Handgun Advice Needed

A double action smith like the Model 15 with a 4" barrel is the closest thing to perfection I've ever seen. Sadly, I don't own one.
Also, the single action Colt Clones in .45 are a huge kick in the ass. Don't fire as fast, but put a huge thump on whatever your target is.

Bruise- There is a new caliber out there for people with small hands. .45 GAP(Glock Auto Pistol). Gives similar performance to the standard .45 ACP but comes in 9mm sized frames. That might help a bit. I don't know if any other company chambers it other than Glock.
 
Yes, other people chamber the GAP but don't ask me who.

The gyst of the question, "What is best?" always leads to this best answer; "The one you like and will use the most."

It takes time to figure out what you like and you may not get the question answered 100% the first time. But if you've done your homework you'll at least have a tool that won't let you down while you're still deciding if the Holy Grail of the perfect handgun is worth pursuing.

Shooting is a lot of fun, besides being a responsibility and one of life's gifts.



munk
 
0.45 GAP? Sounds expensive to buy ammo if you don't reload.

me = cheap.

I got to handle a Browning 9mm and found it very comfortable. I've also liked the 1911s. I haven't fired anything yet.

Price shouldn't be a factor but it sneaks its way in there eventually. 45ACP being the most expensive of 45, .40 and 9mm. 9mm being the least expensive.

I do like the idea of bigger blobs of lead though. :)
 
There sure are a lot of choices out there, but just for now staying in line with what you were shooting, I can say that I have had good luck with the weapons you mentioned.

I have owned Glock pistols, and found them to be a good weapon.

I have owned, and still currently own a Sig Sauer pistol, and find it to be a good weapon.

I have owned a H&K USP 40, and found it to be a good weapon.

So again, as far as quality, you have three good quality brands there.

The tougher choices that will have to be made by you are going to be things like size, weight, caliber/recoil, finish, safety system, magazine capacity, etc.

Some of the more common caliber choices today are the 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 Sig, .45 GAP, .45 ACP.

The 9mm will usually carry 2 to 3 rounds more than the comparable .40 caliber pistol, but the .40 has the oomph advantage. The recoil is not harsh on either caliber (IMO), but the .40 does have noticably more recoil. That bit of extra recoil in the .40 will in turn reimburse you with extra stopping power.

.357 Sig is the marrying of the 9mm bullet to a necked down .40 S&W shell. The advantage this gave to the 9mm bullet was higher velocity, which in turn gives a good bit more muzzle energy than the standard 9mm. I would not feel underpowered with a 9mm, .357 Sig, or a .40 S&W caliber gun, especially if you get good advice when purchasing good ammo for whatever caliber you choose.

I don't have any experience with the .45 Gap, and though I have heard good things, I will not be able to inject an opinion on it.

The .45ACP is nice. A heavy bullet that in my experience gives more of a shove recoil than a kick recoil, but in any case it lets you know you are discharging a weapon :)
Capacity on the .45 ACP tends to be lower in gun's chambering this round, but again, stopping power is rated pretty damn high (as with any caliber, proper bullet placement and ammo quality has an important role to play here as well).

The recoil is something that one has to get used to on any gun that one purchases, but no matter what caliber one chooses, practice usually takes care of any early on issues that you may experience with any of these calibers I mentioned ;)

Good luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of handgun ownership :)

Oh, by the way, here are the meanings of some of what follows after certain calibers:

ACP= Automatic Colt Pistol (first being designed for and chambered for a Colt model pistol)

S&W= Smith & Wesson (first being designed for and chambered in a Smith and Wesson pistol)

Sig= Sig/Sig Sauer (first being designed for and chambered in a Sig pistol)

GAP= Glock Automatic Pistol (first being designed for and chambered in a Glock Pistol)
 
If you have a range available near your house, go shoot the H&K USP that you liked just to be sure it's the gun for you before you spend the money. H&K makes a great pistol and it will serve you well. Also try a Sig P-229 or P-226 in .40 S&W. I've found the same Sig models in .357 have a snappier kick that a lot of people don't like but they liked the same pistol in .40. Just my opinion..............Malcolm
 
RAnges in NJ don't let you rent.

You need to buy before you can shoot on them.

I've narrowed it down to Either a variant of the HK USP or the CZ 75 B.

I didn't have a chance to fire the CZ, but I've read a lot of reviews that were extremely positive.

Anyone here fire one?

Also, What are the opinions on the USP Elite, Tactical and Expert models?

I do admit I like the look of the Sig 226 Equinox
 
Cabbit?

Hollowdweller has some great things to say about Makarov pistols...from price to fun shooting. Hang on 'till he posts. He's got a link somewhere on Ramonon's forums.

MUCH less expensive way to work your path into the hobby.


(I likes my old S&W Chief, I liked the Model 10, and the Model 15 too. Thirty-eight is/was/will be enough for me.)
 
It's certainly true that this thread has gone right up to the highest priced models.

When you carry/access a weapon, another consideration is: what happens if it's lost or stolen? Everyone weighs price vs need. Need includes fun and self defense.


munk
 
Amen on the Makarov.

Excellent shooter, inexpensive,accurate, cheap ammo, works with my very small hands.

Bruise, you should check one out. You can get a lot of shooting in( equals proficiency, which is more important than the hardware!) for little money, and spend well on quality leather.

I liked shooting the CZ75, excellent gun, but too big for my hands.

The Ruger blackhawk convertible in 9mm/357 would be an excellent gun, 3 ammo choices, and very durable, as well as flexible.

Take care,

Tom
 
Bruise,

When i worked in a gunshop, I would recommend a Hi-Power for smaller handed persons. However a flat grip paneled 1911-A1 is also a great choice, especially with a shorter trigger installed.

Howard is exactly right, also the ejector rod can come unscrewed (happened with older S&W revolvers, which would jam the cylinder so it couldn't hinge open for reloading.

I had an older S&W 25-5 which would shave slivers off the bullet as it went through the gap between the cylinder mouth and the forcing cone. Didn't know it until I went to an indoor range with it. Apparently the cylinder was bored slightly off.

Shann your idea is exactly why the finest handling .357 revolver was built. The Smith 19 was designed to fire .38 for practice, and .357's for work. That is my favorite framed handgun, and I shoot a Mdl 10 better than any other gun I've ever owned.
 
45-70 said:
...The Smith 19 was designed to fire .38 for practice, and .357's for work. That is my favorite framed handgun, and I shoot a Mdl 10 better than any other gun I've ever owned.
Click to expand...

I prefer the round butt 586.

As far as a semi auto; I would recomend the Glock that fits your hand best.

If you get into shooting you will see that one gun just won't do.

You will need a .22 like the Ruger Mark II, a .357/.38 revolver like the S&W586/686, a 9mm like a Glock and a .45 acp like the Springfield 1911.

One gun can't do it all.

Good luck on your first pick. :)
 
RGRAY said:
I prefer the round butt 586.

As far as a semi auto; I would recomend the Glock that fits your hand best.

If you get into shooting you will see that one gun just won't do.

You will need a .22 like the Ruger Mark II, a .357/.38 revolver like the S&W586/686, a 9mm like a Glock and a .45 acp like the Springfield 1911.

One gun can't do it all.

Good luck on your first pick. :)
Click to expand...

Speaking of Glocks and .22s, has anybody tried the Ciener conversion for the Glock, so you can shoot .22s with you Glock?
 
RGRAY said:
One gun can't do it all.
Click to expand...

That one statement, and it's antithesis has probably sold more magazine articles than any other pair in history.

RGRAY said:
Good luck on your first pick. :)
Click to expand...

Just like Kuhkuri's...
 
Shann
I wouldn't buy anything from Ciener. His customer service is terrible!! I had one of his .22 conversions for a 1911 that shot 10" high at 25yds. I had the adjustable sight set to it's lowest setting. I called him up for some help and he told me to aim low!! I traded it in the next day. I purchased a .22 conversion for a Glock made by advantagearms.com . It works great and it's accurate. They say that federal ammunition will give you problems though. You just have to clean it every 200 or 250 rds because it starts to get gunked up with the .22LR powder and wax. Hope this info helps.........Malcolm
 
CZ makes a fine, accurate weapon.

Andy
 
Hey Bruise,

Kis and GraverTom are right about good old Makarovs. I've owned a Russian made one, and currently have a Bulgarian. Good gun, solid, simple, compact, reliable, inexpensive, fun to shoot, and "Commie" 9 mil ammo is dirt cheap. Got the pistol and holster, which also houses a spare magazine, for 139 bucks. Love the safety on 'em too, it's slide mounted, and one flick of the thumb safely decocks (lowers the hammer) and locks the hammer, trigger, and slide from moving. Dang near "Lieutenant Proof" ;)

Tell you a story about Makarovs; Friend of mine was helping clear a bunker during Desert Storm, when he noticed a metallic object sticking out of the dirt. Concerned it could be something hazardous, he gave it a closer look. It was the butt of a Makarov pistol that had gotten packed down in the sand by the tramping of boots as the bunker's previous occupants had hastily buggered off. He took the weapon out in the daylight, extracted the magazine, checked the chamber, then on a whim decided to try an "experiment". He banged the pistol against his boot until he'd dislodged the compacted dirt, blew out what sand he could, then re-inserted the magazine, chambered a round, and proceeded to empty all eight into a dirt berm without a single jam or misfire.

Yup, good old Makarov, the poor man's Walther PPK. :D

Russian_military_Makarov_small.jpg


Sarge

p.s.: check out www.makarov.com outstanding web site!
 
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