Handgun recommendation wanted.

[Yellow Lab]

I also plan to go to the local gun club/target range to become familiar with my new handgun.
BTW, I'm a simple guy - I like SAK's & Sodbusters. Not looking for the latest & greatest, techno, super "must have" handgun. The simpler to use, maintain, and buy shells for, the better!

I'm glad you made a point about training. The gun of choice is secondary to this.

Having said this, I think, based on what you have said about low tech, the revolver is the way to go. If used for self defense then certainly get a double action pistol. I would go with either a .357 frame and shoot .38 out of it for practice and then try out some magnum load or a basic .38 caliber revolver. Once you figure out you are most comfortable with, get a comparable defense load and use this for self defense.

Many people want the .357 Magnum but most will shoot the .38 better. A .38 Special +P round has some extra knockdown to it.

As for models, the S&W Model 10 is a great gun in .38. If you want a .357 frame then the Model 19 or 66 is one of my favorites. The Ruger GP100 is a stout frame gun also. 4" barrel is a good choice for accuracy and handling. Regardless buy quality. If you need to use this for self defense, what is the price tag for your life?

If you can go to a pistol range, there may be some revolvers to try out. A test drive always helps.

Good luck

 

[Yellow Lab]

WOW! I wouldn't know how to tell if I was getting a good one or a piece of junk, looks like a real hassle buying/shipping over the internet, and the local gun shop doesn't have any and didn't seem too interested in finding one for me (which I can totally understand).

I've got a couple more questions:

1) I didn't even consider a .22 caliber - should I?

2) New or used handgun? (If used, any recommendations for internet site or dealers within 5 or 6 hours drive from central Iowa)?

Thanks again, folks! Knife people are good people!

1. For protection a .22 is not the best choice. I would definitely recommend getting one regardless. Each time you shoot you gain some experience and knowledge. The .22 lets you do this very inexpensively. Great for rabbits and squirrels.

2. New or used. A dilemna for many. Study up on what to look for in a used pistol. Google this.

The best way is to buy local and have a gunsmith peer over the action to ensure it working properly.

 

[omaha-beenglockin]

Ruger P95---15+1 rounds of 9mm goodness.

Affordable--reliable--bulletproof

$300-$400 NEW--depending on the model and where ya buy it.

9mm practice ammo is about the cheapest centerfire round you can find and with hollowpoints the 9mm is very effective.

9mm ammo is easily found in any Walmart.

 

[Output]

I would recommend picking up a .22 for practicing, because they are so much cheaper to shoot. In fact the majority of my range time is spent behind a .22 for that reason. The .22 caliber would not be my first choice for self-defense or home protection, but if that is all you can afford at the moment then so be it. Anything is better than nothing…at least in my book.

Also, keep in mind that there are conversion kits that are available for the P226, Glock 17, and I think even the XD-9 now (double check on the XD-9 just in case I am wrong) that will convert them from 9mm to.22 so you can use them for practice. That may be worth looking into. They normally cost about $250.00 or so though.
Here is a link from thefiringline.com (http://thefiringline.com/Misc/library/Revolver-check.html ) that goes over what to look for in a used revolver. It is a good resource.

Best of luck.

 

[FlaMtnBkr]

I will give the dead horse a kick and also suggest a .357 revolver. You don't have to shoot the magnum loads if it proves to be too much and can stick with .38 which are affordable to practice with. A +P+ will have good knock down power but won't have as much kick as the magnum rounds.

My first gun was a stainless 4" Ruger GP100 that my dad got me as a teenager. I have quite a few guns myself and a ton more that are my dads that I can use whenever I want. I still like to shoot that Ruger the best. It is a nice handful and I shoot it the best and most accurately of all my handguns. If you get comfortable with it then keep it loaded with .357 hollow point defensive rounds which have great knock down power. You can also easily put it under your car seat when traveling, just know the laws.

Something you haven't mentioned is if you have a significant other that might be shooting it as well? If so a nice hefty revolver loaded with .38 would be great for that. If this is to be strictly a home self defense gun the suggestion of a 12 ga is good. You don't have to be as accurate with it and the lead won't travel as far in the house if you do ever have to use it.

Many guns get bought and don't get used much. If you find a used gun that doesn't have many scratches or wear marks then it probably has had an easy life. I would be a lot more comfortable buying a used revolver than a semi-auto if you don't know what to look for as there is not as much to go wrong. Ask the sales guy if you can dry fire it and pull the trigger a couple times to make sure it has a nice smooth pull and you should be fine.

The suggestions to go to a gun range with someone or rent some different guns is a good one but most semi-autos have more you have to do to it which can be bad during a stressful situation. I don't want to have to think about safeties, racking the slide, or wondering if there is a bullet in the chamber if I have to use a gun. I conceal carry a gun everywhere I go and I only carry a revolver or a double action semi-auto with a round in the chamber that behaves like a revolver. They have a long trigger pull but will go bang when I pull the trigger and I don't have to do anything to it but pull the trigger.

You mentioned .22 and I personally would go with a .38 or 9mm at the minimum for protection. Let us know what you decide.


Ruger GP100 4" barrel

 

[UffDa]

I will give the dead horse a kick and also suggest a .357 revolver. You don't have to shoot the magnum loads if it proves to be too much and can stick with .38 which are affordable to practice with. A +P+ will have good knock down power but won't have as much kick as the magnum rounds.

I agree 100%.

Instead of asking for opinions on a forum like this, why don't you do a little reading on the subject. Massad Ayoob, for instance, has REAL world experience and he doesn't hype a bunch of tactical crap.

Take a few minutes and read this. It only touches lightly on the subject.
http://www.tacticalgearmag.com/page/tactical-gear-exclusive



.

 

[Cougar Allen]

Massad Ayoob, for instance, has REAL world experience

 

[timcsaw]

For your situation, I also suggest a revolver in .357. If you will carry it concealed, then look for a short barrel. In any case I also suggest a laser. My revolver is a Ruger SP-101 with a lasergrip.

I also carry a Glock 19 (9mm) with lasergrips, and have a Ruger LCP (.380) with laser for pocket carry.

ON EDIT; I also have a Ruger Mark 1 in .22 cal. that is a good practice gun. I wouldn't consider .22 a good defense round however.

 

[SIFU1A]

I find it curious that so many people are recommending a .357 Magnum revolver to a non-handgun kind of guy with zero experience.

To my mind that is a pretty hot load that would require a fair amount of practice and training to master. If you are not prepared to do that, then I would look elsewhere.

I believe if you are going to load it with .357 Mag rounds, you should practice with .357 Mag rounds and even in a heavy stainless revolver that could be a tough call for an older person.

That said I would recommend a Glock 19 without hesitation. Or a Glock 26 - even better for concealment if you plan to carry it a lot. The 26 is a fantastic little gun with some extension pads on the mags.

If you only plan to keep the gun next to your bed, then, yes, by all means consider a revolver. However, a semi-auto, and a Glock in particular, is FAR easier to carry than an all-steel revolver.

You dont even need a holster for a Glock, just shove it into your jeans and you can walk around with it all day (only do this with the chamber empty). Try doing that with a revolver! Plus with a revolver you would need to carry one or two extra speedloaders. Carrying a spare mag in a sheath is a lot easier.

Other advantages:

A G19 offers 15 rounds against the 6 of a revolver. And a Glock can easily handle +P+ rounds (I recommend Cor-Bon or Winchester SXTs in 115 grain).

The beauty of a Glock in particular is that it offers the high capacity and compactness of a semi-auto, with the simplicity of a revolver. Just shove the mag in, rack the slide and blast away! No external safeties to worry about - just like a revolver.

And Glocks are ultra-reliable, tough as nails, accurate as anything and, I believe, easy to shoot.

(I forgot to mention why I recommend the 9mm Glock. Although I am a .45ACP fan myself, the 9mm is more practical because ammo is much cheaper. If you own a handgun you should practice with it and you will be far happier buying 9mm ammo than most other calibers with the possible exception of .38 special. Especially if you are retired and on a fixed income. Also, 9mm is always available, its the most common round on the planet. I believe with the right ammo (two mentioned above) the 9mm is a more than capable round. Shot placement is a lot more important anyway, and an easily controlled round will be easier to shoot accurately that a super hot calibre like a .357 Mag.)

i agree about the .357 mag, i guess ya could have a .357 and then shoot .38 out of it, but if ya plan to do that the .38s are usually a bit liter and smaller vs the .357 so i would just go with .38, while a larger revolver, like a 586 or 686 S&W with a 4" or 6" bbl, they wouldnt be too bad with mag loads, a "J" frame .357 with mag loads though is another story lol, one of the most difficult pistols to master around, imho, if ya are just enamored of the .357 mag ya should also look at .357SIG which is very close ballistically to the .357mag but is imho easier to shoot well as long as its not a subcompact, in other words a glock 31 or 32 isnt bad at all, glock 33 is a bit more of a handfull,

i also like to add a finger rest on glock 27/27/33's, my fav is a glock brand (NOT a scherer) +2, i like them a lot better than other rests, they add 2 rounds also, not the 1 like all the scherers do no matter what they advertise, i have had 3 and all added 1 not 2, the glock brand +2 have been hard to find lately, not impossible though.

 

[SIFU1A]

large capacity guns are not a necessity for civilians. police & military are usually the only people needing lots of firepower. with the new 38 ammo one shot incapitation is certainly expected. revolvers can sit loaded for 20 years or longer & perform 100%. no safeties or buttons to push , just pick up & squeeze.the smaller 38's can be carried unnoticed & are light & comfortable.i've owned & used most big boomers made , my current b.o.b. is a colt detective special with the newer speer load made for 2 in. barrels. will penetrate 9 in. of ballistic gelatin. [takes 4 in. to reach heart]

as far as capacity, lots of folks do care about it, since i edc a kahr P9 or PM9 it obviously doesnt matter that much to me, but like i said it does to some folks.

it could also be said a glock 19, or a kahr P9(or others), could be left loaded 20 yrs/longer and should perform 100%, with no safeties and no buttons unless ya need a reload, and both are also lite and easy to carry.

detective specials are good pistols no doubt, i have 2 of the things, 1 a 3" bbl model, i still prefer a kahr P9 or PM9 to them though, they are a lot liter and easier to deal with on a day to day basis than a DS, and i have tried both. for me, its all about weight when it comes to edc pistols, as long as they arent too big anyway, i almost prefer smith "J"s to DS's, because of the weight, even though the DS has a better trigger and sites & 1 more round the "J" is just so small/lite, it would be a hard choice for me between a "J"and a DS, i'd have to do some thinking, but in the end the "J" would probably prevail, maybe, possibly, like i said both are good but the DS is kinda heavy, wish i woulda bought an agent back when they were running ~ $150 or so,

9" isnt that great, some say 12" is minimum, just depends on who ya wanna believe, the speer snubbie 125gr GDHP is imho the best load for snubs, its what i would use if i was gonna pack a .38 snub.

 

[termiteslayer]

"I find it curious that so many people are recommending a .357 Magnum revolver to a non-handgun kind of guy with zero experience."
.38 target rounds will peen out to the size of a quarter quickly. Test it on a ham.
The thing I don't like about Glocks is that if the wrist isn't rigid enough you'll get feeding problems.
A few of my martial arts buddies had issues with this.
They had been training with Chinese sword and were working on the supple wrist thing.
Glocks would jam on them, I'd pick up their guns and empty the clip into the target. They weren't too happy about this at all. Only happened with the Glocks (yes, they tried many different glocks), no other make ever gave 'em problems.
Darndest thing... totally surprised me and convinced me to never get a Glock.
There are some reports of this kind of thing with the Glocks - possibly too light for someone who is a bit too relaxed.
I'd be bummed if I had to pull the trigger in a worse case scenario with a limpish, broken wrist.
Let's hope I'll never find out.

 

[Buffalohump]

Granted my experience with the .357 Magnum is based on a light frame gun, the S&W Model 19 with a 2,5 inch barrel. I believe this is the piece the FBI carried for a number of years, not sure how true that is.

Anyway, I bought a couple of boxes of carry ammo cheaply somewhere and started working my way through them. Damn! The backstrap would print on my hand! Thing kicked like a freaking mule. The other thing is that the cartridges would expand to such a degree, I couldn't get them out of the cylinder. It was the darndest thing. They must have been some seriously hot rounds! I can't recall the manufacturer right now.

I eventually sold the thing and from then on I stuck to semi-autos: Glock, H&K and a Colt 1911.

 

[timcsaw]

The Glock 19 is an excellent choice if the OP wants to go with a "mid-sized" semi-auto. I can't say enough good things about mine. In any case, whether he decides on a revolver or semi-auto, I suggest laser grips (especially as he is new to fire arms). I have Crimson Trace lasers on all of my hand guns (except my Ruger Mark 1). One GREAT advantage to having a laser installed is it's ability to help the shooter develop an accurate sight picture without ever firing a round.

I shoot at an outside range, and when the snow falls, it closes. I can sit in my living room with an empty chamber, and pop the gun up on a target across the room and THEN push the laser on to check my aim. The thermostat control on the wall across the room is a favorite target. By doing this repeatedly throughout the winter, I maintain the sight picture in my head, just as if I'd been firing rounds at the range. Granted this is NO SUBSTITUTE to shooting live rounds at a target, but it WILL help to improve/maintain sight picture and build muscle memory.

VICIOUS HOUSE CAT! - POINT/AIM - LASER BUTTON (woulda' been a dead cat)....

VIOLENT THERMOSTAT!! - POINT/AIM - LASER BUTTON (woulda' been a dead thermostat)...

THREATENING LASYBOY ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM!!! - POINT/AIM CENTER MASS - LASER BUTTON (woulda' been a dead Lasyboy)....

Rince and repeat.... and repeat... and repeat. It's the cheapest way to memorize sight picture and point of aim (muscle memory) there is.:thumbup::thumbup:

GET A LASER!!! (no I don't work for any laser manufacturers)

 

[Ellis Wyatt]

You dont even need a holster for a Glock, just shove it into your jeans and you can walk around with it all day (only do this with the chamber empty).

There is nothing about this statement that makes sense. You should never carry a handgun without a proper holster. I know you added the advice that you should leave the chamber empty. So my assumption is that if you ever had to draw the gun you would then ask the person you are drawing on to pause while to dig it out of your pocket and chamber a round? What if during your day you bent over and the magazine release has been pressed and the mag has fallen out? When carrying a handgun, time is going to be critical and your reaction time will depend on how often you practiced drawing from your current carry position. If you practice the hollywood gangster method of pants stuffing your Glock, then by all means, carry that way. If not, you will probably look like a fool fumbling for your junk while someone robs you at gunpoint.

Also, I am very surprised at all these suggestions to "just get a Glock." A Glock has a single safety, on the trigger. Anyone who picks up the gun(including children) are sufficiently capable of discharging it, whether they should or not. Without proper practice I think the Glock is a back idea. The OP has little or no handgun experience. He needs to start with the basics, learn firearm safety and find a gun that fits him. Glocks may be durable, but they are far from the best weapon for everyone. The triggers leave a lot to be desired, and the grips are uncomfortable to most. If the OP is like me and a lot of other people, the Glock will not fit his hands well. If he simply takes the internet advice of "just get a Glock" then he won't even know that other guns fit him better.

For all new prospective handgun owners, you need to go to a range, get some training from someone there and shoot a variety of guns in different calibers. Describe what you are planning to use the gun for and then pick your gun accordingly. If you plan to practice once a year and keep the gun in a drawer the rest of the year, a Glock in 9mm is a terrible choice. You will see no benefit from a gun that doesn't need maintenance if you never shoot it and there are several better calibers for home defense than 9mm.

OP: Check out your local gun range and try a few out. If you have any friends that shoot, try their guns out. Find one that fits you and you can shoot accurately. Glocks are fine guns for what they are, but like knives, each gun has a different purpose. Analyze what you need and find one to fit.

 

[InfidelShootist]

There is nothing about this statement that makes sense. You should never carry a handgun without a proper holster. I know you added the advice that you should leave the chamber empty. So my assumption is that if you ever had to draw the gun you would then ask the person you are drawing on to pause while to dig it out of your pocket and chamber a round? What if during your day you bent over and the magazine release has been pressed and the mag has fallen out? When carrying a handgun, time is going to be critical and your reaction time will depend on how often you practiced drawing from your current carry position. If you practice the hollywood gangster method of pants stuffing your Glock, then by all means, carry that way. If not, you will probably look like a fool fumbling for your junk while someone robs you at gunpoint.

Also, I am very surprised at all these suggestions to "just get a Glock." A Glock has a single safety, on the trigger. Anyone who picks up the gun(including children) are sufficiently capable of discharging it, whether they should or not. Without proper practice I think the Glock is a back idea. The OP has little or no handgun experience. He needs to start with the basics, learn firearm safety and find a gun that fits him. Glocks may be durable, but they are far from the best weapon for everyone. The triggers leave a lot to be desired, and the grips are uncomfortable to most. If the OP is like me and a lot of other people, the Glock will not fit his hands well. If he simply takes the Internet advice of "just get a Glock" then he won't even know that other guns fit him better.

For all new prospective handgun owners, you need to go to a range, get some training from someone there and shoot a variety of guns in different calibers. Describe what you are planning to use the gun for and then pick your gun accordingly. If you plan to practice once a year and keep the gun in a drawer the rest of the year, a Glock in 9mm is a terrible choice. You will see no benefit from a gun that doesn't need maintenance if you never shoot it and there are several better calibers for home defense than 9mm.

OP: Check out your local gun range and try a few out. If you have any friends that shoot, try their guns out. Find one that fits you and you can shoot accurately. Glocks are fine guns for what they are, but like knives, each gun has a different purpose. Analyze what you need and find one to fit.

Someone has Glock derangement syndrome.Lots of old timers think like that.
Glocks are unsafe without any safeties yet suggest a revolver without any safeties and half or a third of the ammo capacity.
Then we're hit with the would you leave a gun with no safeties around young children? Yea right,I leave my cocked and locked 1911 around my kids all the time and feel perfectly safe.After all it has a safety.

As far as us Internet experts suggesting the 9mm that is well known for bouncing off bad guys.
I should have suggested a gun with more recoil and less capacity for a beginner.That way even with the flinch he'll develop the pure awesomeness of a larger caliber will knock down the bad guy when he misses his target because as all of us Internet experts know shot placement is overrated.

What are the fundamentals of marksmanship?
Trigger control and sight alignment.
What is the most important requirement in a handgun to achieve trigger control and sight alignment?
A consistent grip and consistent trigger finger placement and pull.
What is known to screw that up the best?
The double/single trigger.
What guns don't have the dreaded double single trigger?
The Glock is one of them.

 

[InfidelShootist]

"I find it curious that so many people are recommending a .357 Magnum revolver to a non-handgun kind of guy with zero experience."
.38 target rounds will peen out to the size of a quarter quickly. Test it on a ham.
The thing I don't like about Glocks is that if the wrist isn't rigid enough you'll get feeding problems.
A few of my martial arts buddies had issues with this.
They had been training with Chinese sword and were working on the supple wrist thing.
Glocks would jam on them, I'd pick up their guns and empty the clip into the target. They weren't too happy about this at all. Only happened with the Glocks (yes, they tried many different glocks), no other make ever gave 'em problems.
Darndest thing... totally surprised me and convinced me to never get a Glock.
There are some reports of this kind of thing with the Glocks - possibly too light for someone who is a bit too relaxed.
I'd be bummed if I had to pull the trigger in a worse case scenario with a limpish, broken wrist.
Let's hope I'll never find out.

Any young man who limp wrists a Glock deserves to be shot.
Women,old people,someone with hand or wrist problems would be better off with a revolver because all semi-automatics can be limp wristed.

 

[termiteslayer]

Yeah, .357 is a brute, but .38's sure soften the snap.
It's still a bit more sparky than most semi autos, I'll admit that.
It really does come down to whatever fits your style.
Rentals are an excellent way to decide what fits you and can help you make the right first purchase.
The fact seems to be that most prefer semi autos and I'm probably one of the odd ones.
When it comes to home defense and the inexperienced firearm owner I tend to think a shotgun with bird shot is the way to go. Much easier to hit the target in a crisis and less likely to shoot through your house into neighboring houses.
Bird shot is much safer for your neighbors IMO.
It all comes down to the competence of the user. I feel that anyone who intends to have a firearm for defense should pay some serious dues on the range and understand what their rounds are capable of.
I'd never use my .44 for home defense, not even with .44 specials. I have too many neighbors.

 

[Cutshaw]

I'll echo pretty much what others said but with a twist...

If for home-defense & range use, I would pick either a 4" Ruger GP100 .357 or a Glock 17 9mm.

If it may double for carry duty, either a S&W 642 .38 Special or a Glock 19 9mm.

The Ruger: A heavy tank that absorbs the recoil of .357 nicely. Shoot .38s for economy and some range use. You can field strip it with a dime. Ultra solid.

Glock 17: Full size 9x19 that is simple and reliable. The 9mm, while still being an effective defensive round, has light enough recoil that you can be back on target, as a novice, quickly. High round capacity and the ammo is cheap/available.

S&W 642: Reliable, easily pocketable (in a holster,) and is a very common handgun. Standard .38 Special loads for range and .38 +Ps for defensive/carry. Short sight radius but effective at get-away-from-me-! distances. Ultra common.

Glock 19: Smaller than the full-size 17, but still retaining a high round capacity. Small enough to carry but you'll have to put more thought into the holster/clothing. Large enough to maintain control better than a double-stack, sub-compact 9 (Glock 26.)

Be cautious with the local sporting goods store counter-help. Often, the "best gun for you!" is the one model in which they have the greatest overstock.

A .22LR is fine for practice but is not a defensive round.

So... work with friends to shoot their handguns at a range. Utilize a range with rental handguns, if necessary. Decide if you're more comfortable with a revolver or pistol. Ideally, buying all four of the above is your best choice.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[teacher]

First a little about me - not because this is about me, but because if you know my intended usage it will help in making any recommendations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It's kinda hard to describe why I want to buy a handgun now, at this time in my life. I guess the best word would be for security. I'm not a survivalist, nor do I think the world is coming to an end anytime soon. It's just one of those "Ya never know" or "It may not be a bad idea" type of things. Basically self defense in an emergency type situation should it ever arise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BTW, I'm a simple guy - I like SAK's & Sodbusters. Not looking for the latest & greatest, techno, super "must have" handgun. The simpler to use, maintain, and buy shells for, the better! Caliber recommendations also very much appreciated! Thanks again!

My .02...........

Relvolver/357 Magnum... will also shoot 38 Special & 38 Special+P's/Simple and to the point... no frills. [Smith, Ruger, Charter Arms, etc., etc.]

Semi Auto/Glock 23..... .40 caliber

If you want something to very easily conceal, no matter what your attire; get a Kel-Tec P-3AT .... .380 caliber and use COR®BON ammo. Links to pistol & ammo below.

Kel-Tec
http://www.keltecpistols.com/

P-3AT
http://www.keltecpistols.com/item/37488_Kel-Tec_Hand_Guns_Pistols_KEL-TEC_P-3AT_380ACP_PK_B.aspx

COR®BON
http://www.corbon.com/

Here is a link to the page I got the below COR®BON info from.....
http://www.dakotaammo.net/Self...nse-JHP/100/100/dept

* Caliber: 380 Auto
* Bullet Wt.: 90gr COR®BON Self-Defense JHP
* Velocity: 1050fps
* Energy: 220ftlbs
* Test Barrel Length: 2.5 Inches

American Made.
American Owned.
------------------
Opinions are like rear ends.... everybody has one.
So good luck on sorting it all out.

What I have posted here works for me and works well, both in simplicity and effectiveness.

Unless you just want a new one.... you can get some great deals from time to time on used guns.

The Kel-Tec is pretty much out for any "kind" of target shooting/plinking on a regular basis IMO. It is just an extremely easily concealed close quarters, self defense weapon.

Many will jump up and down and shout that the .380 is not "powerful" enough.
With the correct ammo it will do just fine though for a small, easily concealed, SD weapon.

For in home protection..... consider a short barreled, pistol grip shotgun loaded with 4,5,or 6 shot. This combo will ruin any intruders day and you don't have to worry so much about killing someone else in the house or the neighbors with an errant shot.

Good luck,
Cp

 

[termiteslayer]

"Be cautious with the local sporting goods store counter-help. Often, the "best gun for you!" is the one model in which they have the greatest overstock."
+1