Best overall pistol for my scenario?

I can attest to the Ruger MkIII's awesomeness. I can consistently hit a 6" steel plate at 30 yards with it. Easy to shoot. Kind of a pain to assemble after cleaning, but a great gun. Never had a jam with about 400 rounds through my grandpa's MkIII
 
Brandonsc said:
Spend $550 on a Glock 19, and then spend the rest on ammo and training.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with the Glock 19. Completely reliable , simple to use and the 9 mm is relatively cheap for practice and a very respectable defense round with the right cartridge. If you want to upgrade a bit the Sig Sauer in a 9 mm is also reliable. The Sig M11 A1 is reputed to be an excellent weapon.
 
Glock in .40 is a great choice.

A high quality .45 1911 is a thing to behold and use and shoot. But as has been said, if it does not work for you, it does not work.

The thing about 1911 platforms, is they don't suffer fools lightly. They typically have light triggers, short pulls, and the issue of lowering the hammer on a loaded, locked and cocked 1911 makes me shudder when thinking about inexperienced shooters doing at places other than the range.

I don't own a 1911. I carry a Glock .40 with three 16 round mags. Often, I carry it with spare mags up to 22 rounds!

On the flip side, I often carry a snub 5 shot .357.



As others have said, the Ruger Mark series is just plain bitching.

I have a Mark I that is older than I am. I bought it well used as a 12 year old kid, and have probably put 30,000+ rounds (very conservatively)
 
I am clearly in the minority. Let me first say that I have years of professional training and was a firearms instructor at the Sheriff's Office as well as for two private enterprises. I have, as probably most of these posters have, been around the block so to speak. If you are truly allowed one firearm and are as inexperienced as it sounds as though you may be, my recommendation would be a mid frame .357 in stainless steel - a Smith & Wesson 686 for example or something from Ruger. Something that fits you well and feels comfortable in your hand. A 4" barrel offers an excellent sight picture - especially with a prominent Tritium front sight and a 3" barrel is easy to control and carry. These guns are very accurate, very easy to maintain (especially in stainless), fire .38 wadcutter reloads for economy and .357 158 JHP for business. It will be MUCH easier to transistion to a full power .357 load from a .38 than from a .22LR. In a panic ( and as one who has had to draw their weapon to defend themselves - it will be a panic - training will provide a calm controlled panic, but an adreline dump none the less) there will be no safeties to forget to flip on or off, no magazine to accidently eject, no stove pipe to clear, etc. Just point and click. Additionally, in the event you have to use your weapon, given proper shot placement, the .357 is a devastating caliber. I hope this helps in your quest. Handle as many firearms as you can and get a feel for what you like. Listen to everyone, but take all expert advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Good luck.
 
Acetylene said:
I am clearly in the minority. Let me first say that I have years of professional training and was a firearms instructor at the Sheriff's Office as well as for two private enterprises. I have, as probably most of these posters have, been around the block so to speak. If you are truly allowed one firearm and are as inexperienced as it sounds as though you may be, my recommendation would be a mid frame .357 in stainless steel - a Smith & Wesson 686 for example or something from Ruger. Something that fits you well and feels comfortable in your hand. A 4" barrel offers an excellent sight picture - especially with a prominent Tritium front sight and a 3" barrel is easy to control and carry. These guns are very accurate, very easy to maintain (especially in stainless), fire .38 wadcutter reloads for economy and .357 158 JHP for business. It will be MUCH easier to transistion to a full power .357 load from a .38 than from a .22LR. In a panic ( and as one who has had to draw their weapon to defend themselves - it will be a panic - training will provide a calm controlled panic, but an adreline dump none the less) there will be no safeties to forget to flip on or off, no magazine to accidently eject, no stove pipe to clear, etc. Just point and click. Additionally, in the event you have to use your weapon, given proper shot placement, the .357 is a devastating caliber. I hope this helps in your quest. Handle as many firearms as you can and get a feel for what you like. Listen to everyone, but take all expert advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Excellent advice Acetylene. I would suggest a Ruger SP101 or GP100. The SP101 was my first....
 
I started with a Sig Sauer P226 DA/SA .40, then a Glock 23 Gen4, and finally a HK P2000sk 9mm & a HK P2000 .40. I am most accurate with the Glock, but most comfortable with the ergonomics of the HKs. At the very least, I'd go to a gun shop and handle a bunch of pistols to see what feels best in your hands. With your budget, you can get both a 9mm and either a 40 or a 45. I recommend a 40 for increased capacity, lower ammo costs, and greater ammo availability. As a leftie, I prefer HK pistols for their fully ambidextrous controls.
 
I would get a .22 and a lot of ammo first. With your budget that still leaves you with a lot left over.
After you have that mastered sell it if you want.

I like Beretta 92's, SIG's, Hi Powers, and revolvers. Really lot of preference as to where to go there. Shoot of them you can before you buy if possible.
 
Alan G. said:
While the amount of shooting practice would be great, the idpa matches and such mostly use highly modified handguns with redicuously light triggers that are not practical for defensive carry and are not representitive of something that one is likely to buy and carry.
Click to expand...

while 90% of this i do agree with, i will have to challenge the highly modified statement.

for those who compete for a profession and serious hobby, ya Modding the pistol to no end is common and expected. but i am talking about his situation, for his first time he isn't going to be the top shot of the day even with the top of the line speed pistol. Its all about the fundamentals of draw and engage, and in some circumstances cover.

the day i started competing til the day Uncle Sam accepted my signature, i used either my fathers G21 or the FNP 45 that was sponsored to me by a local company. both guns were completely stock except for the spring in the Glock, pops didn't like the feel of it, and the trigger in the FN, had to be after a nasty wipe out during a 3-gun match; but the replacement was stock standard
 
If you are brand new to shooting, do some shooting with friends or visit your local range before plunking down a big wad of cash for a handgun.
As you are a beginner, I would recommend a Ruger Mk-II or III in .22 LR. The MK-III can be had in stainless, so it would be much easier to maintain than a blued MK-II.
If you decide to invest in a defensive handgun, shoot as many different types as you can... Revolvers, autos, .38, .357, 9MM, .40 S&W, .45ACP, .44Mag... Try ANYTHING and everything before buying. Each gun will have different ergos- this will affect you more if you are a lefty like me;) As far as proven designs, you really cannot go wrong with the classic Colt 1911A1 and clones, Glock series pistols, Sigs, the new S&W M&P, S&W revolvers and many more. As others have suggested, I would HIGHLY recommend attending an IDPA or IPSC match in your area to see how much fun you can have with a handgun... and how much of an art pistol-shooting can become. Best of luck in your search, keep safe and have fun!
Bandito
 
Get a colt gov mod 70 series. If you have your mind set on on a 1911, thats the one your looking for.
 
Thanks again to everyone who has weighed in. To be honest, this is an overwhelming amount of information to chew on, but its great to hear all the pros and cons.

Luckily, an experienced gun enthusiast at work has offered to bring me to the range and shoot his guns and teach me the basics. I also found a range nearby who rents a variety of guns. I will take advantage of both before making a decision.
 
Acetylene said:
I am clearly in the minority. Let me first say that I have years of professional training and was a firearms instructor at the Sheriff's Office as well as for two private enterprises. I have, as probably most of these posters have, been around the block so to speak. If you are truly allowed one firearm and are as inexperienced as it sounds as though you may be, my recommendation would be a mid frame .357 in stainless steel - a Smith & Wesson 686 for example or something from Ruger. Something that fits you well and feels comfortable in your hand. A 4" barrel offers an excellent sight picture - especially with a prominent Tritium front sight and a 3" barrel is easy to control and carry. These guns are very accurate, very easy to maintain (especially in stainless), fire .38 wadcutter reloads for economy and .357 158 JHP for business. It will be MUCH easier to transistion to a full power .357 load from a .38 than from a .22LR. In a panic ( and as one who has had to draw their weapon to defend themselves - it will be a panic - training will provide a calm controlled panic, but an adreline dump none the less) there will be no safeties to forget to flip on or off, no magazine to accidently eject, no stove pipe to clear, etc. Just point and click. Additionally, in the event you have to use your weapon, given proper shot placement, the .357 is a devastating caliber. I hope this helps in your quest. Handle as many firearms as you can and get a feel for what you like. Listen to everyone, but take all expert advice, including mine, with a grain of salt. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Excellant post with a lot of insight and experience. Well stated! :thumbup:

The L-Frame S&W 686 "PowerPort" is still a favorite of mine. The ~8 1/2 sight radius with it's ~6 barrel makes it more foregiving of minor sighting errors (compared to a 4 inch barrel), it has a little more weight and a PORT so recoil is very tame compared to similar loads out of a comparable different pistol. 38 +P loads are about as light as I go because recoil is so low; full house 357 Magnums that are harsh in other pistols have not been an issue for very inexperienced shooters when I did "demo" days with various people.
 
my first recommendation is a wheel gun... for limited budget a SW M10 heavy barrel round butt in .38spl, or preferably a M13 3" heavy barrel round butt .357 or similar Ruger

I'm a USPSA game player... for an autoloader I shot a 1911 for 25years, and now a Glock 34... I wish I had started with the Glock when they came out

for practice a good used Ruger Mk I or II
 
first, ignore everyone telling you to buy anything that isn't a 1911. in a government sized steel frame the recoil isn't anything to worry about. they're a hell of a lot of fun to shoot at the range (and anywhere else), they're a piece of american history, and chicks dig 'em. given your budget, look into guncrafter industries, they seem to be about the best value in semi-custom production guns right now. go over to 1911addicts.com or 1911forum.com and check them out. I'd go with a guncrafter before a wilson or anything else that isn't a full-house custom. if you don't want to spend quite that much check out dan wesson.
 
You've gotten some good, sound technical advice in this thread. Here's the one thing I would highlight: as some poster's have mentioned, don't forget to budget for range fees, training and most of all ammunition. Becoming proficient with a pistol requires training. You can absolutely develop your skills with dry fire drills, but you also need to shoot real ammo on a regular basis. Classes are a great way to start off with good fundamentals and then to keep expanding your skill set. All of this shooting will require ammunition, and with the current climate ammunition is expensive, so budget accordingly. You'll soon realize the "care and feeding" of your handgun skills will eventually outstrip the money you spent on the handgun. I would recommend you plan to buy 500 to 1000 rounds of whatever caliber you decide on.
 
A fun gun to shoot and a practical weapon are not necessarily the same thing...just a thought.
 
If guns are available for you to rent and shoot go that route first and pick whichever one is most comfortable for you to shoot and carry. Personally I wouldn't get a 1911 as your first gun, Don't get me wrong I love the design and have a few myself, but they are more of my range guns and when I want something super accurate at the range that's when the 1911 comes out. I would say get a Glock for your first pistol for the reasons others have stated, I've had 6 of them IIRC and I think I've had one jam, and it was on reloaded ammo , so I don't blame it on the gun I blame it on the ammo I was shooting. If the glock doesn't do it for you check out the springfield XD series or XDM series also had one of those great guns, Or a Sig P220 that is my all time favorite handgun, It's as accurate as a 1911 but more reliable and easier to take down and clean. Truth is try to get as much range time as you can with as many weapons as you can and make your decision off which fits your hand the best, which one Is most comfortable for you to carry, If your going to carry it, and which one you think shoots the best. When it comes to guns you can ask 100 people this question and you will get 100 answers, it all comes down to your personal taste and what suites you best, you may hate everything everyone in this thread suggested and go buy a ruger sr-9 , and that's all good at least your actually going to own a firearm. Makes me smile when someone talks abut getting their first one. FWIW you won't have just one ;) I said that too, until a good friend bought a gun store now I've owned almost every make and model of handgun made, lol
 
Also gonna add I've watched countless shows on handguns and read probably hundreds of articles in magazines, and they all say this about the caliber of handguns now, The way modern ammo is made , It really doesn't matter what caliber you get from a .38 special revolver to a 45 acp. 1911, modern ammo has closed the gap on "knock down power " which is a myth in itself" .357 magnum is still king of handgun rounds when it comes to stopping a human followed by .45 ACP , but I have carried a 9mm and .38 special and haven't felt under gunned with either, now if your using FMJ ammo throw everything I'm saying out the window, but with modern hollow point self defense rounds, Shot placement is all that matters, so much research and advancements have been made in ammunition that any caliber from .38 special to .45acp will do the job. On occasion I carry a .380 , It's not that powerful of a round put again shot placement is key, personally I wouldn't go with anything under a .38 special for S.D. though, Maybe buy a full size revolver in .357 magnum, and to save cash shoot .38 special out of it, and keep .357 magnum bullets in it, If your going to do that though make sure you shoot some full power .357 mag loads out of the gun every time you shoot though, there is a world of difference between a .38 and a .357 magnum. I would hate for the first time you ever shot a .357 to be at night, indoors, with an intruder in your house, the sound is unbelievable indoors, and it's been reported of people blinding themselves from shooting them at night at not used to the flame you get with the full house magnum loads, so they couldn't see for a few seconds because of the flame produced by the magnum loads.FWIW my 11 year old nephew shot my S&W 686 plus with deer hunting loads in it with no problems , it has a 6 inch barrel so recoil is next to nothing on that gun, and my 100 lbs sis in law grabs my sig 220 every time we take her to the range. Also gonna add Again( i know I'm dragging along here) , but when shooting when you do purchase a firearm, shoot at least a couple if not a full clip of ammo , or if you get a wheel gun shoot maybe 6-12 shoots without ear protection, because if you haft to use the gun in a SD situation I doubt youll be able to have time to put ear protection on, and you need to know how loud the weapon actually is, so you can be used to that and still remained focused, In the event you haft to use it, again you don't want the first time you shoot the weapon without your "ears" on to be when someone is in your house or where ever it may be, once you make your purchase , focus on training , then when you think you have it down, train some more, I can't tell you how many times I've cleared my house in the pitch dark jsut to be able to do it second nature, I also have a handgun stashed in every room in my house , so wherever I am there is a gun near by, my friends call me paranoid, I call myself prepared :D
 
Last edited:
WOW, just WOW. Can we Sticky this thread for all to see that THIS is how a thread is supposed to work?

OP presents a level headed question with good information; quite a few good, reasonable suggestions are made; and the OP absorbs it with thought and seems to have gained from the process. Excellent.


My thoughts toward the topic. In addition to trying out several firearms, I would attempt to have an open discussion about the thought of adding an additional gun, a .22, with the wife. Personally I prefer 9MM Springfield as a preferred "all around", but a good 1911 will recoil much like a small 9MM.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top