Hey Newbies , plan on buying you're 1st semi auto?

[el Godfather]

I like your resolve to help the new commers to this hobby. We are all trying to improve upon what you have suggested, not that we are trying to put down what you said. We respect what your opinion.

In this forum I am trying to learn from people who perhaps know things that I don't.

 

[Wanderling]

I fully agree on buying new, but disagree with a couple of points.

Internet is the best tool available for research. When used properly, it beats a LGS salesman's "frank opinion" most times.

And yes do stick with brands, or rather well known and proven models. As a newbie you'd want something that has a proven record, is known to be reliable, and hopefully requires the least amount of tinkering straight out of the box.

I also would strongly suggest not getting a pocket / snubnose / sub-compact pistol as your first gun. The first gun should be an easy shooter, first and above all. That's what a newbie will learn on, so it has to fit well, be easy to aim & shoot, be easy to clean. Last thing a new shooter wants is the gun that requires so much special care and special skill it all gets too frustrating.

And I do think 9mm is the best beginner caliber - relatively cheap, relatively light, yet still "serious".

 

[modifiedbrowning]

Good post triplebike. Can't say the same for many of the other posts.

 

[ObsidianOne]

Triplebike, I admire the fact that you're trying to help new people in their quest for buying a first semi-auto, but I don't believe you fully understand all the facts that come into play here. I'm sure most of us don't and aren't qualified to be the word on picking a first gun (except maybe 9mmepiphany, who has what seems to be an extensive background and has probably come across and trained more shooters than you or I know combined how to become exceptional students). It's okay to make suggestions, but one must be careful when doing so, as even if the advice is of pure intention, it can cause serious problems if it isn't fact.

 

[olafhardtB]

When you are starting anything new you can usualy find a bunch of windbags to tell you what to do. Just get a 22 that appeals to you and start. It makes no difference if you pick it because it's cute, ugly or it looks like the one your grand ma kept in the oat meal box. Get some cheap ammo and plink a lot. In a year or so you can pontificate with the best of us.

 

[ku4hx]

All this just to get the "perfect" first gun; it's a wonder any of us are married ... or have kids for that matter.

 

[meanmrmustard]

I'm not a newb, but seriously, there are more arguments than any facts on this thread. "Experienced" blowhards are discounting what they don't agree with by calling them false? Didn't see that coming

I agree with shooting what you can as often as possible and making the most informed decision possible by first hand experience. I do not trust others opinions as greatly as my own, instructors and shooting trainers included, because no one knows what's best for me to shoot but myself. Technique can be taught, but no body can make the decision on what firearm is best for you but yourself. If a gun shoots like crap but it's comfy, fine. I'm not going to sacrifice my palm for accuracy. Besides, shoot enough with anything long enough and you can be accurate. Adding new grips and lasers and bells and whistles don't mean jack if the gun doesn't feel right. Glocks are inheritely accurate. I HATE Glocks. Uncomfortable plastic junk, but accurate. Doesn't mean I'm
buying one, even if an instructor vouches for it. What fun is an accurate pistol that sucks in the hand?

My point is, firsthand is best. Second hand is a gamble.

 

[ku4hx]

My wife (a 62yo new shooter) just got back from a week-long trip to visit her daughter and grand daughter. While she was away, I installed smooth-faced triggers on her G26 (at her request) and on my G27. I also managed to load a few hundred rounds and we're unloading them today at our gun club. She'll also be taking her Ruger Mark III Target and her Marlin .22LR rifle. She picked out the two .22LRs all by herself and she did the same for her 11-87 she shoots skeet and trap with. But before she spent any money, she shot several of my guns. And at one point in the process she told me to back off she'd buy what she wanted. I took that hint and watched her "shop" for several weeks at several local stores and on the internet. She also talked to our gun club manager and took several shooting lessons. And lessons was her idea, not mine.

She's a typical new shooter. They may not get that first pistol purchase (or any gun for that matter) exactly right, but who cares? If it's that bad dang, just buy another, and another, and another ... ad infinitum. She likes her G26 but plans to shoot her first IDPA match with MY Gen4 19. It just didn't take her long to start making really good decisions and the thing is they're all HER decisions, not mine. I'm just watching and grinnin'

Moral of the story when dealing with new shooters, from my perspective, is the same as with a marriage, "hang on loosely" ... advise when asked but don't push, don't lord experience over a new shooter and if they insist allow them to make purchasing errors. It's their money, the purchasing errors are not fatal (sell, trade, safe queen?) and sometimes you have to stumble to learn. In fact, you often get the best lessons from mistakes.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

triplebike:
And last but most important of all, Buy the handgun that BEST FITS YOUR HAND, PERIOD!

MCgunner:
I've never quite understood why this myth persists?

I had a CZ75 Compact that didn't fit my hand, the trigger was too far forward and I would have to reach for that trigger, adjusting the pistol in my hand to do so-- this led to the pistol not being aligned with my arm. I tried to get low profile grips still was too much of a reach. Then I would have to adjust the pistol again to reach the controls. The CZ didn't fit my hand, or my hand didn't fit the CZ. Then again I could have always tried to two fingered upside down trick shot...

 

[MCgunner]

Okay, trigger reach might be a challenge to some folks with tiny hands. I've never had THAT particular problem being a normal 6 ft and normally proportioned. I was referring mostly to grip angle, anyway. I have a standard Mk 2 and a Erma LA22 (Luger grip) and I have owned a couple of Tokes and a couple of 1911s and a lot of stuff in between. I shot 'em all pretty well. I improvised and adapted my grip to the gun. Ain't that tough a deal.

My first handgun was a Hawes single action 22 with a magnum cylinder and I loved it. I agree with the folks that say, "just buy something", except I think it should be a .22 for a lot of reasons. One must learn to shoot before relying on a handgun for defense or hunting or whatever. Once a few thousand rounds of .22 have gone down range, might be time for a more appropriate caliber if it's for self defense. Training along the way never hurt anyone. I was fortunate top be born to a shooting/hunting family with an NRA instructor qualified uncle to tutor me in my early years.

 

[triplebike]

I should have added " Centerfire " to the original title. My fault. I was thinking centerfire when I started this thread. My 1st handgun purchase was a .22. I did purchase a S&W model 59 back in 1972 when I was a young lad, but girls, motorcycles & cars took precedence over firearms.

If you enjoy shooting as much as I do you will own a .22. Going to the range & spending 3-4 hours shooting 500+ rds for a cost of less than 20 bucks, add in the just plain fun factor, is a heck of a bargain. My .22 is over 4 yrs old now & I've probably put well over 30,000 rds down range.

 

[raubvogel]

IMHO, you should see if you can get to shoot as many different guns you can. Some ranges rent guns. Or you might know someone who has different guns and will let you shoot them -- ideally supervised -- if you pay for the ammo.

And ask questions... lots of them. To people on the range, online, to a gun instructor, or even in a gun show. And take all the replies with not a grain but more like a Mack truck worth of salt. Remember people are biased so you might have to do a lot of filtering.

Also, be prepared that your first gun might be the wrong one. And accept it. You probably done the same when you bought your first (or second or whatever) car. Or motorcycle. Few people get it right the first time. Which reminds me: I was always told your first motorcycle should be a cheap used one you can get parts for. Expect you will not keep it, but in the mean time it might teach you a lot. You can only refine your taste once you can compare it with something you have experienced.

 

[ku4hx]

Re: raubvogel, "Also, be prepared that your first gun might be the wrong one. And accept it."

That little gem of a truth is so often forgotten or so often dismissed as not applicable. Few people get anything perfectly right the very first time and choosing a gun is no exception. And if you don't buy the perfect first gun, it's not a tragedy ... get over it. It's just a gun, just a thing like a pair of shoes you now find are too tight after eight hours of wearing them.