Hello All,
Been lurking a while trying to learn as much as I could before jumping in with a lot of silly questions, but here goes... I'm about a week away from purchasing my first firearm. Took damn near a year to get my ID & permit (In NJ, demonstrably the rectum of the firearm universe...). In any case, I've pretty much narrowed it down to a semi-auto, either 9mm or .45. 10mm & 357sig are tempting because of their power(Guns & Ammo, 2000 annual issue, has some fairly comprehensive tables covering specific ammo, velocities, & energy at 50 yards), but the choice of guns is more limited & I fear the ammo costs might limit my time on the range. There's wisdom in spending a _lot_ of time on the range with a weapon you may ever need to use under duress. Although this gun will spend 99% of its time on the range, at least for the short term, it will also act as a defensive weapon in my home should the need (not likely, but hey one never knows...) ever arise.
You've all heard the phrase "Don't shoot a bear with a 9mm, you'll only piss it off..." I'm not sure how true that is, but the military seems to feel that .45 is what it takes. I'm inclined not to argue. I hope I'll hear some convincing arguments for the stopping power of 9mm vs 45. All things equal, I'd be tempted to go with the 9 due to the lighter weight & cheaper ammo.
Purchase price is not a huge issue, although I'd sure like to keep it below $700.00 if I can. Less is always better as long as it doesn't compromise safety, reliability. I tend to maintain all my toys meticulously, so care/maintanance shouldn't be a problem. Another big issue is the availability of hi-cap mags. I like what I've heard about Glocks & Sigs so far, but I couldn't find any info on the availability of big mags for these fine mfgs. Can they be had by mere civilians such as myself? The CZ75B is interesting, cheap hi-caps, and a lot of you praise it. Parts availability might be a problem? Of course the 1911 variants would also be a good choice, as they are easy to work on & parts are abundant. The design is well proven. The HiPower is also sweet.
Is a 45 significantly more expensive than 9 to shoot?
The most important thing is reliability/safety. I'm almost tempted to get a revolver, since most of you feel its the closest thing to 100% reliable out there, but I've got my heart set on a semi-auto. Any one have any hard data or personal experience on which makes/models are more/less prone to jams, misfires, etc.? That would be much appreciated. I've already read the "worst gun" threads, I guess I'm looking for the most reliable semi-auto in 9mm and 45 that can be had. Tough call, I know. Well to anyone who's read this far, thanx, sorry to be long winded. Once I narrow my list to a half dozen models or so, I'll hit the shops & ranges around here & hopefully be able to shoot a few of them before plunking down any cash. I'll no doubt have a few more questions for you all.
Been lurking a while trying to learn as much as I could before jumping in with a lot of silly questions, but here goes... I'm about a week away from purchasing my first firearm. Took damn near a year to get my ID & permit (In NJ, demonstrably the rectum of the firearm universe...). In any case, I've pretty much narrowed it down to a semi-auto, either 9mm or .45. 10mm & 357sig are tempting because of their power(Guns & Ammo, 2000 annual issue, has some fairly comprehensive tables covering specific ammo, velocities, & energy at 50 yards), but the choice of guns is more limited & I fear the ammo costs might limit my time on the range. There's wisdom in spending a _lot_ of time on the range with a weapon you may ever need to use under duress. Although this gun will spend 99% of its time on the range, at least for the short term, it will also act as a defensive weapon in my home should the need (not likely, but hey one never knows...) ever arise.
You've all heard the phrase "Don't shoot a bear with a 9mm, you'll only piss it off..." I'm not sure how true that is, but the military seems to feel that .45 is what it takes. I'm inclined not to argue. I hope I'll hear some convincing arguments for the stopping power of 9mm vs 45. All things equal, I'd be tempted to go with the 9 due to the lighter weight & cheaper ammo.
Purchase price is not a huge issue, although I'd sure like to keep it below $700.00 if I can. Less is always better as long as it doesn't compromise safety, reliability. I tend to maintain all my toys meticulously, so care/maintanance shouldn't be a problem. Another big issue is the availability of hi-cap mags. I like what I've heard about Glocks & Sigs so far, but I couldn't find any info on the availability of big mags for these fine mfgs. Can they be had by mere civilians such as myself? The CZ75B is interesting, cheap hi-caps, and a lot of you praise it. Parts availability might be a problem? Of course the 1911 variants would also be a good choice, as they are easy to work on & parts are abundant. The design is well proven. The HiPower is also sweet.
Is a 45 significantly more expensive than 9 to shoot?
The most important thing is reliability/safety. I'm almost tempted to get a revolver, since most of you feel its the closest thing to 100% reliable out there, but I've got my heart set on a semi-auto. Any one have any hard data or personal experience on which makes/models are more/less prone to jams, misfires, etc.? That would be much appreciated. I've already read the "worst gun" threads, I guess I'm looking for the most reliable semi-auto in 9mm and 45 that can be had. Tough call, I know. Well to anyone who's read this far, thanx, sorry to be long winded. Once I narrow my list to a half dozen models or so, I'll hit the shops & ranges around here & hopefully be able to shoot a few of them before plunking down any cash. I'll no doubt have a few more questions for you all.