Soon to be first time buyer. Looking for suggestions.

D

dmart

Inactive
So Ive gone to the range now on two seperate occasions and a fun time shooting a 1911 kimber and a ruger respectively. The kimber had a bit too much kick for a noob like me, and when we threw 357 in the ruger my hand was blasted for a solid week.

So while my finances come together Im trying to research what I ant to get for a range/home defense gun. But mostly for the range.

Ive been eyeballing 9mm pistols and have seen alot of options that intrigue me and this would be a first time buy, so Id love some input as to what you all think.

As of now its between the:
CZ75b
Sig Saur 2022
Glock 17

If you guys have any more suggestions I could really use some input. Again this is predominantly for the range, dont plan on concealed carry at any point.

Cheers,
D
 
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I recommend a bias towards a pistol for which there is a rimfire conversion kit. Such kits can be looked at as a low cost second gun, though only for a single shooter. Whether you use the conversion for serious drills and practice, or just as a plinker, they are worthwhile. One of the best thngs you can do is shoot a lot, especially if your gun might be called to serious social purposes. Of the guns you list, it seems only the SIG-Sauer 2022 does not yet have such a kit available.

My other recommendation is that you find a way to seriously handle a variety of pistols to weed out those which just do not sit well in your hand. To my mind, the best fit allows you to take a grip with your eyes closed, point the gun and find that when you open your eyes you need not adjust your grip to align your sights on your target. That same eyes closed grab should allow you to naturally reach critical controls without adjusting your grip.
 
I would strongly suggest you look at the XDM series. Like a Glock, but with a better trigger and sights. From your list, I like Glock the best.


Oh yea, what do you hope to use this gun for?
 
Your three choices are all excellent.

The CZ75B is a proven, respected design that works well. The ones that I have owned felt great ergonomically and were 100% reliable.

The Sig 2022 is regarded as a great bargain for the price. I have no first hand experience with them other than handling a few in the gunshops.

The Glock 17 is also highly regarded. They are very reliable and the aftermarket support is incredible. I have not owned the 17, but did own a Glock 19 for awhile. Between the two, I would choose the 19. It is IMO one of the most perfect 9mm pistols due to size, capacity, and reliability.

One recommendation that I would make is the Beretta PX4 Storm. They can be had for a good price, and I love mine. It is very accurate, 100% reliable, and feels just about perfect in my hand.

I know that I really didn't help narrow down your choices, but I think that you would be happy with any of them.
 
Agreed- the three you listed are very well regarded firearms. They all three have very different grip dimensions- at least they'll feel that way. I would respectfully suggest you hold off on purchase until you can at least grip one up in your hand and check for fit.

By fit, I mean to hold the pistol in your strong hand and let it hang loosely at your side. Pick out a smallish object between the size of a basketball and a doorknob about 15-20yds away (if possible) and focus on it, keep finger off of trigger, and raise the pistol up to where you think it ought to be 'on target', then open your eyes. You won't be anywhere close to being on target, but a fitting pistol should be a straight line from your elbow to the front sight. One that does not fit will be straight from elbow to wrist, then the pistol will be looking off somewhere else. Talk to the gunshop owner or clerk before doing this- out of courtesy.

If all that is un-doable, then I pitch my vote for the CZ, then the Sig. I'm not a Glock guy, so I just don't have an opinion on them. And, I'm pretty sure magazines and/or quality after market magazines will be much less expensive for the CZ.
 
Shoot ***** cat .38 rounds in that Ruger. As for the 1911, I think they are typically the softest shooting .45's I own.


Glock 17 is a decent range toy too.
 
If you liked the Kimber except for the recoil The CZ would feel at least as nice if you don't have small hands. An all metal gun is going to give you less felt recoil and the cz platform mitigates it even more by allowing you to grip the gun up high.
 
All three of the guns you listed would be great buys. My suggestion is find a range that also rents guns, and try out those guns you want. Finding one that fits in your hand is priceless. I'd be pretty certain they will have the 17 and the CZ.
 
I think you should really look closely at the new HK VP9.

I've owned a Glock 17 and a CZ75 in the past. I've also owned classic SIG series pistols and held the SP2022. I really think the new VP9 sets a new standard for 9mm pistols to try to measure up against. Great trigger, great design, super high quality, far better ergonomics than your list, and not far from the price point. They can be found from $600-$650 if you shop around and are absolutely outstanding.

From your list specifically, I would go for the SIG. I've owned 5 Glocks and they're great guns, but they do leave a bit to be desired in ergonomics and I don't feel that they are currently being produced to the level that they were a few years ago (The last THREE I had all had issues with erratic ejection, something I never had issues with in the previous years' pistols). The CZ is great but I would go for a more "modernized" CZ personally, i.e. SP-01 Phantom or the P-01/P-02 (if you can find one). The SIG SP2022 isn't my favorite model of theirs, but it is a good pistol at it's price range and it has a very tactile and crisp break/reset for a DA/SA pistol. It's almost like a DA/SA trigger for striker fans in my opinion.

Of course this is only what I would do personally. You'll have to fondle all of them and try to decide what feels best to you, and try to fire some rentals if you can so you can see what you shoot accurately with.
 
Just buy a Glock 19 and be done with it. A little more compact than the 17 and they tend to fit most peoples hand a lot better than the bigger 17. I can't tell a bit of difference in accuracy with the 1/2" shorter barrel. You can use the 17 or 33 round Glock magazines in it if you want.
 
I'm not going to recommend any particular model or caliber, what I do recommend is that you take your time shoot as many different models and calibers as possible before you buy anything.

If you have friends that own guns talk with them and see if you can test fire what they own.

Also proper technique in gripping and firing a handgun will make a big difference in the recoil impulse, so searching out a good instructor may be a big help to you.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
I strongly suggest getting to a range and renting as many of these firearms as you can. There is simply no substitute for handling and firing the weapons you are looking at purchasing. What someone tells you on a forum is rather meaningless when compared to your own hands doing the work.

That said, the Glock 17/19 is probably the most prolific handgun in the world. You simply cannot go wrong with a purchase of either model. I, and many others, prefer the 19/23 mid-size to the 17/22 fullsize models. Again, get a hold of them and try them out.

Finally, the Sig sp2022 is a fantastic little firearm. If there is a polymer, DA/SA, hammer fired competitor to the striker guns out there, in terms of cost, quality, accuracy, capacity, etc., it is the sp2022. Great handgun at a great price.
 
Consider a Glock 23. It is a .40 cal but you can get a 9mm and .357sig barrel for it. It's of the most versatile models out there. It's the same frame size as a Glock 19.
 
If you can't handle the recoil of a 1911 in .45acp, then stay away from polymer aka plastic pistols period. Stick with an all steel 9mm (not .40, very snappy) like the CZ-75 or one of it's many clones. The sig P226 is great, but can be pricey.
 
I agree with the majority that you have already compiled a list of quality pistols. The Beretta PX4 that was mentioned is also a good choice, as is the Beretta 92FS. At least handle them, and if possible shoot them. They are all well thought of and any would serve you well.

I also commend you for your selection of the 9 mm caliber. That is the cheapest of the center fire rounds for plinking, and it is still a legitimate self defense round. This is important to a lot of people because the first pistol is for a time the only pistol, and having your range pistol also be available for home defense is a plus.

You are on a good track. Welcome to TFL, and I hope you enjoy and benefit from the expertise available here as much as I have.
 
And, once again, lots of talk about the equipment and nuttin' about learning to use it.
For shame.
Assuming being a first time buyer also means you are untrained,
The choice of gun that will work the best for you will change dramatically as your skills improve.
For example, one that now feels clumsy might be just right as your grip techniques improve.
Get some decent training before spending money.
Yeah, it's hard to resist the temptation to run out and buy something first.
Some will power will go a long way, though.
 
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