Semi-Auto Newbie--'Oh no not again'

[Preacherman]

I'd also recommend the CZ-75B as probably the finest 9mm. "budget-priced" pistol out there. It's a bit heavier than the polymer guns, but it's an excellent weapon, very ergonomic and reliable.

If you want polymer, again, I second the recommendation for the XD range. I use Glocks myself, but in your price range, the XD is more cost-effective.

 

[Fun2Shoot]

Don't over look the Ruger P series in your 9mm gun search. I had a Ruger P95 in 9mm that was a great bang-for-the-buck and was well made and would feed and fire all ammo types.

I had an XD-9 and put over 1k rds down range with it. It was an inherently very accurate firearm and would feed everything. I just do not like striker fired guns. I need either a decocker or a slide safety on my hand guns.

Get some of your choices in your hand. That can tip the scale quickly, one way or the other.

Good Luck

 

[Boss Spearman]

I agree the CZ 75 is the best budget 9mm. I wish my fingers were long enough to work the trigger properly.

The only polymer gun I've tried that I've fallen in love with is the HK USP. I traded my Springfield XD to get a 2nd HK. I had a 24/7 also, and I'll take an HK over it, the XD, Glock, Sig, or just about anything else other than a Hi Power.

The Browning Hi Power of course is another king of the hill.

 

[GigaBuist]

I'm also in the CZ-75B boat... good pistol, good price. It was my first gun too, actually.

My only regret? I should have bought the Kadet kit so I could shoot .22LR out of it. I mean that. I'm serious. These people are right.. having a .22LR pistol to practice with is great! Every single time I go out to practice with pistols my .22LR handgun comes out with me. If I get a flinch, I move to .22LR. Cheap ammo is nice too... and while I could afford to shoot 9mm all day long, it won't do me much more good than shooting a bunch of .22LR to make sure I got the basics down and then moving to 9mm for a final box of 50.

As an added bonus... it would make a great .22LR pistol to get the girlfriend, little brother, nephew, or cousin shooting on too. To switch out slides you're looking at what, 60 seconds?

If you had to get one gun I figure 9mm ain't too bad... but if you pick up a pistol that'll let you shoot .22LR with a slide change you're doing much better. The CZ lets you do that and it keeps the cost down.

 

[Boss Spearman]

already posted, dupe deleted

 

[AMT]

I say go with the H&K, avoid the Taurus. And I give the XD a neutral ( please no hate mail )
If nothing else you will get your money back on the H&K if you ever sell it.

 

[only1asterisk]

UberNewb,

Welcome to THR!

You sound like a young man that has done his homework. The full-size service 9mm is far from the worst handgun to learn on. It also allows you to have a viable defensive arm immediately. I could make you a list of about 20 pistols of acceptable quality in your price range, but the best thing to do would be getting some trigger time in before you buy. Shoot everything you can get your hands on first. Knowing what you like and buying the right pistol the first time out will save you time, money and frustration.


David

 

[Marshall]

Hey Vex, tell me about the BDM, I know where one has been sitting on a shelf for over a year, great shape too. However, I know nothing about them other than my Browning love and that you can shoot in SA or DA. Is it easy to strip? Are they dependable? Accurate? Etc. Feel free to PM me if that is better.

 

[dxkj21]

Hey---I am afraid to say that this is yet another 'what gun should I buy' thread. I do apologize, but the responses on other boards has been great and I have been finding online bulletin boards to be a great asset to helping me get started in this hobby.

I am a young single guy, no kids to worry about, and I am looking to buy a semi-auto 9mm for mostly plinking, range shooting, target shooting and lastly, home defense. I do not plan to carry a gun with other than to the range or to my girlfriends family mountain resort. Being young and still deciding what I want to do with my life, I do have a limited budget. I would like to spend between $300 and $500 on my first pistol, while still getting something that is easy to learn with and use accurately. So far my choices have come up with a few options. The guns below are the ones I am interested and through my research, seem to be what I am looking for. The prices are the best that I have found in my area (3 local gun shops)

Springfield XD 9mm 4" (two 15rd mags + holster + case $460)
Taurus 24/7 9mm (two 17rd mags + case $380)
HK USP9 Full size (factory demo + one hi-cap mag + case $550)

Please understand that I have made up my mind on caliber and format (semi-auto)...so I will say in advance..I am definitely not interested in a revolver/.22/shotgun. And let me also say...I think sigs and glocks are excellent guns, but none even come close to fitting into my budget.

I like the taurus and lot of people have good things to say about them... as long as you dont mind the DAO..

The XD is a nice middle ground and I think it would be an excellent choice as a first gun... I ended up choosing a CZ 75 over the XD, but only because the price was right, and I like the all-steel design.

 

[NEtracker]

Any rent-a-gun ranges nearby you? Anyone that you know have these models to try first? It's kind of been mentioned above, that try before you buy is best. I can't tell you how many I've seen go out and buy without trying first, then end up returning the firearm (hardly used), taking a big hit on the $. 9mm is a good choice, but that .22 should be on the list for later.

 

[goon]

While not on your list, I can support the CZ-75 variants. They are great guns and priced around $350-$400. IMO, they are fully the equal of a more expensive gun like a SIG.
Another idea would be to get your hands on a CDNN catalog and see what they have in your price range. They did have SIG P-225's for around $350 but I don't know what they have now. IIRC, they also had FN Hi-Powers for around $399 but that has been awhile ago.
I have owned a few guns and if I had to start again I would probably check out a CDNN catalog as my first stop. You may also watch the for sale board here and see what turns up that may fit your needs.

 

[UberNewb]

I test shot the HK USP compact 9mm and I loved it, made me a much better shooter--and it was my first time with a semi-auto. My shop has a compact USP9 with LEM trigger factory demo LNIB for $450 and a fullsize USP9 factory demo for $550--from what I have reaserched these are excellent prices and I may go with the USP. We'll see

 

[Vex]

Hey Vex, tell me about the BDM, I know where one has been sitting on a shelf for over a year, great shape too. However, I know nothing about them other than my Browning love and that you can shoot in SA or DA. Is it easy to strip? Are they dependable? Accurate? Etc. Feel free to PM me if that is better.

The BDM is a fullsize "wondernine" but it's not bulky like a Beretta, SIG or Glock. Many remark how thin it is, much like a 1911 or Hi-Power, classic designs which carry very well for their size. It operates on the Modified Browning priciple, (large barrel block which locks with the ejection port, as seen it glocks and sigs and most state of the art pistols). The controls are a frame mounted ambidextrous safety/decocker that allow you to chose from cocked and locked single action, traditional double action, double action only (from a hammer, so you can have a second strike unlike the XD, Glock, Walther P99 etc. you can even cock it like a double action revolver). The frame is steel but this gun weights in at 28oz, that's lighter than most aluminum frame pistols.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=42221&highlight=Browning+BDM

downside is that despite being a wonderful design it didn't take off because it came to the market at the end of the wondernine craze and the beginning of the clinton ban so people were looking for .40s and other guns with plenty of mags already available. so you'll have to look around for magazines and holsters.