Just purchased my first handgun today

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Mr Crowley

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Brand new Glock 19 9mm. :)

I purchased this gun to punch holes in targets and to have for basic home security. I am not very experienced when it comes to handguns. The salesman let me shoot several different pistols at their range, and this one fit my hands and felt great when I shot it.

I took and completed the Concealed Carry course a few weeks ago with a Baby Eagle .40S&W, but I didn't like the way the gun felt/shot.

I stumbled onto these forums whilst doing my research for a handgun, and decided to join. The salesman at the gun store/range told me if I changed my mind to bring it back in the next few days and we can look at something else.

I wanted to get the opinions of some experienced hand gunners...
Is this a pretty good gun? Is 9mm enough to stop a home-invader? What is generally considered better for home defense high-capacity magazines with weaker rounds or lower capacity mags with more powerful rungs like .357 or .45 like the glock38?


Thanks for helping me out.
Sorry for sounding like a noob.

Mr Crowley:evil:
 
Welcome to THR!

Boy, when you ask a question like the one in your OP, you are going to get as many answers as there are members here.There is no answer that another person can make to your inquiry. You must do as you have been doing, and shoot as many different types and calibers of handguns as possible to see for yourself what is right for you. The only other way is to own one of each kind and caliber of gun (Which is not a bad idea, come to think of it).:D I'll step aside now, I hear a bunch of 9mm, .45, glock, and 1911 believers coming.
 
Welcome to THR!

9mm is perfectly adequate for HD. Some prefer shotguns, but a handgun can work just as well if you can hit the guy. As for whether or not it's a good gun, if you can hit stuff with it and it doesn't jam often, it's good. If you like it, it's good.

9mm, .357SIG, and .45ACP all perform similarly in ballistics gel, meaning that there is little difference when on target. The difference is purely subjective, so go with what you like to shoot.

I would like to suggest 147 grain Federal HST ammunition for your usage. It expands very well, making it good for HD and even CCW if you so desire.
 
Good choice. Be safe, remember it is always loaded. Glocks are as safe as your finger decides they are.

9mm is a fine choice, it will allow you more practice for the cost. That practice is the most important part.
No caliber is perfect for all things.
A 9mm Glock will be good for defense, plinking, and cheap widely available ammo. It should be reliable, and you won't spend much time working on it or needing to fix problems that arise.


Many calibers have pros and cons, and different ones have different fans so you will recieve a lot of opinions about thier ideal round. Your choice is just fine.
 
Welcome! That is a good choice. A Glock 19 was my first handgun and it's an excellent one. Good balance of reliability, accuracy, controllability, capacity, power, size.
There's not really any "best" caliber or capacity trade off, just use what you shoot the best with, in a reasonably potent caliber (usually .380 or bigger, some say 9mm or bigger). You can't miss fast enough to win with a hand cannon that will make you flinch.
 
Welcome. While I'm not a fan of the Glock it is a very good, high quality handgun. Many police departments around the country use Glocks. Some friends of mine have Glocks and love them. The grip angle is not quite for me plus the tigger takes a little getting used to. If I had to use a Glock I would not feel to bad. I would just have to get used to it. You didn't do bad at all.
 
What is generally considered better for home defense high-capacity magazines with weaker rounds or lower capacity mags with more powerful rungs like .357 or .45 like the glock38?
Click to expand...
You don't need to choose! Glock offers handguns with high-capacity magazines in calibers like .40 and .357. :)
But 9mm is probably the best do-all handgun caliber, because you can afford to practice.
 
A Glock 19 is an excellent choice. Especially if you like how it feels, and are able to hit what you are aiming at with it.
 
You made a good choice in the Glock. Here's a short version as to why I feel that way.
I worked for a firearms distributor in the mid 80's, the first to bring them into the US. I had taken LFI-I and -II from Massad Ayoob who happened to be in Miami when the new "plastic" pistol arrived. I met Mas and the FI at the 58th street police range here in Miami. The Glock made such an impression it went on to be adopted by the City of Miami Police Force, the first in the US to do that, ushering in a new era of police sidearms. The guns virtues were what sold it, but too bad the city was not my account...:banghead:
 
The Glock 19 is a perfectly fine handgun, especially if you like it. I bought a used one a couple of years ago. It's one of the pistols I carry concealed.

For self-defense, I like the Winchester White Box 147gr. JHPs that they sell at Walmart. They're reliable, accurate, have good penetration and expansion and are very reasonably priced, especially compared to other self-defense ammunition.
 
I think for your very first handgun the glock 19 is perfect. Great reliability, great quality, easy to strip down and clean. Most importantly it is cheap to practice with. Don't go all crazy buying laser grips and tactical lights and 6 different holsters. Buy ammo - lots of ammo. Walmart typically has good prices on Blazer Brass. Have put hundreds of rounds of this through my wife's Glock 19 without a single malfunction. Here's a great site I've used a few times:

http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/


just remember the 4 rules - the Glock doesn't have an external safety so it is very important to always keep safety in mind.

Great choice, be safe and have fun!
 
Eh, you should have gotten a 1911 in .45 ACP. That itty bitty round is just going to tick the guy off. While 9mm might expand, I know .45 won't shrink. What did you buy a glock for...going to a tupperware party? The grip angle is wrong..... :neener:



Just kidding. The G19 is probably one of the greatest handguns ever designed. It's a standard that has stood the test of time like a 1911 or a Model 19. Good choice.
 
I have no problem trusting my life on a daily basis to a Beretta M92 in 9mm. 9mm is a perfectly adequate round if you do your job and put it where it needs to go. I also have a 1911 which I adore, but with ammo prices the way they are, guess which gun gets shot more?

In any event, the Glock 19 is an excellent firearm and you should be very happy with your purchase. I want one myself, and plan on getting one as soon as funds become available.
 
Good gun...great choice....Now, you need to go back to that range, or any other place you can find, and practice, practice, practice...That gun is great, and the 9mm will do the job for you...however, in combination, they are only as good as you are accurate...Same with any handgun...There are no perfect
guns, and no magic bullets...Be able to hit what you're aiming at !!! Having said all that,....welcome, and good luck...:)
 
welcome to THR

you did the smart thing by first test firing several guns and then making a decision what to buy, based on what felt good and looked good to you congratulations. you are going to have a lot of fun with that new glock.
 
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