I am a noobs noob!

P

Pvt. Pyle

New member
Ok so I have recently entered the world of firearms. My whole life I have not been able to even think of owning anything resembling a gun, because my mother felt it was a bad idea to allow me to have guns and point them at people. So I get passed down my father's old Springfield Model 67D 12ga he had when he was growing up, and now I have the firearm itch. Ive been looking all sorts of different places to build a hunting arsenal to get some good meat flowing through my house. Being as I missed hunting seasons this year, or the majority of them, I decided I am going to buy a pistol. Being that I am so new I will throw out what I want out of a pistol and what I have looked at.

What I want in my pistol:
Home/Self Defense - I do plan on getting my CCW. I am not a small guy so I feel I will be alright with a standard frame pistol.
Target/Range
Hunting
Basically I want my pistol to do anything I would want to do with a pistol, and be effective at it until my ever so slowly collection gets off the ground and continues growing.

So far I dont know what it is about the Glock G20 that has me so hung up on it, but it does. Looking at ammo prices I keep attempting to tell myself for what I am using the pistol for thats a lot of money in ammo.

I have also thought about a Glock G21. A little better pricing on ammo. Of course the 1911s have my interest, and so does a revolver like the Ruger .357.

Basically, I like a pistol in all three categories that I have seen them broken down into. Like Ford, Chevy, Dodge, with pistols it seems its 1911, Glock, and revolver. I dont know which side I want to start on.

I do need to get to a range and rent some guns and see what I like to shoot, but from your guy's perspective, which way should I go for an all around gun that I will enjoy.

BTW - I have seen the other posts about guys asking this, I felt I put this in the right forum and I didnt think I saw a post about anyone quite as confused as me!
 
If you getting a gun for CCW, I think a nice light weight .38spl snub is gun to start with for HD, and CCW. Also get a 22 hand gun for practice.

I have a lot of guns and I like my snubby for both carry, and HD.
 
Welcome,

My advice is to spend your money renting guns, see what feels right in YOUR hand. You will end up owning more than one. I started with a used 357, they can be found for a good price and will serve you well.

Everyone starts out wanting to carry the biggest gun with the most ammo. Then you become aware of the problems carring a full sized gun can present.

Just take your time,

have fun.


later
 
Hey man, welcome to the firearms world, and yeah, it is almost addicting. I personally have a Glock 20sf, and I love it. I also have a Ruger Superredhawk in .44 mag, and I love it as well. If you are looking at an autoloader to do everything you have listed, the 10mm Glock would be your best bet in my opinion. A .45acp is a great caliber for self defense, but from every article I have read, it is not a quality handgun hunting round. That said, a 10mm is not optimal for hunting, but it can come in hotter loads that can put out up to 700 ft/lbs of energy, which can be used to take some mid sized game. As far as personal defense goes, many 10mm jacketed hollow points are available in 180grain rounds and put out mid 500 ft/lbs of energy. This will stop a bad guy, but it can also over penetrate.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a revolver for everything listed, a .44 mag is great for hunting, but could easily be considered overkill for personal defense.... certain loads could easily over penetrate and harm others. For revolvers, as you stated, a .357 mag is a fantastic round. Its cheaper than a 44 mag, it supplies enough energy for hunting, and has many available options that are perfect for personal defense. The .357 can also be found in revolvers ranging from compact to full size.

Either one of these should suit your needs just fine. I hope this helps.
 
Home/Self Defense - I do plan on getting my CCW. I am not a small guy so I feel I will be alright with a standard frame pistol.
Target/Range
Hunting
Basically I want my pistol to do anything I would want to do with a pistol, and be effective at it until my ever so slowly collection gets off the ground and continues growing.
Click to expand...

For a do everything handgun I would get a ruger gp100 4" barrel .357 mag.
 
+1 to GP100 or S&W 686 with 4" barrel or a Glock 10mm. Any of these could do anything you will probably ever do with a gun.
 
Use the shotgun for home defense. Buy a Ruger Mk III and a bunch of .22lr ammo. Take some lessons on gun safety and shooting. Rent a bunch of different guns.

Then think about your first center fire handgun.
 
What's your Ammo budget? How much are you going to shoot?

I ask you this because if you shoot 100 rounds a month,you will quickly spend more feeding your gun than you spent on the gun. 10mm? Price factory fodder for that? Spendy ain't it?

The answer to how to shoot as inexpensively as possible is to handload.

Some guns are easier to handload for than others...... It does not get any easier than .38 special/.357 magnum, which is where I'd start if I were to do it all over again....... I started with a 1911 clone (at a time when $11 was pricey for a box of 50 in .45 ACP!), and a guy suggested I handload........ and learn on .38 special. I looked at .357's and decided on the Ruger GP100 w/ a 6" barrel (CCW was only a dream in my state at the time!) .... went to buy the gun and they had a Colt Trooper LNIB for $25 less......

Properly fed, a good steel framed .357 revolver (pick your flavor: S&W, Ruger, Colt) will do anything you want a handgun to do: Enough oomph to take whitetail, or you can make pipsqueak target loads in .38 cases for plinking...... You can conceal a 4" barreled revolver on your belt, but the only guys I know that did it regularly carried it in a shoulder holster.
 
On the other hand, if you are looking for a revolver for everything listed, a .44 mag is great for hunting, but could easily be considered overkill for personal defense.... certain loads could easily over penetrate and harm others.
Click to expand...

That is whay they make .44 special.......

If you getting a gun for CCW, I think a nice light weight .38spl snub is gun to start with for HD, and CCW. Also get a 22 hand gun for practice.
Click to expand...


A snubby is not the easiest gun to learn to shoot well, especially for a beginner ......

..... If you are not going to handload, then a .22 that is similar to your centerfire (size, weight, control locations) as a trainer is a great idea, for stretching the ammo budget.
 
Welcome to the world of firearms!

Another vote for a Ruger GP100 or a Smith 686, whichever one, with a four inch barrel. I've got everything from semi to revolver, small to large and either of these two would be the best choice. My 686 has a four inch barrel and my GP100 has a 6 inch barrel. Both are outstanding handguns.
 
Hmmm. I have to get my butt to a range!

I guess I dont really think I will go through that many rounds a month. I probably will when I first get it like I did my shotgun. Whatever I get I will probably buy a 300 round bulk package of some sort and worry about more ammo when I am out.

Its so hard to choose!
 
Welcome to the forum and thanks for asking our advice

Pvt. Pyle said:
Ok so I have recently entered the world of firearms.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum and to firearms. Condolences on the passing of your Father.

Thanks for asking our advice.

Best answer so far:

Buzzcook said:
Use the shotgun for home defense. Buy a Ruger Mk III and a bunch of .22lr ammo. Take some lessons on gun safety and shooting. Rent a bunch of different guns.

Then think about your first center fire handgun.
Click to expand...
If you show up at the range with a decent 22 pistol, are safe on the firing line and keep your eyes and ears open, you are bound to soak up knowledge and get to see a wide variety of guns, probably make some friends and maybe even get to try some guns you would never even have thought about renting.

Besides, a 22 will let you practice marksmanship for one tenth the cost of factory ammo.

Depending on your home defense plan, a shotgun is VERY likely to be the best home defense arm. A long gun is MUCH easier to hit with than any handgun, and a shotgun is much more effective on target than any handgun round.

There is an adage, "Your sidearm is what you use to fight your way back to your real weapon."

On the .357 magnum. When it was invented, it was designed around a 6' barrel. Today's 4" "standard" length was a holster-carrying compromise. If you will hunt with this, a 4" barrel gives you a lot less sight radius than a 6" or 8". However, 6" is difficult to conceal. Heck, it's even difficult to open carry if you're going to be sitting in a car, behind a desk or at a campfire. But, ballistically superior to a 4". But a big guy can carry concealed in a shoulder holster easily enough.

The .357 magnum is probably the most versatile caliber commonly available, but a little light for game heavier than 100 lbs.

Hunting with a handgun is about 10 times more difficult than hunting with a rifle or shotgun. Consider that. The only thing more difficult (that is commonly done) is bowhunting.

Very few semiautomatics are very good for hunting (notable exceptions exist, but they are exceptions). Most hunters use revolvers, or single shots. Nose shape does not matter to a revolver (bullet nose shape can cause problems with a self-loader), but makes a big difference to terminal ballistics. And the better shaped bullets tend to have feeding problems in semi-autos. Revolvers tend to be able to handle bullets with more mass as well.

Good luck,

Lost Sheep
 
Ammo cost?

$300 will buy 600 rounds of mixed 38 special and .357 magnum.

$300 will buy 5,000 rounds of 22 rimfire.

$300 will buy a basic reloading setup and enough components to make 600 rounds of .357 mag. And after that, every $300 will buy about 1,200 more.

I most heartily recommend AGAINST starting both the hobby of shooting and the hobby of reloading at the same time, but I pulled those figures out of my memory just to give you something to think about.

Ruger makes a dandy 22 rimfire single-action revolver that takes 22 Long Rifle rimfire (and 22 Long, and 22 short as well) with is great for target practice and very small game and has a second cylinder for 22 magnum which is adequate for medium small game.

I admit to trying to sway your choices, which might be considered ulterior, but I also just want to make sure your horizons are expansive as they can be. I see you ignoring a wide range of options. Please forgive me if I have overstepped.

Lost Sheep
 
In Ohio, it is illegal to hunt deer with a barrel length of less than 5 inches. So you might want to check your states hunting regulations before you purchase a hunting pistol.
 
Maybe if you advertise what city you live in, you might be able to hook up with many of the nice members here that are willing to help you out shooting there vast inventory of guns they have.

These guys are proud owners of there guns, and some might go out of there way, just for an excuse to get to the range, and let a noob try out some really special guns that you can't rent, plus they can give you some insights that you might not get on an Internet site.

But if you try to rob them, it's "say good night Gracie"

Good luck.
 
I see at least 3 handguns in your future given the things you want to do.
1. HD, Target, Hunting: 6 inch 586/686 S&W (I prefer the older no lock model), 6 inch Ruger GP100. 6 inch barrel for velocity and sight radius.
2. A smaller handgun for CCW -- Walther, HK, Sig, etc -- many to choose from.
3. .22 handgun - Ruger MK series, Browning Buckmark.

I would start with a .22 - build skill, good gun handling, etc.
 
Welcome to the wonderful lifetime of shooting.;)

You've already rec'd alot of great advice so far. Guess thats what makes TFL so wonderful, eh.

One more tip I don't think has been covered.

You say you want your first handgun to have the capability to do everything, including hunting.

Check your local hunting laws as many states have different requirements/regulations such as caliber size, cartridges(straight walled) or barrel length.

Again welcome and enjoy your new-found sport.

:o sorry Win94, didn't read all the post :o

PS. Many have wisely suggested a 22. Just one more thought!
A quality 22 will last you a lifetime and as you get more acquainted with shooting all calibers, you'll find that old 22 you bought years prior is one of the perfect tools to refer back to and practice things such as trigger control,etc.

The 22 may not fit all your listed criteria but would be great lifelong tool for your arsenal.
 
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I agree with the .22 pistol as a starter gun. It is much easier to learn the basics when you don't have to worry about added recoil, rapport, or expensive ammo. Something like an Heritage Rough Rider, Buckmark, Ruger MKII or MKIII, Smith and Wesson 22A, etc... would be a good pistol to start with.

As far as getting a good center-fire handgun for carry, hunting companion, home defense, and everything in between... for a larger guy, I'd recommend one or more of the following.

1. Ruger SP101 (.357 Magnum; 5 rounds)-
image026r.jpg

If you're doing your research, you'll soon find that Ruger makes one hell of a revolver. Their SP101 series is intended for carriage, which is why it's a bit slimmer in profile, but no less solidly made. Ruger tends to "over-make" their revolvers just a little bit to ensure reliability and longevity. Honestly, if you get any Ruger revolver and take care of it, you'll be handing it down to your grandson someday.

It is chambered in .357 Magnum, but you can just as easily shoot the cheaper and lighter .38 special loads from it (you cannot shoot .357 rounds from a .38 special revolver). The "buy a .357 and practice with .38" philosophy has been around forever, and for good reason. They are both great loadings that will do everything you want them to. You can find loads for everything from killing cans to destroying engine blocks, and your weapon should handle all of them just fine, pretty much forever.

I'd see if I can find one in 3" (the most common for this weapon) or 4" if you're a bigger guy. With the right holster and cover garment, you can more than easily conceal it.
(Acceptable Alternatives: Ruger GP100, really any frame .357 by Smith and Wesson)

2. Glock 23/Generation 3-FG&R (.40S&W; 13 rounds)
glock23.jpg


Not a lot to say here. It's a Glock. They were designed to be carried, shoot no matter what, and hold a lot of ammo. They are lighter than just about any pistol design out there (GREAT for carry), they are easy to carry/conceal, and you'll almost never have a problem with them whether you maintain them or not.

I suggest the "compact" or mid-sized models for anyone thinking of carrying the weapon concealed. It's just much easier to make disappear. The .40S&W round isn't hard to find, but you may find yourself hurting for cash if ammo gets any more expensive. So a solution you can create is to buy an aftermarket 9mm barrel from a company called Lone Wolf (~$100), get some Glock 19 or 17 magazines (~$25) and go carry or shoot 9mm out of your Glock 23.

Bottom line is that it's a Glock, and you won't be sorry. (Make sure to get at least a Generation 3, as the older Glock .40's had some chamber issues that caused a very small percentage of them to explode.) I carry a Glock 19 and am happy as a mouse at a carnival.
(Acceptable Alternatives: Springfield xD, Smith and Wesson M&P, Ruger SR series)


There are literally dozens of guns that can fit your personal needs, and we could spend hours here talking about them (Hey, I'm game), but this is definitely a start. Let us know how your reactions to some of these recommendations are going so we can assess your likes and dislikes a little better.

Thanks for a great question and welcome to the forums.

~LT
 
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