Looking for recommendations

R

RR2

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I understand that every firearm is different and it depends on the person, but I'm asking for your advice.

My dad encouraged me to get a weapon for family protection. I went to a few stores and I really liked the feel of the Glock 43. The single stack was comfortable in my smaller hands. I then tried someone's Sig P238. It fired nice and the recoil wasn't bad, probably due to the .380. It did jam once on a friend, but it jammed four times with a range person the next time I shot the rental. The p938 9mm was comfortable, but a lot of recoil and I wasn't as accurate.

I learned the Glock 42 shoots .380, so I tried that but I didn't like the trigger pull or the gun. The G19 is very nice with the center port, but its honestly just outside of comfortable in terms of feel and likely carry.

The gun would be for home protection and perhaps in time, if I felt trained and skilled, carry. Has anyone used the Beretta 92fs compact with rail? It looks like a longer barrel, so I'd probably be more accurate or as accurate as the G19, but it's also small. The rental places don't have one, so I don't know about recoil. I really like the idea of an external safety, like the sig p238. I also think it holds more than 6 rounds. What do you all think? I am sure you can read this and get a sense for the types of firearms I'm interested in.

Thank you!
 
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If you're interested in a single stack, take a look at the S&W Shield 9mm.

Very reliable, handles recoil well, larger capacity than the Glock 43 and less expensive. It comes with and without a manual safety.
 
Taurus pt-111 millenium g2, polymer striker fired 9mm, is an option budget friendly and arguably better ergonomics than than glock 19.
A Cz p10 and/or p07 would also be good options to try.
 
Sounds like single stack is a good idea for you. The Beretta is an excellent firearm but understand that if you have small hands it might not be terribly comfortable. Don't let the compact monicker mislead you, the compact Beretta is still a fairly large handgun and not one I would want to conceal carry.
 
Find a gun range that rents guns.
Tell them you want to try out 5 guns like one that you liked in the post.
Shoot 10 rounds from each then decide.
Your hand is different from everyone else and what works for some will be a pain in your ***.
Good luck!
 
I like single stacks too ....to me, most of the double stacks just feel "thick" in my hands.

There is a lot to picking a gun....and you should certainly shoot as many as you can. Maybe keep some notes on each model to see what you like about them...( how they fit your hands, how trigger breaks & how it resets, width, weight, etc...

A couple of guns to add to your single stack evaluation ( in 9mm )
1. Sig 239....DA/SA triggers are most common
2. Full sized 1911 ....Springfield, Colt or Sig probably on a budget...depends on what you can find locally.
3. Springfield XD series...S is their single stack ( grip angles are very close to 1911's.
 
You said you'd been to a range that rented guns.

See if they have some classes. The instructor will put out information, you'll be able to ask questions, you'll be able to listen to other students ask questions.

It's a good start.
 
Great point. I will definitely take classes. I'm very new to the idea of gun ownership; I've been on the other side of the issue for almost my entire life.
 
BigJimP said:
I like single stacks too ....to me, most of the double stacks just feel "thick" in my hands.

There is a lot to picking a gun....and you should certainly shoot as many as you can. Maybe keep some notes on each model to see what you like about them...( how they fit your hands, how trigger breaks & how it resets, width, weight, etc...

A couple of guns to add to your single stack evaluation ( in 9mm )
1. Sig 239....DA/SA triggers are most common
2. Full sized 1911 ....Springfield, Colt or Sig probably on a budget...depends on what you can find locally.
3. Springfield XD series...S is their single stack ( grip angles are very close to 1911's.
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I did like the feel of XD, but I haven't shot it yet. I will try the Sig you mentioned. Have you tried the Beretta 92FS Compact with Rail. It looks like it's smaller and possibly comfortable. I like that it has more than 6 rounds, but I hear mixed thoughts on DA/SA guns. I would like to try it and see if the longer barrel allows for more accuracy around 30 to 35 ft. My dad tells me that that's a less likely distance scenario, but I think I'd feel confident carrying it, if I was good from that range. I am trying to think of reducing strays, forbid something came up.

Excellent advice, though. Thank you!
 
Targa said:
Sounds like single stack is a good idea for you. The Beretta is an excellent firearm but understand that if you have small hands it might not be terribly comfortable. Don't let the compact monicker mislead you, the compact Beretta is still a fairly large handgun and not one I would want to conceal carry.
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That is very helpful. So, it's likely it'll still be on the larger side of a compact? I am nervous that the trigger itself rests farther from my finger. I am trying to find a shop that has one to hold and hopefully to rent.
 
RR2 I do not know if you ever plan to get a conceal carry license, but if you do keep in mind the caliber of the gun. I do not know the law for other states but here in Texas if you qualify with a revolver than only than will you be allowed to carry a revolver only. I f you qualify with a semi auto pistol the minimum allowed is a 9mm. But qualifying with a semi auto pistol it allows you to conceal carry whatever firearm you wish to have.
 
Welcome to TFL, RR2!

As you can see, we're always glad to help spend someone else's money. :D With that said, I have a few questions and comments that may help us help you just a bit. You may or may not know the answers to these, as you mention being very new to firearms ownership, but I'm going to toss them out there nonetheless:
  • Do you have a preference of steel or polymer?
  • Do you prefer a hammer or striker?
  • Are you comfortable with either revolver or semiauto?
From what I do see in your posts, I'll start with this: "The gun would be for home protection and perhaps in time, if I felt trained and skilled, carry." To my mind, knowing the purpose of the gun goes a very long way to finding the right gun. If you're looking for one gun to do both HD and CC, a jack-of-all-trades gun, I suggest one of the compacts. IMO, the compacts (which is where I lump those pistols that are roughly the same size as the G19) are the best size for that role. That's a great place to start if, for whatever reason, you want one gun to do it all. On the other hand, if you want a HD pistol now and are open to getting something different for carry later, then we can look at pistols that are a little larger.

Fortunately or not, there are a whole bunch of quality pistols that fall into the compact class that are worth a look: CZ P10C, S&W M&P 2.0 Compact, XD 3.8" Compact, Ruger SR9C. Those are just the ones I can name off the top of my head. As others have noted, getting some range time with different pistols with help you narrow down what you like. You mentioned that the "G19 is very nice with the center port, but its honestly just outside of comfortable in terms of feel and likely carry." Glock's ergonomics are one of the most common complaints about them. "Block 19," "feels like a 2x4." I have a G19 and love it, but that doesn't mean anyone else has to love them. The ergos don't bother me, but lots of folks hate them. Honestly, if the S&W M&P 2.0 Compact had been available 5 years ago, I might never have bought my G19. Almost identical in terms of overall length, width, weight, caliber and capacity to the G19, but with better ergos.

It does sound like a single-stack may be more comfortable for you than many of the doubles. A 9mm 1911 might be another option for you. Or maybe Kahr. They make a few single-stack 9mm pistols.

Finally, caliber. (And I had a really hard time deciding where to put this section, because it seemed like it should come first.) We try to avoid caliber wars here at TFL, and if you spend any time at all on gun forums, it won't take you long to see why. With that said, I note that you have both .380 and 9mm in your opening post. I'm not a huge fan of .380 to begin with, and I certainly would not recommend one for home defense. IMO, the only benefit to .380 over 9mm is that it allows for smaller guns. For HD, a smaller gun is really not beneficial.

I'm not an engineer or physicist by any means, but 9mm gets you better ballistics and it's cheaper than .380, too. I'll say that again: 9mm = better ballistics and cheaper. What you need more than anything right now is range time, preferably with an instructor. And if you're renting guns, then you'll likely have to purchase the range's ammo to shoot in them. Their gun, their rules, but don't make it any more expensive on yourself than you have to. If you decide that you really like shooting, and wind up buying ammo by the case (as many TFL members do), you'll save even more in the long run.

Welcome to TFL and the world of shooting!
 
Don't always turn away from a gun that has jammed a few times. No gun is 100% jam proof. You can always experiment with new ammo or possibly the gun needs to be broken in.

Also if you get a gun that you think will just never jam on you, you never have to clear any malfunctions at the range, Murphy's law suggests its going to jam when you need it the most. Its an important and often over looked piece of training.
 
RR2 said:
I understand that every firearm is different and it depends on the person, but I'm asking for your advice.



My dad encouraged me to get a weapon for family protection. I went to a few stores and I really liked the feel of the Glock 43. The single stack was comfortable in my smaller hands. I then tried someone's Sig P238. It fired nice and the recoil wasn't bad, probably due to the .380. It did jam once on a friend, but it jammed four times with a range person the next time I shot the rental. The p938 9mm was comfortable, but a lot of recoil and I wasn't as accurate.



I learned the Glock 42 shoots .380, so I tried that but I didn't like the trigger pull or the gun. The G19 is very nice with the center port, but its honestly just outside of comfortable in terms of feel and likely carry.



The gun would be for home protection and perhaps in time, if I felt trained and skilled, carry. Has anyone used the Beretta 92fs compact with rail? It looks like a longer barrel, so I'd probably be more accurate or as accurate as the G19, but it's also small. The rental places don't have one, so I don't know about recoil. I really like the idea of an external safety, like the sig p238. I also think it holds more than 6 rounds. What do you all think? I am sure you can read this and get a sense for the types of firearms I'm interested in.



Thank you!
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I have owned, shot and carried the Sig P238, P938, and Glock 42, 19, 17. I have owned a Beretta 92 FS, but I’d never carry it.

The Beretta is easy to shoot and has very little recoil because of the size and weight.

An HK VP9 is a great pistol. Very comfortable, accurate but it’s full sized.

If you don’t like the G43 or G42 Trigger, then you can always have it modified with a Minus Connector, Ghost Triggers Connector, and/or a replacement trigger such as an Apex Tactical.

Another pistol to consider is a S&W M&P 9 mm, or Shield. The grip is more oval and comfortable for most people. You have to see how the trigger feels. Their mods include changing the Sear or using an Apex Tactical Trigger.

The FN FNX 9 mm shoots very well, too, as does the 45 ACP. Low recoil to me, but people are different.

I’m not a fan of 380 for SD, though I have carried it with Buffalo Bore +P ammo. I don’t carry that caliber for concealed anymore.

You have to try or rent different guns before you decide, though. Only you can be the judge for what works.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
My only recommendation is that you get a full size handgun, whether it's a revolver or an auto is up to you. Compacts are smaller and lighter making them harder to shoot well and they have more felt recoil. A full size gun is more comfortable to shoot and easier to shoot accurately. Try different brands/models to find something that fits your hand well.

Congrats on making the choice to take some responsibility for your safety and that of your family.
 
Few guns are as comfortable in the hand as the CZs.
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Depends. They don't fit my hand at all and are quite uncomfortable. One of my most disappointing days in firearms was when I rented one right before buying.

I agree with trying to rent first. I rented a G43 about 6 months after they came out not intending to buy one. I loved it. Took the target out to 50 yards and was still hitting. Trigger was super smooth. Of course I went out and bought one. The one I bought has the squishiest trigger I have ever pulled, is much heavier, and elicits the taste of bile in my mouth. The rental had thousands of rounds through it and the springs were bordering on worn out. Some day I will run 3k rounds through it and see if that helps.

So keep that in mind with rentals.
 
I'm not a Beretta fan...so no, I have never bought one / although I have shot most of their models over the years at my local range, where they have 100 handguns or so to rent...( rentals are free with my membership, I just have to buy their ammo -- so from time to time, I get guns out of rental case and test them ). I especially don't like the triggers, controls or grip angle on the Beretta's.

99% of the time I shoot and train tactically with - and carry - a full sized Wilson Combat 1911...a 5", Protector model, all stainless gun in 9mm. ( I switched from a Wilson in .45 acp to 9mm a few yrs ago because of arthritis in my hands -- and started carrying the 9mm ). The 1911 is the gun of my generation ...being in my late 60's now...its the gun I have always felt most comfortable with ( trigger, size, weight, etc )...so its what I measure all other guns against when evaluating what I want or need.

I have other full sized guns, like a Sig 226, but I never carry them ...too bulky and yes, the DA/SA trigger is very different especially over a well built and well tuned full sized 1911. For me, the SAO trigger in a 1911 is better than the DA/SA trigger in the Sig 239 ...but I can also cock the hammer, if I have time, and shoot it in single action if I want.../ but its a gun that fits a lot of new shooters in my family from teenagers to young adults ...that I instruct a little.

No disrespect to your dad...but the experts say most "Defensive" situations occur within 3 yds ...( some actually say 3 Feet ) ..and with 3 shots or less fired and in about 3 sec its over. I tactically train mostly from 5 yds - 8 yds ...sometimes to 10 yds ..../ and only occasionally from 12 to 25 yds ( with a situation like an active shooter ). But drawing from a holster - putting effective fire ( center mass ) on a tactical target...to some time standard...like Draw & Fire 3 rds in under 3 sec is something I train to every week ...from 5 - 8 yds / and I want my shots in that center area ( roughly 9" X 11" ) and under time 95% of the time.

I know its not "fashionable" now...but a good S&W revolver in a 2 1/2" or a 4" barrel in .357 Mag is a very good Defensive gun in my view as well..and easy to carry...( K, L or N frame...) ...but most guys like a K frame..just a stray thought.

But picking a gun that suits you ...is the process. Good luck in your search ...and take your time / and remember to have some fun with the process. Don't get stressed out over it. Shoot as many guns as you can ...before you buy.
 
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I consider myself a "Glock Guy", but I sold my G43 after buying a Ruger LC9s. I still like my G19's and G26, but felt the Ruger was the better gun in a more compact single stack design.
 
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