How Do You Prioritize The Qualities That Are Important When Buying A Handgun?

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1) Reliability. Must go bang when trigger pulled. Must put bullets where aimed. I consider shootability & accuracy a subset of reliability. Must eject empty case & feed next round flawlessly so that gun goes bang again next time trigger is pulled. I realize that nothing made by man is 100%, but that is our goal.

2) Commonly available. Hard to find means hard to find parts & service for should priority #1 fall short.

3) Common caliber. Ammunition must be readily available. If you can't get ammo, priority #1 is academic.

4) Cost. I am certainly willing to spend what it takes to get what I need to do the job. However, there are enough perfectly serviceable pistols available at a reasonable price that spending more is just spending more, not necessarily getting more. Priority # 2 & 3 factor into this and make replacement a lot easier should priority #1 fail.

5) Capacity. More is better. Within reason. The tradeoff to sacrificing 2 rounds makes the G19 win out over the G17 because the inch or so shorter grip makes a big difference in concealability. Beyond that, it's not worth it to me.

6) Weight. Not really an issue for me within reason.

7) Concealablity. Not really an issue for me within reason. A Desert Eagle or a 6" .44 Magnum is definitely pushing beyond the limits, but I am willing to do what is necessary to conceal a standard sized handgun. I don't feel the need to downsize to a peashooter so I can maintain my metrosexual wardrobe.


8) Aftermarket support. Never really considered that.
 
Jonesy814 said:
Reliable is number 1 for me. One thing that I think most people also consider is looks. I don't care how good (or not) the Rhino is, it's too ugly for me to even consider.
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Trunk Monkey said:
I'm sorry but that is absolutely ridiculous. I carry a gun to defend myself when all other options have been exhausted. I don't carry my gun as a fashion accessory If the gun I'm carrying accomplishes that I give less than a damn what it looks like. In fact I carry my SD handgun with the expectation that if I ever use it it will disappear into the evidence locker and I'll never see it again anyway.
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FFGCOLORADO said:
Gotta agree..tool not trophy. 'Some 'collect', so looks mean something, I guess. I don't collect anything but what I wanna shoot, a lot.
Another forum I used to go to had a gent who was upset when he bought a NEW Colt revolver and was upset that the store worked the action and put a line on the cylinder..His intent was to buy it and store it, as an 'investment'...don't get that.

Yup, I'm firmly in the Glock universe but I scratch my head when somebody says they won't buy a Glock cuz they are 'ugly'...
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In principle I agree that what your gun or mine looks like is irrelevant. But in the case of the Rhino, it just looks so weird and strange I think I would have a problem it as well. It would be hard for me to trust something that looks so goofy.
 
Reliability and FIT; if it doesn't fit my hand well, it won't be comfortable or accurate for me to shoot
 
I would rate my priorities thus..
Quality:
  • Reliable
  • Accurate
  • Decent egos
  • Availability of parts and aftermarket support
Are all very important .. but most offerings from the top 10 manufacturers would meet all these requirements so most of us don’t have to waste much time here unless we happen across a lemon.
So let’s narrow the field.
Within the realm of quality pistols I look for:

  • Common caliber
  • Fits my hand well
  • Points well
  • Controls within reach without breaking my grip and easily operable one-handed by either hand.
  • Good trigger ( I rarely find one that I like so I go aftermarket for this.)
  • Mags drop free
Then there’s the things I don’t care overly much about though it’s still on my radar:
  • Capacity
  • Concealability
  • Not too shiny
Normally I would have said something about common manual of arms, control positions and grip angles with other guns I own and am likely us use... but I believe @Trunk Monkey specified that this scenario is if we were starting from scratch so compatibility with the rest of the arsenal wouldn’t apply
 
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How Do You Prioritize The Qualities That Are Important When Buying A Handgun?

After having scanned the various responses, I decided to toss my thoughts on the fire just in case someone might find something worthwhile in the ensuing flames.

Something I didn’t see mentioned that for me is #1 on the list: Does it do the intended job? I like the “tool, not trophy” comment, and would enlarge that by saying that, as with any other tool purchase, I begin by carefully thinking about the job I need done, and what qualities a prospective tool must have in order to do that job well. With a handgun, caliber is at or near the top when considering suitability for a particular job. I wouldn’t go hog hunting with a Ruger Mk IV .22, and I wouldn’t take a youngster plinking with my Glock 20 10mm. Admittedly, there are other factors that affect the tool’s ability to perform the job, but caliber (likely within some range of options) is probably the most determinative factor. Capacity, for instance, affects suitability, even to the point of disqualifying some candidates, like a single-shot T/C, for jobs where at least something more than a single cartridge on board the firearm is deemed necessary. But that all said, we’ve got the first criterion. Does it do the job?

#2: Reliability. For some purchases, reliability becomes part of #1, above. My EDC choice at present is a Glock 43X. Reliability, expressed as Glock + trigger pull = bang, is tremendously important. To varying levels, the same can be said of other jobs I ask a gun to do. That hog hunter I mentioned above better be pretty reliable, too, for instance. And finally, there’s the simple fact that I really, really don’t like unreliable weaponry. Some of the bravest and craziest men ever were those who went to sea on US diesel subs in early WWII carrying torpedos that functioned properly about half the time. I don’t ever wanna have to hope that the tool will actually do its thing.

#3. Ergonomics. The gun has to fit the hand—re grip especially, but including things like trigger reach, mag release position, and more of the stuff that gets discussed ad nauseum.

#4. Commonality. By this I mean that the gun, and the ammo it uses, are common enough that access to parts, service, and more ammo are never an issue. Unless the actual job being performed is that of developing/testing new ideas/technologies, I don’t wanna have the latest and wanna-be-greatest thing in my hand or holster.

#5. Capacity. Number of rounds in the magazine isn’t unimportant, but it doesn’t vault ahead of other characteristics just to have more cartridges actually inside the machinery. Beyond some reasonable number—which, granted, can be different for different circumstances—higher capacity is just an attempt to assuage insecurity. I don’t ever wanna get shot/killed for lack of shooting back, but that’s why God made spare mags.

#6. Size/mass/concealability. By the time I get to thinking about these factors, the interplay amongst them all becomes obvious and important itself. Size and capacity obviously are highly correlated, and though some like to argue that any gun can be adequately concealed for EDC purposes, I suspect that there are at least as many people who snort at that idea, recognizing that workplace attire, life habits, body habitus, and more affect concealability and the convenience thereof. Size & mass also affect shooting characteristics, obviously, and we jump back up to consideration of getting the job done when we think about using a subcompact for, say, that hog-hunting expedition I mentioned.

#7. Brand. Yes, to some small extent at least, brand matters to me, in various ways. Reputation (see ‘reliability’, and other characteristics above), country of origin (I have a modest disinclination to purchase guns made in, say, China, or [insert eye roll here] North Korea), responsible behavior of the company and its cohorts, directors, etc., and more all will affect, to some small degree, the purchase. Even emotion. I’ve got a thing for certain types of guns, and it’s not always rational, but it’s there, I like it, and that’s all I’ve got to say about it.
 
Reliability
Capacity
Weight
Aftermarket support
Commonly available
Shootability
Accuracy
Concealability and Carryabillity

This was pretty much the list that I had when the Glock 48 came out it was almost there but only held 10 rounds yes it was smaller then my 9mm 1911 but same capacity and larger then my P938 that holds 7 but when the 15 round magazines game out I found my
Goldylocks it shoots every bit as good as my 1911 does and is just about as thin so for me the Glock 48 is spot on in all the above
 
Reliability and shoot ability are my number one and need to work together when I'm deciding on a new purchase. If a gun under consideration cannot meet numero uno, then the other priorities don't matter to me.
 
Another consideration I see very rarely mentioned in these types of threads is, does the gun:

* Trip your trigger
* Excite you
* Float your boat
* Bring a smile to your face
* Appeal to you on an emotional level

Now, I know we are all testosterone-pumped manly men here with wicked strong left brain tendencies. John Wayne types, and all that.

But I have found that if I don't develop at least some sort of connection with my carry gun beyond it meeting the other criteria, then it doesn't last long.

Hard to explain, but sometimes a gun just doesn't feel right. Not ergonomics per se, but maybe a little. Maybe appearance. Maybe trigger feel. Maybe accuracy. Maybe just the right combination of all of those things that makes a gun just work for you. I know I have bought and sold a couple of G19s because while they were perfect in every aspect, they just didn't do it for me.
 
Trey Veston said:
...while they were perfect in every aspect, they just didn't do it for me.
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Yep, this, too. Reminds me that I have a favorite hammer. Details aren’t important, but while any decent claw hammer can probably get the job done, the one in question is just...right. For me, anyway.
 
Trey Veston said:
Another consideration I see very rarely mentioned in these types of threads is, does the gun:

* Trip your trigger
* Excite you
* Float your boat
* Bring a smile to your face
* Appeal to you on an emotional level
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Honestly? None of the above.

I've said this before but apart from their utility for self defense I have zero interest in guns.

I think the Army did that to me. They issued me a gun and I used it. I didn't get to pick the one I wanted I took what they gave me and most of the time it was a pain in the ass.

I've worked as a security guard for the last 12 years and it's been essentially the same thing. They issue me the gun they picked and I carry it in the holster they picked (even if it's a stupid DERPA) with the ammunition in it that they picked, 46 rounds exactly and I'm accountable for every single one of them. No joke I once had to sign a DX for one round. I'm used to taking what they give me and making it work.

That takes all the fun out of it real quick.

I currently carry an ugly, green Glock 26 most of the time. The reason I carry an ugly, green Glock is because when I told the guy at my LGS I was looking for a 26 he pulled that one out of the case and told me he'd had it for a year and no one wanted it. Then he offered me 50 bucks off it I took it. I'm cheap so I bought it.

Trey Veston said:
Now, I know we are all testosterone-pumped manly men here with wicked strong left brain tendencies. John Wayne types, and all that.

But I have found that if I don't develop at least some sort of connection with my carry gun beyond it meeting the other criteria, then it doesn't last long.
Click to expand...

The connection (for lack of a better word) I have with my gun comes from familiarity. I find it very comforting to carry the same gun day after day after day after year.

Beyond that I don't pay any more attention to my gun than I do my wallet.
 
Trunk Monkey said:
I think the Army did that to me. They issued me a gun and I used it. I didn't get to pick the one I wanted I took what they gave me and most of the time it was a pain in the ass.
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I'm the opposite.

I grew up with guns and was taught to treasure them and treat them well.

I went into the Navy, and then the Army (Didn't learn my lesson the first time.) having an affection and appreciation for firearms. Navy issued me a Colt 1911 of some flavor with adjustable sights, an M14, and a Remington 870 when I was assigned to a CRT (Crisis Response Team).

I've always loved guns and have been able to find some beauty in most. Hi-Points not withstanding...
 
Trunk Monkey said:
Thank you to whoever changed my title


I'm not sure exactly how to ask this question but let's assume you own no handguns at all and you want to buy one for self-defense.

How do you decide which attribute is most important?
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Reliability is number one.

If it's not reliable, and I can't make it so, it gets retired or "rehomed". I have had guns that were not reliable out of the box, and I worked through it and got them reliable. Others, never made it out of probation and eventually went away.

As an example when I'm looking at a handgun these qualities (in no particular order) have to be there.

Reliability
Concealablity
Capacity
Weight
Aftermarket support
Commonly available
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Here's how I order that list:

Reliability is number one, as I said.

Conceal-ability and weight are related, all feeding into the question of if you're going to end up carrying that thing at all. Add size in there with that.

Aftermarket support and commonly available are related. You have to have a holster, it's good to have extra magazines, nice to be able to find parts if anything should break. And everything made breaks. I might carry, say, an old Star, but would always "walk on eggs" with it with the manufacturer 2 decades gone.

Capacity is at the bottom. (Says the guy currently wearing a 5 shot j-frame equivalent.)



Commonly available I'm not going to carry a CZ82 or a Tokerov or Makarov because they're "cool" hipster guns.
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Makarovs are solid, but I lost interest in them as a practical gun when the last manufacturer (Arsenal in Bulgaria, or was it Baikal) stopped making them.

If Walmart doesn't (before they went Bloomberg) carry the ammunition for I'm not buying it.
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Walmart or the farm store, that was my rule too.
 
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It's gotta be reliable (naturally). After that I put accuracy and shootability which are really the same thing, it's gotta shoot good in my hands. Concealability (size/weight) comes next but is more fluid because I can make just about anything work if I really want to.

I don't really have a rest of the list.
 
Wow. Those are pricy mags.

That is a consideration for me as well but it's way down since I usually stop at 5-10 mags and add them over time when I have a few extra bucks or I find some sales.
 
BSA1 said:
@Trunk Monkey You have a good list. The other thing I will add is availability of affordable magazines. I have a SIG P239 9mm and magazines for it are going for $80.00+. I brought my SIG long time ago before it was discontinued.
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Good Point

Magazine cost is one of the reasons I chose the Glock 19 over the M&P. When I chose my Glock I never even considered a Glock 17 because the standard magazines aren't legal in Colorado.
 
- Reliability. Constantly clearing malfunctions sucks
- Durability. I don't want something that breaks from using it
- Utility. Will it do what I want it to? The best self loading handgun in the world ain't worth spit if I'm looking for a single action revolver- and vice versa
- Appeal. No Glock. No Beretta. No Taurus. No Rossi. No Kel-Tec. No Hi-Point, just to name a few.
 
I know I tend to be contrary but I kinda find some of this concept silly.
I mean sure reliability is important but what good is a reliable carry gun that you can't reach the trigger, that you don't shoot well and isn't concealable..

power, weight, size are all going to be a compromise and best compromise is an oxymoron.
 
mavracer said:
I know I tend to be contrary but I kinda find some of this concept silly.
I mean sure reliability is important but what good is a reliable carry gun that you can't reach the trigger, that you don't shoot well and isn't concealable..

power, weight, size are all going to be a compromise and best compromise is an oxymoron.
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I don't think I've seen anyone say they chose a gun that had horrible ergonomics just because it was reliable.

There are so many good carry guns available today with such great ergonomics, and most with adjustable grips and such that I can't see why anyone couldn't find a good fit in a reasonable size with excellent reliability.
 
Because I am primarily a collector, not a shooter or ccw enthusiast, generallly my criteria are:
1. will it add to the collection in a meaningful way?
a) will it add to my understanding of this particular model?
2. can I expect it to increase in value over the next 10+ years?
a) will it be more desirable when I go to sell it?
b) can I do historical research on the item that may ultimately lead to an increase in value?
3. how big is it?
a) handguns take up far less room than long guns, and are easier to move.
4. cost

Having said all of that, there is one last consideration, often at the bottom of the list, but which has been known to move up to the very top on the spur of the moment...
5. Nostalgia
If it's something I remember from my childhood, well... there is just no telling what might happen!
 
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