precision_shooter
New member
You might check out the Walther PK380 for something easy recoiling and easy to manipulate slide and safety.
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New to handguns...some general info before moving on
- Thread starter Bfglowkey
- Start date
All noted and will be shopping all week to get my hands on time with each that I can find. Its good to hear about the Security 9. I have a great respect for Ruger with their rifle line and have had nothing but great interactions when I do call with questions ( have not had any issues with rifles and own 1 RPR with 3 barrels to swap out when the mood calls for and a RAP. Of course also the venerable 10/22. So the idea of the security 9 being solid pleases me. I have a buddy that is going to let me shoot his Glock 19.
Now in reference to the M&Ps...the Shields are smaller then the Compacts correct? I don't want to go too small unless I am looking to purchase for my daughter but then of course she will be with me. A glock fanatic I know has several Tarus's and speaks well of them. He LOVES his Glocks but Likes his Tarus's if I recall his words precisely. Which lends me to ask again about their track records in past 5 years. I know early on they were the "Hi-Point" of the handgun world ( not to knock the firearm but I just hear so many horror stories and nothing positive ) So the more research I do it seems they have a clone of every major successful style of handgun out there and at a ridiculously better price. Most of the negatives I have seen is strictly in regards to the triggers being mediocre....which I can understand at that price point. I imagine if handguns are anything like rifles work can be done on any to make them better or replaced if it truly is not workable. Keep the recommendations coming! They are welcomed and great.
Now in reference to the M&Ps...the Shields are smaller then the Compacts correct? I don't want to go too small unless I am looking to purchase for my daughter but then of course she will be with me. A glock fanatic I know has several Tarus's and speaks well of them. He LOVES his Glocks but Likes his Tarus's if I recall his words precisely. Which lends me to ask again about their track records in past 5 years. I know early on they were the "Hi-Point" of the handgun world ( not to knock the firearm but I just hear so many horror stories and nothing positive ) So the more research I do it seems they have a clone of every major successful style of handgun out there and at a ridiculously better price. Most of the negatives I have seen is strictly in regards to the triggers being mediocre....which I can understand at that price point. I imagine if handguns are anything like rifles work can be done on any to make them better or replaced if it truly is not workable. Keep the recommendations coming! They are welcomed and great.
Fit (grip) is important. Small grips tend to be hard for me to hold (think the J frame grips on a S&W 5 shot revolver). I have small hands too. I like the grip of the P-08 but I wouldn't carry one if I owned one. The next best is the Browning Hi-Power; but they're out of production. So, the current favorite is the CZ-75 and if you go this route, get it with the 22 LR Kadet Conversion kit. You can practice with the 22 LR and then switch to 9mm or 40 if it's self defense.
Now in reference to the M&Ps...the Shields are smaller then the Compacts correct?
Correct. The Shields are intended as a concealed carry gun, the M&P Compacts are 'shortened' versions of their full size M&P. The M&P full size and Compacts are double-stack with a wide grip and full capacity, and the Shields have narrower grips and less capacity.
Jim Watson
New member
To the OP. Do NOT buy a .40, cheap and tempting as they are on the police surplus market. It makes for a hard kicker in a light gun like the Smith.
I would not chance a Taurus. The Smiths are good and there are all sorts of other major make pistols to choose from.
I would not chance a Taurus. The Smiths are good and there are all sorts of other major make pistols to choose from.
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Cheapshooter
New member
If you like your MP22, by all means just go with the MP9.
But always a good idea to try before you buy. If you can find a range that rents guns. Maybe try a few others just to see if there is something you like even better.
But always a good idea to try before you buy. If you can find a range that rents guns. Maybe try a few others just to see if there is something you like even better.
Rangerrich99
New member
Greetings. Long time rifle guy and steered clear of pistols due to pretty bad RA in my hands. . . . Now this said I am not interested in concealed carry. Home defense maybe, range and fun time definitely. . . . My thought on this was simple: Purchase what I am leaning toward when I move up to 9mm. It felt similar to the 9mm M&P I handled just lighter.
Based on your stated needs/desires for your future handgun, I'd say get a full-size S&W M&P9, or maybe the 4-inch version, either the 1.0 or the 2.0, depending on what you think of the stippling and the triggers of either. The stippling on the 2.0s is aggressive; I had slightly sore fingertips/palms for awhile until my hands got used to it. The trigger press in the 2.0 is significantly better than the 1.0, but this may not be a major factor in your decision.
With either full-size version, felt recoil is very mild, racking the slide is pretty easy, and if you intend to shoot reloaded/remanufactured ammo, the M&Ps are more tolerant than glocks, in general. Also about $100 less expensive, so there's that.
Finally, if your daughter is going to be shooting this thing, you'll really like the extra backstraps for customizing the size of the grip, and how ridiculously easy it is to switch them out. I can switch backstraps in less than 10 seconds, without needing to use any tools.
If you are set on including 9mm as an option, I would also suggest trying to get your hands on a Steyr L9-A1. It has a very relaxed and natural grip position, as well as being the softest shooting modern 9mm I have ever found. Steyr also just released an updated version with interchangeable panels, that may help with your RA issues.
PushPuller
New member
I suggest them all the time, and something about the way they feel in the hand is so unlike any other handgun especially 9mm, and that's a CZ. The CZ-75B is my personal favorite, with the compacts falling shortly behind it. Their level of quality is very high for the price range they are currently selling at. The SP-01 is kind of heavy, but handles recoil very well and equates to little hand shock.
jackstrawIII
New member
Yes, go with the M&P 9.
I've owned over 50 different pistols from all the major manufacturers and I always come back to the M&P9. The ergonomics are perfect, it's utterly reliable, felt recoil is minimal... and if you really want to take it to the next level of amazing: install the full Apex FSS Trigger/Sear Kit.
You can thank me later.
I've owned over 50 different pistols from all the major manufacturers and I always come back to the M&P9. The ergonomics are perfect, it's utterly reliable, felt recoil is minimal... and if you really want to take it to the next level of amazing: install the full Apex FSS Trigger/Sear Kit.
You can thank me later.
Just my opinion but the two best mainstream striker fired pistols are Glocks and the 2.0 series M&P. You can get a better price on the latter and they feel better to me, so that's my preference between the two although you can't go wrong with either. The Shield is a lot smaller and fairly snappy even in 9mm so I wouldn't go that way in your situation, especially where you're not interested in CC. I have a 2.0 Compact and I love it but if you're just using the gun for range use and home defense you could also get the 5" barrel FDE version. The full size makes the least sense to me because you can accomplish the same thing with a 1/4" shorter barrel by getting the Compact and using 17 round mags.
Definitely go 9mm over 40. Pistols in 40 are a little cheaper now because they're less desirable but you'll recoup the higher up front cost pretty quick with the cheaper ammo, and with RA you don't need the extra snappiness.
Definitely go 9mm over 40. Pistols in 40 are a little cheaper now because they're less desirable but you'll recoup the higher up front cost pretty quick with the cheaper ammo, and with RA you don't need the extra snappiness.
You've got a good plan, stick to it. Your M&P 22 is great for practice and later a M&P in 9mm would be a near perfect companion. They make the M&P with, and without a thumb safety. I'm a Glock guy, but the M&P is every bit as good and I like the option of having a thumb safety.
No reason to even think about anything but 9mm. You can get cheap practice ammo for under $10/box and the quality HP ammo is just as effective if needed for protection as anything in 40 or 45.
I can find nothing really wrong with the Shield line of pistols or the Ruger. But they are a lower quality firearm and long term value will reflect that. The M&P doesn't cost that much more and will prove to be a better choice if you decide to shoot a lot. The cheaper guns are reliable enough, but just aren't built for high volume shooting. If on an extremely tight budget and if you're the type who just wants to own a gun and fire a box or 2 a year through a gun they will do that.
No reason to even think about anything but 9mm. You can get cheap practice ammo for under $10/box and the quality HP ammo is just as effective if needed for protection as anything in 40 or 45.
I can find nothing really wrong with the Shield line of pistols or the Ruger. But they are a lower quality firearm and long term value will reflect that. The M&P doesn't cost that much more and will prove to be a better choice if you decide to shoot a lot. The cheaper guns are reliable enough, but just aren't built for high volume shooting. If on an extremely tight budget and if you're the type who just wants to own a gun and fire a box or 2 a year through a gun they will do that.
You've got a good plan, stick to it. Your M&P 22 is great for practice and later a M&P in 9mm would be a near perfect companion. They make the M&P with, and without a thumb safety. I'm a Glock guy, but the M&P is every bit as good and I like the option of having a thumb safety.
No reason to even think about anything but 9mm. You can get cheap practice ammo for under $10/box and the quality HP ammo is just as effective if needed for protection as anything in 40 or 45.
I can find nothing really wrong with the Shield line of pistols or the Ruger. But they are a lower quality firearm and long term value will reflect that. The M&P doesn't cost that much more and will prove to be a better choice if you decide to shoot a lot. The cheaper guns are reliable enough, but just aren't built for high volume shooting. If on an extremely tight budget and if you're the type who just wants to own a gun and fire a box or 2 a year through a gun they will do that.
The Shield is an M&P, and it feels the same to me from a quality standpoint as the larger M&P pistols.
I own a Glock 19, M&P9, M&P9c, M&P 45 and they are all great shooters. I find I shoot the Glock better then the others but shoot the others very well. Anyone of these would serve you well. If it were me and I had the M&P 22 and I liked it I would get its big brother in 9mm. 9mm is a good caliber and has some great SD rounds. For plinking round FMJ it can be had fairly cheap. Best of luck to you in what ever you choose.
Taurus has had ups and downs in quality and reliability. They were pretty highly respected in in the 1970s and early 1980s. Then they had quality control problems and got a bad reputation. Today, some people think they have improved again, and others don't. I suspect that they are still living down their reputation, earned though it was, for poor quality control. All along, good ones were quite solid, but those were mixed with some serious dogs. When you sell unreliable pistols (in whatever number) and then have poor customer service, some customers are going to be left with grudges. My only Taurus is a revolver, inherited from my dad, dating to that mid-70s period. It's actually pretty nice, but doesn't give you any information about current production. If you are interested in a Taurus, I would advise you to research the specific model that interests you, as problems seem to vary quite a bit between models.
I had a Taurus revolver from the 70s that was a good gun before I foolishly sold it. It caused me to buy a new Taurus TCP in 2015 which caused me to buy a Taurus PT-111 G2 in 2017. Since they have both been reliable without issues, I bought a used Taurus 605 5 shot revolver that was made in 2002. I figure that I have or have had 4 Taurus handguns and they have all been good, I apparently missed the period of time when they were not making good firearms. I would buy another without hesitation since they are half the price of their "brand name" competition.
I got my hands on and shot a Ruger Security 9 and I will admit.....felt very natural in my hands. Ran 150 rounds ( 1 box of Winchester 115 FMJ Brass casing, 1 Box of Federal 115 FMJ Brass and a box of the Sig Elite Target.) The Winchester and Sig ammo felt like cheat codes on an old Nintendo. Needless to say the guy knew he had me and then just made it impossible to not walk away with it with Military discount $250 out the door( it was new until I pushed those rounds through it.) My daughter gets here next week and we will shoot them and both be taking the Texas LTC course so she will be gtg when she heads back to college as that state accepts/recognizes Texas LTCs. If she decides she likes how it shoots as well then I have a dilemma which I sadly know the solution lol....another 9mm. I will say bravo to Ruger on how they have been producing compelling firearms for very competitive prices both in Rifle and Handgun....they are both shooters.
stinkeypete
New member
If you shoot rifles seriously then pistols should be an easy switch with a few notes:
1. Muzzle control requires much more focus. When cleaning, loading, handling, it’s spooky easy to realize the muzzle is pointed somewhere you would regret if the pistol went off.
2. There are government publications, if I recall... an army marksmanship manual and an advanced pistol marksmanship coaches guide. Outstanding stuff, clear and concise.
3. Find a copy of “the pistol shooters treasury” by Gil Hebard. Although it might seem dated in some areas (nothing about how to accurize a beretta 9mm for example) and sometimes emphasizes revolvers... the fundamentals of competitive shooting and how/why/what of choosing a pistol and critical features are completely covered with articles from guys that seriously know. They won’t tell you which is best, they teach you what to look for.
4. After “be safe with the muzzle” the best advice I ever got was about how to take a “natural stance” then to “First think about choking the life out of the grips. Squeeze the life out of em then slowly depress the trigger.”
Natural stance is... assume firing position at the range. Close your eyes and raise the pistol. Open eyes. If you are aiming left or right, shuffle your feet. Lower the pistol. Repeat until your body points the pistol, not your arm (or arms). Advantages: you only need correct for elevation so less fatigue/less wobble. Follow up shots will be much quicker with less fatigue. Over time, your body learns the position fairly closely.
Choking the life out of the grip has several advantages for big boom handguns but even for an air gun the goal is to reduce errors from flexing only trigger finger. Try moving your index finger without flexing your other fingers you can’t. What you can do is overload your hand and finger muscles so they have no more power to give in reaction to flexing index finger.
Other than that... hold a Luger at a slight angle when shooting indoors or the brass can ricochet off the ceiling and land hot on your head or get down your shirt.
1. Muzzle control requires much more focus. When cleaning, loading, handling, it’s spooky easy to realize the muzzle is pointed somewhere you would regret if the pistol went off.
2. There are government publications, if I recall... an army marksmanship manual and an advanced pistol marksmanship coaches guide. Outstanding stuff, clear and concise.
3. Find a copy of “the pistol shooters treasury” by Gil Hebard. Although it might seem dated in some areas (nothing about how to accurize a beretta 9mm for example) and sometimes emphasizes revolvers... the fundamentals of competitive shooting and how/why/what of choosing a pistol and critical features are completely covered with articles from guys that seriously know. They won’t tell you which is best, they teach you what to look for.
4. After “be safe with the muzzle” the best advice I ever got was about how to take a “natural stance” then to “First think about choking the life out of the grips. Squeeze the life out of em then slowly depress the trigger.”
Natural stance is... assume firing position at the range. Close your eyes and raise the pistol. Open eyes. If you are aiming left or right, shuffle your feet. Lower the pistol. Repeat until your body points the pistol, not your arm (or arms). Advantages: you only need correct for elevation so less fatigue/less wobble. Follow up shots will be much quicker with less fatigue. Over time, your body learns the position fairly closely.
Choking the life out of the grip has several advantages for big boom handguns but even for an air gun the goal is to reduce errors from flexing only trigger finger. Try moving your index finger without flexing your other fingers you can’t. What you can do is overload your hand and finger muscles so they have no more power to give in reaction to flexing index finger.
Other than that... hold a Luger at a slight angle when shooting indoors or the brass can ricochet off the ceiling and land hot on your head or get down your shirt.