# First time gun owner looking for help please?



## lithnights (Nov 9, 2010)

Hi,
New poster here hoping to get some advice if you don't mind. I will soon be a first time gun owner. I have done tons of research online (including these boards), spoken to a couple friends who own guns, and visited two gunshops. 

This gun will be for self defense to keep at home, shoot at the range, and carry occasionally (when I need to travel to less than desirable areas).

I want to purchase a 9mm but it seems there are so many options so I am trying to narrow them down. Here are my criteria:

- Reliable
- Price. I don't want to (nor think I need to ) spend more than $600 or so. I don't mind paying more for quality, but I don't want to spend money I don't need to.
- Something not too large. While I don't plan to carry this too often, I do want to have the option and I figure the smaller it is, the more likely I will actually carry.

I have seen certain 9mm mentioned over and over for good conceal/carry. Some may be new, some may be older, but they include..

Glock 26 or Glock 19 (little larger than 26) 
S&W 3913 or 3914 
Sig P239
Kahr MK9 PM9 CW9 or P9
Kel tec pf-9 or p11 
S&W SD9 

I plan to make more visits to shops, hold more guns, and rent a bunch to shoot. But I'm trying to narrow it down a bit instead of spending hundreds of dollars renting a dozen or so guns. So here are my questions..

1. Based on my criteria, what do you think of the guns I list? Do you have other suggestions?
2. Should I buy used or new? I'm sure this is subjective.
3. Is a manual safety a good idea or not? I've heard both sides of this argument.
4. Are there any other things I should keep in mind as I decide on a gun?

Looking forward to some good discussion! 

Thanks in advance!


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## snowman46919 (Dec 16, 2009)

You can find a good used beretta px4 type f in the 400 dollar range, I also like the springfield xd and they both have several flavors in size to choose from. The main thing I would look for is something comfortable in hand and you can accurately shoot. Instead of carrying just part time I would carry full time IMHO. I carry very consistently at home while I wait for my lifetime ltch. One thing that I did notice about the pf9 is that it is extremely small grip width made me question it. If I have any doubt in my mind I would just put it right back down. A full size px4 or xd can both be concealed easy with the right holster and even more easily during jacket weather. Just some food for thought.


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## dosborn (Apr 17, 2009)

I would suggest shooting as many as you can so that you can find the one you shoot best and feels good in your hand.

If it were me with that list, it would be between the G19 and the P239 (leaning more towards the 19 as a first gun due to the simplicity). They are bigger than the PM9 and PF-9, which means they are easier for most to shoot. A day at the range is not nearly as comfortable with a "pocket" 9mm, trust me. 

If you were asking about a gun you want to carry every day, then I would suggest the PM9.

If you don't plan to carry it on your person, but in your vehicle, then I would recommend the G17 or a P226.


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

Looking at your list and your criteria I would say your head is spinning. 

What I would do is go to a gun store and hold a bunch of guns and just see what feels good in your hand befire you go rent some to shoot. Then either get some friends with guns to let you try theirs or go rent a few you have picked. I would for CCW 9mm good shooter pick the Kahr CW9. If you want to spend a couple hundy more the Kahr PM9 If you want a great gun for shooting that is still concealable in my opinion the best gun to pick Bar none is the CZ P-01. Look at it it is worth the time it may take to find one. If I were only allowed one handgun there is no doubt it would be my P-01

RCG


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## mik3gun (Sep 15, 2010)

you can consider the S&W MP9 or MP9c.. the mp9c is very good for conceal.

I had similar doubts some weeks before, new to guns too. MY optiones where MP9, glock 19, 17, beretta px4, XD.

I try some guns before buying one. The most comfortable was the mp9 and I felt less recoil with mp9 than glock 19 o 17. 

I dont use my gun for SD, at least for now. I have been practicing IDPA and dry fire at home after triple check it is unloaded

Good luck


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## lithnights (Nov 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the feedback. And yes my head is spinning.  But it makes me feel that I'm on the right path. As many have suggested, I do plan to get out to the range and hold and shoot as many as I can. My problem with that is that the rental costs $12 a lane/gun at the local gunshop. So I really wanted to narrow down to 5 or so to test so I'm not spending a fortune..and that means 5 that they would have to rent/shoot.

I figure certain ones they would def have to shoot (Glock 19, S&W M&P9, certain Karhs etc.) but others like S&W 3913 are discontinued and thus I'd doubt they'd have them to test. But I guess I'll have to go and find out what they have.

I will post back once I get back from the range.

Thanks all


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## lithnights (Nov 9, 2010)

*Back from the range*

UPDATE.. BACK FROM THE RANGE

I headed out to the gun shop and range last night with my listing of 9 or so guns. I showed the salesman my list and we spent some time holding a whole bunch of them. I held most of the guns mentioned on the forum although some they didn't have (various Kahrs, CZ75, and older guns like Sig 228 and S&W 3913). I held the Glock 19, Glock 26, Springfield XD, Ruger SR9 and SR9C, Sig Sauer 239, and Walther P99. I can't say I disliked any of them, but I did take notice to the much higher price of the Sig and Walther..which I had been warned about by some of you.

I far preferred the Glock 19 to the 26, and the Ruger SR9C to the SR9. I liked the Springfield. I liked the Walther but it was pricey at 650.

Based on that, we headed downstairs to the range. I was with a friend who is looking as well. They made us shoot a .22 first and we did well so we moved up to a 9mm. We tested the Glock 19 since that was high on my list. I really liked it. We then rented a Glock 23, basically so we could compare 9mm to .40 since my friend was thinking of getting a .40. I must say I preferred the 9mm but it wasn't a huge difference. My shot placement was better with the 19. They had a Springfield (but not a Ruger SR9C) but we ran out of time.

So I am heavily leaning towards the Glock 19 at this point. Basically b/c I liked the way it felt in my hand, the way it shot, the reliability of Glock, the great reviews, the ease of parts/maintenance, etc. With that said, I will likely go back and try to fire the Springfield XD to compare.

The Glock was $540, the Springfield $525, the Ruger $420, and the Walther $650. So for now, I'm ruling out the Walther based on price and the fact that I can't rent one. I'm ruling out the Ruger since I can't test it. I realize I could probably go to other ranges, try to find them, and test them. But at this point, I really like the Glock and want to compare to the Springfield. I figure this is likely not going to be my only gun so for future guns, I can spend more time tracking them down, borrowing, testing etc. when I get my next one.

Also, they did have a couple used Glock 19s (around $470) but at that small price difference between used and new, I'm leaning towards new.

For those that mentioned safety and training, they also offer a one on one training/safety class which I am going to take once I make the purchase. I also want to take a legal class of some sort to fully understand the gun laws of my state.

So that is my thought process and position for now. Thoughts welcome.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

Glock 19.

All of the guns you listed are fine, and there are a lot more very good ones. The reason I chose the G19 is that it is a good compromise between size and concealability, it is a proven handgun of good quality, reliability, and accuracy, and most important of all...it is simple to operate and most folks will start shooting them accurately very quickly, once shown a few basic techniques.

Ignore anyone who says a newbie needs a handgun with a flip-lever safety. A newbie needs to learn to keep his finger off the trigger and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, above all else, with whatever pistol he chooses - and if he does that with a Glock, he will never harm another human being, unless he chooses to.

Buy whatever you like, get a good belt and IWB holster, practice fanatically, both with and without ammo, and enjoy....but the G19 _would_ be an excellent choice.


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## JTEX53 (Nov 9, 2010)

*Sooo many semiauto pistols out there*

lithnights,
Sounds like you are having the same dilema that I am in choosing a CCW/SD pistol. There are so many semiautos hand guns out there now unless you have close friends with a variety of weapons to try out, you're lost like me. Then there are the owners of so many various weapons that claim mine is better. You don't know what to do.
I'm just going to start checking out what's in my budget $500-$600 and then just start looking and holding the weapon to see how it feels in my hand. Glocks get a lot of praise but I'm sure there are many fine weapons out there, that will suit my needs for maybe a little less in price. I'm leaning towards a 9mm also. I have a 9mm Tokerev, a tough pistol bought back NIB in mid 90's for $110. I have no intentions of ever selling it, just a little bulky for CCW and small capacity magazine. I came across some info about a Stoeger Cougar/8000 which is built by a subsidary of Beretta. If anyones has one or can comment on it's positive and negatives let me know because I haven't been able to find one in stock in my area. My search continues........
JT


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## SMann (Dec 11, 2008)

You said more than once you really liked the Glock 19. It's an excellent choice. Buy a new one and enjoy. I'm wearing one right now and have never wished I'd bought something different. Might want to add more one day but will never replace the G19.


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## recoilguy (Apr 30, 2009)

If you live in MN I will let you shoot my SR9 and then you wontr rule it out because you never tried it. I also have Kahr or 2 and the CZ's you cant find. If you lived around here You could try a few more for free.

RCG


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## lithnights (Nov 9, 2010)

recoilguy said:


> If you live in MN I will let you shoot my SR9 and then you wontr rule it out because you never tried it. I also have Kahr or 2 and the CZ's you cant find. If you lived around here You could try a few more for free.
> 
> RCG


Thanks for the offer but I'm a bit far away (in PA). Otherwise I'd take you up on it. But you raise a good point that I was going to mention. It seems that for a beginner, it's tough to try out all the possible guns to try to find that "one". Sure I could go to 5 different shops, maybe track down some locals who have certain guns, pay hundreds of dollars in rental and lane fees etc. but quite simply I (with 2 little ones and FT job) don't have time nor the resources (people with guns) needed.

Now fast forward a couple months or a year, after I've been shooting, met other locals who shoot etc. and I think it's more practical to try to track down a whole slew of different guns to find that perfect 2nd gun. Know what I mean?

i.e. I'd love to try to track down and shoot a SR9 but that may require a trip to MN. :mrgreen: If nothing else, a whole lot of phone calls, a long car ride to a distant store, more money etc. Could I do it? Sure. But I just didn't want to turn this into a 3 month search. Especially when I've found a gun I really like.

With that said, I will make the effort to track down a few of the others that this shop didn't have. We'll see what happens.


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## JTEX53 (Nov 9, 2010)

Just came back from a pawn shop. They had one new Glock 19 w/case $535 OTD. The used one looked almost new, very little signs of wear on slide $425 no case 1 mag. Don't know if the no wear issue should worry me.
JT


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

I would go with the used one. 

There is nothing in the case that's worth $110, and that buys a lot of 9mm ammo. Glocks have a super-tough finish that tends not to show much wear for a long time. My G20 is a 'woods gun' that I carry in a kydex paddle holster and it gets banged and scrubbed around a lot, and still looks brand new.


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## timbo813 (Aug 24, 2010)

Since you like the glock 19 I would definitely say get it. You can't get a better pistol for the money if it fits you. If you aren't crazy about the feel of the Glock I would also recommend you look at the Smith and Wesson M&P 9. They are also great guns for the money.


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## mik3gun (Sep 15, 2010)

timbo813 said:


> Since you like the glock 19 I would definitely say get it. You can't get a better pistol for the money if it fits you. If you aren't crazy about the feel of the Glock I would also recommend you look at the Smith and Wesson M&P 9. They are also great guns for the money.


+1

2 months ago I had the same doubt, and I was thinking about glock 19 and MP9.. I shot both and feel less recoil or muzzle flip with the MP9 and more comfortable...

finally I bought the mp9.. I have shoot 2 idpa match and got the 6 place of 16 and the 2nd match 3th place... very happy with my mp9..(and I an new to guns)

and I listened about some problems with the gen 4 glock.. you can check that section in this forum..

and I didnt want to buy a glock only because "many people" out have a glock, didnt want to be one more sheep.. nowdays are many brands, similar models,and good quality.. that was many years ago when glock was new to the market and wasnt other similiar kinds of polymer pistol...

good luck


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## EliWolfe (Nov 20, 2010)

I"ll put a vote in for the [email protected] 3913. Old proven design, flatter than some of the others mentioned for CCW. And, for those of us that like classic lines and metal guns, a really fine looking weapon.
Eli


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## 78CJ5 (Oct 16, 2010)

Glock 19 simple to use ,simple to clean, easy to carry.


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## lithnights (Nov 9, 2010)

UPDATE..

After much debate and thought, I finally decided on a Glock 19. I spent some time trying to track down some of the other weapons mentioned (specifically the SR9C and Springfield). My brother reminded me I had already shot the Springfield months ago (I guess I was indifferent with it) so I concentrated on trying to test the SR9C. Unfortunately, of the 3 ranges I called, none had it. Thus I decided to just go with the Glock as my first gun, and do more test shooting for my future guns. I'm already looking even though I don't have my first one in my hand yet. ; )

I then had to decide where to buy it from. It was amazing how different the cost was amongst local shops. After much comparisons, I went with an online store who had a super low price. Once adding on the shipping and transfer fee (which ranged from $25-50 in my area), the final OTD cost was only $10 more than getting it via the GSSF program (where I would have to pay sales tax and the GSSF fee plus the GSSF dealer charged an extra $10 for background check. So the $425 gun cost became much much more than that.

So hopefully I will be getting it in a couple days. I'm then getting tritium sights and I should be good to go. Then a holster of course.. and tons of other accessories I'll probably end up getting!!

Thanks for everyone's feedback.


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