Help me buy my first handgun

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Tarwater

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Well, I'm turning 21 on Friday and I've been scouting around the local shops for a good handgun. I was hoping I could get a little input from you guys to help me make my decision.

I'm a college kid, so I absolutely cannot spend more than $400, preferably less.

I had my heart set on a .357 revolver for a while; I hadn't even considered getting a semi-auto (guess I'm old-fashioned) until the gentleman at the gun store let me handle a Daewoo DH40 and now I'm more accepting of the autos. My third option is a 9mm. There's a great-looking 9mm carbine I could get for cheap if I trade in my .22, so that's an incentive to get a matching pistol. I hear that the 9 isn't a very effective round, though, so I'm not sure about that.

Was that coherent at all? Sell me on what you like best of the three. Oh, and have a nice day.
 
If it were me id either buy the 357 if you can find a nice one, or hold off for a while and shoot some more handguns and see what you like. No one can really tell you what to buy all we can do is chime in with our experiance with said round, gun, ammo.
 
9mm is plenty effective for me and about the cheapest centerfire pistol round to shoot ( buying ammo over the counter ) if that is a consideration , there are many good 9mm pistols out there from browning hp to taurus 905 9mm snubby revolver lol
 
I agree with Pat. If you won't consider a .22 (the BEST first handgun, IMO) then get a good-sized all steel .357 revolver. You can find used ones for under $300. With adjustable sights and a comfortable set of soft grips you'll be all set.

Start with .38 Special non +P ammo. NO MAGNUM ROUNDS until you've mastered the .38s. :evil:
 
Thanks for the quick responses, guys.

I grew up shooting my grandfather's .22 revolver so I have access to one anyway; they're fun to practice and play with but I was thinking something with a little more oomph, if you know what I mean, since I'll only be able to afford one gun for a good while.

So the 9mm isn't that bad? Because I hear a lot of that "my friend's cousin knows this guy whose brother's friend's uncle is a cop and one time he shot a bad guy three hundred times in the face with a 9mm and he just laughed!" stuff and I sure as heck wouldn't want a wimp caliber ;)
 
trust me

take it from me man, ive seen plenty of weapons. it seems that german weapons are the best. get either an hk usp or a walther p99. the p99 DAO or the P99 AS are what i reccomend. i served as a paratrooper in the us army up until 2 months ago. have fired our weapons all the way to israeli and then some. Stick with a german weapon unless your getting an uzi : )

all in all i reccomend an hk if your in a dorm since u can lock the pistol with a key when you store it in your room and you are not available.

if you dont care about being able to lock the gun up to keep others from using it then go with a Walther P99. its imported by Smith and Wesson but made by walther in Germany. Once you pick it up youll want to take it home. they run about 550-600 dollars but dont skip out on a gun. youll regret it later.
 
oh btw, 9mm is plenty effective. that crap with 9mm being "wimpy" started when people realized they suck and wanted a magic bullet. lets put it this way, shot placement is what matters. do you think if you took two to the chest and one in the head for good measure, that you would know the difference of whether it was a 9MM or a .45? didnt think so.

also, consider recoil. a .45 may have more "stopping power" simply because its a bigger bullet, it takes more time to shoot the target again because the recoil will knock off your sight picture. i have yet to see or hear of a person dying on impact of a round that hasnt hit them in the head. so what that means is, you most likely will have to hit a properly motivated target more than once to put him down in an instant. 9mm gives you more ammo, and more of an opportunity to get your sights back on target. but its all up to you. if you can control a .45 or a .50 cal to where you feel comfortable with your own ability to hit the target where you want to hit it in stressful environments then go for it. remember one thing bro. in combat its not a "my wee wees bigger than yours contest." its about what will increase my chances of coming out alive. It depends on what your best at. so try out different calibers, and decide if your good enough to rely on 7-8 rounds of .45 or 15-17 rounds of 9mm.

ps 9mm is way cheaper therefore more opportunity to practice. and make sure you go with JHP no matter what you decide to purchase.
 
My first handgun, all of three years ago, was a Dan Wesson .357 Model 15 with a 4" barrel. I still have it and will continue to keep it. It's accurate, it's fun to shoot, and the barrels can be swapped out for longer or shorter ones depending on what you need. It's a great convinece.

I paid $250 for mine. Most people don't really know the value of them because they're not a big name, so you'll probably pay about the same.
 
Alright, I saw something else today that caught my eye. What do y'all think of this Taurus .40 pistol?

H_247-40SSP-10.jpg


It holds 15. That's more than any of the 9mms I've seen so far, and high capacity was the main reason I was leaning towards the 9 in the first place. Just under 400 bucks, too. I'm tempted.

I guess it'll come down to this or a revolver.
 
Looks like a pretty reasonable choice to me. I would have suggested a Glock 23, but they are a bit over $400. Ruger 22 autos are always great guns, but you already have a 22.
 
I think a GP 100 in .357 magnum is a great first centerfire handgun. Super mild recoil in .38 special, but gives the option for powerful loads if you use heavy grained magnums. Great ergonomics IMO, and tough and durable design.
 
I highly reccomend you take a training class before you buy your first handgun. The things you learn in the class are likely to affect your decision. I reccomend the NRA Basic Pistol course. You'll get a solid grounding in the fundamentals of handgun shooting and, most likely, you'll get a chance to shoot several different guns.

That being said, I also reccomend a .22 as a good first handgun. You can really hone your skills with a .22. The low recoil allows you to master the fundamentals and the low cost allows you to practice more. I'd say buy a $225 Ruger Mk II and shoot it for a year. In that time, try as many centerfire handguns as you can and you'll get a better idea of what you like. You can take the other $200 you didn't spend, and the money you'll save shooting .22, and buy a centerfire pistol in a year.

If you are bound and determined to get a centerfire, I reccomend a 9mm semi-auto or .357 Magnum or .38 Special revolver. 9mm is currently the cheapest centerfire pistol round to shoot and is an effective defensive round. A .357 Magnum revolver can also shoot the less expensive, and less recoiling, .38 Special loads.

As far as what individual gun, try as many as can until you decide what you like best. I'm not a fan of Taurus plastic autos because I know too many people who have reported problems with one.
 
I wouldn't trade your .22; everyone needs a good .22, and you're not likely to get much credit trading it in. Likewise, a 9mm carbine is fun, but not if it means delaying purchase of your first handgun.

I frequently see used Ruger SP101/GP100/Security-Six and certain S&W, etc. models in .357 for under $300. Both those brands have outstanding reps and should outlive you with basic care.

IRT revolver vs. semi: it's totally a personal call. But if your gut is saying revolver, I'd go revolver. Plus there are fewer confusing choices to make with revolvers: buy a S&W or Ruger and you're all set. Make sure to read Mr March's guide to checking out used revolvers, which is posted as a permanent sticky thread at the top of the Revolver forum.

Bear in mind also with revolvers: if you find a model you like, but the grip isn't quite your cup of tea, it's easy and cheap to radically change grip feel and size with a revolver. Good options for that are Pachmayr, Hogue, and Tyler T-Grips.

Good luck with your first purchase. Don't skimp on quality: there are plenty of good deals for way under $400 in the used market. Use the money you save on inexpensive practice ammo.

-MV
 
Trebor,

I'm not unfamiliar with guns by any means, but a training class would be very helpful. Do you have any idea how I could find out about one in my area?
 
The NRA website at www.nra.org will list some of the training classes in your area. Be aware though that not all instructors remember to list their classes on the NRA website. (I only remember about half the time, for instance).

Check the website and do a Google search for "Basic pistol" and "Georgia" to see if any instructors have anything posted anywhere else in the web.

The best way though will probably be to go to all the gunstores and ranges in your area, say in maybe an hour radius, and just start asking everyone if anyone knows of any Basic Pistol classes coming up. Sooner or later you'll find a class flyer or someone will know an instructor. Many private ranges will allow non-members to take classes as well.

Basic Pistol is one of the easiest NRA classes to find, so you should be able to come up with one without too much headahce.
 
Tarwater,

As other folks have said handle as many handguns as you can. This is particularly important in semi-autos since the grips either can't be changed or you can only change side panels in most cases. As has been noted you can do a good bit more with revolver grips. I also grew up around guns and started my handgunning with a Glock. While I still own several semis, I truly enjoy the old S&W .38 Spl. revolver I recently aquired. If I could start over I would've gone with a Smith, Ruger, or Colt wheelgun in .357 as my first handgun. Take an NRA course like Trebor said then go to a range that rents handguns and try some out. You're also in Ga so hit up your family and friends and shoot their guns. At some point you'll find "The One" for you. Have fun with it and keep us updated.
 
I love how the fact I live in Georgia automatically means my family and friends must have a lot of guns.


But yes, they do, in fact, and I've been hitting them up extensively ;)
 
I love how the fact I live in Georgia automatically means my family and friends must have a lot of guns.


But yes, they do, in fact, and I've been hitting them up extensively
Click to expand...

See, I was right :neener: Isn't a law for the head of every household in Kennesaw (I think thats the right city) to own a gun?

If I may ask, where in our great state are you Tarwater?
 
I like Taurus

The 24/7 pro also has sa/da trigger new this year. I like my PT145, which is pretty much the compact model of the 24/7 line.

Mine works flawlessly, great value for the money. Then you can save for your 10mm....oops, I mean 357 mag.

jeepmor
 
For $400 think CZ-75B. Very fine semi-auto pistols. Reliable and both of mine are more accurate than my SIG P220. You can read about the line here:

http://www.cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=29

Ignore the Website MSRP. Depending on where you live the street price runs $375 to $440.

Regarding your first pistol IMO just ignore all the stuff people say about recoil, size weight etc. The very first handgun I ever fired was a 1911 in the US Army almost 35 years ago. My eldest daughter and niece both started out with a large caliber - niece .40 S&W and daughter .45LC. In fact my eldest daughter might be considered a big gun junkie as her favorites are .44 Magnum and .45 Colt and she's a dead shot with both (way better than me).

Buy what you can afford and feels good to you and by all means if you have the opportunity shoot what you think you want before you buy it.
 
"See, I was right Isn't a law for the head of every household in Kennesaw (I think thats the right city) to own a gun?

If I may ask, where in our great state are you Tarwater?"

Yep, you're right about Kennesaw. Not a whole lot of crime down there for some reason, go figure ;)

I live about two hours north of Atlanta.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. The more I read about this Taurus, the more I likes it. The only thing I don't like about it is the magazine release feels funny to me; you have to try pretty hard to press the dang button, but then I guess that's a good thing huh?

But man, revolvers are nice too, if for no other reason than the sheer sexiness of a six-shooter. I mean, that's the only real reason you buy a gun, right? :p
 
Tarwater I have handled a few of those Taurus and I agree they seem like great guns , if you buy one make sure you get the PRO version and not the simple 24/7 as I understand they had some frames that cracked with the standard ones , fixed the problem and renamed it PRO .

I have a Taurus PT 940 in stainless and love the darn thing , I have a littele over 200 rounds of mixed FMJ and hollow points through it and haven't had a single malfunctions with it .

The only downside of these guns is the cost of spare magazines , from Taurus they will run $39 each .

Look around on www.gunbroker.com you may get lucky and find a deal like I did and get a gun with a few spare mags as a package that saves you a few bucks , I picked up my 940 with 4 spare mags for $515 total out the door after paying shipping and dealer transfer fees complete.

Happy shooting !!
 
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