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Old     (phatboypimp)      Join Date: Apr 2005       10-09-2012, 8:40 PM Reply   
I have been around guns most of my life. I have a unique collection of rifles and shotguns. I am not sure how it has happened but I have never owned a handgun...mostly because my guns have been purchased for hunting.

I am ready to get my first handgun and I honestly have no idea where to start. I know I don't want a glock - not sure why other than I don't want a gun that feels like plastic. I don't want a revolver because they simply don't interest me. After that I have no idea what I want.

I will use the gun at the range and for personal protection. I am planning on getting my concealed weapons permit and would like the gun to be mellow enough for my girlfriend to get comfortable with it over time. She has experience with my rifles and shotguns. Cheap ammo would be nice as I enjoy going to the range on a fairly regular basis.

My buddy has a Sig Sauer p226 and I have blown through a few hundred rounds with it and I like it but he is telling me there are much better guns out there. Price is not a big issue as I don't mind paying for the right fit for my needs.

What do the Lords of Wakeworld suggest?
Old     (detonate69)      Join Date: Apr 2001       10-09-2012, 9:12 PM Reply   
I have a Beretta 92fsc that i love. 9mm so ammo is cheap ish. And full metal construction so it doesn't feel like a toy in your hand.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
Old     (magic)      Join Date: Mar 2002       10-09-2012, 10:03 PM Reply   
You will end up two or more if you want to cancel carry. A more standard frame for range use and conceal carry sized one to carry.

Go to range a where you can demo and try all you can.

9mm is good for options and cheap ammo.

We have a Ruger LCP .380 that I carry a lot. Wife hates it as she finds the trigger pull to hard. I like it and find it pretty accurate at closer ranges. Have a Taurus revolver that I like but the wife finds it does not fit her hand very well. Same for my PMR30, to big for the wife but I love it. Really like having 30 rounds in clip and the .22 WMR is fun to shoot. Now starting to shop for a dedicated wifey gun.
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       10-09-2012, 10:16 PM Reply   
In my experience, it will be tough to find one gun that satisfies a guy, and that a woman will be comfortable learning to shoot with. I ended up buying my wife a Sig 22 to learn after my compact 9 freaked her out.
Old     (ilikebeaverandboats)      Join Date: Jul 2007       10-09-2012, 10:50 PM Reply   
Have you handled any of the polymer guys? Ive heard some great things about the springfield XDM, but its polymer. Might be worth checking out at least!
Old     (durty_curt)      Join Date: Apr 2008       10-09-2012, 11:09 PM Reply   
What i really advise is TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! try everything they have you can demo TWICE to be certain that you are certain which hand gun fits comfortably to your palm and what trigger pull feels great to you as well. If i didnt try anything if not everything i would have just bought a Glock because of there popularity. don't get me wrong Glocks are great but to me i feel as if I'm holding a Lego brick. Took me about a month but i kept coming back to the Sig Sauer p226. Now I'm hooked on em. my carry weapon that i like for functionality is there P250. So interchangeable that it's a transformer, but it.will feel plasticy to you.
If i couldn't go Sig I would have gone with the Smith & Wesson MP40 or a Kimber custom 1911 in .45 auto but that custom is over a grand. Out of the 4 i listed the P226 and kimber custom are very expensive. Followed by the P250 and then the MP 40 being the least expensive.

End of rant
Old     (durty_curt)      Join Date: Apr 2008       10-09-2012, 11:16 PM Reply   
And then here is a cool pic from a Facebook page. I think it's a CZ 75
Old     (skull)      Join Date: May 2002       10-10-2012, 6:18 AM Reply   
Glock 19 fits the bill. My wife likes it the best out of all of my guns. If you are going to carry it you will appreciate the polymer for its light weight. I carried a Sig 229 40 around before and it was brutal. The 226 would even be worse. May want to also look at the HK P2000 K. It is easy to carry also.
Old     (jonblarc7)      Join Date: Jul 2006       10-10-2012, 6:27 AM Reply   
I have the the Ruger LC9 that I carry. Its a great carry gun but not so much for the range as it shoots good but the triger pull is so long its hard for me to keep it in a tight group.
Old     (jcfox00)      Join Date: Mar 2009       10-10-2012, 7:26 AM Reply   
I've demoed the Ruger LC9 and hated it. If I need to shoot something I want to actually hit my target. The trigger pull sucked. That said, I'm still looking for the right handgun for me once I get the $$$. Interesting thread, Hows the trigger pull on the MP 40 DC?
Old     (quik876)      Join Date: Mar 2010       10-10-2012, 7:29 AM Reply   
Rob Pincus (a firearms training and cqb expert for over 25 yrs) has stated that Glock, Smith/wesson M&P, or Springfield XD is a good place to start since any one of those three will fit anyone's hand (I've got Sasquatch hands so I understand where he's comin' from and no compact I've held or fired just doesn't fit well for me) the Springfield felt too heavy for my taste, the M&P (I plan on a 9mm) was a good medium, and the Glock 19 felt the lightest (like you I just don't feel like Glock is the most necessary) so the S/W M&P 9 seems like a fairly good choice for my 2 cents. Sigs are really good though as well.
Old     (snyder)      Join Date: Feb 2006       10-10-2012, 8:48 AM Reply   
I have a Springfield XD40. When I bought it, i was looking for a polymer frame, but preferred the XD over a Glock because it has some additional features and safeties that Glock doesn't have. for example, there's a cocked indicator that is a little pin that sticks out the rear of the slide a bit, that you can feel w/your hand to know if the gun is cocked. it has the same trigger safety that the Glock has, but it also has a grip safety like a 1911 where if you're not properly gripping the gun, you can't rack the slide, or fire it. It also has a chambered round indicator on top of the slide. So at a glance you know if the gun is cocked and loaded.
Having said ALL that... I always keep my gun cocked and loaded... so it's not necessary for those features. A conscious gun owner always knows the status of their weapon, and always treats the gun as if it IS cocked and loaded anyway. I keep it in a nylon holster when transporting it in and out of my vehicle, and if I'm wearing it i have a Crossbreed super tuck deluxe that is phenomenal.
It shoots extremely well. I've put probably +2000 rds thru it with ZERO failures of any kind and I don't exactly buy the cleanest ammo either.
It's a bit heavy and bulky when carrying concealed, but it's something I'd put up with over the alternative of a smaller, and potentially less accurate gun.

There are two newer Springfield polymer frame spin-offs of the XD, XDm and XDs. The 'm' I'm told stands for Match Grade for the barrel. They're about 1/2 in longer in each model over the XD. The XDs is fairly new and I think they're all sub-compact models. single stack .45. Looks cool and I think would be a nice concealed only choice, but I don't carry everywhere I go, so it's not worth the sacrifice of only having 5+1 rds, and only a 3.3" barrel.
My wife has a Walther pk380. Also a very nice small framed gun. Bigger than the LCP and not "girly" looking, which was a requirement for her. real easy to rack the slide and it shoots very well. She's a natural w/it.

My XD meets all my needs, so I can't really say there will be a "next" pistol. but if i were adding a pistol to my inventory, it would either be a glock, or something more unique like the FN FiveseveN. My next gun purchase however, will be either a tactical shotgun, or Beretta CX4 9mm or .40cal.
Old     (jason_ssr)      Join Date: Apr 2001       10-10-2012, 11:53 AM Reply   
I had a similar need a while back. I needed something light because I wanted it for carry. I needed something full sized because I have big hands. I needed something that the wife could shoot proficiently in a time of need, and for enjoyment. I wanted something with high capacity without a 12" mag sticking out the bottom.

After careful consideration, I ended up with the one Pound just mentioned, the FN FiveseveN. It is the "pocket rifle". It is very light for carry, hold 20rds stock (30 with small extension). The 5.7mm is a mean little flat shooting rifle round. No recoil, so its great for follow-up shots and the ladies love to shoot it. It breaks down into simple parts without tools, so its very easy to clean/service. After hundreds rounds I have had not a single FTFeed or FTFire or FTE.

The only cons are:

1. Its FN so it comes with the Ferrari price tag
2. Ammo is not the cheapest at $19.99 for a box of 50, but its really good ammo (there is no cheapo crap ammo for plinking)
3. Because of everything I mentioned above it gets alot of negative pub as the ultimate killing machine and has been the target of the Brady Campaign, the preferred weapon of drug lords, and was the weapon used in the Ft Hood shooting.
Old     (phatboypimp)      Join Date: Apr 2005       10-10-2012, 3:58 PM Reply   
Maybe a gun for me and gun for her would be a better program for me. I don't have huge hands (insert joke here) even though I am 6'3". I am at work right now and will read through these comments in detail tonight. I appreciate everyones help. I think I have more questions than answers now....lol. I do not plan on regularly carrying a gun - but I would like to take it with me when safety is a concern.

For some reason, in my mind, a 9mm is a wimpy hand gun. I have no idea why I think like that maybe because my sister runs around with her cute 9mm glock. I think I have some issues.
Old     (ilikebeaverandboats)      Join Date: Jul 2007       10-10-2012, 4:12 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by phatboypimp View Post
Maybe a gun for me and gun for her would be a better program for me. I don't have huge hands (insert joke here) even though I am 6'3". I am at work right now and will read through these comments in detail tonight. I appreciate everyones help. I think I have more questions than answers now....lol. I do not plan on regularly carrying a gun - but I would like to take it with me when safety is a concern.

For some reason, in my mind, a 9mm is a wimpy hand gun. I have no idea why I think like that maybe because my sister runs around with her cute 9mm glock. I think I have some issues.
From talking with a few different people and reading around, Ive kinda figured that for the most part, the gains of having more 9mm rounds far outweighs having less of the more powerful .45 rounds.

It all comes down to what you think though.
Old     (durty_curt)      Join Date: Apr 2008       10-10-2012, 11:18 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by ilikebeaverandboats View Post
From talking with a few different people and reading around, Ive kinda figured that for the most part, the gains of having more 9mm rounds far outweighs having less of the more powerful .45 rounds.

It all comes down to what you think though.
I'm a visual person so i found this online. A Ballistic gel comparison of the rounds you may be considering


Old     (jason_ssr)      Join Date: Apr 2001       10-11-2012, 4:50 AM Reply   
I wouldnt really sweat caliber too much as far as personal protection goes. Nobody likes holes being punched in them no matter what the size. Find a gun that fits your hand well, and that YOU shoot well\accuarately. Find one that is a comfortable weight for carry and meets your capacity needs. Many downplay capacity as a concern, but remember, we arent a bunch of trained shooters who shoot under stress just like its another day at the range. Moving targets arent easy to hit. You can empty one of those 6rd mouse guns in 2 seconds and not hit anything, while under duress.

On a side note, get something you will enjoy shooting. Some of the small pocket guns are great for carry, but arent fun to shoot. My dad carries one, and while its reliable, it is miserable to just "go shoot".
Old     (phatboypimp)      Join Date: Apr 2005       10-10-2012, 4:36 PM Reply   
Is there much of a used market for handguns?
Old     (ilikebeaverandboats)      Join Date: Jul 2007       10-10-2012, 4:56 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by phatboypimp View Post
Is there much of a used market for handguns?
yup!
Old    alanp            10-10-2012, 7:06 PM Reply   
too bad you are so against glocks. ive got 2. a glock 22 and 27. my glock 22(40cal) has in the range of 13,000 rounds through it and ive never had an issue with it. since money isnt a huge concern take a look at a springfield armory champion operator. its a 1911 and fairly compact. very concealable as well.
Old     (skull)      Join Date: May 2002       10-11-2012, 6:13 AM Reply   
I agree with Jason. Almost all of the "gun guy" weapon trainers I know (Chris Costa, etc..) carry 9's and prefer more bullets versus bigger bullets. To further complicate things... I shoot 9mm 124gr +P+ in my defense gun. That basically = 357 Sig in all statistics but I can shoot Wal-Mart $22/100 ammo for training whereas 357 Sig is $$$$. WAY too much money to shoot 200-400 rounds per month like I do. If I had just one bullet to stop someone you'd be hard pressed to beat Cor-Bon 135 gr 40 +P. That stuff is NASTY. I could also load up the 10mm Glock with some heavy hollow-points and kill a 400lb hog if needed.
Old     (jarrod)      Join Date: May 2003       10-11-2012, 9:52 AM Reply   
I'm a revolver guy now. They have their disadvantages of course, but I think they're sexy as hell.

I just put a wood grip on my 686 plus last night. Couldn't help sharing.
Attached Images
 
Old     (jason_ssr)      Join Date: Apr 2001       10-11-2012, 11:25 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by jarrod View Post
I'm a revolver guy now. They have their disadvantages of course, but I think they're sexy as hell.

I just put a wood grip on my 686 plus last night. Couldn't help sharing.
That is sweet!! Dont short change the wheel gun. It doesnt get more reliable and user friendly. There is definitely something to say for that kind of simplicity. If you pull the trigger and it doesnt go bang, just pull the trigger again. Never any slide issues or FTF FTE.
Old     (magic)      Join Date: Mar 2002       10-11-2012, 11:35 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_ssr View Post
That is sweet!! Dont short change the wheel gun. It doesnt get more reliable and user friendly. There is definitely something to say for that kind of simplicity. If you pull the trigger and it doesnt go bang, just pull the trigger again. Never any slide issues or FTF FTE.
Yep, I really like our revolver.
Old     (phatboypimp)      Join Date: Apr 2005       10-15-2012, 1:41 PM Reply   
Well I went to the range and shot a variety of different guns. I shot a Ruger LC9, S&W M&P, Glock 9mm and .40 and I shot a .357 revolver but I don't remember who the manufacturer was. It was a fun and tiring day at the range but I decided to pick up the P226. It felt the best to me although it was pretty heavy compared to the others. I was disappointed to find out it is virtually impossible to get a concealed weapons permit in my county - apparently some lunatic lady refuses to award them to anyone in the county. Who controls that within the county? I have no idea the gun shop guys were going on some rant about this biotch that wont hand out CWP's.

Anyway thank you for all the advice - it helped a lot.
Old     (guido)      Join Date: Jul 2002       10-16-2012, 9:04 PM Reply   
You chose well. The P226 is a great gun. I'll probably add one to the safe eventually.

As for the others: I love my Glock 19. Small enough to carry and substantial enough, with a long enough sight radius to be a shooter. I would have no trouble carrying it for self defense and it always works.

My favorite gun to shoot is the 1911, though. I have a Sig 1911 Tac-Ops that is a absolute shooter. Heavy, accurate and with an awesome trigger. Worth every penny.

Balistics are interesting. Almost all calibers have their advantages and people have their reasons for carrying them. I definitely wouldn't want to be shot with any of them.

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