Handgun Advice Needed

[sams]

Bruise and Cabbit,
your first handgun should be a revolver. I owned 43 handguns at one time and would give classes. One of my duties was ordinance/instructor in the service.

At 14, a Browning High Power was my first pistol. I couldn't hit a thing with it. I bought it because of the grip and mag capacity. Good gun! I gave it to my son.

Colt 38's are sleepers, i frame or d frames are very cheap but Cadillac quality. I don't want to get into models etc, unless you want the specifics.

If you traveled south, I would break out the ordinance and let you decide first hand.

 

[Krull]

Cabbit if it's home and range you'll love the H&K but,

H&K Mark 23 (Seems like the best H&K makes, not sure about the price though.)

That one is a $1.000.00+ so be ready

I have and woods carry a Glock 21 .45 Auto all the time 'bout all that sucks is the clip otherwise :thumbup: gun.

 

[cavetech]

Get a Sig Sauer P226 in 9MM. I have carried one for a very long time. Arguably, there is no finer pistol.

Thanks, Steve

 

[Bri in Chi]

Bruise,
A decent alternative to a Browning Hi Power is the FEG Hungarian clone. I replaced the stock grips with Spegel thin checkered grips on mine, and that helped a lot. The two controversial things are the "magazine safety" and the hard-to manipulate thumb safety. Fortunately, there are after-market safeties available. And lots of advice...
http://www.cylinder-slide.com/index.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/

 

[raghorn]

I love those Makarovs; too bad the supply of sub-$150 Bulgarians evaporated so quickly.

I picked up one of the FM Hi-Powers from Sarco last year. It's a great shooter for only about $300, and built like a tank. Not as graceful or sexy as a Belgian HP, but worth every penny. The effect of the magazine disconnect on trigger pull can be minimized by burnishing the plate that contacts the side of the magazine. That was all it took to smooth mine out, anyway.

My first choices for a revolver would be a mid-sized Smith (pre-frame lock) or Ruger GP-100. I'm also a huge fan of Colt revolvers, but the few that are still around are getting expensive and difficult to find.

 

[Cabbit]

Well, I went to another store and held a few more pistols.

Sig GSR: Fit my hand like a glove...

Sig 226R: This seemed to have a narrower grip or something, it seemed less wide. Wasn't bad at all... However this was the only one and I think it was a 9mm. I don't know why this one felt different, but it did.

S&W 1911A1: Fit my hand well, but seemed to have some "issues" with fit and finish.

Kimber Desert Warrior: Seemed to Fit well.

A good friend of mine recommended I look into a ParaOrdnance LDA. He served in Desert Storm and in Bosnia and is currently a Detective in Florida.

Any word on the GSR, Kimbers or Para Ordnance LDAs?

 

[philthygeezer]

Get the one that you found easiest to shoot well.

 

[philthygeezer]

Any recommendations for folks with smaller hands?

I would recommend the Browning Hi Power in 9mm and a single stack 1911 with a flat mainspring housing and standard grip panels for a .45. I have smallish hands and found those two easiest to shoot.

 

[Novadak]

Any recommendations for folks with smaller hands?

Another vote for the Browning Hi-Power 9mm, they're really nice once the mag safety's been dealt with. Kahr 9mms are very small and very ergonomically designed if you've got small hands. I've also found some 1911s that fit surprisingly well, and my hands are almost certainly smaller than yours are. Good luck!

 

[Cabbit]

Get the one that you found easiest to shoot well.

That's the problem... in NJ, stores don't let you "try before you buy"...

 

[DaddyDett]

I am a small handed guy, size 9 gloves.
My girlfriend is just plain petite, 4ft 11 and hands alot smaller than mine.
I shoot primarily CZ handguns, and clones ( IMI Jericho 941 FB).
I have 2 CZ 75B's, 9mm and .40 S&W, both have CZ factory rubber grips.
Both of us find these pistols to be very comfortable to shoot, and pretty darn accurate. I dare say the Jericho will go to my G/F, as she has all but adopted it as her own.
Cz's are also frequently available at darn fair prices, between $295. and $500, depending on the model.
The .40 75B's are a bit undersprung, but an inexpensive Wolff spring kit will make it run flawlesly.

In choosing a handgun, the most important factor is comfort for you.
Pick the gun that fits your hand, and who's controls are easy for you to learn and operate.
This will make you more willing to practice, alot, and that is paramount in
becoming ssafe and competant with a pistol.

Good luck!

DaddyDett

 

[cavetech]

Hi Cabbit:

Go to a big indoor range like Ray's Sport Shop in the Springfield, NJ area and rent various handguns with the range time and try them out. Explain your purpose and they will teach you about the weapons.

Thanks, Steve

 

[Cabbit]

They rent there?

I was there a few days ago!