Dressed to Impress

[Travis Bickle]

For $2,000 (or even $1,200) you can get a hell of a lot of quality gun. Unless you narrow things down a little more, the only advice I can really give you is to avoid any caliber smaller than 10mm or .40 S&W if you're buying an automatic pistol. The only reason to go with a smaller caliber is that you get more capacity, but in New York, that's a non issue, since you'll be limited to 10+1 no matter what caliber you choose. If you decide to go with a revolver, the three top quality names are Ruger, Smith & Wesson and Colt. Stick with those brands and you can't go wrong.

 

[Iggy]

The guns I get the most comments about are a couple of old revolvers.




S&W model 17 .22 long rifle and Model 14 .38 Special. Same size, same shape, same weight.

These old timers and a nice target get lots of compliments and questions.

Each one cost less than $400.00. Ammo is inexpensive and they shoot with the best of them.



None of these cost over $450 bucks and that leaves a lot of your alloted money for ammunition to impress folks with your skill.

Change the grips and the whole feel of the gun changes.. Same grips fit either gun.

For $25.00 you can change the grips on either gun with a grip adapter. BTW the Snubbie is the same size as the others pictured above and shoots .38 with authority.

 

[Sapper771]

I dont really buy guns to impress others, but I do beleive in buying guns that are pleasing to the eye.
I have noticed that when I go to the range with other people, when I open my pelican case filled with pistols, my 1911s are the ones that get the most fondling and praise.
My Glocks get an eye, but that is usually from the younger folks that dont have a lot of interest in firearms.

Looking at your priced range, in the $2000 range would get you a used semi-custom 1911 from the tops tier companies (Wilson Combat, Ed Brown, Les Baer, Nighthawk, etc.).
I have a Wilson Combat CQB that is very nice and accurate, but it was also expensive. There are plenty of other 1911s out there from other makers that will serve you just as good , but wont dent the wallet as bad. If you are looking for the "oohs and ahhhs" at the range, then those top brands will more than likely do it.
This is my experience though.

In your $1200 price range, I would recommend STI(www.stiguns.com).
I recommend them a lot due to owning two of their 1911s now and not having anything to complain about, they work and they work great. I would say look at the STI Trojan or the STI Lawman.

These recommendations are just from my experience, I am not a pro or an expert. The best thing that you can do is go to a range that has rental guns and shoot a wide variety of them to see what you will like, then go from there. Several excellent companies and firearms have emerged since you last purchased a firearm. As always, Good Luck !

 

[.38 Special]

I think I understand the OP's question, and I won't pick on him for it. There are times that I go to the range and I see a gun that almost has to belong to someone knowledgeable about the game.

The first category is "classic revolvers", almost universally from S&W. Something like a .38/44 Outdoorsman -- or even better, IMO, the fixed-sight Heavy Duty -- almost scream "this man knows guns". Likewise, a Model of 1926 or 1950 in .44 Special or .45 Colt. Granted, occasionally one of these ends up in the hands of some kid who borrowed it from Grandpa, or simply blundered into it at the pawn shop, but on the whole, these are guns for people with a deep understanding and appreciation. They will not impress the "operator" with the CAR-15 attached to a dozen accessories, if that's important.

The second category is the custom. The fellow with the Bowen Bisley or Clements .44 Special Flattop obviously knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. Most people, however, won't even know what it is. The great majority of range-goers will neither know nor care.

And finally there's the match gun. An S&W 41 with custom grips, a Bianchi Cup revolver with barricade wings and a dot sight, just about any international free pistol... these things will get you noticed even by the hoi poloi. Everyone will assume you are an "expert" and you will revel in the sidewise glances and open gawking. The catch is that you'd better be able to outshoot just about everyone at the range, or the admiring looks will soon be replaced by snickering.

HTH!

 

[mrtoren]

If you haven't really gone to the range much in the 36 years thats its been since your last purchase, then you might want to start out with something a little lighter. The 9mm Glock 19 is an excellent weapon in terms of balancing power and capacity. It also has Glock's legendary reputation behind it, its reliable, easy to strip and maintain, cheap to shoot, and parts/magazines are everywhere.

1911's, while fantastic pieces, can be very finicky. Some like this ammo, but not that; others can have some FTF and FTE issues. I don't really look at them as a novice shooter's level gun. IMHO, start out something that is almost guaranteed to be problem-free. A Glock 19 is well within your price range (~$500) and you'll have plenty of cash left over for a nice range bag, extra magazines, and plenty of ammunition. What else can you ask for?

 

[Zerodefect]

I'm most impressed by people using thier practical carry guns for range work and competition. So a Glock23, XDc, MP, PF9, PPS would catch me eye.

Safe queens don't impressm e much anymore. But..........a good 1911 ain't no safe queen and can be a looker at the same time.

I would suggest a Dan Wesson Valor or a Wilson combat (w/no markings).

 

[savit260]

This old Colt of mine seems to draw a bit of attention.

Army Special made in 1926. It's also one of my favorite carry pieces, and is carried quite often in a Simply Rugged Pancake holster with IWB conversion straps

Set me back $200. They don't need to cost big bux to turn heads.




For me , a nice well used vintage piece will turn my head a lot faster than just about anything.

 

[Coltman 77]

I'll suggest a Colt Python. Mine always gets a few envious looks when I take it out of the safe to get some air at the range.

But frankly, I rarely pay attention to what others are shooting. I focus on what I want to accomplish while I'm there.

As an earlier poster mentioned, good safety habits and accurate shooting are what really impress folks.

Here's a pic of my Python (it was my Dad's and was always pretty much a safe queen).

 

[J99]

With respect you probably ought to concentrate on a reliable gun of a common and effective caliber.
Unless your name is James Bond.

bond has used 9mm in 4 official movies and one Connery produced himself the first being the Walther P5 and most recently the Walther P99 gen 1 sadly they went back to the PPk

I can attest to the P99 being a very nice and reliable polymer frame pistol actually the most accurate factory pistol I ave ever shot and I think it looks nice

 

[Route2]

Wow!

Thanks for all the feed back. I really appreciate it. Another reason I was interested in an upscale gun was to insure that I get a reliable one. My reasoning is, if it cost a few rubles more, the mfg would be less likely to cut corners. There is another string out there someplace that lists the "never" guns, guns that people will never buy again nor would recommend. It lists every mfg I have ever owned, including my old Mattel “Fanner 50”. So, the theory goes, buy the best and you can’t go wrong. What I am finding out is that there are a lot of high value guns available that will give me the service I crave. Cool!!!

Another amazing thing is that the 1911 design, being 100 years old, is still among the front runners in accuracy. Browning was ahead of his time.

The problem is, I am getting the fever. The palms of my hands are getting sweaty and my list is getting longer. Yikes!

 

[mrt949]

Buy a seecamp .A fine pocket pistol for your self.

 

[MisterMike]

I spend a LOT of time out at the range and I can tell you that is the best advice I think you can get. Sure, it is neat to see someone with a really nice firearm, but it's vastly more impressive to see someone who is really PROFICIENT with that firearm. To coin a phrase, beauty is as beauty does.

I agree with this sentiment. Personally, I'm more impressed with the guy who shoots the center out of the target with a ratty old .32 revolver than I am with the guy with the custom 1911 who's spraying bullets everywhere downrange.

Get yourself whatever handgun makes you happy, but don't sell yourself short by basing your decision on the impression it will make on others. I'd suggest that 9mm is a good choice of calibers for what you describe are your needs. The 9mm is powerful, accurate, and reasonably inexpensive. It sounds like you're be buying one gun and sticking with it for a while. You can buy reliable and accurate guns for anywhere from $500 to infinity.

 

[Route2]

Thanks for all the feed back--Big help

I have my plan of action:

#1 I am going to try different guns and find a good fit.

#2 Going to sell some stuff on e-bay to make the coin I need to buy one

#3 The permit process in NYC is NUTS, going to take me some time to figure it out. Appears I need to get a permit approved first, THEN I can buy a gun within 30 days.

I will post what I get when I get it.

Thanks again.

 

[jlg]

When I was choosing my CCW gun, looks played a big part in it. I knew I wanted a 1911 but I didn't just want a black one. I wanted one that looked sharp. I ended up choosing a Kimber Compact CDP II.

The only regret I have is that I got the 4" barrel instead of a full size because I thought it would be easier to conceal (it was my first CCW weapon). Now, after carrying for several years, I realize that a full size 1911 really wouldn't have been any harder to conceal.

For a range gun, I'd find a nice looking 1911 in 9mm. 9mm isn't a very common caliber in the 1911 so it would make it stand out as something unique. As well as keeping recoil and ammunition costs down.

And as many have already mentioned, a 22 conversion kit for your 1911 is an excellent idea. The savings in ammo cost will pay it off quickly if you spend a lot of time at the range.

 

[CoRoMo]

What I want is for people to say, “Hey! Cool gun, this guy must be a knowledgeable gun owner.”

Good luck.

I've heard people proclaim that Olympic makes the highest quality 1911s after stating that they've never heard of that "off-brand Wilson Combat".

 

[Reid73]

I am considering the purchase of a new handgun. It has been 36 years since my last purchase and I have not kept up on what is out there.

Don't sweat it. There have not been any real improvements during that period, just pointless bells and whistles (e.g. hooked trigger guards, ambidextrous everything, glow-in-the dark sights). Indeed, many of the old guns are better than the new ones (e.g., S&W revolvers).

I want a gun I can be proud of. When I go to the range, I don't want people to say, "Look at that Rube, can't believe anyone ever purchased that gun," “Is that company still in business?” or "I better not stand close to him 'cause I might get hit with Shrapnel."

Here are some suggestions (two per category):

Centre-fire self-loading pistols

Browning High Power (P-35) with adjustable sights; Colt 'Gold Cup'

Centre-fire revolvers

Colt Python; S&W Model 27

Rimfire self-loading pistols

High Standard Victor (or Supermatic); Hammerli 208 (or 215)

Rimfire revolvers

Colt Diamondback; S&W K-22

All of the above handguns are well-designed, well-made 'classics', which have stood the test of time and will be around for many, many years to come. And you should be able to buy any of them secondhand for well within your budget ... even a Python in very good condition should be significantly less than $2,000.

 

[GoodKat]

get good with a single action army, everyone respects that.

 

[kludge]

$470-$550 Springfield XD-40 or XD-45.
$400 Ammo.
$300 Training.

Practice... Priceless.

 

[maksim]

Route2,

dont be the same kind of poser as those on brighton beach driving an s class they cant afford, but buy it so they impress their neighbor.

in the gun community, no one really cares. We have seen it all, shot it all, short of maybe if you bring a browning 50 machine gun. =P

What I am impressed with is someone who knocks quarter size holes at 20 yards or more. If you are around a local forum or community, you will meet many people, shoot many firearms and know what you like and what you dont like. I run an NJ gun forum, i know there is one for ny, nyfirearms.com. I suggest you go there and meet someone at the range and see what you like. Trust me, we are quite friendly, and as long as you dont mind covering the ammo, the vast majority of firearms owners will let you share their toys.

As far as a firearm, swallow your pride and buy a 22lr, and a home defense firearm, a 1911, a nice hk, or whatnot... but dont dismiss it.

Lastly, throw away everything you see on tv about firearms or handling of firearms. I would venture to guess the vast majority of hollywood has not even shot a firearm.

and most importantly, DONT HESISTATE TO ASK QUESTIONS! and SAFETY FIRST.

If you ever make it out to Jersey, would love to help you.

Here is an event you may want to go to...

http://www.njgunforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=979

 

[Hostile Amish]

Any 9mm or .45 ACP 1911 will do. Please get a stainless or blued one.

 

[herbie1]

If you are revolver inclined, look at some of S&W's performance center .357s such as the 327 or 627 variants. You may also want to look at the 686SSR.

H.

 

[FireArmFan]

Hard to not be impressed by a Nighthawk or like others have mentioned Wilsom Combat
http://www.nighthawkcustom.com/detail.aspx?ID=124#

 

[Rob P.]

Here are some suggestions (two per category):

Centre-fire self-loading pistols

Browning High Power (P-35) with adjustable sights; Colt 'Gold Cup'

Centre-fire revolvers

Colt Python; S&W Model 27

Rimfire self-loading pistols

High Standard Victor (or Supermatic); Hammerli 208 (or 215)

Rimfire revolvers

Colt Diamondback; S&W K-22

All of the above handguns are well-designed, well-made 'classics', which have stood the test of time and will be around for many, many years to come. And you should be able to buy any of them secondhand for well within your budget ... even a Python in very good condition should be significantly less than $2,000.

Phooey.

If you want "bling" or are looking for the "oogle factor" buy a Nighthawk custom (Or any of the other custom makers). Less purchase money leaving you with more for fancy grips, ammo and stuff = Dan Wesson Pointman or CBOB.

You can get just about any of these handguns for under $2000.

If you want "reliable" buy a S&W or any of the other "mid priced" handguns out there. There is nothing remarkable in either looks, attention factor, or performance from either a Gold Cup or Browning HP.

I have no comment on the revolvers or rimfires.

 

[m2steven]

There is nothing more impressive than a pistol/revolver that never fails. Get yourself an expensive Glock or Sig, perhaps Ruger 9mm to 45.

There is nothing worse than an expensive pistol which fails in front of friends and family. You can learn to clear misfires with misfires. You learn to shoot with a reliable piece of equipment.

I'm always impressed by someone who obviously loves his hobby and tends to shoot the same pistol/revolver all the time.

I have a Glock 26 which is it's own army, yet it's just a dull black "L".
It still impresses me everytime I shoot it (which is about once a week).

 

[jackstinson]

"Look at that Rube, can't believe anyone ever purchased that gun"

It doesn't matter what you buy, nor how much you spend on it, nor what is posted on discussion forums, someone is always going to say that. We see it right here every single day.
Do some research, check them out first-hand, and buy the gun/guns that YOU like.