New Gun

Lasabar

I've searched the forums and haven't seen an UP TO DATE thread on guns, and the one that was the "Newest" had a little flame war in it, so I'll start a new thread, if you don't like it, just remember, I'm now armed and a borderline alcoholic!

But anyway, as mentioned in another thread I DID buy a shotgun pump action with exchangeable barrels, haven't fired it a single time yet, for it's broke out of the box and no one is helping me, but I digress...

I will be buying a handgun this friday. Most likely a 9mm for it will be my first handgun and want to move UP in ammo to get a feel for it.

I'm thinking Sig p250, Beretta PX4, S&W M&P or a Springfield XD...

Anyone have any experience with these? I'm looking for ease of cleaning from a n00b standpoint, somewhat aesthetics (it's dumb, but blocks are ugly for my FIRST gun) and ACCURACY!

At this point I'm getting a semiautomatic 9mm, My future plans are to have a .22 handgun and rifle for plinking, the pump action for home defense, an over under for trap and skeet and a few handguns from 9mm up to .45.... But for now, I'm just looking at a 9mm
Thoughts?

bigfnsteve

Without knowing your experience level id recommend going to a range and shooting a variety of calibers and models. You might purchase a sig and not like the trigger pull or the manipulation of the weapon.. not knocking sigs just using it as an example. Personally im a Glock and 1911 clone fan. I know night n day. But each one i own is in .45 . I dig 45 super along with the +p variants and i have big a$$ hands. Its personal preference. Atlest before going out and dropping the coin shoot s much as you can. You may find you enjoy .40 over 9mm or visa versa. As far as accuracy goes... that comes with time and training. I have some wilsons or Dan wessons that will probably shoot better than i ever will. Heck my brother shoots his glock 36 better than i do up close with my trick poney 45s. Just takes allot of rounds. Now skeet that awhole nother story. Not trying to start the all too common myguns better than yours bs. Just sharing my experience

OchoZacho

I am not a Glock fan like most for the simple fact of the lack of safety that they have. This is why I went with the xd. I've shot glocks, like the way they shoot, but to me the xd was a more natural feel and a but safer. Had it for over 4 years now, fired thousands of rounds through it, cleans up easily, breaks down easily and never ever has it jammed. My advice would be to go with the xd, not the xdm, unless you're competition shooting, see how you like it for your first handgun and if you decide it's not for you, you can easily break close to even on a gun like that. Just my 2 pennies worth.

Un_Sub

For my first hand gun, I went with a .45 for home protection for the knock down power, over the 9mm. I think a handgun is better for home protection over a rifle. If you have an armed intruder and you get into a fire fight and have to take cover and return fire, a rifle would be a serious hindrance. I went with a very cheap .45 because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on my first hand gun, but it comes with a lifetime unconditional warranty and has more safety features than a luxury sedan!

catfishbluezz

My 2 cents...same as Steve...fire as many as possible, see what fits your hand nicely. More important than caliber, is accuracy. Granted, I'm not taking a .22 into battle, but a 380P will stop someone with two center mass shots...and a 1911 sure as hell will too. I own a Glock 23, wouldn't trade it for the world, it will be my main carry weapon, along with a Kimber and a Bersa Thunder....and maybe an LCR here too lol.

bigfnsteve

catfishbluezz:

My 2 cents...same as Steve...fire as many as possible, see what fits your hand nicely. More important than caliber, is accuracy. Granted, I'm not taking a .22 into battle, but a 380P will stop someone with two center mass shots...and a 1911 sure as hell will too. I own a Glock 23, wouldn't trade it for the world, it will be my main carry weapon, along with a Kimber and a Bersa Thunder....and maybe an LCR here too lol.

Haha! Sound like me! All ready for the "zombies"

djbeenie

I just love the way the glock feels and shoots and has Hardly any recoil. I currently own a Sig.380 and damn does it have the worst recoil. But I guess its not going to matter at point blank. haha!

xmacro

Buy the biggest caliber you can control; a well placed .22 will do more good than a full clip of missed .45

catfishbluezz

bigfnsteve:

catfishbluezz:

My 2 cents...same as Steve...fire as many as possible, see what fits your hand nicely. More important than caliber, is accuracy. Granted, I'm not taking a .22 into battle, but a 380P will stop someone with two center mass shots...and a 1911 sure as hell will too. I own a Glock 23, wouldn't trade it for the world, it will be my main carry weapon, along with a Kimber and a Bersa Thunder....and maybe an LCR here too lol.

Haha! Sound like me! All ready for the "zombies"

More like....the mass increase of criminals we will see if this economy does not turn around. Getting my carry permit by summer... Had two break ins last year, and what once was a nice little farm town is turning into a blood bath with gass prices and unemployment. Home invasions on the rise...so is my collection.

ShotgunJohn

I really like Springfield XD, I own 2 XD 45 and an XD 40 subcompact, they are great. The takedown for cleaning is easy and they are really easy to shoot. The kick on them is less than the kick on my wife's .32. You know probably the best thing to do is to go to a range that lets you test guns and see what you like.
I carry a Kahr 40 or my 40 subcompact everyday.
Congrats on the shotgun, shotguns are like cigars you can never have to many.

The_Kid

Those are all fine choices,, for myself I like the Beretta and I owned the storm in a .40 cal. I pushed alot of rounds through it and never once had any malfunctions, I always used good ammo. I also like Browning. Good Luck

clearlysuspect

I'm mostly a newb to guns but I've racked up a little collection so far. I haven't wanted to sink a ton of money in it, but have wanted some guns help me train myself and my family about home defense, shooting, safety, cleaning, and sport. My first gun was a Mossberg 88 Maverick shotgun. Short barrel, holds 6 rounds. I love shooting this thing! There's no other feeling like it. I went with the shotgun for home defense because nothing puts fear in an intruder quicker than the sound of "CHICK CHICK!"

For learning how to shoot, zero a scope, and gun cleaning I purchased a GSG-522. This is a fun little gun to shoot and don't be surprised if everyone at the gun range wants to shoot it! I've had lots of people trade me magazines of .45's, 30-06, 9mm, for a magazine in this thing! Now that's economical shooting because I can pick up 555 rounds for under $20 and shoot all day! Also, this thing is ridiculously complicated to take apart and put together, so if you can clean it, you can clean anything!

Third gun, hand gun, was a Taurus 809 9mm. Probably not the best hand gun in the world, but it's super easy to take apart and clean, and came in a case with all sorts of accessories at Academy Sports for only $299. I like it so far.

Last gun I bought was a Mossberg ATR 100, 30-06. I put a CenterPoint 4-16 x 40mm and a tripod on it and had a nice day at the shooting range! Look forward to learning how to hunt with this gun.

All-in-all, I came away with 4 guns that I'm well pleased with, I've obtained an incredible wealth of information, and I spent less than $1500 on everything (not including ammunition).

firetruckguy

Do you have a concealed carry permit? If so, go with the Berrett storm sub compact. It has a hammer and safty on both sides with a decocker. You can get it in either 9MM or .40. This is my new self protection gun. They make the storm also in a full frame and compact.

A shotgun full of 00 buck is still the best home defense gun of them all. Nothing will scare off a intruder faster then a shuck of a pump shotgun in the darkness.

bigfnsteve

I guess I failed to mention I carry Dan Wesson Patriot full size. Loaded with Golden sabres.. a wee bit-o punch there. Use to carry my Glock 21 but it was just bulky. Although the extra rounds were nice.

Lasabar

firetruckguy:

Do you have a concealed carry permit? If so, go with the Berrett storm sub compact. It has a hammer and safty on both sides with a decocker. You can get it in either 9MM or .40. This is my new self protection gun. They make the storm also in a full frame and compact.

A shotgun full of 00 buck is still the best home defense gun of them all. Nothing will scare off a intruder faster then a shuck of a pump shotgun in the darkness.

Don't have CCW, but it is offered in Wisconsin, so once I get used to the gun, I may pursue that later.

And I'm torn on 00Buck... The collateral damage seems to great to go with that round. I definitely want to stop an intruder, but don't want to have to patch three slates of drywall or worry about who else is in the house when I shoot. Although, if someone is in my house, I don't want to second guess the shot in my gun.

bbass2

The Kid:

Those are all fine choices,, for myself I like the Beretta and I owned the storm in a .40 cal. I pushed alot of rounds through it and never once had any malfunctions, I always used good ammo.

+1. I bought my first handgun last year and after a lot of research I went with the PX4 40. I'm a lefty so I wanted something with ambidextrous controls and that ruled out quite a few that I might have been interested in otherwise.

It fits my needs perfectly. Super easy to clean, nice comfortable grip, shoots where I point it, and I love the looks. I shoot cheaper ammo for targets and it hasn't hesitated.

clearlysuspect

In terms of home defense, I don't think there's even a question about the Taurus Judge or the S&W Governor. The ammunition they have come up with to go into these two revolvers is just plain ridiculous!

ENFIDL

bbass2:

The Kid:

Those are all fine choices,, for myself I like the Beretta and I owned the storm in a .40 cal. I pushed alot of rounds through it and never once had any malfunctions, I always used good ammo.

+1. I bought my first handgun last year and after a lot of research I went with the PX4 40. I'm a lefty so I wanted something with ambidextrous controls and that ruled out quite a few that I might have been interested in otherwise.

It fits my needs perfectly. Super easy to clean, nice comfortable grip, shoots where I point it, and I love the looks. I shoot cheaper ammo for targets and it hasn't hesitated.

The Beretta M9 hands down one of the best beginner guns out there. Good balance, rugged, easy to dis and ass, and also has a decocking feature which I love. I used one of these for years and rarely had an issue with them and these were old and abused ones at that.

Toombes

Desert Eagle small frame in .40 SW. Perfect balance, defrocked, disassembles in about 20 seconds. Yeah, I'll keep it...

Lasabar

Well... For my first gun I decided on a Springfield XDM Competition. Comes with three mags, fiber sights, longer barrel, holster and a mag holster for a decent price. Going to pick her up early next week!

clearlysuspect

Lasabar:

Well... For my first gun I decided on a Springfield XDM Competition. Comes with three mags, fiber sights, longer barrel, holster and a mag holster for a decent price. Going to pick her up early next week!

Congrats! Now just remember, all the same rules about buying humidors and cigars apply here! Once you get that thing to the range and start shooting it and other peoples guns, you're gonna want more!

JDH

Lasabar:

firetruckguy:

Do you have a concealed carry permit? If so, go with the Berrett storm sub compact. It has a hammer and safty on both sides with a decocker. You can get it in either 9MM or .40. This is my new self protection gun. They make the storm also in a full frame and compact.

A shotgun full of 00 buck is still the best home defense gun of them all. Nothing will scare off a intruder faster then a shuck of a pump shotgun in the darkness.

Don't have CCW, but it is offered in Wisconsin, so once I get used to the gun, I may pursue that later.

And I'm torn on 00Buck... The collateral damage seems to great to go with that round. I definitely want to stop an intruder, but don't want to have to patch three slates of drywall or worry about who else is in the house when I shoot. Although, if someone is in my house, I don't want to second guess the shot in my gun.

In response to that concern, Law Enforcement requested a 00 buckshot round that would provide low recoil, low penetration and tight patterns at short range. The Federal Power Shok low recoil 12 ga 00 Buckshot round has 9 pellets, and at about 20 yards, it makes a very tight pattern, which means less chance of incidental wall penetration. It's also a lower velocity round than most 00 buck, which lowers that probability. This is what I use for my 12 ga home protection.

For a handgun, I have a Ruger GP 100.



I prefer a revolver to the semi's, and this is a very good, reliable handgun. If money had been no object, I'd have bought this Smith & Wesson 357 7 shot revolver instead of the Ruger, but I'm very happy with the choice I made.:

zoom6zoom

I guess you can tell I haven't been around much lately sinceI hadn't chimed in on a gun thread!

I'm generally a SIG guy when it comes to carry guns, and generally in .40 or .45. I do have some smaller .38's and a nice little Kel-Tec 9, but I only carry them as back ups.

SIG229's. I generally carry these as .40.s but can swap barrels and go with .357Sig if desired. I have a .22 conversion for them as well:


SIG220, in .45:

Why I prefer .45 to 9. Your 9 may expand, but my 45 will never shrink.

jj20030

JDH:

Lasabar:

firetruckguy:

Do you have a concealed carry permit? If so, go with the Berrett storm sub compact. It has a hammer and safty on both sides with a decocker. You can get it in either 9MM or .40. This is my new self protection gun. They make the storm also in a full frame and compact.

A shotgun full of 00 buck is still the best home defense gun of them all. Nothing will scare off a intruder faster then a shuck of a pump shotgun in the darkness.

Don't have CCW, but it is offered in Wisconsin, so once I get used to the gun, I may pursue that later.

And I'm torn on 00Buck... The collateral damage seems to great to go with that round. I definitely want to stop an intruder, but don't want to have to patch three slates of drywall or worry about who else is in the house when I shoot. Although, if someone is in my house, I don't want to second guess the shot in my gun.

In response to that concern, Law Enforcement requested a 00 buckshot round that would provide low recoil, low penetration and tight patterns at short range. The Federal Power Shok low recoil 12 ga 00 Buckshot round has 9 pellets, and at about 20 yards, it makes a very tight pattern, which means less chance of incidental wall penetration. It's also a lower velocity round than most 00 buck, which lowers that probability. This is what I use for my 12 ga home protection.

For a handgun, I have a Ruger GP 100.



I prefer a revolver to the semi's, and this is a very good, reliable handgun. If money had been no object, I'd have bought this Smith & Wesson 357 7 shot revolver instead of the Ruger, but I'm very happy with the choice I made.:

i have the GP 100 6 inch and got the rose colored grips from ruger

bigfnsteve

zoom6zoom:

I guess you can tell I haven't been around much lately sinceI hadn't chimed in on a gun thread!

I'm generally a SIG guy when it comes to carry guns, and generally in .40 or .45. I do have some smaller .38's and a nice little Kel-Tec 9, but I only carry them as back ups.

SIG229's. I generally carry these as .40.s but can swap barrels and go with .357Sig if desired. I have a .22 conversion for them as well:


SIG220, in .45:

Why I prefer .45 to 9. Your 9 may expand, but my 45 will never shrink.

Very nice! I carry .45 for the same reason gotta love the expansion. I messed aroud with 10mm for a little bit but always comw back to the ol 45s. Plus a classic round Regardless of the tool you use to send it.

Lasabar

Thank you for the 00Buck recommendation, that sounds good.

But that brings another question up.

I've heard for shotguns that Remington STS and Winchester XX are good shots to use, but what about Handguns? What's a good, reliable ammo? I've read Hornady is superb, but depending on where you buy it, it goes from .87-1.20 a round. Are there any other rounds you guys buy? I'm not looking for cheap, I'm just looking for good, reliable and consistent.

During my research I've been thinking that Federal seems to be a good cross-section of value and reliability.

bigfnsteve

I use Winchester white box for general pumpkin destruction in works pretty well in all my guns and i carry golden sabres in +p. The white box isnt the cleanest ammo but its hard to beat cost wise. Im sure some of the other guys who shoot 9 can chime in with other options. And yes federal is a solid brand. Youll probably want avoid some of the cheaper russian stuff. They run through my glocks and AK clones fine but are figetty in some of my other toys. Real dirty ammo

gmill880

Personally , Lassie , with all the Miller Lite you drink I think you should have started out with a BB gun LMAO !!! J/K ; )

Now there's some CHEAP ammo !!!

Jetmech_63

I'm not a huge fan of glock, i have one but for personal reasons i just cant get into it. I thought i was done with polymer frames until i shot an M&P 40, i keep that by the bed and find it shoots extremely well, almost feels like an extension of my hand. I used a Sig229 at work a few months back and that will be my next handgun purchase, very shootable and aims almost naturally. The wife like revolvers and keeps a S&W 689 357/38 on her side of the bed. Ive also been playing with a friends Springfield Range Officer and that is an awesome entry level 45 for as many upgrades as it has. It also shoots very well if you're experienced with 1911 type semi's.

Gray4lines

No reason to make a new thread. Just got my first handgun today. Xdm compact. Can't wait to practice shooting.

Stubble

Good for you!! Congrats and be safe!!