New member...getting first handgun + LTCH

[Hoosier8]

I'm with Epsylum's opinion on 9mm. It is much easier to hit your target with a 9mm if you are just learning. I also carry a 45 but have had to train much more with the 45 to be consistent.

Josh suggests the 38 snubbie. I started out with a semi-auto but for one of my friends with no experience with firearms I am going to suggest the 38.

I have looked at XDs and almost bought the 45 compact that can be expanded with a different clip. I just never took to it. I may get one someday but it is not top of the list for me.

Good luck, learn as much as you can, practice, and remember to let us know how it goes.

 

[melomania]

Lol, sorry Scutter for the misspelling of your name.

Thanks for all the replies. I'll take the 9mm argument into consideration. I'll most likely go ahead and pick up the XDM over the XD because of the design improvements and mag capacity. I'm a tall guy so I'll find a way to conceal it.

As for learning how to shoot .40S&W, I've got a great place to shoot. My buddy's dad owns a gravel pit in the country (+ his older bro is a county sheriff). I'll have plenty of room to practice rather than blowing my money at a range.

After I pick up my pistol I'll be looking at either an AR-15 or anything by DPMS. I just wish they weren't so expensive. I really enjoyed shooting my buddies DPMS LR-308.

 

[Bubbajms]

melomania, have you shot an XD or XDM yet?? I've personally found several firearms that I "thought" I would like, by look and simple feel, but shooting them changed my mind. Depending on where you are, you may be able to find a member here that would let you try out their Springfield..

And I'd reconsider selling that Colt Revolver, too.. I don't know if that's the idea your dad had when he gave it to you, first of all, and those old revolvers are great pieces of craftsmanship that are excellent for plinking and teaching others to shoot..

Just food for thought, of course

 

[melomania]

I've shot my buddies Glock and from what I hear they are very similar except the triggers are a bit different. I'll see if I can get my hands on one sometime this month and pop a few clips off.

No, I don't plan on selling the Colt, ever. I'll probably pass it down to my son someday.

 

[Bubbajms]

To be polite (before anybody jumps down your throat) we prefer the term "magazine" when we're talking about Glocks (or a bunch of other firearms). Both a Magazine and a Clip (usually termed a stripper clip) hold ammo, but the Magazine continues to hold the ammo while the clip releases its ammo into the firearm and is then removed. A good example of a firearm that uses stripper clips is the SKS, when used with a fixed magazine.

And as far as Glock v. Springfield is concerned, many will debate that idea with you.. People will debate the difference between them all over the place. And just because someone (or lots of someones) like something doesn't mean that it's best, or that it will even work well for you. I've yet to find anything I couldn't shoot at all, but there are several firearms that I don't care for simply due to feel. By all means, unless you have no other option, shoot what you're planning to buy before you buy it. I could have saved plenty of money had I done this in my early years..

 

[esrice]

First, congratulations on taking your personal safety seriously, and we're glad you came to INGO for advice.

As for Glock vs. XD - I'm a Glock guy, and I recommend Glocks. However, the XD is a fine pistol, and if you are able to shoot it well, it should serve its intended purpose just fine. Buying guns, much like holsters, is a "process" as you narrow down what features you do and don't like in a carry piece.

And here is a visual aid to help with what Bubbajms was talking about (clip left, magazine right):

 

[Cwood]

I'm a Glock guy

Don't worry we won't hold that against ya buddy!


As far which handgun, go with suits you best.

 

[Scutter01]

 

[Bubbajms]

esrice - thanks for the picture!! That's a great example

Edit - scutter, that's excellent as well :LOL:

 

[epsylum]

...but the Magazine continues to hold the ammo while the clip releases its ammo into the firearm and is then removed. A good example of a firearm that uses stripper clips is the SKS, when used with a fixed magazine.

Not exactly correct. An M1 Garand uses a clip and feeds from it while firing.

Simply put a clip does not encompass the rounds, it just clips them together (like a paper clip but for ammo), a magazine encompasses the ammo, thus not clipping them together, but holding them internally.

Just to further clarify for some (not directed at you Bubbajms), a magazine does not have to be removable. Many bolt action rifles hold multiple rounds in an internal magazine. Many shotguns hold ammo in a tubular magazine and some guns can have both clips and magazines (where the clip is usually to help load the magazine).

 

[Bubbajms]

Hey, I cited the SKS and the fixed magazine!! Neener Neener

And I didn't know that an M1 feeds with the clip still in place - I just watched an animation that shows how that works.. does the clip actually fly out when you eject the last round, or is that for show in the animation?? I've only seen an M1 on display in a shop, never seen one fired..

 

[Scutter01]

Hey, I cited the SKS and the fixed magazine!! Neener Neener

And I didn't know that an M1 feeds with the clip still in place - I just watched an animation that shows how that works.. does the clip actually fly out when you eject the last round, or is that for show in the animation?? I've only seen an M1 on display in a shop, never seen one fired..

The clip pops out. You'll occasionally hear old WW2 stories about how the enemy learned to listen for the *ping* as the clip ejected (meaning the rifle was empty), so the soldiers would carry around some empty clips to toss on the ground to simulate the sound.

M-1 Sounds Click on "Eject clip" sound.

 

[Bubbajms]

Hmmmm.. interesting!! You do learn something new every day!!

 

[Scutter01]

I would almost call the M1's clip a hybrid in that it's designed like a clip, but it works more like a magazine even though it doesn't fully enclose the cartridges.

 

[epsylum]

Hey, I cited the SKS and the fixed magazine!! Neener Neener

That is kind of a confusing example as the mag is supposed to be a fixed mag, yet you can remove it. I have seen way too many people think that pulling the fixed mag was the way you were supposed to reload an SKS. I'm thinking of a lot of Savage rifles, the ones that don't even have a drop away floor plate. Where it is just a blind hole in the gun and it stores the ammo inside the stock. Just pointing out that that hole is also a magazine.

 

[epsylum]

I would almost call the M1's clip a hybrid in that it's designed like a clip, but it works more like a magazine even though it doesn't fully enclose the cartridges.

Yup, it's an en bloc clip.

En-bloc clip

Several rifle designs utilize an en-bloc clip to load the firearm. Cartridges and clip are inserted as a unit into a fixed magazine within the rifle, and the clip is usually ejected or falls from the rifle upon firing or chambering of the last round. The en-bloc clip was originally developed by Ferdinand Mannlicher for use in his M1885 rifle. Other rifles utilizing a - frequently improved - en-bloc clip include the German 1888 Commission Rifle, the French 1890 Berthier Cavalry Carbine and later models (upgraded to 5 rounds in 1916), the Italian M91 Carcano, the various (Romanian, Dutch, Portuguese) turnbolt Mannlichers, the Austro-Hungarian straight-pull Steyr-Mannlicher M1895, the Hungarian M 35, and the US M1 Garand. Original Austrian Mannlicher clips were often uni-directional, but already the German 1888 Commission Rifle and subsequently the M 91 Carcano employed symmetrical clips, and much later John Pedersen developed an invertable, double-stacked clip for his rifle. This design was also utilized for the competing design by John Garand.[2]

Clip (ammunition) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Notice that the clip still goes into a magazine.

BTW the term magazine comes from naval ships. The magazine is the room (or rooms) that held the ammo for the ship's weapons. Again, it encompasses the ammo.

ETA: Whoo hoo!! I'm up to two green bars because of this thread.

 

[Scutter01]

Yup, it's an en bloc clip.

Huh. Never heard the term before.