Looking to Buy my first Pistol!!!

[ru44mag]

That's a difficult question to answer. Do you plan to carry it daily? OC? CC? Do you plan on keeping it by the bedside. Taking it to the range and putting hundreds of rounds through it. My first handgun was 26 years ago. It was a Super Blackhawk 44mag with 7.5 inch barrel. But I was thinking about shooting deer. The last gun I bought was a TCP .380. You have hundreds of choices. I've been looking at some 9mm pistols that might work for you. Sig 2022, Sig 938, Kahr CM9. Some friends bought XDs in 45. The compact ones. You might want to find the ammo first, then buy the gun. Ammo is hard to find, and without it, whatever you buy is going to be an expensive poorly designed club.

 

[gregkl]

I'll probably get flamed for this but I admit, I am not a recoil junkie. I like the .22 idea as a start, but if you have to start out with more power, I would look at the 9mm. I went right to the .45 1911 when I got back into shooting last year. I own .44 mag, .357 mag revolvers so I figured I would be fine with the .45. I am having a hard time getting good with it. It cost me $16 every time I make a short visit to the range, the recoil it definitely there and I don't think I am gaining good shooting habits by starting with that pistol. I have traded it for a 5" barrel and I am hoping that will help.

In the meantime I bought a 9mm and I am going to focus on that this Summer mostly to gain some proficiencies.

 

[spray73]

Yet to be mentioned is the M&P line up... From a full size, Compact, or if you can come across one, a Shield 9 or 40. I highly enjoy my. 40C.

 

[Hohn]

-- Consider a polymer pistol because a .45 isn't a recoil monster that needs a super heavy gun to tame the recoil. Polymer guns are also a lot cheaper than all-metal ones. (possible exception: HK). A Glock or M&P or Ruger is going to be a bunch cheaper than a nice 1911, and lighter too.



I would recommend you go to a shop that has Glock, M&P and Ruger and just hold all the models in the caliber you are interested in. Feel the weight and balance. Keep in mind that you want a pistol to be a little nose-heavy when empty because the CG is going to shift a bunch to the rear when you stuff a magazine in there, especially a mess of .45 rounds. Note the reach to the trigger-- it is a good distance? Too long? Too short? How maneuverable does the gun feel? How naturally does it point? Does it feel like an extension of your hand, or like a clunky dumbbell in your hand?

For me, the "right" answer was a Glock G22 in .40SW. I don't think a .40 gives up much in stopping power compared to a .45, but generally has a good bit more capcity.

YMMV

Yet to be mentioned is the M&P line up... From a full size, Compact, or if you can come across one, a Shield 9 or 40. I highly enjoy my. 40C.

How's that, exactly?

 

[grasshopperlegs]

I feel that getting a 22lr pistol first you can get the feel of shooting. Then you can move up to maybe a 9mm and then maybe 45 if you don't mind recoil.

 

[sonofd]

This may be a stupid question, but I also would like this for protection, would a 22LR fit the definition of self defense!

Good question. I hope to see some replies on it.

 

[gloxrok]

s&w m&p deserves a good look. i don't own one but have shot one and i was mighty impressed.

 

[jwh20]

A Springfield XDs is a really nice compact .45 ACP but I don't think I'd recommend it as a first handgun. A compact is more difficult to control than a full size.

My suggestion is a 9mm full size to start with. Then once you are comfortable handling and firing a 9mm (ammo is cheaper as well) you can move to a .45 ACP compact.

Some suggestions in your $600 price range:

Glock 17 (I don't have one but these are probably the most popular 9mm ever.)
Beretta 92F (I do have one and this was my first handgun.)
Springfield XDM-9. (My best friend has one of these and loves it.)

But I'm a firm believer that what you choose needs to work for you. In most cases you can "feel" that a handgun is right for you when you first hold it. Some just feel right, others never do. I'm not sure I can explain that. Just be careful when picking up the expensive ones! You can end up spending a lot more money than you wanted!!! ;-)

 

[jwh20]

Good question. I hope to see some replies on it.

Well the .22LR is deadly, but I know that I don't keep one handy or carry one for defense purposes. A well placed shot from a .22 LR may stop or discourage an attacker but that same well placed shot from a more substantial round will be MORE LIKELY to stop or discourage that same attacker. But there are no guarantees. A 10mm (very potent handgun round) might not stop a drug-crazed madman who it out to kill you soon enough to protect you.

As always there are trade-offs. If the only consideration was "stopping power" the only choice might be .44 Magnums or similar. But these are big and heavy handguns and not very concealable. But if I was in the woods in Montana a lot and concerned about bears, then I think that's the minimum I'd have.

As always, you need to evaluate your situation and determine what works best for you. The most powerful handgun in the world will do you no good if you can't handle, aim, and fire it effectively when needed. And as I said before, a .22 LR in a pistol can be as effective as anything under the right conditions.

 

[leftsock]

I feel that getting a 22lr pistol first you can get the feel of shooting. Then you can move up to maybe a 9mm and then maybe 45 if you don't mind recoil.

I don't think that getting a .22 to "get the feel of shooting" and move on to something else is really the point in the recommendation. The point is to shoot the darn thing, regularly and often. A .22 is the most affordable way to get in some trigger time.

This is your first hand gun you're looking to purchase, and perhaps you haven't shot hand guns very much. If you're looking for that .45 to carry as a talisman to ward off evil, you might as well save your money and let a politician protect you. If this is your first hand gun, get that .22lr and shoot the heck out of it. Go through 200-300 rounds at each range session. Practice the basics, and learn how to use the tool (and have some fun).

If you want to become proficient with that .45, you'll need to do the same thing. Hit the range at least once each month and put a few hundred rounds through it at each session.

You can get a good .22 for about $300, and spend $100 on good, bulk ammo, getting about 2,000 rounds and shoot for a year with it. Or you can spend $600 on that .45, and then 2,000 rounds for the year will probably run at least $800.

Practice, practice, practice. Know your tools, know their limitations, and become an experienced user.


Other Notes:
If you change your mind on the gun, it's pretty easy to sell a good, ~$300 .22lr pistol for a fair price.
If you keep the .22 and eventually get a .45 also, you can arm a friend with that .22 in SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. (Heck, a .22 is better than nothing.)

 

[PX4me]

If you want an easy to shoot first gun take a look at the Beretta PX4 Storm line. I just bought a full size 9mm as my first gun purchase.

A .22 would be great for plinking but you can learn all the nuances of firearm operation with any gun you buy.

The rotating barrel on the full size and compact models reduces felt recoil making them more forgiving for a newb. I can tell you for sure that my 9mm felt more controllable than my BIL's Springfield XD. They are known to be very accurate right out of the box.

They also come with 3 back straps which are adjustable inserts for the rear of the grip to accommodate different hand sizes.

PX4

The link is for the full size 9mm but you can browse the other models as well. There is a ton of info available on Google too.

Good luck in your search!

 

[lucky4034]

CZ 75 and forget what everyone else in this thread says....

 

[Midskier]

my humble advice don't plan on planning only having one - they multiply
next what are you going to use it for ?
home protection or range fun - get something simple and heavy -made of steel (or stainless steel)
EDC? something lighter
open or concealed - concealed - something smaller
soon enough you'll have invested 3 months salary

good luck

 

[DungeonCrawl]

I do agree that a Ruger 22 is a great first gun, especially for increasing comfort with drawing and firing on a budget. Once comfortable buy a 45

 

[ru44mag]

CZ 75 and forget what everyone else in this thread says....

Good choice and I like the way you put it.

 

[looney2ns]

I'm not looking for flashy go drop 3 months of salary on! I did that for my wifes engagement ring!! Never again lol!
But on a serious note I love the Ruger 45 compact but was told to lean away from Ruger because of recalls! I'm not one to judge on mistakes, because every business has them. Anybody that can shed a light on Ruger or any 45 compact worth looking into! Budget is under 600!!!!
Thanks
Ryan

Ruger hasn't had a recall in ages. Then it was because they were doing the right thing. Don't be concerned about that aspect.
My family of Rugers agree!

 

[SSGSAD]

I am a BIG S&W fan M&P 9mm, or .45 !!!!!

 

[Boonl1776]

I love shooting my Ruger Mark III. Taking it down is another issue ... involving hammers.

 

[KellyinAvon]

My avatar (Glock 19 Gen 3) is an excellent choice. Size, capacity, recoil, concealability, weight.

 

[Hoosierhunter97]

If I had to do it all over again, I would have purchased a Sig Sauer 226 w/ the .22 conversion kit. Shooting .22 is still pretty cheap and it's easy to switch out for the 9mm etc. With the price and scarcity of all kinds of handgun ammo these days, having choices still allows you to go to the range without having to pack four or five handguns.