# Any recommendations?



## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

New to shooting and looking to see what anyone has to say about an easy to use, user friendly handgun? I live in NC and want to spend about 350$ on a new or gentle used hand gun. Kind of leaning to a walther ppk 380 but not completely sold. Can anyone recommend a good beginner handgun for range use and home defense?


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

I'd probably go with a Police trade-in Glock in 9mm if you can find one. As for the Walther PPK, I'd suggest against it and either recommend a *Bersa .380, or one of their 9mm guns.*


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

Welcome to the forum! If you don't find something locally you may want to check with Discount Guns for Sale - Buds Gun Shop in Kentucky. They have used guns as well as new guns and usually have some pretty good deals on both.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

ARW1979 said:


> New to shooting and looking to see what anyone has to say about an easy to use, user friendly handgun? I live in NC and want to spend about 350$ on a new or gentle used hand gun. Kind of leaning to a walther ppk 380 but not completely sold. Can anyone recommend a good beginner handgun for range use and home defense?


I still have my Walther from 1988, when I bought it new. I have probably around 3,000 rounds through it and it still looks and shoots great. There are some smaller and lighter .380's out there, and some 9mm's that are around the same weight and size as the Walther PPK/S, but none are the classic that the Walther is. There is just something about that gun.


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## Leo (Jul 1, 2010)

ARW1979 said:


> New to shooting and looking to see what anyone has to say about an easy to use, user friendly handgun? I live in NC and want to spend about 350$ on a new or gentle used hand gun. Kind of leaning to a walther ppk 380 but not completely sold. Can anyone recommend a good beginner handgun for range use and home defense?


The Ruger P95 stainless is a very good 9mm pistol. It's $323 from Bud's plus FFL. The blued version is cheaper @ $302.


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## Cat (Apr 12, 2011)

Glock G26 9mm is a very nice pistol. Good for ccw.
Walther is a fine pistol. Just take your time,And test more out to see what work best for you..Do you have a range that rents out pistols. And keep in mind,That Smith & Wesson pistols come with a lifetime warranty.SW9VE Pistol is a very nice 9mm 10+1 rounds,In a size your looking for.

And they cost about 350.00 new.If you look around for it on sale,I seen them down around 279.99 on sale. One of my range officers owns a sigma,And it's a great pistol. The grip feels great. This is a pic of the Sigma Series SW9VE.


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## sgms (Jun 2, 2010)

Hello and welcome to out little(maybe not so little:mrgreen group. For user friendly and easiest to learn handguns you may wish to look into a double action/single action revolver. Not as sexy perhaps as a semi-auto but, due to the ease of learning revolver basics push or pull leaver or button(depends an maker), open cylinder, load round in to each hole, and close cylinder it is loaded ready to fire. the da/sa revolver also allows you to become use to the long pull of a double action (as many semi-autos have) and use the lighter single action (as found on most {not all} of the the rest of the semi-autos) Something like a Smith and Wesson with a K-frame revolver can be found used often at very reasonably prices(inside your range) and the .38 spl. or .38/.357 mag. will be a outstanding range gun and also work well as a house gun. Good luck and have fun.


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## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

Thank you for all the replies. I went to a range last night and shot a Glock .45, Ruger .22, a 22 rifle and a 12 gage. The 22 had very little if not any kick to it, were as you all know the .45 had some punch to it. There is a range close to me that does rent firearms, not sure of their inventory but will look into that as well. I liked shooting the .22 and and just getting use the safety aspect of using a handgun. I think at this point a .45 would be a bit much to use as a range gun. going to read up as much as I can and not jump into something without doing the research first.


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## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

I will diff look more into this hand gun. thanks right in my budget to!!


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## rex (Jan 27, 2012)

A 357 is always a good choice,38s are cheap for practice and 125gr 357s are great defensive rounds.

If you want an auto,all you can do is see what feels good and shoot it if you can.I had a SS and aluminum frame older Sig 230,basically a PPK with a better trigger and rounded slide bottom so it doesn't lay the web of your hand open when the slide drags over it.Good guns but a 380 will piss you off in the accuracy department,they can be but it isn't an inherently accurate roundcompared to the longer 9.

I personally hate Glocks but they can be a good gun,I don't get the 'safe action' hype when the safety is in the friggin' trigger-stupid and a few legs have been shot to prove it.Sigmas don't have a great rep.The Ruger P series is a good strong gun but feels odd to me.If your hand fits a Beretta 92,they are a very good piece,a used one can be had at your price range.Taurus makes a copy that's built on Beretta's old machinery when the original had the frame safety like a 1911,but I don't know what they're going for.Used I'd go Beretta over the Taurus.

Just don't buy junk.If you need to save a little more it's better than cheaping out and and costing more to replace it.


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## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

Thanks Rex. I have been told that to. Not to go with a "no name" gun. I will look into the Bertta as well.


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## berettabone (Jan 23, 2012)

I don't know if you can find a Beretta 84 for $350, but I have one, and think it's better than white bread........


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## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

The 84FS Cheetah looks like more then 350$ but I will keep it in mind, maybe i could find a used one?


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## chessail77 (Mar 15, 2011)

Might want to take a good look at a Sig SP2022 9mm ...they fit your needs as outlined and carry a lifetime warranty as well. Can be found new for around 379. and are considered by many as the best kept secret in handguns, owners love em and I have two and share that view....JJ


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## Idahokid (Jan 18, 2012)

I just got a Beretta Nano for $399.00 You can get a Rossi or Taurus wheel gun for a good price.


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## ubaldorobles (Jan 16, 2012)

I've owned several different types of handguns in different calibers. I currently use a Taurus PT111 Pro (9mm)  as my ccw. pt111's can be found for less than $350 in many places.:smt1099


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## ARW1979 (Jan 27, 2012)

After researching more over the last few weeks. I’m now leaning towards the SR9c. I like the looks of the pk380 but after reading up on it and its ejections issues and the fact that it only comes with one 8 round mag and the extra mags cost around 35$. The SR9c comes with two mags and start right around 375-400 from what I have seen. Need to find out when the next gun show is in town.


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