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Gun advice

So, I'm starting to seriously look into purchasing a small firearm. Blue states be damned! I'm not looking for anything fancy, just a reliable, relatively affordable handgun. Something that I can enjoy taking to the range. A buddy of mine said S&W is a good place to start, and you can get one for about $150 bucks. Mind you, I've never owned a gun, and have only shot one a few times. So, if there's something you would recommend as a good 'starter' weapon, that would be appreciated. Any advice or knowledge that y'all could share would be great!
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Comments

  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    If he is talking about police trade-in S&W revolvers, yes they can be excellent values. However, if he is talking about a used Sigma, run ;) Either way, you are going to need to spend a bit more than $150

    Realistically, the best thing to learn on would be a .22. It lets you work on your proper technique without developing a flinch, which can keep you from shooting well. Also, .22 in inexpensive enough that anyone can practice frequently. A good starter pistol would be a Ruger of whatever flavor you like best.

    If you decide to go with a centerfire handgun, I would urge you to go with a full sized gun. Definitely stay away from the super small pistols as they are going to hurt your development as a shooter more than anything else. There is plenty of time for them later. Here is a good gun to start off, if you insist on going centerfire. http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/smith-wesson/revolver/cPath/16_211_431 Although I see DAO as fine for a carry revolver, you might want to get one without a bobbed hammer, for the ability for the light single action trigger pull while learning. Either way, the biggest key to accuracy with a centerfire handgun is dry fire practice. This is what makes sure you don't develop a flinch and allows you to see where your sights go while you are squeezing the trigger. I know guys who burn way more ammo a year than I do, but are much worse shots, because all they do is go put a hundred rounds through their guns every weekend. I am lucky to get to the range once a month now, but when I do, the results clearly show the benefits of dry fire practice. If you are interested, PM me and I can give you some good dryfire drills.
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    BTW, Summit is a good dude and he has some K-frames w/the hammer spur still intact. http://www.summitgunbroker.com/K_frame.html Just don't forget to add shipping and whatever your dealer charges for the transfer into the total price. Local gunshops sometimes have trade-ins too. Happy hunting.
  • ENFIDLENFIDL Posts: 5,836
    Beretta M9. Very reliable and easy to use pistol. I knew guys in the Corps with me who never shot a pistol and they took to it well. I gave classes in disassembly and reassembly of it and range some ranges for my Marines in Iraq so tthey knew how to use it if they needed it in the event we lost our plt cmdr or plt Sgt
  • GoldyGoldy Posts: 1,638 ✭✭
    I just bought this one and LOVE it. I was looking for a .22 entry target pistol but I really dont like the look and feel of the ruger pistols. This gun is known to be very accurate and is $250 new with a 6" barrel and 2 clips. I havent had a single jam in over 1000 shots so far.

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  • wwesternwwestern Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭
    150 bucks will get you a hi point and that would be fun for no one. I'd stick in the realm of springfield, s&w, and ruger are very good mid priced pistols (400-800ish). If you're going with a center fire 9mm is probably the best to learn with and it's about the cheapest ammo. I also would suggest getting a .22 my personal favorite maker of 22 pistols is browning. Hit any gun shows you can living in dallas this should be pretty easy. You could probably find a browning buckmark or challenger for under 300 dollars. Firearms are very much a get what you pay for industry so i would suggest not penny pinching in this purchase.
  • wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    I'd suggest a Beretta M9 if you're starting out, since there's very little recoil on the 9mm, and it's cheap ammo. To me, there's really no point to a .22. Cheap ammo and little to no recoil, yes, but no stopping power whatsoever. I've shot a .40 with a Glock and the recoil was manageable. I'm really trying to get a HK USP Tactical, but das engineering of Deutscheland is expensive as hell. Springfield Armory pistols are very cheap, from what I've heard.
  • bige1371bige1371 Posts: 196
    If all you can afford is $150 then like wwestern said the hi point is really your only option or maybe a jennings. I owned a Hi point 9mm for a couple years bought it for around $125 at a pawn shop. I never had any major issues with the gun. They do tend to not fire cheap ammo to well. Sure it would be nice to get a ruger, glock, s&w, etc but if all you have is a $150 then you can't get one. I finally got a Glock last year best gun I've owned so far.
  • bige1371bige1371 Posts: 196
    M9 is sweet but your looking at at least $450+
  • jship079jship079 Posts: 621
    My first pistol was a makarov it is a russian 9mm that shots 9x18mm bullets I got it for like 120 I shot like a thousand rounds out of it and never had One jam im pretty sure it was a russian MP pistol so the over prduction makes them cheap but the fact that there for MP's makes them reliable
  • vegassparkyvegassparky Posts: 365
    are you looking for one for home protection too? check out the tauras line. they have one called the judge. it shoots 45's and 410 shoot gun shells. good gun for protection using 410 shells. and you can learn with 45's at the ranger. it is a revolver so it is really simple. it cares five shots. i have one for my house i load 2 45's and 3 410's. and priced around $400 bucks, and well worth it. i bought it to keep in the house ,so my wife could use it if needed. with 410 coming out of it, the bad guy isnt coming closer. and if he does, the 45 ends the problem. one of the best guns i have....
  • HaysHays Posts: 2,337 ✭✭✭
    vegassparky:
    are you looking for one for home protection too? check out the tauras line. they have one called the judge. it shoots 45's and 410 shoot gun shells. good gun for protection using 410 shells. and you can learn with 45's at the ranger. it is a revolver so it is really simple. it cares five shots. i have one for my house i load 2 45's and 3 410's. and priced around $400 bucks, and well worth it. i bought it to keep in the house ,so my wife could use it if needed. with 410 coming out of it, the bad guy isnt coming closer. and if he does, the 45 ends the problem. one of the best guns i have....
    Whoa... I just checked that gun out, and that thing is freakin intense!
    ¨The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea¨ - Isak Dinesen

    ¨Only two people walk around in this world beardless - boys and women - and I am neither one.¨
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    As for The Judge, its a fun toy, that is about it. No problem with that, but it is what it is. If you want a Centerfire auto, I would agree that 9mm is the way to go, though I still believe a .22 is better. Makarovs are great guns. I own one, but ammo can be hit or miss and isn't nearly as cheap as it was when they were dumping Maks onto the market around $150. Also, even though the 9x18 is not as powerful as 9mm, recoil is much sharper as it is a straight blowback design, rather than a locked breach recoil operated design like most modern service caliber pistols. One thing I neglected to mention in my first post is to go to a range that rents guns and try a bunch. What fits one person well may not fit another. With revolvers this isn't as big an issue as the grips can be replaced with a seemingly endless variety. When you are talking autos, your choices are much more severely limited. Beretta M9 and variants are a find pistol assuming the locking block has been replaced. However, it is a large pistol for 9mm. If you have large hands and don't want to conceal it, not a big issue. It is shootable even for those with smaller hands and concealable if you have to, but not ideal. Have fun.
  • Matt MarvelMatt Marvel Posts: 930
    Tons of info here, thanks guys. I can spend more than $150, I was just wanting to know if anyone else had seen a S&W for that price. I should've worded my question better. As for home protection, it's not something that I have to worry about all that much where I live thankfully, but it would certainly make me feel better at night.
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585
    I haven't read all the above... so not sure if this is mentioned. I'd check out the Ruger LCP .380. Centerfire, small, easily concealable if you want to carry, and fairly accurate. Plus, it's good for learners as ammo is cheap and recoil is light, and then you can get some +P ammo for protection, carry. Personally, I carry a .45 XD Springfield, and will be buying a Kimber Tactical Elite shortly in .45. Definitely out of the $150 price range though.
  • cholmes8310cholmes8310 Posts: 1,585
    wwhwang:
    I'd suggest a Beretta M9 if you're starting out, since there's very little recoil on the 9mm, and it's cheap ammo. To me, there's really no point to a .22. Cheap ammo and little to no recoil, yes, but no stopping power whatsoever. I've shot a .40 with a Glock and the recoil was manageable. I'm really trying to get a HK USP Tactical, but das engineering of Deutscheland is expensive as hell. Springfield Armory pistols are very cheap, from what I've heard.
    SA are definitely not "cheap" production guns, if that's what you're implying. The XD was handgun of the year in 07. I've had glocks, rugers, para ordnance, kimber, and the XD, and the XD was the best gun I've owned in .45. Tack driver of a gun, and can be had for $500. If you strictly meant price, yes, I agree, they are absolutely cheap money for the quality. And the Sprinfield Armory custom shop options make them even better. I love that they are willing to do whatever you need done for a price but also offer pre-built packages for those wanting custom upgrades.
  • wwesternwwestern Posts: 1,397 ✭✭✭
    cholmes8310:
    I haven't read all the above... so not sure if this is mentioned. I'd check out the Ruger LCP .380. Centerfire, small, easily concealable if you want to carry, and fairly accurate. Plus, it's good for learners as ammo is cheap and recoil is light, and then you can get some +P ammo for protection, carry. Personally, I carry a .45 XD Springfield, and will be buying a Kimber Tactical Elite shortly in .45. Definitely out of the $150 price range though.

    Kimbe TE /drool

    Also if home defense is priority and you leave your wife home while your away on buisness or whatever I would recoment a double action revolver.... no chances to mess up with jacking a slide or anything. just point, squeeze, and destroy.
  • TatuajeVITatuajeVI Posts: 2,378
    I'd really recommend spending a bit more on a handgun, as others have said. For the money, a used Glock definitely fits the bill. You can find them for around $400, and they are a very, very well built firearm. There's a good reason why well over half of the police departments in the US use Glocks. The Glock 19 is a very nice compact in 9mm. Reasonably priced ammo, cheap magazines, and with a little poking around online, you can pretty much do any sort of gunsmithing on a Glock yourself. They are incredibly simple.

    Other firearms to consider: Smith and Wesson M&P, Springfield XD, Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch and many others. The gun market is flooded with cheap handguns right now. Truly a great time to get into the hobby.
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    TatuajeVI:
    I'd really recommend spending a bit more on a handgun, as others have said. For the money, a used Glock definitely fits the bill. You can find them for around $400, and they are a very, very well built firearm. There's a good reason why well over half of the police departments in the US use Glocks. The Glock 19 is a very nice compact in 9mm. Reasonably priced ammo, cheap magazines, and with a little poking around online, you can pretty much do any sort of gunsmithing on a Glock yourself. They are incredibly simple.

    Other firearms to consider: Smith and Wesson M&P, Springfield XD, Sig Sauer, Heckler & Koch and many others. The gun market is flooded with cheap handguns right now. Truly a great time to get into the hobby.
    I will echo this. My carry autos are Glock. However, I strongly urge people to try them all out and find what fits them the best. Were I independantly wealthy, I would switch to the M&P series, because they fit me better. However, when I started there was no M&P and I went Glock and have so much Glock stuff I can't afford to switch over. I'm not complaining, as my glocks are excellent weapons, I just prefer the M&P, as it fits me a little better. So many great firearms out there today, indeed.
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    A way I reccomend to people looking for guns is to go to an indoor gun range where you can rent them. That way you can try a large variety of guns and find one that best fits/suits you. As far as reccomendations.... I have shot a huge array of guns and my favorite are s&w not only for their revolvers, nut for their m&p line as well. Some swear by glock, I haven't found one that hasn't given me problems in the long term... But my opinion only. Ruger makes the lcp nad lcr, bothe awesome guns and if you're looking for small with a really good hand feel, sig p238in 380 is also a great gun but they're kinda hard to find at the moment. Hook up with a range or a friend with guns, most gun owners are great people who will readilly dispense with experience, advice and opinion!
  • zoom6zoomzoom6zoom Posts: 1,214
    Well, Jet just beat me to it; DONT buy anything until you have tried a few out. One thing to be aware of, you should take a friend to the range with you. Many ranges WON'T rent a gun to anyone who comes in alone and doesn't already have one of their own (it's a suicide prevention thing, you'd be amazed how often someone tries it).

    A buddy of mine was absolutely certain from everything that he'd read in all the magazines that he wanted a Springfield xD for his first pistol; but once I took him to the shop and he actually held it and tried the trigger he didn't like it at all. (He ended up with a Sig229 just like the one I carry every day)

    I'd also save up a bit more and get something more than bargain basement junk that will just frustrate you. There are a lot of decent surplus guns on the market right now, a CZ-82 can be had for under $200. I just got a Polish P64 for $170, it needs springs replaced, but it's a nice little copy of the PPK. S&W model 10 trade-ins can usually be found for under 250.

    Any of the rest of you guys C&R (03FFL's)? Great to have if you're a collector!
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    I've been thinking about getting my C&R, as it is a requirement to hold some type of FFL to get class 3 here in MO and a C&R satisfies that requirement. However, I don't know when I will, since I am back in school and don't have much money. I figure no sense in getting it if I won't be using it for anything.
  • zoom6zoomzoom6zoom Posts: 1,214
    C&R is only thirty bucks for three years, and you can get some good discounts from vendors with it too.
  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    Indeed. I am just not buying ANYTHING gun related right now really, as I have all the guns I need (never have all the guns I want thought ;)) and cases of ammo stacked up. Give me a couple years. I should be in a much better place, financially, and I'd get my C&R and some class 3 toys.
  • TatuajeVITatuajeVI Posts: 2,378
    zoom6zoom:
    Well, Jet just beat me to it; DONT buy anything until you have tried a few out.
    Excellent advice. One pistol may feel great to me, but may be all sorts of weird to someone else.

    zoom6zoom:
    Many ranges WON'T rent a gun to anyone who comes in alone and doesn't already have one of their own (it's a suicide prevention thing, you'd be amazed how often someone tries it)
    I worked at a gun range where we had a "suicide by rental gun." That was a messed up day to work. Sadly, sometimes there is just nothing you can do to prevent it. Apparently it is fairly common.
  • JZJZ Posts: 827
    I'm partial to Glock. Great gun, extremely reliable. I have full sized 9mm .40 and .45, and a sub-compace (baby glock 9mm).
  • Matt MarvelMatt Marvel Posts: 930
    Everytime I check this thread, there's more and more of great advice. Thanks guys. I have no problem spending around $500, but anything much more is just too much for me. I'll look around and see if I can find a range where I can rent, so I can get a feel for it all. Thanks again everyone.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402
    It's a bit of a problem - the really good guns start around $800 or so. Below that, there are definitely some very fine guns, just not as many as there are at higher price ranges.

    If all you wanna do is get in some target practice and nothing more, by all means, go with a .22 - the ammo is cheap, the gun is cheap, and you'll learn how to shoot straight easily. But if you want home protection, I'd recommend stepping it up a few calibers. Just remember, only rifles and shotguns have the force required to kill in a single shot - handguns are terrible at killing because you need to be precise to do any damage (a single well-aimed .22 is more deadly than an entire magazine of poorly aimed .45), whereas a rifle/shotgun cause so much damage it doesn't much matter where you hit.

    As for home defense, it kinda depends on how much you wanna invest - Glock is a nice gun, just not my personal preference (but there are a lot of guys who swear by them); and in general you really can't go wrong with any of the big name manufacturers - Colt, Smith and Wesson, Springfield Armory, Kimber - those are all the top names and pretty much everything they make is good (I like Springfield Armory due to their lifetime warranty on every new gun they sell).

    If you visit any gun forums, and hear trash-talking, you really gotta take it with a grain of salt. Guns are a lot like cars - there are people who have an emotional investment in particular brands and will steer you wrong just based on their loyalties, so be careful, be safe, and have fun (and remember to keep your booger hook off the bang switch until you're ready to shoot).

    EDIT - If you're gonna get a gun for home self-defense, I can't stress enough how important it is to educate yourself about your State's laws, it's carry regulations, and the general prep that goes into self-defense. Buy some DVD's, read some books and educate yourself. Massad Ayoob is retired cop who writes about self-defense - a really great author IMO; David Kenik has written some really good books and made some good DVD series as well; I'd suggest both of them as a starting point.

  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    I don't know exactly what you mean by "really good guns" but you can get firearms that are more mechanically accurate than 99% of shooters, can go thousands of rounds without cleaning and not malfunction and fit the shooter for $500, less if you go used. And if you go with a refurbished Glock, for instance, it has been totally rebuilt by Glock and carries the same lifetime warranty.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402
    Ah, I should clarify - by "really good", I meant in terms of reliability, accuracy, warranty, etc. I was just saying that you don't typically find junk at the higher price ranges and it's harder to go wrong.

    You can get some excellent guns at or below $500 (XD, Glock, etc - both amazing guns and superb in every respect), but there's a lot of junk in that price range as well, so you need to be more careful and do plenty of research before buying. It's a lot like cigars - you can get some amazing cigars for $1-$3, but because there's also a lot of junk in that price range, you need to be careful and know what you're buying.

  • One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583
    I agree. I like the cigar analogy. Wine too, IMO. I compare cigars to wine but it works for guns too. It is pretty easy to get a really nice bottle of wine for $50. It is possible to get an equally good bottle of wine for $10, but it takes much more care in selection. Cheers.
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