Bought my first handgun, a Beretta M9

Thanks for the kind words and warm welcome... There's no doubt that I made a good choice with the Beretta now!

I'm curious on your thoughts about the necessity of getting a holster for the gun. As previously mentioned, concealed carry will never be an option for me, unless I move out of state or become a LEO. Why then would I need to get a holster? Is it helpful to use one at the range?
 
pacf,

You will be able to carry in NJ after President Trump signs legislation granting reciprocity for concealed carry permits across the country.

Until then you can get along without a holster. Presumably you will transport the pistol in the case it came in, likely locked. At the range the open case on the shooting bench makes a nice, safe place to rest the pistol (magazine removed and action locked open for the range officer's benefit) when you are not handling it.

You may want a quick-access safe to store it in at home.

And, if you store it loaded with the safety engaged, practice deactivating the spring-loaded safety with a downward swipe of your thumb knuckle, rather than the slower and less ergonomic, but seemingly intuitive, upward swipe.

Regarding your second purchase permit, a compact sidearm would make sense if you lived in a free state. Consider another US military firearm, a Colt 1911A1. Or, get a pistol chambered in .22 LR for affordable range fun; such as a Browning Buck Mark or a Ruger (not their SR-22).
 
Congrats on your first pistol sir. I think you made a pretty good choice. Easy manual of arms, easy to field strip and clean. Easy recoil too, and nice basic sights. Holsters are a nice accessory but not not necessary in your case, at least not at this time. Money better spent on ammunition, extra magazines, etc. I had a Beretta Vertec, similar to what you bought but different grip shape. It ate everything remotely resembling a decent handload without complaint, was accurate and reliable.
 
I would get a holster for it only because I would have it on my side while at the range. I don't know if you have any long guns or not or if you plan on having any, if not this is nothing for you to think about. When I go to the range I typically have a handgun session, the next time will be a long gun session, this is the session I like to have a sidearm on my side mainly because I don't trust who is shooting next to me or what they might be capable of. Paranoid? A bit maybe, doesn't matter, I want a fighting chance in the unlikely event someone is unable to contain their evil and try something stupid while I have an empty bolt action rifle laying on the table.
 
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