in need of some help

[Mgderf]

im in the market for a handgun. my first to be exact im haveing a hard time figuring out what kind and caliber to buy. i know im going to use it for home and self defense i also would like to use it to target shoot. please help

Where are you located? If you would like to "try some out", and are anywhere near Lafayette, Pm me and we'll see what we can do for you.

I have a .22lr semi-auto, all the way up to, and including a .454 casull, and most common calibers in between.

I can give you a feel for small to medium sized (frame AND caliber), up to the big boys, both revolvers and semi's.

Pick your poison: .22lr
.327 federal magnum/.32H&R/.32S&W
.357 mag/.38spl
9mm Luger
.40 S&W
.44 mag
.45acp
.45colt/.410ga. (Judge)
.45/70 Govt. (Contender)
.222 (Contender)
.45Colt/.454 Casull
Just let me know!

 

[milltech]

Yep, security six in .357 mag along with a model 12 winchester super X is what is beside my bed. Knock the door your more then welcome, come in the other way.......well.

 

[fw501]

9mm

My first gun was a S&W 9mm. I still have the first gun I learned to shoot, clean, and carry. My recommendation would be a 9mm. As a new owner, be careful with glock if you choose to go that way....has only a trigger safety.... the real "safety" is between your ears. Good luck. Have fun and stay safe!!

 

[Joe Williams]

Caliber? Doesn't matter much. Anything .38 Special through .45 ACP is good. They each have pluses and minuses. Thing is, what is a plus, and what is a minus, tends to very greatly between individual users. My wife prefers a .45 ACP 1911. She likes the feel of the recoil, a heavier but less snappy push. Turns out that when I shoot much over 50 rounds, the heavier recoil hurts my wrist due to an old injury. So I like and carry a 9mm, which is snappier than the .45, but much less push. .38 Specials are a real sweetheart to shoot. In a 3 inch or larger gun, they are easy recoiling, and in the right gun can be VERY accurate for target shooting. .357 Magnums are hard to beat as a defensive round, arguably the best but are obnoxious in terms of muzzle blast and recoil.

As far as guns? I do not recommend a snub nosed revolver for a new shooter. Many of them are unpleasant to shoot, all are difficult to master. OTOH, a 3" revolver is markedly more pleasant to shoot, and to shoot well. A 3"-4" revolver is an excellent choice for a defensive handgun, and not just for beginners. Sadly, they are passing into history. It's hard to find things like holsters, speedloaders, speedstrips, and carriers for the speed loaders and speedstrips in stores. Not impossible, but not common any more. They can still be ordered easily over the net, though!

In semi-autos, the array of choices, excellent choices, is simply mindboggling. XD, Glock, M&P, P99, SR9, 1911, CZ75, Model 92, and on and on. You'll see raging fanboy fights about which is better, what one's suck, etc. You'll see Glocker's claim that their guns are more reliable than other guns, you'll see others claim that 1911 are the only choice for true proffessionals, and on and on. Most none of it is actually true. Among the first line guns in the $500-$900 range none show any real advantage in reliability, or even accuracy. Heck, don't have to spend that much. I'll put Cathy's sub-$400 Rock Island 1911 up against any service grade gun out there for reliability and accuracy. Some models have different features. Some have manual safeties, some have only passive safeties. Some should not be shot with lead bullets, some eat them like candy. Different strokes for different folks. You'll have to engage in some study and see what you care about... but if someone starts telling you that THEIR gun is the one true way, take it with a grain of salt. We all like to brag on our guns, but some folks just get a little rabid about their guns being the only worthwhile ones out there.

What IS different is how well YOU can shoot each model. Each feels different to each person. Which means you need to handle them, and shoot them if you can. A gun that feels perfect in your hand can feel horrible to you once you start pulling the trigger.

Ask around about models you might be interested in, folks will be more than pleased to give you their , and if someone nearby has one you are interested in, you may be able to find folks willing to let you try theirs out.

BTW:
My personal likes, and ones I recommend you check out?
1) XD9sc
2) Ruger SP101 with a 3" barrel
3) 1911
4) Beretta Model 92
5) S&W M&P

Welcome to INGO!

 

[ONTARGET]

I would recommend the tried and true .38 SPL or .357 MAG revolvers for a first handgun. However if you don't reload, this ammo is very expensive nowadays! Rottin ba#$@*#! LMFAO! Probably the best two now are 9MM and .40 S&W for performance and availability. It's a shame .45 ACP is very hard to get and exspensive as well if you don't reload. Even WAL-MART is about $20 or so a box compared to $12 for .40 S&W and $10 FOR 9MM. Good luck on your first handgun selection.

 

[mwilson]

new gun

if you are really interested in target shooting and are looking to become a very good shot and still use for defense i would look for a smith and wesson model 19 with 4" barrel. you can practice very cheap with .38 special. once you are comfortable with your skills step up to full power .357. .357 is still at the top of one shot stops with a good 125 jhp load. very easy to learn to shoot well. very capable of better accuracy than most all out of the box semi autos. very easy to load and fire. if you have a misfire from one of your rounds just pull the trigger for the next shot. no need to bang the mag and rack the slide if you have a malfunction. my for what its worth

 

[ONTARGET]

if you are really interested in target shooting and are looking to become a very good shot and still use for defense i would look for a smith and wesson model 19 with 4" barrel. you can practice very cheap with .38 special.

Used to be able to! $18-$20 per box of 50 now and yes even at WAL-MART. Remember $3 -$5 reloads at gun shows guys? One point not mentioned about the revolver is you can load it up and put it in a drawer and you don't have to worry about mag springs weakening. Like 20+ years LOL.... Hadn't thought of that have you guys?

 

[clt46910]

Used to be able to! $18-$20 per box of 50 now and yes even at WAL-MART. Remember $3 -$5 reloads at gun shows guys? One point not mentioned about the revolver is you can load it up and put it in a drawer and you don't have to worry about mag springs weakening. Like 20+ years LOL.... Hadn't thought of that have you guys?

It is not the compression that wears out mag springs, it is the loading and unloading. I have shot mags that have been loaded in a drawer for over ten years in the past. Never a problem with them.

I bought a 1911 off a woman a few years back that was sitting in the dresser since before her husband died. She never touched. Her husband died 18 years before. So I know it was loaded before that. I took it out and fired off the old ammo without a problem and reloaded the mag with new ammo. Fact is she never knew the mag was loaded until I dropped the mag when I went over to look at it.

 

[lildave]

I agree, it's a personal thing. If you can visit Beech Grove Firearms on the south side of Indy, they have a good selection right now and they will take as much time as you need to look over what they have, their prices are great too. Good Luck

 

[chrisross85]

40 S&W hands down you can't go wrong with it

 

[ONTARGET]

It is not the compression that wears out mag springs, it is the loading and unloading. I have shot mags that have been loaded in a drawer for over ten years in the past. Never a problem with them.

I bought a 1911 off a woman a few years back that was sitting in the dresser since before her husband died. She never touched. Her husband died 18 years before. So I know it was loaded before that. I took it out and fired off the old ammo without a problem and reloaded the mag with new ammo. Fact is she never knew the mag was loaded until I dropped the mag when I went over to look at it.

That is a debate that fuels more threads than Glock vs Brand X! Wolf Spring suggests that in single stack mags (example the 1911) it doesn't matter that much if not at all. But in double stack mags as in extra high capacity handgun 15 rounds or more it may? Its our guess as there is little evidence either way. One thing though, almost all LEO's are required to rotate or download their mags at a specified interval?

 

[ONTARGET]

Oops double post!

 

[Joe Williams]

snip
One thing though, almost all LEO's are required to rotate or download their mags at a specified interval?

We did, but it had nothing to do with the mag springs. We drew our weapons and chambered a round before the beginning of every shift. Over time, the bullet can be driven back into the case by the repeated chambering. At the end of every six day work cycle we had to unload the mags and move the round on top to the bottom.

 

[55spartan]

welcome and just go with a 45ACP gun and be done with it. You will want one anyway eventually. Glock or a 1911, can't go wrong with either.

 

[ONTARGET]

We did, but it had nothing to do with the mag springs. We drew our weapons and chambered a round before the beginning of every shift. Over time, the bullet can be driven back into the case by the repeated chambering. At the end of every six day work cycle we had to unload the mags and move the round on top to the bottom.

This too^^ Big problem of bullet setback that can cause pressure issues. Thanks Joe!

 

[Zeb0204]

I bought the Smith and Wesson M&P .40 in the full size as my first gun. Best purchase i've ever made. I carry it everywhere i go (except government buildings of course...) and i can take it to the range, and knock out the bullseye at 25 yards. Only complaint i have, is i wish the ammo were as cheap as 9mm. Other than that, I love my .40cal!