Help me buy my 18 year-old son his first handgun...

Ruger mk 1, 2 or 3. Ruger bearcat is what i would recommend in rimfire.

Centrefire auto i would recommend a CZ75 without hesitating for a second over a Glock. The cz is just better in every possible way, this has been my experience as a dedicated competitive shooter for almost 20 years.

How about a revolver? You really cannot go wrong with a Ruger or Smith and Wesson.
 
My personal preference..

... is this S&W Model 18 with Tyler T-Grip. So far, other shooters at the range haven't laughed at it so much.

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Aaron, thanks again, good points.
Spats, I thought I had my mind made up, but after hearing so many of you tell me how much they enjoy their .22's...I can't just ignore the advice that everyone's taking their time to provide.

I'm thinking...
If I start him on the rimfire for experience, it could be passed to his younger brother in a few months as a birthday present (well, partial birthday present, it would be a hand-me-down:rolleyes:), and then get him the 9mm. Hmmm...after all, little bro is going to want one too, right??
 
If he continues to rag on other people shooting .22s, I recommend an air pistol. Perhaps something pink.
Airguns were my first exposure to pistols. I was a pretty good shot with airguns before I ever touched a firearm. I went from there to .22s and on to centerfires of various sizes.
The CZ 9mm/.22 Kadet is probably the most versitile idea. The CZ is a great platform. I will be looking to get a Kadet kit for mine after Christmas.
 
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Hmmm...after all, little bro is going to want one too, right??
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That's how it starts.


and +1 on Aaron's advice. That's a good approach considering your preferences. You can do the same w/ 1911 uppers, using a conversion unit, if you were to go that route.
 
OK...
So I'm researching the CZ. Good reviews:), along with the Walther and Ruger from what I've read so far.

Curious though- I see the Kadet is $600, and the "Dark Woman" is $100 less...wonder why... (?)

Given that the Kadet conversion kit seems to be 2/3 the cost of a new gun, I guess it doesn't make sense to buy the 75B 9mm and the kit to get experience?

I've tried my usual suspects- Buds, Davidsons (neither has)...I like to give business to my local gun shop- stand up guys; but any online suggestions if they can't accomodate?

Thanks again. I feel like a woman... can't make up my damned mind...it's like going to a restaurant and seeing 30 entrees that I like on the menu. Gotta stop overthinking it and just buy the CZ before I change my mind again :confused:
 
I'll chime in a second time.

Jeering the kids at the range with the .22's...
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Just wait when he gets humbled by one of those lowly .22s... I would very much fear a skilled shooter with a quality .22 then a novice with no experience with 9mm or .45

.22s dominate my collection for many reasons some costing more then my centerfire pistols. My 2 most expensive pistols are a .22 revolver and a .22 Semi-auto.

1. they are fun, girls enjoy them also (Trust me when your lady shoots life is easier... unless you misbehave;))
2. I can shoot all day, practice my form, reloads and trigger control for a fraction of the price.
3. If someone your group happens to *ahem* taken of their ear protection you don't feel nearly as bad...
 
my age

Im 19 and handguns are what I love most. Like the older fellows say keep it simple. Get your boy a good 9mm or .40s&w so many to choose from. A good CZ and he will be smiling all day:)
 
another vote for the 3 popular mentioned autos - get, a ruger MK if you are dead set on something bigger then get a cz or a used 1911

I am a believer that every pistol collection as far as semi-autos are concerned is they need a 22 plinker and a 1911.

Since you are just now getting into the world of handguns I would still emphasize the benefits of a 22 plinker, you will soon find yourself buying one even if you go with a different gun first. Going to the range for pistol day is a tad different than long gun day shooting at 200yds. You will enjoy putting lead down range (and lots of it).

As much as I love long guns, it just feels like there is more for me to do at the pistol range. You can shoot weak handed, 1 handed strong/weak hand, shoot for overall center of mass with rapid fire or longer range accuracy. You will put a lot of ammo down range and even with reloading, a 22 is much cheaper than reloading plus it gives you the benefit of the time it would normally take you to reload to be doing other activities like...shooting.

just my 2 cents
 
+1 on .22LR ---- Ruger MKxxx (possibly a 6" tapered target model) or browning buckmark 5.5 barrel. More shooting for less cost.
If centerfire, stick with 9mm or 38/357 Maybe a S&W 5906, Sig P6, 1911, S&W 686. I would let him choose within budget. Firearm has to fit him well. He will enjoy shooting more if handgun feels right in his hand.
 
tobnpr, if the centerfire is what you really want, and you feel that you are going to only have one pistol a 9mm would be the right choice. Let me add this to everyone else's thoughts about the rimfire. No matter how many of my firearms I take to the range there is always at least one rimfire, and usually more. I may shoot my hunting or military style rifles for a while. Maybe my 40 S&W or 45 ACP carry piece, some of my milsurp handguns. But I always spend a lot of enjoyable shooting time with my rimfires. A lot of good practice, and fun for much less money spent.
 
I'd vote 22 while keeping in mind that you will be buying another in the near future. My son and I LOVE shooting. He's 12 and we started when he was 10. The first handgun he ever shot was a .45. He handled it just fine. Obviously he wasn't accurate. We then got him a .22 Buckmark. It's had more rounds fired through it than any of our other guns all totaled up. It's ALWAYS what we start with when we head to the range to get ourselves "warmed up" and make sure our principles are still in check. Don't ever skip on buying the 22, it should always be your first.

After that...9mm. It's by far the least expensive to shoot of anything other than 22, but still highly capable. A Glock 17 or 19 would be my opinion. This is coming from a guy with only 1 Glock, so it's not like I'm a big fan. It's just a good, reliable gun that shoots very well.

Personally, I just ordered our first 44 magnum. I can't wait. This should be fun. LOL I already know he'll shoot it, he fears no gun. I just wonder if he'll shoot it a 2nd time. :D
 
I don't think the .22 LR is an amateur's best choice but rather the expert's choice.

Serious handgunners get a .22 LR at some point for sure, but when beginning handgun shooting I think a .357 revolver with a 6" barrel is best. This way the wadcutters (.38) can be used along with the .357s to have two in one.

If you start out .22 LR there will be an urge to have more power. Only the experts realize the potential of the .22 LR and appreciate it. The youth want bang for buck!

I started out with a .44 Magnum. In time I got an SW 41. Looking back I think it was the best way to learn handguns.
 
Three pages...thanks A LOT guys...

Gonna take a bit of a tangent here...
I was thinking about how to "sell" the .22 so he won't be disappointed at it's seeming lack of power- not a gun that some little old lady is gonna pull out of her purse to shoot a mugger...

I came across the Beretta model 70- choice of the Israeli Mossad for many years. That's certainly a "cool" factor for an 18 year old. The CZ, being so widely used by military and LE also carries that weight.

Anyone have experience with the Beretta? Is it worthy of consideration? There are a few online at a reasonable price. If that's a bad choice, I'm going to try to find the CZ Kadet at a reasonable price.
 
Show your son this post:

* Olympians are known for their precision, skill, marksmanship, and even for shooting capabilities while out of breath with the .22 Long Rifle.

* The .22 is the most popular cartridge in the world today. Federal and Winchester each process over one-million rounds per day.

* Most Shooting Enthusiasts have cut their teeth and honed their skills on the venerable .22 Long Rife.

If a .22 is good enough for Olympians and a lot of experts at the range, it's good enough for folks of all ages to master the basics on.
 
For a beginner any handgun from .22 to mild recoiling .38/9mm can be a good starting point as long as they learn the fundamentals.

I took my nephews and niece (14-16yrs olds) shooting a few months ago and I started them off with a Ruger MK II and a Single Six shooting .22lr. I could see they were applying what I taught them well and thought the "cowboy pistol" was neat but I could see they were starting to get bored and kept eyeing others at the range shooting larger calibers.

So I took out my S&W M&P 9mm and I got my niece a rental GP100 shooting mild .38 reloads. Their eyes lit up and really got excited about shooting "real guns". They were still making large hand sized groups at 3-5 yards so I thought they handled it fine. Maybe I shouldnt' have and made them stick to the .22 to really engrain the fundamentals. But I know part of shooting is about fun and what they want to shoot. Its tough balancing those two.
 
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My first hand gun was a S&W 66 4" and they are still one of my favorites but what you are looking for I would recomend a Springfield GI 1911 and a .22 conversion kit.
the inexpensive 1911 has a neat history, seems"Macho"if that matters, easily upgrade-able, and holds it's value better than almost any new gun you can buy. Get a .22 conversion kit and he can learn firearms dis-assembly early on also.
 
oldcars said:
. . . . Springfield GI 1911 and a .22 conversion kit. . . .
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I think someone mentioned a similar plan earlier in the thread, and I think it's a really good idea. I don't think any serious shooters at the range will laugh at a .22, though. If you have to "sell" him on the .22, just show him this thread. We may not have a consensus, but I don't think I've seen anyone say that the .22 is a bad idea.
 
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