Handgun questions

K

Kylez

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Just getting into the hobby of shooting handguns and collecting them. I mean, JUST getting started. I have always shot since young but only now getting serious.

That being said. The only handgun I own is a S&W M&P9. My wife owns a Beretta Tomcat. My question is - What are some handguns that everyone should have in their collection? I know everyone has different tastes but surely there are many that have a place in most collections.

Thanks for any info!
 
The true answer is any gun that you want. There is nothing that says you aren't a gun collector if you don't own X hand gun and Y rifle. That's nonsense. Maybe you specialize is collecting odd-ball guns that nobody else collects.

My personal opinion is everyone who collects hand guns should have a 1911, but that is a lot coming from someone who only owns one hand gun and that is a Ruger Old Army.
 
Boy, have you opened up a can of worms! ;-)

In my not-so-humble opinion, I think all shooters should have, at some point:

A Ruger .22 auto
A good single action, center fire revolver- a Ruger Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk would be my choice.
A 1911
A really tiny gun, like an NAA revolver or a Beretta Jetfire or Minx.
 
Again, just personal preferences, but I say:

1911
SIG or H&K 9mm
S&W revolver .357 or .44Mag
Nice pocket gun, but too many choices to name one – take your pick.

Of course tomorrow my list will look totally different. ;)
 
Welcome to TFL, Kylez!

As others have noted, you've opened up a can o' worms. I'll play, though:

A .22 pistol;
A 1911; and
Any pistol that makes you go "DANGTHATSFUN!" when you shoot it.
 
whatever you want....

what grip and control styles fit your hands the best ...what calibers you like to shoot....what platforms ( M&P's, 1911's, whatever ) - revolvers -etc... suit you ....
 
Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it.

I am leaning towards a 1911. And of course that opens up a whole other topic!

Someone is also recommending a Beretta Px4 Storm as well.
 
I'm not a wheel gun guy... having said that let's start:

Ruger 22s: MK III Hunter SS and MK III 22/45 both with full VQ 'innards',
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Now the fun starts... 1911s: Wilson Combats in 45 and 9mm,
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Kimber Super Carry Pro and an Ultra Raptor both in 45,
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And Compact platforms: Sig P238 Equinox in .380.
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Any questions?
 
A Glock caliber of choice but the G19/23 size is a good choice. Get a G23 and a 9mm replacement barrel for the best of both worlds.

A 357/38 revolver is hard to beat. But if you find a good .38 special that will safely digest .38 +P's you will not be under gunned. S&W or Ruger used is a good deal.

A .22 in revolver or semi auto will save a ton of money for practice and is great fun.

A high quality .44 or .45 Single action is a ton of fun especially if you reload and can be used to hunt with the right ammo. Rugers are tough and reasonably priced.

Finally look at a good quality airsoft gun. Get ones that use compressed gas and has controls like your CCW gun. Good cheap practice. Get a pair that can be used for force on force drills with proper eye protection. Go for high quality like KWA or Tokyo Marui with mags that can be swapped out and slides that blow back like the real models.
 
My two cents...

What are some handguns that everyone should have in their collection?
Click to expand...

Others have already mentioned a 1911; I'd suggest a Colt because they're the original and they're great shooters, too.

I like the Combat Commander
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My other recommendation is a S&W 4" k-frame revolver in polished blue with the wood Magna grips. A very classic look and again, great shooters. Model 10-5 or 10-7 in 38spl or Model 13 in 357mag.

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Another one to look for would be a Ruger 22lr semiauto like the Mark III Hunter. Lots of fun to plink with and so reliable they're almost boring. But they make up for it with excellent accuracy.
 
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My must haves include:
a semi auto .22lr (my preference was for the Ruger)
a 1911
any S&W D.A. revolver
a Ruger Blackhawk (my next handgun in .45 Colt)

Beyond those the sky's the limit, my gun collection leans more and more towards combat arms but yours could be any gun you like.

Stu
 
As someone posted before, anything you like are the right ones. I don't collect but do enjoy shooting at a range. I combine revolver with semi- auto depending how the mood hits me. I have two 38's, a S & W mdl 10-6, a 4" hvy barrel and a Taurus mdl 85 +P Ultra light. Since I do my own reloading for 'plinking ammo', I find the .38's are fairly cheap to 'plink' with. I also have a .Walthers 380, for my semi-auto mood. I'm happy with them all.:)
 
My list would have to start out with a Beretta or maybe four or five of them. Then maybe add a Ruger SR9, SIG P229, HK USP 45. :D Personally, I always avoid glocks at all cost unless I want to dig for truffles, but that's just me...
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It's already been said but I'll agree:

A .22LR for plinking
A 9mm semi-auto (or a .40S&W if you have a BHP)-Glock, M&P, CZ, etc.
A 1911 for .45ACP fun
A Browning Hi Power because it's a Browning Hi Power (may cover the 9mm requirement)
A .357 Mag S&W like a M19 (also shoots .38 Special)

You will also need to cover the rifle and shotgun minimums but this is a good place to start.
 
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ask if you can shoot some other people's handguns at the range (politely, of course) and don't be too put off if someone says no, some people don't share their toys. or rent ones that catch your eye. the first handgun i rented and really enjoyed was a Browning Hi Power in .40 S&W, I must have one! Hi Powers have been suggested a few times already and I whole-heartedly agree!

walk through a gun show, pick up a copy of Shotgun News and browse some of the ads or scroll through a few pages of Handguns on Gunbroker for ideas too :)
 
must have guns im thinking would be a glock, browning highpower, 1911, beretta 92, hk usp, smith@wesson revolver (im not much of a revolver man but im sure someone will chime in with models), colt army 45, ruger 22. These would just be general guns for home defense and the range....although you could conceal carry some of them they wouldnt be my choice.
 
I haven't even bought my first handgun yet and I have a list a mile long of things I want in my collection. Good thing I'm still young with plenty of time to built up. The list looks something like this:

FNX-9
Mossberg 500 or Remington 870 Express
SW 686p
CZ 75 (75B)
Glock 17
Beretta 92F
Colt Gold Cup
FNP-45 Tactical
Desert Eagle Mark XIX .50 AE
Kahr P40
Walther P99
FN PS90
Colt AR-15
Colt M4 Carbine
Barret 82A1
Remington 700 CDL 270
FN Ballista
AK-47
Benelli M2 Tactical
FN FAL
M&P 40
Glock 35
Ruger Mark III
Sig P229
Ruger Vaquero
FN Five-seveN​

Some are "movie/video game" popular guns that I will probably shoot few and far between (Barret and Desert Eagle) but they have always been "fun" guns that I am interested in owning. They are in no specific order after the S&W 686P. (FNX-9 will be my first purchase, then Mossberg/Remington, then 686p) After that it's really a crap shoot I'll buy as my interest shifts and turns. Not really into "classics", just want a variety of fun neat guns.

Honestly, I don't even know if some of those are legal to buy or not lol, just started looking up guns and typing them down as I saw them.

I don't think there are necessarily "must haves", but there are definitely widely popular selections like a good .22 (Ruger or Browning probably) and a 1911.
 
Start with a 1911. After all the world did. They are a pleasure to shoot no matter what. Any of them you buy over $500 are going to be great guns. My choice.
After feeding it for a while you will want a 22.
Then buy one of each except a Block.
 
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