Help me choose my first handgun

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Long_Range_Mauser

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Okay, so am new here. Getting ready to buy my first handgun. I have shot several hanguns in the past. Ruger Super Blackhawks:), Single-Sixes,MKIII Heritage Rouge Rider, Taurus Raging Bull, Stoeger Luger, Glock 9mm, and a Colt 1911:). I have a couple of problems in front of me. I like all actions and cannot decide between Revolver, or Semi. I also am on a $300 or so budget:banghead:. So can anybody help me find a decent starter pistol. I prefer large caliber (.40 or bigger.) Been looking at the High Point .45acp, and the Comanche III .357 with 6" barrel. Thanks for the help.
 
Rock Islands brand new around the $400-$425 mark (my area at least). That's for the basic version.

They are made on the same machines that Colts were made on.

Have seen Rock Island frames with Colt slides on them, just to show that everything fits. There are a lot of people on here that love Rock Islands. Search for some more information, I'm sure someone has posted about his/her Rock Island on here.
 
Hmm! You really have no preference? You like double-action revolvers, striker-fired autos, and 1911-style autos all the same?

The Glock is a great gun. But if you have no real preference for a simple/reliable/ugly gun, you'd probably like something else more. Of course, you said you were looking at a Hi-Point -- and that's the only gun uglier than a Glock. :D Hi-Points are good. They're reliable and cheap. But unless you're desperately needing a gun and on the tightest possible budget, you can find something a little more fun.

You said you wanted a larger caliber, but then you also said you were considering a .357. I'm assuming you don't reload, so in that case a .357 is a good idea since 38 special is pretty cheap. You also didn't mention if you have any intention of ever getting a CCW. Assuming you don't reload and you don't want to conceal it, I'd say a used .357 would be an excellent choice, though. You can get something decent like a used Ruger Service Six pretty cheap:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=121296861

Of course I wouldn't get that one because it doesn't have a hammer. Did any of them come like that? Did some moron shave it off? Maybe that's why it's going cheap.

I still can't imagine, though, that you don't have some preference on whether or not you're looking for a 1911-style auto, Glock-style auto, single action revolver, or double action revolver.

You should probably just wander around some gun shows and see if anything really grabs you.
 
Hp 9mm

Get yourself a Hi Point 9MM....yep, I know the gun snobs bash them, but they are a decent firing self protection weapon...and you can pick one up for less than $150...for another $50 you'll have enough ammo to get it sighted in...I've had no jams with mine. Get the standard 8 round clip, if fact get 2 of them.

Don't let the gun snobs talk you into something you can't afford.....the 9MM or even the .380 HP are fine guns(9mm ammo is less expensive, and more available).

And if you are looking at something with more BANG....the Hi Point .45 is available for less than $200 in most areas.

Hoot
 
If you're on a budget, the cost of the gun pales in comparison to the price of the ammunition you'll have to feed it if you plan on shooting on a regular basis.

I faced the same question many years ago when I first got into handguns, and the answer was a Smith & Wesson Revolver in .22 caliber. I learned to shoot quite well with that gun because the ammunition was cheap and I was able to put thousands of rounds down range. Those fundamentals learned so long ago have served me well when I eventually moved on to other calibers. Plus, someone is always looking for a .22, so if you chose to sell it at a later date, you'll probably get most of your money back.

As the years have gone by I've been fortunate to have acquired several handguns in a few different calibers, but if I had to chose one as my favorite- I'd reach for that old .22 Smith every time.
 
Never shot an EAA. If you want a .44 single action, though, you can get a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 for $300 - $350 on Gunbroker, and you can get a new one for $484 at Bud's. Ammo is about the same price as .45 ACP if you can find it, but .44 is a nice thing to get into reloading. I'm sure you'd have fun with one of them.
 
Help me choose my first handgun
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With the budget you've set, buy either a .22 revolver or autoloader. Grow skills before you worry about CCW or centerfire options. Growing skills means PRACTICE & practice means AMMO/RANGE-TIME & ammo/range-time means money/time. There's no shortcut & no substitute.

Stay away from junk & stick to tried-and-true brands & models. In .22 autos, buy a Ruger Mk or a Browning Buckmark. In .22 revolvers stick with (SA) Ruger or (DA) S&W. Colts are great but tough to find in your price range. IMHO, I would (much) rather have a used example of a quality handgun than a NIB "lesser" quality handgun. Lastly, buy a gun that's ACCURATE, so you'll know when you're getting better. Don't plink at tin-cans to decide if you can shoot. Use Vanilla Wafers at 25 yards. Went you can go at least 8 for 10 EVERY SINGLE TIME...then think about buying a centerfire handgun. Not BEFORE!
 
Knowing how to shoot is not my problem. With my buddys Super Blackhawk I can keep all six on a paper plate at 50yrds. and i am good enough with my grandfathers .22 luger that i hunt with it regularly. I have been shooting handguns of various caliber for several years.
 
1. Go to a range that rents guns.

2. Rent a bunch of them -- all sorts of makes and models and calibers.

3. Find one that fits your hand and eye the best, regardless of whatever pre-conceived notions you may have had, and regardless of what your next-door neighbor or the guy down the hall or your brother-in-law or someone on the internet told you to buy.

4. Go back to the range a second time and rent that gun you are thinking of buying -- the one you liked the first time around -- and run it through a number of drills again ... just to make sure that it's truly right for you.

5. Then, and only then, should you consider buying it.
 
Not going to be a popular vote,but I would say that a CZ 40B would be a good first, it is an extremely high-quality gun that was priced a $289 new when I bought mine this summer, 12 round .40, my first gun was a USP .40 so you could say I jumped right into the thick of it as well. I think the CZ Kadet Kit fits the 40B without much trouble. Great gun, unique, inexpensive, and not going to be around forever, though the company and the magazines certainly will be. Uses standard CZ fullsize .40S&W magazines.
 
My local gunstore Azfirearms.com has a Ruger Blackhawk (slightly smaller verson of the Super Blackhawk) used in .357 Magnum for $295.

Great guys that work there and amazing guns you will have a hard time finding somewhere else.
 
dont buy anything yet, and I am not being mean or a smart butt, keep looking renting and borrowing until you find the one that gives you that feeling inside that says "this is the one" mjght take some time but will save you some money. take it from one who knows, once bought a gun just to have one, regreted it
 
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If range time is an issue and nothing around is available for you to exercise the rent option, then make some friends who have lots of guns and head to the woods and spend a day with a variety of makes and models.

The bottom line here is to experience the gun before you buy the gun. A magazine review or a website listing or a gun board posting is no substitution for the real thing. Truth of the matter is: "Ain't nothing like the real thing." That's why they put it in the song.
 
Long Range Mauser:
You said that you liked larger calibers, “.40 or bigger.” .38 is very close. How about a S&W K-frame for starters? Model 10s are selling pretty cheaply on Gunbroker. Three of them sold for less than $200 in the last week alone. If you spend $100 or so more, you can probably get something in .357.

For what purpose do you want the gun?
 
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