# What to buy?



## Espi the Ghost (Apr 16, 2010)

:smt1099 im new to handguns. iv shot them but never owned one. im looking to buy one real soon but dont know whats a good gun for me. im getting my conceal carry in utah. any ideas. :smt1099


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## hideit (Oct 3, 2007)

first gun: get a 9mm
also 9mm ammo cheapest of any cartridge
there are a slew of 9's out there
you mentioned CC so 3" or 4" barrell
Sig, FNH have exposed hammers and a decocker/lock like the 1911's
Glock, S&W M&P, springfield XD have no exposed hammers
highest sold 9mm is the glock 19


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## cougartex (Jan 2, 2010)

Check out the Stoeger Cougar. Stoeger Industries is a subsidiary of Beretta. The Stoeger Cougars are made in Turkey using the same machinery that Beretta used to make the original Cougars. It is every bit the quality of the Beretta. The Stoeger 8000 in 9mm is identical to the Beretta Cougar L Type P (Cougar L slide, lighter barrel and beveled slide, but with a full-length magazine).


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## Frank45 (Feb 21, 2010)

You can't go wrong with Cougartex's advice.:smt023


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Espi the Ghost said:


> :smt1099 im new to handguns. iv shot them but never owned one. im looking to buy one real soon but dont know whats a good gun for me. im getting my conceal carry in utah. any ideas. :smt1099


Go to a shooting range or school which rents time on pistols, and try out as many different guns as they have. Do not fixate on a particular caliber. That comes later.
Next, decide which of the guns you've tried fits your hand best. Still, do not think about caliber, or even about capacity. Think only about fit and comfort. Narrow your choice down to about three different pistols.
Now rent extended time on each of those pistols, and see which works best in your hands. Accuracy is not an issue here, because all pistols are sufficiently inherently accurate for your purposes. Go for comfort and convenience, and "hand feel." Narrow your choice down to one pistol of the three.
Now it's time to think about caliber, and maybe even capacity. Although 9mm may be cheaper, .45 ACP is easier to learn with because its recoil is softest. Think about the compromises you'll have to make, in buying your gun.
Last, look for a really good _used_ pistol. Buy it with _written_ guaranteed-return privileges. Take it to an independent gunsmith, and pay him to tell you what's wrong with it and whether or not you should keep it.
Now, practice with it every chance you get. Dry-fire a lot. Live-fire once a week. Learn your gun. Learn to shoot it effectively and accurately. Never stop practicing.


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