handgun recommendation needed

G

gaseousclay

New member
yep, it's another one of those threads. I own 1 rifle and nothing else and am looking to possibly get a handgun in the future. problem is, I don't know what gun would make a good starter gun. I guess i'm looking for something for home defense/self-protection but I don't want a Dirty Harry type gun. I'm open to suggestions, so long as the gun isn't ridiculously expensive - i'd like to keep it under the $500 range, but I don't want a cheap piece of garbage either.

any suggestions regarding brand and caliber would be helpful. thanks!
 
Last edited:
Try a Ruger SR9 or P series of 9mm. 9mm is cheap to shoot so you can practice, used Rugers are hard to beat. If you want a revolver I'd also go Ruger or S&W double action in 357 mag, that way you can also shoot 38 special out of it. Nothing wrong with a .22lr either, not the first choice for a defencive gun but a lot cheaper to shoot than anything else.
 
Just about any revolver or semi-auto out there would serve your needs pretty well. Most firearms are fairly reliable, and most manufacturers stand behind their products pretty well.

There are exceptions, but without more guideance, it's hard to offer advice.

The Bersa line of handguns mentioned above would serve your needs pretty well. They're inexpensive, and decent quality for the money.

I'd look at Glock, S&W, and Springfield Armory. They might cost a bit more than your listed cap, but the little bit of extra is well worth it. They're fairly equal in performance, while having different features and feel. Most like one better than the others for that reason.

Your choices really are wide open.

Daryl
 
yep, it's another one of those threads. I own 1 rifle and nothing else and am looking to possibly get a handgun in the future. problem is, I don't know what gun would make a good starter gun. I guess i'm looking for something for home defense/self-protection but I don't want a Dirty Harry type gun. I'm open to suggestions, so long as the gun isn't ridiculously expensive - i'd like to keep it under the $500 range, but I don't want a cheap piece of garbage either.

any suggestions regarding brand and caliber would be helpful. thanks!
Click to expand...

You have a few basic decisions to make.
Do you intend to carry Concealed?
Do you intend to carry open?
As a self defense gun, will this be limited only to protecting you and or your family inside your home?
Do you want a revolver or a semi-automatic pistol?

Once these questions are answered a discussion of caliber, type, capacity, barrel length, weight, reliability, accuracy, make, model and cost will be much more meaningful to you.

If at all possible, visit an indoor range that rents guns. Rent a revolver in .38 and another in .357. Then rent at least one semi-auto in 9mm. Handle as many guns as you can to get a feel for the grip and the weight. Compare for example, a 9 mm Glock 19, Glock 26 to a Sig Sauer 226, Sig-pro 9mm, Sig P250 to a Springfield armory XD-9C, XD-9SC, etc. Some may be out of your price range but it is important to handle them and shoot the ones that feel best to you.
 
Kahr CW line... I have the CW9 and CW45 and love them both. Slim single-stackers... Fit my hand like a glove... Light, accurate, reliable, easy shooters. IMHO, the CW9 is a perfect middle-of-the-road starter handgun in a value-priced caliber... Small enough for conceal carry yet built strong for the range too. If you want extra power and can afford expensive ammo, the CW45 or 40's are also great, but the 9 is more comfortable for EDC.
 
Glock and M&P in 9mm. A little over $500 but they are some of the most dependable, reliable, and durable at any price and relatively easy to train with.

If revolvers might be more your speed a Ruger GP100 or maybe the more compact SP101 3" version are the best picks in a revolver for @$500. Even if your budget was $1000 Ruger still merit serious consideration.

Buy quality proven platforms and you'll be happier in the long run.
 
Check out a Ruger SP101 .357 with a 3" barrel.
OR a Ruger GP100 4" .357


If I could only have one handgun, and it had to be in that price range, I would probably go with one of those two.

Otherwise I would probably take a S&W 686 4"
 
IanS "Glock and M&P in 9mm. A little over $500 but they are some of the most dependable, reliable, and durable at any price and relatively easy to train with"

I would disagree with that statement. I have a Ruger p89 that I've had for 23 years that I have no idea how many rounds through. The thing has never jammed, miss fired or failed to eject. I've shot it a lot with +p+ I'm guessing over 1000 rounds. Plus countless cheap target ammo as well as crappy wolf. Training is no harder than anything else out there.

Nothing wrong with Glock or M&P. I also have h&K & Sig's that have never given me a problem. I take that back one of my H&K's slide wouldn't lock back after the last round. Cleaned it and it worked great.
 
I like these threads actually. I certainly don't know everything and I like to read about what others consider valuable or worthwhile about pistols I don't own
 
thanks for the input everyone. keep 'em coming.

I know i'd like a semi-automatic. I like the look of the 45 APC but it seems a little outta my price range. are used handguns an option? and lastly, why are handguns so damned expensive when compared to rifles and shotguns? I always figured handguns would be roughly half the value of a rifle because they're so small :(
 
If the 1911 style 45 auto appeals to you, take a look at the Rock Island Armory models. They're less than $500 new and are actually very decent 1911s. Lotta fun to shoot.

RIA-1_350.jpg


As far as handguns being expensive, I think that's because manufacturing costs are higher than that for rifles. Lots of small, tight tolerance parts that require a lot of machining. Rifles of course have more materials, but pistols and revolvers are more costly to produce, on average.
 
I recently bought a Springfield XD-45 as my first gun purchase. Needless to say, I love it. Smooth shooting and real easy to handle. Good luck narrowing it down to what you want. My wishlist in my head keeps growing every time I stop at the gun shop.
 
For caliber, I'd stick with 9mm (since you are looking for a semi-auto). Even if there are better calibers for a given specific purpose, the 9mm is going to be the cheapest and most available round out there. No substitute for range time and practice.

For something compact, I'd recommend a Ruger SR9c. Beautiful trigger, accurate and reliable. It comes with both a 10 round and 17 round magazine (depending upon your state laws); the 17 round has a grip extension, so it has a full grip feel. The 10 round has a finger rest, and is good for CC. My wife loves hers.

For something larger, I like IanS's suggestion of Glock or a Smith M&P. Both are going to be higher than $500, but not as bad as a Sig or Walther. If you join the GSSF (Glock Sport Shooting Foundation) for $35, you can get a discount on one Glock per calendar year that would put a new Glock in or closer to your budget.

If you buy a used pistol
  • Make sure you bring someone knowledgeable along to inspect it.
  • If the seller has a range, ask to shoot it.
  • Keep an eye out for a police trade in - typically they are well taken care of and seldom shot - holster wear perhaps.
 
handgun

Firstly,
Imho a shotgun is the best for home defense. If you want a semi auto handgun for home defense I would stick to a 9 mm. 45 can be expensive to shoot. You will need to shoot a lot for practice.
In your price range a Springfield XD 9 with a tactical laser light combo. After all the bad guys don't come in the dark.
Vermonter
 
Imho a shotgun is the best for home defense.
Click to expand...

a shotgun for home defense seems impractical, unless you kept it loaded at all times which i'm unwilling to do. besides, I can do a better job at concealing a handgun than a shotgun and they're easier access if I needed it in a pinch
 
From experience:

At about $300 new
The Ruger P95 is an excellent firearm for the money, with 15+1 rounds of 9mm, and I have not had one failure to date.

At about $280 new
The Bersa line (I own the thunder .380) is also a great gun, but if you are using it only for home defense, I would step it up into 9mm, .40, or .45

Have not had any problems with my Tauri Mil Pro .45 yet, but only have about 300 rounds through it.

From hearsay:

The Stoeger Cougar, a replica of the Beretta Cougar, seems to be a very good gun for the money. I have owned 2 stoeger shotguns, and have never had problems with either.

The Springfield XD, several friends and relatives have them, mostly in .40 or .45, all love them. A gun store owner I talked to said they easily sold twice as many XDs as Glocks, and that he would put his life on one any day.

Glocks, as loved and hated as they are, are considered by most great guns. Have 2 uncles who have been in Law Enforcement for 20+ years, both members of the SWAT team, one has been in 2 officer involved shootings (he was in the gang unit). Both of these men swear by their Glocks.

I would not shy away from .40 or .45 either, though 9mm may, as mentioned, be easier to find, and will be cheaper.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top