Need advice for my first Hand Gun

[jherring8289]

Hello Everyone and Merry Christmas,

This is my first attempt at a firearm forum and was just looking for some advice or guidance on what pistol I should buy and the ammo preference. I am pretty much set on a 9mm of some sort as I want to have a lightweight handgun that is cheap to buy ammo for. First I will give you some background on what I want to do. I have many Rifles and Shotguns my dad gave to me after he passed, he was an Army Ranger in the 101st Battalion so he had a pretty good arsenal. The only thing that I am lacking is a handgun though as the only ones we had was my moms .380 revolver and a .380 semi auto. I like this caliber and I grew up shooting on them. However the time has come for me to get my own and I can't decide on what I want. Ultimately my goal is for self defense and target / range shooting however I do live in Idaho and love to go hiking as well. So having a lightweight handgun I can carry for protection is ideal. I am not looking to go hunting or play poke the grizzly in the woods but I do want to feel confident that I have enough stopping power for anything that comes my way.

I was researching and found if I used +P Hornady Critical Duty 135 Grain FlexLock Hollow Points or Winchester Ranger 127-grain +P +9mm rounds that these would be enough for barrier penetration in self defense situations such as sheet metal or glass. As well as enough stopping power for thick hides in animals while still maintaining a lightweight firearm that is much cheaper on ammunition then .45 or .40. Could some of you experts give me your expertise and insight into my situation and make any recommendations? It would be greatly appreciated! Any details or experiences for your recommendations would be wonderful!

Thanks so much,

-Justin

 

[JO JO]

do you have any ranges that let you rent handguns ?
or any shooting buds with handguns you could try ?
so many choices it would be good if you could try a few
first to find out what you may like

 

[243winxb]

http://www.americanrifleman.org/article.php?id=13509&cat=20&sub=21&q=1 Smith & Wesson's Sub-Compact Shield, if i was buying a 9mm. Suggested Retail Price: $449

 

[jherring8289]

I am sure I could find some ranges that rent handguns around here however I have no friends here currently that carry handguns. Here in Idaho most people are hunters so shotguns and rifles cover around 90% of our armed civilian population haha.

That chart is interesting how would those 115 grains compare to the 135's here? http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/7-AHDY90226

 

[btg3]

Welcome to THR.
Your 9mm caliber choice is well reasoned.

Careful with SD type shooting or you may find yourself quickly addicted to the action shooting games A great way to go a higher level of proficiency above target shooting and plinking. And if you think you might do so, your choice of gun should allow to participate.

Any full size polymer pistol is a good choice with regard to weight if holstered on a good belt. First, be confident that you grip a pistol correctly and then compare how some different makes feel in your hand. Go with what feels good, because that is what you will enjoy and shoot best. Of course, M&P or Glock top the list and are good benchmarks for others you might compare.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

Welcome to THR Justin.

Depending on your budget, something HK or Sig would be a fine choice. Something a little less pricey in the Sig line would be the 2022. Walther is another well thought of handgun.
Springfield XD{m} is another.

I'm partial to the S&W M&P pro series myself.. Just like the way they feel in my hand.

Merry Christmas

 

[JDR]

Justin;

Welcome, Find out if your local indoor pistol range offers the NRA Basic Handgun Safety course and enroll yourself in the next available course. Don't even worry about buying a firearm or defensive ammo selections until you complete the course with a rented gun and the box of FMJ ammo you buy at the range when you take the course. Ask loads of questions and enjoy yourself. It really is a lot of fun to go pistol shooting at the range! If you enjoy what you are doing you will get good at it if you train & practice.

 

[Agsalaska]

Just to clarify-My guess is you had your moms .38 special revolver and .380 pistol. Two very different cartridges.


That being said-Welcome to the board. This place is a wealth of knowledge.

Your decision to go with a 9mm is sound. I went with it and never really left it.

 

[WestKentucky]

Calibers are aplenty, some with no real advantage over any of the others. 9mm has been around a long time, is used by many military and police forces, and lots of civilians. The ammo needed for practice is cheap and the ammo needed to stop a threat is out there to be found, but don't think for a second that just any light/fast handgun round is good for defense against 2 legged threats let lone the 4 legged ones. What works to shut down critters (people are critters too in the grand scheme of life) is to poke holes in important stuff like brain, spine, heart, lungs, or major bones like femurs or hips. Light bullets may or may not do that, but the vast majority of heavy ones will. Just make sure that what you plan to carry for defense is a bullet constructed to penetrate deeply with little chance of fragmentation. 9mm is a solid choice, but so are 40sw, 45acp, .357 mag and many others. Explore those rounds as possibilities before you buy.

And welcome to THR.

 

[golden]

My Experience

8289,

If this is your first handgun, I would say, go for the middle ground.

First, I also recommend that you try renting a gun. It may sound silly, but if you look on the internet, gun rentals can be a big business, especially in LAS VEGAS.

Do not pick one of the really small 9m.m. pocket pistols as they will be harder to control and shoot accurately. I have shot the KAHR CS9, RUGER LC9 and S&W SHIELD and decided against ever buying them because of the recoil. You may be different, but I still think a test drive is the way to go.

As for too large, the question then is how large are your hands. I am 5'8", so a mid size 9m.m. like the SIG 225, GLOCK 19, BERETTA 92 Compact or SPRINGFIELD ARMORY XD9 pistol fit's well.
If I had larger hands, then the full size BERETTA 92 or GLOCK 17 might be a better fit. I have shot both extensively and their extra grip area does not offer me anything that the mid size guns do not already supply in the area of control.

Most 9m.m. pistols use either aluminum or plastic for the frame, so weight is not that big a deal.

I can personally recommend all the above mid and full size pistols as excellent since I have shot them quite a bit.

I would not worry about penetration of metal and wood. When was the last time a NON-LEO had to shot through a car? A good quality 9m.m. hollow point should take care of any problem.
I carry FEDERAL 124 grain HYDRA SHOK or HST +P in my 9m.m. pistols. I have found both rounds to be very accurate. The +P gives you extra power, but also increases recoil, so judge accordingly.
I also have used COR BON Powerball 9m.m. in a SIG P6 that refuses to feed any hollow point reliably.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[Racinfan83]

I will disagree with your comment about the Shield being too small and too much recoil.
I got a 9mm Shield for my wife right when they came out. She LOVES that gun - even with +P self defense ammo. She isn't a big woman either. One of the most comfortable guns I've shot as well. I also have a Shield .40 and that one is comfortable to shoot as well. Keep in mind they have extended magazines for them if they are more comfortable for a particular shooter. My wife keeps the extended mags in her Shield. I use the flat bottom for CC and they are fine. You can also buy the Pierce finger grip mag floorplates if you want even more control.
I have had a couple new shooters ask my advice on what to buy, and they are very happy with their 9mm Shields. Good to shoot at the range or out plinking, and small enough for anyone to conceal if they wish. And they can be bought new for $400..

 

[HexHead]

Hard to go wrong with a Glock 17 or 19. For just a little more money, the HK VP9 is very nice.

 

[243winxb]

Sight radius- The greater the distance between front & rear sight helps us to shoot more accurately. Adjustable rear sight is a plus. A great trigger is even more important.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I don't think there is anything wrong with a 9 mm and it is a good starting point for many. Practice and training is much more important than anything. Find one from the major manufacturers that feels good in your hand. Everyone's hands are a bit different so no one calmly tell you exactly what will fit you best.

 

[Plan2Live]

J - I'm going to recommend you take a NRA Basic Pistol class before you continue shopping. You need to develop a thorough understanding of action types; Single Action (SA), Double Action (DA) and Double Action Only (DAO) as well as the two different types of firing mechanisms; Striker fired and Hammer fired. All three actions and both firing mechanisms offer advantages and disadvantages and you need to decide which one you are most comfortable with. Picking Model "A" or Brand "B" just because everyone else carries one is not always the best answer for you. Try before you buy is great advice but having a firm understanding of how pistols work while trying is your best path.

When selecting instructors avoid those who steer you toward a particular gun or ones that dismiss action types and firing systems they don't carry.

And finally, ignore anyone who says any pistol is "the best" or "the perfect" choice. Just like everything else in life every decision is a great big ball of compromise.

 

[rskent]

You could do all the stuff mentioned above.
Or you could just buy a Glock and go shooting.

 

[ku4hx]

Shoot many; buy one. Find a range that rents guns and have a blast day. Start with a .22 Long Rifle if you want to have a fun, soft start. Get a bit of professional training; many ranges offer it and it'll likely be money well spent.

 

[toivo]

Two 9mm pistols that are small enough to carry easily but stout enough to shoot without recoil issues are the Glock 26 and the Beretta Nano. The Glock gives you more rounds -- 10+1 vs. 6/7 + 1 (regular/extended mag) -- but the Nano is slimmer and easier to carry. The new Ruger LC9s is also a contender: it does sting a bit on the recoil, but not too much to be usable, and it has an excellent trigger.

If you want go a bit larger, Glock 19 or SIG P239 get my vote. The Glock is ... well, a Glock: it will work well for a long time with minimal maintenance. The SIG is a beautiful handgun: a bit heavier, but very easy to shoot fast and accurately.

 

[bannockburn]

I use to start beginning shooters out with a .22 Ruger Mk.II. From there I let them try a Star Model B or a Browning Hi-Power, both full sized 9mm. pistols. I would recommend trying several different action types if you can (SA, DA/SA, DAO, Safe Action), and then seeing what type of gun (all steel, steel and aluminum, or steel and polymer), feels and fits the best in your hand. Really can't go wrong with guns from the majority of the mainstream manufacturers (Glock, SIG, H&K, Beretta, Colt, S&W, Ruger), depending of course on budgetary demands and what works the best for you. Let us know on what you finally go with.

 

[jhb]

Sounds like you need two handguns. One for target and home self defense and another for hiking around.

9mm is good for the first part. Not good enough for the second part imho.

Plenty of good suggestions already. I agree with go to gun store and hold as many as you can. Better if you can rent and shoot them. What works well for me won't for you.

I wouldn't feel safe carrying a 9mm as a stop any and all threats out in the wild. You need a proper caliber and ammo long gun for that.....or a really big/powerful caliber handgun and long enough barrel length to get the full stopping power/energy out of it.

 

[z7]

I vote for a glock 19. Very shootable, affordable and accurate enough, and easy enough to comfortably conceal, I think the 9mm has a 15rd mag standard

I started with a midsize glock and now have a subcompact and glock 35, they seem to multiply

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

J - I'm going to recommend you take a NRA Basic Pistol class before you continue shopping.

When selecting instructors avoid those who steer you toward a particular gun or ones that dismiss action types and firing systems they don't carry.

And finally, ignore anyone who says any pistol is "the best" or "the perfect" choice. Just like everything else in life every decision is a great big ball of compromise.

Exactly this, IMO. ^^^^^^

Many people will try to convince you that what they use is what you need and that's just not the way it works. Make an informed choice. Take some training so you have a basic understanding of what yer looking at and for and then rent, borrow, and shoot a bunch of things before you buy.

Without significant fundamental knowledge or experience you'll have no idea what to buy first or what's even close to best for you at this stage of your gun interest.

Good luck and ask a lot of questions!

VooDoo

 

[Spats McGee]

The Glock 19 does in fact come with 15-rd magazines. It is also an excellent jack-of-all-trades kind of gun. It's light enough to carry comfortably, but large enough to shoot well. I'll also add that I do carry a G19, but it's certainly not the only good jack-of-all-trades gun. Some folks hate the way Glocks feel in their hands, and you might, too. If that's the case, there are: (1) the Springfield XD line; (2) the Smith and Wesson M&P line; (3) a bunch of possible CZs; (4) the Ruger SR series. Just to name a few other candidates offered in 9mm.

 

[hamp sandwich]

I highly recommend the handgun rental if you can find one. My wife shot at least a dozen pistols before she picked one to buy. The one she picked, I never would have selected for her. I even tried to gently sway her by making her try certain ones while never telling her what to pick. In the end, she found what she really liked, and my opinion was totally irrelevant, so I kept it to myself... Honesty, the gun she selected, I would have never touched, but I found that it grew on me.. Lol! She taught me a little something.

 

[shooter1]

Sounds like you need two handguns. One for target and home self defense and another for hiking around.

9mm is good for the first part. Not good enough for the second part imho.

Plenty of good suggestions already. I agree with go to gun store and hold as many as you can. Better if you can rent and shoot them. What works well for me won't for you.

I wouldn't feel safe carrying a 9mm as a stop any and all threats out in the wild. You need a proper caliber and ammo long gun for that.....or a really big/powerful caliber handgun and long enough barrel length to get the full stopping power/energy out of it.

Exactly!

The 9mm is ----------ok for your carry/home defense pistol. It is a very poor choice as a furry critter stopper! Anything minimal for this task comes with recoil. The absolute minimum I would consider in bear country, would be a 10mm Glock. In revolvers, the .44 mag or .45 Colt would be a good choice. Along with those comes even more recoil than the 10mm. It would be nice if you could shoot some of these guns before you make your choice. Good luck!
str1