Feedback Requested for Future Pistol Purchase

[KyleS]

I have decided to purchase my first handgun and I was wondering if the group could give me some suggestions or advice. First off, I would like your opinions on the size and brand. 9mm? .40 or .45? I'm 6 foot, about 180. I'm also ambidextrous so the pistols I've held felt good in either hand. I don't want too much of a gun. I also don't want a pea shooter. I was planning on purchasing for home security, but I also wonder if size should matter since one day I might want to wear in public. I would also like to know of any "extras" you experienced pistol owners might suggest (i.e. sights, kind of ammo, size of magazine, etc.).

I recently held some Glocks and they felt good. I was also told about Sig's, but I believe they are more expensive. Rumor has it the Sig doesn't have a safety on it either. I would like to verify this as well.

I am a rookie when it comes to guns. Whatever pistol I end up buying I plan on taking some classes for it. I hope these questions don't sound too dumb for this forum. Thanks in advance for your replies and I look forward to reading them.

 

[Patternpimp]

Buy what feels good in the hand at your price point and you can afford to shoot a lot.

 

[jd4320t]

Where are you located?

I recommend going to a nice shop with a large variety and checking out all you can.

 

[snowrs]

Everyone on here will have a different opinion, I don't know where you are but your best bet is go to a range that has a large selection of rental guns and shoot those that you might be interested in, then go buy that and a ton of ammo.

 

[85t5mcss]

Dumb? Nope. Only if u didn't ask.

9mm vs .45 vs .40 is all debatable, but the 9 seems to be the cheapest to shoot. That's what half of my pistols are and it's also my EDC (every day carry). u will hear some disagree about it's stopping power, it will be just as effective as a .45 IMO, so IF that's where u started then I would get some good defense ammo (plug for Hornady Critical Defense) and plenty of target ammo. Start with probably 200 or so just to get used to the new tool. Taking a class is a good idea as well, I applaud u for wanting to learn properly.

Guns-Glock, Springfield Armory, lots of 1911 variants, Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Browning and lots of others. Shoot other peoples at the range if possible, go to a range with rentals, big gun store to feel what fits right in your hand and in the mind. Don't make a hasty decision and regret it, but if u do u can resell it and prob not lose much.

Some brands/models are more/less reliable than others, so find what fits and check reviews or ask here. If money is tight and u need one now then a High Point may suffice.

What part of the state u n?

 

[KyleS]

Thanks for the responses. I live in Indy on the west side. My plan was to go to Pop's on the east side and rent some guns to try out. Plus a buddy of mine has some pistols he said I could shoot and see if I like.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

If an external safety is a need for you, glocks dont have those either. Truthfully the only safety you really need is your brain. Its not a bad thing to have extras but you need to be comfortable using it under stress.

Your thought of shooting them is great, see what you like the best. 9mm is a piece of cake to shoot, very little recoil, well as long as its not a pocket sized gun. .40 and .45 will have more pop to them, but any of the three is enough to get the job done.

You may want to check into an SR9c, awesome trigger, comfortable to hold, small mag for carry and larger one for home defense. Plus it does have an external safety if you want to use it. Those are great shooters and the price is generally good, in the $400 range.

 

[451_Detonics]

Rent as many different guns as you can and try them out. Pick a few you really like then research their reliability and accuracy. Don't listen too much to folks on a forum...they will all want you to buy their favorite gun.

You might also keep an eye on the events forum here and go to a few of the shooting meet and greets, folks will normally let you try their guns for free.

 

[shooter1054]

I have a few guns. If you want to meet at MCFG, I would let you shoot some of mine to gain some experience. PM me to set up a time if you are interested.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Buy what fits you best. I have been through a few handguns, before I found what fit me best. Which by chance is a FNP for fullsize carry, and a Kel-Tec PF9 for conceal carry. I owned a Sig, and honestly, it just did not fit me.

 

[JohnP82]

Nothing wrong with asking, that is how we learn. Also, good for you on looking into some safety classes

Like already said though, best bet is to handle as many as possible and shoot as many as possible as well. Find out what feels best to you. I could tell you all day what I like, but it may not be the best for you. As far as caliber goes, the three you listed are all fine for defensive rounds, so it is just personal prefference. The extras you ask about...well you can never have too many mags or ammo! Good luck with your decision.

 

[SixSigmaLarry]

Buy what feels good in the hand at your price point and you can afford to shoot a lot.

I agree. It is important to buy what fits you the best. Do your research and buy one that is reliable.

 

[686 Shooter]

I would consider a S&W M&P .45, I have one with a light and laser, makes for a really nice home defense gun. 45 ACP will usually stop anything that needs stopped without having to empty the entire magazine. I personally prefer the full size M&P, it fills my hand and has enough weight that I can recover quickly and be ready for a second shot. There are a lot of really nice guns that would make good home defense guns, I only mentioned the M&P because they are readily available, not overly exspensive, and have different palm swells to adapt to different size hands.

 

[Jeremy1066]

9mm is a great cal. to start with. As mentioned above, it has very little recoil, even small guns have a decent capacity, and affordable ammunition so you can practice, practice, practice!

 

[stoyan79]

As far as caliber, 9mm is probably your best bet. Plenty of stopping power, cheap to shoot and widely available. It is the standard for semi-autos.

As far as pistols go, Sig P226 and CZ-75 are hard to beat. These would be my top choices.

 

[Jeremy1066]

and when you get comfortable with 9mm, then it's time to go 10mm!!!

 

[sgreen3]

I personaly carry 9mm, but its a personal preference. Bottom line, pick out what you like an learn how to use it. Good thing about 9mm is its reasonable priced so you can afford to practice alot an get good

 

[BlueEagle]

Everybody has had great advice so far. I'll echo them.

9mm - Cheap to shoot. Less power than the other two, but still quite adequate for the job. Plus, higher magazine capacities.

.40 - Not as cheap as 9mm. More power, but also more recoil. Pretty much adequate for the job. Slightly reduced magazine capacity.

.45 - Not cheap to shoot; especially if you want the good stuff. Stopping power is "legend, wait for it, dairy" as they say. Recoil is more than the other two, but its less of a "snapping" recoil, and more of a "pushing" recoil. Try to shoot a .45 right after a 9 or .40; you'll see what I mean. Magazine capacity on these is lower, but typically you'll need less to knock someone down.

Personally, I carry a 9, because I like being able to shoot 20 times before needing to swap mags, and I feel that my shot placement is good enough that I don't need to worry about making a slightly larger hole. Plus, I like to shoot a LOT, and I can't afford to buy a whole lot of the more expensive calibers. That said, I've owned a .45 and liked it, and I've shot .40's and liked them. Pick what suits your situation best; what feels good to your hand, your heart, your head, and perhaps most importantly, your wallet.

 

[mcolford]

As mentioned, carry what you are comfortable with, and practice. You can have a damn cannon, but if you cant shoot and hit what good is it?

Personally, I carry a 23 Glock... Comfortable, Concealable, and Im accurate with it. Everyone has their own thing though, so find yours. Try as many as you can, and you will find what you want.

-MColford

 

[U.S. Patriot]

The 9mm cartridge is more than adequate enough to stop a threat. The hole .45 being a one shot man stopper is nothing more than BS. A 9mm will penetrate just as deep as the .40 or .45. The only major difference is a smaller temporary wound cavity. The key work being "temporary". It does not matter what caliber you carry. If you can not control the handgun, and can not place your shots, then you have already failed. There are a lot of good defensive 9mm loads on the market. Plus, the ammo is cheaper, which means more trigger time.