What Would You Do?

S

sundance43.5

New member
Alright. Here's the skinny. I have the opportunity to buy my first handgun in a few days and I've got too many options for my gun loving mind. HELP ME! Here are the choices and my budget's about $500.

1) Glock 17- I can get one for about $400

2) CHP trade in S&W 6906- $375 with 3 hi-caps

3) Beretta 92FS

4) Walther P99- I really like this gun, but I'm a little leary of the price.

5) Any Ruger P series pistol.

So, what do you think?

Chris
 
Glock 17 if you are stuck with those choices. The Glocks run that's why people use them. Don't add any junk to the weapon, but keep a handful of recoil springs (change them regularly). Buy a quality holster and belt and a BUNCH of factory magazines and you have the gear part down.

Next go get a truck load of ammo and some schooling. However, Glocks break just like any gun. When you can, get a spare then a third.

As well, a G26 in your off-hand pocket or IWB behind your mags makes a great backup.
 
I assume you haven't shot a Glock before, since it's on your list (ooh!).

Between those, I'd go with a Beretta 92FS. It's a tad big, but very reliable and accurate. Pre-ban magazines are also available.
I've heard very nice things about the P99, but I have no first-hand experience with it so I can't really say.
The Ruger P-series pistols are built like tanks - solid and ugly. Not my thing really, but they seem to be fairly reliable for some people.

Have you checked out Sig's P-series? The P226 might be just your thing. Also, you can get an absolutely terrific USP fullsize in 9mm NIB for $500.
 
The Glock *MIGHT* be the best alternative, if you find it fits your hand well. Its polymer grip and weird design bothers some shooters.

The answer is to decide what's the most you can pay, and then hold and dry fire all of the guns (in your list) that you're allowed to mess with. They way they feel in your hand, and the feel of the trigger is more important than anything else. (This assumes that all of the guns named are comparably accurate -- and they probably are.)

It might matter, too, if you want to carry concealed -- in which case the Beretta is probably pushing the edge of what's possible.

A tuned 5906 is pretty good. A Glock 17 is pretty good. A Ruger P-97 is prety good, and not as big as it looks. The Beretta is pretty good. All of these should perform well, with all of them being pretty durable and reliable.
 
Unless you have really large hands, I'd agree with lonegunman that the 19 is a better gun than the 17. You only give up 2 rounds with hi-caps, but it's much more concealable. It's a gun that can do almost anything.

The P99 is another great do everything gun. It has a more conventional trigger and holds one more round with hi-caps.

All the guns you suggest are excellent, but I find these two to be a little more versatile.
 
I live in Illinois, so a gun as a CCW is out of the question. I want to use this gun for home defense, but also as a backup for small game hunting, for everything up to and including coyote.

Thanks
 
Ruger P95 or P97

Both of these Rugers are better shooters and more accurate than the Glock 17....in my hands anyway. If you like .45 ACP, try the P97, else try the P95. My second choice would be the Glock 17 (if you can get a Glock 19, thats even better than the 17 IMO). The Beretta 92 would be my third choice. I don't care for the other two pistols you mentioned, but give all them a try anyway....your preferences are likely different than mine. ;) Try to rent or borrow several guns before buying though, it helps to shoot one before (especially when this is your first handgun as is your case).
 
Only three choices really. Glock, Beretta, or Ruger. Glock 17 is an all time classic but factory hi-caps are ridiculous. Can't go wrong with a Beretta and factory hi-caps are alot more reasonable than the Glock. Ruger's are the all time "value" champs and you'd have a whole bunch of money left over for goodies (ammo, grips, holsters, a good hunting knife, you name it). Good Luck, J. Parker
 
Forget all of those and get a CZ75 or CZ85

Much better guns for the money. Buy one and thank me later. Plus, high caps are readily available. Another plus is that they are great in the accuracy department. Another plus is that many varieties are available within your price range.

They beat a ruger any day.
 
Given these choices I'd takt the Beretta. But given all the world of choices I'd get a Ruger Mark II target or similar .22 get a trigger job and spend a year or so working on sight picture and trigger control.
 
Forget all of those and get a CZ75 or CZ85
Much better guns for the money. Buy one and thank me later. Plus, high caps are readily available. Another plus is that they are great in the accuracy department. Another plus is that many varieties are available within your price range.

They beat a ruger any day.
Click to expand...

I agree, but he did not list CZ's in his choices. I try to not push my will on others, even if I think their list is not particularly good. ;)
 
try to hold and shoot all the guns before you make a decision. of the guns you listed i'd say the Glock 17 and Beretta 92FS are the best made. hold them both and see which you like better. if a gun doesn't feel right in your hands or it points poorly then it's not the gun for you.
 
Get the Glock 17.

It is the class leader in a full-size 9mm.

Lightweight for it's capacity, world renowned for it's reliability and durability. Simple to maintain, and easy to adjust to individual tastes without the need of a 'smith.

Nothing else even comes close... Glock Perfection!

IMNSHO, it's more than just a marketing slogan.

Good luck with your decision, and let us know what you decide.
 
Ok in this order
1. Glock simply the best on the list.
2. The Beretta a very good gun as well.
3. Walther P99 ok gun but first ones had problems mine did I sold it.
4. Ruger p series.
5. Smith auto you mentioned.
PAT
 
I'm a little confused

Is this an opportunity to buy your FIRST handgun, or just ANOTHER handgun since your last purchase a few days back?:D

Anyhow, you mentioned two uses which seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, IMHO. For home-defense, I think the simplicity and lightness of the Glock, amongst all of the autos, would make it the best choice. If you HAVE to have an auto pistol as your first gun, that's where I would direst you.;) For the hunting aspect, I think the 9mm would be a weak-sister next to a properly stoked .357 revolver. Geez, I guess that could even apply to the home-defense part, now that I think about it!:eek:
 
Please - - -Consider a couple of Things:

sundance43.5- - -

You list specific choices, and I'm always frustrated when one asks about a limited list and responders suggest a bunch of others. In this case, though, it might be in order. NOTE: If you have a lot of handgun shooting experience and this is to be YOUR first handgun, disregard part one entirely.

Part 1. Is there some reason you want to jump directly into center fire, service style handguns? Member MeekAndMild offers excellent advice about first obtaining a high quality .22 rimfire and learning it thoroughly before progressing.

Many jump into "big bores" without proper training and develop bad habits, which take a lot of expensive practice to cure. You can buy 500-round packages of .22 RF ammo for the price of one 50 round box of .45 ammo. A Ruger or Browning Buckmark or, possibly a used Colt .22 will allow you to learn handgun shooting for a lot less effort and expense than the choices mentioned. If home defense is a consideration, any person with a .22 they can SHOOT is far better off than with a big gun they CANNOT shoot. One or three or seven well-placed .22 hollow points beat the heck out of any number of 9 mm misses.

For recreational use, you can do a lot of plinking with a .22 very economically. I STRONGLY urge you to consider purchase of a good .22 first. After a few thousand rounds, you'll probably have a pretty good grasp--no pun intended--of handgun shooting, and can trade it in on a big bore. That is, if you haven't grown very attached to the .22.

I note you are in Illinois. Unfortunately, legal concealed carry is not an option for most in your state. Sorry about that. Hope the law changes some day. If you are considering something other than legal, none of MY business. One thought--one might justify having to use a target .22 for defense sometime, when one maybe couldn't defend the use of a full combat pistol in a concealed fast draw rig. "Gee, officer, I was going to the range after work--see, here's the targets and stapler--and I was ATTACKED. I was just luck to get to my TARGET pistol, my LIL' TWENNY-TOO, when it happened - - - - "

Part 2. Another component: Most of us on this board like handguns for their own sake, enjoy shooting them and owning them and talking about them. Sometimes we need to realize that, for many, a handgun--ONE handgun--is only a tool and of no real interest as a hobby or recreational device. If this is your case, then of the choices listed, probably the easiest to learn and shoot is the big Glock 17. Simplest controls, uniform trigger pull, etc. And, if you ever get to an area where you can legally carry a pistol, this one, while not small, is at least pretty light to pack. (But I think you could still learn the use of this tool better by beginning with a .22 - - - )

(Also--I'm not even gonna get started on reasons why one should perhaps consider a revolver instad of an anyoloader.)

Best of luck.
Johnny
 
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