NuB gun cal ?

T

tjpratt

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I have not yet purchased my "first" handgun.
I am reading forums (this one IS great), looking at , revolvers, semi-autos and the price and availability of ammo.
Will a .40 cal weapon chamber a cheaper round for practice?
45 cal, 22 conversion, good option?

I think a .357 will chamber a .32??
It also looks as though the 9mm is the most available?

Will be using for self defense and range shooting.
I will also get training "before" I buy. But the most research I can do before hand, seems good.

Thanks to you all
 
A .357 will chamber a .38, not a .32. Thirty-eight shot out of a .357 revolver is generally easy to handle and cheap for practice, making the .357 a very versatile revolver. The .357 can be a fairly hot load to learn with, especially in the smaller snub-nosed revolvers, so get proficient shooting .38 first.

Among semi-autos, 9 mm is a good place to start to give you a good defensive gun (loaded with Speer Gold Dot ammo or one of the other premium loads) that is still inexpensive for practice (lots of cheap ammo available, even in WalMart). Forty caliber ammo was still available during recent ammo shortages in a lot of places, but .40 is a little snappy in its recoil and therefore not always the best caliber for beginners. It has lots of devotees, though, some of which will no doubt take issue with my recommendation.:)

For your second gun (and there will be a second) consider a .22. Ammo is a fraction of the price of the larger calibers (like $0.04 to $0.05 a round vs. $0.30 for inexpensive 9 mm) and a decent .22 will give you fun and quality practice on the basic skills of sight alignment, trigger control, and so on. There are several .22 handguns that can be had quite inexpensively, especially used, and the ammo savings pays for the pistol in just a few trips to the range. A great learning tool that pays for itself - great deal, huh?

Have fun with it, and don't stop learning until the first shovel full of dirt hits you in the face.
 
I personally have a .45 and if I had the choice I wouldn't have picked it up, as the ammo is a little spendier at most places and I'm having a hard time ever finding it at the places that sell it at a decent price. But a .22 conversion would be a great idea with a .45
 
If you insist on an autoloading pistol, the most sensible choice is the 9mm. it is newb friendly in many ways, cheap, easy to shoot, effective, and far more conducive to quick mastery than a .45.

Obviously, plenty of people are going to jump all over this post for obvious reasons. Judge the merit of this advice on your own.

as a newb, if you are talking about home defense, auto defense, or even woods or many other situations, I am going to suggest bypassing the semiauto, and the 9mm, and buying a 6 shot .357 revolver.

It is a simple design, almost foolproof, and powerful. Training and even defense ammo is available in .38.

The only problem with a revolver is the limited number of shots available, and the relative difficulty of reloading.

Again, people will be all over this post, judge the reasoning on your own.
 
Nothing wrong with a .357 revo for sure. I have two myself... but..I did quit shooting them when I got my two 40 autos...I like the 11 shot capacity myself.
 
I think a 9mm auto would be a good place to start. Very manageable recoil, relatively cheap and plentiful ammunition, and with a good JHP it is a good self/home defense round. There are so many brands and models to choose from it will make your head swim. Everyone has their own opinion about which one is "best." Here's a good place to review some entry level 9mms: http://www.best9mm.com/

As much as I love them, I have to recommend staying away from a 1911 until you get more comfortable and proficient with semi-automatic handguns. I think the take down (and reassembly) of a 1911 is a little too intimidating for most beginners. If you enjoy shooting I think you'll find your way to the 1911 sooner or later. YMMV.
 
II'd say go with the 357 magnum. It can handle everything from black bears to rabbits if you load it right. It will fire cheaper 38spl for practice and home defense if your worried about your ears. It is also very easy to reload with minimal equipment should you ever decide to do so.

If you've got your heart set on a semi auto and you don't reload I'd get a 9mm or something that will convert to .22. Keep in mind that for the price of most conversions you could probably pick up a used Ruger MarkIII or Single Six.
 
I agree with a .357 revolver as a first choice. The ability to shoot .38 special ammo makes it hard to beat for versatility.

For an autoloader a 9mm is a good choice. Inexpensive ammo and low recoil while being a force to be reckoned with for personal defense.

9mm and .38 ammo are usually very close or the same as far as price. Both are very popular, easy to find, and are similar as far as recoil.

Before buying a .22 conversion check pricing. Often you can pick up a seperate .22 firearm for the same money or so close it doesn't matter.
 
.357 Magnum/.38 Special is a great choice for a first real handgun. .357 provides plenty of power for self defense or fun, and .38 Special is cheap and plentiful for practice. A good double action revolver also makes a great first handgun. Their manual of arms is simpler, there is no need to buy expensive magazines, and they fire any bullet profile as long as it fits in the cylinder. However, their long and heavy double action trigger pull is not for everyone, and it takes some practice to be able to shoot accurately.

Another good route to look into is in the "plastic fantastics", or polymer framed 9mm semi-autos. Springfield's XD, S&W's M&P, and Glock are the big three competitors, and you can't go wrong with any of them. 9mm is cheap and plentiful, and there are some decent self defense loads out there. Their triggers won't be as long or as heavy as a double action revolver, so a firearms novice will probably shoot better with one right away, but they still aren't everyone's cup of tea.
 
I tell everyone to start with a 22. Basics are VERY important. A Sig Mosquito or a Walther P22 or a Ruger 10/22 will get you on your way just fine. $19 worth of Walmart 22's and you can have an entire day at the range.

Once you get that down, graduate to centerfire. You will regret starting off with a 38 or 357 after you spend a boatload of money on ammo and not hit anything.
 
The 357 would be a good choice for you. Keep educating yourself, and when you feel confident go to a range that rents firearms to try a few out before you buy.
 
Ok Glenn you know I love my Medusa's they are the ultimate girl gun! uh let me refrase that "survival gun" but mine are keepers!
One of the best guns to start with is a nice Smith & Wesson model 13 or 65 chambered in 357 you can learn and pratice with 38. With a three inch barrel it is both fun to shoot, and still can be carried when needed. ;)
 
For their first handgun, most people get a centerfire handgun of self defense caliber, because they want to get "a real gun". But some develop bad shooting habits that way, and everyone figures out it costs real money to practice with centerfire pretty soon.

A .22 IS a real gun - just get one of the same quality as a well made centerfire handgun. Then you can shoot 500 rounds for the same cost as 50 rounds for a centerfire gun and develop your form and accuracy well. In a revolver, I can highly recommend the Smith & Wesson 617.
 
I have noticed that people that start with a .40 caliber pistol tend to have trouble that takes a long time to get over it. Last weekend a husband and wife were at the range and she was having problems. I asked if she would like to try a 9 mm to see the difference and a .22 as well. After the .22 she was starting to shoot much better. With the 9 mm it took two shots to for her to notice the recoil was much easier to handle. She shot that well too. The next thing you know is they wanted to know were to get a 9 mm like the one I had. They were shooting a compact polymer .40 caliber pistol. The 9 mm I let them try was a full sized P226 Sig. There is a big difference between this pistol and a compact .40 in recoil.

9 mm ammo is normally easy to find and the price of this ammo is less then many other center fire calibers. .22 is great round for practice. Police want a round that will penetrate barriers to get the bad guys. .40 and .357 calibers will do this. The average person can use a 9 mm just fine for self and home defense. I rely on 9 mm and 12 gauge with slugs for my home.
 
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