# My first handgun?! IDK what to buy!



## Jimmy19 (Nov 16, 2012)

I am new to this. I turn 21 pretty soon and am in the market for a pistol, but i can not really decide what brand to get. let alone which caliber. I am looking for a personal/home defense gun (ccw) that will be fun to take to the range. price is not a problem although i am not looking to spend over 700 for my first handgun. in 2 years (after college) i plan on becoming a police officer if this helps any.


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## sopwith21 (Nov 16, 2012)

Great CCW guns: Walther P99 .40, Kimber .45 
Good gun really cheap: Makarov 9x18 

You'll get 10,000 opinions on this and most of them are valid. But ignore the ".45 caliber only" bunch. It's a great caliber, but the notion that its the only caliber on earth is emotion-based. Many others will do a fine job including .44, .357, 9mm +P, .38 +P, .40 and more. Even the mouse guns have their place, and any bad guy who doesn't take a .380 or .32 seriously is a genuine idiot. 

And please, I beg you... don't become a police officer. PLEASE. We need people fighting for liberty, not against it.


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## Leo (Jul 1, 2010)

The Ruger SR9, SR9c, SR40 and SR40c are excellent guns for target shooting and home defense. You can find more details on these centerfire pistols from *Ruger website*.

The SR9c and SR40c (the compacts) are especially built for concealed carry with the short mags. With the regular mags, they're great for target shooting, too.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*Jimmy*;
Use the forum's _search_ function, and look for "new gun."
You are not the first to ask this very question, so it will be useful to you if you read the responses already offered, rather than starting everyone out on the subject all over again.

Bear in mind that nobody else can successfully tell you what will suit you best.


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## chessail77 (Mar 15, 2011)

Jimmy
Becoming a policeman is a noble endeavor and you should ignore statements to the contrary and proceed with your plans, for your first pistol you should follow Steve's advice, but I might also add that a 9mm would be a good caliber to start due to ammo cost......


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

sopwith21 said:


> Great CCW guns: Walther P99 .40, Kimber .45
> Good gun really cheap: Makarov 9x18
> 
> You'll get 10,000 opinions on this and most of them are valid. But ignore the ".45 caliber only" bunch. It's a great caliber, but the notion that its the only caliber on earth is emotion-based. Many others will do a fine job including .44, .357, 9mm +P, .38 +P, .40 and more. Even the mouse guns have their place, and any bad guy who doesn't take a .380 or .32 seriously is a genuine idiot.
> ...


 :smt009


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## genesis (Jun 18, 2012)

Jimmy19 said:


> I am new to this. I turn 21 pretty soon and am in the market for a pistol, but i can not really decide what brand to get. let alone which caliber. I am looking for a personal/home defense gun (ccw) that will be fun to take to the range. price is not a problem although i am not looking to spend over 700 for my first handgun. in 2 years (after college) i plan on becoming a police officer if this helps any.


A lot of LEO's now use the 40 S&W caliber, so I'd be looking for something in that caliber. But that's just me. A 9MM would serve you well to. I have the Ruger SR40C. It comes with 2 mags. 9 & 15 rounds in my state (Wisconsin). In restrictive states, it comes with two 10 round mags. With the 9 round mag it's great for CC. The 15 round mag turns it into a full size SR40 (almost). For around $400 it's a really great gun ~ as are so many others. Go to youtube and do a search on any gun you're interested in. You'll find a ton of gun videos there.

Happy shooting,

Don <><


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

*Jimmy*;
Also click on: http://www.handgunforum.net/general-semi-auto/22239-selecting-handgun-self-defense.html
There's lots of answers to your questions there, all written by a very knowledgeable shooter.


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## Jimmy19 (Nov 16, 2012)

Thank you guys for the replies. I kinda narrowed it down to a .40s&w or a 9mm in a compact frame. maybe a glock.. the Ruger SR40C was a nice weapon. I feel it is ime for me to head to the gun store and stop looking at youtube videos haha


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## jakeleinen1 (Jul 20, 2011)

Jimmy19 said:


> i plan on becoming a police officer if this helps any.


Cop pistols and the ones I reccommend for you:

Glock (seriously get a glock) - this what the FBI and many depts carry
Smith and Wesson M&P - seeing alot of departments changing over to this
Sig P226 - fantastic duty firearm

Since your going to CCW my specific recommendation to you would be the G26/27. A 19/23 will also do very well.

Good luck


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## swany66675 (Oct 25, 2012)

For a first gun any of them with a subcompact frame that can take a full size magazine with a spacer would be the way to go. But if learning marksmen ship is your main thing pick a 22lr and buy 4000 rounds and just spend as much time as you can practicing. Handle as many guns as you can, at least were I am most people will let you take a few shots with there guns if your polite.

Kind of like that Sig 224 anyone know if they plane a price drop.


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## Sweet (Jul 8, 2012)

Just in case you have not made your purchase by now go check out a CZ P-01 9mm, $550-600. If I could only own one handgun this would probably be it. If I could start from scratch this would be my first and save me several thousand fr-notes.


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## CaptMaui (Jul 15, 2013)

I have a Browning Hi Power for sale 40 S&W NIB!!:smt1099


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## boringknowitall (Jul 14, 2013)

sopwith21 said:


> And please, I beg you... don't become a police officer. PLEASE. We need people fighting for liberty, not against it.


I am a teacher and not a police officer. However, I respect those who protect and serve. I take offence at the above remark.


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## Smitty79 (Oct 19, 2012)

Glock 23. Small enough to carry. Big enough for range fun. It's a 40 cal if you decide you like big bullets. If you don't like big bullets, it can be converted to a 9mm for far less than a new gun. Glocks are simple to learn on. If you decide you don't like it, you can resell it easily. Get the gen 4 so you get a customizable grip. Easier to make sure it fits.

Steve's comments about the search function are true. But my own experience with a first handgun led me to the realization that the amount of shooting you can do with rented guns doesn't get you to the right place. Getting something simple and good and shooting the hell out of it is my recommendation of how to start.

If you don't have lots of shooting experience, don't get a DA/SA gun like the Sig 226 recommended above. They are harder for a novice to learn than a single action, like a 1911, or a striker fired, like a Glock, M&P, ...


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