looking for first handgun!

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IMO do not try a 1911. Its dangerous. After 1 magazine of .45 you will fall in love, then all other triggers will feel insufficient. I was about to hand money over for a XD or PX4, then i tried my first 1911 for haha's while a buddy of mine was testing a couple others, and i ended up with a Springer 1911 the next day.

but honestly, if you want to spend a grand you can easily get 2 guns. I would second the idea. Get a good centerfire for HD, then a .22 like a Neos to train with. I definitely regret getting a .45 first, then my .22. I could have saved a lot of money with my trips to the range.
 
I'm only about 2 months ahead of you SilenceIsGolden.

At my local range, I tried every gun in 9mm and most in 40 and 45 ACP.

I got my S&W fullsize M&P 9mm about a month ago and love it. It's the one that fit my hand the best and I liked the trigger the best. It's been super reliable so far and comes with 3 different sized palm grips. But there were several other nice 9mms that worked well too.

Shoot some 40 and 45s and then go back to a 9mm and it will seem like a piece of cake!
 
Quadkid said:
IMO do not try a 1911. Its dangerous. After 1 magazine of .45 you will fall in love, then all other triggers will feel insufficient. I was about to hand money over for a XD or PX4, then i tried my first 1911 for haha's while a buddy of mine was testing a couple others, and i ended up with a Springer 1911 the next day.
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It's strange...I shot a Kimber 1911, .45 ACP and wasnt particularly comfortable with it (grip, trigger, kick), but I was incredibly accurate with it.
 
.22 conversion kits

That's a good idea to paractice with a .22, I know that there are .22 conversion kits for Glocks, I was wondering if anyone knows of one for an XD-45.
 
.22 Buckmark or Ruger Mark III and a Glock 17 or 19. Then you will have some money to buy a little ammo left over!
 
I don't own any brand exclusively by a long shot! However, if I had to choose only one pistol for recreational shooting as well as self-defense, I would choose my HK P2000 or my HK P30 in 9mm. They each have adjustable back straps and the P30 has the additional luxury of adjustable side panels. They hold plenty of rounds. They are both as accurate as I can possibly be. They are low maintenance (check out this site http://hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104274&highlight=Break+P30
or http://hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51749&highlight=Project:+Break+P2000.
I also have the HK45C and it is just a pleasure to shoot. It has a choice of back straps and is the softest shooting .45 I have owned. Check out this site; http://hkpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70222&highlight=Project:+Break+P2000.
Only one man's opinion but to me, HK is a great product.
 
In regards to the OP, since you did not state a definite purpose, such as CCW, and you are in God-forsaken NYS then I have to assume home defense. On that inference I recommend either a .40 cal semi-auto with a rail: H & K USP, Walther P99, SA XD, Glock 22, Sig P226, S & W M & P, and so on. Or a revolver in the 38 special/357 magnum caliber suited to laser grip accessories: S & W Model 27/28, Ruger GP 100.
 
SilenceIsGolden said:
ok what do you guys think, a Taurus 66 .357 Mag matte stainless steel finish or a Ruger GP100 .357 Mag stainless steel finish? both would be brand new.
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for your FIRST hand gun purchase, you don't have to get the biggest (magnum) gun or spend anywhere near a $1000.

a used Smith & Wesson is a very good quality firearm. J & G sales has several S&W model 64, .38 specials for sale, at a reasonable price. if the hand grips, that come with the gun, don't feel comfortable, you can get a good used pair of different grips ( wood, hogue, pachmayr) on ebay for $10 - $15.

http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/smith-wesson/revolver/cPath/16_211_431
 
If I had to own just one gun, I'd get a S&W M&P 9 compact or a 357 magnum/38 special revolver (i.e. S&W 686).

the XD-9 and full sized M&P 9 are pretty sweet too.

But as many are suggesting, try out several and pick what strikes your fancy.

The S&W 686 is sure easy to shoot well.
 
A couple of additional points from the previous posts. I do agree that trying as many guns as possible before buying one is clearly the way to go. Is there a shooting club near where you live? I find that most of us love to help new people get interested in the shooting sports and are only too happy to let them try our guns to see if they like them. Some times you have to provide the ammo, but in our club my experience has been that even that is often provided by experienced members to help the "newcomers" make their choice.

(1) If you are a true beginner, it is not only about learning how to shoot. How much time do you want to spend learning how to clean and maintain your gun? If the answer is "as little as possible", then I would recommend a Glock. Glocks are not particularly pretty but they are highly reliable, and exceedingly simple to take appart and put back together (you can learn it in under 5 minutes, and do it in under 2 minutes after 2 or 3 tries). They also cost about $ $ 550 to $ 600 for most models. Heckler & Koch pistols are also very easy to take appart and reassemble, and many models are reasonably priced under $ 1000. Guns from S&W and Rugers can be far more complicated in this regard and some models are substantially more expensive (I should know; I own a lot of handguns of different brands and calibers...... far too many, according to my wife).

(2) You did not directly say what you want the gun for. Ideally a .22 is a great first gun to learn how to shoot, but if you want it for self-defense AND PLAN TO BUY ONLY ONE GUN, then a larger caliber would be advisable. Withou going into too much detail, for self defense at home or on the streets, a high velocity high penetration caliber (like .357 mag) is not necessarily a desirable choice. With the proper ammo, a .40 or .45 would be best (in my opinion), IF you can find a gun in one of these calibers that you are truly comfortable with. A 9mm or .38 special are OK, with the right ammo, although I do not like them much for self defense (just my own personal opinion - many people disagree with me on this).

Shoot safe and have a great time,

JRBM
 
I recommend a .357, but you should start out with regular .38 loads in it. A .22 is good for a beginner, but it will leave you wanting more if its the only gun you invest in. By buying a .357 you can step up into +p .38 loads and then on to .357 loads.
 
Find a used Ruger P series pistol, like a P89 in 9mm. They're not sexy like a SIG or a 1911, but they're built like tanks and are reliable like the sun coming up.
 
My p89, my first weapon actually, was a wonderfully reliable weapon and fun to shoot.

OP what did you choose?
 
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