Buying advice for first gun

[Farnham]

so why go for a $500 Glock when I can buy a 9mm that is cheaper. Is there a gun that is similar to the Glock and very reliable for less money? I was wanting to spend closer to $200-$300 because of having to get a permit, safety class, taxes, range fees, ammunition, etc.

A. You can definitely get a Glock 9mm for less than $500 (my Glock 17C was about $350 including taxes).

B. You aren't carrying the gun on you, so what permit cost are you talking about?

C. You go for a Glock because they are absolutely the most trouble free pistols I've ever owned (owned Ruger, S&W, one Colt, one SA, and one Taurus, and carried the Beretta 92 in the Marines) and they ALWAYS go BANG!

D. And they look cool!!!

 

[only1asterisk]

If a handgun is what you want, for learning plinking and defensive use, then the two guns that standout in my mind are:

#1 Medium Frame, 4â€, all steel .357 revolver.

#2 Full size (nor nearly full size) all steel 9mm.

One can learn on either, ammunition is inexpensive for practice and plinking and either are fully adequate for defending one's person or home. The only problem I can see is that they are fairly mundane choices and everyone wants something “specialâ€.

.357 Magnum Medium Frame Revolvers

Smith & Wesson: 586/686, 19/66
Ruger: GP100, Security Six
Colt: Python, Trooper, King Cobra

Steel 9mm

S&W 5906 family
CZ 75 family
Browning Hi-Power
Many others

Try as many as you can before you buy. Let your GF buy her own gun.

David

 

[only1asterisk]

"so why go for a $500 Glock when I can buy a 9mm that is cheaper?"

Because all 9mm's are not created equal! I understand that $500 represents a significant investment but in this case $350-500 is a good range. I think you may have trouble finding a good quality used gun for less than $250-$300 unless it’s foreign or police surplus. You may take a hard look at closeouts and discontinued models. CZ 40’s are being blown out for about $250.


David

 

[Majic]

No matter what handgun you choose try to stay away from the short barrel models. 4 to 6 inches would be ideal for you. Since you have said you are primarily a long gun shooter then the longer sight radius will make shooting the handgun much easier.
As to the shotgun recommendation. They are far easier to hit a target with especially under stress. Plus if the distance gets up close and personal the stock can also be a formidable blunt weapon.

 

[f4igrad]

thanks for the recommendations everyone!

 

[moa]

F4, your question has been discussed in numerous firearms publications over the years. And the conclusion and consensus of the experts is that a good choice for newbies is a double action revolver.

Also recommended is .357 Magnum with about a four inch barrel. Stainless steel finish is good idea because it is so resistant to corrosion.

Medium frame is recommended. Less felt recoil without being too bulky.

And, as mentioned above, less powerful .38 rounds can be fired in the .357.

Taurus and Ruger make high quality and inexpensive .357s. I think one Taurus model has a seven round capacity.

Last I read on the subject the .357 Magnum is the best one shot man stopper. Even beats the renowned .45 ACP. But, recollection is dated.

Something in a jacketed hollow-point round at about 125 grains out of four inch barrel will produce about 1300 feet per second muzzle velocity, and is a good stopper.

 

[goalkeeper91]

Excuse me, but did I miss something? For years, I've read about/been told that the perfect gun for a beginner is a good medium frame .38/.357 revolver. It is inexpensive, the ammunition is relatively inexpensive for practice, the system is less complicated and more forgiving. Why now do we push for a Glock, a Beretta, or some other automatic for the beginner?

Cost of a good quality revolver is lower than a similar quality automatic. The difference in cost can be used for training and practice ammunition, or a good set of rubber grips to fit both his hand and his wife's hand. If he decides later that he enjoys shooting a pistol, then he can get an auto, while still relying on the revolver for defense until he is confident and well trained on the auto.

My recommendation? The best quality revolver he can afford, either a Smith, a Ruger, or a Taurus. It should be a .357, and he should load it with .38 ammunition until he learns it well.

(If you must know, my first pistol purchase was a Smith 586 .357 magnum. Uncle Sam issued me the rest.)

 

[TerryBob]

There is a lot of good advice going on around here but I am going to jump on the stainless steel, double action .357 mag band wagon.

They are very good at stopping bad guys

They are simple to operate when you are in a panick

While in the back country, you can carry both hallow points and shot shells just in case you are not sure what might jump out at you first.
Whenever I go trekking accross the woods, I like to alternate hallow points and shot shells with the shot shell first in line.

TerryBob

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

There's nothing wrong with a semi-automatic for a first handgun. My first gun was a revolver -- which I quickly discovered I HATED. Thankfully, I also bought a semi-automatic too -- without having used either prior to purchase. I loved the Beretta. It is very user friendly for beginners: safe to handle (has a manual safety) easy to clean, take apart and put back together, easy to shoot, low recoil and just plain damn fun. Thank God I bought it or I might have been turned off from shooting by the revolver entirely.

Why all the Glocks and Beretta recommendations? Because he said he didn't want to pay a lot and they don't cost a lot. Moreoever, the used as just as good so rather than go El Cheapo -- get a real gun. However, I did say a revolver was also a way to go if you want to go cheap. Buying a used 3" or 4" S&W or Ruger can give you plenty of options -- but as others have said, CZs, Glocks, Berettas, are a nice place to start. I would recommend trying out several at a range before making a choice. There's nothing like firing a gun to let you know how it really feels -- wish I did that before I bought my revolver. I could have saved my money and bought a heavier, longer barrel revolver that would have spared me the shock of the recoil and the money out the window....

Laura


BTW -- a lot of women prefer Glocks for competitive shooting and personal defense. Why? Easy to use, no hard trigger pull, and easy to care for. What ever you buy, the motto should be "Keep it simple."

 

[Penforhire]

My GF is a newbie shooter and she loves my 4" 686+, even stiff 357 Mag loads. Have her handle one. My GF much prefers it to my P99 (9 mm) or Series 70 (.45). She'll probably like my Ruger MkII (.22LR) even better but that's strictly a target gun.

But I am amazed how easily this discussion turned away from long guns to hand guns. Dudes, this guy said home defense right? You really expect to put a handgun, 9 mm or .45, on the same level of stopping power and intimidation factor as a 12 gauge? Get serious. The level of wall penetration is also lower for many shotgun loads and that gets really important when you miss.

A pistol-caliber carbine was suggested and that's another fun-and-useful idea.

Mastrogiacomo, where do you come up with even the THOUGHT of running through your house to clear it? If you know you have an intruder you should be hiding in a dark corner covering the entrance to your room. You're suggesting house clearing to a new gun owner? That is an accidental shooting in the making. If you absolutely must go look for the bad guy you should be slow and deliberate. That long gun doesn't hinder "slow and deliberate."

A pistol has ONE advantage and that is when you're being grappled. And even then a shotgun is a better club than a pistol. You don't want racking noises but still want more than two in magazine? Weird, but okay, buy a semiauto shotgun. It has the added benefit of noticeably reducing recoil (at the expense of something more finicky than a pump action).

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

A handgun -- 9mm or .45 really is suitable for home defense. Don't believe me? Stand in front of one and tell me if you're intimidated....

My point about the broom was to illustrate the limitations of the long gun. I doubt highly you'll be hiding in your room with an intruder -- most people would explore their home to see what the problem is....and with that, the hand gun wins over a long gun. I sure as Hell have no itention of hiding in my own house while someone hurts a member of my family or tries to rob me blind. The handgun allows me to travel through the house easily, call the police, and check on my family. BTW, I don't run with loaded guns or empty ones -- I'm merely trying to make a point that if you were moving fast, you can do it with a handgun and can't with a long gun.

As for the sound, if it rings your bell to rack the slide -- great. I don't like people having the advantage of knowing where I'm located. Another disadvantage, the muzzle blast of the shotgun would take out not only the perp but put others at risk *depending on where you live.* I wouldn't opt for a shotgun if I live in an apartment but I don't -- I live in a house -- and I still prefer a Beretta.

 

[AZ Jeff]

Since every one here is an expert (and has an opinion), I will throw mine in as well. Here are some aspects that no one has considered:

1. Handguns are harder to learn to shoot well than are long guns. The need for more fine muscle coordination, coupled with the inherent higher recoil (all things being equal) makes them more challenging. This makes a shotgun a better choice in general for learning to shoot, (again, all other aspects being equal.)
2. While self-loading handguns offer fairly high power in a compact package, they also have one aspect that makes them sometimes a poor choice for female shooters: A fairly high grip strength is required to retract the slide fully. Many women just don’t have the grip strength required.
3. Some self-loaders have a complex manual of arms, at least relatively speaking. They really are best suited for someone who practices with the weapon on a regular basis. I know that we all should practice regularly when we use a firearm for self-defense, but the fact is, not everyone is diligent about this. The revolver, with it’s less complex operating nature, is a better choice for those persons who spend less time opn the range.’

The above are intended to be food for thought. YMMV.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I wouldn't presume to know so much about the grip strength of women. I'm a woman with small hands and I don't consider myself that strong. It hasn't stopped me from owning five Berettas -- full and compact. It also doesn't prevent me from operating a Glock -- which isn't something that would give even a child difficultly operating if we're talking about grip strength.

As far as being harder to learn to shoot well -- that's flat out an opinion. I have no problems with my guns and I'm sure many a Dad on this forum has a story or two about their daughter being dead accurate with a 1911....so I'll leave the theories for scientists.

Complex operating arms? That's no a Beretta or a Glock. In fact, most handguns are pretty staight forward. There's nothing technical about revolvers either last time I checked my 4" 686.

Again, don't rely on a man to tell you what your girly hands can handle; in my experience, they're usually wrong. So f4igrad, if you're intent on a long gun, make sure you and your GF know how to operate it and what the limiatations are before buying. I bought a CX Storm which is ideal for home defense in a long gun as it's compact, light, and a 9mm. Check it out a www.beretta.com Both of you should look for the gun together before putting money down -- and don't allow her to pick what you think is best. If she has no intention of using it, you're wasting good money.

 

[AZ Jeff]

Mastrogiancomo--please don't infer that my comments suggest that ALL WOMEN have trouble with self-loading firearms.

However, I have personally witnessed SEVERAL women who DID have trouble with grasping the slide of some self-loaders hard enough to draw the slide all the way back. (One of these happens to be my wife.)

You also mention that you own FIVE Berettas. That sounds like, to me, that you are more than casually acquainted with firearms, and actually like to "play" with them. To you, they are probably more than just a "tool".

That also probably means you will take the time to learn the manual of arms for each one, no matter how subtley different each one may be.

I DOUBT that MOST firearms users (ESPECIALLY the casual ones) will take the time to understand the subtle nuances in the manual of arms for a firearm they use. (This applies be they female or male.) That, by default, makes SIMPLE firearms easier for them to learn, master, and commit to memory.

Do my comments make sense?

PS>>>my comments were directed to all those who were INSISTENT that one type of arm or another was the "optiimal choice" for anyone. I find that letting a new gun purchaser try a variety of guns makes it easier for them to select that which they feel most comfortable with. After they have bought one or two (or thirty), they will know what they like better without trying them out in advance, but in the beginning, a "test drive" is real important to novices.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Yes, they do make sense and as I work in a gunshop, I know you're probably right about most women shooters. Many don't take the time to read a manual and when I see more and more just buying a .22, I want to scream. Some guns are hard to rack -- the Beretta full size before broken in gave me a run for my money. But unlike most ladies, I'm not deterred.

The CX Storm is my first and only long gun and I still don't know how to figure it out. I'll have to go back to the shop and have them demonostrate it. So this is a first for me -- the long gun intimidates me. But I'll keep trying before I decide to take it out to the range.

Yet again, the Glocks aren't truely that hard. I never liked them until recently but when I read about so many women owning them, I wondered why. Now I know, it's easy to use. The GF of this thread though might be just as happy with the 4" GP100 -- which is a great choice -- but people shouldn't try to lead women away from semi autos because of what their perceived weakness may or may not be. BTW, I'm planning to follow up on the Storm with my first shotgun soon -- but unlike F4 -- it'll be just for range fun.