Looking for a handgun under 500 for first one...

[GNRPowdeR]

SR9c & Gen3 G19 both get a very long look, but SR9c is best bang for the $ on a new purchase.

Seriously suggest you close your eyes, bring each firearm up as though you're firing it, then open your eyes & see which one points more naturally.

Either one, I don't believe you'll go wrong.

 

[Irukanji]

Normally i would suggest a 22 for a new shooter, but ammo is hard to come by! Consider a Glock 17...the longer sight radius should help you develop good sighting skill faster than my beloved G19, and in my opinion the recoil is a bit lighter. Hopefully this won't be the last gun you buy, so working on technique and other basics is worth considering.

 

[Robertpetry]

I bought a new SR9c from Plainfield Shooting at the Indy 1500 yesterday. $399 with a 17 and 10 Mag, Stainless slide, lock and box. I think that is a good deal. My first handgun. Felt great warming it up on a cold afternoon at a friends farm. Wish I could do it again today.

There are a lot of good choices in that price range and it is hard to go wrong. Try to shoot a few and don't over think it. You will like what feels and shoots the best for you.

 

[ChalupaCabras]

There are just WAY too many good guns out there to railroad yourself into a Glock 19 - especially if its just because of all the fan boys.

Yes, the Glock 19 is a solid reliable gun, and you always know what you are getting with a Glock ... but these days you have the Ruger SR series, the M&P series, the various versions of the CZ 75, and the excellent offerings from Walther to choose from.

 

[Hopper]

I bought a new SR9c from Plainfield Shooting at the Indy 1500 yesterday. $399 with a 17 and 10 Mag, Stainless slide, lock and box. I think that is a good deal. My first handgun. Felt great warming it up on a cold afternoon at a friends farm. Wish I could do it again today.

There are a lot of good choices in that price range and it is hard to go wrong. Try to shoot a few and don't over think it. You will like what feels and shoots the best for you.

I'll throw in my vote for the SR9C. Also got mine from PSS for $399 + tax. Picked it up about 6 weeks ago, just couldn't pass up giving this a try for the price. With 300 flawless rounds through the barrel, it's the most inexpensive gun I own, very accurate, and is now my EDC. It's also a very fun gun to shoot, really smooth and easy on the recoil. With the 17-round mag you get a full-sized grip in a compact. Seriously, as others have already said, it's one of the best handgun values out there, definitely a lot of gun for the $$. My next purchase will likely be an SR40C.

 

[Rocko]

S&W M&P's are around $500. Or some Glock's and Springfield XD's.

 

[88E30M50]

There are lots of good choices for a first carry pistol under $500 now days. Glocks are always a solid choice as long as you get a good holster to go with them. Any gun benefits from a good holster, but cheap holsters and Glocks are a bad combination. Anything that pulls the trigger back will make the gun go bang, be it your trigger finger or a part of a cheap holster that folded and caught the trigger. Other guns worth considering are the Bersa's. They are solid, reliable guns with a loyal following. If you go into the used market, you can get a deal on some great guns that normally go above the $500 limit. CZ 75s are an excellent gun and can sometimes be found used for less than $500.

 

[Slider]

I'm kinda partial to ruger. Very reliable, and the price is right.

 

[dhamby]

This thread has been super helpful for me as I am in the same boat. Looking for my first hand gun as I have only owned long guns. I have shot a few pistols and have decided I want a 9mm for my first, partially for the smaller concealable size and the lower ammo cost so I can get more practice for my money. Will be hopefully picking one up within the next week or two. Need to go shopping.

 

[RefuseToBeAVictim]

Check Out the Ruger SR9C

For a first handgun you might want to check out the Ruger SR9C. Ruger makes a great product. The 9mm will allow you to practice cheaper than the .40 cal. This model comes with a long magazine for more ammo capacity and a better grip and a short one that is easier to conceal. All around a great first firearm.

All the best!

 

[lucky4034]

If you go into the used market, you can get a deal on some great guns that normally go above the $500 limit. CZ 75s are an excellent gun and can sometimes be found used for less than $500.

You can find a new CZ-75 for less than $500... but the OP said... "I don't like the way they look... I want a Glock"

 

[lucky4034]

Not a fan of how they look and I haven't done much research on the CZ pistols. I will have to pass for now. :P

Anyways. I think it's down to a glock 19, 26 or Ruger SR9c. Then again, I can't seem to make up my mind to save my life haha. I guess I will just have to hold them and compare them side by side next time I stop by a shop that has them all.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... but when it comes to guns, beauty should lie in the HAND of the holder I traded my Ruger SR9c after handling a CZ for about 2 sec. I didn't care for the way the CZ looked when I was looking to purchase my first firearm either. I actually had asked to touch just about every other gun in the gun shop except the CZ. One day while at my weekly visit to the LGS, I finally asked to hold a CZ just for the hell of it, and it didn't take long to figure out what I was missing.

Thats not to say that you should buy a CZ.... The point of the story however is that you should "keep an open mind" and "handle and if you are lucky... FIRE... every type of gun you can get your hands on." Unless you do that, trust me when I tell you... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. You couldn't possibly.

 

[Birds Away]

You can find a new CZ-75 for less than $500... but the OP said... "I don't like the way they look... I want a Glock"

According to most people on here, there are only three guns to pick from: Glock, M&P and XD. They'll never know what they are missing.

 

[T4rdV4rk]

Ruger 22/45. Great value in pistols, likely the greatest value in handguns today.

Under $250 and you will have it when you are old and gray.

Agree with Kirk. There's no replacement for practice. 22 handgun would be the perfect first pistol.

I also understand that you are looking for a ccw gun. Using quality ammunition, you could carry a 22/45 until you have the cash to move to a larger caliber. I'm probably going to catch heat for this because 22's can be unreliable at times, just saying it's an option.

 

[pipelinen]

Go with a glock 17 or 19 you won't be disappointed Although more concealable with the 26 you give up a good amount of accuracy.

 

[lucky4034]

According to most people on here, there are only three guns to pick from: Glock, M&P and XD. They'll never know what they are missing.

Yep... most of the people who say "Get [insert any gun]... you won't regret it" are obviously talking from their own experiences... they can't possibly know whether or not that gun is right for the OP. (Myself included with the CZ75 suggestion)

The only way to know if you got the right gun for you is through experience and trial and error. Very rare that someone finds "THE GUN" for their first purchase.

I was always a rifle guy, but my first handgun purchase was a polymer gun because I THOUGHT that it was what I wanted. I was actually under the weird impression that old heavy metal guns were outdated. I never even considered owning a metal framed pistol until one day at the range I rented a 1911.... I shot it so well, I was almost in disbelief. The next trip to the range I rented the 1911 and a Sig 226 (I think). I was a VIP so the rentals were included in membership fees, so every time I went to the range, I would bring my polymer pistol, but ended up expending most of my ammo in the Sig and later a Beretta 92.

After trying the Beretta, it was clear that I enjoyed firing those metal guns more than my SR9 and the other polymers that I rented including Glocks, XDs and M&Ps... they just felt better in my hand. I went home and started researching prices of the Beretta 92 and kept running into "CZ75". Shortly after, I went back to the LGS and asked the clerk to let me handle the CZ and once it hit my hand... the angels sang, the sky opened and a light bulb went off. It fit like a glove... "an extension of my hand" like others put it.

Who knows... maybe one day, a pistol will come along and change my mind, but right now, when I think of what I want in a pistol, I think "CZ". I own a 3 CZs a pair of 1911's, but I also own an XDs which I carry from time to time when the situation calls for it and even through the recall, I love that little XD.... it definitely works for me better than the SR9c did, but at the end of the day I know my heart lies with my Rami, SP-01 and during fancy BBQ's... my high polished Stainless 75b.

 

[VERT]

Guns are like shoes, clothes, cars and spouses. Different strokes for different folks. But when recommending a handgun to a new buyer it is hard not to suggest Glock, M&P, Springfield XD or Ruger SR9. They generally work out of the box, accessories can be purchased, holster choices are plentiful, they are light enough to carry and big enough for home defense, they are desirable for resell and the sights are acceptable and the triggers while not a 1911 are not too hard to learn.

I like my F-150 and ample busomed wife but I might recommend a Honda Accord and sweet little petite thing as a good place to start.

 

[Sam7157]

Can't go wrong with a 23. If you look around you can find one with night sights under 500.

 

[Birds Away]

Yep... most of the people who say "Get [insert any gun]... you won't regret it" are obviously talking from their own experiences... they can't possibly know whether or not that gun is right for the OP. (Myself included with the CZ75 suggestion)

The only way to know if you got the right gun for you is through experience and trial and error. Very rare that someone finds "THE GUN" for their first purchase.

I couldn't agree more. I love how nobody on bothers to read preceding posts in a thread before posting their own.

 

[wtburnette]

Well, the OP doesn't say he's looking for THE GUN, just a nice handgun under $500 as his first handgun purchase. He also mentions leaning heavily towards Glocks, which makes recommendations of Glocks pretty much spot on, though that doesn't mean suggesting alternatives is bad. Personally, after seeing the part where he mentions having large hands, I'd suggest a Glock 17, or a Glock 22 if .40 is desired. Should fit larger hands better. I picked up a G17 gen 4 out of the classifieds last week for $450 and am very happy with it. Also, S&W M&P's can be picked up for a good deal under $500 brand new, including the cost of the FFL:

SMITH AND WESSON MP9 9MM FULL SIZE NO THUMB SAFETY @ Sportsmans Outdoor Superstore: