My first handgun

[sandcountymaniac]

Hi everyone. I'm going to be purchasing my first handgun in the next few weeks and I'd appreciate some advice.

Usage: plinking and range shooting. I seriously don't think I'll go for conceal and carry, but who knows. Maybe someday it'll be necessary.2

I'm really debating between three pistols now:

* Beretta 92-FS (there is a .22 version of this one - also a possibility)
* Walther CCP
* Glock 19 (Gen 4)

I definitely want something with good safety features, since I have twin boys (17 y/o) I'd like to keep around a while longer : )

I like shooting all three of these. The Beretta fits me well and I like the safety/decocker aspect and the slide release (I hope I've got my terms right!). The Walther has a great grip and is also comfortable. The Glock fits all three of us very well. I'm a little concerned about the trigger safety, especially with the kiddos, but perhaps it's actually safer that way.

I was really excited about the .22 version of the Beretta...until my local store told me that they get .22 ammo about once a week (and it sells out in minutes). So I'm leaning a bit more towards 9mm.

I appreciate any thoughts and advice - thanks!

 

[WVGunman]

Don't worry so much about ammo. Even if you have to order .22 online, it still will be cheaper than 9mm, by a good margin. Do not feel bound by what some guy in the store down the road says or does.
Your first gun should be a .22. You need to master the fundamentals, and a .22 can always be resold easily later if you want something else. Cheaper, less recoil, less noise ... the advantages of .22 over everything else are many. The gun you mention could even be used for self defense in an emergency, and to teach your kids to shoot eventually.

 

[bannockburn]

A good .22 like a Ruger Mk.III, Browning Buckmark, or Beretta Neos will serve you and your son's very well in getting to know the fundamentals of shooting. In terms of a 9mm. any one of the three you have listed are decent guns, though the Walther and Glock might also make for a good CCW should you someday decide to go that route. Bottom line would be to go with the gun that feels the best to you.

 

[Ed Ames]

Yet another "get a .22" post. Starting with a quality .22 is an investment in doing it right instead of just making noise.

On that same front: invest in training for yourself and the twins. With the three of you together it is worth seeing if it is cost effective in your part of the country to get a private instructor to spend time with just the three of you. That training is FAR more important to safety than any mechanical safety.

Which brings us to good safety features. The ONLY safety feature that really works is sound judgment. Oh, there are interlocks to prevent a gun from going off if dropped or whatever, but you can bet any given modern design will have that stuff covered, usually several times over. It is there but it is not enough.. A lapse in judgment can defeat all of the mechanical safeties ever invented in less than a second.

It is possible to teach a 6 year old to be responsible around firearms. It is also possible to raise a boy of 30 who isn't. Part of this process is assessing where your kids are on that spectrum...and if they fall short, developing a plan to get them where they need to be. Or recognizing that they will never get there.

Done properly this is an immensely rewarding family activity that can have real-world benefits in terms of safety and self sufficiency down the road. It is a thing worth doing. And a thing you can have a lot of fun doing.

Edit: oh, and welcome to THR.

 

[murf]

welcome to thr, scm.

the glock would be a good way to teach the kids "finger off the trigger". kinda hard to fire the gun without that finger on the trigger. make "off" the default setting for their trigger finger and there should be no problems. finger on the trigger only when taking the shot.

luck,

murf

 

[MedWheeler]

I certainly agree that a .22 is an excellent way to get started. My first handgun was a .357 revolver. Even stoking it with .38 Special, it still got expensive real quick for someone just starting out. Within about two weeks, I was back at the store picking up a .22 Ruger.

Now, that being said, 9mm Luger isn't going to break either the bank, or your wrist, as you start out. It really all depends on what you want your first handgun to be able to do, what "duties" you may decide to expect of it before you have the funds to get another. Of course, a .22LR pistol can be an effective defensive weapon when employed efficiently, and a 9mm pistol can be an effective "plinker" and trainer when also so applied.

You can also get, later down the road, a .22LR conversion kit for many popular 9mm handguns. I'm pretty sure the Beretta and Glock pistols you listed can be so converted. I'm not sure on the Walther.

 

[I6turbo]

Have you tried any of the CZ 75 family of guns? I've been around the block a time or two with various guns but if I were getting my first 9mm for the purposes you describe I'd probably get a CZ 85 Combat. Or possibly one of the other 75 B-based guns if you want a rail, or single-action only, or other features.

If you want a gun that's big enough to really enjoy shooting at the range but also compact enough for carry, try the 75 D PCR. Or the 75 P-01 if you want a rail for home defense use.

And you can buy a Kadet kit so that you can shoot .22 LR on the 75/85 series guns.

Relative sizes, with Kadet kit shown on the stainless 75 B:

 

[FL-NC]

Yes, learning with a .22 (and a competent instructor) is a great way to start. You don't need some former special ops commando at $500 (or more) a day to learn the basics- maybe someone with basic credentials like a NRA or CCW instructor, someone else who you know is a truly competent shooter, or a policeman, if you have any friends that meet this criteria - if so, you may be able to get away with doing a couple hours training for the price of a nice lunch. As far as the "end-state" guns you mentioned, I think the Glock 19 is a fine choice (I think similar pistols like the Springfield XD, S&W M&P/ SD-9/ Sigma, Ruger SR-9, and other striker pistols are also fine choices, but you mentioned Glock 19). The G-19 are a lot of bargain for $500 or so, utterly reliable, with excellent customer service. Minimal controls to deal with, and 1 trigger sequence with 1 pistol- the way it should be in my opinion (unlike the 92). As far as gen 4, its my opinion that unless you are a lefty or have unusual sized hands, there's no point in paying the extra $ for a Gen 4 vs Gen 3, but that's your choice. Regarding safeties - don't get into the bad habit up front of relying on these to prevent accidents, and don't let the lack of an "off switch" scare you away from a Glock. Follow the rules of firearm safety and remember to secure firearms from access of children and untrained adults, loaded or unloaded, "safety features" or not, and all will be fine. Welcome!

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I am not a believer that starting with a .22 is necessary. But, there is nothing wrong with a person choosing that. The cost of center fire ammunition is a great motivator to me, and if you start out with a heavier recoiling gun early on, then lighter recoiling guns seem easy. That's how it went for me anyway, and others will tell you differently.

I started out on a small frame .357 magnum, and still love shooting that gun.

As far as the 9mm's go, there are a tone of good choices. I have a Beretta 92 series gun, and really love shooting it for just the comfort of it. It is bulky compared to more modern 9mm's, but for range use, and home defense, bulky isn't a bad thing.

Depending on your budget, I'd recommend the CZ 75's, though their grips are a tad small for me, the HK VP9, HK P30, Sig Sauer P229/226, and maybe a Springfield Armory XD or XDm.

Welcome, and good luck! Post some pictures when you buy something.

 

[BigBore44]

Go with what fits you all the best. The Glock is a great choice. Rather than lean towards safety features, I'd personally lean more towards teaching my 17 year olds gun safety. Because about any 17 year old can figure out how to disengage a safety. You have a great opportunity to get two more people safely into the shooting sports. Welcome to THR. Good luck with your purchase. And keep us posted on your experiences.

 

[Schwing]

I have both the Beretta 92fs and the Beretta Neos. I like them both and shoot them both often. The 92 is my bedside safe gun.

Some people prefer guns with a slide safety and others do not. It is an ongoing debate. One of the arguments for something like a Glock 19 is that you don't have a slide safety that you forget to disengage or accidentally engage while in a self defense situation. Another argument for striker fired pistols like the Glocks is that every trigger pull feels the same. They are single action only (You rack the slide for the first round and each round fired resets the trigger). The downside to this is that your finger is then the safety. There seem to be more cases of people shooting themselves in the leg or foot when drawing or holstering with this style of safety.

On Double action/single action pistols like the 92, you still rack the slide to chamber the first round but the safety/decocker then releases the hammer. On the first trigger pull, you are actually cocking the hammer. After the first round is fired, the trigger and hammer are reset so subsequent shots will be single action. Basically, your first trigger pull is going to be heavier and feel much different than all subsequent shots. The downside to this is that you DO have to make sure that safety is off or you are in trouble when you pull the trigger and nothing happens in a self defense situation. There are also some shooters who seem to have a problem accidentally engaging the safety when drawing.

I own and like both kinds of handguns. In either case, it comes down to training and knowing your firearm. Either can be completely safe and reliable if you follow the safety guidelines and train with it.

 

[ATLDave]

Here's another vote for getting a .22lr. Some people don't have a flinch impulse/reflex, but many do. Chances that you and/or one of your kids has one is high. The .22lr is the best way to work through and past that. And it's easier to learn to see the sights in recoil when they aren't moving much. If you ever want to learn how to shoot quickly and accurately (at the same time), you'll need to learn how to see the sights... way easier to learn with a .22lr.

As for the notion that starting with hard-recoiling pistols makes moving to .22's later easy... well, learning to drive in a 1970's-era race car with a tricky clutch, tons of horsepower, no traction control, poor visibility, etc., would later make learning to drive a Honda Civic seem very easy. But few would argue that, for that reason, people should learn to drive in a really difficult and unforgiving car and only subsequently get into an easier-to-control vehicle.

 

[Louca]

I have got to get on the bandwagon for suggesting starting with a .22 rimfire pistol. The first pistol I ever bought was a Ruger Mark I T678. I still have it today, 35 years later. Even if you "move on" to something more powerful, the .22 will always be fun and affordable for plinking.

Although starting with a .22 is not a necessity or requirement, I believe it is the wisest way to start. Not having to deal with recoil is a huge advantage when learning fundamentals. Learning to deal with recoil is good to do once the fundamentals are in place.

Some say that starting with high recoil pistols is best because then when you go to lower recoil ones they will be much easier feeling for you. I disagree with that. The first pistol I ever shot was a 44 Auto Mag, followed by 45 Long Colt. I wished I'd never done that, and wished I had shot a 22 rimfire first.

 

[Sebring Pop]

My first handgun was a 36 smith and it was a big mistake. I was thinking defense not cost of ammo, fun etc. My second gun was a 41 smith. Then the fun began.
Bottom line first gun 22lr any one will do. Also I believe after you master a 22lr, mastering any other gun will be easier.

 

[badkarmamib]

Picking out a pistol is subjective. Pick the one that fits your hand, fits your budget, and points the most naturally. In addition to a .22 version of the Beretta, there are aftermarket .22 conversions for Glocks, as well, so 2 of the three pistols can be converted to shoot .22 or bought as a .22 version as well as 9mm (possibly the Walther, but I don't know offhand).

 

[WVGunman]

The first pistol I ever shot was a 44 Auto Mag ...

Wow!

I wished I'd never done that

Well, that figures!

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Welcome to the forum. Not much left to say.

I will tell you one think for sure, the best way for young people to be safe around firearms is to be familiar with firearms. When curiously takes over and combined with lack of knowledge on how a gun works, bad things happen. Knowing how to handle a gun safely is the best way to keep everyone safe.

The 4 rules will not fail you...

 

[vaupet]

Welcome to THR and the wonderfull world of shooting,

I introduced a lot of people to the wonderfull world of shooting, sofar, including my 3 children.
Mostly I start learning them the basics with a Steyr LP10 airpistol (the olympic style), nothing better to teach aiming technique, breathing and trigger control then a pistol without any recoil or boom, so one can concentrate on the technique.
That being said, a browning buckmark or ruger mkII are a wonderfull way to learn to shoot.

While you are doing that, you can get aquainted to a lot of clubmembers and if you are a nice guy, they will probably let you try their kit, so you can get hands-on experience with a lot of handgun. In my limited experience, a handgun is like your beloved wife, choosing it is a very personal thing.

You should try as many as possible before making your choice

You can be assured that the maior (H&K, Glock, XD, S&W, Sig, Walther, Browning, CZ,..) brands don't make any bad pistols anymore.


Sig and CZ (and some others) offer 22lr conversions on several of their models.

If you would consider a 22, stay away from the cheap service gun 'imitations' like the Sig Mosquito and several walther and browning lookalikes, I find they are unreliable, causing frustration and even dangerous situations for a novice shooter.

 

[sandcountymaniac]

You guys are nothing short of amazing! So much good advice and wisdom. I really appreciate your time and thoughts!

More to come as I do more research, reading, and practice.


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[stonecutter2]

I have to disagree on getting a 22Lr, especially based on how challenging getting ammo might be for it, based on what you said.

22 used to be a go-to but supply and demand for ammo is just still weird.

If you can get 9mm reliably, go for the Glock 19 gen4. It's a great midsize pistol that you could still carry if you really wanted to, but simple to operate especially in a self defense situation. You can't go too wrong with the 92FS either really, but the Glock is priced better in my opinion. The 92FS is rather heavy compared to the Glock 19. The polymer frame saves weight.

As for your boys, get a lockbox or something to secure it. I like the FAS1 safe since it requires no batteries but still allows super fast access if you need it.

No matter what you get, stock up on some ammo and hit the range regularly to make sure you're familiar with it and you can rely on it.

Have fun!

 

[helitack32f1]

I would skip the Walther and the .22 Beretta, but that is because I hate guns made by Umarex and unless I'm missing something, I think the Beretta 92 in .22 would be a Umarex product, as is the CCP.

I am a Glock guy but I am more just a gun nut. With your stated desire to just use a gun as a range gun, I would recommend the Beretta. As you said, it fits well and you like shooting it. While I love my Glocks, especially the compact models like the 19, I consider them more tools than collector items or however you want to look at it. The Beretta is a very good, well made, attractive pistol made by the oldest manufacturer in existence. It would be a much better heirloom type gun to buy, rather than a regular old Glock. Unless of course you do plan on carrying, then buy a Glock when you decide to do so.

If you want to go the .22 route, just do lots of research. There are so many good quality .22's out there, in nearly every form you can imagine. There are the tried and true guns like the Ruger Mklll, or the Browning Buckmark, or the newer S&W Victory. Or revolvers. Tons of choices out there, but the whole .22 ammo issue is really quite a bummer. 9mm is so much easier to get, just more expensive.

 

[CB900F]

Sandcounty;

Another possibility that I've not seen mentioned would be a good revolver in .357 magnum. My first choice would be in stainless, four inch barrel, and adjustable sights. There are several good choices in the category, such as the Ruger GP100, S&W model 66 or 686, something from Taurus, and others.

Loaded with mild .38's, they can be very accurate and low recoil. The double-action trigger system is it's own safety device & will allow you to easily switch between double and single action operation. Should you ever want to, there are heavy .357 rounds commercially available that can put the hurt on just about anything you might encounter when a defensive sidearm is needed.

In short, they are very versatile, relatively inexpensive, reliable as all get out, and fun. What more could you want?

900F

 

[Tallball]

22 - Browning Buck Mark, Ruger Mark III, or Ruger Single Six revolver

best choice for first centerfire handgun - 4" 38 or 357 medium-framed revolver

9mm - Beretta 92 or CZ 75

My FiL and I each have a 92 and a 75. We both like our CZ's better, though the Berettas are nice guns.

And FWIW, it may seem counterintuitive, but bigger heavier guns are easier to shoot (unless they are too big for your hand or too heavy to hold easily). That being said, you are probably better off buying a full-sized steel model as your first centerfire handgun, and getting something smaller and lighter later on if you want a carry piece.

 

[sandcountymaniac]

OK, fine people, thanks again for all the great info and advice. I read a ton of info, shot lots of guns, and watched a few YouTube videos. On August 16, I purchased a Glock 19 Gen 4. It's been great! I love it and my kids have shot very well with it.

But of course, I couldn't just have *one* pistol. I mean, that Glock was already getting lonely in the safe. So the other day I got him another German-speaking pistol: the Walther PPK/S chambered in 22lr. I've shot that one fairly well, but my one son is just crazy good with it. We're all 007 fans, so this one was more of a "fun" buy - and so far we're enjoying it a lot.

Thanks again for being so welcoming to a newbie! I'll post pics soon. I guess the only other question is whether the two German-speaking pistols want to have a threesome with a Beretta ; )


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[ArchAngelCD]

Congratulations again, you were smart buying a .22. Some if the most fun I have had shooting has been with .22s of all types. You can learn a lot about shooting with a .22, good for you!