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[duns]

beretta 92 fs good accuracy & easy to clean

I chose the Beretta 92FS 9mm for my first pistol. I saw it as a nightstand gun where its considerable size and weight would not matter. I am very pleased with this choice. It's essentially the same pistol that has been used by most of the US military for the last 20 years or so and it has proven reliability and durability. Due to its weight, perceived recoil is low. It's accurate. It's extremely easy to disassemble for cleaning. It's relatively cheap for such a quality gun, probably because it has been produced in such large numbers. Some people might think it's not cool because it is an old design but I like that it is tried and tested. Some people don't like the safety/decocker that projects from the rear of the slide, saying you can hurt your hand on it, but I haven't found any problem with it.

For my 9mm carry gun, I chose a Walter p99C AS (the "C" denotes compact). This is about the same size as the popular Glock G26. I didn't particularly want a Glock mainly because I think they are rather uninteresting. I have had the Walther too short a time to say much about it yet.

I think the Smith & Wesson M&P Compact 9mm could be another excellent choice for a carry gun. I haven't tried one but have been very tempted by what I have read about it.

 

[1jeff]

try as many as you can get your hands on and get the one you are comfortable with .

 

[jfrey]

Try the Kahr CW9. reta pistol for carry.

 

[kludge]

I do not currently own a firearm but am planning on purchasing one soon.

My current interest is in 9mm handguns. What would be the best starter gun to purchase? Which would be the easiest to learn to fire and clean? From your point of view, which is the best made, considering realiability, strength of manufacture, ease of operation, safest to operate?

Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.

Get thee to a class. Find an instructor who will let you shoot several.

I love the Sprinfield XD pistols.

 

[easyg]

I am a new member this site. I do not currently own a firearm but am planning on purchasing one soon.

My current interest is in 9mm handguns. What would be the best starter gun to purchase? Which would be the easiest to learn to fire and clean? From your point of view, which is the best made, considering realiability, strength of manufacture, ease of operation, safest to operate?

Any ideas and suggestions will be appreciated.

How about a 9mm revolver?


Taurus 905

You can't get more simple, more reliable, and easier to operate than a revolver....

Open cylinder
Put bullets in cylinder
Closed cylinder
Point at target
Pull trigger repeatedly until all five bullets go bang
Open cylinder
Eject the empty brass

Repeat till hearts content.




But if it simply must be an autoloader....

Glock 19
S&W M&P9c
SpringField Armory XD9 compact

Any of these three will do you just fine.

Sigs and HK are great too, but IMHO, they are just too darn expensive for what you get.


Good luck,
Easy

 

[Boats]

Anything but a Glock as long as it is made by a reputable manufacturer.

Why on earth would anyone want to get a misshapen in the grip pistol as a first handgun? It'd be like asking for first car recommendations and having the clowns chime in "Get a Clown Car, it's what we all drive and most cops are forced to use one too!!"

Meanwhile, the majority of the sane world drives something that fits individual human beings without all of the excuses that come standard with the clown car ownership.

If you ever want to read something funny, take in some accounts of former Glock shooters who suddenly found themselves shooting better than they dreamt possible, some in as few as a handful of minutes, but only after getting away from their Austrian handicap.

 

[easyg]

Anything but a Glock as long as it is made by a reputable manufacturer.

Why on earth would anyone want to get a misshapen in the grip pistol as a first handgun?

It might come as a shock to you Boats, but the Glock grip and grip-angle fits most folks just fine.
I've shot a lot of handguns over the years, and I'm more accurate with a Glock than most handguns I have shot.


Just because Glocks don't fit your hand is no reason to steer others away from them.

 

[Boats]

It doesn't fit a lot of people's hands. Even some of their fans can't stand that aspect of them. The OP deserves a fair warning that if the grip sucks to him it's not his imagination or cross to bear "dealing with it."

Instead he gets "the cops use it rah rah." If even *some* Glock owners would simply post along these lines:

They're not for everyone because of the grip angle and other grip decisions that Glock made aren't commonplace, but if you like the feel of it you have a keeper.

Instead, static is served that the Glock is the answer for everyone, regardless. I offer the counterpoint--A Glock is good for no one unless they adopt it on its own merits after deciding whether they can live with the horrendous ergonomics.

 

[easyg]

The OP deserves a fair warning that if the grip sucks to him it's not his imagination or cross to bear "dealing with it."

Excellent point.
But I think that most folks can determine for themselves if the gun is comfortable to shoot or not.

I offer the counterpoint--A Glock is good for no one unless they adopt it on its own merits after deciding whether they can live with the horrendous ergonomics.

The exact opposite of an excellent point.

What you see as "horrendous ergonomics" I see as fantastic ergonomics.
To me, and plenty of other shooters, the Glock is very comfortable and very natural to shoot.
Again, just because they don't work for you does not mean that anything is inherently wrong with them.

If you tried on some Merrell shoes and they felt awful on your feet, it would be dishonest to run around claiming that Merrell makes shoes that have "horrendous ergonomics".

 

[wbwanzer]

Beretta makes a fine gun in my opinion. Here's an Italian made 92FS:


Stoeger (Beretta) makes an excellent gun for the money in the Cougar:


CZ makes some very fine and well thought of pistols:


And of course SIG makes some wonderfull guns too, for a little more money:

 

[Confederate]

Greetings, and welcome.

The Glocks are decent handguns, but in my opinion they're not a good first handgun. You should be specially trained in their use if you're going to buy one -- and just about every police department and agency that has gone to the Glocks has seen a sharp increase in accidental discharges. They have no safeties and, in my view, they need one.

Although hi-capacity 9mm handguns have a great appeal, I highly recommend the Ruger Mark II/III .22LR. Ammo is cheap, easily obtained, and the Ruger can fire ten shots in about four seconds, and put them in a dead center mass.

A great second gun is a good .357 mag revolver (which shoots both .357 and .38 Special) and then the 9mm is an outstanding gun to buy.

Just my opinion, mind you...use it or lose it. My favorite 9mm is the S&W 5906, which no longer is made. It's stainless steel, takes 20 shot clips, is safe and accurate -- and can usually be found used. The craftsmanship is excellent. Berettas also are fine, as are Sigs.

 

[MandH2010]

name that gun!

Okay here's another gun i am looking for with these requirements

Revolver
9MM - 45ACP
Blackened stainless
Hi-Viz sights
4" Barrel
Single/Double Action
good grip
not too much recoil (i hate recoil)

if you have seen a gun matching this description please call 555-the-wanted

 

[NJGunOwner81]

Welcome!

Hello BRFishMan!

Let me start off by welcoming you to a great board! I've never seen a board with so many VERY knowledgeable people willing to help anyone with just about anything ... so you'll never be at a loss for opinions!

Onto your question ... getting people's opinions on what to buy is great but remember this is YOUR gun and it has to be something that YOU like and that YOU are comfortable with! You're asking questions that, to me, seem out of order for what you want to do.

This is your first handgun so everything you do is going to be a learning experience and a gun is a good size investment $$$ so I am going to turn this around on you! My main goal is to try to make sure you don't end up with Buyer's Remorse ... so just try to bear with me on this little rant here!


1. What kind of gun do YOU like? I'm not talking about if the gun is easy to clean or if it's a good price or a good name ... are you drawn more to a revolver or a semi-auto? BOTH have advantages and disadvantages and you will get people on this board who LOVE revolvers and HATE autos and the other way around. This isn't about them ... it's about YOU!

I'm going to say this and I KNOW I'm going to get beat up on this but I don't care because it matters to you in how you ... (know it sounds corny but) ... how you bond with your gun! When I decided to get my first gun I went online to all the gun makers I could find and I looked at all their different guns. You know how I decided between a revolver and a semi-auto? I thought the semi looked cooler! That's it! No real research, no polling ... I liked the look of the gun! Period! My heart was set on a semi and you could have given me a revolver ... BRAND NEW & FREE and I just wouldn't have loved it like I love my semi now!

Once you decide for sure between a revolver and semi that helps you big time because you reduced your possibilities by half!

2. Caliber! You said you were interested in a 9MM ... why? I have no problem with 9MM and if that's what you really want that's cool. But don't make choices based on what others say. Have you fired guns before ... or been around them? If you havn't then every caliber is going to make you jump and flinch a little when you first shoot it ... personally I think what you hear from a movie gun is entirely different than an actual gun! I picked a 45 for my first gun and until I got used to it I flinched ... it's loud ... and whether it's a 9MM, 44MAG, 10MM, 45 or whatever ... they're all going to go boom and get you at least once if you're new it's the nature of the beast!

I have a 45 ... not so much because it's what I wanted or knew about but more so because of the style of gun I chose. I picked a 1911 style semi-auto and most of them (Not all) but most are chambered for a 45 caliber round. And I tell you something ... when I first took it onto the range I was a little scared! Listen, I'd never fired a gun in my life and there I was standing there with this big 45 and from what I heard from people on boards a 45 had a really hard kick to it. I was so scared of the gun whipping out of my hands, hitting me in the head, then the gun falling to the floor with a loud thud and having everyone stare at me like I was the biggest tool on the planet. But you know what, it wasn't that bad! ALL regular type handguns will have some recoil but all are manageable so if you're getting a 9MM because you heard somebody say a 45 will break your wrist it just isn't so!


I realize that I have written more than others so I'm going to leave it here for now until you reply back! People on this board will tell you what guns shoot better or what the best ammo is or best way to sight in a gun but you know what is REALLY going to affect your shooting skills??? BUYER'S REMORSE! THAT WILL KILL YOU! If you have buyer's remorse and don't like the gun or have a case of the would-a/could-a/should-as you will never be truly comfortable with the gun and then you won't practice as much with it and you'll wind up with a VERY expensive paperweight! Maybe people won't or don't want to admit it but they know I'm right on this! If I invented a pink, Barbie, glitter gun in the shape of a triangle and it was found to be the most accurate, reliable gun on the planet you'd still have a ton of people saying bite me, I'm sticking with my gun! Because they LOVE it!

I hope it helps ... I hope it gives you something to think about! Again, I am sorry for the length of the message but I want you to REALLY be happy with your pistol when you get it!

Respectfully,

Frank
NJGunOwner81

 

[riceboy72]

Welcome to THR!! When it comes to selecting your first pistol, quite a few things come into play so that you can make the right choice, and feel good about it. When you ask a question such as yours, you will get many different answers which are based upon many things depending on the person. Among them, experience level, purpose of the pistol, ergonomics, size of the person, and - believe it or not - where you live as certain states prohibit the ownership of certain firearms, or magazines that hold higher than 10 rounds, can affect your decision. Take your time and do not make a hasty purchase.

One of the best things I would recommend, especially if you are a new shooter, would be to go and seek professional instruction. It's well worth the time, and not only does it help with shooting, it can also help you understand what to do should you have to use your pistol and what liabilities go along with it. Go to a gun range that has the option of renting pistols and shoot as many as you can that interest you; make sure it fits YOUR needs and not that of your buddy who goes with you, or the guy one lane over who thinks his pistol is the best.

There are many good options out there, and plenty of quality pistols can be found at great prices once you make up your mind. Invest the time and money with a good instructor, and once you have an idea of your abilities, let that tailor your pistol selection. Double or single action? Double stack or single stack? Safety or no safety? Only you can decide that, and you have many great options to check out as offered by the members here. Things like learning to clean the gun should be considered, but it's not as important as picking a gun that works for you. Once you find a gun you like, cleaning and field stripping it becomes one of the easiest things you need to worry about.

Let us know what you decide, and here's to safe shooting!!

 

[SalchaketJoe]

I just purchased a CZ Compact D PCR, and I would recommend it highly. Myself and my wife have put 400 trouble free rounds through it so far and I swear the trigger gets smoother with every pull. Very accurate and easy to control. You owe yourself just to put one in your hand, for me it felt like no other pistol. My hand just melted around the grip.

I love the Glock 19, but it just doesnt feel the same.

 

[Boats]

If you tried on some Merrell shoes and they felt awful on your feet, it would be dishonest to run around claiming that Merrell makes shoes that have "horrendous ergonomics".

If Merrell were the only company out there selling footwear where even a sizeable fraction of Merrell's own fans were cutting, burning, and dremeling on their shoes to make them more comfortable to wear, I do believe it would not be irrational to conclude that Merrell is doing something wrong as regards proper shoe fit.

 

[AJChenMPH]

To the OP: many recommendations already, all of them good. Safety all boils down to The Four Rules, so as long as you follow them all else is generally personal preference (safeties, DA/SA vs. DAO triggers, etc.). Best bet is to handle as many as you can (and if you're lucky, shoot them too) and choose one based on what feels best in your hand.

How about a 9mm revolver?



Taurus 905

You can't get more simple, more reliable, and easier to operate than a revolver....

Open cylinder
Put bullets in cylinder
Closed cylinder
Point at target
Pull trigger repeatedly until all five bullets go bang
Open cylinder
Eject the empty brass

Repeat till hearts content.

Missing one huge thing: the 905 uses moonclips to hold the rimless 9mm round, so it's not as simple as just loading up rounds and firing them. There are a few 9mm revolver threads in the Revolver forum that have more info.

 

[easyg]

Missing one huge thing: the 905 uses moonclips to hold the rimless 9mm round, so it's not as simple as just loading up rounds and firing them.

Actually, it is just that simple.

The 905 works just fine with or without the moonclips.
However, if you're not using the moonclips you do have to eject the brass casings one at a time.

 

[EMT40SW]

Get a Glock 19, if you do not like it sell it.

 

[Shadow 7D]

As you can see, many options, and many opinions, go find what is avaible and see if you can find a range to rent and try out the guns to see what you like.

 

[TexasBill]

Glocks got into a lot of police departments for the simple reason Glock was practically giving the guns away. They still have a very good discount for LEOs. Glocks have endured a number of torture tests. So have other pistols, including mud, water, 100,000-round endurance tests. Glocks are not typically chosen by Special Operations units that have the freedom to specify non-standard-issue sidearms. Glocks have had a history of problems, though not all of them were the fault of the gun.

On the other hand, Glocks serve thousands of people very well, including many who stake their lives on them. They are dependable pistols and, like most handguns, are probably more accurate than the vast majority of people who shoot them.

Glocks do have some quirks like an unusual grip angle. Some people like it, some don't.

Basically, the Glock is the most polarizing handgun on the market. There doesn't seem to be anyone who doesn't either praise them to high heaven or consider them to be among the poorest excuses for a firearm that's come down the pike.

Manual safeties are a matter of personal taste. Glocks don't have them but neither does the FNP-9, which I consider one of the finest pistols on the market. When it came time for me to get back into guns, the first pistol I bought was an FNP-9. But that was after I had visited multiple gun stores and handled a number of different pistols (including the Glock).

I have an equally high opinion of the Beretta PX4, which is one of the most pleasant centerfire autos I have ever fired. I don't own a SIG Sauer P226, but it's another extremely well-regarded pistol and one I keep telling myself I need to add to my collection.

9mm is a good round. It's more than adequate for self-defense, generally more available and less expensive than either .40 S&W or .45 ACP and, in a full-size pistol, has very manageable recoil.

As several have mentioned, this is a journey none of us can take for you. We can tell you about the paths we've trodden but that doesn't mean they are right for you. But that's part of the fun; you get to try out all sorts of pistols for the first time.

If you can find a range that rents guns, try a few. If there's an instructor who supplies firearms, take the class (instruction is always a good idea and something you won't regret).

 

[Gato Montés]

^^^+1000

TexasBill hit it right on the head. If you take anything away from this thread, let it be this post.

*** If it fits your hand, the Glock 19 is an excellent all around choice IMO.