Unique criteria for buying a handgun.

[HD_darla]

With so many great gun's out there and only minor differences between them I was wondering what unique criteria for buying a handgun you have and why. Let me point out some of the obvious ones that I'm not looking for.
1) How it feels in your hand.
2) How's the recoil to you.
3) How accurate do you feel with it and etc.

I'm looking for weird, different, unusual things you use to compare guns.

For instance, one of my deal breakers is how do I feel the gun would be in a horrible SHTF scenario. Take the Ruger SR40c and M&P40c, their fairly comparable (yes I realize the obvious differences but go with me). Why I would chose the M&P is no mag disconnect. I feel in a worst case situation I would like to fire with no mag necessary as you never know.

Even less unusual ones like you prefer polymer because.... no safety because... what have you. Just thought it would be neat to compile every ones thoughts, and hopefully learn something new.

Hope this starts some fun unique talk!

 

[totenkopf]

I agree that this sounds like a pretty fun topic, and I'm sure you're not the only one with a few absolutes which others may see as eccentricity. I know I have plenty.

When I purchase a handgun, one of the first things I'm looking for is a decocking lever. Not having one doesn't automatically rule the gun out (after all, everybody should have at least one 1911), but I am less inclined to purchase pistols lacking them. Another is that unless collector value says otherwise, contract or license built pieces are a deal breaker. I don't want a (ex) a PPK/S made under license in the U.S., and will gladly pay a little more for a legitimate and older peice made in Germany.

When it comes to revolvers, a long barrel is a deal breaker. Not knocking long barreled revolvers, but I've never really had the need or use for something like a Smith and Wesson Model 29 with the 10 inch barrel. Another revolver deal breaker for me is a blued or nickel plated revolver. I've got to have that stainless steel finish. Funny enough, I'm just the opposite when it comes to semi-auto pistols. I don't want my .45 in stainless, I want it blued.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

A friend of mine was looking at handguns once and went with a glock 19 because he said every other pistol had to many safetys. He even told me my xd had to many safetys. I guess that grip safety is just too much for his weak hands. I never understood his thought process on that.

I know its not that weird of a thing but thought Id share.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

For me,I hate stainless and I hate two tones even more. But for some reason I have a two tone judge. For some reason it appealed to me.

 

[vitamink]

weight is key for me. I want to be able to OC while in a banana hammock. I usually strip down to my grape smugglers at the gun store then strike several seductive poses. If the gun can handle my karate high kicks without shifting position or exposing my genitals its a GO! Most guns don't cut it though and, after wiping the sweat off, go back into the display case for the next guy to buy.

 

[totenkopf]

A friend of mine was looking at handguns once and went with a glock 19 because he said every other pistol had to many safetys. He even told me my xd had to many safetys. I guess that grip safety is just too much for his weak hands. I never understood his thought process on that.

I know its not that weird of a thing but thought Id share.

I forgot to add that anything with the word Glock on it is an another automatic dealbreaker for me. You can't decock a Glock, although I admit that despite not personally caring for them, I respect the fact that they are (other than perhaps the 1911) the AK-47 of the handgun world.

Not to get too OT here ctbreitwieser, but how do you like the trigger on your XD? I had an XD Tactical model in .40SW and it had the best trigger pull of any pistol I've ever shot. It was a great shooting pistol, and it is one of the few pistols I've parted ways with that I wish I could have back.

 

[actaeon277]

The trigger. I hate the trigger with the safety in the middle. I have a S&W M&P, and I tolerate the safety on that trigger, it's a little different. But the glock trigger, and there are a few others that do this too, I hate it.

 

[Ahgo]

Each one of my guns had a different reason. 1st gun was given to me. 2nd one felt good in my hand and my son just bought one. (I bought an M&P, he bought a Glock.) 3rd one I thought I needed a carry gun in 45, but it was too heavy (Taurus 145) and shot low, so I traded it for a 1911 (RIA). I liked the feel of that one. I then joined a shooting league and wanted a revolver with adjustable sites. I actually purchased a 686 from a private sale on INGO. This is an awesome gun. (I wish I was just as good of a shot.) I was still looking for a carry gun when someone told me that this lady's husband had passed and he had some guns that she wanted to sell. He had a 1944 P-38 with Nazi Army symbol (Eagle over a swastika) with a hard leather holster and extra mag. The price was right so I bought it as an investment. I still needed a carry weapon which I had been researching. I chose the Ruger LC9 and picked it up before Christmas because it was on sale at Midwest Gun Exchange for $319. This has all happened since Obama has been in office.

 

[Birds Away]

Guns are machines designed by man. Therefore, they are inherently fallible. So I don't HATE any gun. Having said that, I will not own a DAO. I just don't like them. I am not a Glock fanboy because I require a safe gun. I respect the Glock because it is has proven itself to be a weapon of quality. Other than that I judge them as I use them. I am sure there are plenty of satisfied High Point owners. I prefer a 1911 platform or a traditional double action with a safety. But that's just me.

 

[Phase2]

Just an an FYI- it is a very easy procedure to remove the magazine disconnect on the Ruger SR series. That wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

I prefer a thinner handgun for easier concealability, generally a single-stack, though I certainly understand the advantage of higher capacity with double stack firearms.

 

[HD_darla]

Just an an FYI- it is a very easy procedure to remove the magazine disconnect on the Ruger SR series. That wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

^Yeah I know but I needed an example haha.

Totenkopf, its funny I feel the exact same about stainless on revolvers vs. semi's. The exception being I have a sweet spot for the Ruger LCR, for some unknown reason (I really have no actual reason) I really like the little guy.

Ahgo, Obama getting into office is what pushed my family, friends, and myself to get more active in the gun world. Just taking the last line of your post, was this true for you?

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I like both polymer and metal framed guns. I tend to carry polymer because of the weight. It does matter over a long period of time. I also prefer a hammer over a striker, just can not take to striker fired guns. Lastly, I will not carry a gun with a manual safety, unless it is decocker + safety, like the 92FS. First thing I look for is how the gun feels in my hand. The tang on some guns do not fit the web of my hand snugly. I hate having a gap between the two. Next, how easy it is to grip and rack the slide. Some guns are harder to do so, though sometimes it's a matter of breaking it in. Lastly, I'll check the trigger pull.

 

[finnegan]

For a manual safety, it must flip down to fire like a 1911 or a CZ, and not up like Beretta. Flipping a safety "up" to fire feels completely unnatural, whereas flipping it down is almost like an extension of reaching for the handgun on the draw. It was the main dealbreaker for me on the PX4 Storm and I ended up trading it.

The only exception to this is on my P64, which has such a massive double action trigger pull the safety can be ignored and left in ready to fire position when carried without worrying me too much.

On rifles and shotguns, it has to have a extendable stock due to an elbow injury I sustained years ago which limits my range of motion. Since I'm a big fan of continuity, that stock is a standard 4 position collapsible M4 style stock. I put it on everything from a GSG 5 to a Saiga 12.

 

[blamecharles]

For a manual safety, it must flip down to fire like a 1911 or a CZ, and not up like Beretta. Flipping a safety "up" to fire feels completely unnatural, whereas flipping it down is almost like an extension of reaching for the handgun on the draw. It was the main dealbreaker for me on the PX4 Storm and I ended up trading it.

I was just sitting here talking to my girlfriend about this exact issue. I have a 5906 as my EDC and was telling her that my next handgun would have a frame mounted safety like the CZ, 1911 etc. As to other criteria that will influence my choices in the future, I am looking for compact, full beaver tail(love the look) fram safety, rail for accessories. So while I was looking at some of these I think my next choice is a CZ compact.

The CZ 75 Compact

 

[Rob377]

I like guns with unique design features that aren't commonplace. The CZ with the slide in the frame for example. I'd buy a Beretta PX4 just for the odd rotating barrel design (but there are other things I don't like, so I don't), the HK P7M8/13 squeeze cocker with a fixed barrel, the old gas operated Steyr GB...stuff like that. I dig "outside the box" engineering.

Build quality, fit and finish are another big deal. If it looks/feels cheaply made, it bothers me, even if the gun works great and likely will do so for a bajillion rounds. Glocks are a great example. They work and work well, but those chintzy little rails and flexy trigger bar just bugthe crap out of me. On the other side of the spectrum, a quality 1911 that locks up like a bank vault and cycles likes its on ceramic ball bearings trips my trigger like nothing else.

Gaudy billboard rollmarks - pretty much a deal breaker.

Size - I hate compacts and subcompacts. If it doesn't have at least a 4.25" barrel, I'm probably not interested in it.

Aluminum frames -not a fan. After spending quite a few hours taking notches created by steel plates out of aluminum clutch baskets in dirtbikes, I've got this dislike of mixing aluminum and steel if I have a choice. Not a total deal breaker, but close.

Mechanical accuracy - I like to know when I shoot like crap, I've only got myself to blame for it.

Game rules - Whether it would be legal and competitive in the various gun games is a big factor for me.

A consistent trigger used to be a mandatory thing for me, a DA/SA trigger was a deal breaker. Not anymore though.

 

[ctbreitwieser]

I prefer a thinner handgun for easier concealability, generally a single-stack, though I certainly understand the advantage of higher capacity with double stack firearms.

I agree with this as well. I have been considering trading my XD for a PPS. The XD just feels to fat in my pants.

 

[thompal]

Another is that unless collector value says otherwise, contract or license built pieces are a deal breaker. I don't want a (ex) a PPK/S made under license in the U.S., and will gladly pay a little more for a legitimate and older peice made in Germany.

Just out of curiosity, why is this? All other things being equal between a licensed version and an original (condition, price, quality), the only thing that I figure is affected is resale price/collectability.

Besides, if you rule out any licence/contract versions, you rule out 99% of the 1911A1 pistols!

 

[Mike F]

Interesting discussion. I also look at what it takes to maintain a firearm. Glocks field strip to four pieces (excluding the magazine), and need very little lubrication. I was disappointed in my compact Kimber because you need a bent paper clip to disassemble it.

 

[thompal]

I've got this dislike of mixing aluminum and steel

Gee, I can't imagine why!! It worked so well when Chevy bolted steel cylinder heads on an aluminum block in the Vega!!!

 

[jbombelli]

One of the things I do when I'm deciding whether or not I want to buy a particular handgun, is hold it in my hand down at my waist, close my eyes, and raise it up to eye level like I'm pointing it at something. Then I open my eyes and see how well the sights are lined up. This helps me determine how well a handgun naturally points (for me). If it's pointed off at some bizarre angle, I usually won't purchase it. It needs to be pretty close.