Help for someone new to firearms?

If you're not going to carry, get a 12 or 20 guage shotgun, like a Mossberg Persuader, for home defense. If you actually think you'll carry, as a newbie I'd recommend something with an external safety - the Rugers are very good and a good value. Glocks are good too, but be VERY careful at all times when handling them (as you should with all firearms of course), because Glocks have no external safeties, and because you must pull the trigger to take them down. Don't make the mistake of taking a loaded Glock, thinking that you need to rack the slide to unload the chambered round, then remove the mag, then pull the trigger to takedown. This will result in a negligent discharge! You must remove the magazine FIRST, then rack the slide to remove the chambered round. Actually, this is also true with other pistols that don't require a trigger pull to take down. And learn the four cardinal rules of gun safety, if you haven't already. They seem elementary, but many people nevertheless violate them, including some people who consider themselves real gunners.
 
Cullen, I'll address the question about the Crimson Trace Lasergrips. They'll cost you around $200. in a revolver. For indoor ranges and inside your house they are the greatest thing since the hula hoop IMHO. I have them for my Sig228, my dad has them for his Colt 1911, my mom has them for her S&W642. For home defense they are great, forget about finding the sights in a panic situation, just point and shoot. Also I think they are a great deterent to a BG (bad guy) breaking into your house, ie. seeing that red dot on your chest would convince all but the insane to call it quits and throw up their hands. The biggest advantage to them I think is their ability to install confidence in the new shooter. Example - my mom is just starting out shooting and since dad installed the lasergrips on her revolver, she doubled her accuracy and her confidence. She got so excited by how much she instantly improved over shooting with sights, that she's wanting to go to the range all the time now and practise. They're a great confidence builder. The only drawback about them is in bright sunlight they are so dim that they're basically useless. I think for the money they are well worth every penny. They are also great for practising dry firing in the house - you get to actually see how steady your trigger pull is without spending a dime on ammunition.
 
I hesitate to recommend a Glock as a first handgun because of
1. light triggr and
2. it's one-strike-only striker.

If for some god awful reason the gun fails to go bang due to hard primer or a light strike, then many less trained people are out of luck. You HAVE to rack the slide if it fails to go off the first time. Some smaller women have problems with that... along with smaller guys.

I recommend a gun that drops the hammer EVERY TIME you pull the trigger... some examples:
1. Ruger P-95 DAO or De-cocker
2. a METAL Smith & Wesson
3. Taurus revolver or semi-auto
4. Rossi Revolver
5. Any Double Action Beretta
6. Any Sig (great quality)
7. Any Walther (or clone)
8. any Heckler Koch (if you follow fads)

Ben

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AOL IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
Hi Cullen-

I went through the same questions in the early 90s when I bought my first handgun. In retrospect, I would not make the mistakes I made... So, with hindsight, these are my comments:

0. The largest caliber that I would buy for a first gun would be 9mm- not too much recoil, much to choose from, not too expensive a category, your wife can shoot it too.
1. If used for self defense I would not go below 9mm for caliber.
2. I would definetely not buy a .357mag revolver if my wife were to shoot it- way too much recoil, and no safety.
3. I would defintely buy a semi-auto pistol, because, to a less experienced shooter, you can get very safe safety systems, you can get lots of rounds (the most frequent reason for a tactical reload is that you missed), and there is less recoil.
4. For safety systems, I would buy a semi auto which has a frame or slide safety on top of any other type of safety. It is, in my experience, the safest system for less experienced shooters (and probably even for others).
5. If your wife may carry in her purse, I definitely would not buy a semi-auto with only a trigger safety (i.e. glock type), because of the high risk of accidental trigger snag.
6. I would buy a firearm with a grip which is narrow enough to be comfortable to my wife.

So, when I add up all these, I would recommend a semi-auto pistol in 9mm with a frame or slide safety and a small grip. An example of that would be S&W 3913TSW, 5906TSW if your wife can deal with the larger grip..

I would exclude Glock, Sig because of the safeties
I would probably exclude Beretta because of the thick, big grip
I would exclude 1911s due to the unreliability of the non-modified models.

Hope this helps- best of luck from mckysdad
 
Hi Cullen. Good advice so far. I have some recoil-related observations to offer on .357 mag. revolvers. Attention to weight and grips can make a big difference. Three examples: 1)A Colt Python with a 6" barrel and large wood target stocks weighs 44 oz. and is very comfortable to shoot for long periods. 2)I bought a 4" Ruger Police Service Six(34 oz.) with smallish wood stocks in 1985. It was difficult to control shooting high-speed magnum ammo and kicked enough to discourage nearly all of my shooting friends. After I installed large rubber(?) Pachmayr Presentation grips everybody liked it and shooting a couple of boxes of the good ammo was very pleasant. I still shoot it. 3)Next is the S$W Model 640 Centennial .357 Magnum(24 oz.) with a wraparound rubber grip. The first time I shot it I slowed down after the first box of Federal 125 gr. HPs because I was tired of the kick, but I will shoot it all day with .38s. I have looked at the small revolvers weighing from around 10 oz. to 18 oz. and will eventually get one for a backup or summer carry. But not to shoot for extended periods. Happy shopping and let us know what you decide on. John
 
I suggest a good ol' fashion 3" S+W wheel gun chambered in .357 mag. ( mine is a model 65 3").I own numerous handguns and although this one is one of my newest I find that a wheel gun has NEVER failed me.
 
As a woman I have found that men sometimes like to tell women what kind of gun is right for them. Make sure your wife is comfortable trying different guns than you like.

I suggest that you urge her to try a milder gun before a .357 or a .45. They are so loud and kick so much that several of my friends are afraid of them. (I don't like them either.)

I am not allowed to carry where I live now, but at home in Switzerland I carried a beautiful 9 mm Sig in my purse. It always worked, it was not too heavy, and it did not look frightening to the other women at work.

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I'm shocked to see how many people here have recomended Glocks as the choice for a new pistol! Wake up, people! Glocks are for advanced users and not for people who have never owned a handgun before.

Despite the fact that many people have owned Glocks as their very first guns and never had negligent discharge with them, Glocks aren't safe in the hands of a novice. They require training, just like a good old 1911.

[This message has been edited by Emin (edited February 28, 2000).]
 
Emin, are you saying that as long as it's not a 1911 or a glock, there is no training needed? I think Glocks are great for beginners, assuming they are willing to get the proper training. With a Glock, they won't fall into the trap of thinking a "saftey" makes a gun "safe". They MUST learn that proper handling means finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Glock, with the three seperate safties, is one of the SAFEST handguns around. It is untrained or careless individuals that cause the unsafe situations with them. Police departments have had MANY neg. discharges with them for one simple reason: they were trained on revolvers or auto's with safties, and did not receive the proper training on gun handling and gun saftey. It's been said that the bestand safest gun in the world is the one that fires EVERY time you pull the trigger. The Glock is exactly that. With ANY firearm, training is key. With a Glock, there is no exception, however, failure to take the training seriously can be quite unforgiving. As such, like I mentioned, they are not the right gun for everyone. But for those who are willing to learn and practice proper safe handling practices, they may be the best choice. It all depends on the shooter.
-John
 
Cullen,

How much have you budgeted for this purchase? Keep in mind that you'll be paying for more than just a handgun. You'll also need eye and ear protection, practice ammunition, training, range time for practice, and probably a holster and gunbelt if you plan to carry concealed.

Also, under what circumstances (weather, social environment, clothing type, threat level) would you be carrying a handgun? Some folks carry all the time, every day, while others carry only when they're heading into a situation that seems riskier than their normal routine. Some folks need deep concealment while others are comfortable with just a jacket or loose shirt draped over a large handgun in a belt holster.

Finally, have you thought about how you're going to store your weapon?
 
ruger sp 101 with a 2 or 3 inch barrel in stainless and 357. You canstart with 38's and train UP to 357's. Its rugged, accurate and tthe finsih is durable. Small enough grips for smaller hands, after market do-dads readily available.

Hard to beat for a carry gun/beginners gun

Dr.Rob
 
My post doesn't represent my personal opinion solely -- it's well backed up by all the professional instructors of a pistol course I've recently taken. I just happen not to disagree with what they strongly recommend -- Glocks aren't safe for a new pistol user. And yes, absolutely, they do require more specific training than any other conventional DA/SA or DAO handguns.

I don't see how can anyone state or even think that there're types of guns out there that don't require training to handle them. So, this answers you question, I hope.

John, "I think" and "you think" statements simply won't cut it here. I can't make a logical conclusion, or assume in cases like this -- I'm rather told. Being a civilian, there's no way I can have a personal experience big enough to make statements like as this (whatever little experience I do have would make me biased and won't allow to bring a sufficient element of statistics in my opinions). Thus, I MUST rely on highly professional opinions, such as the one I've posted here.

Arguing about this won't convince me, at least, for I truly believe in what those guys say. Knowing their credentials, anyone would.

[This message has been edited by Emin (edited March 01, 2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Matt VDW:
Cullen,

How much have you budgeted for this purchase?

I would like to keep it below $350, but the outside is up to $550 or so. I don't have enough to go nuts, but I will save an extra month or so to get what I really want.

Keep in mind that you'll be paying for more than just a handgun. You'll also need eye and ear protection, practice ammunition, training, range time for practice, and probably a holster and gunbelt if you plan to carry concealed.

These expenses are separate from the weapon purchase and don't fall under the limit given above. I will probably shoot at least once a month. I will probably find a holster designed for whatever gun I choose, but I don't really know the cost range or good brands at this point. Any tips?

Also, under what circumstances (weather, social environment, clothing type, threat level) would you be carrying a handgun? Some folks carry all the time, every day, while others carry only when they're heading into a situation that seems riskier than their normal routine. Some folks need deep concealment while others are comfortable with just a jacket or loose shirt draped over a large handgun in a belt holster.

I will only carry occasionally if I feel the need, or when travelling far from my home. I'm in central Texas, so it's generally hot. I'll need something a pulled out, largish shirt can cover.

Finally, have you thought about how you're going to store your weapon? [/quote]

I will store it next to my bed. We have no children. I don't want to lock it up b/c that sort of defeats the purpose. I've considered a push button combination lockbox.
 
I recommend a 9mm Berreta 92-FS. They are affordable, accurate, easy to control, have low recoil, and are very reliable. Ammo is also very cheap.
 
If you are looking for a simple easy to use automatic you might try a Makarov usaualy aroung $150-$175 NEW, it is not the flashyint gun around but as the makarov thread shows it is a good performer, Mine is a Bakial 9x18. A friend has a .380 eithr way it is a good gun. As for a low cost revolver look into a police trade in .38spec or .357 or maybe even a .38S&W a lot of these are around but ammo is a minor problem

If it is only for home defence then any good 20ga or 12ga pump is awaway a good way to go.

Oh, if you are in Tx make sure You take the test with an auto. If you test wiht an auto you can carry Auto or Revolver but if you test with a Revolver you can only cary a revolver.

[This message has been edited by Nestor Rivera (edited March 02, 2000).]
 
Cullen,

I bought my very first gun six years ago. Before that, I had never even fired a handgun before. I ended up going with a Glock 17 in 9mm and made a great choice. Don't let people dissuade from considering a Glock. I have put thousands of rounds through it and it ALWAYS fires, first time, every time. Many folks who dislike the Glock were raised on more traditional guns (revolvers or double action semiautos, like the 1911s) and don't feel comfortable after switching. If you start off with them, they'll be second nature later. If you decide on a Glock, the 19 would be an excellent option as the 17 has a larger frame. Finally, I would have to disagree about felt recoil with the .40. I also have a Glock 23 in .40 and the kick is significantly greater than the 17.
 
First of all I have to say that while not being totally ignorant about guns, for I had owned a few before and fired many,I had never had a formal education about handguns before I bought one. The first time I wanted to buy one I went to my uncle for help, because he is qualified. The first thing he said was don't make a decision until you have tried many guns. Every question I asked about what I should consider hi refused to answer until after we had been to the gun shop and test fired over twenty guns. These ranged from .22 revolvers to .45 1911 style. Slowly after about an hour of narrowing my search to what I felt comfortable with and what I was accurate with, I made my choice. Since my first purchase I have learned much more about firearms and pistols specificaly as they are what interest me most. Even with what medium amount of knowledge i have I can't in good consience sugest any certain firearm for you except to say that the more you try the more you will know you and your wife will like or dislike. Sorry for being so long winded, and goodluck in your search. :)
 
My opinion on the subject is that a revolver is the safest way to go for a person new to firearms.I suggest a S&W 66 (which is stainless and can use 357 or 38's) or a Ruger SP 101. Try both the 3" and 4" barrels to see which one balances better for you. Practice only with 38"s so as not to develop a flince(?). I got my wife a S&W 342 ( only 38's) because I also have a 357 if more power is needed. My problem is she is too good hearted to even consider shooting another human being. She has not seen the evil I have seen first hand or maybe she would think differently. I am working on her and she now will shoot it though I load it with very mild target wadcutters so as not to turn her off to shooting. I do not think an auto is a good idea. It is too easy to forget the gun is loaded when the mag is out, forgetting the round in the chamber. And racking the slide to lightly can cause a jam. While revolvers can jam it is far more unlikely than compared to an auto. I have had many different revolvers and none have ever jammed.
 
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