More confused than ever.

B

BillyBeards

New member
So this afternoon I went to the shooting range for the first time since I received my handgun permit this summer to begin the search for my first handgun.
The local range has a membership program where you can use a variety of guns they own. I felt that shooting as many models as I could would be best.
I went through 150 rounds of the following,
S&W .38 (not sure on the model) Medium frame maybe?
Colt King Cobra .357 (using .38)
I shot one box of 50 through these two revolvers.

Then I moved on to 9mm where I put 100 rounds down range on the following pistols.
Glock 19
Glock 26
Beretta 92FS
Kahr Cm9
Sig Saur p226

So far none of the guns really jump out at me as "the one".
To be honest I'm not really sure where to go from here. The membership is for 3 months so I will be going back at least a couple more times and as much as the wallet will allow for the price of ammo.

So far the one I seem most comfortable with is the G19. I might have liked the way the G26 shot for me better but I felt like I kept getting "bitten" on my pinky where the magazine meets the bottom of the grip.

I'm not looking for a gun to carry, just for range practice and home defense. I'm not in a rush to purchase because I want to find the right piece.
Thanks for listening to this beginners story.

Bill
 
Does the G26 have grip extensions on the mags? They bite sometimes. But, I think some people also get bit when they DON'T have the extension and put the fourth finger UNDER the grip. Either way, you might want to try it the OTHER way.

Keep shooting until you find one you like. Guns don't "jump out" for me. They're all kind of just another gun. I like shooting but I've never generally been able to say that I particularly care for the ACTUAL shooting of one over another, like Glock vs XD or something within reason.

On looks alone, very few beat the shear style and beauty of a stainless, compact, bobtailed 1911, IMHO. Like a Dan Wesson CBOB.... they make me drool. Of course, they're also discontinued and over $1000. But man are they beautiful.
 
The G26 did have the extension on the mag. Maybe I just need to adjust my grip.
I think next time I'll try whatever 1911's they have.
Even if I don't find "the one" I'll have a great time trying.
 
Try the Springfield XD.

I own both XD and Glock. Both are great, but they are enough different that the XD might hit your mark.

As peetzakilla said, you might look at a 1911. 1911's are different than anything else.
 
+1 on what has been said above. Maybe nothing in particular will jump out at you, but you could learn what fits you best, provides most challenge, provides best grouping capabilities, or even one based on what you perceive to be one that will last the longes and will be least expensive to feed. Heck, you might even find single action cowboy firearms to your liking.
 
Props on the XD comments above. My buddy has the .45 version and it is a great/fun gun to shoot. However, it is by no means "the one" handgun I really must own. I shoot at a little obscure private range that has a lot of cool older guys with a variety of cool guns, and thus I get to try out a lot of different semis and revolvers. A few weeks back I got to shoot a CZ 75 Compact (think it has a 4 inch barrel) in 40 cal. It was fantastic! Small and tight, yet the mags still hold 9 or 10 rounds (sorry can't remember, but you can look up the specs on CZ's web page), and the recoil was unlike any other gun I've shot- in a good way. This is "the one" I need to own, and I'm already scheming up a plan to obtain one. Not cheap- retail around 600$, but it was a really great feel in my hands. This might also be due to the fact that it is the only 40 cal. gun I've ever shot. A lot a folks I've talked to say the recoil for a 40 is very different from that of a .45 ACP or a 9mm- both of which I own and shoot on a regular basis.

Shoot the CZ in 40 cal. if given the opportunity. Hope this helps.
 
I think I'll just need to take my time. this range does not seem to have many handguns for me to choose from. I will be going back with my wife this coming weekend so she can have at it. Maybe it will be easier for her.
 
I'm not in a rush to purchase because I want to find the right piece.
Thanks for listening to this beginners story.
Click to expand...
Most of the people who read this will not be able to relate to your perceived need. Most here own many handguns, mainly because they love them and some because they would no more play a game of golf with only one club. To a handgun enthusiast, more is always better...there is no right piece, just great pieces.
 
I want to emphasize the need to shoot the Browning Hi-Power (or the FNH Hi-Power since they are the same weapon) and one of the CZ 75 family pistols. I recommend those because I have them. I do not have a 1911 but I have held a Wilson Combat (cousin has one) and it points great, and wonderful balance.

The Browning shoots amazing. When I got it I was shocked. And they are pretty.

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You can see that the CZ 75 family (in this case a CZ 85B) has similarities to the BHP.

TwoAmigos.jpg


cz85b_2009.jpg


They feel great. The point great. The recoil is directed in such a manner that follow up is easy.

You have to try them out!
 
Allow me to welcome you to the world of guns and shooting. Don't let the fact you could not decide on a gun your first time out bother you, most folks are very simliar in that respect. Finding that one "right" gun can be a life long search. Enjoy the search by trying as many as you can before you run out of time. You will be surprised at how much fun that can be. I have been searching for 30+ years and while I have my favorites I still enjoy the search. BTW I do have a number of guns in my safe that I still have to try out from time to time. If you want one just for range practice you may want to look into a nice 22LR. The guns usually costs less and ammo is most certainly less both of which equals more trigger time. Good luck, enjoy the searching and stay safe.
 
Since it's not for carry stay away from small lightweight guns. Go for an all steel with a barrel length of 4 inchs or more. The steel guns are heavier and soak up recoil better. I like either the 45acp or 9mm in auto's and 38 spl in revolvers for range use as you can shoot these calibers forever without beating yourself up.

Good luck and enjoy the hunt for that gun.
 
^ +1

The Glock 19 and 26 aren't going to feel good or be fun to shoot, neither is the Kahr CM9/PM9.

For me personally, for SD/HD I think there are two general categories - carry and "nightstand".

For nightstand gun, I'm not worried about size or weight, I want a gun that I shoot well - am accurate with, is manageable for me, and holds a lot of rounds.

For carry, I personally want the smallest lightest pistol I can carry in 9mm (my caliber choice)

The G19 is kind of an in-between pistol for my thinking and doesn't fit into either role.

I found for me personally the safety setup on some pistols disqualified them for me... I can operate a thumb safety that flips down, I was never comfortable with slide mounted safeties that flipped up. I came to the conclusion a long time a go that I wasn't going to be able to operate one under stress and if I ever really needed to take a gun like that off safe under stress - it was going to get me killed. Probably that could have been overcome with a sufficient amount of training. For me, I know that would have entailed a lot of training. I also am not comfortable with de-cockers. DA/SA triggers have always thrown me resulting in 2 pretty poor initial shots. And I have not done well with most of the DOA triggers on semi-autos over the years, although I have to say that I am impressed by the triggers on the PM9/CM9.

As others have said I would look for a larger heavier pistol - like a Browning High-Power, or CZ 75. I've always really liked the BHP. In the CZ family, I'm partial to the CZ75B SA - single-action-only. Another couple of larger pistols you might want to try is the Glock G34 and the Glock 17L.
 
Billy, . . . it has already been said, . . . let me just re-state it, . . . you need to get your hands on a full size Browning Hi-Power in 9mm (or one of the many clones). Put a box of 50 through it.

THEN, . . . you next need to get a full size 1911, . . . a Springfield or Colt if they have them, . . . or an ATI or RIA will also do. Put a box of 50 through this one too.

These are steel guns, (for the most part), and were designed with the emphasis in mind of shooting the thing, . . . not necessarily CCW, or safe queen.

I think you will be so pleasantly surprized by these two platforms, . . . that you just may forget the others.

If you have access to one, . . . the real revolver to shoot is the Colt Python.

Anyway, . . . best wishes.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Take your time. Mean while take some lessons and buy a used .22 semi.

I do have guns "jump out" at me. Imho there are three guns that everyone should own or at least try.
The 1873 SAA or a good clone there of. There is something about the balance and pointability of this design that makes it a pleasure to shoot.
The Colt 1911 or clones there of. This is simply the most fun gun to shoot of any full sized semi.
The Smith & Wesson K-frame revolver. This is the Ur double action revolver.

Don't make the perfect be the enemy of the good. You have to start somewhere. Look at the used gun market. At this time the S&W k-frames are a best buy in the revolver market.
There are too many semis to have an objective "best" one. I'd recommend steel full sized guns such as the CZ 75, Sig P210, or of course the Browning Hi Power.
 
Not everyone gets all warm and fuzzy about their weapons. I have a rather large collection and I don't think any of them are "the perfect one" for my hand and aim.

I would say try going a generation back, before everything had to have rails, and switches and hold half a box of ammo.

If you can, you may want to try the 1911 with the flat mainspring housing. It made all the difference in the world to me.

No such thing as one size fits all.
 
First trip to the range? An indication that you may not be an experienced shooter. Until you are, it isn't likely that any pistol is going to "jump out at you" as being "the one".

You have to learn to shoot well with something first before you can judge other pistols' handling qualities.

Learn to shoot every pistol you own. In so doing, you'll probably develop a liking to one in particular.
 
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Try a 1911. If nothing else does it for you, then you're either a 1911 guy or a revolver guy and there is nothing wrong with that.
 
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