First pistol. need suggestions

Shoot .38s for practice and carry .357s for business. Pull trigger go bang.

Ruger-SP101.jpg
 
clich said:
Thanks. Is there any major differences besides weight and recoil suppression between a polymer and steel body? If I don't NEED the extra weight I'd rather not carry it. But if positively affects performance then I can consider that a need.
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harkamus said:
I'd say one of the first things to decide is if you want a full metal (usually steel framed) or polymer framed handgun. Some people like the heft (and recoil reducing) abilities of an all steel framed handgun. Other people think all steel is too heavy and prefer poly frames. The other equally important thing to decide is caliber, which will often dictate how often you shoot because of the cost of ammo. Of course all of this should be thought of while you're deciding on budget.
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From my earlier reply.
 
FIRST !!!!!!!!! Learn to shoot a pistol buy a cheap 22 a Ruger mark III target bull barrel (under $400). Don't worry about carrying it learn to shoot.
After you are in to it a while you will be more ready to make a informed decision on your own and not get a bunch of bad advice like 9mm, 40 cal and 45 acp.
Join a local gun club and find someone that will help you to learn to shoot a pistol.
 
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Given that the OP stated that the handgun would primarily be used for fun (and secondarily he mentioned a carry permit) I would also suggest a .22 pistol. Check out a Ruger. Learn to be a good shot with your .22 and you'll be better prepared for a more powerful handgun. You'll be able to have fun, build skills, and not go broke buying ammo to feed it. Nothing worse than a getting a gun on which you don't put enough 'trigger time" because of the cost of ammo.
If self defense were the first consideration I would look at a 9mm semi auto. Properly selected self defense ammo is very similiar in terminal performance among the major chamberings used. 9mm is among the cheapest to shoot for practice. Check out offerings from Glock and the the S&W M&P line. The S&W comes with several grips so that you can set it up to fit your hand. - - As an aside, you can buy conversion kits for Glocks and the M&P to shoot .22.

There's nothing wrong with a revolver. I own quite a few of them and prefer them for wilderness carry use (more powerful cartridges offered in a reasonable sized/weight package. That extra power isn't really needed in non-hunting situations, & those involving defense against humans). In general, it takes more practice to learn to be equally proficient with a revolver versus a semi auto pistol. (This has to do with the long double action trigger pull on a revolver, versus what is generally a shorter pull on a pistol. You have to hold the handgun steady on target while pulling the trigger. (This is much more challenging on a handgun with its short sight radius, than with a rifle. Get the sight alignment a little off with a pistol and it will throw the shot off quite abit. I also don't think its a good idea to go with too compact or short barrel of a pistol for this reason, for most applications - - especially if one is a beginner with handguns.) If possible, I would try to go to a shooting range where you could try out several rental guns to see what you like.
 
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Hi clich -

The lighter pistol will generally not absorb recoil as much and as a result more recoil will be tranferred to your hand.

I have a glock model 23 and a Kimber RCP II - the RCP II is alloy and steel, and weighs 25oz, and it is very comfortable to shoot. I had the Kimber at the range this past weekend and shot 150 rounds through it - the only sore spot on my hand is my thumb from pressing cartridges into the magazine.

best

mqqn
 
harkamus said:
From my earlier reply.
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Yeh but that didnt answer my question.
you discussed weight alone. Now if what your saying is that is the only difference I understand.




Mt Airy said:
FIRST !!!!!!!!! Learn to shoot a pistol my a cheap 22 a Ruger mark III target bull barrel (under $400). Don't worry about carrying it learn to shoot.
After you are in to it a while you will be more ready to make a informed decision on your own and not get a bunch of bad advice like 9mm, 40 cal and 45 acp.
Join a local gun club and find someone that will help you to learn to shoot a pistol.
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I just don't have the luxury of buying a $400 plinker to "learn to shoot" just to turn around and buy a $500+ gun to carry and sit the plinker in a drawer. I've shot pistols just never owned one or had enough time with each to make a proper assessment. Nor did I pay attention to each calibers recoil, weight, size etc. Since at that time we were just shooting to shoot. Now that I want to own one for personal defense and fun shooting, I am trying to pick the brains of others.
 
+1 on the glock 19. IMO .40 cal is a waste. It used to be that .40 ammo was in between 9 and 45 for cost but now it costs as much as 45. So, if you want a bigger caliber then 9mm, skip 40 and go straight to the more effective 45. I also think 45's are easier to shoot then 40's. 40's have more snap to the recoil. That said a 9mm with proper ammo is enough gun for you and ammo is cheap.
 
clich said:
I just don't have the luxury of buying a $400 plinker to "learn to shoot" just to turn around and buy a $500+ gun to carry and sit the plinker in a drawer. I've shot pistols just never owned one or had enough time with each to make a proper assessment. Nor did I pay attention to each calibers recoil, weight, size etc. Since at that time we were just shooting to shoot. Now that I want to own one for personal defense and fun shooting, I am trying to pick the brains of others.
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That's a little different emphasis than your original post. Check my last post above. Given what you've outlined I'd get a 9mm pistol and save up to eventually get a .22 conversion kit for it. That would be a very versatile package.

Properly selected modern ammo in common SD chamberings (9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP) are very similiar in terminal performance today.
 
Pointshoot777 said:
That's a little different emphasis than your original post. Check my last post above. Given what you've outlined I'd get a 9mm pistol and save up to eventually get a .22 conversion kit for it. That would be a very versatile package.
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After RE reading my original post it does come off as a bit greenhornish. I guess I was going for a wide open question to see if I got a wide variety of answers or was the general consensus about the same. I wanted to refrain from saying "hey which of these two guns in these two calibers and these two options should I get? " since in reality I don't really know jack about guns. I shoot em and clean em and have reloaded with my dad but that's as far as it goes. I'm not as in depth with gun info as I am.with other things. Knives for example.

That being said what's a conversion kit? I assume it converts the 9mm into a 22 but I've never heard of such a thing
 
clich said:
After RE reading my original post it does come off as a bit greenhornish. I guess I was going for a wide open question to see if I got a wide variety of answers or was the general consensus about the same. I wanted to refrain from saying "hey which of these two guns in these two calibers and these two options should I get? " since in reality I don't really know jack about guns. I shoot em and clean em and have reloaded with my dad but that's as far as it goes. I'm not as in depth with gun info as I am.with other things. Knives for example.

That being said what's a conversion kit? I assume it converts the 9mm into a 22 but I've never heard of such a thing
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No problem, after reading your last post I could see that youre not a complete beginner with handguns. A conversion kit trades out the top end of the gun and uses a magazine for .22LR. I have one that I use with my Glock. I understand they also have them for the M&P pistol. Just do a websearch on ".22 conversion kit" for the Glock and M&P and you'll get a lot of links back.

Gun choice comes down to personal preference and 'fit'. Between the Glock and the M&P I think you'll find a pistol that fits your own hand well. Good luck !

P.S. - - since you have done some reloading with your father, youll be in great shape if you choose to handload for the 9mm.
 
SiG has excellent conversions. You can even buy the .22 first and then upgrade the upper to a 9mm later.
(but do NOT buy the Mosquito, btw.)

Ciener, Kimber, Marvel, and Tactical Solutions all make .22 conversion uppers for 1911's. They might also work with 9mm 1911's if the frame dimensions are the same.

-Daizee
 
Shotgun said:
+1 on the glock 19. IMO .40 cal is a waste. It used to be that .40 ammo was in between 9 and 45 for cost but now it costs as much as 45. So, if you want a bigger caliber then 9mm, skip 40 and go straight to the more effective 45. I also think 45's are easier to shoot then 40's. 40's have more snap to the recoil. That said a 9mm with proper ammo is enough gun for you and ammo is cheap.
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Agreed about .40. It has all the unpleasantness of a high-pressure round AND it's nearly as expensive as .45. Add to that the fact that it's often chambered in lightweight plastic pistols - icko, not fun to shoot.
Since I prefer subsonic ammo in all handguns anyway, that would leave MY options with 147gr 9mm (much more limited selection) or .45. YMMV.

Good pistols aren't cheap.
One of my all-time fav's is one of the many 3"-6" S&W .38spl or .357 K-frame revolvers on the used market.
I've had 3 examples ranging in price from $200 to $450, and they're all excellent. (shd be eval'd by someone who knows how to check a used revolver)
.38spl is a top-notch 'fun' round, and in its +P form matches the 147gr 9mm very nicely as a defensive round when fired from a 3+" barrel. It's also very reloading-friendly, should you decide to do that some day.

-Daizee
 
tradewater said:
Shoot .38s for practice and carry .357s for business. Pull trigger go bang.
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very good advice....I have done with with friends on multiple ocasions....with a snubnose....I still havent felt a full .357 in that gun yet as its not mine....oh well

but advice to the OP, get your hands on every possible gun you can and shoot it, then pick whatever is most comfortable.

Some indoor ranges will even rent handguns out, that is definately worth...if nothing more than you get to shoot and you know that the gun isnt for you.

you will know when you get something that fits you.
 
Tommythewho said:
I suggest a Ruger Mark lll. Excellent first pistol. Comes in many variations. Cheap to buy, Cheap to shoot. You will never outgrow it or wear it out. You can plink, target shoot, hunt and pass it down. Will last many lifetimes. You wont go on a hike without it. It's a quality gun proven over decades
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That's my recommendation too for a first pistol


for carry ? it depends on you, go shoot every pistol made and pick the one that you fall in love with.
 
Tommy & The Count also offer impeccible advice. Generally I'd recommend a dedicated full-size .22 as a first pistol.

+1 on the 3" SP101, Tradewater. I want one badly - to go with my original 4" .22 version. :)

-Daizee
 
There are quite a few choices for IWB holsters. I have Blade Techs which is Kydex, and also have Galco and DeSantis leather holsters. All of them have F.B.I cant, which for me is easier for presentation when concealed, as well as being more comfortable when driving.

I love my 1911's, and have lost track of how many I have owned, but that said, I switched over to Glocks about 7 years ago for EDC. They are light weight, don't rust, and are virtually indestructible.
PLUS, they are very easy to work on, and repair if you need to. My EDC for the last 7 years or so, has been a Glock 36. Single stack 45. Similar in size to a 1911 Commander. and conceals comfortably.
I have put thousands of rounds through it, and have never had a failure to function.
When they first came out, people were saying they were junk because the were having cycling problems. It wasn't the gun, it was the shooters. Just about any semi auto pistol will not cycle if it is limp wristed.
The first time my wife shot my 36, it stove piped. I told her how to hold it correctly, and she never had any problems after that.

I prefer 45 acp. The big heavy, slow moving bullets have proven themselves over many years, and with the 45 you can shoot ball ammo for practice, and I wouldn't hesitate to use it for a defensive round
I'm not a fan of the 40. It is a very high pressure round, as well as being expensive to shoot, as other shave mentioned. IMHO, it was an answer to a problem that never existed. They wanted something more effective than a 9mm, because the performance of the 9mm was giving poor results. I also think it was more of a marketing idea to sell more new guns and ammo, than anything else.

I know there are fans of H&K and Sigs, IMHO they are over priced. I also don't care for the triggers on them, but that is a personal thing and everyone is different. They are not easy to work on either, and I don't own guns that I can't repair.

As you can tell, there are many suggestions and preferences on the choice of pistol and caliber. None of them are wrong, it is what you prefer that matters.
 
clich said:
Yeh but that didnt answer my question.
you discussed weight alone.
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I'm sorry if "Some people like the heft (and recoil reducing) abilities of an all steel framed handgun" wasn't clear. Basically what happens is the weight of a steel framed gun helps keep the muzzle from rising as much when the gun recoils to eject and chamber the next cartridge. Polymer framed guns tend to flip more. I guess flip might not be the best word, but it's all I can really use to describe the sensation. The best illustration is always going to be for you to shoot two guns of the same caliber where one is steel framed and the other is polymer framed. I shoot both, but I prefer the weight of a full sized, steel framed firearm. In my experience, when you shoot a polymer handgun, you have to grip the firearm much more tightly to control it, which is difficult for some people because gripping too hard with either hand can push the shot off target. On my steel framed gun, the weight of it is enough for me to ease up on my grip tension. Hope this helps and good luck picking a firearm. It's a great hobby to get into.

EDIT: I may shoot a polymer .45 mostly these days, but that's because there wasn't a steel framed .45 for my wants and needs at the price I wanted. I just learned to adapt.
 
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