Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Hi guys,

I plan to purchase a handgun in the next couple weeks, but don't know anything about guns. I am already enrolled in a one day three hour handgun class next month. Any recommendations on what kind a complete novice should get, and where to get one? I went to Acadamy yesterday and took a look at their handgun selection, and felt overwhelmed by all the different kinds. BTW I don't plan to purchase the gun until AFTER I take the class.

Thanks,
CP

EDIT: Sorry I didn't realize until I posted this that there was a subforum entitled "firearms". Perhaps this can be moved over?

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

In that sub-forum there are also hundreds of threads exactly like this except they have 20-30+ replies with advice. Use search or just go back a couple pages, you will find plenty.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

http://glockmeister.com/images/metsign.gif

**Refer to Firearms section of the Forum for more info.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Try out any different guns at your class (great going getting educated).
Find/Make friends with guns and shoot theirs.
Learn what you like in caliber and make.
Don't chince on the price, either. You get what you pay for.
Once you think you kno go to an indoor range that rents the gun you intend to buy and try it before you make the purchase.

There are a lot of different guns because there are a lot of different tastes and uses. Purchase accordingly.
Take Pics and post so we can discuss your new purchase.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Look at the Glock 26 first!

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

If you want to practice on a regular basis you are going to want to pick up a gun that takes .22lr since it is affordable to shoot. For a reasonable price you can pick up a ruger 22/45 or Browning buckmark (both are semi-auto's).

For home on the night stand I keep a Glock 30 (mid-sized .45 acp).

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I like the Glock 19, with Trijicon (glow in the dark) sights. Ultimately it depends on which one feels best in your hand however.

The model-19 is a double-stack 9mm. I am fairly large (6'2") and had planned on buying a double-stack 45, but all of them felt too fat in my hand. I could shoot them, but they didn't feel very secure. That feel is what is critical to accurate shooting.

In my opinion, when it comes to self-defense arms, less controls is better. In a panic situation (like in the middle of the night, when you've suddenly woken up) people tend to make all kinds of dumb mistakes. Ordinary people are not really used to that kind of stress, and so you shouldn't expect to be able to do anything complicated, quickly. A gun with the least controls is best. Glocks don't have safeties to accidentally leave on, or decocking levers to accidentally hit.

A revolver is even simpler than a Glock, as it's even less likely to have any feed problems, but only has 5 or 6 shots. The Glock 19 holds 14 or 15, depending on how you load it.

------

Where to buy it is subjective.
I would consider the service at a real gun shop generally more knowledgeable than what you get at a sporting goods dept store.

-end-

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

There is only 1 all around handgun for your first gun. 38 Special 5 shot 2 to 4 inch revolver. Try to get a 2 inch....all you will ever need....an idiot can operate it and it is the safest hand gun in the world. Look at the double action only hammerless revolvers....no hammer means your wife can't easily cock it and have it go off easily....D.A.O. means long heavy trigger pulls every shot....no accidents.

If you currently do not own a pistol....you have no pistol experience....do not get a semi-automatic....keep it old school simple.....a snubby revolver.

Look in the survival forum for tons of comments on this topic.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

The best answer IMHO is to go to a range where you can rent a variety of handguns and try them out before buying. Buy the one you like/shoot the best.

The second best answer (IMHO) is a revolver with a 4" barrel chambered in .38 Special or .357 Magnum. It is not as sexy or trendy as the latest greatest Glock or other wondergun, but it has a very simple manual of arms and is a very good all-purpose choice, especially if you do not intend or cannot afford to practice frequently.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

.38 snub, colt, s&w, taurus. easy carry, simple to operate. 2nd choice gov't .45 auto.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I went with a Smith and Wesson 40VE Sigma despite what some people said here. I talked to many people and read many reviews, and ultimately it felt comfortable in my hand. I do plan to buy another one though in the next month...probably a Glock that takes the same 40 S&W caliber so that I dont have to worry about confusing ammo. One nice thing about the S&W I got is that it came with an offer to get two more high capacity mags with purchase. So it came with two 14 round mags, and a mail in form to get an additional 2 more (or $50 cash).

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

GLOCK 19. Besides the slide release and mag release there is only one function - the trigger. It is also very accurate -- more accurate than a revolver.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Ruger SP-101.
Practice with .38 special.
Carry with .357 magnum.

Built like a tank, .357 hits like a tank, goes bang every time:

http://www.gunblast.com/Ruger_SP101.htm

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Only semi auto I have ever owned is a glock 19. Simple, accurate, tough and reliable.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Definitely not this...

http://airbornecombatengineer.typepa...iagonalace.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Can't go wrong with a Glock 19.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

One thing you might want to consider is that if you use a revolver for personal protection is whether you plan to leave it loaded or not. I think a semiauto can be safer than a revolver if you want to have it available quickly without having to keep it loaded all the time. To me there are quite a few safety benefits to keeping a gun unloaded including one's own personal protection.

With a semiauto you can have you handgun easily available but leave it unloaded and the magazine out. The magazine can be kept at a separate secret location but able to be installed quickly in the dark if necessary (can't easily do that with a revolver as far as I know).

I think semiautos when considered this way and depending on the owners circumstances (roommates, children, guests, unwelcome guests etc.) a semiauto can actually be safer... although often media, politicians and uninformed gun grabbers would have us believe otherwise, implying that "automatics" (but actually they are referring to semiautos) are more dangerous than revolvers. I think semiautos can be much safer for personal protection.

Get a good experienced coach to help you get started. Be safe.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

CP -

There are no "beginner's" handguns. As a number of people have suggested, do yourself the favor of a class or several classes, plus a lot of time on the range trying different weapons on for size, before you buy. It will take more than two weeks, most likely.

You'll know it when you find the right one, because it will feel almost effortless to acquire the target. Then all you need to do is decide which caliber you prefer. And I'm not even going to go there.

I noticed a couple of "snubbies", as they are called, being recommended.
Remember that the shorter the barrel length is, the less accurate the weapon will be. Snubbies are great for concealed carry with the expectation of extreme close quarter engagement. So you need to think of the uses to which you intend it for.

Last, but not least, I generally use a CZ P-01 9mm semi automatic. It is extremely accurate and reliable, and had the living crap tested out of it - I'm talking serious abuse here - before the Czechs accepted it as their national service weapon.

At the other end of the scale, I have a .44 magnum Smith and Wesson revolver with a 6" barrel, which is affectionately known as the cannon. Unlike as advertised in "Dirty Harry", it is more of a hunting weapon for me.

Once again, do your research before you spend your bucks, because good handguns are expensive.

scyth

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

For a concealed carry...these are tough to beat!

http://oldwarrior.exteen.com/images/glock26_1.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

A nice side arm!

http://www.shotgunberetta.com/92FS.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Sweet Jesus!!
That can't be real!!!:452::thumb.aspx:

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Another excellent sidearm choice, but more $$$

http://www.gballard.net/port/product/sig229.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Another great conceal carry. Model 442

http://www.marksfirearms.com/images/sw442.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

This ain't no slouch either.

http://www.ksc-guns.co.jp/p_manager/pic/A250y.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

What else do you need?

http://www.dsarms.com/images/47917.gif

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I just purchased my first firearm about 6 months ago and am happy with it. Springfield XD9 9mm, here's a review as this guy explains it a lot better than I ever could... http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/XD-9_Tactical.htm

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review...raight_640.jpg

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

That is our "house gun" right there.....that is the gun I tell everyone to get.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

This is my dads system....every night he seats a magazine in his 9mm....SHTF...just racks one into the chamber.....otherwise....remove mag in the morning and hides the magazine....gun is out on the table....can only use it as a club.

This is a great system.

Only one thing to think about in a semi-auto....a lot of women and even some men do not have enough strength to pull the slide all the way back to chamber a round from the mag....

As I have said many times...first gun should be a revolver, esp if you have a non-gun gal that may have to use it.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Watch the video for the Glock 26 and Kahr PM9



Kahr PM9

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I agree on revolvers

Model 637 Revolver - Crimson Trace� Lasergrip


Price: $822.00 *
*Suggested Retail, Dealer Sets Actual Pricing

(I suspect you can get it for less, and have the seller make sure the laser is set perfect for in house distances.)

SKU: 163052

.38 S&W Special +P Rated
Non-Reflective Finish For Discrete Personal Carry
Crimson Trace� Laser Sighting System
Light Weight Airweight Package
When you need a lightweight carry revolver, you turn to Smith & Wesson's Small Frame Airweight Series. They are the original aluminum, small frame revolvers chambered in .38 S&W Special +P.

They are available in three distinct hammer styles � the "Chiefs Special" with exposed hammer, the "Centennial" frame with fully enclosed hammer and the "Bodyguard" frame (.38 S&W Special +P only) shrouded hammer. Three styles with one idea...perfect personal protection.
=====

With the ease of revolver use plus a laser to make the aim perfect, I consider it the best handgun for home defense.

In long guns, a shotgun rules for home defense.

I prefer stainless steel, but the black airweight is good too.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Most Neglegant or accidental discharges are with Glocks.

Most of the time its cops with their finger on the trigger while reholstering. The physics make you pull the trigger.

Get a 9mm or .357mag and practice.

Try out rental guns first.

Have fun and learn to use it.

E-A

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I like the crimson trace option.

E-A

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/myxd9sc.jpg

An XD9 sub compact. A comfortable 9mm pistol for my big hands and my wife's small hands. Very safe with a trigger safety AND a grip safety. Very light recoil. Great for concealed carry or as a home defense weapon. Ammo still affordable. And a lot of fun to shoot!

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

If you are going to go subcompact semiauto I would recommend the Kahr PM9/CW9 or the Walther PPK because they are single stack and are slimmer then the rest of the 9s (GLOCK, XD9, etc).

If you go compact or fullsize, GLOCK all the way. Very simple, ubiquitous, no safety to trip you up when you really need it to go bang.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

The people telling you to take courses and practice a lot are right. But once I realized we simply weren't going to I got us laser grips for our home defense gun.

I practiced a lot as a kid, but in the last 15 years we have been to the range once.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

Gotta disagree here, a little bit.

Good handgun shooting - or any shooting - is about target acquisition.

Which in my case is both eyes wide open, aligning the sights

With the target.

I've tried the laser system.

You end up following a red dot, which is not target acquisition,

In my opinion.

It is far slower, and takes your focus off the target.

Just my .02.


scyth

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

I agree practice is better, but in its absence, laser beats nothing.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

CP,
You failed to tell us your expectations for when you might need to use said firearm.

Is this going to be your 'house gun' that never leaves the house? Is it going to be your concealed carry gun that never leaves your side from the time you get up until you go to bed?

Are you expecting a group of 'bangers' in your neighborhood? Or perhaps your motivation is similar to what many these days are feeling, the 'I might not be ABLE to get one in the future' type issue?

ALL of these are valid questions.

Some simplistic things to know.

The smaller the caliber, the less recoil. There are several caveats to this one. For example, you can shoot a .22 caliber pistol all day long and never be fatigued from the recoil. Or shoot a .454 Casuall ONCE OR TWICE and never pick it up again. Having said that, you can shoot a .357 revolver or a .40 cal semiauto and it can punish you and your hand. Unless you buy one that is ported (compensated is another term) - it means it has 'holes' in the barrel that allow gas vented up to bring the recoil under control and automatically help you drop the handgun back on target quickly, which is always a consideration.

The lighter the handgun, the more recoil you will feel. Again the caveat is caliber. You can fire a Walther .22 caliber all day and it's basically a 'polymer' handgun and feel no recoil fatigue. Or shoot a .40 cal Glock - also a 'poly' handgun and be beat to death shooting 'heavy' loaded rounds. An airweight 2" snubby shooting .38 spl or .357 mag that is ported is an interesting experience. I shot one last Friday as I taught a friend of mines wife how to shoot it properly. Her first ten rounds were all over the place. I took it from her and then placed all five in the 10 ring from 10 yards. I then explained HOW I did this. Careful aiming - always use the front sight onto your target - and slowly squeeze the trigger. I also reloaded it and handed it back to her. What she didn't see was that I had loaded one empty shell into the cylinder. When it went 'click' unexpectedly, it showed she was anticipating the shot and slightly flinching as she pulled the trigger. After these two exercises, she relaxed and started hitting everything she aimed at. Almost put a smiley face on one of the target, two eyes, a nose and a really sloppy grin, but you COULD TELL it was intentional. That one is going up on her cubical wall at work she told me.

There are so many variables, that it really can be a mess picking the correct firearm for ANY PERSON.

You must find one YOU feel comfortable with. It must fit your hand. It MUST come into battery as a reflex. To test this, use an unloaded firearm and close your eyes. Bring it up and point it at a 'target' of your choice down range. THEN OPEN YOUR EYES. Is the handgun any where NEAR what you were mentally pointing at? If so, then put that under the 'might purchase' category. If not, keep looking.

Don't be hooked on one gun, one gun type, one caliber, etc. No ONE gun is right for everyone. You really must take the time to find the correct one for you.

Now that I've blathered on and on, there is an easy way to do this. Go to a gun show in your area. TAKE A FRIEND THAT IS A SHOOTER WITH YOU. Then respectfully ask the dealer whose hand gun it is you want to 'fondle' if it's OK to do so BEFORE picking it up (etiquitte) and explain this will be your first (and possibly your only) handgun purchase. If you find the one that 'fits' you, he might gain a new customer. If he tells you 'NO', thank him for his time and go to the next one. That's why going to a gun show is key. There should be several dealers that have handguns you can handle. There might be as few as a dozen or as many as several hundred, depending on where you live and what gun show you attend. NOTE: When handling any firearm at a gunshow, ALWAYS point it at the ceiling, never at the ground (ricochet possiblility) and NEVER indiscriminately at the crowd. I figure you either already know this or will learn it in class, but safety is always the biggest concern.

Your time could be growing short though, as Obama could become our next President and I would be personally surprised if the Democrats did not once again institute their 'gun ban' ideas.

Good luck. If you have any specific questions, feel free to drop me an email. I'm always glad to help a new shooter learn the ropes. We need all the 'warm bodies' we can get in our hobby.

Re: Please recommend a good handgun for a beginner
 

the quote was very good advice....these also make very good "purse" guns for the gals because they can be fired while still in the purse