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blueice | 08-31-2009 09:01 AM
Purchasing The First Handgun. A very succinct article particularly for the newbe, like myself.. It is really necessary to fire off 2k rounds plus to become familiar with it:questionm http://ezinearticles.com/?Buying-You...ndgun&id=71239 Preparing to buy your first handgun can be quite daunting. They aren�t cheap. New handguns range in price from $250.00 to $2,500.00. And to complicate the matter even further, there are many different manufactures and choices. I tell people in my carry permit course that there are as many different types of handguns as the manufacturers can talk people into buying. What is probably most confusing to someone new to this field is the fact that for every make and model of handgun, there are 3 gun magazine writers telling their readers that their particular brand or caliber or gizmo is the best, and 4 others saying that the gun in question will get the reader killed. Yesterday I was asked my opinion about Glocks. I said that what I thought didn�t matter; it wasn�t my money or my safety on the line. My preference does not matter in the decision to buy your gun. My wife likes Glocks; I feel the same about revolvers. Our preferences differ. As long as you know your gun, why you chose it, and it fits your needs, then it�s the best gun for you. Now, that being said lets discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the two main types of handguns, semi-automatics and revolvers. Revolvers are a type of pistol that has a rotating cylinder containing a number of firing chambers. They typically hold 5 or 6 rounds, each held in its own firing chamber. They are generally cheaper to purchase than a semi-automatic, with a new one from a major manufacturer such as Taurus or Rossi being in the neighborhood of $250.00. The major benefits of this type of handgun include: They are easier to learn to manipulate, because there is generally fewer functions than a typical semi-auto. They are normally easier for weaker handed persons to operate. This is due to the lack of a slide. They are generally more reliable. There is more choice of ammunition. Revolvers are not as training intensive as a semi-automatic pistol (more about this later). I prefer revolvers for home defense, as a home protection weapon will be stored loaded for an extended period of time. This is because they have fewer moving parts, which in turns makes them less sensitive to a lack of cleaning and maintenance than semi-automatics. I also recommend them for someone who is not going to train as intensively as recommended because this type of handgun has fewer functions to remember. In order to manipulate a revolver, one only has to operate the trigger and the cylinder release, whereas a semi-automatic pistol generally has a trigger, a magazine release, a slide lock, and at least one safety lever. Revolvers do have disadvantages, and it is because of these disadvantages that police departments around the county have changed from them to semi-automatics. These disadvantages should be understood if the reader wishes to make a decision; therefore I will list them: Revolvers are slower to reload than the typical semi-automatic. They are sometimes harder to conceal, due to width of cylinder. Revolvers do not normally hold as many rounds (5-6rds compared to 8 or 10rds in a semi-automatic. Because a revolver contains separate chambers for each round, to fully load a revolver, the operator must put a round in each chamber (6 actions for 6 rounds). To fully load a semi-automatic the operator has to insert a single magazine into the pistol (one action for multiple rounds). Semi-Automatic pistols fire a single cartridge each time the trigger is pressed. It automatically extracts the spent casing and prepares to fire another round. A semi-automatic is sometimes called automatic, but the difference is a true automatic can fire multiple rounds per trigger press. This seemingly small difference can cause tens of thousands of dollars in fines and years of time in federal penitentiaries, so be sure to know the difference. A semi-automatic holds its rounds in a single device called a magazine (it is possible to offend some hard-line gun enthusiasts by calling a magazine a clip). This magazine is normally inserted into the grip of the handgun. These handguns are the most popular, and they are that way for many reasons. Some of the most recognized reasons are: Semi-autos can hold many rounds compared to a revolver. Normally a semi-auto magazine holds 8 to 10rds, but there are magazines capable of holding 15 to 30. They allow faster reloads. Due to popularity, there is a wider choice of accessories such as holsters available. They are easier to conceal due to thinner action than a normal revolver. It is easy to carry spare ammunition via preloaded magazines. Iyt is because of the amount of rounds easily carried in magazines upon one�s body and the amount of rounds in the pistol that caused the semi-automatic to replace the revolver in the arming of our nation�s police. What has kept it there is the different features that are possible in a semi-auto. A police force or a private user can decide the type of safety devices or modes of operation that they want in a firearm and buy a brand that has those features. While this is a benefit, it also can become a drawback. The reasons for this are: They are very training intensive. Before one begins to carry a semi-automatic for self-defense, it is recommended that the user fire 2 or 3 thousand rounds of the type of ammunition they intend to carry in their firearm in order to fully understand the function of their firearm. Semi-autos are more complex. This means more prone to fail. While modern firearms and ammunition can fire thousands of rounds without malfunction, it can and does happen. Firing them can be harder for people suffering from arthritis or of weaker stature to manipulate slide. This type of handgun is more sensitive to ammunition type. Some types of semi-automatics are more prone to jam with certain types of ammunition, which is another reason it is suggested to train with the type of ammunition you intend to carry. The semi-auto type of firearm is very well represented in the world of guns. Because of this sales popularity, there are many different functions and characteristics. Comparing this is like comparing pickup trucks to cars. There are many brands of pickups (revolvers), but generally they all are basically the same. In the car (semi-autos) world, they have sedans, sports cars, wagons, convertibles, limousines, economy class, and luxury designs. You can buy a vehicle or a firearm based solely upon an arbitrary reason such as looks, popularity, or what the marketing hype in a gun magazine tells you. You may also buy a tool such as this by deciding your needs and weighing your options. David is a former U.S. Marine Corps noncommissioned officer, correctional supervisor and firearms instructor for the TN Dept. of Correction. He is presently commissioned as an operations officer for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. He is also a certified NRA instructor, and holds instructor ratings with both the TN Dept of Safety, and the TN Dept of Commerce and Insurance.

Absintheur | 08-31-2009 12:06 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. I agree that training is important but 2000 rounds of carry ammo is silly. I carry CorBon and that would run me over $3000.00. Personally I won't carry a semi-auto till I have 500 rounds through it but that is practice ammo with enough carry ammo to make sure it will function with it, normally 50- 100 rounds. A revolver I would carry after much less as they don't have some of the common problems associated the semiautos. And of course you need to continue a practice regiment as long as you are carrying the firearm. Shooting is a skill that can quickly deteriorate over time.

gbgunner | 08-31-2009 12:11 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. A suggestion for reducing round usage in training with a semi auto. Only partially load magazines. One doesn't need to shoot 15 rounds on 9mm to practice a magazine change. Others can load a mag with 2, 4, or 5 rounds for the shooter. That way the shooter can't anticipate when the magazine will be empty. Just a thought.....

Matt-themaddog-Dollar | 08-31-2009 12:19 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. People should always rent several guns before buying. Then they should get the one that is most comfortable to operate and shoot accurately with. Often this will be a Glock.

Heimdhal | 08-31-2009 12:24 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt-themaddog-Dollar (Post 1895899) People should always rent several guns before buying. Then they should get the one that is most comfortable to operate and shoot accurately with. Often this will be a Glock.
Ive found this to be the exact opposite for me. I have never found a glock comfortable to shoot and subsequently accurate enough. But thats just me.

Matt-themaddog-Dollar | 08-31-2009 12:28 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. As long as you and I can both shoot straight, I'm happy!

Heimdhal | 08-31-2009 12:34 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt-themaddog-Dollar (Post 1895914) As long as you and I can both shoot straight, I'm happy!
Absolutley. I dont bash glocks at every turn, I just personaly dont care for them or their design. They arent BAD guns, I've just never had any luck with em. I like XD's though :wink:

Haltiat | 08-31-2009 02:23 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
David is a former U.S. Marine Corps noncommissioned officer, correctional supervisor and firearms instructor for the TN Dept. of Correction. He is presently commissioned as an operations officer for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. He is also a certified NRA instructor, and holds instructor ratings with both the TN Dept of Safety, and the TN Dept of Commerce and Insurance.
... once again proving that the police and military are a good source of information about police and military specific stuff. Not about guns in general.

Raven | 08-31-2009 05:28 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by Absintheur (Post 1895878) I agree that training is important but 2000 rounds of carry ammo is silly. I carry CorBon and that would run me over $3000.00. Personally I won't carry a semi-auto till I have 500 rounds through it but that is practice ammo with enough carry ammo to make sure it will function with it, normally 50- 100 rounds. A revolver I would carry after much less as they don't have some of the common problems associated the semiautos. And of course you need to continue a practice regiment as long as you are carrying the firearm. Shooting is a skill that can quickly deteriorate over time.
Uh....he said run 2,000 rounds of ammo through it for practice 'before' you carry.

tulsamal | 08-31-2009 05:39 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
I prefer revolvers for home defense, as a home protection weapon will be stored loaded for an extended period of time.
I can agree with that. And I usually carry a revolver for CCW as well. Lots of semis around here to chose from but it is hard to beat a Centennial style revolver. I happen to like big bullets so mine is a S&W M296 in .44 Special but any of them are nice! I also agree that you should try to rent or borrow a model before you buy it. I've handed my Glock 17 to newbies and had them love it and I've handed it to other newbies and gotten a severe look of dislike. My real quibble with this advice is that too many total rookies go straight to the gun they want to use for self defense. If you..... own no handguns and.... have no real handgun shooting experience.... then.... my recommendation is always going to be to start out with a .22. Do you want to just be able to hit the paper or do you want to really master handguns over time? WAY too many handgun shooters are mediocre at best in my experience. And it is usually because they jumped straight into a 9mm or .357 Magnum or whatever. If you think you are going to like revolvers the most, go to gunbroker and look for a nice used S&W K-22. It will teach you many things and you can pass it on to your heirs someday. If you think you want a semi, you have lots of choices. I grew up shooting a Browning Nomad and still have one. My personal first choice would probably be a Ruger MK II bull barrel target type but there are many similar guns out there. Run a few bricks of .22's through your choice. Then go to the rental range. Then buy your Glock/XD/HK, whatever. You will be showing up your loud mouthed friends in no time! Gregg

johndoh | 08-31-2009 05:39 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. That article is a decent primer for the newbie. You do want to ensure that your pistol likes to eat a particular ammo before you trust it with your life...200 rounds is a rule of thumb that I've heard bandied about. 200 rounds of Winchester Ranger is not too expensive and it has proven to be an effective round in the real world. Or, you can skip 150 rounds of that and get a nice revolver. I think a good DA revolver is a great tool for helping you maintain a smooth trigger squeeze. A DA revolver is a good nightstand gun too. If the boogeyman wakes you at 2am, you're gonna be keyed up and a bit delirious. That long, double-action trigger pull might just save you from shooting your wife/kid/dog/TV as you stumble out of the bedroom. Take one or two beginning handgun classes and try out several different firearms b4 you buy your first one. Don't let us interweb dweebs influence your purchase - I love 1911's and the HK USP in .45, I don't shoot Glocks or XD's very well at all, whereas matt-themaddog and Heimdhal obviously love their Glocks and XD's. I think that having quality training is far more important than which gun you choose. So, once you do buy, take more good training and practice with your new tool...a lot. Get a good holster and belt, get reco's on good local trainers from folks in your area. As you advance, their focus should be on self defense and helping you become proficient using double/triple taps, reloads, handling misfires, moving and use of cover, safely using a holster, and perhaps most important of all...the legal aspects of self defense. If they are really good, they will refer a good local attorney who is an expert in this aspect of the law in your state. Keep that atty's biz card handy and their phone# stored in your cell, as they are the FIRST person you will want to speak with, after hanging up from the 911 call.

blueice | 08-31-2009 07:26 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Excellent post, indeed, John....

FiftySense | 08-31-2009 07:49 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. If you go automatic, make sure it has a safety de-cock mechanism. This will allow you to safely drop the hammer once the round is chambered by sliding the safety up. When you are ready to fire, simply pull the trigger (double action) or pull the hammer back first (single action) The Bersa models are an inexpensive and great value firearm.

Silver001 | 08-31-2009 09:50 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Love the Bersa's,

Heimdhal | 08-31-2009 09:53 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by FiftySense (Post 1896537) If you go automatic, make sure it has a safety de-cock mechanism. This will allow you to safely drop the hammer once the round is chambered by sliding the safety up. When you are ready to fire, simply pull the trigger (double action) or pull the hammer back first (single action) The Bersa models are an inexpensive and great value firearm.
Carry my bersa .45 every day!

cigarlover | 09-09-2009 07:31 AM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. I dont know if you need 2000 rounds to become proficient with a new weapon. I picked up a sig 9 at a range a couple months back. Was a friend of mines and shot the center out of the target. I hadnt shot a 9 since I sold my Berretta at least 10 years ago. I will say though that that sig was one of the finest handguns I have ever fired. I like the 9 and will pick one up here shortly as soon as cash flow allows but will also look at the 40.

wallew | 09-09-2009 11:50 AM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. I LOVE wheel guns and own several right now. I've owned them in EVERY caliber, though right now, they are all .357 mag. Everyone seems to have missed ONE THING about wheel guns. Have you EVER had a cylinder full of empty brass NOT come out because the brass expanded so much you had to take a wooden dowel to tap the empties out? You have tried hitting the ejection rod and it is frozen solid. Not a big deal at the range. It's a HUGE DEAL if you are in a HD or SD situation. You are left with a rock to throw at someone. Can the same thing happen with a semi-auto pistol? YES, absolutely. I've had it happen several times. BUT, at least you can attempt to clear it by dropping the mag (even slightly) and then racking the slide back again (and again and again). Slap the mag back in and you are good to go. Just sayin...

tulsamal | 09-09-2009 08:17 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Have you EVER had a cylinder full of empty brass NOT come out because the brass expanded so much you had to take a wooden dowel to tap the empties out? You have tried hitting the ejection rod and it is frozen solid.
That's usually due to a combination of hot loads, hot gun, and a dirty cylinder. I wouldn't carry a load in my revolver that had sticky extraction. With a clean and cool gun, firing a cylinder or two won't change anything. The brass should practically fall out of the gun with just a touch of the rod. There ARE revolver immediate action drills. If you had something like that happen when you are trying to reload behind cover, etc, then you are supposed to slam the ejector rod straight back by hitting it on something. A table top or other horizontal surface would be ideal. Just hit "square" or you can bend the rod and then you really will be done using that gun! Or you can bring the "hit" to the gun. I've used a nearby piece of 2x4 on one occasion. But that was at the range with hot loads meant for hunting. Loads that turned out to be too hot. You don't want to carry something like that!! Gregg

Professur | 09-09-2009 08:54 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. If you've run a few hundred rounds of brand A, B and C through at the range, you'll have a pretty good idea of how the brass is going to react. I'm a big fan of using very stock ammo and keeping your brass clean. p+ is all well and fine, but I'd rather give up a few fps in the name of reliability. Hence my preference for a wheel gun. Wallew might be carrying 17 rounds against my 5, but I know all 5 are gonna go bye-bye when my finger wiggles while he's gotta fight Murphy to prevent a stovepipe. In my view, if I need more than 5 rounds at any given time, I need more barrels, not more future rounds.

Haltiat | 09-09-2009 11:31 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. If you're carrying a gun you're doing fine but my take on low capacity firearms is running out of ammo is a stoppage. How often do you want to experience stoppages?

Matt-themaddog-Dollar | 09-10-2009 01:43 AM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Smith & Wesson's 'Night Guard' series of revolvers have 8-round cylinders. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/w...egory_rn=50802

Professur | 09-10-2009 08:54 AM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Nice machine, Matt ... but illegal in Canuckistan. Minimum legal barrel length is 4"

Notgeld | 09-10-2009 12:58 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. 2000 rounds is all well and good but dont forget to clean the thing!

wallew | 09-10-2009 02:12 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. tulsmal, You left one other circumstance out. Split case. Really rare, but it does happen. I had to put that one down and bring it home and remove it on my bench. I actually disassembled the cylinder out of the revolver to carefully tap the split case out of the chamber. NO, I didn't KNOW it was a split case until I took it out. YES, it was a factory loaded .38 Spl - Winchester White box. Been there, done that.

Professur | 09-10-2009 03:13 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by wallew (Post 1914116) tulsmal, You left one other circumstance out. Split case. Really rare, but it does happen. I had to put that one down and bring it home and remove it on my bench. I actually disassembled the cylinder out of the revolver to carefully tap the split case out of the chamber. NO, I didn't KNOW it was a split case until I took it out. YES, it was a factory loaded .38 Spl - Winchester White box. Been there, done that.
What would that have done to a 1911? At least a revolver could still take a near-full reload at that point and still fire everything it had left. An autoloader would be a really lousy boomerang at best..

wallew | 09-10-2009 04:10 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. 1 Attachment(s) Quote:
Originally Posted by Professur (Post 1914233) What would that have done to a 1911? At least a revolver could still take a near-full reload at that point and still fire everything it had left. An autoloader would be a really lousy boomerang at best..
Fair question. Generally, racking the slide once or twice resolves it. IF it is this stuck, then yah, you are as hosed as the other one. But understand, with the split case, the rear of the case bulged just enough to make rotating the cylinder a no go. Hence why I had to remove the cylinder to get the casing out. At least in a semi-auto, you could do a quick field strip of the weapon, stuff the cleaning rod down the barrel and be back in business - assuming you CAN do a field strip. You DO have a cleaning rod with your semi-auto, yes? Another good reason that if you go afield you carry it with you. Though to be honest, this guy is my hero. For this exact reason. Attachment 78789 The interesting part about this picture is this. Look at the guy weilding the AK directly in front of the guy with the two handguns. Notice how many pistol mags holders are on his belt? Looks like he's carrying at least eight spare pistol mags. This guy is well prepared also.

Professur | 09-10-2009 05:47 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. They both look so weighed down they couldn't run worth shit. The guy behind 2-gun Tex, on the other hand, looks ready to move.

Doge | 09-10-2009 06:59 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. lol At that pic. There just so much to laugh at I don't know where to begin.

wallew | 09-10-2009 09:05 PM
Re: Purchasing The First Handgun. Quote:
Originally Posted by Doge (Post 1914565) lol At that pic. There just so much to laugh at I don't know where to begin.
Doge, You wouldn't be laughing if you lived in ANY latin country. From Mexico to the tip of SA, these guys are unsung heros who put their lives on the line for so little money, it's frightening. And unlike swat teams here in the USA, these guys 'make do' with their weapons. I see three AK's, an AR, a Ruger ranch rifle, plus several pistols, very few of which match each other. Three of the six have vests. One other guy MIGHT be wearing one, but it's hard to tell. But two guys don't. And that hasn't stopped them from responding to an obviously very dangerous situation. Would YOU put your life on the line for peanuts? The only thing funny about this is YOU. Your lack of knowledge about how dangerous it is to live and try and stay alive by our southern neighbors is laughable.

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