First handgun

[5kold]

This friday, Apr. 2, I turn 21- the legal age to buy a handgun in IL. And instead of going out like a frat boy and getting wasted, I will mail off my FOID card application and once I receive the card in the mail (assuming it was accepted.. I mean I already answered the 3 big security questions: Are you retarded? no. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? no. Are you retarded? no.), I will purchase my first handgun, ammo, holster, tac light etc.., and non-resident ccw permit for IN so I can carry in a variety of states.

I was thinking of buying a glock 20 10mm 3rd gen, 2 more 15rd mags, uncle mikes pro-pak vertical shoulder holster, wilderness safepacker belt holster (basically a manly fanny pack for your gun), streamlight trl-1s light, truglo TFO sights, 22# recoil spring, steel guide rod, 165gr gold dot doubletaps for sd, 135 nosler doubletaps for my apartment, 200gr CCI blazers for the range, and 200gr beartooth doubletaps for the woods. What do you guys think? Any considerations I should make?

 

[bri]

sounds like you've got it all figured out!

have you shot the G20? if not, id recommend hitting the rental range and trying out a few different firearms before dropping the hammer.

As long as the 10mm ammo isn't going to break your bank for range time, you should be happy with the G20 either way though...

 

[leadaddict]

Hello and happy early birthday from a fellow Illinoisian. My only comment is about your ammunition setup. I question why you have separate ammo for self defense and home defense. I'm all for using a cheaper target round for most of your range time, but I'm a firm believer in keeping it as simple as possible when it comes to home/self defense. I would just stick with CCI for target and the 165Ggr gold dot for everything else. The 10mm is a substantial round, making it more complicated for small differences in ballistic and expansion characteristics is not worth it form. Of course that's just my own philosophy. Find what works for you and never be afraid to change your mind when you find something you like better.

I love my Glock 17, you won't be disappointed with a Glock. Best of luck to you and be safe!

 

[CamaroLovr]

I love my G29(the G20's little brother) but if its your first handgun you will want/need to train a good bit and 10mm is nearly impossible to find or afford right now so maybe a 9mm would be a better solution until you get ready for the big boy. My 9mm S&W gets a lot of action because I can afford ammo. I'm in college still. Oh invest in some good leather whatever you get. It will hold up much better than any cheap nylon holster and it will hold your gun much more securely. I like the rest of your accessory ideas though.

 

[Lv4snobrdg]

Ammo concerns aside, meaning "if they are not important" availability and cost.

Sounds like you got it all figured out!

I love it. But you really ought to do some research literary and physical. Don't settle on a glock, try the other poly's as well. One mans opinion is as good as any others, the one that matters is your own. If you love glocks already you will love your choice in one!

Peace

 

[Zerodefect]

"I was thinking of buying a glock 20 10mm 3rd gen, 2 more 15rd mags, uncle mikes pro-pak vertical shoulder holster, wilderness safepacker belt holster (basically a manly fanny pack for your gun), streamlight trl-1s light, truglo TFO sights, 22# recoil spring, steel guide rod, 165gr gold dot doubletaps for sd, 135 nosler doubletaps for my apartment, 200gr CCI blazers for the range, and 200gr beartooth doubletaps for the woods. What do you guys think? Any considerations I should make?"

1.Good choice on the Glock. Finest pistol out there. But the G20 is big and tough to CCW if you plan on that ever. 10mm is one heck of a round to start with. You really don't need to start with that much firepower. Be sure to try the G17, G19, G23, G22 as well. If you have big hands then go for the G20. Keep in mind that it's G21 brother handles the same but is easier to shoot, less recoil. Keep in mind that the G23 and 22 in .40 don't like haveing flashlights attached to them.

2. Pretty safe bet that your fanny pack and shoulder holster will sit in the closet and never be used. Those are odd ways to CCW, most who have tried those methods hated them. I'd suggest a slimmer easier to conceal Glock like the G19 in a Crossbreed Supertuck IWB or Crossbreeds new OWB holster.

3. If your G20 is only for woods carry ignore #1. G20's are great for that. I use backpacking pouch that hangs on my backpacks belt. Inside that pocket is a Uncle Mikes Kydex holster that I permanently attached inside the pouch by knocking some holes in its paddle and sewing into place with parachord.

4. Don't change the recoil spring! Use the stock one allways. I do like the Lonewolf SS captured recoil rod. Use red threadlock on its capture screw. You can try custom springs for the trigger, FP, safety, and striker, The Glockworx comp spring kit is nice. But IME, the Glock recoil springs are the best for Glocks.

5. Check out Warren Tacticals Sevigney line of sights. XS big dots are nice as well.

 

[5kold]

Thank you all for the extremely helpful comments!

My only comment is about your ammunition setup. I question why you have separate ammo for self defense and home defense.

Well, when I'm out and about, most likely I won't have to worry about over-penetration, so I want something that will stay together while transferring its kinetic energy (165gr gold dot DT's). In my apartment, if I have to use my weapon and miss, I don't want the bullet to stay together and penetrate into the next apartment. Instead, I want something that will hit hard, but then fragment (135gr nosler "frag nasty" DT's). At the range, the CCI's are cheap and decent. In the woods for backpacking in WA, GA, IL/KY, UT I want something that can take a boar or black bear or anything else that might want to hurt me (200gr wide flat nose hard cast DT's)

This is what I want to be doing right? Is this the right ammo for this purpose? What do you guys use?

 

[Strahley]

I wouldn't start with a 10mm Glock

I'd suggest one of the following: Glock 19, FNP-9, SIG P226, Springfield XD9, etc

I wouldn't get wrapped up in handgun caliber selection. Any decent or better 9mm JHP will get the job done. Should you ever have to actually use it, you won't wish you had a bigger handgun, you'll wish you had a long gun

 

[Kingofthehill]

I wouldn't start with a 10mm Glock

I'd suggest one of the following: Glock 19, FNP-9, SIG P226, Springfield XD9, etc

I wouldn't get wrapped up in handgun caliber selection. Any decent or better 9mm JHP will get the job done. Should you ever have to actually use it, you won't wish you had a bigger handgun, you'll wish you had a long gun

I would, if you want a 10mm.... get it. Then buy a .40 conversion barrel so you can shoot cheaper and more often.

JOe

 

[benderx4]

+1 with Strahley. For your FIRST gun, I'd get a 9mm as well. As for his recommendations, I'd agree with them all except for the FN, and I would substitute the Beretta 92FS in its place.

Ammo is cheaper so you'll practice more. Recoil is less so you'll learn quicker the importance of proper trigger control and front sight alignment.

Once you feel comfortable and proficient, you'll have an excellent experience base on which to choose your next weapon and caliber. You'll also have a mainstream popular gun that you could easily sell should you need to do so to purchase your "next" gun.

And believe me, there is always a "next" gun.

 

[Strahley]

Exactly my thinking. Starting out with a 10mm will probably do nothing but give you poor trigger control/flinching

 

[Manco]

I would, if you want a 10mm.... get it. Then buy a .40 conversion barrel so you can shoot cheaper and more often.

Not a bad idea at all if you plan to shoot frequently (probably shouldn't depend on the conversion barrel for self-defense, however). To tell you the truth, the CCI Blazer 10mm training rounds are loaded more like hot .40 S&W (and are in fact just within .40 S&W's range) than true 10mm, anyway. Although I can't speak from personal experience, I don't imagine that they'd feel much different from 165 grain .40 S&W training rounds that have similar energy levels (e.g. Speer Lawman and probably others). Neither will give you the full recoil of your hot 10mm defensive rounds, so you'll have to practice some with those, too, and I'm not talking about slow fire for the basic stuff like sight picture and trigger control, as you'll have to be able to aim and shoot rapidly, as well.

 

[shockwave]

Here's another vote against 10mm. Any handgun is the end result of a number of compromises - otherwise we'd all be carrying .12 ga. automatic hog-legs. By maxing on caliber, you lose out on the other end of the equation. Maybe try a 9mm and add something bigger if needed later on down the line.

 

[Manco]

In the woods for backpacking in WA, GA, IL/KY, UT I want something that can take a boar or black bear or anything else that might want to hurt me (200gr wide flat nose hard cast DT's)

This is what I want to be doing right? Is this the right ammo for this purpose? What do you guys use?

I can't think of a better load in this caliber for that purpose, although if you're worried about bears charging you, then a canister of bear spray is probably the best first option.

Starting out with a 10mm will probably do nothing but give you poor trigger control/flinching

Those CCI Blazer rounds are pretty mild for 10mm--more like a hot .40 S&W. If that's too much to start out with (assuming little or no experience on the original poster's part), then 9mm might be too much as well (I can't shoot any faster with it--9mm is a pretty snappy, high-pressure caliber, too). Some would suggest starting out with .22 LR in general, but some folks like to jump right in. I did, and it was no problem, although as always your mileage may vary.

Here's another vote against 10mm. Any handgun is the end result of a number of compromises - otherwise we'd all be carrying .12 ga. automatic hog-legs. By maxing on caliber, you lose out on the other end of the equation. Maybe try a 9mm and add something bigger if needed later on down the line.

In my opinion, what everybody should do when starting out is go to a decent range and try as many options and combinations of options as they can or care to. If the 50th round of 9mm feels as bad or even worse than the first, then maybe 10mm is not for you (at least for a long while). On the other hand, if you can handle it alright and really want a semiautomatic pistol that you can take out in the woods for defensive purposes against most anything, then 10mm would be ideal. Although it's not a mainstream caliber, there are still good options available: a conversion barrel for .40 S&W, light CCI Blazer training ammo (if a 10mm handgun is not available at the range, then try .40 S&W to simulate light loads such as this one--that's what .40 S&W essentially is), light Hornady XTP self-defense loads (even FBI agents can handle this one), and a full array of stout loads from Double Tap. It's like the autoloader equivalent of .357 Magnum (well, almost).

 

[CWL]

Happy birthday and congratulations on your desire to purchase a pistol.

I agree with those who feel that you should seriously consider costs of ownership.

How much money do you have? Really. It isn't just the cost to purchase the pistol, but the cost of ammo that will be the expensive part of your ownership experience. It will cost you thousands of rounds downrange to get to understand your pistol.

1000 rds of 9mm FMJ will cost ~$269-299 delivered

1000 rds of 10mm will cost ~$550+.

Defense ammo will cost much more more.

You have to weigh the costs of long term ownership before you go out and buy the biggest gun. If you can only afford to practice 1/2 as much with a 10mm, maybe it isn't the best caliber to become proficient with.

 

[Skillet]

I would definately get a belt cc holster. Shoulder holsters work great... In the movies.

 

[Lv4snobrdg]

I would definately get a belt cc holster. Shoulder holsters work great... In the movies.

Agreed, I love my shoulder rig and I use it when I am wearing my tux (snicker) other than those frequent occasions I keep a IWB Galco ready to go in my nightstand lock box.

EDIT: and I forgot, when its an 80's night party and I wear the white sport coat with the pink T shirt the miami rig comes out too!! So Don Johnson! The wife loves it!

 

[JFtheGR8]

Buy a .45 and don't look back. I have had a Springfield G.I. 1911 (wish I still had it) and currently own a XD 45 and am quite happy with it. Ammo is easy to find compared to 10mm. A friend of mine has a EAA Witness in 10mm and has a hard time finding ammo, reasonably priced that is.