New Shooter - Reliable Semi Automatic

[Tracker Dog]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the HighRoad and new to Shooting.
Took to it immediately. Love shooting. Own no guns of my own. Expect to own many in the long run.
So.. I'm looking to buy my first handgun.

It is primarily for sport - I love target shooting. It is also, primarily for home defense. I haven't decided yet if I will carry concealed.

I am mainly big-time looking for reliability. It goes bang every time I shoot it, and that is whether it is strong hand, weak hand, upside down or sideways.

I am also looking for accuracy. I want it to shoot as accurately as I can shoot :>.

I am challenged by having hands on the small side.

Any advice you can give me would be MOST appreciated. Thanks, guys.

TD

 

[TexasRifleman]

I will make some enemies in here, since this is the autoloader section, but for a first handgun I'd strongly recommend a revolver in .357 Mag.

You can get lots of practice in with some good cheap .38 Special, yet still pack a punch for defense. Lots of nice 7 shot revolvers out there. They tend to go well with small hands too.

If you're really hung up on an autoloader, as much as I hate to admit it, I think the Glock is a good place for a novice, mainly because of the lack of mechanical things to learn. I don't like them, but they are simple and reliable.

You're gonna get every answer in the book

And welcome!

 

[Highland Ranger]

HK or SIG . . . . if you have a big hand, the HK USP's are pleasingly accurate, tough as nails and feed anything.

I have one in 40 and one in 45 - like them both.

 

[Sunray]

Hi. How much money do you want to spend? It matters. Hands down the best thing you can do is join a shooting club. Most shooters will let you try their firearms with no fuss. Joining a club opens other shooting doors too.
TexasSIGman is right. A revolver is a good place to start. The fit is the most important thing for anybody though. If you can't easily reach the trigger with pad of your trigger finger just in from the first joint, the handgun doesn't fit your hand. It won't feel right either. As daft as that sounds.
A Ruger GP-100 has grips that people with normal sized hands(mine are wide but short) will fit.
If, like TexasSIGman says, you insist upon a semi, look at a Browning High Power. It fits my stubby hand perfectly while all double action and some BHP clones, like the CZ-75(friggin' shame that it is), do not. A .45 Colt Government Model fits me as well. A bit better than the BHP and it can be used for target shooting.
Having said all that, you're really best to start with a .22. The money spending question is part of that. You can spend a grand or more for a good .22lr target pistol. Or you can buy a Ruger .22 that will do for $300 and up to about $555.

 

[markinho]

I would just go out and get a Ruger Mark III .22 semiautomatic.

This will teach you to use good habits and will be inexpensive to purchase and inexpensive to feed ammunition. It also is very forgiving, recoil-wise, and is also comfortable for small hands.

Next, I would shoot a minimum of 1000 rounds through this gun before even thinking of buying anything else.

Don't forget to take some kind of gun handling class that will teach you invaluable lessons from someone more experienced than you. This will help your confidence, safety, and overall effectiveness with guns.

Also, join the local range/gun club so that you can soak up some tips from others.

After you have a thousand or so rounds with your .22, you can go get yourself something in a heavier caliber. Then you'll appreciate starting off with the .22 and you'll also shoot the .22 much better because it will feel like a BB gun by comparison.

Just don't be put off by the .22 caliber guns. They are not for pansies or lightweights. They are invaluable for people who want to focus on getting good and staying good at shooting.

Good luck

 

[Kurush]

Find a range that rents and try out different guns. If you don't try it out first you won't know how it feels in your hands and how the recoil is until you've already bought it.

Oh ya and don't ask on internet forums, everyone just tells you to buy what they have

 

[ReadyontheRight]

My $0.02:

1. First get a .357 revolver - $300-$600 - to defend yourself.

2. Then a .22 Ruger or Browning semi-auto - $150-$400 - to really learn how to shoot.

3. Then get a 1911 - $400 - $2000 - to really learn how to defend yourself.

Training and competition are recommended at all stages.

You can jump to a 1911 if you want, but definitely get a .22 for practice and fun. In my experience, the biggest concern about a semi-auto is that it only takes a light touch to set off a round. Glocks, DA only and other modern autoloaders reduce this danger, but a good old revolver eliminates this danger intuitively by performing in both single action and double action as designed. The 1911 design embraces this danger and uses it to be the most accurate rapid-fire personal weapon available.

Something most folks do not admit or realize: while it is a small caliber, a .22 packs a baseball-bat-beating punch in terms of self-defense. If you are set on an autoloader, a .22 as your first firearm is a great idea.

 

[chris in va]

Definitely get a .22 as a starter gun. I happen to really enjoy the CZ 75B with the optional 'Kadet' .22 kit. It also comes in .40 as well.

So you shoot 22's to your heart's content at the range, then swap out the slides for nightstand duty.

Of course, you could also do the same with a 1911. They make .22 slides for those too.

 

[imas]

Buy a 9MM, 38spl revolver, or 357mag revolver to start out with.

I would recommend a Glock 9MM. Ammo is cheap enough to become proficient with it. Buy the 22 later. A 22 is good for learning but you know I started out with a 9MM and 45ACP and ended up just fine.

 

[BullRock]

I agree with Kurush. If you're fortunate to live in an area with a range where you can try guns out take advantage of it. Don't waste your money with a .22 that you won't keep and is worthless for HD/SD.

I would recommend the Beretta PX4 but I've only owned one for 5 days. My CZ P01 is deadly accurate, reliable, and versitile. Excellent for the range, carry, or home defense. The Browning Pro-9 and the USPc would also be very good if they fit your hand and your pocket book...

 

[PlasticPistolPacker]

The 1911 design embraces this danger and uses it to be the most accurate rapid-fire personal weapon available.

Would you put money on that statement

 

[TrafficMan]

go to the gun store and handle the pistols...get an idea for what feels good in your hand. i myself LOVE the way my cz75 feels...i had a glock, but didn't care for the way it "felt" -- one of the first rules is buying something that you are going to be comfortable with.

 

[amprecon]

Buy a Glock, I prefer the G19 in 9mm or the G21 in .45acp, you'll have no desire to own anything else, I don't.

 

[possum]

i have small hands as well so it was a little of a challenge finding a pistol that felt good to me and yet was capabale of hi-cap mags. So i went with the xd and I am so so very happy. It is awesome. i have over 1000 rds through it no problems at all and i have became a lot better with it since i bought it. What ever you get should make you happy and you must practice practice, and practice some more until you are driving tacks with it. Good luck on finding a pistol tha fits you and happy shooting!

 

[Gary G23]

Get a 9mm CZ-75 or an XD-9.

 

[GunnySkox]

My S-A Mil-Spec 1911 would be a joy to shoot if I weren't such a recoil pansy, and the Ciener conversion kit I've got for it is the Pimp Juice. Fifteen round mags, good sights. Yeah, buddy.

I'm pretty sure Ciener makes slides for various other kinds of pistol, too. Look'm up, they're the buisness (pronounces Bweez-nis).

~GnSx

 

[antsi]

Definitely get a .22 as a starter gun. I happen to really enjoy the CZ 75B with the optional 'Kadet' .22 kit. It also comes in .40 as well.

So you shoot 22's to your heart's content at the range, then swap out the slides for nightstand duty.

Of course, you could also do the same with a 1911. They make .22 slides for those too.

I'll second this notion, plus all those who emphasized getting some formal training. An NRA Basic Pistol class would be a great way to start.

.22's are great for practice. I find that the more time I spend practicing with .22's, the better I shoot my other guns. .22 is a great training caliber and it encourages good habits instead of bad habits.

If you want to go 1911, Marvel makes a great .22 upper for them. I have not tried the CZ .22 Kadet conversion, but the "base gun" CZ 75 is a wonderful 9mm or .40 caliber platform. The CZ 75 + Kadet plan would be quite economical too... It's easy to find CZ 75's for $400 or less and you can get the .22 kit for about $200. Two great guns for around $600 is hard to beat.

But above all, most important advice in this whole thread... GET THEE TO A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR.

 

[dsk]

I am a certified, card-carrying 1911 fanatic, yet even I would not recommend one to a first-time handgun buyer! 1911's require attention and training in their safe operation that most new gun owners are not yet committed to. I also dislike Glocks as a first handgun as well. It scares me when I hear gun shop salesmen tell somebody "buy a Glock, they're real simple to operate". Sure they're simple to operate. They're simple to fire accidentally and put a hole in your mattress too if you're not careful.

I too suggest a double-action revolver, but if you're really wanting a semi-auto then I might suggest a Ruger KP95 or similar model. The 9mm caliber is a great round as it is powerful enough for defense yet not expensive to shoot. The KP95 appears to have a decent trigger reach for smaller-handed users. Ruger firearms are noted for their reliability, so no worries there. And finally it has a combination safety/decocker that will make it easier and safer to load/unload this pistol inside your house. And last but not least, Rugers are relatively inexpensive compared to similar firearms. They are not the weapons of choice of mall ninjas, gunshop commandos, armchair experts, and other elite groups that keep us all safe and free, but they are good products and worthy of your consideration.

 

[berettaman]

If you're really hung up on an autoloader, as much as I hate to admit it, I think the Glock is a good place for a novice, mainly because of the lack of mechanical things to learn. I don't like them, but they are simple and reliable.

Yeah like shooting yourself in the foot or leg or someone elses foot or back or leg when you have to pull the trigger to get the slide off."I just wanted to clean it when it just went off, but I took the mag out so I don't know how it was loaded".Like new shooters having a brain fart and forget to keep their booger picker off the boom switch,and a lack of manuel safety,striker fired that always ready to touch off a round,Yeah it's a real good first gun,hey it's the first guns of alot of recently dissabled people.
(yes I own a 17 and a 22C and they are great shooters and reliable but I don't recommend them for "stone cold new shooters)
Work your way up to the big boys,get a .22 Ruger,Buckmark,Neos and such and work into the larger heavier calibers when your knowledge and comfidence grows.

Welcome to the forum and to the great shooting sports.
Shoot safe!!

 

[Ala Dan]

First handgun? Browning Buckmark or Ruger MK-II.

First centerfire self loader? SIG or H&K USP in 9m/m.

 

[Tracker Dog]

Wow - I'm impressed by the big response to my question. Thanks to all of you for your advice.

I should have provided a little more background:

I've attended 2 classes so far - A gun safety/concealed carry class and a basic handgun skills class. I'm registered for 2 more classes in November.

I joined a range and I have been renting their guns. I've been through many of them, revolvers and semi-automatics, although I must say I've only shot one .22. I'll have to try them again. I appreciate the advice about them being great for practice.
I don't enjoy shooting the revolvers as much as I do the semi-autos. I seem to do best with .45 caliber but also like 9mm.

I've been to several gun shops and handled lots of semi-autos. Really liked the feel of a Springfield Armory 1911, a Browning Pro-9 and a Beretta 9mm model 92FS Compact. Haven't been able to shoot any of those yet.

I've liked the feel of the 1911s I've shot (Colt, Kimber and Para, the range doesn't have any Springfield or other makes). Also liked a SIG P220 .45, SIG P239 9mm and Para LDAs in both 9mm and .45acp.
The HK USP compact didn't have a good feel and the slide was hard for me to work.
The Kimber 1911 had a stovepipe in the first few rounds.

I haven't tried a Glock. I will do that although it seems like some of the advice is very mixed on them.

So I've narrowed down to some handguns that seem to fit and what I am mostly looking for is advice from those who have been shooting for years about reliability and accuracy.

And cost is not really an issue, I'm more concerned with quality and reliability.

 

[Ala Dan]

In .45 ACP,

you can't go wrong with a SIG P220A~!

 

[dsk]

I was going to suggest a Beretta 92 at first, but you said you have small hands. If you can wrap your mitts around a Beretta's grip and reach the trigger easily then your hands aren't as small as you thought. The 92 series also have a decock/safety lever that would allow you to safely load/unload inside the home.

 

[New23]

Four years ago I took a beginning handgun class with a variety of pistols and found, like you, that I enjoyed shooting a semi-auto more than a revolver. I also shot them better, and shot the Glock best of all. Then I bought a Glock 23 (compact .40) as my first (and only) handgun. The G23 and G19 (9mm) are the same size, a size that many people feel is big enough for a good range gun and small enough for concealed carry if desired. I've never regretted getting it and don't find the recoil bothersome. Personally, I don't see the point in getting a smaller caliber than you really want or a revolver if what you want is a semi-auto just to "learn". I did take a series of private instruction after I bought the G23 and that was a very good thing to do. Good luck with your decision!

Oh, if you're interested in seeing what the different Glock models are, this is a good presentation:
http://www.teamglock.com/PistolInfo/pistolpage.htm

 

[antsi]

Wow -
And cost is not really an issue, I'm more concerned with quality and reliability.

Well sticking to the idea of a "matched pair" with a .22 and a defense gun, both with the same manual of arms, you could go with:

SIG 220 (.45) or 226 (9mm) and SIG Mosquito

1911 and .22 conversion

With those combos, the operation of your defense gun and your .22 would be the same.

I'm a SIG fan and would generally opt for the first pair, but I've heard the Mosquitos have had some teething problems (brand new product). SIG has been good to customers and if something is not right, they will make it right. You certainly will not have any problems with the 220.