Handgun Purchase

[tam.audio]

Hey guys, I'm looking into purchasing my first handgun. Initially I was just going to buy a Ruger .22 for plunking. But some people are suggesting I purchase a larger caliber gun, 9mm. Main reason being self defense if necessary.

What do those of you who own firearms think?

Thanks

[Leche]

Not enough info.:biggrin: If you want one for self defense, is it for at home or carry. I guessing for home though so...

1. What is your firearm experience? Are you comfortable with them?
2. What level of maintenance and practice are you willing to put into it?
3. Where do you live? Urban, rural, apartment, etc? Is this house relatively open or tight quarters? Do you have kids? Do you expect your spouse to be able to use it also?
4. How much are you willing to spend?

[richmondesi]

The major question IMO is: what do you really want the gun for?

The answer to that question will determine the recommendations significantly.

If it's just for shooting targets or whatever, that little .22 or a .17 will be good.

If it's for protection, a 9mm isn't that great(but would be OK). I would get .357 magnum or similar

If it's for starting a collection (:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:) this could become a very long thread.

All of my guns fit all three purposes. Every gun is good looking, good for protection (& some of those are 9mm), and fun to shoot- Especially my gold .50 caliber Desert Eagle :biggrin:

[tam.audio]

Not enough info.:biggrin: If you want one for self defense, is it for at home or carry. I guessing for home though so...

1. What is your firearm experience? Are you comfortable with them?
2. What level of maintenance and practice are you willing to put into it?
3. Where do you live? Urban, rural, apartment, etc? Is this house relatively open or tight quarters? Do you have kids? Do you expect your spouse to be able to use it also?
4. How much are you willing to spend?
More or less for target and to learn to shoot (I don't plan on carrying it and don't really foresee the need for self defense, but I suppose you never know).

1. No firearm experience (I'm sure paintball and BB do not count)
2. I am a very meticulous person with "gear" (audio engineer by trade)
3. Suburban townhouse, relatively open, no kids, no SMWBO
4. Willing to spend up to ~$600

[tam.audio]

Also, I have this firing range at my disposal (http://www.bvpistol.com/)

[Leche]

More or less for target and to learn to shoot (I don't plan on carrying it and don't really foresee the need for self defense, but I suppose you never know).

1. No firearm experience (I'm sure paintball and BB do not count)
2. I am a very meticulous person with "gear" (audio engineer by trade)
3. Suburban townhouse, relatively open, no kids, no SMWBO
4. Willing to spend up to ~$600

Sounds like a pistol will do you right. Revolvers are easier to maintain and have less problems although modern auto loaders have come a very long way. I have 2 and have never had a jam/issue. 9mm will do you fine but for better knock down power consider .357 (can practice with .38 in these which is cheaper), .40, or .45. These rounds have excellent stopping power and are readily available. Hopefully your shooting range has rentals to help narrow the decision. These are well made and should fit your budget.

Glock, Springfield Armory, Ruger, Kimber. I'm sure more suggestion will come.

[Leche]

Also that range offers training classes. Seriously consider those.

[tam.audio]

Also that range offers training classes. Seriously consider those.

Thanks for the input.

[waitasecun]

The major question IMO is: what do you really want the gun for?

The answer to that question will determine the recommendations significantly.

If it's just for shooting targets or whatever, that little .22 or a .17 will be good.

If it's for protection, a 9mm isn't that great(but would be OK). I would get .357 magnum or similar

If it's for starting a collection (:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:) this could become a very long thread.

All of my guns fit all three purposes. Every gun is good looking, good for protection (& some of those are 9mm), and fun to shoot- Especially my gold .50 caliber Desert Eagle :biggrin:

I'm jealous...I have been wanting to get a Magnum Research Handgun forever!

[urr-lord]

to start learning a 22 is fine.i actually use a 32 revolver or auto to introduce most people to handguns.they have little recoil ,not very loud and are easy to keep on target .all of which builds confidence.and they can double as a light self defense round.
then you can move up to the larger calibers with little adjustment.:biggrin:

[richmondesi]

I'm jealous...I have been wanting to get a Magnum Research Handgun forever!

Thanks. It is awesome. It is my favorite without question.

[whodat]

I suggest a cheap mil-std 1911 in .45 ACP... I've had good experience with Rock Island Armory -- and they're quite cheap. Probably get one for around $400. I'd then use the extra cash to get a .22 conversion kit for plinking. That means you have the ability to have a strong .45 or an easy target plinker. And as you develop the muscle memory / trigger control on the cheap-to-shoot .22, you'll also be developing the same abilities with use of the .45 ACP bullets.

Just my two cents!

[richmondesi]

I suggest a cheap mil-std 1911 in .45 ACP... I've had good experience with Rock Island Armory -- and they're quite cheap. Probably get one for around $400. I'd then use the extra cash to get a .22 conversion kit for plinking. That means you have the ability to have a strong .45 or an easy target plinker. And as you develop the muscle memory / trigger control on the cheap-to-shoot .22, you'll also be developing the same abilities with use of the .45 ACP bullets.

Just my two cents!

Nice suggestion

[pal]

I bought a Sig/Sauer 9mm thinking my wife could use it as well. I also bought a Sig Hammerli Trailside .22. I took my wife to the firing range and started her out with the .22. After about an hour she was not only shooting the 9mm but also my .45. This has nothing to do with your problem except to said if you want protection get at least a .45 or .357, they are not as intimidating after you shoot them.

[stobes21]

Some good advice here. I disagree about the effectiveness of 9mm, but that is a different discussion.

My opinion: for plinking a .22 is by far your best bet. They are inexpensive, accurate, and have next to no recoil. A ton of fun, no doubt. For home defense you'll want a pistol in 9mm, 40s&w, or .45acp. A revolver in .357 mag would be fine too. Honestly though none of them hold a candle to a 12 ga shotgun for that purpose. Plus, the shotgun is far more fun at the range in my not so humble opinion. You need an outdoor range though.

[NFlames]

9mm effective for certain but is a notorious over-penetrating round, if you are considering an auto I'd start at a .40 S&W. 22's are dandy if you are looking for something you plan on shooting a lot on the cheap (and have no interest in self defense). But IMO a .40 or .45 do great double duty, as in they are fun to shoot, I don't really think they kick that much more than a 9mm. So if you want to plink they are a bit more spendy than a 22 but are great one shot stoppers in the personal defense realm, not so prone to over penetration and you'll future proof your purchase in that if you buy a 22 you'll inevitably want something bigger not too far down the road. I think it was Evan and Sanow who stated that "if you shoot someone with a 22, and they find out about it, they're going to be plenty pissed."

I have a Glock 27 .40 S&W and a Kimber custom compact in .45, I taught both my kids to shoot with them and the kick never turned them off, I think after a magazine or two of just spraying to get used to the recoil they were set.

Many ranges offer rentals of several models in several calibers, probably your best bet is to look into something like that and see what fits your needs best.

[SRock]

Not enough info.:biggrin: If you want one for self defense, is it for at home or carry. I guessing for home though so...

1. What is your firearm experience? Are you comfortable with them?
2. What level of maintenance and practice are you willing to put into it?
3. Where do you live? Urban, rural, apartment, etc? Is this house relatively open or tight quarters? Do you have kids? Do you expect your spouse to be able to use it also?
4. How much are you willing to spend?

Good questions!

[smalltownlegend]

Take a look at the Springfield Armory XD .40.

[citizensoldierny]

You're going to get a lot of different advice, and so far what I've seen here is valid. My advice is not any one gun is going to cover all your bases. As stated though a .357 magnum might coming closest to meeting all your needs. Easy to learn on, user friendly controls (trigger, cylinder release), and ammo can be adjusted for your need at the moment as previously stated. If your set on a pistol though 9mm is not as bad a choice as some will say. Thier is plenty of good rounds out there that can be used for self-defense. They are also easy to shoot, ammo is cheaper than .40 or .45 so you can do more shooting which as long as your not developing poor habits means you'll become a better shooter. My personal favorite in auto's is the Beretta 92, a big solid hunk of steel, that feels great in the hand but a bit much for carry.
Not to worry though pretty soon you'll be wondering what the next handgun you should get will be:biggrin: Razor addiction has nothing on gun or knife addiction .

[richmondesi]

Some good advice here. I disagree about the effectiveness of 9mm, but that is a different discussion.

My opinion: for plinking a .22 is by far your best bet. They are inexpensive, accurate, and have next to no recoil. A ton of fun, no doubt. For home defense you'll want a pistol in 9mm, 40s&w, or .45acp. A revolver in .357 mag would be fine too. Honestly though none of them hold a candle to a 12 ga shotgun for that purpose. Plus, the shotgun is far more fun at the range in my not so humble opinion. You need an outdoor range though.

I'm curious what you mean about the 9mm discussion.

[stobes21]

I'm curious what you mean about the 9mm discussion.

I mean that this thread is to help a guy new to firearms find a gun. Not debate the finer points of ballistic performance.

[Mr. Gillette]

You can't "carry" it, can you? If it's home self defense, I'd do the following:

1) Get the Ruger for fun...plinking, etc...it's cheap to feed, an excellent shooter, a fun thing, and a VERY nice gun...get the heavier "bull barrell"...this won't set you back too far.

2) If self defense is at home? Get a shotgun... SS barrell, short, short stock, pack it with 6 massive loads, and when the intruder comes you can put pieces of him all over your front porch. Just the sound of a round being chambered on a pump shotgun is a chilling sound to a would-be attacker. But don't try to carry this into a bank!

[PCFiend138]

i still stand by my taurus 444. magnum when you need kick, special when you dont. six rounds. if anybody is still hanging around after you fire six 44 magnum rounds at them id suggest a safer neighborhood. but for target shooting at the range its a extremely fun, reliable gun. just stay clear of the 340 grain rounds. theyre a bit of a biatch. though they do get the attention of just about everybody at the range :-D.

[Mr. Gillette]

i still stand by my taurus 444. magnum when you need kick, special when you dont. six rounds. if anybody is still hanging around after you fire six 44 magnum rounds at them id suggest a safer neighborhood. but for target shooting at the range its a extremely fun, reliable gun. just stay clear of the 340 grain rounds. theyre a bit of a biatch. though they do get the attention of just about everybody at the range :-D.

I worked behind a gun counter at a large sporting goods store about a decade ago. The Taurus .454 Raging Bull had just come out. It was great fun!

On the second floor, over our heads, was an indoor range. We'd hear: "Bang-Bang-Bang-pop-pop-pop-WWWWWHHHHHOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!!! ..... ...WWWWWWHHHOOOOOMMMMM!!!and we usually could tell one of those monsters was getting a test drive!

[DocMustang]

Choosing your first handgun (or firearm for that matter) is a very personal matter. Since you have shared that you have limited (if any) firearms experience. I would suggest that you take a class in firearms safety and handling prior to beginning your search. A good course will familiarize you with the issues and considerations for buying, owning and using firearms. Most ranges will offer a basic firearms course that will fit the bill nicely. A second (but perhaps less desirable option) would be to find a friend or family member who shoots regularly who could teach you the basics. Obviously the level of education with the latter option could vary widely and lay the groundwork for bad habits.

After you have learned the basics I would find a range that rents handguns. This will give you the opportunity to try many different makes, models and calibers. I find that a wide body double stack automatic fits my hands well. My wife, who has smaller hands but long fingers prefers a single stack automatic or a revolver. (her favorite is a vintage Colt 1911) After you shoot a few models a few will start to feel more comfortable and you will settle on one you like. Many ranges will credit the cost of rental toward the purchase of your new gun.

[DS/B MCS]

You can't "carry" it, can you? If it's home self defense, I'd do the following:

1) Get the Ruger for fun...plinking, etc...it's cheap to feed, an excellent shooter, a fun thing, and a VERY nice gun...get the heavier "bull barrell"...this won't set you back too far.

2) If self defense is at home? Get a shotgun... SS barrell, short, short stock, pack it with 6 massive loads, and when the intruder comes you can put pieces of him all over your front porch. Just the sound of a round being chambered on a pump shotgun is a chilling sound to a would-be attacker. But don't try to carry this into a bank!

Bro, you stole my post :wink:

Great Advice

Ammo for both of these are cheap and you should be OTD with the Ruger 22/45 and Rem 870 for about $700.

[Mr. Gillette]

Bro, you stole my post :wink:

Great Advice

Ammo for both of these are cheap and you should be OTD with the Ruger 22/45 and Rem 870 for about $700.

I know I stole it, but PLEASE..don't shoot me!:a33:

[frank85]

have you considered a used gun for practice? you never know, my friend ex-military bought an H&K from a guy that needed the money really bad...
he stole the gun for 450 dollars cash.... The gun was only fired a couple of times... Usually that is never the case when your looking at used items but for practice you can grab one relatively cheap...

another thing you can do is rent out different firearms at the range.... shoot a couple rounds with different guns until you find the one that you like...

I have my eyes out on 1911 model and a couple rifles :biggrin: :a33::a33::a33:

[wetshavewonder]

have a look at http://www.gunbroker.com/ great deals on which ever firearm you decide

[thruster]

Choosing your first handgun (or firearm for that matter) is a very personal matter. Since you have shared that you have limited (if any) firearms experience. I would suggest that you take a class in firearms safety and handling prior to beginning your search. A good course will familiarize you with the issues and considerations for buying, owning and using firearms. Most ranges will offer a basic firearms course that will fit the bill nicely. A second (but perhaps less desirable option) would be to find a friend or family member who shoots regularly who could teach you the basics. Obviously the level of education with the latter option could vary widely and lay the groundwork for bad habits.

After you have learned the basics I would find a range that rents handguns. This will give you the opportunity to try many different makes, models and calibers. I find that a wide body double stack automatic fits my hands well. My wife, who has smaller hands but long fingers prefers a single stack automatic or a revolver. (her favorite is a vintage Colt 1911) After you shoot a few models a few will start to feel more comfortable and you will settle on one you like. Many ranges will credit the cost of rental toward the purchase of your new gun.


I would stick with your plan on getting a .22. They are a great caliber to start out with and learn the basics on also cheap to shoot. You can always get a larger caliber down the road.

With that said. I would use Doc's advice about taking classes and renting guns. Just one word of advice about rental guns. Rental guns are very rarely cleaned or serviced so do not expect rentals to be reliable or supper accurate. So do not fault the manufacture or gun model for problems that you might have with a rental.

[desmoface]

:yesnod::ouch1:
http://www.pbase.com/desmoface/image/74486369.jpg

Steve

[whodat]

For me, Sig = booooo

It's the gun I was issued and I've never gotten a good feel for the sloppy trigger. If you must go Sig, go DAK.

Instead, go XD45 and be done with it. :001_smile


:yesnod::ouch1:
http://www.pbase.com/desmoface/image/74486369.jpg

Steve

[SRock]

Or you could go with the original Tactical Tupperware and my personal favorite for a duty weapon (if I were allowed to pick) as I own several:

:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:

[rikrdo]

.....

[frank85]

+3 on H&K

my opinion of course...



Or you could go with the original Tactical Tupperware and my personal favorite for a duty weapon (if I were allowed to pick) as I own several:

:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:
:ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1::ouch1:

[tg16]

I carried a no frills Smith and Wesson .40 on duty for years and years. It was accurate and did the one thing I required, everytime I pulled the trigger, a bullet came out of the barrell.

[tarbush]

I vote for the ruger 22 for your first gun. Ammo is cheap so you can spend a lot of time on the range and learn to shoot. Then once you can shoot, you have an excuse to go out and buy another gun. :wink:

If you want to defend the domicile, i'd go with a pump action shot gun and some 00 buck. Be certain you aren't too quiet when you work the action.

[Masterofsparks]

My suggestions would be is that you take full advantage of the range you have available to you and first off take a firearms safety class. You will get lots of info and a chance to shoot.
Most ranges like this also offer you the opportunity to rent weapons. This is what my wife did when she was wanting to get her own handgun and initially she thought she would like a small .38 revolver after shooting a number of pistols though she ended up purchasing a Glock 19 9mm. It is what she is the most comfortable with.
Personally I own a Glock 30 .45ACP
We go to the range like some people go bowling and we enjoy out time there! The bonus is our shooting skills are great and if a bad guy ever gets crosswise with us we can place a bullet where we intend it.
Oh we both conceal carry also! Just remember if you own a handgun it really is your responsibility to be trained and know the safety involved....

[millertime150]

Get a 12 gauge shotgun for home protection. I like pump Mossbergs
Get a Mark III Ruger 22 for plinking. One of the best 22s IMHO
Get a 9mm for carrying. I like Springfield Armory or Glock.

I like 9mm because it is cheaper to shoot and less recoil so I am more accurate with them versus say a 44 magnum.