Shopping for my first Handgun

[wtfd661]

my recommendation is to get w/e strikes you as completely bad ***, fits in your hands, and whos cost doesnt put you out in the street. go to a shop and fondle them like you would a potential gf if you wouldnt get arrested.

Perfect advise right there.

 

[boogieman]

Hello everyone, my name is Chris. I'm from Kokomo and I'm 21 years old and I think its time to purchase my first handgun. I am looking for any suggestions on what kind of gun i should get. I am interested in a gun for target shooting and personal protection. Does anyone have any suggestions. I really like the Walther P99 in 9mm, but they are just a bit expensive.

Thanks for your help,
Chris Ratcliff

I have a walther p99 in 40 cal and love the gun. The price is a little high but you can get a smith and wesson sw99 for about $450 and it is the same gun as the p99 with a different name on it. (S & W ownYes Walther) another gun i would personally recommend is the taurus millenium series You can get 9mm .40, or .45acp for about $350 the 9mm would be my first suggestion for a beginner. I carry one everyday pt111 pro 9mm.

 

[x10]

I can +1 on the sw99 in 40,

If you come to Columbus before an HHRP match I will let you shoot at least 6 different brands and types of pistols,

PM me and I'll make it happen if you'll take a bit of a drive

 

[bigcraig]

I suggest a good .22 pistol and learn the ropes with it. It is cheap to shoot, you can practice safe gun handling skills.

I would also stay away from snub nose revolvers, they are very difficult to master. I do think a good revolver in .357 will make a good beginner, a 4" barrelled GP100 or S&W 686 will last you a life time.

All that said, I still believe a Glock G17 is the all around best 9mm handgun you can buy.

I will also advise to steer clear of High Point handguns. (Yes, I have fired one and found them wanting. Also, every HP I have ever seen shot has broken. I have also seen a dropped HP snap the slide in two pieces, dropped, not thrown, dropped.)

 

[Delmar]

I suggest a good .22 pistol and learn the ropes with it. It is cheap to shoot, you can practice safe gun handling skills.

I would also stay away from snub nose revolvers, they are very difficult to master. I do think a good revolver in .357 will make a good beginner, a 4" barrelled GP100 or S&W 686 will last you a life time.

All that said, I still believe a Glock G17 is the all around best 9mm handgun you can buy.

I will also advise to steer clear of High Point handguns. (Yes, I have fired one and found them wanting. Also, every HP I have ever seen shot has broken. I have also seen a dropped HP snap the slide in two pieces, dropped, not thrown, dropped.)

If Hi Point is really as flimsy as you suggest, Their no questions asked, lifetime warranty will defiantly bankrupt the company...

...but that ain't going to happen.

 

[bigcraig]

If Hi Point is really as flimsy as you suggest, Their no questions asked, lifetime warranty will defiantly bankrupt the company...

...but that ain't going to happen.

Sir, while I do find that a market for inexpensive is necessary, I find that the HP fits this role as a gun you buy and rarely shoot. In that role, fine. However, the OP wants a gun to learn to shoot, this means high volume, something a HP CAN'T do, period, it will break.

As far as the warranty, who the hell wants to buy a gun knowing that they will eventually have to send it back for repair. That is just stupid.

I tell you want, your bring your HP to a USPSA match and run like a gun should be run, or better yet take a pistol class, and we will see just how good an relable your HP is.

Guns are meant to be shot A LOT, and a HP just isn't up to the task.

Now, if you buy a gun, shoot about 100rds a year with and keep it for home defense with the doubt you will never need it in a pinch, a HP is for you, but you would be better served with something better.

 

[Delmar]

Sir, while I do find that a market for inexpensive is necessary, I find that the HP fits this role as a gun you buy and rarely shoot. In that role, fine. However, the OP wants a gun to learn to shoot, this means high volume, something a HP CAN'T do, period, it will break.

As far as the warranty, who the hell wants to buy a gun knowing that they will eventually have to send it back for repair. That is just stupid.

All machines wear out! When My Hi Point wears out, they will fix it, good as new, or replace it at no cost!

I tell you want, your bring your HP to a USPSA match and run like a gun should be run, or better yet take a pistol class, and we will see just how good an relable your HP is.

Guns are meant to be shot A LOT, and a HP just isn't up to the task.

Now, if you buy a gun, shoot about 100rds a year with and keep it for home defense with the doubt you will never need it in a pinch, a HP is for you, but you would be better served with something better.

I know plenty of Hi Point owners with thousands of rounds through them. I have fired well over 500 rounds through my .45 since Feb. and it is showing no signs of problems.

 

[ihunt]

Try a Ruger P series for something cheap and reliable to shoot. An XD would also be nice, but will cost more.

 

[bigcraig]

Take your HP off the square range and run it hard, and get back to me.

Warrantys mean nothing if you need the gun and it is in for repair.

And, 500rds is far from impressive. You have the gun since Febuary, it should have atleast 2-3k thru it by now, if you use your gun for what they are intended for.

 

[x10]

Whoa, this is a definite thread Hijack
Bigcraig makes a very good point, I've never seen a HP at someplace that needs a good fire arm to make it through the course.

But this thread is advice for a good starter,

Several People have suggested a 22 rimfire which has the merits of alot of practice for a little money,

We all know the handgun is harder to master than the longguns

The next reasonable suggestion is a 4 inch revolver, Another great idea, 38/357 gives the shooter the choice between a target load and a good self defense load

The SW99, M&P, M9, Glock, ect all good guns but would require the new shooter to master several skills at once, and the trigger on most "combat" guns need work but is manageable with extra work.

The lower quality the firearm is a way to get something that goes bang for less money but will eventually be replaced,

Its been said many time in many ways but to a point going cheap costs your the cost of what you get today and the price of the improved item later, guns, reloaders, scopes, ect.

When buying your first handgun look at what your shooting is going to be, If you plan to jump into USPSA then spend 3k on an STI race gun, If your going to squirell hunt pick up a Smith, Ruger, Browning 22, for IDPA look to the M&P, glock ect.

These forums sometime are not the right place to ask your question because people hate to be wrong so if you don't buy what they have your making a mistake, you have to take that into account with some posts,

For your first gun Go to a range with some friends several different times,

Good luck, I'm Unsub'n this thread, if you would like to come to HHRP and shoot on a thursday night give me a PM

 

[Delmar]

Whoa, this is a definite thread Hijack...

I don't know that I agree with that. Seems like the things BigCraig and I are talking about a some of the exact issues a person should consider when buying their first pistol. I am as certain that his advice is correct for some, as I am that a Hi Point is the correct choice for others. Hopefully this kind of back and forth will help some first timers make a more informed choice.

Besides, we are just having fun! At least I think we are having fun. How about you BigCraig?

 

[Delmar]

Take your HP off the square range and run it hard, and get back to me.

Warrantys mean nothing if you need the gun and it is in for repair.

That is a good point! But the $200+ I saved by buying a Hi Point rather than a Glock was enough to more than pay for a really nice pump action 12 gauge, which will do me a lot of good when I have to send my .45 in for repair! I also think you might have missed my point regarding the warranty, which is that no company could not make money, while offering that kind of warranty, if the product was really junk.

And, 500rds is far from impressive. You have the gun since Febuary, it should have atleast 2-3k thru it by now, if you use your gun for what they are intended for.

It is quite true that I am never going to be a 2-3K a year shooter. Nor do I assume that when someone looks to buy their first handgun that they are going to shoot that much. I do agree that it makes a lot of sense for someone who shoots as much as you apparently do to spend more money on a higher end weapon. I could be wrong, but I don't believe that the majority of gun owners are ever going to be shooting thousands of rounds per year. Actually I do shoot quite a lot but I am sort of a home body, so the majority of my shooting happens inside my great room with my airsoft gun. I tend to get to the gun range about once a month.

 

[Hoosier45]

Chris, you live in Kokomo. Go to Bullseye. They usually have a pretty good stock of various handguns. Handle all of them. See if you can shoot some of the used ones at their indoor range. Don't buy the first thing you shoot. Buy what feels right to you, what you are most impressed with, in your price range. It's ok to ask for suggestions as a starting point, but remember that this will be YOUR gun. Don't buy something because someone else tells you to. Don't NOT buy something because someone else tells you not to.

 

[ihateiraq]

Buy what feels right to you, what you are most impressed with, in your price range.

excellent advice. thats why i gave it two pages ago.

 

[Mickard]

I have been wonderin

 

[Mickard]

Sorry, hit send by accident. I have noticed a lot of people are either very much FOR or very much AGAINST Hi Point. The prices seem reasonable. Wondering why the big difference in opinions?

 

[Delmar]

Sorry, hit send by accident. I have noticed a lot of people are either very much FOR or very much AGAINST Hi Point. The prices seem reasonable. Wondering why the big difference in opinions?

The short answer is, opinions vary!
Part of it is that people who spend $500-$750 for a pistol can't bear to believe that someone could ever be happy with a $169 pistol. Part of it is that a $500-$750 pistol is, in fact, higher in quality! There is no way even I am dumb enough to deny that. Still, I have fired $500 pistols that I just didn't like as well as mine.

 

[esrice]

Sorry, hit send by accident.

If that ever happens again, you can always click the "edit" button, and continue with your thought. This saves from having to post an entirely new thread, and from having to admit you had a premature submission.

I have noticed a lot of people are either very much FOR or very much AGAINST Hi Point. The prices seem reasonable. Wondering why the big difference in opinions?

It's a discussion that seems never-ending. Do a search for "point", limited to "title only" in the "Handguns" section, and you'll find all kinds of opinions.

 

[chizzle]

Plastic Pistols

Hello everyone, my name is Chris. I'm from Kokomo and I'm 21 years old and I think its time to purchase my first handgun. I am looking for any suggestions on what kind of gun i should get. I am interested in a gun for target shooting and personal protection. Does anyone have any suggestions. I really like the Walther P99 in 9mm, but they are just a bit expensive.

Thanks for your help,
Chris Ratcliff

Chris,
When my friends ask me what to buy, I typically recommend a full sized, plastic framed pistol in 9mm. These guns are very reliable, gentle to shoot (small caliber, big frame), and are suitable for USPSA, Steel Challenge, or Friday Night Steel. People usually can't go wrong with a Glock 17 or 34, Springfield XD or XDm, or Smith and Wesson M&P. If it were me, I'd handle each one of these at a store and pick the one that I liked the best. If you'd like to come to a Friday Night Steel competition some time, you'd likely be able to check out each one of these guns in person.
Sincerely,
Chuck

 

[Hoosier45]

excellent advice. thats why i gave it two pages ago.

As did several people before that. The guy lives in Kokomo. If you read the entire post I was trying to tell where to go in his hometown and what to do when he got there. And not to put too much stock into everyone else's opinions.