Looking for a handgun for the new guy

[darklinks404]

i when to the local shooting ranges they let you rent guns for $10 bucks and let you trade in one for another rental gun so here is my top five...

1.s&w 686 4"ss 357 6 shot "holy crap" i love it but hated the price $600 bones also looks to big for a ccw later down the road...

2.ruger sp101 2.5 inch looks like good gun but no rentals of it to try $450 buck still sounds high but look well built and was told by 3 people at the range that they are great guns.. but no was shooting one that day

3.bersa is nice to shoot 380acp looks to cost a lot more for ammo but a great little gun "make me feel like 007" yes i know bond carry a ppk but still $300 bones it looks like a very good gun

4.hi point c9 in 9mm the trigger pitch's my finger so i change out for a another c9 "must have just been that one" works great. feels a little cheap and ugly but works like it should and is only $140 holy crap that is cheap and 9mm is also cheap to buy

5.colt 1911 mill-spec not a rental gun but my late grandfathers from ww2 shoots like a dream but 45acp ammo cost a bit more but does its job well can not use it as a day to day pistol "my father would kill me" now a newer one would work well but i looked it the shop and the 1911 they had where $600 and up wow i wish they where a little cheaper i could not use it as a ccw as it is far to big... p.s. does colt still make 1911 pistols? i did not see any of them lots of s&w and others


i want a gun just in case in this crazy world goes...well crazier ! ! ! and to guard myself, my family and might get a ccw later down the road... i am not going off to war and do not see a need to bury rifles and ammo in my back yard........yet at least....


anything else should i look at or your take on what is a good handgun looking to try to say under $300

 

[Monkeybear]

For a little over $300 you can get a Bersa Thunder in .45acp or 9mm.

They are compact and will be good for CCW since you posed an interest in them.

In your price range I would also look into Charter Arms and Rossi revolvers.

Hope that helps.

 

[wulfbyte]

A P6, also known as a SIG P226 can be had very inexpensively. They are German police guns that have been obsoleted out. I picked one up last week at my local dealer for $270. Actually that is a bit high, but I like to support my local gun dealer as they are quickly dwindling away.

As a single stack 9mm with a double action only trigger, I think you will find a versatile, comfortable, and simple arm that just might fit the bill.

An example link

 

[bestseller92]

Look for a Ruger P95. Good used ones can be had for sub 300, and they are superbly reliable.

 

[BlindJustice]

For your price range:
+1 for the Sig P6/225 - German Police surplus
+1 for Ruger P95

and yes Colt still makes 1911 semi-autos

And Mil-Spec is a 1911 marketing name for a
Springfield Armory 1911 with improved sights, enlarged
ejection port and other mods over a G.I. Springfield -
Armory model built to look like a 1911A1 WWII era build.

Randall

 

[NG VI]

Sig P6 or a CZ 40B fits that definition. The 40Bs are new, I got mine from CDNN for $289.

 

[Majic]

Very few people shoot everyday or even enough to do harm to a handgun. So why would Dad be upset over using Grandpa's Colt for HD duties? It will most likely spend most of it's time in the nightstand drawer.

 

[springmom]

First off, welcome to The High Road. Glad you found us.

I have a Bersa .380, the second one I've owned, and I like it a lot. I *had* a Bersa 9mm until I gave it to Middle Son for SD/HD. He loves it, and shoots very well with it. A Ruger SP101 is a great revolver (I have the smaller Smith & Wesson model 37, much lighter, but also much easier to conceal) and you couldn't really go wrong with it. The triggers can be a bit tough for some. Colts are...well, they're Colts, but around here they tend to be a bit pricey.

For the money, especially, I don't think Bersa can be beat. And if you're relatively new to all this, it helps to buy a gun that is easy to disassemble and reassemble for cleaning, which the Bersa is.

Perhaps some of the Ohio members are close enough to this young man to take him shooting with an SP101 and let him try one?

Springmom

 

[XDShooter07]

SP101 is a good choice but if it's too expensive then I would recommend the Bersa in 9mm since you liked the .380; just as long as you can remind yourself that you are not james bond. If you like the 1911 then good guns in that category for decent prices are the SA milspec or GI, the taurus PT1911, and the STI Spartan; they are low priced for 1911's with good quality but they might still be out of your price range just as with the SP101. I would also echo the recommendation for a Ruger P-series pistol.

One other thing......What does "$xx.xx bones" mean?

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

for about 350 you can get a rock island armory 1911

 

[woodfiend]

Dude, you can't go wrong with a Glock. And don't even breathe the name Hi-Point. That's a gangbanger gun.

 

[woodfiend]

Out of your choices though, I would most certainly go with the 1911. Great piece of kit.

 

[kingpin008]

And don't even breathe the name Hi-Point. That's a gangbanger gun.

Oh please. Hi-Point, Hi-Point, Hi-Point. The fact is, Hi-Point makes some decent, super-cheap guns. Right here in America, no less. The fact that thugs and gangsters manage to get their hands on them doesn't mean Jack other than the fools they pay to buy them in straw-man purchases can buy a lot for a little amount of money.

That said, their rifles do seem to be a bit better quality-wise than the pistols. YMMV, or course. I'm quite fond of my 995 carbine.

 

[CHEVELLE427]

1911 or an xd

 

[mike7465]

+1 on the Ruger P95. They are great pistols, low price, and will last forever. They are accurate out of the box, have a manual safety, and go bang every time. You can get one for about $285

Beretta: The 92FS or the PX4. Both can be had for below $500 and both will last forever, are accurate out of the box, with a manual safety and go bang every time. You can find them for below $500 new.

Those are my preferences. The guy who said the Sig P6 is right too. The only down side is the low round count of 8. Not my cup of tea.

You sound like you are doing it right. First find the gun by shooting lots of them, then buy. Keep going to the range, find one you like.
Don't be afraid to ask guys to try their pistols at the range. Make sure to say you will use your ammo. Most guys will let you do it if you ask right.
Good luck.

 

[RyanM]

2.ruger sp101 2.5 inch looks like good gun but no rentals of it to try $450 buck still sounds high but look well built and was told by 3 people at the range that they are great guns.. but no was shooting one that day

Look for a used one. I got a Target Grey one from a gun store for $350 plus tax. You could probably find one as low as $300 if you're lucky.

 

[dvcrsn]

You won't go wrong with used Ruger revolvers or pistols unless they are very battered

 

[paradox998]

I would go with a CZ 75b at around $430 at Whittikers. You can add a 22 conversion and practice with cheap ammunition. The gun is amazingly accurate, in both 22 and 9mm. You will rarely find someone with a CZ who trades it for another brand....

 

[Loomis]

Letsee, you want' something that is cheap, shoots accurately, cheap ammo, good for self defense, and easy to conceal?

Jeez, you don't want much do you?

9mm is the cheapest ammo. Used cop guns are the best deal. Other than that, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[EricShelton]

I love my SP101, though some people may say it's a bit heavy/bulky for every day CCW. I dig it, because you can shoot .38 special all day and night without getting sore- it just doesn't kick at all.

I wouldn't get a Hi-Point either. They work, and they're cheap, but I'll be honest, I don't like being "suspect" because fair or not, the stereotype exists for a reason. And fair or not, if a cop sees you carrying a Sig he says "Cool." If he sees you with a Hi-Point, he asks to look in the car's trunk... But the REAL reason I wouldn't get one is simply how huge and heavy the slide is, operating from direct blowback. Same thing with a Cobra. This will make finding holsters more difficult, and complicate concealed carry.

I'm surprised nobody has suggested any Taurus' for the person on a budget. I used to hate 'em, but they've really begun to impress me. A Ruger is always a good gun, great value, and dependable as the day is long. Bersas are decent, but I'd step up to a 9mm. A KelTec PF9, or a surplus Sig P6 (225), though there are reports of the surplus Sigs finally giving up the ghost and the frame rails cracking.

There are LOTS of great options. The only thing I would say is try to stay away from direct blowback if you can. They're simpler, and much cheaper, but the added size/weight isn't worth it to me.

 

[onebigelf]

You are getting lots of really good advice, and it fits your budget! (free) Some great suggestions. CZ, Rock 1911- they have a Commander size, the Sig P6's that are available are tremendous values on a great gun, the Ruger is solid- hopefully they've gotten lighter, the Springfield XD is affordable and has gotten a lot of popularity for accuracy and reliability. Any of these would serve admirably. Don't feel limited by what you shop has in stock. Look around.

John

 

[wnycollector]

The best deals I have seen in the sub $300 dollar range are:
- CZ40B for $289. There is no way to beat this pistol in this caliber for the price!
- SIG P6...its a SIG...for only $259!
-P95 a great reliable, durable, tough hi cap 9mm made in the USA.

I own both the CZ 40B and the P6.

 

[cerberus65]

+1 on the Sig P6

I was looking here (http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/handguns/sig-sauer/p/sig-sauer-p6-p225-9mm-caliber%2C-semi-auto-sigsauer-pistol-/cPath/16_234/products_id/1903) just the other day and drooling. $300 gets you a very good condition one with two mags.

Sigs are well made and very reliable. Plus you'll find no cheaper ammo than 9 mm unless you go to a .22. And since we're on the subject of .22 - everyone really should have one. It's far and away the cheapest way to practice and develop good shooting habits. A self-defense gun does zero good if you're not accurate with it. I take a .22 virtually every time I go to the range.

I was sorely tempted to get the P6 but I really want a .45 before I get another 9 mm.

 

[Omaney]

All the above are good choices. I will add that a used Smith & Wesson 9mm can also be had on the cheap. There are alot of PD trade-ins out there.

 

[darklinks404]

i like the sig 225/p6 idea that looks like a great ccw and would make a great little house where is the best deal on them

anyone shoot one and what is your take on them???