First Handgun - Revolver vs Semi

[RetiredUSNChief]

After having read through all the posts to date, I'd like to chime in again. This is because several members evidently picked up on something in your original posting that I didn't, so I re-read it and this stuck out to me:


"Considering purchasing my first handgun and I want input on what to buy. For a long time I was strongly leaning towards a 1911, but I have recently come to the realization that if I am ever able to carry a gun in the future, I would not be comfortable with the "cocked and locked" mode of carry."

It occurred to me that you didn't express WHAT you wanted your handgun FOR.

It's not important that you have some kind of bonafide "reason" to have a handgun. Just wanting a handgun is reason enough, in my opinion.

But what you want to use it for will go a long way towards helping decide what to get, and therefore will help us to provide you with educated opinions on the matter.


Keep in mind, however, that there are no handguns which will be universally suitable for every possible use. There are characteristics that make any particular handgun more or less suitable, relative to all other handguns, for any particular use.

Here are some examples of what I mean:

- If you are on a relatively tight budget, then the operating costs for your gun is extremely important. For the cost of a single 50 or 100 round box of 9mm ammunition, you could buy as much as 550 rounds of .22LR ammunition.

- If you are interested in hunting game, such as wild pig, with a handgun, then a small caliber or low power round is not the best option. You'll be looking at guns hefty enough and with a long enough barrel to be effective in this, which will probably start around .357 Magnum and up. You may even want something that you can mount a scope on, which means that many semi-autos will not be suitable.

- If you are interested in getting something that you may later want to use for concealed carry, then you'll want a caliber that's both proven effective and, because it's your first handgun, something that isn't going to be extremely expensive to learn to shoot and become proficient with. This will effectively limit your choices to a handful of calibers.

- Your gun should be something that you LIKE and something that fits YOU. If you don't like the gun you buy, then you won't want to shoot it. If you won't want to shoot it, then you AREN'T going to shoot it as much as you really need to in order to learn how to shoot and become proficient. Lots of things factor into this, including your own personal tastes. If you don't like the looks of the gun, then this will affect whether or not you want to shoot it. If you don't like the way it feels in your hand, this will affect whether or not you will want to shoot it. If you don't like the way the gun feels when you actually shoot it, then this will affect whether or not you will want to shoot it.


OK, BACK TO WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION:

Two things stand out now:

- This is your FIRST handgun purchase ("Considering purchasing my first handgun...")
- Carrying a handgun is not your PRESENT concern ("...if I am ever able to carry a gun in the future...")


Based on this, I would recommend that your first purchase NOT be centered around a carry weapon, since this is a future concern. You may end up with one that would be suitable, but don't try to make that a factor right now.

- Look at your budget and decide what is reasonable for YOU with respect to ongoing expenses involved in learning how to use your new handgun and becoming proficient with it. This includes two main costs: ammunition and range expenses. Whether you use a private gun range by the hour or by membership, or whether you have to drive out to a public range, this will cost you in terms of money and time. If your budget cannot support sufficient ammunition and range funds for .45 ACP, .45 Colt, or 10 mm, for example, then maybe you need to look at .22LR, 9mm, or .38 (which can be fired in .357 handguns, by the way).

- Consider YOUR personal tastes. Some people may not understand this, but YOUR tastes are important. If you've always loved the look of a particular handgun, whether revolver or pistol, then take that into consideration. Why buy a gun you think is ugly?

- Get out there and handle several handguns. Not every handgun will feel good in your hands. Some will have grips that are too small or too big. Some will have grip shapes that aren't comfortable. Some just won't feel right to you when you aim them. This trumps your personal tastes at this point. If you LOVE the looks of a gun, but the grip sucks...you shouldn't buy the gun. There are some things you can do about the feel of the grip, but others you can't.

- If at all possible, shoot any guns you're considering getting. If you like the looks and the feel in your hand, find out if it feels good to actually shoot it. Trust me...if you like the looks and you like the feel, but the gun hurts to shoot or gives you blisters, you ain't gonna want to shoot it.


For a first handgun like you describe, you want something that you LIKE, that you're EXCITED to own and shoot, and that you'll have FUN shooting.

Don't get caught up in anything else at this point. Why? Because you can ALWAYS buy another gun later.

First impressions make a huge difference for your first handgun. So meet the "like", "excited", and "fun" factors first and foremost.


Now, maybe you can tell us what you've seen so far that might fit that bill?

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Gary,



I have a blued one also.

Again, to the OP, your first should be one you really like, really enjoy and can work with for decades. Think about it, it is the longest handgun you will own. Get a really nice one, work with it over and over again until you truly master it and understand how to shoot it well.

My Dback (nickeled one) and I really did not get in the true shooting groove until I was in college shooting it weekly. I used to pound out around 200 shots every week but carefully placed double action and single action over and over again. Just make every shot perfect, and master the gun. Frankly it took me about 20,000 rounds to really master the gun the way I liked. Even today (at about round 47,000) I can pick it up, instantly index the gun and it just feels like an extension of my hand.

I started to break parts on my nickeled so I retired it and only shoot it a bit each year. Now I am learning the blued but frankly while it feels right, in the sun it just is all wrong since I am used to the nickeled.

So again, to the OP. Seriously consider a good to very good quality revolver and get really good at it. Invest in ammo not more guns is my suggestion.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

Ah, revolver vs. auto for the first handgun.

Personal choice of course. My first was an auto, but now after owning both for several years, I'm much more partial to revolvers. In hindsight that's what I would go with, and you couldn't pick a better one that the Smith in my opinion.

I'd definitely shoot a few of each if it is possible before making a purchase.

 

[Buck13]

Concealed carry AND range seems like a difficult combination. Depends on your range goals, of course. I like to shoot at a 4" BR diamond at 25 yards and have something close to recognizable groups, which I don't think I could do with anything very small. Even with a large handgun, I'm very happy if my group is no larger than the target. The 4" revolver others have mentioned is about the smallest I enjoy. An auto with a 4.5" barrel is OK, too.

OTOH, if by "range" you mean shooting at IDPA type targets at 7 yards, almost anything should do as long as it doesn't give you slide bite.

 

[jmr40]

For my personal use I prefer a semi. But I also firmly believe that if some one is inexperienced enough to have to ask for advice, they need a revolver. You may reach the point where you prefer a semi, but for now I'd suggest a revolver.

 

[Lost Sheep]

A bit off-topic

Buy a 1911. Carry it every day for a year, cocked and locked, with a chambered round. If you fire an unintentional shot, and the pistol is still cocked and locked, I have a $20 with your name on it.

(edited for brevity).

To anyone who believes a gun can be made 100% safe, I direct your attention to the events in Brighton, New York on September 13, 2000.

A cocked and locked Model 1991 (series '80) Colt .45 ACP pistol was pulled from the hand of a Rochester N.Y. Police Officer and the round in the chamber was accidentally discharged. Immediately after the accident, the pistol was still cocked and locked with the spent round's empty cartridge still in the chamber.

The story was reported in the Sept 14th and Sept 15 issues of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. It was also investigated and reported in The American Journal of Roentgenology in their Volume 178, Issue 5 in May of 2002.

The gun was pulled from the officer's hand by and into a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine and discharged when it made contact with the bore of the machine. A pretty much classic case of "slam-fire" typical of the pre-'80s series guns, but which was supposed to have been cured in the series '80 pistols by the firing pin block. Thus is proved the adage that no system can be made 100% effective.

I pulled these two partial articles from the web site of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

find them through http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives

1. DAILY DIGEST
September 15, 2000 •• 406 words •• ID: roc2000091510092197
Test too risky for magnet-pulled gun It would be too risky to test the gun yanked out of an off-duty city police officer's hand by a heavy-duty magnet this week, a firearms expert said yesterday. The magnet, used for magnetic resonance imaging tests, might have changed the molecular structure of the .45-caliber handgun, said Sgt. William Benwitz, who runs the firearms training unit at the Scottsville Road training academy. "Until we send this gun back to the


2. DAILY DIGEST
September 14, 2000 •• 347 words •• ID: roc2000091410192034
MRI `disarms' police officer Just call it a really magnetic attraction. An off-duty Rochester police officer went to Borg Imaging at 200 White Spruce Blvd., Brighton, yesterday for a magnetic resonance imaging test. The officer asked an office worker about his handgun

additional references:

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7611043/m/332107195/p/1

http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/178/5/1092

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

Thanks for asking our advice

I see from your other posts that you do not reload. I recommend it, particularly for handguns because you have to shoot a lot more to master it than you do rifles (my opinion)

I will recommend a revolver. You do not seem to be in a position to carry as part of a job or anywhere the fast reloading and round capacity of a semi-auto would be an advantage.

Smith & Wesson revolvers are excellent machines and the Model 13, Model 15, Model 19 and Model 86 (and their stainless brethren) would be excellent choices. Also, Model 17 (22 rimfire revolver) would be excellent.

But I will suggest a used Ruger Six (Security Six-adjustable sight, Service Six-fixed sight, Speed Six-fixed sight & sound butt)or the current production Ruger GP 100 or 101, etc.

I had a S&W K-22 Masterpiece, Model 17. I took the sideplate off. I saw all the parts inside, put back in the ones that had sprung out and never opened it up again. Compared to my Dan Wesson, the Smith's parts were more delicate and far greater in number and complexity of operation. I have since discovered that the Ruger has even fewer parts, is simpler to understand and much more robust than the Smiths'.

Having said that, I freely admit that the Smith's trigger feel is far superior to the Rugers' (without tuning by a gunsmith or a LOT of wearing in; wearing in is a well-regarded way to improve the Ruger trigger). The Dan Wesson trigger is OK, but heavy in double action. The lock time on the DW is something to die for, though.

Rugers and Dan Wessons use coil springs. S&W use leaf springs if that matters to you.

As I said, I owned a S&W 6" k-22. Also a Model 28 "Highway Patrolman", N-frame .357 revolver.

I also own or owned a Dan Wesson 6" .357 Model 15, Dan Wesson pistol pack, Ruger SP 101 (in 22 rimfire and in .357 Magnum), Ruger Security Sixes in 2.75", 4" and 6" barrels and Ruger GP100 in 3", 4" and 5" barrels and a Colt Trooper Mk III 8" barrel that has a trigger as smooth as warm butter.

I don't really like shooting my SP101s all that much because they are so light and the trigger pull (as a percentage of the gun's weight) is heavy, making bullseye shooting problematic. The Security Sixes are far superior to the SP101 in operation, though at a small increase in size (and compromise to concealability). But I can tuck my short-barrel SP101 in a thunderwear "holster" a lot easier than my short barrel Security Six. (I just got the thunderwear a couple weeks ago for $8 at gun show and said "What the heck, I will see if it is any good").

A semi-auto 22 rimfire was mentioned before (sorry, I don't recall the author) and a 22 revolver (check out Taurus 22-good value for the price) is worth considering.

But, in your position, I would go Ruger - a used Security Six or new or used GP and spend the money saved over the Smith to get a decent reloading setup and, of course, I have advice on that subject, too) so I could afford to feed the guns.

Thanks for reading.

Lost Sheep

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

To anyone who believes a gun can be made 100% safe, I direct your attention to the events in Brighton, New York on September 13, 2000.

A cocked and locked Model 1991 (series '80) Colt .45 ACP pistol was pulled from the hand of a Rochester N.Y. Police Officer and the round in the chamber was accidentally discharged. Immediately after the accident, the pistol was still cocked and locked with the spent round's empty cartridge still in the chamber.

Ummm...OK...I'll take your opening statement to be a warning against people who may think any functional gun can be "100% safe".


But there's "safe" as in "the weapon was made safe" which is an action to either engage a safety mechanism or to unload/verify unloaded a given weapon. This is a physical condition. And then there's "safe" as a general statement about the relative level of safety of an act or action as compared to other risks.


So we put a gun in extremis and it goes off. I could toss any loaded handgun of mine, with a round in the chamber, into a fire and it'll go off. Whoop-dee-doo.

A loaded firearm in a fire might be said to be in an unusual circumstance not typical of anybody who would carry a firearm.

Likewise, a loaded firearm in a MRI under these circumstances is ALSO not typical of anybody who would carry a firearm.


First of all, the technician failed to properly communicate what to do with the gun in the first place. The officer should never have had it in the room with the MRI equipment. In fact, the officer should have brought no metallic objects into the room at all, especially ferro-magnetic items. The MRI in use generated a 15,000 Gauss magnetic field.

The magnetic field literally yanked the gun from the officer's hand from three feet away and if flew into the MRI and impacted the magnet. The force of the gun when it hit the magnet had to have been pretty astronomical, given that the magnetic force follows an inverse-square rule and the pulling force would increase by a factor of 4 every time the distance was halved.

At three feet, the magnetic force was powerful enough to yank the gun out of the officers hand. At 18 inches, that pulling force would have been 4 times the initial pulling force. At 9 inches, that pulling force would have been 16 times the initial pulling force. At 4.5 inches, the pulling force would have been 256 times the initial pulling force. See where this is going? And the forces can even be significantly higher depending on how the magnetic field is shaped.

When the gun hit, it was impossible for the officer or the technician to pull it free until the magnet had been secured, that's how powerful the magnet on a 1.5T MRI is.

Two factors involving the power of the magnetic fields worked to cause the gun to fire, apparently. One was the effect of the powerful magnetic field on the firing pin block, which acted to move the block up and out of the way of the firing pin. And then the acceleration of the gun as it raced towards the magnetic field at an ever increasing rate of acceleration driven by the inverse-square rule on the power of the magnetic field caused the gun to impact the MRI magnet and an extremely high velocity. Inertia took over at that point, causing the firing pin to impact on the primer of the chambered round.


So, gun not safe around MRI because it may discharge under these conditions, correct? Well...yes and no. ANY gun or ANY other ferro-magnetic object is NOT SAFE around an MRI. PERIOD. Small metallic objects can be driven into/trough bone and flesh and larger metallic object can quite literally pulp bone and flesh on impact. In fact, the size and mass of the gun itself is very likely to be a far greater danger than the 230 grain bullet which may be discharged.

In fact, non-ferro-magnetic material can also be quite dangerous in certain magnetic fields. Just because a metal isn't attracted by a magnet doesn't mean it's safe to be around in a magnetic field. Get an iron rod, wrap a bunch of wire around one end of it, and put a non-ferrous metal ring (like Aluminum or copper) down the other end of the rod. Apply 120 Volt AC current to the windings and the ring will fly off the rod. Now HOLD the ring on the rod to keep it from moving and then apply power. The metal ring will rapidly heat up to temperatures hot enough to burn.


All of which brings home a valid point to consider. Safety is relative, not absolute. If it literally takes unimaginable forces in extreme circumstances that just don't typically happen to people to make a gun like a 1991A1 go off while cocked and locked, then the relative safety of the gun is pretty high.

And that specific circumstance was SUPPOSED to be covered by procedures: Had the technician and officer properly followed procedures, this would never have happened.


Anyway, strictly speaking, 1911Tuner has it right about ANY gun:

"Is gun. Gun not safe."



An off-duty police officer went to an outpatient imaging center (not affiliated with our institution) in western New York State to have an MR imaging examination. The facility housed a 1.5-T MR unit (Signa; General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, WI) with active shielding. The officer was carrying a model 1991 A-1 compact.45 caliber semiautomatic pistol (Colt's Manufacturing, Hartford, CT).

The officer notified the technologist that he was carrying the weapon before entering the MR dressing room. The technologist told the officer to take the gun with him. The technologist intended to meet the officer in the MR patient waiting area before the examination and secure the weapon in that room, where he felt it would be safe. However, the officer apparently misunderstood and took the gun into the MR suite. The technologist was entering the officer's personal data into the computer and did not see him entering the MR suite.

Once the officer was inside the MR suite, the gun was pulled from his hand as he attempted to place the gun on top of a cabinet 3 ft (0.9 m) away from the magnet bore. The gun was immediately pulled into the bore, where it struck the left side and spontaneously discharged a round into the wall of the room at the rear of the magnet. Fortunately, no one was injured. Although the gun struck the magnet bore, only minimal cosmetic damage occurred to the magnet itself. The MR unit had full functional capability immediately after the gun discharged. The weapon's thumb safety was reportedly engaged when the gun discharged.

An unsuccessful attempt to remove the gun from the magnet resulted in the gun being pulled to the right side of the magnet (Fig. 1). The decision was then made to power down the magnet to remove the gun.

Examination of the weapon by a ballistics laboratory concluded that the force of the magnetic field was responsible for the firearm's discharge. To understand how the gun discharged requires a brief discussion of the firing mechanics of the Colt 1991 A-1.45 caliber pistol and the weapon's safety mechanisms [2]. When the weapon is normally fired, the trigger is pulled, which releases the sear. The sear, in turn, releases the hammer. The hammer then moves forward to strike the firing pin, which moves forward to strike the primer of the chambered round.

The Colt 1991 A-1 pistol has three safety mechanisms (Fig. 2A,2B,2C,2D), including a thumb safety, grip safety, and firing pin block. The thumb safety locks the sear in place and prevents the hammer from moving forward when the trigger is pulled. The thumb safety also locks the slide in place. The thumb safety is the weapon's only active safety mechanism; it must be turned on in order to work. The grip safety is located at the back of the gun handle and prevents the trigger from being depressed. The grip safety is a passive mechanism; it is always on unless deactivated. To deactivate it, the grip safety must be depressed at the same time the trigger is depressed; otherwise, the trigger cannot be pulled. The firing pin block is a small metal block, approximately the size of a pencil eraser, that sits in the firing pin channel and prevents the firing pin from moving forward. The firing pin block is held in place by a small spring. When the trigger is pulled, a series of levers cam the firing pin block up into its own well within the slide to allow the firing pin to move freely within its channel.

At the time the weapon discharged, it was reportedly in a cocked and locked position; that is, the hammer was cocked and the thumb safety was engaged to prevent the hammer from striking the firing pin. A live round was in the chamber. (Many people who choose this weapon for personal protection will carry it in this manner because it allows them to quickly fire the weapon if needed.)

When the firearm was removed from the magnet, the gun was still in a cocked and locked position. An empty cartridge was found in the chamber. The presence of an empty cartridge in the chamber is highly unusual. If the thumb safety were not engaged and the weapon fired normally by depressing the trigger, the normal backward recoil of the slide should have automatically ejected the empty cartridge, and a new live round should have automatically been chambered. As discussed earlier, the thumb safety performs two functions: it prevents the sear from releasing the hammer, thereby preventing the hammer from striking the firing pin; it also locks the slide in place, preventing retrograde motion of the slide and automatic ejection of the empty cartridge. Thus, the presence of an empty cartridge in the chamber confirms that the thumb safety was engaged at the time the gun was fired. Given that the thumb safety was engaged when the gun discharged, it is also likely that the normal trigger and hammer mechanism of firing the gun was bypassed because the thumb safety would have also prevented release of the hammer.

The gun likely discharged as a result of the effect of the magnetic field on the firing pin block. The firing pin block was probably drawn into its uppermost position by force of the magnetic field. The firing pin block has to overcome only light pressure from a relatively small spring to release the firing pin. The pistol was likely drawn into the magnetic field so that the muzzle struck the magnet's bore first. With the firing pin allowed to move freely in its channel, the force of the impact on the muzzle end was sufficient to cause the firing pin to overcome its spring pressure and move forward to strike the primer of the chambered round.


http://www.ajronline.org/doi/pdf/10.2214/ajr.178.5.1781092


A link on how powerful the magnetic field on an MRI is:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question698.htm

 

[AR15activist]

I belive you're over thinking the safety aspect, and putting too much of an emphasis on aesthetics.

I would look at compact full-size polymer 9s:

M&Pc

XDMC

Glock 19 or Glock 26.

 

[AR15activist]

Following my advice you have an affordable, trusted and rugged gun that you can conceal with an SOE belt and Crossbreed holster, but also hit with out to 25+ yards.

Just trust me.

 

[Lost Sheep]

Ummm...OK...I'll take your opening statement to be a warning against people who may think any functional gun can be "100% safe".


But there's "safe" as in "the weapon was made safe" which is an action to either engage a safety mechanism or to unload/verify unloaded a given weapon. This is a physical condition. And then there's "safe" as a general statement about the relative level of safety of an act or action as compared to other risks.

All of which brings home a valid point to consider. Safety is relative, not absolute. If it literally takes unimaginable forces in extreme circumstances that just don't typically happen to people to make a gun like a 1991A1 go off while cocked and locked, then the relative safety of the gun is pretty high.
Anyway, strictly speaking, 1911Tuner has it right about ANY gun:

"Is gun. Gun not safe."

(Edited for focus. I hope I did not remove any context.

Which was my point. If you have a loaded gun on your person, there is a possibility there might be an accident. However remote.

Even if you don't have a gun. I read about a guy who had a 9-volt battery in his pocket with at least one naked 22 rimfire cartridge. Bad mix, that. Short circuite, heat, one round went off. Excitement ensued.

Balancing risk and reward, though, is a reasonable thing to do. The O.P.'s aversion to the 1911 Cocked and Locked condition is his choice. Let it be an informed one. For that, we all should thank you, RetiredUSNChief. I do.

I also wanted to see if jrmiddleton425 would send me $20 (or the Rochester Police Retirement Fund).

The investigative reports I have been able to find never mentioned if there was a firing pin mark on the primer of the spent shell. While that is one reasonable explanation another is that the magnetic flux set off the primer directly (this information I got directly from an MRI technician who learned that while in training).

Lost Sheep

 

[Lost Sheep]

One more thought to the O.P.

Get something accurate. Good sights and trigger and inherent ability to group well.

You know from your rifle and shotgun shooting that practice is important and bad groups discourage good practice just as much as good groups encourage it.

Then there are the shooting sports. Handgun competitions have a really great variety.

Lost Sheep

 

[Manny]

Out of the two choices you listed the model 13 by far as I firmly believe that series of S&W auto's to be turds. A buddy had one back when S&W was doing their "gun of the week" thing and it was an utter POS. Terrible trigger & constant jams.

Sounds like you have a taste for older "classic" guns and aesthetics are a huge concern. Given those considerations any classic K frame S&W or Ruger Six Series should be to your liking. In semi-auto's CZ 75's, Beretta 92's, Browning BDA's or a Sig might prove to your liking.

Any of the above guns in 9mm or .38/.357 should prove to fullfil your wants quite well.

 

[SC Shooter]

I started out with the idea of purchasing one all around handgun mainly for personal protection. I settled on a S & W revolver. Then I found a very interesting old military revolver that I purchased because it was priced right. Well so much for one all around. Then I found a really nice auto loader for a range gun, then I found another nice auto loader just because. My single all around revolver that I bought some 30 guns ago, it still very special to me and I take it out of the safe now and then and head for the range, just to let it know I still care.

 

[BlindJustice]

I would tell you 9mm Luger is cheaper than .38 Special/.357 Mag.

I'm happy with the CZ 75B 9x19, DA/SA and there is a .22 LR
conversion kit available. Uber reliable, accurate and fits the hand

I've always liked the S&W M13 - there are some with 3" Bbl & Round
Butt nice (K) Medium frame Smith

My .357 a Model 60 3" bbl. W&E Adj. Rear sight the Magnum J frame

R-

 

[jamesinalaska]

+1 on the Ruger SP101

For a first gun it will suit you perfectly, and it will never become a gun you'll have regretted buying. Never.

I would recommend the 2.25 inch barrel as it conceals so easily. Nothing will substitute for practice though, no particular gun make, caliber, barrel length or internet hype. After you buy the piece, go and buy 1000 rounds of of 38 special and start shooting - weekly. Save the brass.

 

[Lost Sheep]

As the owner of 1) Security Sixes in 2.75" 4" and 6", 2) GP100 in 4" and 6" and 3) SP101 in 22 and .357, I have to say that, as a first gun, I would stay away from the SP101.

1)
The ratio of the trigger pull to the weight of the gun is a significant factor in the ability of the shooter to stay on target. The higher the ratio, the more difficult the task. e.g. a 5 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 1:1 and it is pretty hard to stay on target. A 2 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 2.5:1 and a lot harder to keep that light of a gun steady

2)
Sight radius. The longer the distance between front sight and rear sight, the easier it is to see the gun wander off-target (though I recognize that different people may react differently to the same stimulus - for instance a gun that is very difficult to master may encourage someone more stubborn than me to practice more - but that is rare in a beginner).

3)
The sights on the SP101 are rudimentary. The target sights on my GPs and Security Sixes are much better, easier to pick up in a hurry and easier to keep on target.

A gun which is easy to get on target and to produce good groups encourages practice. A gun that is difficult to shoot well tends to discourage practice, at least among new shooters.

Just my opinion, strongly held (though I recognize that different personalities respond differently to the same stimulus - for example a particularly difficult gun to master may encourage MORE practice in a particularly stubborn or dedicated person, but I believe this would be rare in a novice).

Lost Sheep

 

[Center fire]

My $0.02, if you are considering a DA revolver as a CCW you need to practice practice practice. They are not any easy gun to accurately hit the mark when making quick successive shoots for someone not experienced with DA revolvers. I find semiautos to be much easier to get back on mark, especially, those in the 9mm and smaller category.

 

[Zendude]

For an autoloader that can be a range gun and a concealed carry gun, I chose a Bersa Thunder 380.

 

[BlindJustice]

Anybody ask the O.P. about training?

basic firearms / Basic Handgun // Advanced handgun?

Range/Rentals available?

The first handgun I had was a hi Standard Duramatic .22 LR Semi-Auto.
I had it 2 years before I returned it to my Uncle John. So, I saved up
land my Dad matched my total and I got a S&W Model 15 .22 6 shot DA
revolver. With it's W&E adj. rear sight it was an improvement in my
marksman ship.

First Pistol I always recommend a .22 in the same type action as the
future centerfire Service pistol/Revolver

Ammo expense?
all 50 rd boxes Blazer brass
9mm Luger . $ 14
.38 Special $ 22 <-- what's up with that?
.45 ACP $ 24

At the range, 100 rd pack of CCI Mini-Mag is $ 11
Blazer .22 $4?

and practice practice practice

with the price of .38 Special I don't shoot my Model 60
3" bbl. .357 Mag s much as I used to.

R-

 

[Nicky Santoro]

OP,
IMO, one gun won't do it all. For a house gun I would choose the heaviest 4" barrel 38/357 revolver I could afford and load it with .38 spl LSWCHP +P. For carry I would choose a light weight J frame and load it with either the above noted load or the Speer 135gr short barrel load. IMO, in any reasonable scenario, you will be victorious or dead within 3 rounds, so I see no need for any high cap semis. That's just me, because in the real world, and I've been the target of attempted muggings, I don't see myself defending against zombie hordes.

 

[Corpral_Agarn]

Personally, if I had known about the CZ75 series, I would gotten one for my first handgun. They are cheap, accurate, and versatile.

But that's just me.

I started on a K frame revolver and I think that it made me a better shooter, but the mastering the double action on a revolver is more difficult.

 

[Doc7]

The higher the ratio, the more difficult the task. e.g. a 5 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 1:1 and it is pretty hard to stay on target. A 2 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 2.5:1 and a lot harder to keep that light of a gun steady

I'm not sure I would use this argument to set my handgun search parameters to only include handguns weighing more than 2 lbs...



I highly recommend the Glock 19 as an all-around first handgun if it must be capable of defensive use. For an "all-around first handgun" without the defensive qualifier I would recommend a 22LR of your favorite flavor.

 

[Lost Sheep]

The higher the ratio, the more difficult the task. e.g. a 5 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 1:1 and it is pretty hard to stay on target. A 2 lb gun with a 5 lb trigger is 2.5:1 and a lot harder to keep that light of a gun steady

I'm not sure I would use this argument to set my handgun search parameters to only include handguns weighing more than 2 lbs...

I am not intending to imply that it cannot be done. I am just saying that for most folks longer sight radius and heavier gun to trigger weight ratio tend to be more favorable for accuracy. Tendency does not preclude anything. And, if taken to an extreme, tendency can reverse on itself. Everything I write must be taken with a chaser of common sense.

I highly recommend the Glock 19 as an all-around first handgun if it must be capable of defensive use. For an "all-around first handgun" without the defensive qualifier I would recommend a 22LR of your favorite flavor.

While I am not a fan of Glocks, the Glock 19 (or, indeed any of that line-with the larger getting more of my favor than the smaller) is an excellent choice. I TOTALLY agree with your recommendation of the 22 rimfire with my choices being S&W K frame, Taurus with adjustable sights, or Ruger Single-Six (or Single-Ten) or Dan Wesson (are they still making those?) or something like that, or in Semi-auto, Ruger Mk II or Mk III or Browning Buckmark or s&W's excellent target pistol. There may be others, but those came to mind immediately.

Lost Sheep

 

[readyeddy]

Get the model 13.

Shoots two different cartridges. Reliable and if you hit a dud just pull the trigger again. Smith triggers are pretty sweet in my experience. 357 mag is some serious power and 38 special is the most enjoyable center fire handgun cartridge to shoot.

And last but not least, that 13 looks cooler than cool.