Looking to buy first pistol.

So much depends on your skill level and interests. For a new shooter, a 22 is best, inexpensive ammo, easy on the shoulder, encourages practice. I usually recommend a full size steel frame with a 22 conversion unit, the CZ for a factory package, I have the Ciener units for my Browning HP and Colt Mark IV.
 
Welcome to the forum.
My standard answer:
First get some real training for pistol shooting.
Then look at pistols.
You'll have more to go on to make a wiser decision.
Especially with the hassle of buying a handgun in L.A.
Like learning to ride before buying a bike.
 
You are going to find that any pistol you name has its fans and its detractors. The advice you got to increase your exposure and shooting experience before buying is good. Take a class or two. Ask friends to take you shooting. (Picking up the tab for ammo and their range admission is good form.) Rent pistols at a range.

Decide what you are going to use the pistol for. A home defense pistol may have different characteristics than a carry pistol, different again from a range pistol. Decide what characteristics you are going to want, like what trigger system you prefer, whether or not you want a thumb safety and/or a grip safety. Have an idea what feels good in your hand.

I don't think anyone knowledgeable would recommend one pistol for all purposes, and those who are truly knowledgeable recognize that personal taste plays a significant role in selection.
 
I agree with the take a class, rent guns and grab a friend with firearms advice. Like already said, the firearm itself will come down to personal preference. Just do yourself a favor and don't overlook revolvers in you research.
 
For the shooting range and home defense, a revolver. A medium-framed 38 or 357 with a 4", or possibly 6", barrel. If you can get two, also get a 22 to practice with.

I have taught a lot of people to shoot. In my experience, revolvers are more intuitive and safer for beginners.
 
Welcome to TFL, MotorCycleDave.

I'm going to join in with the folks here who are saying you should: (1) take a class; and (2) go rent some guns. We can post all day long about gun statistics (width, caliber, weight, capacity, etc.), but none of us can tell you which gun will feel right in your hands, or which ones you'll shoot well.

For a beginner, I'll almost always recommend something in .22LR. The cheapest centerfire cartridge out there is 9mm, which will run ~22-25 cents per round. By comparison, .22LR should run you less than 10 cents/round. That translates into a whole lot more practice for the same $$$ spent.

With that said, desired function and budget also play a big factor in deciding what pistol to get beyond a .22. Someone looking to get into handgun hunting will get a completely different set of recommendations from someone who wants to CC in a T-shirt and jeans.

Good luck on your search!
 
I would not say you should start with a .22 ( there isn't anything wrong with a .22...but if you don't want a .22 ) ... then I would say stay with something in a 9mm ( ammo less expensive than .40 S&W, etc )...

Like others said ...there are just too many options to be specific in terms of a recommendation (.. its all about what fits your hands the best, what gun comes up and points the best for you, grip angle, width, weight, what style of trigger you like ( how it breaks and resets), do you like a stryker fired or a hammer fired, DA, DA-SA, SA), etc...) and you'll be surprised how different they are...

Personally I don't care for any poly frame gun...but many are affordable..so its where you'll get a lot of gun for the money. Since you've already looked at Ruger - at least look at S&W, Springfield, Glock ...and on the higher end M&P and Sig. But to make a good choice - you will need some time at range with them ( rent before you buy )...and consider a good lesson on fundamentals unless you have a buddy that is an accomplished shooter and can communicate fundamentals clearly ...( not all shooters can teach ).
 
So many choices so little money. It's a problem most gun owners run into. If you decided on a firearm see if you can find one in a pawn shop. Give them a low ball price or ask them bottom line price out the door. I have picked some very good deals this way. My last gun purchase at a pawn shop was very good condition AK47 WARS 10 for $300 out the door. Good luck in your search.
 
Newbie..

I would not recommsnd used as a first purchase.

And most of the guns in my safe are used. I would recommend .22 caliber. Lots easier to develop fundementals when recoil is not a factor in the learning process.

Most of all...welcome to the addiction. In a.year you might start a new thread.......

36 or 48 gun capacity? help me choose a safe.
 
A lot of good advice. I join in the recommendation to get training and also agree a .22 is the best first pistol. Welcome aboard!
 
If you can pick up a CO2 pistol they're cheaper to shoot and easy to find a place to shoot at.(I shoot in my backyard with a airgun)
Take a class, rent pistols at ranges, and try everything
Idk about where you live but in ga there is no exter paper work on air guns no wait times just buy and go shooting
 
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As others have said, the best thing you can do to start is to take NRA Basic Pistol, and then rent as many different makes and models as possible. That said, it can still get overwhelming; in many ways, we are living in a golden age, as there is an insane variety of good, reliable, and accurate guns on the market at reasonable prices. That's great for us enthusiasts, but it also lead to paralysis by analysis as you try to figure out where to even get started.

1. First, and most important, how much are you willing to spend on your gun this year? Keep in mind that there are a lot of secondary expenses that come with owning a gun. Ammo is the big one, but there's also cleaning supplies, a safe, spare magazines, eye and ear protection, range membership/targets, etc. It adds up really quickly.
2. What state do you live in? What are the restrictions on gun ownership where you live?
3. Do you plan to get a concealed carry permit? Or will you mostly be keeping the gun at home for home defense and target shooting?

That will help us narrow your search parameters a bit. Now for important things to consider when trying guns:

4. You want a gun that fits your hand well. A comfortable gun will be both more accurate, and more fun to shoot. A gun you ennoy shooting is a gun that you will lractice with.
5. You want to be able to confortably reach all the controls. If it has a safety, make sure you can easily and smothly flick it on and off without breaking your grip; if it's double-action (revolver or auto), you have to be able to reach the trigger in double action mode without breaking the grip. If you can't, that's an absolute dealbreaker. It's not so essential to be able to reach the magazine and slide releases one-handed, but it's always a nice bonus when you can.
 
I will also add that I would advise any first-time pistol buyer to avoid the Ruger American, for the simple reason that it's very new on the market. I have a bit of a soft spot for Rugers, and it may be a wonderful pistol. Nonetheless, the Ruger American line of pistols really hasn't been on the market that long, so I'm not sure if all the bugs are worked out yet.

The RA Compact is in that "Goldilocks" size class of which I'm fond, and there are plenty of other perfectly good pistols in that class: Glock 19, Smith and Wesson M&P 9c, Ruger SR9c, CZ 75 Compact, just to name a few.
 
I can relate. About a year ago I decided that I needed to purchase my first gun and get my CC License.

Luckily I have a friend that has an arsenal, so I did get to try many different handguns.

My first purchase was a used 9mm semi auto. It regularly misfired and jammed. I could not trust it for CC. Next gun, Ruger LCRx .38 revolver. Shoots every time. However, only holds 5 rounds. Also, it has a kick to it, and pumping out a lot of shots at the range could be painful.

Since then, I have purchased a Ruger P90. Definitely not a carry gun but a lot of fun to shoot. Next up, S & W .357 Magnum. Another fun to shoot gun, not carry. Benefit of this gun is I can use .38 or .357 ammo.

Back to concealed carry. I decided on the Glock 43 9mm (new) for a number of reasons. One reason, 9mm ammo is "relatively" cheap. I shoot a lot, so the costs of ammo were a big factor. Second, it is a Glock, and I have pumped through it all kinds of ammo and lots of it, and yet have experienced a jam. The size is good for CC. Also, I have found it very easy to break down and clean.

So, my suggestion is to plan on shooting a lot. You really need to become comfortable and experienced at shooting. Think about the costs.
 
You actually need two: a .357 magnum revolver with a 4" barrel, and a full-size semi automatic chambered in 9mm, 40 S&W, or .45 ACP. Or all three. That'll do for a start.....
 
Good advice with some training and find a range that rents different types. I would also look at revolvers in the handgun area.
 
One of the biggest mistakes I see new shooters make is buying their first pistol and then hanging onto it even they have griwn to not like it. Take the $40 or so loss, sell it and move on. You learn alot just from shooting other guns.
Come to think of it, its kind of like dating...
 
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