about to buy a new gun (my first decent gun, and not the junk i already bought)

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wild billz

New member
about to buy a new gun (my first decent gun, and not the junk i already bought) and f

hi, i'm new to the forums, i've read it for about a week and have done searches for info about. i'm also new to owning guns, i own a cheap o 9mm (had it for 4 months and want a good gun), i made a big mistake, didn't research and let myself get conned. you can probably gues the gun i bought. and i want a quality gun, that won't break my wallet. any how rugers seem to fit that bill. i'm leaning towards the p95, but i do have some other questions, which i'd like clarification on.
i am looking for reliability, because this will be my home defense weapon, but i really want to go to the range and get good at shooting. from what i read the ruger will always fire, not jam, etc. it also seems to be fairly accurate.
what is the big difference between a blue and steel slide? i can get a kp95 fro about 320-330 while a p95 is 310. is the steel finish worth 20-30 dollars?
I was thinking about the p94 also, given that the frame is alloy, and is heavier. the guys at the shops say a heavier gun won't recoil as much, and i want to have my wife use this gun to. if i want anymore guns she needs to enjoy shooting enough to allow me to buy 'em. any issues with polymer over alloy frames, for durablity , kick, etc?
And now for the competition to the ruger. i'm thinking about a cz 75b, its blue, comes with 1 high cap clip and a 10 round for 350. i can get a satin blue finish for 410, but don't see the value at that. is it worth the 30 dollars more than the kp95. i know this is a ruger forum, but i think from what i've read you all are knowledgeable about most guns. i'd like to make my buy this friday, so please let me know thanks in advance! and do these prices seem reasonable?
 
I have a glock but a friend of mine has the ruger and hasn't had any problems. His has a decocker and other features that add more complexity than I personally like in a home defense gun but it is heavier and might be easier to shoot for your wife if she's not used to shooting. For a first "real" gun (I've been there before!) my thoughts were to stick to a popular gun brand and model to simplify parts and repairs but I'm no gun expert and that logic may be faulty.

Why not look into something besides a nine? Like a 45 for instance. My own personal experiance has been that the 45 isn't any more unpleasant to shoot than a nine, and leaves a bigger hole. Ruger makes those too!
 
ruger forum? i wasn't aware of this fact.

Ruger would definitely be another baby step up the handgun ladder.

As far as finish, it's more a personal choice. I like the look of stainless, so i'd spend a little extra.

If you will be carrying concealed, the p95 or kp95 will weigh a little less. Recoil shouldn't be noticeably different in any of the guns you mentioned, unless you use +P+.

Great first, "real" gun. Mine was a P89.

Good luck,

Steve
 
Welcome to the TFL !

My advice to you would be to (if possible) rent the guns you are interested in at a range to try them out.

I know it sounds like a cop out but you must do your homework but nothing can substitute for first hand experience.

I have not owned any of the guys you mentioned so would not be confortable offering an opinion.

I can tell you that this is not a ruger forum. We are an equal opportunity forum. :D

Oh, one more thing I can tell you...I have heard nothing but good things about CZ
 
My first "real" gun was a Ruger p-85. It was accurate and 100% reliable. I have always regreted selling it. My current 9mm is a CZ-75. THAT will not be sold any time soon (like ever).:D
 
The p-95dc is a great first gun. I bought mine about six months ago and I love it. My wife had never shot any kind of weapon before and she has no problem with the recoil.
 
wild billz, of the affordable, high quality 9mms I have shot Ruger, Glock (various Glocks), BHP, and CZ. I currently own CZ-75B. From my limited experience I can tell you they are all good choices. You really need to find a range that will let you shoot all four of them. Ruger seems to have a slightly lenghtish trigger pull and is a bit on the bulky side. Overall, I still liked it. Glock is a matter of taste. Contrary to many strong opinions here, I like its looks. It's simple and purposeful. It also sits in my hand just fine. I wasn't as pleased with my results with it, though. It had a weird, slow, strange recoil. Perhaps it was due to the polymer frame in combination with the 9mm cartridge, I don't know. Glock 21 in .45 and Glock 22 in .40 didn't seem to suffer from that. In fact, I liked them a lot, and I had better accuracy with the G21 in .45 than with G17 in 9mm. Go figure. Browning HP is one fine gun. It was easily one of the best guns I have ever fired. I would rate it right up there with CZ-75B. These days the price for BHP is a bit on the high side, though.

I currently own CZ-75B because to me it had an overall best balance, trigger and accuracy (edged out Browning HP by a hair).

You really have to go shoot them for yourself. With guns as fine as these, it all comes down to personal likes/dislikes.
 
follow up to my question

i can't find either at the various ranges to shoot, i was told by someone who was a great fan of the cz that you'll pay a little more in price over the ruger, but will get a lot more in the gun. and as far as the ruger post went, i pretty much asked the same thing at the ruger forum and got the two mixed up- sorry. the reason i wasn't thinking about the 45 cal was because of it being fairly more expensive to shoot, though i would like one, and who knows maybe i'll that rout (if i can stand saving a little longer). i like the finish of stainless steal too, and would rather have that over blue, but i want the best gun for a reasonable sum, and would buy the blue cz over the stainless ruger if i decide its the better option. also i want a gun that will last, and be fun and reliable, i don't want to take another "baby step", but i don't want to get over my head in expense. thanks for the input, i'll try to research more, i look forward to more insights.
 
CZ fan

Go look at the CZ0b. It's quite a shooter. It goes every time,all the time. I got mine for 329.00. It's worth a look. MDB
 
The Rugers are good guns for a good price. I had one of the first P-97 .45 Rugers and it was a great shooter. However the CZs are really GREAT guns for a good price. Compared to my CZ-75B the Ruger felt kinda cheap and clunky. I eventually traded it on an EAA Witness 10mm (CZ clone) which feels better but isn`t made as nice as the CZ. It doesn`t shoot as well either,not that it`s bad but the CZ is exceptional. The one you looked at with the hi cap is probably a CZ-75B Military,that`s the one I have. They`re drying up fast,get one while you can! :) Marcus
 
Do yourself a favor and hold off on the Ruger until you can get your hands on a CZ 75B. Same price, different league altogether.
 
The only reason I don't carry my CZ-75B anymore is that I switched to .45ACP. My CZ has over 2000 rounds and still shoots as well as when it was just out of the box. It is also the 'military' one, with one full cap and one 10 rd low cap. Pre-ban 15rd mags are still available, ranging in price from $30-50, depending on manufacturer. Triple K, Mecgar are good, stay away from pro-mag and USA magazine.
Before the iron curtain came down, the CZ was a much sought after weapon and extremely hard to get. Tanfoglio came out with a clone and did an excellent job before being bought out. EAA Witness is a current clone, but I don't know anything about them as far as quality goes. Since the CZ is now quite available, it's a moot point--go ahead and get the real McCoy.
About the Glocks, it's either love 'em or hate 'em, and it's a real visceral reaction. Personally, I don't like the feel of them, the way they handle and recoil, but that's just my preference. Many people swear by them. The Ruger big-bores, I don't know anything at all about, except that they generally have a good reputation as a company. I have one of their .22LR pistols (22/45) and have had good luck with it.
For a 9mm, you won't go wrong with the CZ, if it fits you. The finish is just extremely durable, 2 years in a holster with very little wear on the high spots.
I would echo 'squeeze' about renting or borrowing guns to try them out. At the very least, handle them in the store. If they aren't comfortable just holding, they'll probably be even less comfortable to shoot.:)
 
If you get the p95, get a hogue grip for it right away. Both the ruger or the cz will be good guns. I own a p90 and its a great gun (although I've come to decide that its not the .45 for me, I need a 1911). I also have the cz75 and couldn't be happier with it. You can still get standard (15rd) capacity mags for both. I would highly recommend following the earlier advice of firing everything you are considering, even if it means going out of your way. You'll be much better off in the long run by handling and shooting the gun before you make the final choice.


Depending on your location, there just might be a TFLer in your area that will let you try theirs. That said, if you are in or near Ohio, I'll let you try my cz and a friend's p95.
 
Welcome to TFL. Here's another vote for the CZ...nicer grip, better ergonomics and above average accuracy...oh and the price doesn't hurt! ;)
 
Having fired both, I would recommend the CZ-75.
But, try them both in your hands first. Bring your wife along also. A good gun store should let you handle both guns. I think that you have good foresight in considering your wife.
One reason I recommend the CZ-75 is the grips. The Ruger feels large and clunky in my hands. Sort of like an ergonomic brick. The CZ has more contoured grips, which feel more comfortable to me. As I said, both of you should try and get a feel for it. On average, women have smaller hands than men, so this is a large consideration. Poorly fitting grips will affect how she deals with recoil. With an experienced shooter, this may not be a worry, but I would guess (don't flame me) that your wife has less shooting experience than you.
I think the 9mm is a good way to start. Only .22LR is cheaper to shoot. The recoil and noise are less than the .45 ACP and .40 S&W - your wife is less likely to be put off.
 
I want to echo the sentiments of the majority in this thread. The CZ's are much nicer pistols than Rugers, even though the price is similar. At least give a CZ 75B a try, you owe yourself that.

In fact, try to rent SEVERAL pistols out before buying. Its really not a good idea to buy on impulse or on others recommendations.......YOU need to DETERMINE WHATS BEST FOR YOU.
 
Both the CZ and the Ruger are great choices...I have a buddy who has a CZ and I own a Ruger P94 in .40cal...I like the Ruger better but i'm sure that's because I own it and have put lots of rounds through it...I like the CZ also but to me the Ruger feels better...both are solid guns for the money...you can't go wrong with either one...like said before...get the one that "feels" right in your hand...and if you do get a Ruger the Houge grip with the finger grooves are great,
Tony.
 
My first autoloading pistol was a Ruger P89 (9mm). It was a great gun. Rugers are built like tanks, very accurate, and very reliable. I shot somewhere between 1000-3000 rounds though mine (I didn't count thus the wide range, most likely I was over 2000) without even one FTF or FTE. A buddy had the P90 (.45) which was even more accurate. As far as quality goes the Ruger can beat guns costing much more. In regards to accuracy the .45 can keep up with guns costing double or even more and the 9mm is also quite accurate (though not quite as impressive). They are definately fun target guns and good for home defense (though they seem a bit large for carry, but so does the CZ). The only negative is that they are a bit crude (esp. the trigger pull) in comparison to some other (mostly more expensive) guns, including the CZ with a comprable price.

Since you seem most interested in the gun for target and home defense work (as opposed to carry) it seems to me that the decision of stainless or blue is mainly a question of which you like better. Personally, with the Rugers I prefer the stainless, if you do too buy stainless- the price isn't that much higher.

I haven't shot the CZ yet but from my handling of it I am impressed. It is probably my next purchase. It is right around the same price range as the Ruger, from all I read it is just as reliable and rugged and it may be even a bit more accurate plus it is more refined. Sounds like a good deal to me. From what I've seen from just handling one the fit and finish is excellent.

There seem to be large supplies of hi-cap (standard cap) mags for either one and at relatively reasonable prices. Some CZ models have the advantage of being sold with the pre-ban hi-cap mag though.

I can't help you much with price as the prices I have around here to compare yours with are very high. Prices in MD seem artificially high when comparing them to what I see people on these boards paying. The only advice I can give is to check as many local stores as you have time to and compare. Also, check Gunbroker.com, if the prices along with shipping and transfer fee save you money you may as well buy online. That said, in comparison to MD you seem to have decent prices there.

With either gun I don't think you could go wrong. With their prices and quality my advice would be to buy either and then save for the other one.:)
 
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My first auto loader was a Ruger in .40cal...

Having said that, get the CZ. No... Try them both if possible. If that is not possible, then get the CZ. I agree that its a little extra money (don't eat lunch for a week), but a different ballpark.

I have a love-hate relationship with Ruger. I LOVE their revolvers as I think they are the sturdiest, most reliable out-of-the-box revolvers that money can buy in a mass-market gun - BUT I think their autoloaders are mediocre. Some people have great luck with their Ruger autos, not me. Never-the-less, I have never heard anything but raves about the CZ. Its the economical autoloader that one can have a lot of pride in ownership. A damn fine gun.

Anyhoo... thats my 2 cents (where the hell is the "c" cents key on the keyboard??? :p )

JT

as usual, FWIW, IMHO, YMMV, and all that...
 
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