Posted: 1/21/2003 6:54:08 PM EDT
| Im about to be 21 so I can purchase a pistol, whats some good choices to look at? |
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I decided on an XD-40 for my first pistol earlier this year. I haven't been disappointed. But find something that works best for you. Something that fits your hand, and that is designed for whatever you are going to use it for (hunting, CCW, plinking, etc) Good luck. |
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My first gun was a Beretta 9mm Brigadier model. It had a great feel, easy to clean, and performed flawlessly. Unfortunately and suprisingly (to myself) I found that I never felt comfortable with having the gun. I guess it brought home the reality of the real world and the awesome responsibility of having a gun. Just wasn't ready at the time. The funny thing is that I was on a school rifle team for 4 years before then. Anyway, I sold it shortly after buying it. But now I wish I still had it. I should've just put in it storage or something. now I have a Sig Sauer P229 .40 cal which is an outstanding gun. It's high quality, extremely reliable, handles .40 and .357 SIG very controllably. It's more compact than the Beretta. I'm not into the double action only, so even though the Glocks get a lot of praise, I personally would rather have the single/double action. But the Glocks can kick butt as well. |
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I'd suggest waiting a while and shooting as many different handguns as possible. Check around your area for ranges that rent handgusn and for shooting clubs. If you ask, you'll find lots of shooters more than willing to help and to let you try their favorite. See what you like, what feels best to you and what YOU shoot the best. there are very few bad handguns being made but they each have their individual strengths and weaknesses. Don't write off used handguns as a first choice either. Often you can find a great shooter for about half what a new one would cost. Use any money you save for lessons, ammo and rangetime. |
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Taxman, my advise is to get a 22lr, action whatever you like. A 22 will have vertually no recoil to fight, you can concentrate on the sights, trigger and stance. Won't make you go broke buying ammo. Can't go wrong buy a quality used pistol either. Don't be afraid to ask for help on the range either if you are unformiliar with handguns. My first handgun at age 17 was a used Ruger NM Super Single Six. My first centerfire was about 6 months later a Colt D-frame Agent in 38spl. Upon graduating Army Basic training a year later bought my first auto a HK P7. All quality guns and only still have the Ruger. That was 20 years ago but I would still start over again with a 22. De Oppresso Liber |
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I recommend a Smith & Wesson M617 22LR 10 shot revolver, 6" seems to me to be the best balance and boy these guns are accurate. High quaility hand gun that is affordable to shoot, and that is what will make you a good shot...lots of shooting, plus that's the fun of owning a gun. Shooting will allow you time at the range to obsurve other's handguns/calibers. This type of firearm will out last you as a shooter, good for your offspring to train with and will never be cheaper than now. |
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you need to be more clear on your hobbies and needs.... do you hunt and what game? concealed carry? home defense? target? you want small bore? large bore? In any case I would advise against the P-230, P-232. It is a difficult pistol to master and does not go hand-in-hand as a training pistol to move on to others. For large bore, target, self defense, and hunting, a 686 may fit your needs or simular DA .357 revolver. God, I wish I had a old school Python or even a Trooper. For carry and SD, or if your set on autos, as a starter I would recommend a P239. Totally different animal than the P232. I have shot both extensively. For a compact handgun the P239 is easy to pick up on and will print impressive groups. The trigger is real acceptable. The 22/45 or the Mark II are excellent recommendations for a .22lr auto pistol. I've always been a .45 kinda guy but will admit that the 1911 will "frame" a person in what he expects in a handgun. It is where I started and I still have not found a .45 I feel as comfortable with or shoot as good with. Still, outside of any capacity arguments, it is a excellent target and self defense pistol. The lack of a auto decock may be a issue you want to consider. If so, for the "other .45" I'll throw in the Sig 220. In the last several years, I've seen more newbies train at the range with a Glock than any other pistol. Think about what your needs are and people hear can better help you in your search. |
| This is what I wrote for another poster and it is also sage advice for you: "The best buy I know of today is the Walther P1 being sold by Southern Ohio for $184-199. If you look for a new pistol the best buy remains the CZ75B. what is nice about the CZ75B is you can buy a Kadet 22 LR conversion unit and have a second weapon. If you are going to use it for CCW a Glock 19 is hard to beat." Regards, Richard:D |
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I'd second the post by Combat Diver. A 22 pistol or revolver is a good investment for anyone. You may end up with lots of other pistols but if you buy a good 22 you'll always be able to shoot it for fun and it will be great for starting your kids when you have them. Freedom Isn't Free Doug |
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Well I am planning on alot of target shooting I try to go to the ranger atleast once a week, I will be closer when I move next month. Im in Ga so I am going for my conceled carry, I hunt whitetail and wildhogs when I get a chance. This will just be my first handgun I got a few nice things in long rifles and shotguns. Hope to see some more advice when I get back from Toronto on the 2nd. |
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A fair warning: If you buy 1, you are going to want another, then a rifle, then a shotgun, then maybe a machinegun. Make no mistake, guns are like crack. BTW, just picked up my new SWR suppressed 22 and have two more class 3 items waiting on paperwork, so I know of which I speak. Go to a range that rents guns, try them out and see what you like. I like a good glock w/a 22 conversion to start. |
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I think Sig_230 is right, you need to get a chance to shoot some to see what you like. I have a bunch of Glocks and really like them, but some people have a real problem with the grip angle on them. If you ABSOLUTELY have to have a pistol (realistically at 21, I couldn't have waited until I tried a bunch out) consider a used .357 mag revolver with a 4" barrell. You can shoot cheap low recoiling 38 through it to start out with and .357 when you get used to it. I've never tried to carry a full size 357 concealed, but other than that, they are great guns and I would think you could find a used one for under $ 300. Really you would be better off trying a bunch of pistols to get a feel for them, though. I read your second post- I'm not big into hunting with pistols and have heard that .357 is a little marginal for deer, but I was talking to someone last weekend who has taken several with his. I have also heard that deer down south are smaller than ours  I have been shooting a buddy's .357 Colt Python lately (6") and I love that gun, I just can't talk him into selling (and would probably feel bad if I did). I can shoot that pistol, which I have fired about 100 times maybe, pretty much as well as my Glocks which I have shot 1000s of times. If you are interested in firearms you will probably get one of these eventually anyway (together with a .22, a 1911, a Glock,a Beretta, a Sig, a Makarov etc.). |
I'm with you on this, especially if taxman hasn't done much shooting in the past (just making an assumption). I too started with a Ruger New Model Single Six - paid for it when I was 14 (although it wasn't "legally" mine until I turned 21). My guess is you'll be buying your second gun before long - I caught the fever and by the time I turned 21, I had already purchased 7 handguns - I mowed a lot of yards! -edited to add - if you need one for defense in the near future, then I'd go with a .38/.357 DA revolver or .40 S&W (quality brand that fits your hand the best and easiest for you to shoot). CR |
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I don't think that a glock is a good first weapon. Why? Lack of an external safety. Working at a gunstore, I seen newbies come in all the time, thd the FIRST THING THEY DO is put theif finger on the trigger. Also, since you must depress the trigger to strip it, that is another potiental problem area. |
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Taxman, I think new2AR223 and Hydguy have given excellent advice. An S&W 617 is a fine way to learn solid fundamentals about handgun shooting. If you can learn to shoot a double-action revolver in DA (double action, you pull the trigger and that action rotates the cylinder then drops the hammer to fire) mode accurately, the handgun world will be your oyster. To me it's both the hardest thing to learn and the most rewarding. Once you hone the basics of sight picture, breath control, and trigger finger pressure shooting double action, everything else becomes a snap. Plus a .22 lets you practice, practice, practice. Another good idea was the suggested Ruger 22/45. I have both of these .22s and they are a hoot to shoot and are really accurate. Of course the Ruger is a royal pain to fieldstrip, but that's another story. I came to Glocks late and was glad I did. I agree they are lousy first guns due to their ease in shooting. Having that safety on the trigger really takes some self-discipline. Of course the first AD (accidential discharge) will reinforce why you keep your finger on frame until you shoot, but what if the AD does not occur at the range and you are not pointing the muzzle somewhere safe? BTW my first handgun was a 4" Colt Anaconda (stainless steel .357 Mag) and was a fine purchase. Could do cheap .38 ammo to practice and had a reliable self-defense weapon when stoked with fullhouse loads. You can never go wrong with a 4" .357 and they can be had fairly cheaply used. A quality make new revolver is usually cheaper than a quality make new semi-auto. Revolvers are also more friendly to first-time pistoleros, too. Easy to check to see if it's loaded, no complex manual of arms, will take about any ammo, etc. Finally, the other posters here are right. After you buy that first handgun start saving the $$ for the second as it's inevitable. |
| i agree with boomholzer. i think it also depends on whether you're the kind of person who likes to tinker and learn. if you are, i'd go with a 1911. the possibilities seem endless. i'm learning more and more myself since getting into them, and there are great forums and people out there. if you like simplicity, a 4" .357 is hard to beat. i recently picked up a S&W 686+ 7-rounds, and it's a struggle to decide which to shoot when short on cash and time - the 1911, the p220, or the revolver. i don't even shoot the 92fs anymore. good luck. |