Newbie gun choice help

H

hoopster3

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Hey guys! I'm very new to the gun scene. My plan is to take a safety course in the near future to be better informed. I've been researching different handguns and have decided that I don't want a revolver but would instead like a semi-automatic. My initial desire is to own a weapon to protect my family at home but will also be used at the range and sometime in the future to even possibly carry.

As I've done some research I find that I'm drawn to .45 ACP 1911. Will this be a good choice based on my needs? Also, I see that there are several manufactures that produce the 1911, are there any I should stay away from? I like the Smith & Wesson but that seems to be more expensive as well and I don't really want to spend a ton of $$$. Any guidance on how this Iowa newbie should proceed?

Thanks in advance for any help you can lend!
 
Check with local ranges, and gun shops to see if they rent guns for you to try. The money you spend on rental, range time, and ammunition will be well spent in making you decision. Don't be in a big hurry, and get yourself educated in firearms, and firearms safety before you make the final decision.
 
For some folks, the .45ACP has quite a learning curve to, not even master, but merely to become proficient. My opinion would be to start out with a 9mm- if not a .22lr. I'm honestly not downplaying your abilities, desires, and intent- but if you get a .45ACP and build bad habits on bad form- do you really want to throw all that $$ down range in ammo? Or would you ruther learn well, build confidence, and develop a solid baseline for building up to that .45 later on?
 
IMO a 1911 is not a good choice for new gun owners for a multitude of reasons. It is a more complicated system to be proficient with, I have seen its recoil turn new shooters away, they are expensive to feed, it takes more care to handle a single action pistol. It is just more intensive all together. For people new to firearms it is hard to beat a Smith & Wesson Model 10. It is very simple. Ammo cost is reasonable so practice can be more frequent, recoil is acceptable, the platform is very safe to handle, it is an ideal platform for new shooters while still maintaining a full power cartridge. Another good option is a Smith & Wesson 5906 9mm for all the reasons above with a few good traits added in such as a decocker, mag capacity, very cheap practice ammo, extremely durable, exceptionally reliable, good weight to aid in reducing recoil, good sites.

All this is subjective of course but all good things to consider IMO. I have helped many new shooters and I have always been of the opinion that a single action only pistol is NOT a good selection for a new shooters pistol platform. I like DA/SA for new shooters. I have seen many new shooters do well with Glock 17's and 19's also. It is all up to you in the end though. If you are considering a 1911 then the weight of a pistol doesnt seem to be a deciding factor so I would highly suggest an all metal gun. If you have to have .4acp then I would still say consider other guns then the 1911 such as a Smith & Wesson 4506. This is my go to .45acp and I could not be more pleased with the gun as a whole. Good Luck.
 
.22LR hands down, no question about it for a beginner. $20 buys over 500 rounds instead of 20 rounds. Get a used revolver and you have a nice .22LR for $100-$200, a cheapie will be around $50. Get good with it, I can shoot my RG at 25 yards and hit a water bottle. Don't get an expensive big caliber gun at first, it's just a bad idea. And when you are finally ready to move up, I wouldn't go smaller than a 9mm. I've got a metal Baby Eagle (Jericho 941) and I love it. I got it as a gift, but my mother paid $380 for it used.
 
I guess I hadn't planned on owning more than one gun. It seemed to me that I would buy the gun I wanted and practice with that. You have guys have given me something to think about...
 
The 45 acp is a great round for home defense or self defense carry. I think everyone should own a 1911 and see no reason why it shouldn't be your first gun. The 1911 45 acp platform is about as good as it gets. I'd look for a commander size, 4.25 inch barrel, and a lightweight if you might use it to carry. The full size all steel are a bit heavy. I can't tell any difference between the 4.25 and 5 inch barrels and the 4.25 is easier to carry.

Recoil on the 45acp is very good and is my favorite round. It's a big ole bullet that is a low pressure round, what's not to like. You should be able to shoot all day with the 45acp. Plenty of ammo to be found and priced right for the size of the round.

As far as brand just go with one that is well known. I think in the $500 to$1000 range you will have many to choose from. Good Luck with your choice.
 
Nothing wrong with a 1911 as your one and only gun.

I would just urge you to explore more of your options, there's a lot of variety out there and you may not have discovered the best fit for you yet.

Get out and try to get your hands on a bunch of guns before you make a decision.

Remember, practice is important... so caliber choice needs to reflect that fact.
 
Since your a new shooter i definitely think getting a .22 to practice with will be beneficial. The more familiar and accurate you are, the safer you will be... however another alternative is maybe getting a 9mm 1911? As far as your price range, Rock Island Armory 1911's are great quality, low priced 1911's and you can get a 9mm.. it'll have very manageable recoil (not that .45 is bad) and you can get 100rd federal ammo from wally world for 21$... it'll serve the purpose of practicing affordably and self defense.. if you truly want the gun for defense, you have to practice with it.. and be realistic, $$$$$ is a factor to consider! not just in the cost of the gun, but the cost of ammo... .45 is almost twice the cost of 9mm..
 
i think the main concern of your first gun as a 1911 is it is a SA gun so unfamiliar users are probably nervous having the hammer cocked while carrying.. and nervous users are more prone to making mistakes.. having the 9mm will give you enough practice that you will attain comfort and confidence in the firearm and yourself.. you've gotta know that having that hammer back is okay and that your trigger discipline won't put innocent lives at risk.
 
Shoot a few different types of Handguns before you make your choice

Hoopster3, Before you decide to go with a 1911 my advice to you would be shoot a few different styles of pistols before you make your choice. I own a 1911 Colt .45 80 series 5 inch. I love it but it's not my primary carry weapon. I've shot pretty much every pistol out there because of my profession & majority of my friends are in the same profession & love firearms. My personal favorites are the HK's, Sigs, & the Glock. I have owned all 3. I currently carry but rotate between my Sig P229 .40 & my Glock 26 9mm. Both are awesome pistols. Like the other gentlemen stated go to a range & try a few different weapons & see what u like. I would personally recommend going with a medium framed pistol so u can keep it in the house & if you decided later on you want to carry you can & it's not as bad as carrying a full framed gun like a 5inch 1911.
 
I'm new to shooting myself and actually just made my first handgun purchase last week. Personally, I liked and had shot well the 9mm round so I knew I wanted that. However, I saw the prices of .22 LR ammo ($20 buys 550 rounds!) and could not resist the urge to get a pistol chambered for that. So in my mind I now had to buy two pistols instead of one a 9mm for home defense and a .22 so I could develops reliable shooting habits for no matter what gun I shot.

If you have never shot a handgun before I wouldn't suggest to start with the 45 ACP cartridge. Not only because it has a heavier recoil, but because the cost of ammo to get efficient would also be obscurely expensive in comparison to other rounds. If you can afford 100 to 200 plus rounds of 45 ACP for each range session going multiple times a month then I would say go with it because you will become efficient with that gun faster.

I think people focus too much on what make and model of the gun they want and don't think about the other things like range fees and ammo costs especially when looking to buy a gun on a budget. Too much emphasis on the gun itself not enough on other things.

A ton of the guys here know so much more about firearms than I do so take this for what it's worth. Just one mans opinion who loves shooting. The best advice alone can give you is look at the abundance of information out there and then make your decision. I spent 7 months researching before I finally made my gun purchase.
 
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1911's have a special place but if you want to get a gun that 1) you won't have to spend a lot of $$ on, 2) will be good for home defense and 3) you may want to be use a a CCW, a 1911 is not it.

For #1, 45acp ammo is much more expensive than 9mm so if you want to practice, both to become proficient and for fun, don't go the 45acp route.

#2, most 1911's only have a 7+1, sometimes 8+1, capacity. A good double stack 9mm will double that and help make you feel a little safer maybe as a result.

#3 CCW - for most people, a full-size pistol becomes a nuissance to CC (even a 3" 1911 is pretty big to most people). So a more compact 9mm would be more liable to actually leave the house with you on a regular basis.

To meet all of what you wanted (economical, sufficient firepower and still be compact enough to maybe CC) I'd look at guns like Ruger's SR9c, Berettas Px4c, S&W M&P, or a whole slew of other compact (not sub-compact) 9mm's. Then you'll need to decide what you want in the way of safeties if anything, type of trigger, and just what feels right to you and fits your pocket book.
 
Go to a large shop and handle a bunch of different guns and see what you like and what you don't like. In the end, it comes down to a personal choice. Asking for advice on Internet forums will give you a variety of answers, some not so intelligent. But in the end, none of what any of us tells you will make any difference because you're the one spending the money and shooting the gun. Buy what YOU like.

The 1911 is an excellent gun. If you buy one, spend plenty of time familiarizing yourself to the function of the gun. Do as much dry-firing as you can. Read as many books, article, and watch as many videos on the design as you can so you can feel comfortable with how it operates.

.45 ACP can be expensive to purchase and none of us know your financial situation. Buying a completely separate gun on say 22LR may sound like more expense, but it might pay off in the long run. Just a thought. And you can also buy a 22 conversion kit for your 1911 so you can use your same 1911 and switch "uppers" from .45 to 22LR for cheap fun shooting.

Whether the 1911 is a "complex" design is very subjective. I find that it's very simple to understand. I'm sure there are others who do not. Bottom line buy what feels good to you and do your due diligence to become familiar with whatever you decide to purchase and you will do fine.
 
Highly recommend an all steel/metal 9mm. I started off with a Ruger 22 but quickly got 'bored' with it and got my beloved CZ which has survived multiple buy/sell cycles.

Get something fairly easy to operate. A CZ 75b has a safety but you don't have to use it. Under duress it can be very easy to forget the safety is on unless you have trained extensively to swipe it off.
 
I'm new to shooting myself
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Sheriff Gotcha- You really need to make some serious changes to your shooting methods! Stop shooting yourself!:eek: Just kidding, I know what you mean.:p

Hoopster- One thing that might help you keep in mind is if you make a firearm purchase now, you don't have to stay with that one forever. Once you gain proficiency with your first purchase, you can always trade up or add to the family. Adding to the family is good in that when you get up to your .45 it's all kinds of way cool to use your first to teach a new shooter, or just to have another firearm to haul to the range to have a choice and change of flavor.

Also, you mentioned a family. Your spouse may not ever elect to graduate up to the larger calibers. (Spouses do tend to adopt your firearms once they catch the bug:rolleyes:)
 
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Even though I went on about 9mm vs a 45 above, one thing probably is a given - if you really are drawn to a 45 for some reason (you didn't say why only that you had done some research), you will end up buying one sooner or later. And a 1911 is different as far as operation so not many 9mms will give you experience for a 1911. So if you can afford it now, maybe just getting what you want will kill the bug (for a while) and save you some money on a gun you may not use afterwards. Thinking like this is why so many of us have multiple guns!
 
.22 is cheap ammo, and .45 makes a bigger hole. 9 mm is a decent compromise in both departments - a legitimate defensive round at a significant savings over the price of .45 ammo.

Recoil is highly subjective - most people find 9 mm softer shooting, but there are a few folks who prefer .45.

Consider that your wife may either take an interest in shooting with you, or may have a need for a defensive firearm in your absence.

If you are really going to only own one pistol, be sure you shoot 9 mm and .45 side-by-side in similar pistols before you decide on caliber. You are likely to prefer 9 mm. I wouldn't recommend a 1911 to a beginner, but if you are set on it and dedicated to learning the platform, keep in mind that 1911 clones in 9 mm are on the market, so deciding on a 1911 does not lock you into .45 ACP.
 
I guess I can clarify on why I'm drawn to the .45 ACP 1911. After doing some research I thought that gun would best fit my needs. I don't currently plan to CC in the near future but wouldn't mind something that allows me to if I decide to go that route. Besides it seemingly meeting my needs, I really like the looks of it as well and I appreciate the history behind it.

I have fired some handguns in the past as I had a roommate in college who was planning on being a cop. I'm not really worried about the kick a .45 will have but after reading these posts I would like to form good shooting habits which I "think" I could still do with the 1911. I am also taking into the consideration the cost of ammo as that was something I didn't consider. I guess I could go the route of getting an easier gun to learn on but I think in the end I'll end up with a .45 1911 anyway.

I think the gun world is going to be like cigars. When I started collecting those everyone I talked to told me to buy a humidor that was 3x the size of how many cigars I thought I would have.....and they were right.

I will continue my research and appreciate the feedback I have been given. I am not in a hurry to make a purchase but would like to start investigating gun prices. I'm not sure about forum rules but from my internet searching I've found a certain auction that looks decent. Is that the route I should take?
 
They make .22 conversion kits for the 1911.

I personally did not have very good luck with one but lots of folk have had very good luck including a friend from many years ago that shot one in competition. So I do realize they can be accurate and reliable and of course cheap.

Here's a link to an article about a couple of them.
http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/22-conversion-kits/

I think my friend's unit might have been a 'Cirner' and I know I am not at all close with the spelling but again, his worked well.
 
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