need opinions on purchase delimma (kinda long)

W

warreng

New member
I appologize in advance for this long post but I am at a complete stalemate with myself and would like some opinions from those of you with more experience than I.

I am ready to purchase my first large(r) caliber handgun. I have been researching for nearly 4 months now and have have narrowed my choices to a couple of options. I've actually had enough cash for a couple of weeks now but I have not been able to make a decision.

My desire: Quality 9MM for considerable amount of range shooting (fun only, no comp.) Occasional carry.

The guns: I have shot LOTS of guns over the last couple of months and these are the 3 that "felt" best to me.

Beretta 92 Brigadier: This is the one that I had been leaning toward for a while. I love the looks and the larger size makes for comfortable extended range sessions. Way to big (and thick) for carry IMO.

Beretta Mini-Cougar: More reasonable length for carry (especially the short grip) but still pretty thick. I like the idea of being able to use the grip extender for range shooting. Kind of a two-in-one.

Glock 19: Nice size and I have shot consistantly tighter groups with it. I don't know why but I am a little uneasy with the funtion and lack of a manual safety (espcially for chambered carry)

My Scenarios:
Option 1 - Lowest Cost/Least Versatility
I buy the Glock and use it for everything, however I probably would end up not carring much, if at all, because of my apprehension about the saftey.

Option2 - Low Cost/Moderate Versatility
I buy the Mini_Cougar and carry with the short mag and do the range time with the grip extension for comfort. This option seems viable but I wonder how much I would like trying to conceal it because of the thickness.

Option3 - Most Money/Meets all my requirements
I buy the Brigadier for range/home/car and just breakdown and buy a seperate, dedicated, ultra-compact carry gun.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I would appreciate any comments.

-Warren
 
warreng,

Welcome to TFL!

First off, none of your choices excite me. I agree with your reservations about the Glock. Glocks are always half cocked, and some pretty competent shooters have screwed up and grabbed the trigger when drawing -- bad outcomes. A holster is the required safety for a Glock. I have reservations about you getting a Glock because YOU have reservations about it.

Berettas are okay, I guess, but it sounds like you're buying your first "adequate" caliber gun. A 9mm is about at the bottom of that genre. They're sturdy, dependable, fun, and cheap to shoot.

You're not marrying the thing, so why not try out a bunch of them even by buying ones you like to see what you like and don't like about them?

My favorite shooters are 9mm, and what makes them favorites is that I can quickly hit what my eyes are looking at. However, the same thing happens with .45s, and they're just as fun, dependable, and sturdy. They're not cheap to shoot, though.

My reservations are because I hate to see anybody spend a bunch of EXTRA bucks for a new gun they really don't know if they're going to fall in love with. "Experienced" guns tell you a LOT about the particular model because your new one is going to be just like "that" in a while. If it's an often repaired piece of junk, so will yours be.

You might be ecstatic about a CZ or some brand you haven't even considered. Do you even know if you prefer a DA/SA, SA, or DAO action? There are so many variations available, it's not a stretch to say buying a gun is like buying shoes. You have to find out what you like since you really don't know going in.

The most expensive mistake is to buy a new gun you don't like. It's a whole lot cheaper to buy a used one you don't end up liking.

The advice is free, and worth every bit of what it costs! :D
 
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