# New to the handgun scene, help me out!



## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

Hi everyone. I have been familiar with firearms since I was very little, competing in amateur rifle shooting for example. But now that I'm going to be getting out on my own, I'd like to purchase a handgun. My father has a small revolver and 2 colt .45's. I'm not sure what I'd should get though. Heres what I do know:

I don't want a revolver.
I want something with some power
Something semi accurate would be nice for plinking
Low maintenance, reliability is also a plus.

Always love the .50 cal. Dessert Eagle but I know that way overkill. Im open to your suggestions, bring 'em on!


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## noproblem5671 (Dec 6, 2006)

Perception of accuracy depends on a lot of factors. It isn't as simple as putting two guns in a vise and pulling the trigger ten times to see which one makes a better group from 25 yards. Some shooters like one gun some like another and it is a combination of the gun, the shooters idiosyncrasies and the shooters technical skill that will produce the given results. 

If you want an accurate defensive semi-auto gun the top choices available today in no particular order are: 
Glock
1911 (Kimber, Colt, Para Ordinance or Springfield) Take your pic.
Spingfield XD (One of my favorites)
Sig 229 or similar
HK USP
Walther P99AS 

You were not quite clear if it is for carry also or only home defense and plinking. Not that people don't carry every gun on my list, but it plays a role in deciding.
(Excluding high dollar guns which often have as much to do with pride as function, of course given your background you might like handgunning enough to justify it.) Since most everyone who gets into guns owns more than one getting a solid defensive gun isn't a bad start since we know you're not affraid of a little recoil and a large framed gun. :smt002


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## bantonio (Jan 2, 2007)

As far as brand or style goes, you just gotta beat the bush and try them out. It's a personal thing about how good it feels in your hand. But, if it's your first, I'd suggest a semi-auto and also suggest a 9mm. It's a good place to start and shooting it often will not break the bank.......yet. For what it's worth.
BA


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Well, here is some standard advice we give:

http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=2496

Also, trust me - U do not want a 50 cal desert eagle. U willd evelop some horrific shooting habits w/ that monster thing to begin w/. And, it will just end up staying in your closet. Its so impracticle.

There is a huge used desert eagle market - many people buy it because of movies they have seen. They rarely shoot it, and they eventually sell it.


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## M&P40 (Jan 3, 2007)

i would suggest if you want some stopping power but also want to plink with it go to the 9mm because the ammo is a little cheaper...personally im willing to pay 2-3 dollars more on a box of ammo for the extra stopping power of the .40


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## Snowman (Jan 2, 2007)

In my opinion, a good place to start is whether you want a metal or plastic frame. I don't have much metal-frame experience other than the famed 1911. I did handle a Baby Eagle in 9mm which I thought had good balance; never shot one though. If you're a plastic guy, I suggest the Walther P99, Springfield xD, and Glock among others.

Good luck! :smt023


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

M&P40 said:


> i would suggest if you want some stopping power but also want to plink with it go to the 9mm because the ammo is a little cheaper...personally im willing to pay 2-3 dollars more on a box of ammo for the extra stopping power of the .40


Then again, all the stopping power in the world doesn't mean a darn thing if you can't hit what you're aiming at. Shot placement is more crucial. You're better off with a 9mm and hitting a BG COM (assuming the gun is bought for self-defense) vs. owning a .45 and missing. Find the biggest caliber that you can shoot well.


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

Plan from the very beginnig to own more than one handgun. That will take some of the pressure off. You are looking for you "first" gun. Not your "only" gun.

If you like your first gun, you'll love your second one.

WM


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## Charlie (May 13, 2006)

Wandering Man said:


> Plan from the very beginnig to own more than one handgun. That will take some of the pressure off. You are looking for you "first" gun. Not your "only" gun.
> 
> If you like your first gun, you'll love your second one.
> 
> WM


and third...........and fourth.............and fifth............etc..........:smt082 :smt082 :smt082


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

As impractical as it may be, I love my Desert Eagle .50 A/E. It's a hoot to shoot and I shoot it often. Is it a good defensive weapon. No, unless you live on 20 acres and there are no houses around. If you live in an apartment or condo, this thing shoots through walls. It's expensive and ammo is expensive. Around here a box of 20 Speer Gold Dots cost about $35. That's a buck seventy-five per squeeze of the trigger. But when folks in the parking lot of the indoor range stop me and ask me what I was shooting that was making the walls shake, it's worth it. I tend to shoot it almost everytime I go to the range. I do however have the .44 magnum barrel and magazines for it so I can plink with it a little easier than if I didn't.

Would I buy it again after owning it. You Betcha. I love that gun. Impractical or not. It is not, however, my only handgun and I wouldn't recommend to anyone that they should buy one if it was going to be their only handgun. For home defense and carry, the Sig P245 does quite nicely. I'm not a big fan of the 9mm which is why I went with the good old .45 ACP.


















dladd


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

That's kewl that U like it. But even U would probably agree that it isn't a good 1st gun for someone....


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## dladd (Sep 19, 2006)

Shipwreck,

I'll say it like this. If your interest is to only go to the range and shoot a cannon but have no interest in home defense, then I see nothing wrong with this being your first/only gun. If you have the slightest interest in home/personal protection, then you are correct. It shouldn't be your first or only gun.

In my case, I wanted a .44 mag pistol but really don't like revolvers. That really narrows it down if you know what I mean. I owned a .38 special revolver for home protection so this was not my first gun. It's just the first in my current buying spree. Anyway, it really depends on your reason for purchasing a handgun. Nowhere in Clawlan's original post does he really indicate what his intention is with the gun so we really don't have enough to go on. But if his intention is to make a very big boom, then the DE 50 is the gun for him. If home defense is a must, then it's not, he should stick with something smaller like a .45. Not nearly the muzzle velocity or lead mass so shooting through 3 or 4 apartments isn't a concern.

dladd

After reading my above post, I have to put one caveat in: If you can safely handle a large caliber handgun without hurting yourself or others, then I go for it. Many first-time gun owners don't have ANY experience with ANY gun. In that case, a DE 50 is way too much gun. It doesn't have training wheels and after you pull the trigger, you can't have a do-over.


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

noproblem5671 said:


> You were not quite clear if it is for carry also or only home defense and plinking. Not that people don't carry every gun on my list, but it plays a role in deciding.


I would love to be able to carry the gun but I'm pretty sure that this is illegal in upstate NY. Is there a website that has all the different state handgun laws? I have tried searching but haven't had much luck.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

clawlan said:


> I would love to be able to carry the gun but I'm pretty sure that this is illegal in upstate NY. Is there a website that has all the different state handgun laws? I have tried searching but haven't had much luck.


Yes indeed. We have everything here - that link I posted above w/ help on new people to guns has 2 links in it. They each have state firearm laws...

HereL

http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=2496


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

Charlie said:


> and third...........and fourth.............and fifth............etc..........:smt082 :smt082 :smt082


Shh!

Sure, your right, Charlie, but I didn't want to scare him!

:axe: :axe: :axe:

WM


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## MLB (Oct 4, 2006)

clawlan said:


> I would love to be able to carry the gun but I'm pretty sure that this is illegal in upstate NY. Is there a website that has all the different state handgun laws? I have tried searching but haven't had much luck.


Yes, you can carry in Upstate NY. Just need the appropriate permit. Takes about 6 months. It's a pain, but definately worth it. On the plus side, NYS concealed carry permits never expire. (Unless of course you do something stupid  ) Go to your local pistol permit office or sheriff's department to get the forms.

Take a look at www.packing.org. Best of luck.


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

Snowman said:


> In my opinion, a good place to start is whether you want a metal or plastic frame. I don't have much metal-frame experience other than the famed 1911. I did handle a Baby Eagle in 9mm which I thought had good balance; never shot one though. If you're a plastic guy, I suggest the Walther P99, Springfield xD, and Glock among others.
> 
> Good luck! :smt023


For give my lack of knowledge, but besides plastic being plastic and metal being metal, what are the advantages/disadvantages?


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

Todd said:


> Then again, all the stopping power in the world doesn't mean a darn thing if you can't hit what you're aiming at. Shot placement is more crucial. You're better off with a 9mm and hitting a BG COM (assuming the gun is bought for self-defense) vs. owning a .45 and missing. Find the biggest caliber that you can shoot well.


Again forgive my ignorance, what is BG COM? I'm not familiar with all the acryonyms.


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## Spenser (Nov 6, 2006)

Definitely a 9mm. I'd agree that you need to decide whether you want a plastic or metal frame, safety or no manual safety, decocker or no decocker, etc. Then we can get down to specifics. 

I'd recommed in no order:

Beretta 92FS (cheaper nowadays) or PX4, or a Cougar if you can find one.
Smith & Wesson 3rd Gen.
Sig P229
Baby Eagle 
Glock 19 or 17
H&K USP 
Walther P99

I'll bet you can find something in that list that you'll love.


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

clawlan said:


> Again forgive my ignorance, what is BG COM? I'm not familiar with all the acryonyms.


Bad Guy - Center Of Mass

WM


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

Spenser said:


> Definitely a 9mm. I'd agree that you need to decide whether you want a plastic or metal frame, safety or no manual safety, decocker or no decocker, etc. Then we can get down to specifics.


haha. wow i know what a safety i of course but decocker? Man, I'm finding out how little I know about all this. perhaps I'll take a trip to my local gunshop and start asking questions.


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## bompa (Oct 26, 2006)

For whatever my opinion is worth I believe a first gun should be a 22lr..Easy to shoot and cheap to shoot..You will not develop so many bad habits as you progress in proficiency..All considered a 22 is not the worst home defense gun either..A hit or two with a 22 is much more effective than a miss with a cannon..


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

MLB said:


> Take a look at www.packing.org. Best of luck.


Try http://www.handgunlaw.us/ as well. A lot of times they are more up to date than packing.org


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## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

clawlan said:


> Again forgive my ignorance, what is BG COM? I'm not familiar with all the acronyms.


Sorry about that. Sometimes I just get typing and forget not everyone knows the abbreviations.



Wandering Man said:


> Bad Guy - Center Of Mass


Thanks WM.


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## Snowman (Jan 2, 2007)

clawlan said:


> For give my lack of knowledge, but besides plastic being plastic and metal being metal, what are the advantages/disadvantages?


First, I'll say it's mostly about personal preference. Not that you have to decide right now that plastic is better than metal or vice versa, but for a single purchase it makes sense to decide what exactly you want and what "feels right" to you. A plastic frame will make the gun lighter than a metal frame of equal size, but when you go loading it up with 16 rounds of ammo (for example) it will still be considerably massive. Some of the newer plastic frames like the Walther come with interchangeable backstraps which you can swap out for the one that best fits your hand. There's also something to be said about holding a weapon made of wood and steel.

Try them all! :smt023


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

Snowman said:


> First, I'll say it's mostly about personal preference. Not that you have to decide right now that plastic is better than metal or vice versa, but for a single purchase it makes sense to decide what exactly you want and what "feels right" to you. A plastic frame will make the gun lighter than a metal frame of equal size, but when you go loading it up with 16 rounds of ammo (for example) it will still be considerably massive. Some of the newer plastic frames like the Walther come with interchangeable backstraps which you can swap out for the one that best fits your hand. There's also something to be said about holding a weapon made of wood and steel.
> 
> Try them all! :smt023


You may also learn as you go on that the recoil that bothers you today doesn't seem to be as severe tomorrow. As you get used to shooting guns, what seems wrong now may feel right later. That's another good reason to shoot lots of guns and then shoot them again.

Unlike a lot of purchases, doing the research to pick out a gun is a lot of fun.

WM


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

I see a lot of pistols having a "1911" model. What does this mean?


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## Snowman (Jan 2, 2007)

bompa said:


> For whatever my opinion is worth I believe a first gun should be a 22lr..Easy to shoot and cheap to shoot..You will not develop so many bad habits as you progress in proficiency..All considered a 22 is not the worst home defense gun either..A hit or two with a 22 is much more effective than a miss with a cannon..


If you shoot a cannon at me, I will be long gone before you can shoot it again. Boom! :mrgreen:


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## Cobra64 (Jan 20, 2007)

Safety and bullet placement.

Caliber size means nothing if you can't hit the target.


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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

clawlan said:


> I see a lot of pistols having a "1911" model. What does this mean?


John Moses Brownings design used by Colt It is the first semi-auto design to be adopted by the US military, The M-1911 .45 acp, the grand daddy of all auto pistols,plaigerized by many, bettered by none:mrgreen: :mrgreen:


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## fattsgalore (Jan 20, 2007)

If my two cent are worth any thing it's this. What are your needs and what do you want to spend. My breaking point is $600.00 period. If its 602 its to much. Are you looking for something to carry daily are you looking for a range gun, is it strictly home defense. These are important factors. Well I'll try addressing everything quickly. For range gun go with a 9mm with a minimum of a 4 inch barrel; for a daily life saver go with a .40cal of medium size for concealment. If it's home defense go with a .45 or a shotgun. Just go with a brand that has a reputable history. And be warned no matter how much you spend no matter how much the weapons praised it is possible to get a lemon. Trust me on that. My personal preference as of right now on the spot if you forced me to give you an answer would be A Taurus PT-92 or 99 which is the Beretta clone in either 9mm or .40cal. The forty is called PT101 or something don't quote me at that one. I'd go with the nine since it's carrys 17+1 but it's long 5 inch barrel isn't the easiest thing to hide. I haven't heard one complaint about the 9mm yet, I've heard a few bad comments about the forty. I've heard worst comments about the actual Beretta it's designed after.


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

fattsgalore said:


> If my two cent are worth any thing it's this. What are your needs and what do you want to spend. My breaking point is $600.00 period. If its 602 its to much. Are you looking for something to carry daily are you looking for a range gun, is it strictly home defense. These are important factors. Well I'll try addressing everything quickly. For range gun go with a 9mm with a minimum of a 4 inch barrel; for a daily life saver go with a .40cal of medium size for concealment. If it's home defense go with a .45 or a shotgun. Just go with a brand that has a reputable history. And be warned no matter how much you spend no matter how much the weapons praised it is possible to get a lemon. Trust me on that. My personal preference as of right now on the spot if you forced me to give you an answer would be A Taurus PT-92 or 99 which is the Beretta clone in either 9mm or .40cal. The forty is called PT101 or something don't quote me at that one. I'd go with the nine since it's carrys 17+1 but it's long 5 inch barrel isn't the easiest thing to hide. I haven't heard one complaint about the 9mm yet, I've heard a few bad comments about the forty. I've heard worst comments about the actual Beretta it's designed after.


wow, really like the taurus pistols, so many to choose from though...


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

See... now U will get more info to think about...

If u do some searches for Taurus on other forums, U'll get a mixed bag. Granted, all gun companies make some lemons. And, U tend to read more about the lemons, because people post more to complain, NOT to say good stuff.

But... I personally would never buy another Taurus (I used to own a Taurus 22). I have been reading some threads on other sites about their customer service, and some of the treatment people have gotten is maddeing. They also have a bad trackrecord w/ some of their earlier millenium models having defects, and they didn't deal with this in the best way. And, so many people post stories about problems w/ their revolver - problems that keep them using their new gun on their very 1st trip to the range - they gotta send them back first to get repaired or replaced before even using them (even I had to do this on my Taurus PT22 years ago)...

Granted, as I said before, many other brands get more than their share of complaints (Kimber and Keltec for example - and I will admit to prev owning a Kimber, and I currently own a Keltec). But, I wouldn't buy a Taurus anything, if it were me... Just like I wouldn't buy one of those Phillpine brands of 1911...

Now, the Taurus fans or free to flame me...


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## Spenser (Nov 6, 2006)

Just as a side comment: I think it's great that a person with little or no experience with handguns can come here for research and opinions as to what he or she might be happy with. I'm trying as much as possible to make my comments helpful to those people from an absolute beginner standpoint. 

Anyways, this forum is great for that sort of thing.


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## clawlan (Jan 19, 2007)

alright, just got back from gander mountain (store) and talked with some people there a little bit. They recommended, and I liked, the Rugers. Said that they are built very well, easy to disassemble and are very affordable. The caveat to that meaning they may not be as accurate. But i think they might be a good starter pistol for me.


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## thedr (Dec 23, 2006)

clawlan said:


> alright, just got back from gander mountain (store) and talked with some people there a little bit. They recommended, and I liked, the Rugers. Said that they are built very well, easy to disassemble and are very affordable. The caveat to that meaning they may not be as accurate. But i think they might be a good starter pistol for me.


Any of the Ruger P series are good guns. They are built like a tank and work every time. They may not have the classic lines of others like 1911, Browning High Power, or Sigs. but they are good guns. 
A couple of other ones you might checkout are the CZ 75B and the FN FNP-9. The CZ is all steel and the FNP is a polymer frame gun. Both are fine weapons.


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## Spenser (Nov 6, 2006)

An excellent choice, I think. Let's hear what you think about it, after you've had a chance to pick one and play with it a bit.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

There is a thread about the gun here:

http://www.handgunforum.net/showthread.php?t=6052&highlight=ruger+p89


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