Looking for my first gun

Go for a Hi power a very reliable semi auto with a Hi capacity clip! The Hi power has a choice of 9mm or 40 s&w in many types of finishes! The good thing about the 40 is the fact that for $ 160 you can buy a 357 sig barrel !
Beware though many companies make a Hi power copy! Some of the most common ones i see is the Feg. While The Mauser Wernke 90 Da is a modren update of the Hi power which is a double action with a 15 round capacity
The Hi power has great staying power since its introduction in 1935!
If more power is needed then go with a 1911! Just remember you cant go wrong with a pistol designed by John Moses Browning!
 
The revolver to get instead of the GP100 is the:

Smith and Wesson, Pro Series 686 SSR. I cannot tell you how sweet this pistol is, you just have to hold one. The reason I suggest this mid priced revolver is that it seems to be of a higher manufacturing grade than other things in the price range of approx $700.00. It has a totally different appearence than the standard looking rev but things like sunken crown, lightened lug, camfered loading holes, tuned action, non mim trigger and hammer, 4" barrel, High end custom grips all combine to produce a very high quality, great resale, desirable first gun. Also it was designed for competition shooting so is quite accurate, has upgraded sights and should have all you friends drooling when you take it to the range. Very affordable without compromise. Something to be very proud to own. A very unique piece. It might also be able to use moon clips - not sure

But the really cool thing is how this guy fits your hand and just literally points itself. This would be my first gun.

Now another revolver to look for would be: Recently Lew Horten commissioned 1500 S&W 3" barrel classic series guns in .44 special, 45acp and 44 magnum. You wont find any 44 mags but what you actually want is either the 44 Special or 45acp version in blued carbon steel with custom Ahrend rosewood retro Magna grips. Primo House gun, range gun, hiking gun and decent concealed gun. Good and available price $750.00 range. Cannot lose money on this one.

Now otherwise the advice is get what you like, stay with a high quality name brand and you can usually get back out if you choose something that dosent end up working for you. There are so many choices.

But if I was going to get a new manufactured revolver I know it would be the SSR and Im not even sure I like the looks. It just feels so right.
 
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You've got a lot of options suggested, I would simplify it a little:

On revolvers - probably look at Ruger, Colt and S&W. The caliber I like the best is .357 mag / and you can shoot .38 spls in it for practice. I like a revolver in 4" or 6" - but I shoot the 6" better because of the increased length of the sight plane. You should pick the look and feel that fits you best - for me its a S&W ( especially the older models like a model 19, 27, 28, 66 or 686 ). Some will offer blued, nickel or stainless finish - sounds like you like blued. Model 27 is an N frame / one of the best revolvers of all time. I think the trigger in the S&W is superior in DA or SA - and I like the feel and fit of the wooden stocks - but you may like Hogue rubber, etc.

On semi-autos - I prefer 1911's. Some of the finest guns made come from Wilson Combat. My favorite is the CQB ( Close Qtrs Battle model ) in .45 acp / but you can order it in 9mm or whatever you want. I also like the Protector model - but its a stainless version of the CQB. 5" barrel, mag well, nite sights, ambi safety, some extra mags - probably $ 3000 - but its worth it in my opinion. 1911's are single stack, slim, easy to carry, great guns, easy to clean, etc.

Semi-autos in the DA / SA world - most of them are double stack / lots of options. Personally I think Sig gives you a lot of gun for the money. A gun like the 226 / and they have the X-Five models as well. All very good guns in 9mm, .40S&W etc. Lots of variation in the triggers, grip angles, etc on all the DA,SA guns - and they're all significantly different. None of them come anywhere close to the trigger you will find on a well tuned / well made 1911 - but shoot a bunch of them, find one you like.

Cost of ammo being what it is - I would probably stay with a 9mm / so you'll practice with it more. Wilson makes nice 1911's in 9mm / and they have their own mag now with 10 round capacity - and its a great mag.

No matter what -- have fun with your search.
 
You will get a lot of suggestions on this. Myself personally for basic home protection and ease for my wife to use under duress, I decided on buying a Ruger SP101 .357, 3" barrel. It will shoot .38 or .357, ammo is reasonably priced for target shooting and reliability is excellent. The gun is built like a Mack truck, easy to load and will never jam. I put a Hogue grip on it and it is much more comfortable and allows all fingers on the grip. This was my first gun. Since then I have added a .40 S&W and recently a .45ACP. The Ruger was my first choice and still is a great piece, but the joy of a .45 can't be described. The gun I shoot and enjoy the most is definately the Colt, the stopping power isn't bad either.

Whatever you choose I'm sure that everyone here would agree on one thing, safety is paramount. Read all you can and base your final decision on what is right for you.
 
Carry gun,light,small,easy to shoot with a laser grip.

And American made.

Easy.

The Ruger LCR with the Crimson trace grip.

38 special caliber,you can shoot cheap lead rounds for practice and load +P's for self defense.

Five rounds that forces you to make sure you hit what you are aiming at.

But you can easily buy speedloaders for it also.

Remember,this is your FIRST GUN.

Not your last gun.

And forget the idea that you need to spend THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to get a quality handgun.

You can buy many Smith's,Ruger's,Glocks and many other quality handguns for way under a thousand dollars.

You find someone determined to sell you a 'quality' handgun just because -he says- that's what you have to spend to get a 'quality handgun' and you should simply walk away quickly and buy elsewhere.
 
choices

Lots of good advice.
No burning here but....about this:
I was kind of hoping that there was gun that’s easy to get the hang of at a higher price that requires less range time.......
Buying two guns is definitely a possibility. A nice choice for the range, but feels a little like a waste if one is only looking for home defense.
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I don't know what your experience with firearms is. It may turn out that you are very talented but this is going to be your first gun. Pistols are not particularly "easy to get the hang of" for most folk, regardless of price (price has little or nothing to do with it). Perhaps you will find the experience different but most of us discover that there is no substitute for range time (though dry firing comes close). You want to make room for that.
The idea about buying a .22 is based on the idea that a .22 is a lot more forgiving as a "learning" gun than a 9mm or a .38. It is a good developer of skills. Of course, if it's not going to be used, it may be a waste and you'd be better of spending the $ on ammo and training for the heavier pistol.
Choices. Choices.
Pete
 
While I'm of the camp that says a very first handgun should be a .22 caliber for ease of practice, it doesn't sound like you're interested in going that way.

Revolvers:
For home defense, a very good possibility is the Model 625 JM - a .45ACP revolver, six shots with a 4 inch barrel. Mild recoil, low flash, very hard hitting. It's a matte stainless finish, however.
M625JM.jpg

Model 625JM - .45ACP six shots, 4-inch, large frame

The alternative is the new S&W Model 25 which is a blued .45ACP revolver with a 3" barrel. These revolvers use moon clips to hold the cartridges and reloading is both simple and very fast.
M2425_large.jpg

Model 25 - .45 ACP, six shots, 3-inch barrel, large frame

For CCW and home defense needs in .38 Special, two options to consider are the 3-inch Model 64. This is a basic no-frills fixed sight revolver. High speed, low drag.
M64_3inch.jpg

Model 64 - .38 Special, six shots, 3-inch barrel, medium K-Frame

Higher priced is the Model 67CC (Carry Comp) revolver. This .38 Special comes with a blackened stainless steel finish, a 3-inch ported barrel to reduce recoil, drift-adjustable front night sight, adjustable rear sights, chamfered charge holes in the cylinder and more.
M67CC.jpg

Model 67CC - .38 Special, 3-inch ported barrel, 6 shots, blackened finish, Medium K-frame

Keep in mind that shorter barrels are more difficult to shoot accurately. They are not "inherently inaccurate" as some claim. It is just harder to hold the sights steady on target. 3-inch is considered excellent for CCW and suitable for home defense. A 4-inch barrel is average for both police service/home defense and offers good accuracy. Longer barrels offer better accuracy and velocity up to a point (up to about 8 inches).
 
Semi-Auto Pistols:

My first choices for home defense pistols would be;
1911 .45 ACP
S&W Model 457 - .45ACP
Beretta 92FS 9mm
Browning Hi-Power 9mm or 40 S&W
FNP 40 - 40 S&W
S&W 5906 9mm
S&W 910 9mm
Glock 17 or 19 9mm

For a pistol that will also work for CCW...

The S&W 3913TSW or 3913LS (Ladysmith) pistols are excellent small 9mm packages. 8+1 capacity, slim, light, excellent pointing characteristics, reliable as a rock and accurate. S&W's model 908 is similar, but with fewer frills.
M3913TSW.jpg

S&W Model 3913TSW, 3.5-inch barrel, 9mm.

The S&W 457 is similar, but in .45ACP. A 3.75" barrel, 7+1 rounds of .45, available in stainless or black. Highly underrated gun that's reilable and accurate.
457_375inch.jpg

S&W Model 457 shown in stainless

Especially for CCW, the Colt Defender is one of the best compact .45 ACP's I've ever fired. Excellent ergonomics, highly visible sights, controllable, solid and extremely accurate with a 3.5" barrel.
colt_defender.jpg

Colt Defender - Compact .45ACP 1911 style.

Of course the used gun market has many more pistols that you can choose from. Some of the discontinued pistols that are "sleepers" in terms of excellent performance for the money are S&W's 439, 639 single-stack (8+1) pistols; The 5906, 659 double stacks. Well made Hi-Power Clones under the FM brand in 9mm and .40 S&W are also good.
 
my siummer carry in Fl is a Glock 36....ALWAYS goes bang
my winter carry is a Sig 245.....ALWAYS goes bang
I love my 1911 and it is an expensive one......almost always goes bang.....don't carry it.......
 
new gun

I am a bit confused by the less the 4 grand price range but OK. You didn't mention CCW so I don't see any reason to take a CCW class or worry about something appropriate for carry. If you are not worried about price (guessing you still don't want to just throw away money) want something FUN to shoot many rounds from that is very controlable, high quality, would work fine for the home and is accurate go with a Sig X-Five. The comp one is under 2K so you will have plenty left for good ammo.
 
Hydraulicman,

The only downside to the 625 and even the model 25 snubby are they are built on the large N-Frame. That makes them too big for some folks with small hands. And they are heavy pieces running around 40-44 oz. But that weight really tames the .45ACP round down to about that of a moderate .38 Special load.
 
I'm not going to get windy and talk a lot. Buy a Glock model 17 or 19, both are 9mm, and learn to shoot that gun. Along the way you will begin to discover what you like and dislike about handguns. Then you can take the remainder of your money and buy something that, for you, is an upgrade. With a budget the size of yours you will be able to afford another two or three pistols so take your time and try things out.
 
Locoweed said:
I'm not going to get windy and talk a lot. Buy a Glock model 17 or 19, both are 9mm, and learn to shoot that gun. Along the way you will begin to discover what you like and dislike about handguns.
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My primary dispute with this philosophy is that the Glock, S&W M&P and other similar guns lack any external safeties.

While an external safety isn't a necessity for everyone, novice handgunners often make the mistake of prematurely putting their finger on the trigger. And, of course, Glocks use a passive safety ON the trigger itself, so the result could be a negligent discharge. External safety mechanisms force you to take a positive step to engage the weapon for firing.
 
looking for my first gun.
Cost of the gun is not really an issue, (ideally <$4,000)
but for some reason i don’t want to pay through the nose for bullets.
Reliability is important.
Easy to maintain also important.
I feel comfortable looking at pistols and revolvers.
I would like the gun for home protection, but would also like to take it to a range for shooting at least 4-8 times per year.
I think i am leaning toward 9mm or .38 special.
I want something smooth to shoot without too much flash or kick.
this usually means .44 special, 45 colt, 45 acp, or .38 special
i want to keep muzzle flash and blast to a minimum without having a huge barrel, perhaps allowing me to put it into the pocket of slacks, robe or overcoat.
go to a gunstore, and see if you can put a browning hi power in the pocket of slack, robe or overcoat. I don't think your expectations for one gun are realistic.
i don’t like the shine of stainless steel or the woody-look.
I would love a laser grip without hurting performance.
i'd pick the laser grip you want to buy, and then see what guns you can put it on. This should cut your gun choices down a lot.
i would like to be able to buy american.
nothing wrong with that. Colt, s&w, freedom arms, bfr, etc. But, probably not with a laser
i would like to be able to load the gun relatively easily

i am considering a ruger gp100 blued 4 or 6 inches?
Or maybe a browning hi-power?
Is there something significantly better at higher prices?
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hmmm. 4-6 inches is to big for pocket carry.

That said, nothing wrong with a hi-power, but, they are probably made in another country.

Ruger fills the bill, for a revolver.

FREEDOM Arms are the best made revolvers on the market. You could also get a custom from John Linebaugh, Jack Huntington, or Hamilton Bowen that would be avaliable on a blued Ruger frame.
 
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The perfect handgun for you would be a Smith & Wesson M&P compact in the .40 cal. I have a full size .45 M&P, it usally takes me about 10 minutes to breakdown tthe gun, clean it, and put it back together (round 30 sec. to take down and put back together) Very easy to handel, .40 cal rounds are'nt very expensive, great round for personal defense, made in america, laser grip optional, i paid around 500 for mine but without the laser grip.

Can also get it chambered in 9mm or 357 sig. I love mine!
 
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