Looking to buy my first gun(s)

J

jellydonut25

Inactive
I'm interested in buying my first couple of handguns in the very near future (a few gun shows are rolling into town in the next couple of weeks).

My wife and I would each like one.

For my wife I'm looking for: Revolver, something that can be used both for personal protection and general target shooting (no snubs), something without a lot of recoil.
I'm thinking either a .22 or a .357. I like the idea of a .357 because you can use both .357 and .38 ammunition, but I am a little worried about the recoil for her...

For myself...that's a little bit trickier. Again, I like the .357 because of the ability to use the two different types of ammunition, and from what I've read, .38 ammo is a little better for practice (and cheaper...?), but I'm not at all opposed to going with something bigger like .40 or .44. I personally prefer revolvers (mostly due to the look and feel of a revolver) but I am open to a quality semi

we'd like to spend somewhere around $800 for the two guns (but hoping to get like a $900-1000 value due to paying cash at a gun show...)

I'm just wondering if you can recommend some manufacturers or just give some general advice on which calibers I should be considering...
any advice or help is greatly appreciated!

EDIT:
I'll add that in the bit of research I've done thus far, I like the appearance of S&W's the best, I just don't know if I can afford one...
 
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Before you buy - you should shoot a variety of guns / so you know what fits your hands - what kind of grips you like, etc. You need to have some reference before you buy.

$ 800 for 2 guns ...is a little thin ...with today's prices ...but all you can do is be honest with yourself on budget / and see what you can find.

I like S&W revolvers a lot / and collect and shoot a variety of models. In the .357 mag, which I prefer as well ...I'd suggest you look for a model 19 or 66 ( both K frames ) and maybe a 686 ( an L frame - so its a little bigger ) ...there seem to be a lot of 4" models around. The N frames ( even bigger ) are very desireable - model 27's or 28's ...and you may find a good one if you look carefully.

You may find some good guns / with a little more holster wear on them - than a typical collector/shooter may want - and be able to make a deal. Gunshows, at least in my area, are not necessarily the least expensive places to buy guns ...sometimes a well run used gun shop may be a better bet. Cash is always the best way to buy any gun ...at a gunshow or not .../but with some models, its not a buyers market.../but look around / don't settle for something you don't want.

Going to a S&W model 29 or 629 in .44 mag is not your best choice ...ammo is way more expensive. You won't find any revolvers in .40S&W caliber - at least from S&W ...there are some in .41 mag or .45 acp ...but I would not recommend them either for a first gun. Stay with a .357 mag / and shoot .38's in it ...to keep the cost of ammo down. You'll find far more guns chambered in .357 mag out there as well ...so you'll make a better buy.

There are a lot of models in .38 spl out there too ....model 10's, 14, 15, 36, 60's, 64's, 67's, 68's ...but I'd stay away from all the "airweight" models .../they have specialty applications - but not for a general use range gun.
 
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Just my .02 but I would avoid anything smaller than a 380/38 for self defense. It's much better than nothing, (much, much, much) but I wouldn't feel comfortable carrying a .22. for minimum recoil, I think 9mm is the way to go. A Glock 19, M&P9 compact, or FNX9/FNP9 have 'sufficient' (not trying to start a debate here fellas) power, are super reliable, and have very low recoil.
 
$800 might be a little thin, i realize, but i'm definitely willing to go as high as $1000...there'd have to be some nice extras thrown in, but i could swing $1000 without straining myself at all.

i just didn't want to say "money is no object" because while I'm willing to throw down some cash $1300 would be like my ABSOLUTE ceiling, more from a lack of desire to spend more than that than a lack of ability to...

thanks for the suggestions thus far!
 
If you want a 22lr revolver for her get a S&W, because taurus is made only for target practice. Never get a auto 22lr for home defence, sometimes the rounds do not cycle in.

Just for the record I would not recommend a revolver for a woman. My mother went with a auto loader. 5 shots is nothing. Look at some sort of compact gun like the Ruger LC9.

You could also look at Glocks, G26/G19 in 9mm. The gen 3 feels much better than the gen 4 ;)
 

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$800 for both is as mentioned a bit thin but "doable" at the same time. You may have to look for the lesser names in revolvers to make budget, Taurus and Rossi come to mind. But perhaps a used revolver from a good maker, Ruger, S&W or possibly Colt could be had. Also as mentioned, find what you like before hand and shoot it if at all possible! ;) If this is your first handgun, jumping into a .44mag would not be the best choice. Its a hard kicker :eek: to say the least and if you have never shoot one, you may be soured on guns completely. I would look at 38spl., 357mag (can use 38spl. as you know), 9mm (rare in a revolver but they are out there) and 45ACP (also can be found in a revolver). In a semi, .380acp, 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP. As far a semiauto manufacturers, again Taurus, Ruger, S&W, and Glock(this one is a love or hate choice) and perhaps used Sprinfields, and Colts(well used). But who knows what you can find at a show. Good luck in your first gun hunt. Just be ready for it and know what you are buying into.:D
 
I would stay away from Taurus and Rossi, you can get new S&W 38 revolvers for $350~$400 depending on where you live, you can also check Budsgunshop. If you want a 357, Ruger makes a heck of a tank the sp 101 around $480 comes in 2 inch 3 inch and 4 inch?

Just check out the problems with tarurus revolvers on taurusarmed.net
 
Sure - just stay within your budget and see what's out there ....finding a good deal is part of the fun. I've picked up a lot of good revolvers because I was in the right place at the right time ..

S&W and Colt --- have owned the revolver market for a long time ...great triggers, very good fit and finish, solid reputation, etc. Some of us stay with either S&W or Colt / personally, I collect and shoot S&W's.

I don't want to start a war - but in general, Ruger is a 2nd tier gun ...not a bad gun ....but triggers are not as good as Colt or S&W, fit and finish is not as good...but they're a little less money than S&W. But if you find a good Ruger / and you like the feel and the trigger ( hopefully the owner will let you dry fire it ) ...then go for it.
 
You collectin' or shootin'?

but in general, Ruger is a 2nd tier gun ...not a bad gun ....but triggers are not as good as Colt or S&W, fit and finish is not as good...but they're a little less money than S&W
Click to expand...

Try a Ruger that's been dry fired/fired 10,000 times...... they get better with use.

As nice as my Trooper is, it has gotten worse with use.
 
In full disclosure - I have about 25 S&W revolvers now ....and I shoot everything I collect, regardless of what I paid for it ...even if it was new in box when I bought it ( like a model 66-1 in a 2 1/2" I found a few months ago / I took it home, took side plate off, inspected, cleaned and lubed it and took it to the range...

Everything I collect and shoot is pre - internal frame lock ( and a couple in
.38 spl, a dozen or more in .357 mag ( mostly 19's, 27's, 28's and 66's ...and a couple 686's ), and some model 29's and 629's.../ and a few in .22 model 17 & 18's and 617's...

Like everyone ...I collect and shoot what I like ...so my opinions are biased.../...based on a lot of yrs doing it ...but still biased.
 
Jellydonut25:

Consider joint ownership and purchase a K frame Smirh & Wesson .22 and a K frame .357 magnum. Both frames are the same size so you both can warm up before shooting .38 Specials or .357 magnum.

Semper Fi.

Gunnery Sergeant
Clifford L. Hughes
USMC Retired
 
Taurus......inexpensive,reliable,cool looking:)
I CCW a Taurus PT-145 I think i paid 340.00 3yrs ago
And they have a large revolver section.
Look up TaurusUSA. Keep in mind MSRP are not real world prices
are 50.-100. cheaper.

Keep in mined practicing with 38 and carry 357
could get you in trouble.

I reload my .45 as hot as my factory loads for practise
 
Jellydonut, can you describe you and your wife's shooting experience?

In any case, it may be worth your while to go rent a few guns. For example, I was quite surprised to find that the recoil of a Makarov 9x18 is quite unpleasant to me compared to 1911 .45 ACP.
 
Try to go to an indoor range that rents guns and try a few. If that is not an option, then a good used S&W revolver 357 Mag or Ruger 357 Mag GP100. A good 22lr revolver to introduce yourselves to shooting might be your best bet, then you can move up. Just some thoughts....
 
Great guns for both of you are Ruger GP-100s. Reasonable price and as reliable as a revolver can get. Shoots .38, .38+P, and .357 magnum. The .38 is very manageable. There is a real advantage to you both having the same guns. Think about it.
 
We have each shot .22s, .357s (and one loaded with .38 ammo), and 9 mms.


I shot a .45 once...YEARS ago (freshmen year of college...which was 2003) and the recoil was a bit much (but at the time i had never shot any other handgun before)

but i don't remember the brand of weapons we've shot...
 
If you want brand new then Taurus makes some good ones, a .22 revolver is a fine choice for a beginner (Wife) and will always be fun for any shooter.

My wife tried semi auto and hated the process, load mag, insert mag, rack slide etc. a D/A revolver in .22 fit the bill, simple and easy to operate for her.

A cool option might be a 9mm revolver for her and a 9mm semi auto for you.

Gun shows aren't always the lowest priced but they are good to go to.

If pre-owned is ok with you then S&W is the way to go.

The main thing to remember with the wife is to let HER handle the firearm before purchase unless you want 2 new ones for yourself (I've done that before), not necessarily a bad thing though.
 
You need to study this some more and narrow your focus. Your question is like What is a good revolver. That is like what is a good truck. Answer is either well there are a lot of them or What are you using it for. It is an important purchase. I kind of disagree with all the 357 endorsements. You can shoot special or light loads in a 44 too. I think the 44 much more versatile than the 357. I would agree a compact 44 not the best starter gun. However I think a large frame 44 recoils comparably to most 357's.
 
My first gun was a pellet pistol. I learned breathing, sight alignment and trigger control on an air pistol. Then .22LR - a Ruger.

I know it's a lot of fun to go through the decision making process of buying a gun, and it's a lot of fun to actually buy that pistol and have it in your hands and know it's yours. And I think there is some impatience involved with that, but my advice for a buying a new gun is, unless you're being stalked or live in some dangerous situation or something where you need a gun immediately, I'd do 3 things:

1) Enroll in a firearms safety course - it usually also covers a lot about guns, so it doubles as an intro to firearms IMO.

2) Go to the different gun stores and try the heft & feel of different guns, try the triggers on them. Rent some guns and fire them.

3) If you really want to buy something now, get a .22LR. You can't go wrong with a .22 - it has so many uses, it's great for learning on, they are fun for plinking, there are people on this forum that use .22LR for taking down feral pigs.

Spend a few months honing your shooting skills with a .22 while you learn about the firearms you're interested in.

After a few months of doing this - you'll be in such a better position to make a good decision - you'll be amazed.

You could buy a revolver or something and then a year later your wife gets to fire a 9 and she really really likes it and wishes that she had that instead of a 38. Or maybe she fires a 380 Auto and wants to ditch the revolver... Or maybe you see a big burly 10mm sitting under the glass one day and you think "why the hell did I spend my money on a six shot .357 that I only shoot .38 specials out of, when I could have owned this beautiful beast?"

I just think if you spend time learning in the short term, you’ll end up making a much more satisfying decision for the long term.
 
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