First Time Handgun Buyers Advice...

The PS is the polymer small frame witness that has been selling at a very affordable price lately.

Sounds like the one you've been looking at. Good gun.

SeniorXJ said:

Since moving to VA from NY, I can finally expand my collection & my 1st buy will be a handgun. My school of thought is this: with 2 ranges 5min from my house, the gun will be used 99.99% of the time at the range, 9mm ammo is cheap, it has less recoil, has room for extended clips, & my budget is somewhere between $200 to $400, & the 9mm generally runs cheaper.

With that said, I have always loved the look of the Beretta 92, but given the weight & design of the gun, id also love to add an LED light, laser sighting, & the guns accuracy is high on my list!! With all of that said, I may go for a lighter more efficient glock style with picatinny rails. Regardless, I figured id ask you guys for buying advice!!

Thanks & let me know!!!

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From experience I found service size pistols useless and a waste of money. Something universal like Ruger SR9C or S&W M&P 9c are far better for money spent. Another pitfall is compact pistols with single stack magazines, useless.

PS. MY top pick would be Glock 29 with spare .40S&W barrel.

An SD series should be right around 300. I wouldn't go more than $320 otd.

The trigger has much to be desired though compared to have fired options.

LEO G22 trade ins can be had for around $325. Carried a lot but not shot.

I still say give the Witness a go. You will be nailing clovers much faster and sooner.

M&P Shield $359 + free ship to your FFL. Palmetto State Armory.

They also have the Kahr CM9 for $299

As I said, the only decision now is whether I want full size (M&P Shield), or a compact SD9c.

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I suspect this is a typo, but the Shield is not a full size gun.

Is there an SD9c?

If you are looking at the SR9c wait till around Black Friday or Christmas. I will bet you can have one for sub $400. If you go to slick guns and search you can see some of the prices that a new one will go for.

It's an awesome pistol, it is my EDC and it just feels right in my hand. Accurate, soft recoil, it is probably my favorite pistol. If it fits your hand, it will not disappoint.

If you care about the trigger, stay away from the cheap S&W pistols. The trigger is dreadful and can only be made somewhat less dreadful. The SR9c is a fine gun, mine has thousands of rounds through it with nary an issue and a decent trigger...

A lot of M&P talk & no Ruger which was my 2nd pick.

So how would the Ruger 9e, SR9, or SR9c stack up?

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I don't think I've ever heard much negative of the SR series. Seems everyone likes them, I can't recall hearing anything bad about them besides a few troubles when they first came out. The 9e is new but just seems like a less polished SR9 but still good where it matters, time will tell. I don't think you can go wrong with either a S&W M&P or a Ruger SR so it's all what you prefer.

ETA: The M&P has much more aftermarket support. I wish more companies would offer SR aftermarket items, but as it stands customization is pretty sparce.

If I got the M&P, is it worth the effort of getting a DIY trigger job, OR, paying a gunsmith do it at a fair rate?

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With striker fired guns you don't really do a trigger job. You swap in aftermarket connectors, springs, and other small parts that change the trigger to behave how (or close to how) you want it to. Apex Tactical has developed a reputation as the go-to source for M&P parts, and they even branched into SD parts a year or so ago, if my memory serves. 9mmEpiphany is pretty well versed on the Apex stuff, and I think Sam1911 has some experience with them as well.

Galloway Precision is making Ruger SR parts, but I really don't know enough to comment either way on those. Ghost Inc, well known for their Glock trigger bars, is now making Ruger SR trigger bars as well.

If you buy the parts and a couple of basic tools (usually just a punch or two, depends on the pistol) you can install the parts yourself if you're reasonably inclined mechanically. Take a look at the aftermarket parts companies online instructions, and look up YouTube instructional videos to see if it's something you're comfortable doing yourself. If not, since it's parts swapping rather than an old fashioned trigger job, even an armorer can do the install for you.

My last bit of advice is to start handling pistols now before you go to buy. find what fits your hand well and shop for a deal on that pistol or those couple of pistols which fit you best. I know you're on a budget, but an extra $50 to $100 now will save you the frustration of fighting against an uncomfortable pistol for years.

.. I'm still taken back from all the help received on this board & I thank u all so much for doing so!!

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We all have fun with our little brain exercise debates about theoretical best caliber for ManBearPig defense, but threads like this one that actually help folks exercise their 2A rights are why THR was created. I'm glad you found the info and advice you needed.

Is there a paying member option for this forum, & if so, what are the requirements??

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Well, since you asked, yes, you can become a contributing member for $25 for a year - http://www.thehighroad.org/payments.php. The only requirement is that you have a credit card / debit card that the system can bill for payment. Your title will display as "Contributing Member" and you won't see ads anymore. That process has a little lag so send a moderator a PM if it doesn't kick in after a couple days and one of us will forward that to the site admins.

I just purchased a Ruger SR 9 E, their economical version of the SR 9. Great value IMHO (should go for $350) and based on one range session of 150 rounds, 100% reliable. The trigger is quite different than the Smith M&P. Also my opinion on the M&P trigger is leave it alone, it improves with shooting. Also Smith has improved them in the last year or so, probably due to all the complaining.

I mention the trigger based on what i've read...

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I'd take a lot of that with a BIG grain of salt.
A lot depends on your intended use of the gun - fer example, the primary purpose of all mine is SD, so I don't futz with the trigger in order to eliminate possible legal ramifications.

I also tend to shoot differently than most folks on the 'Net - if I have to use my gun for SD, you have to ask yourself if you're really going to be sqeeeeezing the trigger, riding the sear, yadda yadda yadda. I prefer to practice using a "controlled slap", as should I ever find myself fighting for my life, I'm betting that's how the trigger is going to be manipulated.

Many folks recommend you do a "1,000 round trigger job" on any gun you get before even thinking about doing anything to the trigger - this probably goes double (or more) since you said this was your first handgun.

Finally, don't forget what Ayoob sez about light triggers:
A light trigger pull is, more than anything else, a crutch for bad trigger technique.

'Course, if you're planning on the primary purpose of the gun to be target practice, have at it with the trigger!

SeniorXJ said:

.. Woops, didn't realize I asked this before. reguardless my VA drivers license will be here SOON!!

.. Can u guys do me a simple favor & tell me if u run into any used sales of the Ruger SR9, 9E, or SR9C? Also the S&W M&P, S&W SD9ve!
Thank You!

.. I'm still taken back from all the help received on this board & I thank u all so much for doing so!! Is there a paying member option for this forum, & if so, what are the requirements??

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Slickguns has the (new) SR9E for $307 just 2 days ago. Also a Glock 17 for $399 with night sight (used).

If you still want a Barretta, there are 92S used from Italian police trade in for $289 just 1 day ago.


Good luck on your search.

SeniorXJ said:

Anyone recommend Hi-point Firearms?

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I have the .45 acp, it is a good shooter and never jammed.
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The only bad things you can say about the Ruger SR pistols are the most minor of complaints. When I had my SR9c I didn't like the loaded chamber indicator (something fixed on the 9e), I didn't like the thumb safety as it is rather unnecessary with a tabbed trigger, I didn't like the finish as the SS slide came out after I bought mine, I didn't like the magazine connect but didn't know I could disable it with a u-tube video.

All minor issues. Many of which I learned the work around after I sold mine. Trigger is very good for being budget pistols and should be equally as good on the 9e. Very reliable with GOOD ammo, as the only malfunctions I had in mine were ammo related. Was a pretty accurate pistol too, and I didn't even touch the sights. If the make the 9e in a compact and SS slide, I'll probably get one of those.

Rather than make a $400 mistake why not find a range to rent some guns and try them out? It worked for me. Before I bought my XD9 I was eyeing a Sigma. But first I went to the range and shot the S&W .40, XD40 and Glock 22 (range only had all 3 in .40). The Sigma felt really loose and had horrible accuracy, the Glock shot whereever I pointed it but my feelings about it were so so and the XD felt great in my hand but accuracy was so so. In the end I picked up an XD9 tactical and love it. My only regret is I dislike reloading 9mm I would have preferred .40. Since then I have owned a Glock 17 and gave it to my father in law. It just never felt right in my hand. It just reinforced my original decision. Go shooting!