dont know much about handguns?

Status
Not open for further replies.
budget is $600. Now that i think about it the 9mm might be better, The wife will be getting familiar with the gun as well, so lighter recoil would help her.
Click to expand...

With that budget I would forgo the budget 1911's. Since you want 9mm I would suggest
FN Hi Power.. Like the 1911 its a full size gun, SAO trigger (Single Action Only). Yet thin so its easily concealed. IMO, It still remains one of the most ergonomic pistols ever designed. 13rd capacity with ability to purchase higher cap mags.

If you want modern, M&P 9 compact or Full size. American made and lots of people love them. I personally hated everything about the MP45c I owned, but that was a matter of personal preference. It never malfunctioned or gave me any issues.
 
Op dont take a single link to heart. Every gun of every model and make has had issues at some point. My first 1911 was a RIA GI compact, its a fantastic gun. Nevewr malfunctioned and feeds SWC, HPs, etc. I shot well over 2k rounds theough it in the first year I owned it. If you like it get it, you wont be unhappy.
 
Shoot many; buy one. Many ranges rent guns and our club sponsors new shooter events and classes quite often. You might want to check into both those possibilities in your location.

Many new shooters purchase what they believe is exactly what they want only to find out it's not. Many experienced shooters will tell you it's rather unlikely you'll get the perfect gun for you on the very first try.
 
Have you actually handled a 1911-style pistol, or any of the other guns being suggested? One of the reasons you see so many 'like-new' handguns offered for sale is that people get all hopped on the coolness of a gun, then once they actually own it and shoot it they realize it doesn't fit them at all. The grip, balance and design of a handgun can make it feel like an extension of your hand, or like a lump of iron. No amount of aftermarket add-ins is going to make pistol fit you. Buying a pistol by the history or cool factor is like buying a pair of boots because they look cool, without trying them on.

Find one or more gun stores and try the feel of a bunch of pistols, shoot them if you can, then lay your money down.

IMHO
 
How about a .357 magnum revolver, like the Ruger GP100?

The .357 magnum is an excellent self defense caliber, and can even be used for hunting.
And you can shoot cheaper .38 special rounds for plinking and target practice.

And once you master the double-action revolver trigger, shooting other pistols is a breeze.

Another thing to consider...

Most modern autoloaders are rather reliable, but none are immune from a bullet related malfunction (failure to eject, failure to feed, hard primer, dud round).
If you're not willing to routinely practice failure drills then you might be better served with a revolver.
 
easyg said:
If you're not willing to routinely practice failure drills then you might be better served with a revolver.
Click to expand...
That's one of the best and most meaningful comment I've read in a long time.
 
I wouldn't recommend a 1911 as a first handgun for someone unless they had a lot of experience shooting someone else's 1911 and I mean years.

I always suggest a glock 19 as someone's first handgun.
 
I would suggest a 9MM, and here are a few to check out:

CZ-75B
CZ-75D PCR (light weight compact version)
Beretta 92FS
Sig P228 or P229
HK P30 or USP series
Glock G19
Springfield XD series

The CZ accepts the wonderful .22LR Kadet conversion unit which changes the CZ-75's into a .22 pistol. It is accurate, and reliable, but also lets you practice cheaply with a full size service pistol.

1911's also have .22 conversion kits, if you decide to go that route. Since you reload, the choice between 9MM, and .45 ACP isn't as big a difference. For 1911's, I still like Colt.
 
I always suggest a glock 19 as someone's first handgun.
Click to expand...

Why - because that's all your familiar with? What in the world did people do in 1981? Not shoot semi-autos because they couldn't buy a Glock?

Today you have so many good 9mm pistols available like the S&W M&P line, HK pistols, Beretta pistols, Springfield XDm series, Walther PPx series, Browning Hi Power, CZ 75 series -all as good or better than a Glock.

If you want to shoot a 1911, the only way you learn to do it is by shooting it. I started shooting semi-autos with a 1911 in 1980. Shooting a 1911 isn't rocket surgery, doesn't take an advanced degree from a university, and isn't nearly as difficult as people are making it out to be. All of the hoopla about "muscle memory" makes it sound like a 1911 is the equivalent of launching the Space Shuttle by yourself. Shooting a 1911 is no more difficult than learning to ride a bicycle where balance is learned - you just do it until you understand how it works.
 
Last edited:
sdhunter said:
I am your typical backwoods outdoorsman who lives in a small town in the middle of nowhere. I have never had a handgun but i would like to buy one for plinking, concealed carry, and home defense. I am not looking at spending alot of money. I just want one that is affordable, reliable, and fun. I do like the history and looks behind the 1911, but most of them are spendy. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Buy popular model that is currently made. This means accessories and spare parts are readily available. Never pay premium of any gun that is no longer made and even when found in box as new deduct about 30% from current model offering. Oh, very important first pick up some ammo then go to the counter and pick up the gun.
 
I would have to say that I wish I had discovered the Beretta 92FS as a first 9MM. I like the heft, the safety is as close to fool-proof as far as safety of having the gun in your hand. It requires training but it is simple: when pistol is drawn, automatically sweep the thump up and forward. The double action first shot is a safety in itself in case of a high adrenalin situation. The gun is very reliable, accurate, and has low felt recoil. It uses 15, 18, or even 20 round magazines which won't break the bank to purchase. It is easy to disassemble and clean. I like the trigger for HD and for plinking after an easy installation of the D spring. It has a great track record with millions being used. After all, it's in a lot of action movies from the 80s and 90s. What else do you need to convince you?
As far as a .45, I have owned many different models and for me, the HK45c is an ideal pistol. All of the above and top-shelf quality with interchangeable back strap to semi-customize the grip. Either will last a lifetime. Either can be carried discreetly with the proper holster and lots of training. If I had to choose only one, it would be the 92 due to cheaper practice ammo and high capactiy magazines. Good luck on deciding. With all of this knowledge and experience found on this great forum you can't go wrong. Its best, as you know and has been stated, to hold and fire various guns. I couldn't because of my location so I had to go on hearsay. I did not go wrong in the least. Love my Beretta and my HKs. Love my snubbies too! i wonder if you can really only purchase ONE gun???
 
Pilot said:
I would suggest a 9MM, and here are a few to check out:

CZ-75B
CZ-75D PCR (light weight compact version)
Beretta 92FS
Sig P228 or P229
HK P30 or USP series
Glock G19
Springfield XD series

The CZ accepts the wonderful .22LR Kadet conversion unit which changes the CZ-75's into a .22 pistol. It is accurate, and reliable, but also lets you practice cheaply with a full size service pistol.
Click to expand...

The CZ 75 series is a great choice for a beginning handgun, especially if you want a .22 conversion to go with it. Depending on the price of the CZ 75 itself it may exceed your $600 budget by a few dollars if you throw in the Kadet kit but there are deals to be found like any other gun. The CZ 75 has light recoil, 16 rounds of 9-mm, is accurate, reliable and easier to disassemble than the 1911. You can't go wrong. You may wanna check out the threat "Beretta 92 vs CZ 75B" for more info on the CZ 75B.

Good luck! What ever you buy, enjoy it!
 
JohnBiltz said:
Well I carry and plink with a Glock G26 and a G19 would do both jobs as well. A Ruger SR or S&W M&P would be fine as well. My personal opinion is if your carry is unsuitable for plinking its not going to be that good when you need to defend yourself either.

Here is a simple truth, a 1911 is an experts gun. You need thousands of repetitions with it just to be sure you remove the safety when you need to shoot. Otherwise you may find yourself with trouble in your face wondering why your gun did not fire. Get yourself a DA/SA like a SIG or Beretta or one of the strikers like Glock/M&P/SR. You pull the trigger and it goes bang.

All steel guns are heavy. They are really heavy when carrying one all day long inside your waistband. Polymer is light. Compare the weight of what you want to buy.

Thickness is an enemy of carry. A 1911 is thin. High capacity is thick. Common sense will tell you double stack is going to be thicker than single stack.

Caliber is not that important as long as you stick with a service caliber; .38, 9mm, .40, .45. They all stop things pretty similar with modern hollow point bullets. Another truth. The larger the round the less rounds the same size magazine well will hold.

Another truth, the more recoil a gun has the longer time there will be between your first and second round being fired. Training and practice will bring that time down over time but there will still be a difference.

I carry a 9mm Glock G26, Its small enough to be easy to carry and large enough to be easy to shoot and fight with. I shoot 100 rounds a week through it and its easy and fun to do.
Click to expand...
Agree Def. an experts gun, especially the safety disengagment under stress, while draw from a holster. Not the same as standing at a static range and not drawing from holster.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top