Looking in to a new handgun....What to get?

Well I guess I will put my .02 in too.I will not recommend any gun period.I do not know your hand size nor what you are capable of handling.Go to a shooting range and talk to people.Do you have friends that shoot?You mentioned a FBI agent,talk to him.The more guns you can handle and shoot the more informed you will be when you make a choice.Take your time and tremember what works for one person might not work for you.Some people have big hands some small.Some are big strong and some are not.Some are recoil sensitive and some aren't.There are too many factors so try to get personal one on one help.
Welcome to the fireing line and good luck,be safe.

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beemerb
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world;
and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men
every day who don't know anything and can't read.
-Mark Twain
 
You want an auto for home defense?

Get a 20 ga. Browning A5 with 18 1/2" barrel. Oh, you didn't want a shotgun. Chinese SKS paratrooper carbine.

Now whatever handgun you choose has a purpose: to let you fight your way to the rifle or shotgun you should have had in your hands already.
 
.45 1911 or 1911A1:
Idiot-proof, three safeties make it nearly impossible for a toddler to discharge, very important to think about if you've got family, easy to fieldstrip, knock-down power, looks, etc. etc.

As with all auto or semi auto firearms, double check your ammo before loading the clip. I heartily discourage .45 acp re-loads.
 
Have no idea what a 1911 is. Could someone post a link? I have only a wife who is also fired up about learning how to make a gun go pow. So no worry about young kids.

Thanks,

C. Ryan
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CRyan:
Have no idea what a 1911 is. Could someone post a link? [/quote]

CRyan, please ask someone to post a Glock link, before you trigger a Jhihad.

You don't want to be responsible for a Holy War.

Please?

Some people on this forum are very sensitive individuals. Bwaahaahaa.

Could someone post a 1911 link? Bwahaahaa! I hope the server doesn't melt down.
 
Welcome to "the fold."

Probably the most simple firearm is the double action revolver. There are so many I couldn't even begin to list them ... you've already been inundated with everybody else's fave-piece.

.38/.357 in a medium frame (probably 4" for a house gun or 2.5"/3" for possible concealed) would be a great first starter shooter in a revolver. And, probably what I would recommend to any beginner only because they require less maintenance than any other design. Hold a few different frame sizes (& never, ever forget The Wife in this process if she will be shooting it too!) & get one that properly fits your/her hand. It will be easier for you to shoot well a smaller frame than it will be for her to shoot one too large.

Although ...

I think the Browning Hi Power is THE most simplistic design (for all reasons) in a semi-auto handgun. It has two safeties (I can can hear the howlings now! ;)) one simple wipe of the safety, pull the trigger & it goes bang & the other = between your ears (as with every other firearm) .... all other "extra" safty devices are some nonsense devoted to some idea that a thinking person cannot possess a weapon without some sort of extra safety-stuff added. I can't wait for a smart gun to come equipped with an airbag. ;) & :(

If you will perform the most basic cleaning & safety measures, I would go with the Hi Power. A very shootable handgun that has every thing you'd ever want with zero bells & whistles.

If you won't perform the cleaning, etc. to ensure proper function of any firearm, I'd go with the double action .38/.357 revolver.

If you won't perform any safety measures yourself & would rely on some built-in safety measures of the firearm's design - I'd go with a big stick because you aren't responsible enough to own a firearm.

No flame - the truth.

The FBI's been issued so many different stuff for so many different reasons, I'd hesitate to even begin & really, who cares what the FBI has? ;) Go with what works & the (some) good folks here have more expertise than does the FBI anyway. We're the gun-nuts, they just enforce the law.
... many ;)s

.38/.357 (shoots both power bullets) is pretty nifty because you can shoot way cheap w/low recoil for practice (.38 special) & too, have the ability to have a much more powerful firearm for home defense (.357 magnum). If you get the revolver that shoots .357 magnun, it will also shoot .38 special "bullets" (cartridges - we'll leave all the crazy nomeclature for the future).

The Hi Power shoots 9mm bullets (same as .38 special, for all practical purposes) & is perfectly adequate for target & home defense.
9mm is available in a wide assortment of "power factors" which are from light loads (for target) to more "forceful" ones (for home defense).

Either way, attempt to try out several so that you are comfortable with & what you (& The Wife) can shoot best (may take a while) .... it'll be worth it in the long run.

Any handgun is under-powered to "stop a man cold in his tracks." More later ...

Personally, I'd not go below .38 special/9mm in power factor or above .45 ACP for the general "all-round" handgun. They'll all do the trick, assuming proper bullet & placement.

Do let us know & good luck & good shooting AND be safe.
 
I would be cautious about picking a defense weapon just because it is something that "the FBI use" (or any other department or agency). My second cousin on my father's side retired after twenty years on the force. As a patrolman, where he was in constant interaction with the public, he felt that the best weapon for the job was a traditional double action / single action pistol with a manual safety (something like a Smith & Wesson or a Beretta pistol -- SIGs don't have manual safeties, only decockers). As a SWAT Team leader, he felt that the best firearm for that particular role was a single action 1911 style pistol. Then, toward the end of his career, as a detective, he felt that he was properly armed with a snubbie revolver.

Other law enforcement officers in similar roles might have picked different firearms. The point being, you have to examine your own particular situation and pick a gun (or guns) that will work best for you. If you have to wear a tucked in shirt with a tie and maybe no jacket, then deep concealment is what you have to consider and the Kahr Micro line is something to look at.

If deep concealment is not a big factor, then the various compact pistols become a consideration. Additionally, do not overlook the various compact revolvers that are around. While, I, myself prefer a pistol, my cousin was a detective for several years and he felt properly armed with a snubbie revolver after previously using a 1911 .45 on the SWAT team.

I'm not going to recommend anything in particular because others in this trend have already done a good job with that. All that I have to say is to access your particular situation and pick a gun (or guns) that fits those needs.

In closing, let me say that for deep concealment (such as work), I carry a Kahr MK9 and for regular concealment, I go with a {pre-agreement} 3913TSW. For home defense, a S&W 4006 sits in the nightstand and a Para-Ordnance P14-45 sits in the safe for when things really get hairy. Share what you know, learn what you don't -- FUD
fud-nra.gif


[This message has been edited by FUD (edited May 08, 2000).]
 
FUD,

Yeah, the reason that I mentioned the FBI issue was becuase that is the only pistol that I have really held. I felt good in my hand and the weight felt right. I have never fired it of course, but it felt good. I have onlt shot a shot gun and an assualt rifle previously.

Thanks for the info,

C. Ryan
 
CRyan, welcome to TFL. You really can't go wrong with a quality double action revolver in .38/.357, but you seem to have your heart set on a semi-auto. If you really must have a semi-auto, the Browning Hi-Power is strongly recommended. If money is a factor, Ed pointed out that there are good quality "clones" of the BHP out there for around $200. I have one (an FEG) myself and it is reliable and accurate. Parts and accessories abound, and 9mm ammo is hard to beat for price and availability. Not the most powerful stuff around, but it'll do the job if you do yours.

Shoot straight

freedomlover

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Sic semper tyrannis
 
I second alot of what i've read. I STRONGLY suggest you avoid S$W for several reasons. their auto pistols are crap imho, and the company is courting bankruptcy in the next yr. parts will be a problem. Also, they sold us down the river and will require YOU to jump through all kinds of extra hoops and registration for the "priveledge" of buying one of their crappy guns. Revolver: Ruger, 686 is a good one, though Taurus is a close second. Auto? I personally really like Glocks, my parents and wife all got them as their first guns with no problems. BUT, for an auto pistol, proper grip to frame angle is critical. Get a gun that fits your hand. EG, beretta 92 is great, but not for small hands like mine. Hope this helps, and join the NRA (NRA.ORG) asap. sim jr
 
CRyan, As you have never owned a firearm before I'd recommend a revolver in caliber .357 magnum. Both Smith & Wesson and Taurus manufacture fine revolvers in this caliber. The reasons I sugest a revolver are safety, ease of use and reliability. With the .357 magnum revolver you can shoot light loads to learn the basics of gun handling and trigger control and graduate to full power magnum loads once you have become familiar with the manual of arms for the revolver.
I had a co-worker ask me what I would recommend for a new shooter for home defense. In this case I recommended a revolver for the same reasons I mentioned above. Well, my advise was ignored and a Ruger semi-auto was purchased. Now the Ruger is a fine weapon, but the female employee who asked me to recommed a handgun was unable to retract the slide to chamber a round.. A firearm won't do you any good in a defensive situation if you can't manipulate the controls. So her husband had to chanber a round for her. Also the recoil from the .40S&W cartridge was just too much for her to tolerate. And what if she had a malfunction during a time of crisis? could have been a bad thing. In the end they ended up purchasing a revolver for his wife.
So, go with the revolver as a learning tool, as you can always trade the revolver for a auto-loader once you've learned the basics. BTW, my first handgun was a Smith and Wesson model 13 in .357 magnum. Still regret selling it. Mark / FL
 
CRyan,

There has been a lot of good advice given to you.

Here's some more: Check out a Makarov if you want a semi-auto for your first handgun. They are cheap (less than $200), well-made, easy to shoot, accurate, concealable and just powerful enough to use as a serious personal defense weapon. If you want another gun later (and you will), you will have learned the basics on a quality weapon that will always have a place in your gun safe.
http://www.makarov.com

Also check out the "other pistols" section at that site.

Welcome to this wonderful community of shooters at TheFiringLine.
 
Revolvers are not bad, but a .357 is too brutal if you have to fire it
in a closed room. I prefer a 9mm, or, if you have the time to train, a
.45. Always buy something you can manage.

If you want a dual carry/house gun, get a Glock 19 (beware, do train
intensively since the trigger is a bit strange for people who have
fired all-steel guns), a Sig P228, a 226, or alternatively, a CZ75
compact. With the CZ, calculate a trigger job into the price of the
gun to reduce trigger creep. Else, get a HK USP .45 compact. they
work, and they have lots of blasting power. 8 shots magazine capacity
is IMO also enough, unless you plan on protracted firefights. I don't.
The average gun fight is decided with the first 3 rounds.
 
In response to your original question, the FBI issues Glock models 22, 23, and 27 to new agents. The bigger the number, the smaller the gun. All are in .40 S & W caliber. The 23 is a good all purpose gun, but it has plenty of kick for a "first" gun. Go to www.glockmeister.com for pictures or the Glock auto magazine at your grocery store for full specs.

They also issue U.S. Government model 1911 pistols for special purposes. These are big .45 caliber pistols like my Dad used in WW II. Don't get one for your first pistol. They can be fixed up to be fantastic, but most are unreliable out of the box and they're complicated to operate.

It is in fact, as many above have said, hard to beat a good .357/.38 revolver for a first gun. Everyone should have one. Or ten. A used S & W, a Taurus, a Ruger GP - all great.

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"...where the wind comes sweeping down the plains..."
 
p.s. If you want a Glock for your first pistol, consider a 9 mm rather than a 40. It won't kick as much and ammo is cheaper.

They come in the same three sizes (or four if you count the long barrelled version.) The Glock 19 is the same size as the 23 in 40 caliber and is a very popular weapon.
 
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