Super exciting awesome first gun thread

Unfortunately there's no good way to describe one's taste in guns, but maybe if I list some sexy stuff it'll help. Hi-Powers, 1911s, PPKs, saw a stainless Colt Python with white grips on here that was hot, CZ82s, etc. Glocks are ugly.
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yep, glocks are fuggly guns, but an excellent choice for both target shooting and defense! :cool:

From your list, I can recommend the PPKs. I have one from Interarms, stainless steel, .32acp, a fun, reliable gun to target shoot. Makes a great SD/HD gun also. .32acp is light, but fun to target shoot! Might be a bit high on the price scale though (over $500). Bersa makes cheaper PPK "look alikes" that you may want to browse, including some chambered in .380acp, if you're looking for a larger caliber.
 
In centerfire a .357 magnum revolver of excellent quality used or new.
In rimfire:

1. Colt New Frontier (used).
2. SW 41 (used or new).
3. Colt Woodsman (used).
4. SW 617
5. SW 17-1,2,3.

I would avoid the Ruger MK I, II, and III auto. I've had enough of them to get frustrated with reliability.

I would avoid all plastic or aluminum autos in .22.
 
Great that you are interested in the sport!
Don't go out and buy a gun ... yet.
Educate yourself first, which I am glad to see you are doing here on this forum.;)
If you have friends in the sport, go shooting with them. Shoot everything they have, more than once.
If you do not have friends in the sport, go rent some guns at a range.
If you do not have range that rents guns, got to a range that does not rent guns and make some friends with shooters. Shoot their guns.
Buy a book on pistol marksmanship or find the info. online. Study it.
Figure out how you will safely store the gun at home and Buy the necessary equipment to do so BEFORE you buy the gun.
Now, go buy yourself the gun you really want (forget about price).
 
I think Lucky 7 makes a good point but, with many hobbies it's a bit hard to tell how long or how much interest you will have in the hobby after you buy?

Getting a nice cheap gun to try out to see how you like and how much you will be shooting is more likely a better option. If you find this is something your going to do on the regular you can always save up for the next gun and pass the first one on down to one of your kids or relatives.
 
Getting into this hobby/sport/lifestyle/whatever doesn't have to be expensive. In Nov of 09 I bought a Witness .45 and .22 combo for $540 with tax. I've used this combo to introduce several people to shooting. It eases people into "real" calibers very smoothly. If they develop a flinch with downloaded (I reload) .45, on goes the .22 top end again. The grip may be a little wide for some, but if you can use it, the grip angle is superb and sits fairly low in the hand for a DA/SA pistol.

www.galleryofguns.com may still carry this package if you're interested.

Update: They do carry it. Item # 999119 with a MSRP of $541.82. You'll almost never pay MSRP for a gun.


Regards,
Lucky
 
Mr. Borland - I understand that guns chambered in .357 can shoot .38spl. What advantages does a .38spl gun have versus a .357?

Lucky7 - How much effort is involved in changing top ends? It seems like it would be more advantageous to get a .22 and a .45 instead of having both in one gun unless there are significant benefits to sticking with one platform.
 
What advantages does a .38spl gun have versus a .357?
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Well, probably the most undebatable is price. Because of the added versatility of the .357mag round, guns chambered in it command a bit of a premium compared to .38s.

There are a few other things one could point out, though neither have to be major issues:

1. Cleaning the chambers: Shooting shorter .38spls in a .357mag will leave deposits in the chamber that, when built up sufficiently, can make it hard to seat the longer .357magnum round. Since most shoot mostly .38s through their .357 anyway, frequent cleaning of the cylinder becomes an issue. A hassle for some. A moot point with a .38-only revolver.

2. The Model 15 in that link is a k-frame. S&W also made k-frame .357s and are very popular. However, shooting a lot of .357mag rounds can add a lot of wear and tear on the gun. If you're buying a used .357, it's something to be aware of. Conversely, excessive wear and tear on a used .38 is often less of an issue.

Some believe a .357mag is less accurate shooting .38spls than a .38spl shooting the same round due to the extra distance the bullet has to travel before it enters the cylinder throat. Most agree, however, that if the effect is real, it's so small as to be essentially insignificant.

In the end, you could certainly buy a .357. Given your parameters, though, and that 1) the Model 15 is a fine revolver and offered at a good price, 2) the .38spl is a fine SD round (despite what you might read on the internet) and 3) you'll likely shoot mostly .38spl through it anyway, you should at least be aware of the J&G option.
 
i suggest a ruger p95, it is a 9mm with a mag capasity of 15 or extended mags that hold 30... its very accurate and reliable plus hardly no kick,, ammo is cheap also and is good for both target and self defence... 22lr is good for plinking but can get boring pretty quick and its not good for self defense, there fore you would have to buy another gun for self defence... plus ruger p 95 goes for like 300-350 depending on were you live....
 
Makes sense. Basically there are some very minor advantages to a .38 but the only significant ones are price and the fact that I'd likely be shooting .38 through the gun anyway. Zeroing in on the $300ish price point, is there a reason you chose the 15 over the other 4" .38's on that page or the autos in that price range such as the CZ82 and Ruger 9mm's?
 
I disagree with a 22. They are boring like shooting a bb gun. I would go for a witness in 45 with the 22 conversion. It is a fun full size handgun well made and accurate. If you want you have the 22 for plinking. It serves for home defense, training, plinking and target shooting. It can be had for under 500 bucks.
 
Zeroing in on the $300ish price point, is there a reason you chose the 15 over the other 4" .38's on that page or the autos in that price range such as the CZ82 and Ruger 9mm's?
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The S&W M67 is the stainless version of the M15. That'd be a good choice as well. Maybe better than the M15, even, as stainless seems easier to maintain.

The other 4" .38s are M64s, which have fixed sights. Also fine guns, but if you're looking for a gun to triple-duty as a target/IDPA/SD gun, adjustable sights are the way to go, IMO.

Those CZ-82s are 9mm Makarov, not the more common 9mm Parabellum. Ammo prices aside, I don't think 9x18 Makarov is IDPA-legal, as the minimum is the 9x19 Parabellum. Also, as a SD round, the Mak doesn't have the oompf the Parabellum does.

Ruger 9mm? Not much experience with them. The only one I shot had a horrible creepy trigger. As a target gun, it would've driven me nuts.
 
If you can field strip (that is, take it down for cleaning) you can swap top ends. All you have to do, after the gun is triple checked safe, move the slide back 1/8" to a 1/4" and push the slide release retaining pin out. Replace the top end and reassemble the gun.

The Witness can be converted to nearly all major autoloader calibers (9x19, .38 super, 9x23, 10mm, .40, and .45) with a $250 top end and magazine.

The main benefit to a one gun/multi-caliber set-up is the learning curve. There is only one manual of arms to learn, one trigger pull, one grip angle, etc.
-Lucky
 
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Can I buy a 9mm Witness to save on ammo costs in the short term and later purchase a 10mm or .45 top end? Or would I need to purchase the biggest model and downsize from there?
 
The only major caliber/.22 combo I'm aware of is the .45/22. Since the frame is the same size in all calibers it is a top-end swap only.

I'd recommend going with what's available (ie the .45/22 combo). Just put a little back each week, say $25 or so (really easy to do if you don't eat on the go), and shoot just the .22 for your first 4 or 5 range visits. Once you can put a magazine into a 2in by 2in square at 10yds, go ahead and use the .45. At this point you'll have enough saved up for 4 or 5 boxes of .45, but most importantly, the know-how and confidence to properly deploy your weapon on the range and hit the target.

Walk, Crawl, Run. You'll get there soon enough.

Regards,
Lucky
 
So the answer to my question is yes, I could get a 9mm and buy different top ends. However, since the .45/22lr combo shows up as being the same price I'd be an idiot to do so. Unfortunately the kit is not in stock at galleryofguns so hopefully they do indeed still carry it because that seems like an excellent value. Cocoa is about an hour away from me, so maybe I can find a shop that has a good relationship with EAA.

EDIT: EAA site shows MSRP of the combo as $634.97, still a solid value considering the actual price will be lower and a good sign that the kit is still being produced.
 
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Bump for consideration of big guns like the M&P 9L/Pro or something like a Springfield 1911. To be honest I have no idea what makes 1911s vary so much in price.
 
I would look around for a nice Ruger MKII or MKIII. There are many different models and a lot of good buys out in the used market. I got this MKII still NIB about a year ago for $350.00. That was top dollar but I just had to have it.
MK2.jpg
 
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