# Advice for a new (next) pistol?



## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

Hey guys and gals...

Alright, I'm not exactly a newbie, but I do need help. I've been going over and over in circles what gun I should get next and I can't come to a conclusion.

Any advice? I'm at total burnout for marksmanship. I can't remember when I last went to a range. I really want to get back into it, but I'm just not motivated to shoot what I have. 

What I've got currently is a Kimber Custom II Warrior. I love it. Unbelievably accurate, lots of fun memories. But it just isn't fun anymore. My immediate thought was to get another Glock (I sold my previous one, a G19) because it was the most fun to shoot of the bunch I once had. But I've been even looking at revolvers like the Smith & Wesson Model 60 2”/3” models or Model 640. These are short barreled weapons designed (or with the thought of) conceal carry and that is one of my requirements. The Kimber has deterred me from carrying.

In terms of carrying, I don't want to have multiple guns. I just want one. One that I know inside and out and I know I can trust 100%. One that can be concealed easily in many modes of dress. That is what has drawn me to revolvers... I've become incredibly disenchanted with pistols. They're ho-hum, run of the mill. I've nothing against them, but... bleh. That's another requirement. It's gotta have character.

So... fun, lots of conceal options, and character. Caliber wise... something reasonable.

Any ideas? I'm really just about to say screw it all and sell the Kimber without getting anything in return.

Thanks in advance!


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## Spike12 (Dec 10, 2008)

I think the S&W 60, esp from the Pro Shop, is a great gun and I've fawned over one more than once. Another revolver in that size that I really like is the Ruger SP101. It may not be the finished product that the S&W is but it's God awful strong. I'm not into Glock or any striker fired gun because I'm a 1911 fan. My EDC is a S&W 'E' Series 4" 1911. With the Scandium frame, night sites, etc. it's light enough to carry. The bobbed grip reduces print through but it still holds 8+1. I'm not a Kimber fan either. Seems like I hear too many love/hate stories. I have two of the S&W E's and both have been faultless.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

If you need to trust it 100%, see if you can't find another G19.
GW


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)




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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

As for reliability, capacity, concealability, simplicity, durability, and just downright usefulness in the pistol world, a Glock 19 is pretty hard to beat. If you want to up the Glock compact anti, there is always the Glock 23. Same size different caliber. And then there is the Smith and Wesson M&P series. Great shooters with superb handling characteristics and very accurate.

Revolvers? I like the Ruger GP100 series. These are hard to beat.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

@Cait43: Thank you! 

Well, with the one vote for the 60, I guess I'll make the trip to a shooting range I know to give it a try. They've got other guns as well, so I might spend a few hours trying different ones out. Maybe they'll have that Ruger too. Who knows...

The G19 was by far the most fun and easy to carry firearm I had owned. It was simply just a joy to handle and to shoot. It was also just fun to come home from a hard day, strip it and clean it down. Might consider it again... I owned a Sig in .40 (the G23's caliber) and I wasn't impressed with the performance. Maybe it was the gun, but I ended up being more accurate with a 9mm or a .45. Weird, huh? (At the time, I still owned the G19 and an EMP alongside the Kimber and the Sig. All three of the other guns outshot the Sig that was set in .40.)

The M&P series definitely has been considered. I haven't tried them out yet, but maybe that range that has the 60 will have one.

I'll write these down and see what this range has.  Thanks guys!


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Well lets see a S&W model 66-3 .357 would be one to fit your requirements, or you could go more old school a Colt detective or S&W model 36, a Colt 1911 in .38 super is a fun gum as well.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

If you're looking for a revolver the S&W Model 640 .357 is a good choice, it is easy to conceal and can handle .357's. Although I wouldn't advise that because of the recoil. What's nice about it is that since it's a .357 you can shoot it a lot with .38 specials and not have to worry about wearing the gun out. For semi auto's I'd go with the Glock G26 it is more concealable than the full size Glock's but can also accept the same magazines from them giving you the best of both world's.


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## Philco (Apr 17, 2012)

Revolvers are great but don't be in such a hurry to give up on pistols. I've got a CZ 2075 Rami in 9mm that's a little slice of Heaven IMO. It comes with a 10 round mag and a 14 round mag so you have options. It's got a three inch barell with adjustable sights and it shoots like a dream. I've been amazed at the accuracy I can get out of such a small pistol. 
It's a highly reliable weapon that offers more than one carry option (cocked and locked, or hammer half cocked, or hammer down) It's a beautiful gun to look at IMO and it's got, for lack of a better word, character.

By the way, welcome to the forum.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Parson said:


> @Cait43: Thank you!
> 
> Well, with the one vote for the 60, I guess I'll make the trip to a shooting range I know to give it a try. They've got other guns as well, so I might spend a few hours trying different ones out. Maybe they'll have that Ruger too. Who knows...
> 
> ...


Nothing at all weird about this. I have two Glock 19's. One is a gen3 and the other is a gen4 and I shoot my gen4 Glock 23 better than either of the 19's. And I shoot it better than my two gen3 Glock 23's as well. Go figure.

And shame on me for not welcoming you aboard. We're pleased to have you with us. Sounds like your plan for getting back into the world of handguns is a good one. Do keep us informed on how it goes.


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## Ookami86 (Dec 20, 2014)

Something you can conceal and enjoy taking to the range? Sounds like you're in the market for something compact. The G19 or G23 would be good since you're familiar with the platform and enjoyed it. A Springfield, M&P Compact, or a Ruger SR compact would be good as well as they the full sized magazine can be used with a grip spacer in the compact frame. The CZ P07 is small enough to conceal but big enough to enjoy at the range. It sounds like you probably don't have a budget restriction but if you want to try the CZ platform without being out much if you don't like it, Sarsilmaz pistols can be had for under $300.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

Oh, my, goodness... wow, okay. Uhm... Well, I'm glad I checked up on this! Had a totally horrible day in regard to pistolry. A range I tried to visit that had some guns I wanted to try was sketchy beyond all reckoning. Maybe judging a book by its cover, but hey... better safe than sorry, eh?

Thank you for the welcomes! 

I'm a data kind of person and wow... it's pretty broad.

Pistols
- S&W 'E' Series, M&P Series
- Glock G19, G23, G26
- Colt 1911 .38 Super
- CZ 2075 Rami Series, P-07 Series
- Ruger SR Series

Revolvers
- S&W 36, 60, 66-3, 640
- Ruger SP101, GP100
- Colt Detective

The G19 would have won popular vote as it was suggested most often, then G23 and the M&P Series. Looks like I've got a lot of homework to do. ..."a lot" might be a bit of an understatement.


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## DirtyDog (Oct 16, 2014)

With modern defensive ammo, it doesn't really matter what caliber you shoot. The damage is the same. Accuracy is what counts. 
The 9mm is the most popular handgun round. It's cheaper. So you will shoot it more. 9mm mags will have a higher capacity than a larger caliber for the same gun (the G19 vs G23...). So you have more rounds to put into the bad guy. 
Concealablility is hugely variable. I am 6' 1' and 220 and can conceal a Glock 41. Or a Para P14-45. 
Most average sized men can conceal a G19 reasonably well. The G26 is even easier. Hell, I can carry a G26 with the 10 round magazine in my pocket. I'd get the G26 for fun shooting and incredible ease of carry, and a couple G19 or G17 magazines with grip sleeves for times when you want more capacity.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Parson said:


> Oh, my, goodness... wow, okay. Uhm... Well, I'm glad I checked up on this! Had a totally horrible day in regard to pistolry. A range I tried to visit that had some guns I wanted to try was sketchy beyond all reckoning. Maybe judging a book by its cover, but hey... better safe than sorry, eh?
> 
> Thank you for the welcomes!
> 
> ...


Nice list. Consider increasing it by visiting major gun shows and large gun shops. You will find that you might both and and remove some of your candidates as you go through this process. But take your time and don't rush things. You'll both learn more as you go through this and have some fun with it as well. In the end, you'll take the decision that is best for your specific wants, needs, and requirements.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

@DirtyDog: Aye, I can totally appreciate that. I'm 5'10.5" and slowly developing the build of a "muscular" cyclist so I'm almost forced into small frames in many cases. I might just side with the Glock again just because one of the things I want to be able to do is carry it with me while on my bike. That's one thing that I remember the Glock (and similar guns) being able to withstand very well: sweat. I'd be worried about a revolver in that instance or something that doesn't have a durable slide, etc.

I hoped talking this out would help and it has! Seems like I'm stuck to polymer guns for EDC. The question now is, which one... haha!



SouthernBoy said:


> Nice list. Consider increasing it by visiting major gun shows and large gun shops. You will find that you might both and and remove some of your candidates as you go through this process. But take your time and don't rush things. You'll both learn more as you go through this and have some fun with it as well. In the end, you'll take the decision that is best for your specific wants, needs, and requirements.


Yeah. The bloody Garmin site is still OOC with upload/sync issues so I can't get my ride in today without risking faulty uploads or data issues. Day two of sitting on my butt. (Not complaining, ultimately... it was brutal last week!) Guess I'll be spending some time at the local gun shops handling some guns then, haha!


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

DirtyDog:


> I'd get the G26 for fun shooting and incredible ease of carry, and a couple G19 or G17 magazines with grip sleeves for times when you want more capacity.


That's exactly my sentiment. With a G26 you have more options, with the shorter grip you have an edge in concealability.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Parson:


> Seems like I'm stuck to polymer guns for EDC.


Nothing wrong with that there's plenty of great polymer guns to choose from.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

desertman said:


> Parson:
> 
> Nothing wrong with that there's plenty of great polymer guns to choose from.


Aye. It's just funny that I sold the G19 and now I'm heading back toward that or the smaller G26. Should've dropped the Kimber instead! Might look at similar sized pistols as well... Hell... I dunno. Might just stick with what I know. Last few times I strayed (IE the EMP and Sig) it didn't work out too well. Gah... Time to burn some gas...


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

as far as concealable I am 5'8" 165 and carry a full size 1911a1 every day. It is what your good with that is important.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

tony pasley said:


> as far as concealable I am 5'8" 165 and carry a full size 1911a1 every day. It is what your good with that is important.


Ain't that the truth.

*Massive update* though. I found a really nice gun shop here. Ma n' pop shop. They're amazing. They've shot every gun in their shop at least once. So nice. I got to handle a bunch of pistols (and a rifle bullpup and a shotgun bullpup). Here's at least a partial list of ones I got to play around with.

IWI Travor
16 round tactical shotgun bullpup
Springfield XD Mod 2, XD
Sig P232, P938
G19, G42
SCCY CPX 1, 2
Ruger LC9, LCR, GP100, SP101
A Taurus revolver
S&W 642, M&P Series, Bodyguard, Shield
Walther PPX
Citadel 1911 Full Size

Of those, the one that I had the "oh my god, this is awesome" moment were the Springfield XD and P232. Of those two, the P232 would be easier to conceal _but_ it has its quirks -- such as a magazine release on the bottom of the grip, a heavy trigger pull and a curved trigger that isn't too comfy for me.

They're transferring in a 3" Pro Series Model 60 for me to try out. The 642 was fun and it was nice to handle, but it was sooo light -- a bit too light, honestly. So that solves that question. The 60 they're bringing in is the 3" barrel, Pro Series version. The GP100 felt amazing, if heavy. The SP101 was okay. It felt odd but okay. The Taurus... bleh. Bleh at best. The LCR is nice, but I was told it is even harsher kick than the 642, so while it felt nice, I wouldn't consider it.

I will be going back to trade in my old gun with them, period. I'll post more when I've got more info.


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## muckaleewarrior (Aug 10, 2014)

You could make an elegant choice with great German engineering and get a Walther P99 AS or better yet a P99c AS since you want to conceal it mostly. The full size can be tucked away easily too and it's about the size of a G19 with the same capacity. The Walther brand is the reason why I still don't have a G19 or a G23 yet.


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

muckaleewarrior said:


> You could make an elegant choice with great German engineering and get a Walther P99 AS or better yet a P99c AS since you want to conceal it mostly. The full size can be tucked away easily too and it's about the size of a G19 with the same capacity. The Walther brand is the reason why I still don't have a G19 or a G23 yet.


I'll see if I can get my paws on one to handle! I handled one Walther pistol and it felt really high for me. Like I was holding a Taser rather than a pistol. I honestly can't recall if I liked it or not, I just remember it feeling huge. A few guns I simply couldn't handle because the backstrap of the pistol put painful pressure on my palm.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

I would hold onto that Kimber first of all, maybe buy a couple of extended mags, 10 , 20 rounders.

I also am bored with shooting. 

Maybe buy a nice pocket piece that is easy to carry, but still packs a punch.
Good luck


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

pic said:


> I would hold onto that Kimber first of all, maybe buy a couple of extended mags, 10 , 20 rounders.
> 
> I also am bored with shooting.
> 
> ...


Hmm... yeah, definitely a possibility.

Thanks! I definitely am going to need it. The gun place is transferring in a model 60 so I can get my paws on one. Really excited about that. Dunno how long that will be, but... anxiously waiting, hahahaha!


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

Alright guys... not sure if anyone is following, but I ended up getting a gun today. What it is... won't be revealed yet. But I have to say, I am pretty enamored with it. It's sitting on my desk right now still all tidily away in its box. Been shopping for OWB/IWB holsters since I got home this afternoon. Planning on hitting the range tomorrow to put its first 50 or 100 through it.

I'll post up a first impressions review after tomorrow's shoot! I'm pretty excited!


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

Parson said:


> Alright guys... not sure if anyone is following, but I ended up getting a gun today. What it is... won't be revealed yet. But I have to say, I am pretty enamored with it. It's sitting on my desk right now still all tidily away in its box. Been shopping for OWB/IWB holsters since I got home this afternoon. Planning on hitting the range tomorrow to put its first 50 or 100 through it.
> 
> I'll post up a first impressions review after tomorrow's shoot! I'm pretty excited!


Not even a hint?
GW


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

It's a 3" barrel, semi-auto, DAO. Matte black slide, tan frame/receiver. Pretty stylish, imo, nice curves and lines.

Still bloody well getting a revolver! Just not yet...


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

Where's that range report. 
GW


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## Parson (Jan 7, 2015)

goldwing said:


> Where's that range report.
> GW


I am working on the photos right now and then I'll post things up!  By the way... how do I post photos in a post? I can't get it to work. :-/


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