purchasing my 1st gun

I

IRON MARCELO

Inactive
Hi everybody im thinking about buying my 1st handgun and i need some help
i want to buy a nice gun for practice shooting at the range . I think this is going to be my new hobby collecting handguns and havin fun shootin them at the range . I really like Beretta 92FS model i like everything about it except the way the barrel is exposed im not sure if you guys know what im talking about , I also like CZ series especially CZ SP-01 and CZ 75B and thats where i need some help picking one from these 3 guns :confused:
What you guys think about Beretta 92FS , CZ sp01 and CZ 75B ????? which of these would be the best one ???? also do you guys prefer plain black or stainless steel ????????? all feedbacks are appreciated !!! ;)
 
I always recommend .22 long rifle to new shooters for several reasons:

  1. They usually cost less
  2. Ammunition costs much less
  3. They're actually equally harmful to your ears, but usually sound quieter
  4. The skills you develop with a .22 are directly transferable to larger calibers
  5. The lower recoil is less likely to encourage you to develop a flinch, which is often extremely difficult to overcome

That said™, any gun is a vast improvement upon none.

Best of success to you, eh?
 
Iron Marcelo, if you are a new shooter (as opposed to a new owner of handguns), Standing Wolf's advice is good. Since you don't say that you are a new shooter, however, I am going to guess that you have experience shooting firearms. I was in your position a year ago; I learned to shoot as a child, and even won a few target shooting trophies in junior high school, but had never owned a gun as an adult.

I'm not going to recommend a specific gun; I don't know you well enough and am not enough of an expert on guns. However, one of the other people who posts here got her first gun last year *after* signing up with a local range that had a really useful deal. They had a bunch of guns in their collection, and after paying the monthly fee, they let people shoot any of the non-exotic ones that they wanted to try out. They just had to buy the ammunition.

If you can find a shooting club or range in your area that has guns that members are allowed to shoot, I'd join. Also, if you have a friend or friends who are gun nuts with a big collection, I'd ask them to let you shoot their guns to try them out. (In my experience, most gun nuts love to recruit a likely shooter to the cause and would be happy to help you out.) ;-) Then, when you've settled on a gun that you love to shoot and can afford, you've made your choice for first gun. You can add others to the collection later, as you get more experienced.
 
Getting "just a 22LR" as a first and only gun is not very exciting. I think it makes a great companion to the first gun, but I could never have had it as my first. That said, once I got my first guns (a 9mm Sig226 and a 45ACP Kimber), the next guns I bought were 22LR and they've been some of my most shot guns (Browning Buckmark & Walther G22 Rifle).
 
I haven't shot a CZ SP01, but I have shot both the '75 and the 92FS. Both are great guns. I don't have a preference. The exposed barrel of the 92FS doesn't bother me. Why does it bother you? What about it don't you like?

Plain black vs. stainless steel--that's an appearance thing to me. Do you like silver or black better? If one grabs your eye more, then that's the one for you.
 
We might (would) be of more help if you'd tell us about your experience :confused:
I'm guessing this will be this first handgun you'll own but have shot before?
If you've never shot a handgun i'd suggest a course or training from a freind starting with a revolver :rolleyes:

BTW, I like the Beretta ;)
 
Out of the choices given, the Beretta. You should look into the XD (my favorite), Glock, M&P and Sig products.

I disagree with getting a .22 for your first pistol. I like the .22 and it is fun.
However, if you will only have one gun (even for just a little while) it should be able to do double duty as home defense and range toy.

9mm IMHO is the best semiauto handgun caliber ever made. It is fast, easy to control and allows good capacity. If we had to shoot hardball, I would vote for the .45acp but since we have good HP ammo, I will pick the 9mm everytime.
 
I personally think the Beretta 92 is one of the sexiest handguns made. It has beautiful lines and the exposed barrel is a part of that character. And if it's good for our military then it's good for me (As was the 1911 for many years, which is another great handgun to own).

Oh and beware. Handguns are like rabbits. They tend to multiply. I hope your sigificant other is understanding, because it can become obsessive.
 
I agree with "Standing Wolf." Buy a 22LR, like a nice Ruger Mark III. Cheap and fun to shoot, Learn and improve your skills before buying a more powerful pistol.
 
While 22LR is cheap to shoot and train with, I personally never did so with one because I found the lack of recoil really boring.

I know not everybody is that way.. I started with a Glock 19 9MM.. at least a little recoil!
 
Hi,
Not knowing if you ever had the chance to use a handgun, I would have to agree with some of the other members about a 22LR pistol. The guns you mentioned are very good semi-autos. And there are many others too. But a quality 22LR semi-auto will get you use to hitting the target more consistent while developing good shooting skills. My first hand gun was a Ruger Mark I 4 3/4 barrel I bought back in 1970. The pistol help me to develop my skills and I then bought larger caliber hand guns and also long guns as well. The great thing about the 22LR is ammo is cheap and available. I still have a 22LR semi-auto at the age of 60. I have had many over the years and enjoy shooting them. I would suggest you check this option out.

Good luck.
Regards,
roaddog28
 
i qualified with the M9 when in the USMC. it's virtually identical to a 92FS. despite a lot of the negative things said about this pistol one fact remains the same; it was chosen to be the service pistol for a reason. i personally believe there's nothing wrong with this pistol. actually, i think it's superb.

everyone with a personal opinion will tell you to choose this or that. go out there and find the one that's right for you. any pistol above the $500 (9mm or greater) price range will get you something good. i suggest going to the range and trying out several different models. it may cost a bit, but it's truly better than taken some stranger's word for it and dishing out some serious cash.
 
I second the arguments about starting with .22. With a .22 semi or revolver you can learn all of the necessary good habits that a shooter must develop without contending with flinch inducing recoil or the very high price of centerfire ammunition. Furthermore, a good .22, like for example, a Smith & Wesson Model 617, is an investment that will never decline in value. There's a huge demand out there for .22 handguns, driven in part by the fact that one can use the gun to teach his entire family how to shoot, but also by the fact that .22 ammunition is still cheap.

My first handgun was a Smith & Wesson Model 617 .22 revolver. I bought it used a few years ago for the then-exhorbitant price of $550. I've never had a second thought about that purchase. I shoot that gun as much as I shoot my nearly 1 dozen other handguns combined, without so much as thinking about ammo cost or recoil. I've watched my overall shooting skills improve considerably thanks to that gun.
 
Oh and beware. Handguns are like rabbits. They tend to multiply. I hope your sigificant other is understanding, because it can become obsessive.
:):):)
Thank you all for the great Feedbacks , yes Beretta 92FS is a superb handgun !! it sure has great reputation !!! :)
 
Combo of .45 and .22 (extra slide + barrell)

EAA Witness: A copy/clone of the CZ brand is available as a weapon with two slides and barrels (and magazines).
One is a .45 ACP.
The other is a .22.

I have one -- I did have to try a variety of .22 brands before i found one that worked reliable.
The .45 has been great whatever ammo I use.

Price -- I got it for at the store (Cabellas) for almost exactly $600.00.

Its basically a large frame weapon that will handle .45 or 10mm, that can use the smaller calibers.
Actually you can also buy (around $250) conversion kits from the distributor (EAA) that turn the weapon into a 9MM or 40 Caliber. Personally I don't see the point of a 9MM or a .40 that is the same size as a .45, but it is an option.
Maybe if I get offered a thousand rounds of 9mm or 40 for free?
..
 
.22 is a good choice for a starter, but of those listed in the opening, I prefer the Beretta 92FS "dark" if it fits your hand and you don't plan to carry concealed. Reliable, parts and mags. easy to find, used by military and a lot of LE departments. Easier to clear should she jam. Easy to take down and clean. Makes a great club should you run out of ammo and the zombies attack as some on this forum anticipate. :D

BTW IM, Welcome to the forum.
 
What fits my hands isn't the issue / its what fits your hands ... and what you like.

But go to a range that lets you rent and shoot a lot of different guns. I ran into a young guy that was shoointing every 9mm in the range rental case the other day ... probably 25 guns ( Sigs, Glocks, Beretta, 1911's, etc ) ... Its a smart place to start - you might like triggers on some, controls on others, reset on triggers on some, some DAK triggers, some DA/SA guns, some SAO guns ...) ...

Stay with a 9mm / unless you want to get into reloading ....its by far the least expensive option ( unless you like shooting a .22 )...

In my mind, as I think back to starting my collection:
a good revolver in .357 mag ( S&W )
a good semi-auto in 9mm ( Sig 226 )
a good semi-auto in .22 ( high standard )
a good 1911 in .45 acp

then I added more 1911's in 9mm, .40S&W and .45 acp...(Wilson, Kimber, Baer, Brown, etc ) ...
and I added a lot more revolvers ( in .22, .357 mag, .44 mag ) - all S&W
then I added more DA/SA guns (all Sigs ) in 9mm, .40S&W ...226's / 239's ...

and shotguns, etc .... Its been a great journey / enjoy the ride - and have fun with it !
 
Of the two options you gave: I'd chose a CZ in 9mm rather than the beretta, maily because it is a nice gun for less money than the beretta.

I've never been a fan of the exposed beretta barrel either. I don't hate it or anything, but just like the look of a flush barrel better. Purely a looks only issue, just personal preference.
 
Congratulations on your decision to buy your first handgun. You are about to embark on one of the most enjoyable, satisfying and exciting hobbies out there.

One of the great things about the shooting sports is the fact that there is always something new to get involved in. Four years ago I purchased my first gun of any kind. It was a Sigma 40 caliber handgun. I bought a few more handguns. I then decided I wanted to reload my own ammo. Now I'm shopping for my first rifle and will go deer hunting this coming fall for the first time in forty five years. BTW, my handgun collection is now up to fourteen.

Any of the three guns you list would be a great first handgun. Don't worry that you are new to shooting. You will learn very fast whatever you buy. I would not consider buying a .22 for my first gun. I'm assuming you may want to use your new gun as a home defense weapon. That's not a job for a .22 handgun. I'm sure you'll buy a .22 someday but if you only own one handgun it should be something that is effective for self defense.

Of the three my recommendation would be the CZ 75. There are only three classic handguns; the 1911 platform, the Browning High Power and the CZ75. The CZ has many clones of which the EAA Witness is one. Don't buy a clone. Buy the real thing. They are not expensive for what you are getting and they are a joy to shoot. Very little recoil and very accurate. The SP01 is also good but a little big. Should you ever want to carry your gun the CZ75 is very doable. I've been carrying my CZ75 for the last few weeks in a Don Hume inside the waistband H715 holster. It's very comfortable and easily concealed. On the other hand the SP01 IMO is too big for carry.

I've never shot or owned a 92FS. Like you, I'm a little put off by the exposed barrel.

Almost forgot. This is just me but stainless steel is for revolvers and black is for semi autos.
 
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YOU Need To Decide!

I reside just outside of Chicago and highly recommend you go to Midwest Guns in Lyons. For $12 you can try as many of their rentals as you like (over 100). They have a CZ 75 and a Beretta 92FS! See which one feels best to you. They also offer "First Shot Classes" for the beginner as well as both revolver and semi-auto safety courses. Good luck.
 
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