quite the recoil of the .40 S&W or the .45ACP so it may be easier on your hands for range practice.

I've since added a Springfield 1911 and a Ruger GP100 .357 to my collection. I also like both of these but none of them are what I would call "easily" concealable for CCW.

Right now the P89 is my home defense pistol simply because I have practiced more with it and tested a few hundred rounds of Remington GS for reliability. Once I have 300-400 rounds of JHP through the .45 it will have an equal footing for a defense gun

I would recommend a Ruger simply because they are rugged, reasonably priced and will take a lot of abuse from hi-velocity rounds. Ruger even states in their instruction manual that it will handle any standard, +P, or +P+ ammo made to known standards. It may not be the prettiest pistol out there, but functionally it does the job quite well. I can get 3" groups with mine at 25yds with 115gr FMJ ammo.

[Josey]

IMNSHO, 9MM and two types, semi-auto and revolver. Yes, BOTH!! I would buy a ambi Browning Hi-Power in 9MM and a Taurus snub 9MM. You have two pistols for different moods and purposes. Wal-Mart 100 pks of 9MM is cheap also. When you decide to go for CCW, you have two excellent weapons already. You can use these two weapons for HD, target, IPSC or just plinking. You can customize and accessorize them both also. I believe you can get them both in that budget. A gunshop will usually discount a larger purchase. There is also layaway!

[VNgo]

IMNSHO, 9MM and two types, semi-auto and revolver. Yes, BOTH!!

Not a bad suggestion, but it was hard enough to talk my parents into letting me keep *one* firearm at their place (the college dorms have a strict no-guns policy). I think it'll have to be just one, regardless of price.

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Viet and Other's-

Well, I will chime in and try to help sort things out a bit!
Lots of good advice so far; but you stated that you had
a slight preference for semi-auto's over revolvers, right?
If that is the case, you need to decide what type of
firing system you prefer. With that said, here is what's
out there:

a) single action- as used on all 1911 style .45's, as well
as the Browning Hi-Power.

b) double action- as used on SIG's, Beretta 92/96 models
Smith & Wesson self-loaders, H&K USP's, etc.

c) double action only- in use on many of the same guns.

d) safe action trigger- found exclusively on all Glocks;
operates very much like a double action revolver.

Given those four factors, the choices are many. IMHO,
for perfect balance, reliability, and accuracy, you need
not look any further than a SIG. With that said, I
favor the .45 caliber P220A; with a 9m/m P228 right on
its heels!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[Feanaro]

Not a big pistolero but let me see... something cheapish(preferably) and easily converted to ambi if not already.

Well, Springfield has the Mil-Spec line of 1911s. The standard version(PB9108L) has 3-Dot combat sights and a lowered ejection port(for better extraction) for an MSRP of $620. You can normally get it about a hundred cheaper. And it passes the California drop-tests, since it has a narrower 38 Super firing pin. If you want to go uber-cheap, the GI service model(PW9108L) has the original GI sights and the original(higher) ejection port for an MSRP $484. Depending on where you are, it can be had for $384. And it also passes California drop-tests IIRC.

Some people think Springfields are unreliable. My experiance has been otherwise but they might also be right. You can also get a Chip McCormick ambi safety for cheap.

A revolver is always a good choice. A nice .357 from Taurus can be had for two, three or four hundred bucks. I'm rather fond of the M608, frame is a little bigger than most .357s but it has eight rounds. Or if you are a suck.... errrm, have more exacting tastes you can get a S&W for a hundred or two(or three) more, depending on where you buy.

Other good guns out there but I'm sure others will mention them soon.

[Waitone]

I just love being a contrarian.

Start at the ammo shelf of your range. Before you get there develop a clear picture in you mind how many boxes per month you intend to shoot to develop the level of proficiency you desire.

With that number in mind head to the ammo shelf and price out a month's worth of shooting in each of the calibers you investigate. You'll find out pretty quickly the cost of acquisition of a firearm is not the cost of ownership.

.22LR, 9mm, and .38 spl tend to be discounted and available in places like Walley World. Take you savings and spend the money on training from a professional. It is money well spent.

[Thefumegator]

I'd strongly recommend a 9mm. Cheap but effective ammo, tons of options for guns and ammunition.

The idea to get a semi and a revolver is a great one, if you can work it out.

I would recommend a Browning HP, but like others, I am biased. That's what I got for my first handgun, and I absolutely love it. My only complaints are the cold weather (keeping me from shooting it) and my low winter budget, keeping me from buying more accessories and ammo for it.

Ultimately though, you'll have to decide. Get whatever fits your hand best.

Let us know what you wind up with! :D ;)

Wes

[Gary H]

I think that you are doing great. Just keep renting guns. Wait until you can answer your own question.

[VNgo]

Well, I will chime in and try to help sort things out a bit!
Lots of good advice so far; but you stated that you had
a slight preference for semi-auto's over revolvers, right?
If that is the case, you need to decide what type of
firing system you prefer.

Oh yeah, forgot to specify that. I prefer SA or SA/DA (although I almost always rack the slide for SA on an SA/DA, I like the idea of having the DA for panic situations).

On a revolver, single action for safety.

[VNgo]

Take you savings and spend the money on training from a professional. It is money well spent.

Normally a great suggestion, but I can get free lessons from a friend of mine who's a retired L.A. County Sheriff. He's the guy who took me shooting the first time, and he's *really good*.

[Black Majik]

Since you didn't specify what gun you liked to shoot out of the ones your rented or borrowed, I'm gonna throw in a suggestion to try out the 1911 platform. The 1911 was my first handgun I purchased and I was completely happy with it.

Now, for the 1911 suggestion, the NRM (New Rollmark) Colt Government would be my choice. Great reliable & accurate gun.

The .45 ACP round also makes big holes with a smooth recoil :o :D

If you can, also loo for the 1911 platform in 9mm. It'll be much cheaper to shoot and practice to become good with.

[VNgo]

Since you didn't specify what gun you liked to shoot out of the ones your rented or borrowed, I'm gonna throw in a suggestion to try out the 1911 platform. The 1911 was my first handgun I purchased and I was completely happy with it.

Some form of 1911 is definitely on my "to-try" list, yes. If for no other reason that a 1911 is second only to a Beretta 92 for elegant looks.

[Rich357]

As others have suggested the 9mm has enough power to be useful for SD situations and is cheap enough to let you get quite a bit of practice without breaking the bank.

I don't know if you would like the grip size but the SIG P239 is one of the less expensive SIGs. It is also amazingly easy to shoot well. The P226 is larger and more expensive but also a fine pistol. The P229 for some reason is even more expensive, but again a fine pistol.

I also like Glocks. If you haven't already, try some 9mm Glocks (G17, G34, G19, G26). Once you get used to the trigger you will be surprised how accurate a Glock can be.

The HK P2000 with the LEM trigger system should available in CA later this year. It certainly counds interesting. I look forward to trying one.

If you wouldn't mind spending $1200+, the S&W Performance Center 952-1 is absolutely outstanding. I have one and love it.

Good luck,
Rich

[Ala Dan]

Another thought, after you make your decision on caliber
acquire a QUALITY firearm regardless of choice! The
reason I bring this up is, suppose you buy something that
just doesn't work out for you. At the very least, you want
to be able to recoup most of your original cash out lay.

Finding the "perfect firearm" for some, is a chore. If a bad
decision is made from "jump street"; then it gets awfully
tough on the old wallet.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[JamisJockey]

My suggestion:
Medium frame .357 revolver. You get alot of bang, you get to shoot .38 special ammo for practice, its alot simpler to operate then an auto, and the learning curve is more forgiving.
With your $1000 price limit, you could easily afford a nice .357 and a decent 9mm.
Might I suggest, a Taurus Model 65
http://www.taurususa.com/imagesMain/H_65B4.jpg
http://www.taurususa.com/products/product-details.cfm?model=65B4&category=Revolver

For an auto, I'm a Taurus and Ruger fan. Great values and great quality.
anything from 9mm-.45, depending on what you're into. Ruger P series are very large framed, pretty accurate guns. See what fits your hand, though, before buying.

[Majic]

I have an idea that might let you slip around your parent's restriction. Consider the CZ-75 in 9mm. Excellent pistol with good ergonomics, full sized, durable, a good value today, and has the ability of being used DA or SA.
Purchase the Kadet conversion unit and change it into a .22lr pistol for easier, economical shooting.You end up with 1 quality pistol with the capability of shooting 2 different cartridges all for around $600. That leaves plenty of money left for purchasing ammo. There are other pistols for which conversion kits are avilable for, but I think the CZ is the cheapest combo considering all the factors.

[Berg01]

If you're limited to one gun, a good general-purpose revolver would be my choice. The S&W 686 or the Ruger GP-100 with either a 4" or 6" barrel are good ones to look at. Should cost you $300.00 - $350.00, and I wouldn't rule out a decent used one, since these things are built like truck axles, and tend to hold up well with use. Save the rest of your money for ammo, rangetime, maybe some instruction, and school.

[caz223]

Dammit, I wanted to be the first to recommend the CZ75.
Oh well, I get to second the recommendation.
The garden variety CZ75b doesn't look impressive, or exude quality like $600 to $1000 dollar pistols from H&K, SIG, etc, and the ones I have aren't as accurate as said SIGs, etc but for less than $400, you can get a 9mm pistol that's cheap to feed, hi-caps are available, and the ergonomics are very, very hard to beat for the price.
Here's the test...
Grab an empty CZ75b.
Verify that it's empty.
Aim it at a spot on the wall, at eye-level.
Close your eyes, move the gun to the left and right, up and down and then do a circle. )Don't spin in a circle, or anything like that, just move the gun in a circle.) With eyes still closed, try to re-aim at that spot on the wall.
Open eyes.
How did you do?
Try again.
1911s and CZs are the best for me at this test.
Every gun is different, and every person is different, try it for yourself.
BTW, that test is one of three called natural point of aim.

Amib controls=CZ85 combat....

[azrael]

here is my .02 cents...I am going to go against the grain a little and say to stear clear of the single action auto's...once you have some training you can move up if ya want...

here is my top 4 pics for a newbies first pistol..

Ruger 4 in. GP 100....cheap practice ammo and an easier manual of arms for someone new to learn..

Taurus 4in .357 magnum...get the medium frame...reason's same as above

Springfield xd-9 9mm...good gun has grip safety and ammo is cheap

Glock 19 9mm...same as above except for grip safety

[VNgo]

I've handled Glocks before, although not fired them, and I'm entirely unhappy with the grips. Besides, they're butt ugly.

[azrael]

yea I dont like the grips on a Glock all that much myself...The xd-9 however feels great..Give it a try

[Majic]

Azrael, Isn't the XD basically a single action pistol? The striker is the loaded chamber indicator and the pistol has no way of decocking. So once you load the chamber and the indicator shows it's loaded then the striker is cocked waiting for the sear to release it.

[azrael]

sort of I guess...But it has a longer trigger pull than most "true" single actions...I think it is a "safe-action" or DAO kinda like the Glock..but dont quote me on that...I am not a gunsmith I just make holsters for them..lol..I like the Grip safety myself but others may not...Some that are more Knowledgeable than I can explain the differences better..

[Trumpet]

Well,
I'm definitely in the 9mm or 357/38 camp. In 9mm it would have to be the CZ75 hands down. Probably the most accurate/reliable/best fitting service 9mm (with the more expensive BHP right behind). Or for a police trade in S&W 19 or 66. They will have some holster wear, but they have hardly been shot. Then take the rest of your money and spend it on some training. No offense to your county sheriff friend but if you go to Gunsite (their classes are the most expensive starting at $750) Badlands (their classes start at $150...a STEAL!) or Front Sight, or Chuck Taylor's academy, you will most likely learn more than he can teach you.

Just a thought
Rich

[VNgo]

No offense to your county sheriff friend but if you go to Gunsite (their classes are the most expensive starting at $750) Badlands (their classes start at $150...a STEAL!) or Front Sight, or Chuck Taylor's academy, you will most likely learn more than he can teach you.

If you're trying to quietly and nicely hint that most cops are barely competent...I know. My friend was on the department's competition pistol team for many years and often complains about fellow officers not putting in enough range time, though, so I figure he's one of the good ones.

The classes you mention are precluded by my lack of a car, but I may look into them sometime in the future.

[Beetle Bailey]

Amib controls=CZ85 combat.... Unfortunately, CZ85 is currently not on California DoJ approved list for handguns. I too recommend you consider the CZ75B and a .22lr Kadet Kit. The trigger smooths out quite a bit after about 500 rounds and the rubber grips feel great. In my area, unfortunately, it's hard to find a shooting range that has CZ's for rent. . .:(

[VNgo]

Isn't the CZ-75 sometimes nicknamed the "Czech wonder nine"?

[joonya187]

My first pistol was a Beretta 92F, precisely for the price of the ammo. I also liked the fit (my hands are kinda biggish) of a Large frame.

[Majic]

The CZ-75 is the original "Wonder Nine". It led the way for all the DA/SA hi-cap 9mm pistols you see on the market today.

[Beetle Bailey]

Let me try to make a link for you. (http://www.world.guns.ru/handguns/hg51-e.htm)

Also try this forum (http://www.czforum.com) for info on any CZ's.

Mine has been totally reliable and hassle-free shooting 9mm (a few stove-pipes with the .22lr but it's just for practice so no biggie :rolleyes: ) but as always you want to look at as much as possible before choosing.

edited to fix links :banghead:

[VNgo]

Hey, that's a pretty good looking gun...very elegant.

[Cactus]

I would recommend a medium frame, double action .357 with a 4" barrel in stainless steel. This is about the most versatile gun you can have if you only have one.

You can shoot .38 special target loads for mild recoiling fun loads all the way up to hot and heavy .357 mag loads for hunting deer and everything in between. You can also use shot loads if you are in snake country. The revolver will generally be less finicky than a semi-auto in regards to ammo that you use and in maintenance needed.

The medium frame and 4" barrel will be compact enough to carry concealed if you are able to and makes an excellant gun for tromping around in the woods. The stainless steel will decrease your maintenance needs as well.

Take a look at Rugers and S&W's. You can find a used Ruger Security Six in excellant condition for as low as $300 or you could go for a nice collectable S&W 66 for a little more in used guns. Or look at Ruger's GP100 or S&W's 686 for a little heavier gun that will also cost a little more.

Even though I love my 1911's, it's tough to beat a good .357 for all around use.

[Beetle Bailey]

I have the CZ75B compact, which is like the second picture, but it isn't as shiny as in the picture. FYI, the only finish for the CZ75 you can get in California is the "Black Polycoat" since for each different coating, they have to re-test the gun :banghead: :rolleyes: . Try to find a local Turner's Outdoorsman since they are an authorized CZ dealer and see how they fit your hand (check out the rubber grips if you can ;) ).

[VNgo]

I would recommend a medium frame, double action .357 with a 4" barrel in stainless steel. This is about the most versatile gun you can have if you only have one.

You can shoot .38 special target loads for mild recoiling fun loads all the way up to hot and heavy .357 mag loads for hunting deer and everything in between. You can also use shot loads if you are in snake country. The revolver will generally be less finicky than a semi-auto in regards to ammo that you use and in maintenance needed.

True, but my (admittedly limited) experience is that semiautomatics simply feel more natural for me.