first gun, want to make a serious investment...

S

sven

New member
respected TFL community members,

my interest in handguns rekindled by a visit to a MN range with the esteemed Oleg Volk, i am finally preparing to make my first investment in a handgun, and i need advice on which direction to turn.

my aim is to make an INVESTMENT in a handgun... $2500 is my maximum budget. this would include the gun, three mags, a ton of ammo, and a holster.

my aim is to get professional training and PERHAPS explore shooting ISPC. i have no intentions to carry this weapon concealed in the forseeable future.

background: in general, across everything that i persue, i have a tendency to make a single serious investment, rather than a series of smaller purchases of crapper stuff, therefore i look to the respected TFL community, imploring:

which handgun should i purchase?

this will be my first gun, but i am familiar with shooting. i have shot .22, .35, 9mm (recently) and 45 (when i was a kid). also hunted squirrels with pellet guns as a kid... you get the picture: i've been around guns a bit. im 6' 3", 205, and work out.

more thoughts: considering long-term costs, 9mm seems a cost effective round with which to train, but the mighty 45 seems to be the round of choice in some elite circles... also has advantages for competition, i've heard.

i remain open to all suggestions for a caliber selection.

i would like to start with a weapon which challenges me and rewards me for my discipline in training. i value precision engineering, and want a tool with reliability and good looks.

so... what is your recomendation? cheers,

-steve
 
Hello. You'll get many answers here, but in the end, YOU will be the one to decide what's right for you.

While the Browning HP in 9mm is my favorite all around pistol, I suspect that the majority of SA auto users prefer the 1911 platform and it does have advantages.

While more expensive than some other good guns, I'd try a 5" STI Trojan. These can be had in 9mm as well as the .45ACP and other calibers as well. If you got one in 9mm, you'd be able to shoot the less expensive factory ammo, but still retain the 1911 pistol for shooting. I believe this will fit into the IDPA box should you want to do that as well. I've tried the Trojan in 9mm, but have the longslide version and it's utterly reliable and most accurate. The gun would come with adj sights, but they are copies of the Bomar and seem to hold up fine.

Recoil is light in this gun and as you've noted 9mm ammo can be had cheaply. If you reload, I'd get the gun in .45ACP simply because you can load the light stuff if desired or use full-house for a pretty darned potent round.

I think the 5" Trojan's about $1000.00.

Anyway, just one thought on the matter.

PS: You can see the STI pistols at www.stiguns.com
 
First of all, if you mean "investment" as in "I want to make money on my ourchase one day" forget it. Guns depreciate, barring unique one of a kind historical pieces.

My suggestion:

Assuming that you want a 1911 style gun, and assuming that you really want to spend that kinda dough, have one of these gentlemen build your gun to suit your needs/interests (you NEED to define those FIRST!!!):

Richard Heinie
Jim Clark family
Ed Brown
most any of the guys here: http://www.americanpistol.com/ (search for 1911)

Invest in a good reloading system. Come over to the Handloading forum and do a search on things like "newbie" "beginner" and "best press."

BTW, it is my personal belief that the difference between a good quality $1K gun and a $2K gun will be asthetics and that will not slow you down on the competition circuit. What WILL slow you down is these two things:

#1. Lack of practice.
#2. Broken gun.

On #1, the only way you can fix this its to shoot more, and the best way to do that is to manufacture your own ammo. When you shoot well enough for a sponsor to send you your ammo for free, you can stop pulling the handle on your press.

For #2, you need more than one gun. Tools fail, no matter how "good" they are.

Consider buying a $1K gun and a $700 gun. If you want to go to the open class of IPSC, put some money into a red dot. Put all the rest into a good reloading package (I prefer Dillon). Use the $1K gun + optics for open class, and use the $700 for limited 10. Be sure that they both fit the parameters before you buy.

BTW, have the Open built on a double stack frame.
 
I don't mean to sound flippant, but please define investment. Do you mean that you want an object that will retain or possibly appreciate in monetary value, or do you want a reliable, accurate handgun that will last for decades and thus be an investment for your future safety. If the former, I suggest a classic .45, possibly a Series 70. If the latter, any good well-made semi-auto or revolver will do.
 
investment defined

investment is defined here to mean something which will continue to provide value over time, in terms of benefits to the owner. not interested in selling.

"buy always, sell never."
 
Dude, I got one piece of advice.....GO TO A GUN SHOW! You may HATE every gun mentioned in here. There is only one "right" gun, now go to a gun show, look on the internet, just do something and find it! Who's going to be shucking out the money for this thing, you, or someone in here? It's going to be your gun, so think about it. Go to an indoor shooting range, they have several guns that you can test shoot for just a few dollars, to see if you like it. Why buy a gun someone else likes? Buy one that you like!!!!
 
Rather than invest $2500 in your first gun:

1. Buy a decent 1911, for example a Kimber or Springfield. Not necessarily the cheapest one, you can probably spring about $800 on that.

2. Buy some ammo, but if you want to practice a lot, get set up in reloading as well. Figure $500.

3. Drop some coin on a decent training class, once you have a few thousand rounds through your handgun.

4. Pick up a second gun, either another 1911 (this time either a base model SA or Kimber, or maybe a Charles Daly or something in the same price range - $350-500) or a Glock/Beretta/Walther or something similar. Always nice to have a second gun in case something happens to the first one and you need to send it in for repair.

Spending $2000 on a frou-frou racegun is generally a waste of $1000, especially if it's your first gun. A good shooter will shoot just as well with a $2000 foo-kitty special as with a $600 Kimber, only the Kimber won't break nearly as often.

Just my opinion.

DJ
 
OR

Buy an Ed Brown/Briley/Robar/Clark/Baer/Rock River/EGW/Nowlin/Infinity 1911.
45ACP.
Milt Sparks holster and gear.

Buy best buy once.
 
dirtbrokengundude speaks wisdom

My son's first handgun cost him $610 and I thought he was nuts until I shot it. It was an H&K .40 cal USP compact. I've never shot anything finer.

I've never paid that much for a handgun.

However, as dirtbrokengundude has posted, find a range and rent some potential "investments" and shoot the S**T outa them before you jump in with both feet.

Don't make my mistake by buying "not exactly the gun you wanted" and selling it to buy exactly the gun you want, thereby losing money, time, and experience in the process.

I don't know about the rest of you but I find walking into a well-stocked gun store about as heady an addiction that can be found anywhere. The URGE to buy something, anything, is almost overpowering. It takes all the self-control I can muster to keep my wallet in my pocket.

Slow-going and deliberate caution are called for.
 
or do what I did I bought someones used "comp" gun , they sold it because they were moving up in classand went to an auto , I got a totally tricked out gun( clark s&w 686) with about $500 woth of work on it and all the original parts plus holster ,moons,tools and holders for $690 total , for a bigineer like me this is perfect all the work is already done , I'm sure you can find someone who wants to sell there auto .
 
Something from Les Baer would fill the bill. By the time you pick out the pistol, a case or two of ammo, and invest in some quality leather in which to tote it, you'll be at or over $2,000 anyway.

But you'll also have one of the best 1911's money can buy.
 
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I would start with a colt 1991 then have it custumized.Then I would buy a reloader,alot of ammo,several holsters and I would still have some of that $2500 left.You might want to buy a nice 22 also.
 
All metal: STI Trojan 5"

Polymer: Probably an HK USP Expert 9 / 40/45, your preference.

Spend the rest for holsters, belt, mags, ammo, classes, then IPSC tournament fees.

Choose wisely.

;)
 
If you want a 9mm get a Sig P210-6 or one of the comped P210-5 models. That will set you back around $1800-$2000 or so.

If you want a .45acp get an LB as mentioned above.

With whats left you could get set up with a small reloading rig.
 
Since you don't specifically say you must have an automatic and you are open to caliber, I'm going to step "out of the box" and suggest a pre sell out S&W 357. I'd pick an L frame with adjustable sights and a 4" barrel. A 586 in blue or 686 in stainless.

It's not an "investment" in the sense of the amount of money spent, but it is one of, if not the best of it kind. And as most people here on TFL would tell you, if you were to only have one handgun, a 357 Mag revolver would be a great choice. They are very versatile.

With 38 special ammo it is just as cost effective as 9 mm to train with or take a class. 357 Mag ammo makes major which 9 mm won't in any loading. Unlike 9 mm and 45, 357 Mag is legal to hunt with, if you want. Plus the pistol would allow you to compete in long range handgun shooting.IHMSA which would be difficult if not impossible to do with a 9 or 45. With a revolver you lose nothing in ISPC since they compete in there own class. IPSC

An additional plus is a revolver loaded with 38's is a much better choice for taking someone out to shoot with for the first time. The costs of speedloaders and such are lower than magazines and generally have a much longer service life. And lastly the revolver will usually be easier and less costly to maintain.

(edited for spelling)
 
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as expected...

...as expected, wonderful advice. Thank you!

i will be heading to the San Mateo Gun Show, happening here March 2-3... I will do my research in person, as suggested.

Cheers!
 
In the end, I opted for the Glock 17, and put the rest of the cash into an IRA - now I need training, and THEN that fat 1911 - would love an Ed Brown.

Cheers,

-sven
 
Sure hope you're happy. I also hope you shot that thing before you bought it. I shot a Glock once and wasn't impressed. Of course the only other gun I had to compare it to was a Kimber Custom real expensive worth more than my truck kinda gun. So, I guess it fared pretty well against that thing.
 
I didn't shoot it before I bought it, but it felt really nice in my hand, which has translated nicely to the range. The other gun which felt nice was the Beretta 92 Brigadier, but locking block/slide concerns kept me from moving in this direction.

Next gun: either a .22LR target pistol or a high end 1911.

-se
 
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