New gun owner: confused and overwhelmed

[notasfancy]

Either 9mm or 40 call will give a pretty standard platform.
Buy a quality pistol that fits good in your hand and lots of ammo. Then sign up for training with a experience instructor.
I suggest defensive shooting drills with squads several times / month.
You will learn how to be safe, how to shoot, how to carry, when to shoot and after one year everything will be done by inertia (muscle memory) so you will not have to think about how to react. Then you will continue doing it for as long as you want to be good at it, as it is a perishable skill.
I do about 6 to 7K rounds / year in defensive shooting alone but half of that will keep you ready.
I am not sure what you heard about the glocks but they are very popular and very reliable. As for any pistol that is so popular there have been improvements over the years but also need to take into account the conditions of the given pistol. I have seen many pistols totally neglected.
Whatever the pistol you choose plan for a good maintenance, preventive maintenance is a must every 3K rounds. Replacement of springs, extractor, springs and at some point barrels,etc... Also get a good nr. of reliable magazines.
Corbon in 9mm JHP +P+ gives you 500ft/lb that is about the same energy of
the golden saber and hydrashocks JHPs in 40 caliber. A improved spring might not be mandatory but recommended to tame the choppiness of the hot loads.
So do not worry about 9mm vs. 40 vs. 45 vs. a canon and get good at quick placement of the shots through training. Also about seeking for cover as you shoot.

 

[jbr]

Tons of good choices for 9mm medium to large frame guns. CZ-75, Several sigs, Taurus 92, beretta 92, PX4, SW m&p, Glocks for DAO, FN - just depends on what you are looking for. If you are looking for small and light just not having any luck finding it try a Kahr CW9 or Taurus PT-709 - small but most large hands can deal with them well.

 

[ksabo45]

I totally agree with the many responses, don't be in a hurry to rush out and buy something. Go and rent as many different 9mm autos as you can. When you find one you really like, try it agaqin and again to make sure. Many of the semi-autos come with interchangeable grips for different sized hands, keep that in mind. Also, I agree with the post that said you should buy a .22 handgun first. This will give you a chance to practice, practice and more practice inexpensively to get yourself more familiar with pistol shooting. As far as a brand goes, I like Berretta's Px4 and Heckler & Koch HK45. Shoot the HK45 and you won't want to put it down. I have one, I know.

 

[Jimineer]

I recommend the Glock G19. Small enough to carry if you decide to do that down the road (G17 I feel would be too large). Also holds 15 rounds, so capacity is there and then some if you consider extended mags. 9mm will let you practice more and save money toward a 1911 for your .45acp.

This is it. The G19.

Actually I don't own one nor have I ever shot one. I do have a G26 and it shoots as well as any other gun I have. But it seems the G19 is a good compromise in size - still concealable as others have said. You gotta own a Glock so may as well get one now unless you just don't like the grip angle or whatever.

 

[Zerodefect]

Glock or 1911


Both of these platforms cover just about everything a pistol needs to do more than any other. They are the safest bets for a first gun IMO that will be completely useful as your skills and knowledge increase.

But the Glock at about $550-600 and is a whole lot easier to start with when a good 1911 costs 3 times more than that.

Kahr seems to have the small CCW niche locked down.

I'd recommend looking into:
Glock: 19,23,34,35,17,22
1911: Les Baer, Dan Wesson
Kahr: P9, K9

 

[Ala Dan]

Welcome Aboard My Friend-

You mentioned several fine firearms in your post; and all are suitable for HD
and self protection. I'm an advocate of the .45 ACP semi-auto's, so my vote
has to go too the SW 1911. I like the slide to frame fit, the barrel lock-up,
the aluminum trigger, combat hammer, beaver-tail, Novak three-dot sights,
beaver-tail, etc. Out of the box, my SW1911 shoots darn near as good a
groups as my much more expensive Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special 1911~!
Fit and finish on the stainless S&W (product code #108282) is fabulous;
and this weapon is a joy too shoot~!

 

[notasfancy]

Buying a 22 caliber might seem a good idea but I would save that money for training by a good professional. Then buy lots of ammo and train with the pistol you intend to carry. What caliber doesn't matter. Get a reliable pistol that feels good to you and if you want to carry you might want a mid size pistol.
Glocks 19 or 23 are very good for that purpose.
Many police departments use glocks and that is for a reason but buy what feels good TO YOU.

 

[2WheelsGood]

I think its one of the best stock triggers on a striker-fired DAO pistol (XDM)

That's because it's not really a DA trigger. At least not in the traditional sense. Pulling the trigger does not cock the gun, and that makes a huge difference in the feel of the trigger. Because this person is new to buying guns, I highly recommend spending the time reading this article about the semantics of trigger design by Massad Ayoob. Extremely informative. Can Semantics Get You Killed

 

[Just One Shot]

Welcome!

Just thought I'd mention the Kahr, HK and S&W M&P line of handguns. You might want to rent one of these before making your final decision.

In the end, find the one you are most comfortable with and start with that. What ever you choose it's not likely to be the last one you purchase. Especially if you are anything like some of us that spend time here.

 

[benderx4]

When in doubt, get yourself a gun that has been combat tested probably more than any other in history - the Beretta M9. (Beretta 92FS)

Full size, 9mm, easy to shoot, easy to clean, easy to buy. MecGar aftermarket mags come in both 18 and 20 shot capacity. (The 18s are flush fitting.)

 

[GLOOB]

mine [XD] is stock and I think its one of the best stock triggers on a striker-fired DAO pistol.... Glock stock triggers suck, to me they have always seemed alot more like a DA revolver trigger

Maybe that's because the XD is a SAO, and the Glock is a lot more like a DA revolver.

 

[Lonestar49]

The Process - you take

...

I would point you in the 9mm direction to start out with as it is affordable, easy and fun to shoot and will be an excellent teacher in regards to grip/stance/accuracy via consistent trigger pulls, now the question is -

Do you want a hammered gun or a non-hammered gun (striker-only) based on what ? -

Looks, DA/SA capability's that hammered offer or the, to many, the cleaner looking, less moving parts, same short DAO trigger pull every shot..

Range gun only or both range and HD/SD and possible ccw of the gun..?

Get those areas, along with best grip feel that feels natural to you like an extension of your arm, hand, and balance when you lift it up to point and aim.

From there, see if you can find a range that rents what your looking for a/o if you're on the fence between grip/feel, hammered DA/SA vs short DAO same trigger pulls of most non-hammered guns/strikers

Last, when you have found which type gun/s (if you like both type) you feel best about, then go to gun store and have the gun clerk show you, let you, see how easy or hard, in your thinking, they are, in comparison, to "dissembley", inspections, (lube should go where and on what?), "and reassembly", that you are most comfortable starting out with..

Then, make your first choice and go with it and enjoy the experience and, most likely, continued growth in multiple gun ownership..

Be safe,


Ls

 

[2WheelsGood]

Maybe that's because the XD is a SAO

Yes and no. According to Springfield it's a DAO, but their definition is different from the traditional definition of a double action. This is why I posted the article from Massad further up.

 

[Ala Tom]

I went through a similar effort recently, studying about calibers and gun manufacturers. I don't think much of the 9mm though I have fired them and find them easy and fun to fire. They just don't have enough energy in general to give me confidence. I used to like the 45 both for target shooting and for home defense (not having to carry it). Like you I had to rent some guns to get some good personal experience. I had not fired a handgun in 45 years. At that time I fired rifles and revolvers (mostly SA). I rented a .22 pistol and liked it. I could see that it was what I needed for practice. I can shoot a lot of bullets through that, learning good gun-handling habits and using sights for reasonable accuracy.

Next I tried the SW M&P .40. In studying calibers I found that, on average you get more muzzle energy in a .40 than a .45. I bought a full-size M&P 40. My hands are a little smaller than yours. But I suspect we can both benefit from changeable grips to get just the right fit. You might well want a 1911-type gun. Another thing I had against the .45 is the cost of ammo. A practice session is about $5 more expensive with a .45 than with a .40. I don't want to pay more for less energy. But I think you can get 1911-type guns that shoot .40.

 

[miles1]

When i decided to buy myself a handgun i was also deciding on the 9 vs 45.I decided at the end to just get both.Opinions will all very but the truth is that a 9mm JHP will serve you more than adequate for home defense.If i had to pick just one caliber it would be the 9mm d/t cost and nothing more.I tried the glock,XD's,and smith and wesson M&P's.I personally ended up going with the glock 17 and 21 but i really dont think you can go wrong with any of the top choices listed from everyone else.You will hear KB stories about every gun out there it seems...i wouldnt let that affect your decision as there are gonna be rare instances of poor gun caring/lemons/bad ammo out there.Good luck in your search.

 

[chrome_austex]

Defensive Pistols: So many to try! hold as many as you can.

The M&P pistols are very popular with defensive handgun people that I respect. The low bore height can make for good shooting.

And checkout a Walther P99 AS if you can find one. 15 round mags and a very well put together gun. I can't see replacing mine with any similar 9mm, esp a glock (sorry).

My next defense gun will probably be a .45 tho, I'm leaning towards a Sig 220 after shooting a friends.

 

[230therapy]

Why not just get something in 22 Long Rifle? It's great to learn with and the guns are generally much lower in price.

The Ruger MK II or III's are very reliable and very good. The Buckmark is also good.