Need help purchasing a handgun.

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Adolphus

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So I've been a user for quite a while, but I've recently been inactive. I'm getting ready to finish my last year of college for my criminal justice degree, with a focus on executive protection. While talking to my advisor the other day he asked me if I had any firearm experience. I have hunted in the past but no experience with a handgun. He reccomended I purchase one and have decided to thus look into it. Of course I have no idea what I am looking for, so I'm coming here to get some advice.

I'm a pretty big guy, 6'1" and I'll be about 250 when I get to my working weight, so I can handle a larger gun, but I don't know what's good and what's not. I know that I want something practical (preferably not a revolver) that's reliable and also at a competitive price.

Naturally I'm open to suggestions, so any help is greatly appreciate.
/adolphus
 
Why not a revolver? Capacity?

Try a Beretta 92FS. It's our Army's gun, and my concealed carry piece.
 
not sure guess I just don't really like the look of a revolver. Capacity shouldn't be a large concern as I will most likely be working domestically where one to two shots should diffuse a situation should one arrise.
 
if you go into executive protection or a govt job try to find what they would use. my guess is a sig or glock in a 9 or 40. or a nice 1911:D(my fav)
 
You will not fo wrong with any of the following guns

Beretta 92F
Beretta PX4 Storm 9mm
Beretta PX4sc Storm 9mm
XD of any size or caliber, my personal favorite is XDm 40 cal

Glocks are good guns too just not my personal favorites.
 
Why THROW Money Away?

Got money to throw away buy a Glock!

Want a superior weapon SW40VE

It's the everything else as mentioned earlier!

Please remember a fool and his money are soon parted. :what:

Ask the Glock folks?? LOL
 
If you are going to carry concealed, go with some form of combat tupperware, preferably in a less than full sized gun. Gravity never gives up and plastic guns weigh less. If it's your first, 9mm is the cheapest to shoot.

If you don't need to carry it very often, the CZ-85/75 is one of the nicest to shoot. Ditto the SIG.
 
Best gun I own is my Sig P229R, I also have a Sig P6 one of the recent trade in imports from Germany, also have a S &W 5903 TSW and a Beretta 9mm para. they are all good but, I would choose either the P6 or the P229R for daily carry or maybe the S&W . The P6's if you can find any can be had for around 290-350 and are (or at least mine is) almost like new. For the price it would be a great starter pistol. However the end choice would have to be yours.
 
i own 2 Sig's...

next to shooting them, my favorite thing to do is let glock/xd owners shoot it... and then watching them cry when they have to give it back =)
 
At 250'ish and 6' 1" (my own height BTW) and assuming you wear a large to Xlarge glove like I do I'd suggest you check out the double stack 2011 versions of the venerable 1911 in .45ACP. A higher round count and (OK, so let the flames REALLY begin :D) a good reputation for stopping a baddie without as much risk of over penetration through car doors, walls, etc and possibly hurting someone beyond the target. If you find the double stack grip a bit fat for your hands look at the single stack.

For such a big caliber the 1911 and 2011's are not that big a frame. And the 1911 in particular is very flat which could allow a less obvious carry in a number of carry options.

Hell, I'm not all gun crazy by any means but if it was my job to protect anyone in a spot where it is legal to carry I'd probably be packing at least two guns in a couple of spots just in case the first got lost due to some circumstances. A flat .380ACP in an ankle or small of the back holster or something equally compact would be a good backup.
 
Got money to throw away buy a Glock!

Want a superior weapon SW40VE
Click to expand...

I like Glocks, but are there good alternatives? sure no argument here. But choosing the Sigma over the Glock is silly unless money is an issue. Lets just say the Sigma and Glock are in slightly different leagues.
 
The last time I checked, our own Secret Service uses Sigs in 9mm. That was many years ago so they may have changed since but that is where I would start. The criteria for that type of handgun is not dissimilar from a normal SD weapon. It must function properly each and every time (no malfunction), be of a caliber that would be considered effective at stopping an assailant, be small enough to conceal and large enough to have a sufficient ammo supply. One additional criteria is it must be of a caliber where the ammo is easily obtainable where ever you are working (particularly important for international executive protection specialists). Good luck in finding one that meets these and your personal criteria. Expect to pay a good deal of money for the gun and supplies and don't forget to practice, practice, practice, and when that is done practice some more. There are many good schools for this line of work but then there are also some crappy schools as well. Good luck and stay safe.
 
first, you are going to have to decide if you want a revolver, or a semi-auto. persoanlly, i think a good point to start in a revolver is a 357 magnum double action. shoot 38 specials out of it for a while before trying full magnum loads. if you want an auto loader, the best place to start is a 9mm. ammo is cheap (if there is such a thing now days), the recoil is acceptable, and they are just plain fun to shoot. plus you can get around 20 round capacity pistols. think about it for a while, go to a large store, and handle some. if there is a range in your area that rents pistols that is even better.
 
I like Glocks, but are there good alternatives? sure no argument here. But choosing the Sigma over the Glock is silly unless money is an issue. Lets just say the Sigma and Glock are in slightly different leagues.
Click to expand...

Really, different leagues is right. The Sigma is a lot cheaper and does just as good a job.

Of course if your hands are as small as my wife's you might like the feel of the Glock's one-size-fits-none grip. Glock makes quality weapons but the ergonomics suck if you have big hands.

There are plenty of other pistol manufacturers out there. S&W is just one. Don't be lulled into buying a Glock with lousy ergonomics by herd instinct.

Remember, it's your hard earned money, not the Glock representative's. Take the time to try different pistols. Either rent them or take a friend to the range who has what you're looking at and try his.

As for the Sigma, (SW 40VE) I have one and love it, but it has a twelve and half pound trigger pull that many people don't like. As a relatively new shooter that might bother you. Of course, since you don't have experience it might not bother you either. I made the transition to the Sigma from hair trigger single action revolvers and 1911s. You can get used to it, but I'm not saying it's the only gun to buy.

Also, shoot the weapon of choice in a couple of different calibers if available. The fact that I use a .40 cal doesn't mean you will like it. Try it in 9mm, .40, and .45. I know Sig Saur makes a really nice .45. My brother has one and swears by it, but we're starting to talk about real money there, and he has bigger hands than most basketball players.

Shop around and make sure you're putting your money where it will do the most good. It's a bad idea to spend a lot of money on pistol you aren't comfortable shooting whether it be Glock, S&W, Sig, Kahr, Walther, Taurus, Bersa, ad infinitum/ad nauseum.
 
Get what the pros use.
HK or Sig probably in .40
Find one that fits your hand well.
If it was me, I'd get a 9mm because the ammo is much cheaper, and practice is good.
 
Here's my $0.02 - go take a shooting class. Sounds like college is more the academic side, and now you need to start worrying about some of the practical side.

When I took my CCW class, they must have had like 50 guns we could try out - the price of the whole class was cheaper than it would be to rent even 10 guns! (and as a bonus I secured my CCW license). If you narrow it down some, then maybe go rent a few for extended sessions.

One thing I can guarantee - you will not get consensus on THR or any internet board about the best guns, nor should you. Weapons are very personal - even after that class and trying so many varieties I went through about a 1/2 dozen of my own, buying and selling, before settling on my current carry guns (which I hope I will keep forever).

Good luck and safe shooting!

FT
 
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