# first post, need some ideas



## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

well hello i just joined and im looking for a first handgun, i have a 12gauge and a bolt action 17hmr. but im looking for a semi auto hand gun, im not good with revolvers and i think i want a 9mm. i would like something good for the range but could easily conceal carry when i turn 21. any advice or ideas would be great. thanks 
:smt1099

EDIT: almost forgot under $400 would be great. im looking at the taurus 709 slim looking at S&W sd9 now. do not want a single stack


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## shaolin (Dec 31, 2012)

Stay away from Taurus! Their guns are not all that but it beats nothing. I suggest that you up the amount you will spend and get the Springfield XDM 3.8 with the 13rd mag you can conceal easy and with the 19rd mag you can have a range gun and more capacity for when you feel you need it. It comes with all the bells and whistles and is very accurate.


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

wow ive been looking for that gun forever! i fired one at an event and loved it! i forgot what it was but thats definitely it! wish they were cheaper though dang i would have to the od green with SS slide. its gonna take some convincing. i dont actually have any money but when my mom gets her tax returns she can get it and il buy it from her when i turn 21


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Save some money to invest in shooting-technique, law, and tactics classes, if you intend to carry a concealed weapon.

Pistol shooting is neither easy nor is it simple. It takes lots and lots of careful practice, to become good enough to protect your own life—not to mention the lives of others.
If you carry a concealed weapon, you need to know the relevant laws.
You also must learn about save-your-life "street tactics."

Save some money, too, for a decent holster and reload pouch, and especially for a best-quality belt. Expect to spend at least $200.00 on this, and more will be better.


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

im not thinking too much about concealed carry yet im a few years away from that. i have looked into the laws though. i just dont want to have to get something else later


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## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

If you’re planning on buying your first handgun, you should try to put your hands on as many guns as possible and shoot as many guns as possible. Everyone has different hand shapes, sizes and finds different types of sights easier to use. The best first gun is the one that you can shoot most accurately. Once you find that, then you can start fine tuning your decision based on weight, concealability, caliber, etc.

There are gun stores that rent handguns so you can try them out without buying.... Hopefully there is one in you area. This is the best way to go without buying X amount of weapons before you find the one for you.......


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

i have fired a couple, the XDM which i loved and i hit 5 bowling pins in a row right in the neck at a decent distance, a Beretta 92 .40 which i didnt like at all and couldnt hit the side of a barn with. i shot a few revolvers but im not a fan.


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## OSOKILL (Dec 5, 2011)

that's pretty good shootin Josh =]]


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

Thanks it was probably only like 25-30 feet so it wasn't anything special now that I think about it, but I did hit 5 in a row. Not bad for someone who only shoots one day a year though. Anyway there's no way I'm going to be able to get an XDM I won't be able to join a gun club if I do so what would be the point. I'm looking at the S&W SD9 its affordable and got a ton of good reviews. What do you guys think?


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

josh870 said:


> (snip) I'm looking at the S&W SD9 its affordable and got a ton of good reviews. What do you guys think?


I've never fired one myself, but the folks over at TTAG gave it a good review, and I generally trust them:

Gun Review: Smith & Wesson SD9 VE | The Truth About Guns

They said the trigger pull weight is rather heavy, which can definitely affect a person's ability to shoot tight shot groups, but it will probably smooth-up and lighten a bit with use. There is a replacement trigger spring available which can reduce the weight of pull, so there is at least one option if you need a trigger job. Sounds like a solid choice!


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

Oh yea some of the reviews said horrible things about the trigger others said it will lighten up nice in a few hundred rounds. I don't know if I would want to do the spring kit, I'm generally good at fixing things but springs and I don't get along. They always fly away...


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

Take a look at the Springfield Armory XDS in 9 mm. Good luck.


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

i no longer want a single stack but thanks


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

josh870 said:


> Oh yea some of the reviews said horrible things about the trigger others said it will lighten up nice in a few hundred rounds. I don't know if I would want to do the spring kit, I'm generally good at fixing things but springs and I don't get along. They always fly away...


As a person who has launched my fair share of springs and associated parts over the last few decades, here's a helpful tip: get a decent-sized (like, 5 gallon or bigger) clear plastic bag, lay it on the table/workbench in front of you, with the open side toward your body. Put the pistol, all tools, and your hands up inside the bag and do the needed repair while watching through the clear side of the bag. If a spring gets launched during the work, the bag will keep it contained in front of you and on the bench, where it can be found, and it also keeps the spring/part from lodging in your eyeball, which is a real danger with some of the smaller or sharp-ended items.


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## josh870 (Jan 23, 2014)

DJ Niner said:


> As a person who has launched my fair share of springs and associated parts over the last few decades, here's a helpful tip: get a decent-sized (like, 5 gallon or bigger) clear plastic bag, lay it on the table/workbench in front of you, with the open side toward your body. Put the pistol, all tools, and your hands up inside the bag and do the needed repair while watching through the clear side of the bag. If a spring gets launched during the work, the bag will keep it contained in front of you and on the bench, where it can be found, and it also keeps the spring/part from lodging in your eyeball, which is a real danger with some of the smaller or sharp-ended items.


WOW thanks awesome idea, that will save me so much time since i wont have to crawl around on the floor for hours looking for parts. i wish i thought of that back when i was into RC cars


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