First handgun, need input

[GIXXERDK]

Looking for a self defense(9mm) handgun in the $400-500 range. Easy to clean, accurate, reliable, and something I can hang onto for a long time. Weight and size not a issue, I'm not going to go concealed- yet.

I'm pretty confused with all these different caliber sizes. How many different 9mm's are there :???:

[Jay0022]

Glock 23 (Easy to clean, accurate, reliable and can be concealed) ...I have one and its a great gun

[WickedIXMR]

Looking for a self defense(9mm) handgun in the $400-500 range. Easy to clean, accurate, reliable, and something I can hang onto for a long time. Weight and size not a issue, I'm not going to go concealed- yet.

I'm pretty confused with all these different caliber sizes. How many different 9mm's are there :???:
Holy shit you have a lot to learn. Start reading.

[Slomaro Z28]

NCHBrandon Just bought a Taurus PT145 (3.5" barrel, .45 caliber) for right around $400ish, brand new and stainless steel.

Well there a lot of different guns in that caliber, but for a Semi-Auto Pistol you'll be shooting 9mm Luger bullets. If you want something for self-defense you need a bigger caliber, such as the .45 I mentioned.....it's in your price range and a great gun for the price :goodjob:

[WickedIXMR]

Looking for a self defense(9mm) handgun in the $400-500 range. Easy to clean, accurate, reliable, and something I can hang onto for a long time. Weight and size not a issue, I'm not going to go concealed- yet.

I'm pretty confused with all these different caliber sizes. How many different 9mm's are there :???:
Ok I'll try to be nice for once.

Just like motorcycles, companies make bikes in different engine sizes. They got 250cc, 600, 750, 1000, etc. They also got different companies that make a bike in the same class (engine size).

It's the same with guns. There are many different companies that make different size guns and different size calibers (bullet size). Take Glock for instance, they make a 9mm handgun in 3 different sizes. A full size (5in barrel), compact (4in barrel), and a sub compact (3in barrel), all using a 9mm bullet. It's the same deal with different size bullets.

Glock also makes guns with different caliber bullets (think bikes with different engine size). They got 9mm, .40s&w, .45, 10mm etc etc etc.
Full size polymer framed handguns usually have a 5in barrel
Compacts are usually a 4in barrel
Sub compacts are usually a 3in barrel

With that said, I would not recommend getting a full size for your first gun. You never know, a little down the road and you might think about carrying it and carrying a full size gun is not practical. I'd recommend getting a compact or sub compact.

There are plenty of great guns in your price range. Go hold a bunch and shoot a bunch and get whatever you feel best with.

[ka24boost]

kal tec 9 mm

[GIXXERDK]

Ok I'll try to be nice for once.

Just like motorcycles, companies make bikes in different engine sizes. They got 250cc, 600, 750, 1000, etc. They also got different companies that make a bike in the same class (engine size).

It's the same with guns. There are many different companies that make different size guns and different size calibers (bullet size). Take Glock for instance, they make a 9mm handgun in 3 different sizes. A full size (5in barrel), compact (4in barrel), and a sub compact (3in barrel), all using a 9mm bullet. It's the same deal with different size bullets.

Glock also makes guns with different caliber bullets (think bikes with different engine size). They got 9mm, .40s&w, .45, 10mm etc etc etc.
Full size polymer framed handguns usually have a 5in barrel
Compacts are usually a 4in barrel
Sub compacts are usually a 3in barrel

With that said, I would not recommend getting a full size for your first gun. You never know, a little down the road and you might think about carrying it and carrying a full size gun is not practical. I'd recommend getting a compact or sub compact.

There are plenty of great guns in your price range. Go hold a bunch and shoot a bunch and get whatever you feel best with.

I think I said it wrong, guess I dont really know all the terminology yet. Take a look at this website and go down to the 9mm
HERE (http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_by_anonymous.htm)
.380 ACP (9mm Short, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz)
9mm Makarov (9x18mm)
.38 Special
9mm Parabellum (9mm Luger,9x19mm, 9mm NATO, or simply "9mm")
.38 Super

Thats what I meant by what are all these different 9mm's.

[Alan®]

H&K USP 9mm can easily be had for this price.

[SouthrnStyle]

get a .40 for personal protection!

[WickedIXMR]

I think I said it wrong, guess I dont really know all the terminology yet. Take a look at this website and go down to the 9mm
HERE (http://www.chuckhawks.com/ammo_by_anonymous.htm)
.380 ACP (9mm Short, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz)
9mm Makarov (9x18mm)
.38 Special
9mm Parabellum (9mm Luger,9x19mm, 9mm NATO, or simply "9mm")
.38 Super

Thats what I meant by what are all these different 9mm's.
Well if you actually read the website, you'd know those are all different bullets. What is put in the parenthesis is just a different name for that same bullet. The 9mm "Parabellum" aka 9mm luger is the most commen 9mm pistol round, as said in the website. The 9mm luger is what you are referring to.

[WickedIXMR]

get a .40 for personal protection!
I agree with this.

[Alan®]

I agree with this.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=157062245
:goodjob:

[SouthrnStyle]

I agree with this.

You have to man, when the day comes i have to shoot someone i want them to go down!

[WickedIXMR]

You have to man, when the day comes i have to shoot someone i want them to go down!
Exactly why my next gun is gonna be a .45 and my two 9mm's are gonna be guns to go to the range or "truck guns."

[GIXXERDK]

What do you guys think about these? Did the author rank them properly?

http://www.best9mm.com/
1. CZ 75b
2. FN Herstal FNP-9
3. Baby Eagle 9915R
4. Beretta 92FS (M9)
5. Taurus PT92
6. Springfield XD9 5"
7. Beretta PX4
8. S&W M&P
9. CZ 75 P-01
10. Glock G19 & G17
11. Sig Pro SP2022
12. Baby Eagle Semi-Comp. 9915RSL
13. Stoeger Cougar 8000
14. Zastava EZ9
15. S&W 910
16. Armalite AR-24
17. EAA Witness Steel
18. Ruger SR9
19. Bersa Thunder 9 High Capacity
20. Taurus PT911
21. Taurus 24/7 Pro
22. Ruger P89
23. EAA Witness Poly 4.5"
24. Ruger P95
25. Hi-Point C9 Comp

[tybalt6691]

DO NOT GET A SUB-Compact as your first handgun! Regardless of the caliber you will not enjoy shooting it if the recoil is too much. A g19 or 23 would be a perfect first gun to own. Or a SIG p250 which is DAO and a great thing for beginners.

[NJSC]

Dude the best thing I can tell you is you have to try on a gun just like you would a pair of pants. Some gun ranges will let you rent guns so you can see how they feel when you shoot one. Everyone has their different tastes, styles, hand size, etc. and no one can tell you what you are going to like best. Granted build quality, availability of parts, interchangeability, etc. must all be considered which is where other people's opinions and your homework comes in. But ultimately it comes to what you think about the gun and how it fits in your hand, so go find a range that rents guns and test some is my suggestion.

[DynamicSound]

I just recently bought a Glock 19 to carry concealed. It was between the 19 and 23 with the .40 bullets. Since it was my first gun, I decided to go with the 19. I can always upgrade in the future.

As far as going down, I am sure the 124 grain Golden Saber Hollow Points will have no problem. :goodjob:

[nchbrandon]

I just got the taurus pt145 .45 cal. it is a great gun. However for me, my ruger p95 9mm is easier to disassemble and clean. It is a 4 inch barrel and probably wouldn't be as good to conceal. Ruger just released a sr9c, it is a 9mm compact model of the sr9 and it is in your price range, lots of good guns are. A .45 is a larger caliber, but a 9mm is just is good for self-defense if you learn how to shoot it right. Like everyone else says, shoot lots of guns and get the feel of them, pick out the one you are comfortable with.

[DamnDisLaOsBoY]

I just recently bought a Glock 19 to carry concealed. It was between the 19 and 23 with the .40 bullets. Since it was my first gun, I decided to go with the 19. I can always upgrade in the future.

As far as going down, I am sure the 124 grain Golden Saber Hollow Points will have no problem. :goodjob:

That will do the job. I just downgraded my daily carry to a 9mm. Way cheaper rounds to practice in.

BTW springfield XD or glocks are easiest to take apart, simple, accurate. Please know your basic gun safety rules first though,

[Truegiant]

You have to man, when the day comes i have to shoot someone i want them to go down!

It doesnt matter, if when that day comes you only end up shooting him in the leg once out of 10-15 bullets because you never went to the range and practiced. I would take 10 guys into battle who all owned high points, if they could consecutively hit a 8" pie plate at 25yds on the move.

Unlike most other people out there who think they know shit about handguns and make stupid comments like, get a .40 for personal protection.

Go to a range and rent 5-6 guns. Shoot 100 rounds out of each gun. See if the range place has a holster you can throw them in and walk around, sit in a chair, sit in your car, run around the building and see which one fits you the best. Why buy a Glock 23 if you cannot even fit your man hands on it? Why buy a 1911 if for the life of you, yo ucannot hit the broad side of a barn.

Dont fall into the hype of buying guns off of internet research. I feel i am a pretty damn good shot and there are some guns out there that I cannot hit shit with consistently. Anyone can shoot small groups from a rest hitting paper under no stress conditions. The same doesnt apply when your hands are sweaty, hearts racing, there is little to no light, and the target isnt sitting still.

End rant = :2cents:

[DamnDisLaOsBoY]

It doesnt matter, if when that day comes you only end up shooting him in the leg once out of 10-15 bullets because you never went to the range and practiced. I would take 10 guys into battle who all owned high points, if they could consecutively hit a 8" pie plate at 25yds on the move.

Unlike most other people out there who think they know shit about handguns and make stupid comments like, get a .40 for personal protection.

Go to a range and rent 5-6 guns. Shoot 100 rounds out of each gun. See if the range place has a holster you can throw them in and walk around, sit in a chair, sit in your car, run around the building and see which one fits you the best. Why buy a Glock 23 if you cannot even fit your man hands on it? Why buy a 1911 if for the life of you, yo ucannot hit the broad side of a barn.

Dont fall into the hype of buying guns off of internet research. I feel i am a pretty damn good shot and there are some guns out there that I cannot hit shit with consistently. Anyone can shoot small groups from a rest hitting paper under no stress conditions. The same doesnt apply when your hands are sweaty, hearts racing, there is little to no light, and the target isnt sitting still.

End rant = :2cents:


x2... I know swat guys that qualify at 99% all day. When they are getting shot at or in a real scenario, they say that they would rate their percentage at about a 70%.

I was once into the hype of caliber size, power of a pistol, damage it can do, etc. Once i put money forward into shooting often, I find out that everything i used to think is a buncha BS. Like truegiant says. rents a few guns and see which ones fits your hand, comfort, and accuracy best. Everyones frame is different! I see like 6'8" 300+ lbs guys carrying sub compact guns just so they can "conceal better" shoot with about 2-3 fingers dangling below their pistol. Everyone is overly hyped on everyone else's feedback and label whoring!

[Truegiant]

x2... I know swat guys that qualify at 99% all day. When they are getting shot at or in a real scenario, they say that they would rate their percentage at about a 70%.



70% is a high number depending on the type of training or scenario. I can tell you that when i joined the military and first started going to stress shoot ranges i probably could hit 10-15% of my targets. Take into consideration that we run 2 miles in full gear, drag a 200lb dummy, shoot 50rds, apply first aid to a casualty, and then shoot 150-200 more rounds. So with all that being said your engaging targets anywhere from 10-200yds on the move. 10% is not good at all. After being in the military for a few years and shooting alot of 5.56 I could gestimate that my percentage would of been around 40%. Same scenarios just a little better technique and alot more practice.

HERE I AM GOING TO BE TALKING IN A VERY STERILE MANNER!

After going to combat and actually engaging the enemy I realized two things.
Murphys Law of Combat states no original plan ever survives initial contact. Meaning you must always have a plan b. The first time I was shot at my training kicked in. Everyone wants to be a sniper and do the good ole one shot one kill. We started taking pop shots at a guy who was approx 200yds away. Assuming he was the one who took the initial shot of course. I moved my team across the village to clear the building he was in and unfortunately found out there was alot more than 1 guy!

Second thing i realized is that the first 10' are alot more important than the last 10yds. Why be so focused on shooting at 100yds if you cannot consistently hit targets at 10'. Why worry about shooting the dick off of a hummingbird in all but pristine conditions when you cannot shoot the perp who is going after your kids when its dark out.

I see to many people who go to ranges and shoot in every position except the ones that matter. Are you really going to tell the bad guy kicking down your door to hold on while you go pull your gun out of the box, load the magazine, insert the magazine, take up a good ransom rest, and fire? I mean seriously. WHY DOES EVERYONE spend there $1k budget on a gun solely on the gun. Why not buy a $400 used pistol, holster, ammo, targets, and training? HOLY SHIT!! Why buy a $2k beater car and spend $300 a month on parts/maintenance when you can buy a $15k nice car and only have the $300 a month payment.

Some people just make no sense to me at ALL!

I am overly joyed that people are going out and buying handguns and making an attempt to arm themselves in this day and age, but please PLEASE take the time to do the proper training. Dont be a hero, there is always someone who knows more than you. Internet research doesnt mean you know shit! You are educated but have no experience. You know what we call those guys in the military.. Lieutenants.

:2cents:

[Slomaro Z28]

If I have to defend myself, I would rather have a aluminum baseball bat opposed to a wiffle ball bat:rolleyes:........get a .357, .380, .40 or a .45 if it's for protection:2cents:

[VTECking]

Get a 1911 .45 because, they are reliable, can be found in your price range, easy to clean, easy to shoot, and as american as you can possibly get in the handgun world. I promise if you get a 1911 .45 you will not regret it.

[Danny]

Step one in picking a handgun: pick something thats popular and is proven itself over and over in high round count, bad condition training and battle. Glock comes to mind, XD seems to be gaining ground, GOOD 1911s also fit the bill. Sure there are tons of other manufactures, but these are tried and true options that at training classes get used by the vast majority of the people with little to no weapon initiated malfunctions when compare to the guys shooting the 'other' weapons.

Step 2: choose the size that fits you needs, both physical size, and caliber, and rent the crap out of it.

Step 3: buy the gun, for ever dollar u spend on the gun and gear, spend at least 2 on training.

Realize that good shooters can pick up anything and can be fast and accurate with it. Any auto loading pistol thats built to decent standards will out shoot the the shooter any day of the week. So generally speaking its US that cant hit the target, not the gun. If you shoot one gun considerably better than another, chances are its lack of skill. If you shoot a specific gun marginally better than all the others, that's natural and called consumer taste and preferences. :)

Focus on becoming good, not finding the 'perfect' gun. they are all good in general, its the shooter that needs all help.

In short, buy one that has a good reviews from people that actually use them, essentially ignore everyone that goes to the square range. And it should fit your hand and point naturally, above and beyond that, it doesn't matter all that much imo.

[Danny]

If I have to defend myself, I would rather have a aluminum baseball bat opposed to a wiffle ball bat:rolleyes:........get a .357, .380, .40 or a .45 if it's for protection:2cents:

Yep, but one should not forget that just because u own a baseball bat doesn't mean you know how to play ball.

[Danny]

x2... I know swat guys that qualify at 99% all day.

i qualified 99.3% my first and only run through the GA police qual. And im not a very good shooter. I have also heard that you can expect to loose about 30% of your skill under a real scenario.

I took some training last year that was simunition rounds and live actors, where you walk into scenarios blind. I was surprised how effective the scenarios were are kicking addreiline and stress into overdrive. It also prooves that you "will NOT rise to the occasion, you will revert toyour level of training". cant remember who said that, but its true. Keeps a reality check that none of us are superman, and that we wont become instant badasses, we will simply revert to whatever level of training we have invested in.

FWIW all my shots were on target, I only died once (damn suicide bomber), and I shoved 2 sim rounds through an actors eye sockets while he was holding my "wife" at gun point (only student to end that scenario with out bloodshed of innocents lol). The head shot again prooves you revert to your level of training, i was taught that outside the nose/eye triangle is a miss. I can HIGHLY recommend force-on-force training as the best training you can invest in above and beyond basic weapon manipulations and competency.

ok enough for now, dont wanna sound like a salesman.

[Starrfire]

Beretta Px4 storm .40 s&w.(The glocks don't fit my hand comfortably) It is insanely simple and quick to take apart and very low recoil by its very special design. I love mine. I'd also consider a model 1911, but a good one won't be $400 new. And sub compact's are boring mainly because I like to shoot my guns at 25-30 yards and the accuracy would suffer on a smaller/same caliber pistol compared to a larger one.

Maybe a Taurus of some type would be my next choice.

[Bacon]

My personal preference is Springfield XDM .40 cal. I carry my full size one everywhere. Great defense caliber. XDM can be had in full size all the way down to sub-compact.

[mugenK20z1]

Glocks are what i trust the most and they are proven durable and reliable(search youtube for the videos), I have a Glock 23(.40 compact) which can be conceal and still pack a punch so that is why the .40 is becoming a popular law enforcement round. but like most experienced shooters say you have to go to the range and test out different types of pistols and ammunition grain(yes it can have a effect such as recoil and shot placement)...to make it simple i would go with the pistol you are comfortable to shoot and accuracy will come with training.

[GIXXERDK]

Thanks for every ones input. I am spending a lot of time at the range this week. So far I probably shot about 500 rounds with many different guns. I'm really not looking for compact or sub compact. I need a gun for my business and home, first. As a first gun I'm going for a 9mm since its relatively cheaper to shoot and practice with.

I forgot to mention, (might sound dumb) but the looks of a gun matter to me.. While Glocks reputation proceeds them they are just hideous. I would much rather look at and hold a piece of pure craftsmanship. I'm a believer in form follows function. I guess this is where the ability to customize a gun comes in to play.

[r_Senik]

sig sauer is a gun for you then..there is someone selling a p250 in the garage sale.

[Danny]

I would much rather look at and hold a piece of pure craftsmanship. I'm a believer in form follows function. I guess this is where the ability to customize a gun comes in to play.

Oh thats easy, you want a 1911. :D

[WickedIXMR]

Oh thats easy, you want a 1911. :D
Lol, I was thinking the same.

[Starrfire]

Shit even I want a 1911. felt great shooting clay pigeons off the bank behind the 25 yard range with a .45. So at about 30 yards you can knock someones teeth out with a 1911. Or at least its a great gun for me.

[patrick4588]

remember with the glocks you can buy conversion barrels for the range. i have a 10mm and that ammo is stupid expensive so i have a conversion barrel when i want to go plinking with it.