First Handgun... so confused...

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HippieMagic

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Dec 5, 2006
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I started out my quest sometime in the middle of this year. It started out so simple... I wanted a good 9mm to play around with... then as I dug through the many resources online I just became extremely confused. Right now I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what I want. The sad thing is I can't try before I buy because there aren't any ranges around except outdoor rifle ranges with no restrictions at all... its basically just a booth with things set up at 25, 50, and 100 yards lol nothing complex but I guess its a fun safe place considering I am usually just with whoever came with me that day... I guess if you want you're own private range its a great place.

Enough rambling though... onto my question. I don't care much about price since I have a few months till I am actually 21 to save up. I want to get this right the first time so I wont be disappointed. I will try to give as much info here as possible so here it goes...

Reason for wanting: Mainly for consealed carry, wilderness protection, and range fun...

Caliber: Unknown... I was really leaning towards .40 but will do 9mm or .45acp

Current interests: Sig P226R, S&W M&P .40, FNP-40, Sig P220 Carry

I really want a handgun with a rail though... just incase I want to add a light/laser.

I tried my friends XD 40 and I just don't like it. It feels... wrong... that is the only way I can explain it.

This is my first post and I just recently discovered this site and you all seem to be a great community so I decided to go ahead and ask you all. I am sorry if this type of question gets asked too much. I am still digging through posts.

Thank you,
Nick
 
Looks like you have some pretty solid basic ideas.

At this point, the only thing to do is to try and feel out as many different 9/40/45 compact, rail-equipped pistols as you can, and see what fits your hand best. Save up cash to buy the pistol, practice and carry ammo, a good holster, and whatever costs your Concealed Carry permit will involve. Might as well plan ahead.

I'm inclined to favor 9mm, since the ammo costs half of what .45 ammo costs, and .40 has kind of an odd recoil impulse to it (for me personally).

I notice one item missing from your consideration list: CZ P01. Gets a lot of good word of mouth here on THR. I have the non-railed CZ PCR version, and like it considerably.

Just hit the "Search" button at the top of the forum to look up all the past posts about these CZ models. I belive the P01 is NATO-approved for military use.

Good luck in your search,

-MV
 
Welcome!

My first handgun was a .40. If I had it to do over again, I would go with either a 9mm or even a .45. The recoil of the .40 is snappy and not something I would choose to learn with again.

I know you don't have any local ranges, but you should consider a drive to a range that does rent handguns so you can try a few. I too read up on all I could and compared specs and anguished over the decision and bought a gun before I tried several out. In retrospect, all of the reading and research, while not completely useless, was far less useful than if I had rented several guns and tried them out. It’s really a personal preference decision and no spec or forum is going to help you decide which gun feels right to you.

I can give no better advice then to actually try several guns. For example, if I had it to do again, I would buy an XD9 to start with as this gun fits me very well, has moderate enough recoil to learn on, is ultra-reliable, and is reasonably priced. However, since you don’t like the feel of the XD, this would be very bad advice for you.
 
well it could be because the xd was a .40 and it just felt too snappy to me... maybe im just not a fan of the round... I heard the .45 was between the 9mm and .40 as far as recoil and I think that would be a happy place for me. I really like the p220 equinox but damn... thats a lotta cash for a "pretty" gun when the black one does the same thing...

Just how... concealable is a p226? and can I just swap barrels to make it a 9mm/.40/.357? If so that would make it a fairly good choice since all calibers are right there in the same package... I do like how they feel and look its just... cabela's employees look at you funny if you try to "hide" a gun under your clothing so I figured it probly wasn't a good idea to try.

One more question since I am still new... what is the average price of a new box of .45acp target rounds? I would obviously be using more reliable ammo to carry but lets say... a box of winchester... what do they run? I have only seen the 9mm and .40 and they are about the same price maybe a $1 difference.
 
CCW and wilderness protection usually use guns with qualities that are pretty much opposite. The solution is to get 2 guns! A nice compact 9mm for concealed carry, and a stout revolver for woods work. Or, you could take the alternative route and get a fairly compact .357 revolver to do it all. .38's for cheaper shooting at the range, concealed carry with .38+p or .357 mag, and heavier .357 for the woods. Of course, it is a revolver and probably much uglier and less attractive to your young eyes than an autoloader.
 
CZPO1 9mm, great guns, has a rail. Any CZ works for me:D A box of 45 at Walmart is 22.00 or so. I reload, havent bought factory centerfire ammo in awhile.
 
This is just my 2 cents worth or food for thought. You said there were no Ranges where you live. This is an investment and at you age money may not be easy to come by so FIND an range that rents, take a girlfriend as a weekend trip. There is nothing like actually shooting that gun. Verses holding it to see how fits in your hand. Yes the 40 is snappy but thats what I like about it and I have 2 Golcks and 2 Kimbers.
 
Good point squekie. Maybe fondle a dozen guns, find which three fit your hand and priorities the best, and then rent/borrow/steal (well, don't steal) the three that fit best and see which one shoots best for you?

There has to be a rental range somewhere near you. What part of the country are you in?

-MV
 
Take a look at the M&P's. The price is reasonable. They shoot well and have great ergonomics. The CZ 9mm are very nice also.

Just to add another $0.015 of advice, if this is your first pistol and you haven't shot pistols, I'd recommend getting a .22 to learn to shoot, then buy a larger caliber pistol. The selection of .22 semi-auto's in the under $300 price range is good. All of them have pro's and con's, but almost all of them shoot well. I don't want to start a chain that goes forever, but currently you can get a Ruger MKIII 22/45 or an S&W 22A for $199. .22's don't have the recoil of the higher caliber's, generally shoot very accurately and the ammuntion is 10%-20% the cost of 9mm.
 
--------quote----------
can I just swap barrels to make it a 9mm/.40/.357
-----------------------

On SIG pistols, the 40 and 357 change out only requires a barrel swap. You can use factory barrels. The mags and breechface are the same, so changing the barrel essentially changes the caliber of the gun.

If you get a pistol originally chambered in 40 or 357, you can get an aftermarket barrel from Bar-Sto that will allow you to shoot 9mm. Most people consider this for range use only, because there are some differences between the guns that could potentially affect reliability in self-defense use. However, many folks on SIGForum are very happy with the aftermarket 9mm barrel for range use.

If you get a pistol originally chambered in 9mm, you cannot change calibers.
 
A good 9mm and a good .22lr.......Maybe the beretta 92fs, and a ruger 5.5" Heavy Bbl 22 semi auto. Both would be great starter guns. If you want to spend a bit more, but get better quality, go HK USP9 and a S&W 41 either way they will provide a lifetime of service. Good Luck, and Be Safe.
 
Suggestions

A couple of ideas:

  1. Find a gun show that's within driving distance and attend. If it's a fair sized show you should have the chance to at least handle a wide range of pistols. This is a good time to figure out which pistols will NOT work (In my case, it's the Glocks; they just don't feel right in my hand).
  2. Get an idea of how you plan to carry. Depending on climate some methods are more difficult than others because of clothing (ex: Florida summers make it difficult to conceal OWB holsters). Some model pistols are more difficult to conceal than others. Factor this in. Start looking at holster manufacturers. Start drooling over Milt Sparks leather and promise yourself one day you'll own a VM2. (that last part may just be me :p)
  3. Once you've culled the list down some via the gun show route, take the suggested trip to a range/shop which rents and give a few a whirl. The gun show may give you some ideas on what feels good but you should back that up with actually shooting it (case in point: I loved the feel of the Sig P239 in 357Sig when I handled it, but after purchasing it was never able to get comfortable actually shooting it. And I'm a Sig guy.)
  4. Hopefully at this point you'll have several options, in terms of caliber and model. Start watching the for sale listings here as well as the specialty boards (SigForum for Sigs, GlockTalk for Glocks, etc). Read up on the make/models you're interested and get a general idea of take down procedures. Find out if there are any 'gotchas' to be aware of in the make/model you're interested in and how to find them. Also research gun sale laws for your city/state and find a local FFL.
  5. Apply for your C&R (Curio & Relics) license; you'll save the application fee on your first order to Brownells, MidwayUSA, etc. Plus you can become a milsurp addict and ensure you never have any spare money again. :)

I'm of two minds on buying new for your first gun. I did (Sig P226R 9mm) and loved it but I could have saved a couple of hundred dollars and bought used. OTOH you get the warranty, less chance of problems, etc. The more you learn the more particular you'll get on what you like and dislike. Expect to change guns a couple of times unless you get that 'perfect' one right off the bat. :p

Personally? After handling and shooting a bunch of different makes and models I found that the classic Sigs felt the best. I started with a P226R in 9mm, bought a P239 in 357 Sig for carry. Sold the P226 to fund a rifle build and the P239 to fund a P229 in 357 Sig. Discovered that I didn't like the feel of the 357 Sig round so I went the 45acp route. I now own a Sig GSR Revolution (Sig 1911) and a Sig P220ST. My next gun is a Sig P220 Carry SAO (P220R with shortened slide and single action only trigger group with safety). I want to get back to a P226 one day, but I have a deal with my wife which limits me to four firearms at any one time. :p

Long winded, but I hope this helps!
 
Since this is going to be a sport gun (not for personal defense) have you considered one of the older Star B models or the BM? They're built in the 1911 design but in 9mm.
 
I agree with Falconeer get to a show and play with them all. A gun is not fun to shoot if it dosnt feel comfortable. Additionally if you plan to use this weapon with self defense/ protection you need to be as comfortable with it as possible. That means how it feels in your hand, confident that with that gun/caliber you can hit what you aim at and if you are going for CCW how comfortable does it ride and how comfortable do you feel presenting that weapon if needed. ( Presentation is everything:) ) My first pistol was old slab sides (M1911A1) standard USGI, but that was over 20yrs ago and it wasn't as many choices back then. I'm glad we didnt have all those choices you have today back then frankly. As far as narrowing the field, If it were me I would pick a caliber then see who offers what in that caliber, then go play with it at a Gun shop or show. We could all give you OUR suggestions but it will in the end be up to you. The 3 calibers that you have Chosen are three good ones for range work and Self Defense. I belive that its not so much the caliber you choose that brings something down as well as where you place the bullet. I have talked with many guys that say 9mm is not a viabale defense round, but I have found that with the right "hot " load it can be very effective. Many Law Enforcement agencies Have found success with the .40 cal round. Good stopping power and manageable recoil. Our Spec Ops guys (as do I) live by the .45 ACP round in the venerable 1911 package. I probably didnt really tell you what you wanted hear, one definative answer like "THis gun is Better......" but i just wanted to give a little insight to help you make the decision. I will throw one little gun bite out there I purchased my wife a SW MP .40 this week and we went to the range and I was very surprised in the versatility of the weapon. Very pointable, good comfortable grip, and very low recoil in a 165 gr bullet. Ok I said I wouldnt suggest but I was very impressed with the M&P lineup and I think they deserve a hard look by any first time buyer. Good Luck with your search and dont stop with one!!
 
I agree with trying them all before you buy. If that really isn't an option I'd recommend a CZ-75b. I haven't personally met anyone who did like the grip and feel of the CZ-75b. The CZ-75b SP-01 has a rail, so does the P-01 and is more concealable. Also great price. The Star option is also a good cheap option. CDNN has great prices on them now. Stick with 9mm until you decide to jump into the world of reloading. Then get a 1911 of your choice.
 
I am going to go out on a limb, and state that it doesn't matter much what you buy, just so long as you buy something.

After you have owned 40 or 50 of them you will discover the half-dozen that totally fit your needs. Until then, have fun, experiment, and shoot alot.
 
Sig P239 or Walther P99c/AS....

100_6389.gif

Then, an Airweight Bodyguard for the little lady... ;)

You won't be sorry !


Best Wishes,

JP
 
Here are my thoughts. Worth exactly what you paid for them...

1. Go with a 9mm.
A number of people have suggested this already and I think it's a good idea. 9mm is dirt cheap to practice with. This is good because you can shoot a lot, which allows you to develop skill and enjoy yourself. Also, since you are young and probably not very wealthy you will really appreciate cheap ammo. I cussed myself a lot during college for starting off with a .40 S&W.

2. Go with a mid-size frame.
You stated you wanted a gun for carry and range time. I find that a mid-size frame gives you something that's easy to carry, but still comfortable to shoot on the range. My baby Glock (Glock 26) would be a snap to carry, but the grip is a little small when I'm at the range. My Beretta 92 is very comfortable at the range, but it would be more difficult to carry. My mid-size Glock (Glock 23) splits the difference nicely.

3. Shoot if you can, handle if you can't.
I second the suggestion to shoot your choice if at all possible. That will give you the best idea of whether you like a gun or not. However, I bought my first gun (Glock 23) after only handling it, not shooting it. It took some getting used to, but I had a gun I knew I was comfortable with.


Finally, just get what you like. Buying a gun is not like marriage. You can buy one thing today and trade it for a full-size 10mm or a pocket .380 or whatever you heart desires. What you buy should be something that appeals to you. Not something that some faceless Internet expert endorses. That said, I think the suggestions I gave you might be a good place to start.


P.S. The rail will add a little weight out front on an all metal gun because they have to add a block of metal to machine it into. On polymer guns (Glock, XD, etc) the rail is just molded into the frame and adds no extra weight. Just something to be aware of.
 
I hate to confuse the issue,.....

but don't neglect revolvers. Try to rent those too. Just remember that if you choose a lightweight, snub nose revolver, they are more difficult to master than a revolver with say, a 3 inch barrel.
Do lots of research. Read a lot. Don't believe everything everyone tells you. Shoot what you feel is best for you.
 
Where do you live?

There are some nice folks here, and if any on them live close by, they might know a good range near by or invite you to try a few of their guns. I have had a few nice folks invite me to their ranges to check them out, shoot, BBQ, etc.
 
My first was a .45. Probably a bad choice, but I've learned to hit with it. I dislike the trigger on the M&P, because of the "hinge" factor (I can't explain it...the trigger is in 2 parts).

IF I was to buy another pistol, I'd probably get a P220. Sigs are great guns, incredibly accurate, and they just fit my hand so well. Two things I don't like about them: 1.) They're expensive, and I'm cheap. 2.) Single Action. I refuse to trust my life to a SA pistol. For quality, though, I don't think they can be beat.
 
Two ranges near me hold "Factory Shoot" weekends once a year. One in the spring and one in the fall. Most of the major manufacturers show up and let you fondle and shoot all of their guns. All you pay for is the ammo. I have found it to be the best way to compare guns on the same day, the only bad thing is that it can get crowded at times. But if you are patient and plan on spending the day, it can be very informative and loads of fun at the same time.

Since you have time, I would suggest searching for ranges within an exceptable distance and give them a call. Ask if they have any manufacturer days, then plan a weekend or two around them.

I have found renting to be expensive and limited as far as what is available to rent. I remember one range that only rented Glocks, had a good pile of them, but I wasn't interested in a Glock at that time.

So anyway, Welcome and good luck.:)
 
Here's my advice:

Sig P220--approx $800

CZ P-01 9mm--approx $500
Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag--approx $450

For a little more the price of the Sig you can get a great carry weapon in the CZ and a great wilderness protection gun in the Ruger. Plus, you add a wheelgun to your collection.
 
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