New Handgun for me ...

[speedywillie]

I want to get a handgun for my wife and I to use to shoot at the range and to have as a self defense gun around the house.

Do you recommend a revolver or an automatic?

This would be my first handgun.

Thank you for your comments.

John

 

[SubUrbanCamo317]

If your asking for a personal opinion, it will be pretty widespread. I personally have both. A S&W Model 19 .357, and a SW1911 .45. I like my 1911 because it has a tactical rail on it and I can mount a light on so I can see what im pointing at in the dark, its my bed side/EDC weapon. Just make sure YOU trust the weapon and its comfortable in your hands. Find something YOU like.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I would recommend an semi-auto handgun with a double stack magazine with a tactical rail to mount a light on the front. This way both hands can be used to steady the gun instead of using the other to hold a flashlight. Honestly though, have you thought about a shotgun instead? What's your price range and are you set on a specific caliber?

 

[Zoub]

Do you recommend a revolver or an automatic?

I always train new shooters with semi auto. Handgun, rifle or shotgun. It is always easier in general to shoot semi.

If sharing a handgun between two shooters, semi auto with 10 mags for the range. You show up with 10 mags loaded. One person loads mags while the other shoots. I can get my Daughter to run 500 rounds through a .22lr handgun in short order if I just walk over and periodically load mags while she shoots.

I would get a full size gun of whatever caliber you choose. It makes life easier to train with, shoots better and are fine house guns. We are a Glock family so people start on G17's or 21's here.

9mm is much cheaper and not as brutal as .45 so for a shared gun 9mm is a good starting place. You can always buy more guns and calibers but you want to get off to a good start with good form and habits.

 

[Spanky46151]

Springfield XD or XDM, whichever fits both of your hands the best. Reformed Glock guy here. Nothing wrong with the G's...until you shoot a Springfield. Go with the 40 cal. That seems to be the most available ammo at this moment AND it's a great defense round.

 

[Fergy35]

Not to be contrary to the other answers, but I will ask a couple quick questions first. How much experience do you have with firearms? Secondly, how often do you think you will shoot this handgun?

I personally like the semi-auto recommendations the others have posted and that is the direction I went. A full size semi-auto with double stack magazines will certainly give you more available rounds and quick reloads. An accessory rail will let you mount a light or laser on the weapon if you want to.

However, if you will not be shooting it very often, a revolver has the benefit of being able to sit neglected in your bedside safe for a long time and being ready to go when you need it. No safeties to remember how to use, no slide to rack (if you don't already have one in the chamber) and if by some odd chance a round doesn't go off when you pull the trigger - you just pull it again to get the to next one. If you do go the revolver route, a full size .357 with a 4-6 inch barrel will get you 6 rounds of serious firepower on hand if you need it and you will have the ability to shoot .38 spcl out of it for softer shooting practice ammo. You will still want to shoot some of the full power loads, so you know what to expect, but .38 will cost less and recoil less when you want to practice a bit.

In the end it is a very personal choice and one that you have to make for yourself. Got to the store and handle some different models of both revolvers and pistols to see what feels right to you and your wife. If you have friends or family that already own a handgun or two or more, check with them. Maybe they will take you to the range and let you try them out. You may even be lucky enough to have a range nearby that rents guns, so you can try out several different makes and models.

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

Your first one won't be your last one. It'll take buying a few guns and in time you'll find one that fits like a glove.

 

[speedywillie]

Thank you for the comments. To answer Fergy, I have very little experience with handguns and my wife has zero experience. I am concerned with all of the moving parts of a semi-automatic and want to keep things as simple as possible.

 

[SIGnature45]

Your first one won't be your last one. It'll take buying a few guns and in time you'll find one that fits like a glove.

Very true. I reccomend you both take a gun safety class. There are so many things that can go wrong and if you don't know the basics of how to handle a gun you need to get instruction. Buy something with at least one safety on the slide if nothing else. Xdm guns are well made and multiple safety features which is good for a beginner. I personally prefer sigs but they don't have any safeties generally. For new gun owners, these are the steps I think that should be taken:

1. Go to an indoor shooting range where they rent handguns. Tell them you have no clue what you are doing and want to find one that feels right in your hand. I like the suggestion from someone else about 9mm.
2. Have one of the employees help you on the range while you find the one that feels most comfortable to both of you.
3. Buy the gun that you both shoot the best
4. Go take instructional gun classes for beginners.
5. Practice as much as you can! Not worth having a gun if you can't hit something.

 

[waltherppk]

I was fairly new to handguns as well, wife has always carried bc she's a cops daughter. I decided to learn them and get my own. I bought a walther ppk and a glock 30 and love both. She's got a keltec .22 and a s &w .38 revolver. I had same hesitation about learning slide, mag etc but now feel more comfortable and shoot them better than her revolver. Go to a range that rents, narrow down to a few and do your research. Tons of info online, and ultimately personal preference. Good luck, but don't be intimidated. These forums have been a huge help to me too. Google and YouTube are great too. And having a father in law who is LE doesn't hurt either...

 

[speedywillie]

Thanks all. SIG - we did get private instruction, which amounted to some chalk talk initially and then range time. Our instructor showed us the basics and then let us peel off about 50 rounds of 38's in a 4" 0.357. It was a blast.

 

[AZ D]

If you both shot that 4" revolver, and were comfortable with it, then that gets my vote! I'm a big revolver fan. There is nothing wrong with becoming familiar with .38 special rounds at the range, and even getting some good .38 special self-defense rounds at first. Once acquainted with the firearm, you can practice with some .357 magnum rounds, and load that same revolver with .357 magnum loads for self-defense! Either way, a .38/.357 revolver is a great firearm, and both are great calibers!

 

[sandwich]

I'm brand new at this too, just got my first hand gun two days ago (Glock 23). One thing you can do the next time you're in a gun shop is ask them to let you use some snap caps to try out whatever hand guns you're most interested in. It helped me some to determine what I wanted. Essentially it helped me get a decent feel for the weight of the gun, the comfort of the grip, and the trigger pull. Also try searching different "how to's" for specific models on youtube.

 

[BIGnTall83]

I am also about to get my first handgun, I have shot a shotgun and rifle a few times but have never owned one. I have my mind set on a .22 Ruger, simply because ammo is cheap and I am getting my son a .22 Rifle for his birthday. This way we can share the cheap ammo and have fun plinking. In the off chance of a home invasion, ill still have the handgun, and yes i know i know "its only a .22 it wont stop anyone". But few rounds to the chest and a collapsing lung will slow down anyone imo.

 

[sandwich]

BignTall has a good point, although most everyone I talked with said go no smaller than a 9. I went with the 40 cal because I'm interested in doing the IDPA competitions eventually with my brother in law. The competitions, although I've yet to learn much about them, apparently won't let you compete with anything "smaller" than a 9. definitely get somthing that fits your intentions for the use of the gun.

 

[speedywillie]

Thanks all. SIG - we have a few hours of private instruction. Which consisted of some chalk talk one night and a second afternoon on the range where we got to peel off about 50 rounds of 0.38 special. It was a blast!

 

[XDJohnnyc]

there are ups and downs to revolvers and semi auto's its just really personal prefrence...we found that when my step mom shot her revolver it was just to hard to shoot...so we got her a bersa thunder 380 and she loves the gun.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I have a revolver in the nightstand. If someone breaks into my house and wakes me up at 3AM, I'm going to be a little groggy. I don't want to think about whether I have a round in the chamber of my semi-auto. Or fumble with a safety. I just want to point and click if need be.

 

[looney2ns]

I have a revolver in the nightstand. If someone breaks into my house and wakes me up at 3AM, I'm going to be a little groggy. I don't want to think about whether I have a round in the chamber of my semi-auto. Or fumble with a safety. I just want to point and click if need be.

The round should always be in the chamber. Practice often enough with taking off the safety when picking up the gun bringing it up to target, and it's non-issue.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

I hear ya, but I'm thinkin' a revolver will do the job just as well.

And unless I can call a time-out to get some coffee and have a cigarette, I'm not going to 100% awake.