How do you decide which handgun is right for you?

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orangeninja

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In searching for a handgun, usually I consider the following items in terms of most important.

1. Reliability.........if it jams, it is useless in a fight, except maybe as a rock.

2. Hand fit............I like guns to fit my hand WITHOUT Hogue handall grips or modifications like Agrip. Do most people feel this way?

3. Caliber.............9mm and above depending on the size and utility of the weapon.

4. Support, aftermarket and factory.......I believe a manufacturer should stand behind their products and I like a weapon that is easy to accessorise. Sig is one such company, I have never had such good customer service. Taurus's warranty is likewise very impressive. Also a gun that nobody makes a holster for is hard to carry.

5. Reputation.......but it is so biased in magazines it is useless. However some gun enthusiasts truly are unbiased and their opinions are worth gold.

How about you guys? I would love to understand fellow shooters thought processes.
 
How do I tell if a gun is right for me?

Research. Hands on and literary.

It helps to have a fair amount of disposable income.

For me, it has come down over the last 15 years of reading up on guns, cross checking facts, checking what I've read against what is available, and then making a purchase on what I've settled on.

Then after wringing out the piece of hardware for a bit, I sit back and reasses things to see if it really is what I want or need.

In 15 years, I've owned 49 different firearms of all types. I currently own 10. Everything I need to do can be done with those 10 guns. I can hunt everything from mice to moose, I can defend myself and my possessions under all normal circumstances, and I can practice my skills on a regular basis without worrying too much about ammo cost.

To try and save you some time and money, I'll give you a big piece of advice. No matter how many "bigger, better, badder" guns that came down the pike that I bought and tried, I kept going back to the basics.

Without going into details of makes and manufacturers, this is what I've settled on in after 15 years of experimentation.

.22LR Semiauto pistol
.22LR Bolt action rifle
4" .357 Magnum revolver
Snub nosed .357 magnum revolver
1911A1 Semiauto
9mm Semiauto
12 Gauge pump shotgun
"Tween" caliber bolt action rifle for deer sized game and down.
Medium/Heavy caliber rifle for deer sized game and up
Semiauto battle rifle for defense and moderate competition.

Like I said, 10 gives gives me the ability to do everything that I need to do.
 
Do lots and lots of research on THR and TFL. Stick to top quality, well known brands and models. Glock, Colt, Smith and Wesson, Beretta, Sig-Sauer, Kimber, Walther, etc. Find out what you want- DA/SA wondernine? 1911? Then go to the shop and handle various handguns of the type you want. Try to shoot a friends gun or rent before you buy. When you find "the one", you'll know. The gun picks the shooter just as much as the shooter picks the gun :D . For me, it's the Hi-Power, followed by the 1911. Upon picking it up, I just knew that it was "right".
 
I have to say I have only ever owned one gun that seemed to fit me perfect. A CZ PCR, however when I had to chase a theif into a strangers dark yard with a flood light in my face, I felt so undergunned I could never carry it again. I pretty much stick with .40 cal Sig or a high cap 15+ or 17+ 9mm. Sad really.
 
I have been shooting for most of my life. My dad started me on handguns when I was about 12 and I was hooked. I found that I was better with a handgun than most poeple and that made me feel like I could do something that not everyone could. I am not the world's best handgun shot but I have developed more skill with a handgun than a rifle or shotgun, relativly speaking. Of course I can shoot a rifle better than a handgun but anyone can shoot a rifle, not everyone can hit with a handgun.

I buy and sell guns so I am able to try out what I want. Over the past 15 years I have had over 100 guns. I now have about 25. About half of them have been handguns. What I have found is, if you find a gun that fits you like it was made for you and you can shoot it well, stick with it and learn to overcome its shortcommings. Every handgun has shortcommings because of the fact that certain trade-offs must be made. If all you do is read about guns to find the one that suits you best, you are not doing all your homework. Reading and research is fine to point you in a certain direction but you have to hold and shoot them before you really know.

There are so many factors that go into making a handgun "right" for someone. Not everyone has the same needs, somepeople want ultra concealability and others want power or capacity. It all depends on what you are going to use it for. A CCW has to have some things that a home defense gun doesn't and vice-versa.

All this talk and I really haven't said anything.:eek: Assuming we are talking a CCW. I guess what it boils down to me is: (not in order)
1. How well it fits me.

2. Ammo costs (I want to be able to shoot it enough to get to know it)

3. Trigger (I need to reach it and control it to shoot well)

4. Sights (need to be able to see them)

5. Power (I want something that I feel has enough power to do the job)

6. Capacity (more is better as long as it is not making it too wide or too heavy to carry)

7. Reliabilty (it has to be reliable or it is not worth having)

8. Accuracy (in a self defense gun, it has to be combat accurate, what I mean by this is, it should shoot well fast and under stress)

9. Pointabilty ( the sights should fall right into the target without having to move the gun to correct it)

10. Quality (if it is junk, sooner or later, it will not be one of the above)

11. Carryabilty (if it is too large and heavy, I won't carry it when I should)

12. Simple (no extra levers or switches to mess you up)

13. Low recoil (I am not recoil sensitive but I know that I shoot a 9mm better than a 40S&W)

After all this and all the guns I have had, the Kahr K-9 has been the best. It fits me like no other and it has the right mix of the above to suit me. It is not perfect but is the closest I have found yet. If I didn't have to think about carrying it, it would be a different story, I could get a larger gun that held more rounds. BHP is good and so is the Glock 19, I have a Beretta 92fs that has been 100% reliable for over 2000rds and I like it so I don't plan on switching to anything else for a home defense gun. Don't mess with what works.
 
How did I? Friends rec. Hands on.

How do I? Role (bug), rec's from more knowledgeable folks, hands on.
 
I have a few criteria in which I must have in order to consider a gun.

1) Looks: C'mon admit it, you gonna buy something so ugly such as a hi-point? Yuck. 1911 = Beautiful :D

2) Reliability: Mainly gotta check out people's review of the gun. Most of the time the general consensus takes us one direction.

3) Ergonomics: The controls gotta fit my hand. The grip has to feel comfortable. The gun should feel like an extension of my hand instead of a tool. Comfort is key.

4) Fit/Finish/Quality: No cheapy guns for me. But alas, cheap price do not mean cheap quality. Good slide to frame fit. Smooth action.

5) Trigger: Its gotta be crisp. Vague triggers are the biggest turnoffs for me.

6) Ammo price: I gotta feed it something rite? No use having a paperweight I cant even feed to shoot.

7) Caliber: Another big thing. Only caliber I'll consider smaller than a 9mm is .22 LR. All the other calibers either seem too weak, or some are even more expensive to shoot than the 9mm! .45 ACP is the best round. :)

8) Defense: All my guns have to at least have a defensive capability.

9) Niche: Everyone has a niche they wanna fill. Polymer, all steel, caliber etc... its just whatever we feel in the mood for.

10) Rare/Collector: That oooh I gotta have because its here. Impulse buys because you wont see it for sale ever again or for a long long time.
 
the hard way

I bought , and then sold, a 1911, a Tanfoglio 9mm, and a Glock 17: now I have an S&W 686+ and it's just fine for me.

I suspect you just keep buying and trying- actually shooting and living with your gun, maintaining it etc.- until you find one that fits your personality and lifestyle better than the other guns. We are all different. It turns out I like the simplicity of a revolver and the power and versatility of a .357/.38 platform, with 7 rounds in the cylinder and in stainless steel.

Keep trying one after the other!
 
The very first consideration should be what is the purpose this gun is to serve. If it's suitable for the purpose then you start the list of your personal requirements.
You wouldn't look at a 10" Model 29 Silhouette as a CCW.
 
That's not as simple as it sounds! No one handgun is right for all circumstances. That's why I own more than two dozen of them. Some fill a very legimate need, others for the sheer fun, yet others for pleasing appearence. They're all "right for me"!
str1
 
My criteria are:

1. Reliability. It's got to go bang every time you pull the trigger, or it's just a funny-looking club.

2. Shootability -- how it performs in my hands. This rolls up all the minor criteria, like sights, balance and pointability, trigger, controlability and so on.

3. Power -- if it goes bang, and I get a hit, I want that hit to count!

4. Concealability -- if I have a gun that goes bang, I can hit with it, and it does the job, I need to be able to have it with me at all times.

Bottom line -- M1911A1.
 
I just use what the SEALs use ;)

Really I'm pretty gun insensitive. If it is reliable and accurate and will continue to be reliable and accurate, I don't have a problem using it. Of course it has to be concealable as well. As for my own choices, I've liked the M1911, Hi Power, CZ-75, P99, Glock 9mm series, and the Sig Classic line the best.
 
Greeting's All-

In my way of thinking, I'd like to try out any weapon before
purchase. Unfortunately, most of the time that isn't possible, so
we have to make a purchase before we can test any product.
You're right on track with your thought process; but whats right
for you, probably isn't going to be right for someone else. Thats
why I advocate SIG-SAUER's double-action "Classic" P220A for
persons with big mitts.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Now what type of handgun

If it is a sweet deal. I have several and no great need to add more at this time. I started off with a .22 figured a cheap way to learn how to shoot. I purchased an H and R. Bad choice worse trigger I ever had.

I learned first to decide what I was going to use the gun for. If it was for hunting, 44 mag or 357 mag. with at least 6" barrell. I checked for quality and accuracy and ended up with what fit my hand. For hunting I have a very sweet 586.

Personal defense, I believe in carrying a larger handgun. Want to stop the threat as soon as possible. I used a Glock 17 for years prior to becoming a police officer. Reason it was very reliable, reasonable accurate and it took a beating and kept on coming. thin enough for concealed carry with a good Inside waist pand holster.

Figure out what you want the gun to do and that will narrow your search. Stick with a quality manufactor. The gun must fire every time you want it to and it must fit your hands.
 
Spend $50 on a Lyman digital trigger pull gauge and hang out at the range. It's amazing the number of folks who will let you shoot their guns in return for checking out their trigger pull for them.

JohnBoyamicheapBT
 
Make sure it fits you. I just spent time with a new shooter who was having a number of problems with his Gold Cup. Watching him shoot I realised that most of the problems were due to the fact that his small hand and short fingers he couldn't reach the trigger properly. For him the short trigger is a necessity ! You must also be able to operate all the controls and it should point well for you.
 
When you pick a pistol up and it feels just right,
The controls don't confuse you,
The sights are actually usable and you can see them clearly,
The price isn't too cheap nor is it priced beyond your means,
Just holding the gun makes you feel all warm and fuzzy,
Then,
you will know!
 
You borrow or rent every kind of gun you can get your hands on, then go shoot the h@ll out of them. The only way to know for sure if a firearm "works" for you is to get out & shoot it first.
 
The owner of the gunshop I trade at has become a friend. That's because no matter how much I research and rent, until it's mine I cannot tell if it's gonna be a keeper. (That's where the 'trade' part comes in.)
Steve
 
Your numbers 1, 2 and 3 pretty much sum up my method as well. The last two sort of combine in with number one... I mean, I've never sought out a gun that has a universal reptutation - not just internet hype - for being supremely unreliable or a company known for ditching their customers ASAP thus I've generally had good experiences with reliability and fine customer service the only time it was needed.

Really, if a gun is 99+ % reliable, fits me ergonomically, has a trigger that can be made to fall under 5 pounds and reasonably crisp and is a 9mm or up, I'm generally pretty happy with it.
 
Cost is a primary consideration - I have to balance my 'wants' with my 'needs'.

So, I establish my price range, or threshold of pain, and go from there.
The things that are meaningful to me include reputation, universal acceptability, availability of spare parts & magazines and hand fit. I tend to avoid the latest gun-of-the-month-club mentality and go for the models that are established or fill a need in my arsenal. After that I get some hands on time, usually a rental at a range, and determine if indeed I find balance and harmony with the piece.

Then it's a matter of justifying it with my wife, but that's a whole different thread of discussion!:D
 
Its easy; a good .357 magnum revolver, and a good 1911 are both right for everybody! (sic) A person should always shoot legally and safely, but beyond that, too much thinking, and too many decisions just takes all the fun out of it. To me, having fun with this stuff is what its all about!
 
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