Buying first pistol

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WillieELk78GSP
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Buying first pistol

Post by WillieELk78GSP » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:30 pm

I will be buying my first pistol and had some questions, 1: i would like it for both home protection and protection while hunting, what caliber should i go with? And 2: what have you found to be the best pistol for the mony in the caliber you would talk about in the first question?

Thanks everyone
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Mountaineer » Sat Dec 29, 2012 3:57 pm

I'd advise a revolver rather than a pistol for a new shooter.
Used S&W Model 19 4", for example....used Model 18 4", as a counterpart.

However, a shotgun would work a treat for home defense.

What worries you when hunting that you need another weapon?

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WillieELk78GSP
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by WillieELk78GSP » Sat Dec 29, 2012 4:30 pm

Well i hunt for big game including bear, and i never worried about it until recently. But i now would like to have one in the field, i use bow mostly. And plus they are fun to shoot. Thanks for the recommendation
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by TraditionsGSPs2010 » Sat Dec 29, 2012 5:54 pm

Here's a couple of things to think about:

1) 9mm, 40 s&w, .45 colt rounds are cheapest but also most powerful in that order. With the right hollow point, all meet the FBI's standards (12"+ penetration into 10% ballistic gellatin, 2x expansion, 1000 fps at the muzzle).
2) Full size guns are more comfortable and accurate to shoot but are harder to conceal.
3) Single action and Double action guns feel way different. Glock lovers swear by them and so do those who shoot 1911's.

I've owned a 40 for years (H&K USP) that is very accurate and fun to shoot. It is a double stack which makes the grip wider and it is a polymer frame so it is not as "customizable" as a metal framed 1911. I recently purchased a SIG P938 that is based off of the 1911 design and love it too. I have a Ruger Single 6 for fooling around. It is fun to shoot but I personally like the pistols more.
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by tommyboy72 » Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:01 pm

I own a doublestack Rock Island.45. Impossible to conceal. Heavy weight makes for less recoil and great for big hands like mine. Can't beat 14 rounds of .45 for self defense either. I really like the Rock Island 1911's because they are inexpensive but extremely well made sturdy guns. I have done quite a bit of custom work to my A2 which Rock Islands lend themselves very well too. Buy cheap and add the custom parts you want or just buy one already made up the way you like it and still pay half the price of some of the bigger brand names. My next purchase is going to be a Rock Island 22 TCM, also a doublestack pistol, holding 18 rounds of 22 TCM with an extra 9mm barrel and recoil spring. 1911's do have some break in time and if you are not familiar with them and their quirks as well as their takedown methods you may not like them. My brother who has served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy and is about to go to work for the Secret Service in the IT department swears by Glocks. They are dependable, reliable, offer many configurations and calibers but they are ugly as sin in my opinion. Good luck and just make sure you like and enjoy shooting whatever you buy.
Last edited by tommyboy72 on Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Ghosted3 » Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:02 pm

Just like most things, see if there is a local range or something that you can go to and try out a lot of the different models and see how they feel. I agree with the above mentioned calibers, but I also believe that you should try it before you buy it.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by volraider » Sat Dec 29, 2012 7:33 pm

S&W 40 cal shield single stack is what I have been looking at. I really like the Glock 27 but my hands are too big. I looked at the 23 and its bigger but the finger slots still doesn't fit my hands.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by jwnissen » Sat Dec 29, 2012 8:01 pm

I sell guns so I get this question all the time. Sme things to consider is what you are going to use the gun for, how familiar you are with pistols, and how much you want to spend. If you are going to carry it then get something small that you can hide. If you are not familiar with autos then get a revolver. If you get an auto you need to be able to deal with jams, stove pipes and duds in high intensity situations and in the middle of the night when someone breaks into your house. All stuff you need to think about. If you want something to carry in public and in the woods, look at getting a .357. My favorite is the ruger lcr. Expect to spend 350 and up. I agree with the smith and Wesson shield in the 40 if you. A find one. I carry the ruger lc9. I would like a .40 cal. Go to your local gun shops and ask them and hold every gun you can. Go to multiple shops and talk to as many people as you can. you can pm me if you would like to ask some more questions. Hope this helps.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Troy08er » Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:13 pm

I really like the 10mm. For years I carried the Glock 29 but as late it's been the Ruger LCP, easier carry in shorts.
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AZ Brittany Guy
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by AZ Brittany Guy » Sun Dec 30, 2012 8:53 pm

I have a .357 Rugar revolver that I load with 3 snake shot and 3 .357 loads. Snakes and yotes are the biggest concern where I hunt and train.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by gotpointers » Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:35 am

I love my 1911s but my smith and Wesson bodyguard 380 is the one that weighs.next to nothing and always goes with me. It's cheap and has a built in laser sight also.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by homestead setters » Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:48 am

Bear hunting with a bow with a hundgun for back-up, If I were you I would buy a 357 or 44 Mag revolver Ruger or Smith & Wesson they both are excellent guns.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by MinneapolisMatt » Tue Jan 01, 2013 3:10 pm

I have a variety of handguns, but my Glock 23 is my favorite all around sidearm. Not bad for concealment, but it holds 13+1 .40 S&W so it is effective for self defense. Due to the compact size, it's not particularly accurate, but it will definitely hit it's target in a close quarter self defense situation.

You can't beat a 1911 for a combination of stopping power and accuracy.

Glock offers the best bang for your buck in my opinion, and they offer just about every caliber and size you could want. There is a reason they are a choice of law enforcement. One of the most accurate and reliable handguns you could own is a Baretta 92, however it's 9mm which is debateable as a self defense round. Sig Sauer offers the most ergonomic design in my opinion, but they are more expensive and require some maintenance.

Bottom line Glock, Glock, Glock.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Grange » Thu Jan 03, 2013 9:04 am

I was in a gun shop yesterday for the same reason except I want a pistol more for the fun of shooting and for home protection. I doubt I will want to carry on a regular basis so I am looking at a full size handgun rather than a compact. I'm looking at either a 9mm or .40 cal as those seem to be the most common and reasonably priced ammunition. Yesterday I held a S&W MP 9mm and a Beretta .40 cal. I liked the feel of the Beretta better as it had a "fuller" grip whereas the S&W had a narrower grip. The S&W as around $75 less.

My biggest gripe with what I've been finding is that there seem to be no left handed pistols. It's one thing to be having the brass fly past my face at the range when I would be wearing eye protection and have the gun at arms length, but in home defense or other chaotic situation the potential to have the flying brass hit my face doesn't sound appealing. This makes me feel more comfortable with my shotgun.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by nikegundog » Thu Jan 03, 2013 1:57 pm

Grange wrote:I was in a gun shop yesterday for the same reason except I want a pistol more for the fun of shooting and for home protection. I doubt I will want to carry on a regular basis so I am looking at a full size handgun rather than a compact. I'm looking at either a 9mm or .40 cal as those seem to be the most common and reasonably priced ammunition. Yesterday I held a S&W MP 9mm and a Beretta .40 cal. I liked the feel of the Beretta better as it had a "fuller" grip whereas the S&W had a narrower grip. The S&W as around $75 less.

My biggest gripe with what I've been finding is that there seem to be no left handed pistols. It's one thing to be having the brass fly past my face at the range when I would be wearing eye protection and have the gun at arms length, but in home defense or other chaotic situation the potential to have the flying brass hit my face doesn't sound appealing. This makes me feel more comfortable with my shotgun.
It shouldn't matter if your shooting right or left handed the brass should never hit you if the face, ever, if that happens its a design flaw in the gun not a right/left hand problem. I shoot a H&K USP its safety is designed to be switched for a left handed shooter, the mag release is ambidextrous.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by MinneapolisMatt » Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:08 pm

It shouldn't matter if your shooting right or left handed the brass should never hit you if the face, ever, if that happens its a design flaw in the gun not a right/left hand problem. I shoot a H&K USP its safety is designed to be switched for a left handed shooter, the mag release is ambidextrous.[/quote]

Gen 4 Glocks have a mag release that can be switched for left handed shooters as well.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by mtlhdr » Thu Jan 03, 2013 6:22 pm

If I could only own one: Glock 23 (40S&W). IMO best blend of price, energy, capacity, size/fit, and reliability. Not an ideal conceal carry gun, but I didn't see that in you priorities.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Grange » Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:32 am

I'm hoping to get to an indoor gun range this weekend to rent a couple pistols. I'm not looking to spend a lot of money, so they've got the Smith and Wesson MP 40 and a FNX 40 I want to try. Both those have ambidextrous controls. I'll see if they have a Glock a well.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Southwind » Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:56 am

Being a former police officer, I have shot, carried or owned almost every popular make of hand guns on the market. For someone that is not a pistol shooter and wants one for home protection and hunting protection, I would recommend a revolver in .357 magnum. Taurus makes a fine weapon and is usually more inexpensive than a Smith or Ruger. You can have good .357 rounds for you bed side or hunting bullets and shoot cheap .38 special rounds for practice. These guns are usually cheaper in price than semi-auto and a lot easier to handle. Also, they are easier take care of and learn to shoot with.

If you are set on a semi-auto, I would say get the one that feels the best to you. Glock, Sig and Springfield make great guns, it is just personal preference on which feels better. I have not shot the Smith M&P, but I stayed clear of them after the LAPD banned their officers from carrying them after the M&P had multiple on duty fail to fires and other malfunctions. A lot of people swear by the M&P, but I didn't feel like taking the chance on a proven unreliable gun. Obviously, the 9mm is going to have the cheapest and most readily available ammo, as well as being the easiest to shoot. While it would be a sufficient for home defense, not sure how well a 9mm would do on a charging bear. .45 is a fine round, but is rather expensive to shoot unless you reload. It is my personal preference to not ever own a .40 cal again. The ballistics and knock down are barely more significant than the 9mm and it is the most uncomfortable round to shoot IMO.

If you enjoy shooting, I have to agree with Tommyboy that the Rock Island 1911 is the way to go. They are a lot of fun and about half the price of a bare bones Kimber.

Sorry if this was a bit wordy and biased, just giving my honest $.02. Hope it helped someone.

Steve

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by deke » Fri Jan 04, 2013 11:39 am

I carry a glock 22 when out hunting and a glock 23 everywhere else. The only reason I chose Glock is because the larger grip fit my hand better. It all comes down to caliber, the larger the caliber the more energy released on impact. For where I hunt the biggest predator you would run into would be a black bear, and not a very big one, so the .40 works well for me. If i lived in AK i would deffinatelly invest in a .44 mag or something bigger. Just my 2 cents

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by nikegundog » Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:34 pm

deke wrote:I carry a glock 22 when out hunting and a glock 23 everywhere else. The only reason I chose Glock is because the larger grip fit my hand better. It all comes down to caliber, the larger the caliber the more energy released on impact. For where I hunt the biggest predator you would run into would be a black bear, and not a very big one, so the .40 works well for me. If i lived in AK i would deffinatelly invest in a .44 mag or something bigger. Just my 2 cents
It doesn't work like that. A 38sp and a .357 are the same caliber as is a .45 colt and a 454 Casual yet the energy is greatly different, in the case of the Casual its putting out more than 3 times the energy from the same caliber.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by trueblu » Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:58 pm

For reliability Sig Sauer and Glock are tough to beat. I own a full sized P250 and a mini-Redwood P938. Although the P938 is awfully small for large hands, it is perfect for concealed carry. Rugers, particularly the cheaper ones, tend to heat up badly if you shoot a lot of rounds through them. Both of mine are 9mm, about the least expensive most accessible ammunition in the somewhat larger calibers.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by mtlhdr » Fri Jan 04, 2013 2:06 pm

If you are thinking about going the Glock route be sure to handle the Springfield XD series. I really wanted a Glock in 45 acp but I ended up getting the XD because it fit me much better.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by nikegundog » Fri Jan 04, 2013 3:04 pm

homestead setters wrote:Bear hunting with a bow with a hundgun for back-up, If I were you I would buy a 357 or 44 Mag revolver Ruger or Smith & Wesson they both are excellent guns.
This is the best advice given for bear. With the 357 you would be able to practice with 38 special ammo (less recoil and cheaper), the 44 Mag has way more energy than anything mentioned (basically double), not a gun you want to put 50 rounds through practicing but the one you would want to be holding for a charging bear.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by MinneapolisMatt » Fri Jan 04, 2013 4:46 pm

One cool thing about Glock (and probably some other modern handguns) is that they are modular. In other words, you can buy a G21 (full size .45) and the slide and magazine for G17 (full size 9mm), and you are able to quickly and easily switch between rounds. That way you can have your .45 for hunting and home defense, but with the very same gun you can switch to 9mm for practice and range use. Granted, the slides are still about half the price of a new handgun.

Just something to think about. If you can't tell, I am very bias to Glocks :D

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by deke » Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:19 pm

Nike Thats what i said, dont see what the confusion was.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Grange » Sun Jan 06, 2013 7:05 pm

I purchased a Smith and Wesson M&P .40 cal pistol this afternoon. After going to the range and test shooting a 9mm of this gun as well as a 9mm Glock 19 and 9mm compact Beretta I thought the Smith and Wesson was the best fit for me. The Glock was nice, but is not as left handed friendly as the Smith and Wesson. I was also close to getting a Ruger SR40, but since it didn't have an ambidextrous slide release and the location on the other side was not really reachable with my index finger. That was the same reason I didn't consider the Springfield XD.

I also was able to get the gun with a thumb safety, which was important to me. I can't get used to the idea of not having a safety on my gun.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by DonF » Fri Jan 18, 2013 10:47 am

I believe that for home protection, nothing beats a 12ga pump with an 18" barrel. The sound of chambering a round will drive off most intruders. So where do you live that you might need home protection? As for hunting protection, I know some people have run into problems out there but I've never even remotely come close. For the most part, a handgun worth carrying is gonna be heavy and heavy is where I'd go. You don't need to carry concealed while your hunting And I'm not sure what likely hood would make you thing you need one out there? So, if I carried a handgun hunting it would be either my Smith 32 Long or probably my High Standard HD Military. One a 32 cal and the other a 22LR. With either you can carry a lot more ammo than anything else, either would be able to thwart anyone other than the drug addict that wouldn't be concerned if you had a Thompson and the odds of having trouble with a black bear are remote at best. if it's a sow with cub's, could mean trouble if, the cubs were either to close or you were between mom and the kids. Any other situation, bears will leave normally long before you even know their their.

So, my opinion is that the best defense gun at home is the shotgun and the best handgun for traipsing around the woods is either a light weight centerfire handgun shooting what some are going to call anemic or better yet a 22 LR. You might want to consider reloading and casting with the centerfire round. I shoot my 32 and my 38 cheaper than you can shoot a 22 LR. Very easy to control, fine for small game and great for the finishing shot on wounded game. Some people really enjoy shooting large caliber handguns with jacketed bullet's, I don't. I recall shooting a friend's mod 27 Smith, 44 mag, years ago using heavy cast bullets, it was fun to shoot. Then we went bear hunting and he loaded up some full house 240gr jacketed bullet's. I took one shot and that was it. A 357 mag would be a great choice if you wanted to carry it hunting. 357's for defense and 38 spec for fun. I would not use cast bullet's in the 357, I'd stick to jacketed bullet's there.

I strongly suspect that we have grown very paranoid about attack and the need of defense weapons. Of course that would depend on where you live and play.
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:43 pm

Matt, you really think that you can shoot a .355(9pm) bullet down a .45 barrel of a Glock just by changing the slide and magazine. I don't wanna be around when you do that. You also would need to change the extractor and mag catch also. You could buy a second handgun for you suggested not to mention the medical bills When the higher pressure from the 9mm being fired in an unsupported .45 bbl causing it to rupture.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Fri Jan 18, 2013 8:54 pm

[quote="Brazosvalleyvizslas"]Matt, you really think that you can shoot a .355(9 mm) ) bullet down a .45 barrel of a Glock just by changing the slide and magazine. I don't wanna be around when you do that. You also would need to change the extractor and mag catch also. The chamber of the barrel is the main component that dictates the caliber. You could buy a second handgun for what you suggested trying to do not to mention the medical bills When the higher pressure from the 9mm being fired in an unsupported .45 bbl causing it to rupture. Modular means that the frame rails are steel where as the grip portion is polymer much like the 1911's built by STI.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by MinneapolisMatt » Sat Jan 19, 2013 4:46 pm

The only thing that I mixed up is that you can only convert from a larger caliber to a smaller one. Changing the barrel and magazine will absolutely work to change calibers on a Glock, and there are countless videos online to prove my point.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Brazosvalleyvizslas » Sat Jan 19, 2013 6:24 pm

You didn't mention the barrel, just the slide and Mag. I would also like to know where someone would be able to purchase just the slide? I've been out of Glocks for some time but when I owned them, Glock would not sell parts like that. Also a .45 ejector has to be so far out so that it doesn't hit the primer and therefore wouldn't eject a 9mm. I have a friend who shoots professionally for Glock and another who works for them so I will ask them what all would have to be done. I won't believe any video though because there are plenty that try to prove that it shoots underwater well and I've personally tested that and most of those videos were lies. Nowhere on Glocks website does it claim that you can convert calibres. And I will say with 100% certAinty that modular means that it has steel frame rails and a polymer grip.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by LabTested » Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:08 am

I'm brand new to handguns but my first one is a Glock 23 (.40, though I also got a Lone Wolf 9mm conversion barrel since it is so much cheaper to shoot when at the range...even though we reload). I got it for a 4-day defensive handgun course I took and having never shot handguns more than an occasional "Hey Honey, try this one!" opportunity, it was not bad at all. The instructors (all retired military, special forces or police) complained about my choice because of the recoil. Honestly, if I was shooting a couple of days regularly, it wouldn't be bad...but I took the course in November and after going through 800 rounds of .40, my right wrist is STILL bothering me. ;)

Being far more used to shotgun prices (and my dream handgun is a Kimber Custom Crimson Carry II... 1911), Glocks are pretty cheap, IMO. Oh, and I got close to $100 off by joining GSSF (http://gssfonline.com/ ). A 2 yr membership is only $60 and gives you that discount yearly so it more than pays for itself, and there are some VERY fun weekend shooting tournaments throughout the US.
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by jkoehler » Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:46 pm

I just bought a Steyr M9A1 and it might be the best handgun I have ever shot. Its a 9mm, fit my hand perfect. Sits lower in the handle and is smooth. Has these trapizod sights that just flow perfect to line up the sights. I picked one up by accident. Was looking for Ruger or S&W, but I had a buddy tell me about Steyr and how the guy who made this gun worked for Glock and wanted to make changes and they didn't agree so he left to start this company. I picked it up at Cabelas for $449. Very low muzzle jump in fact my 12 year old daughter shot it and she loved it.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Kmack » Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:16 am

For a left-hander (and anyone else for that matter) one of the best bargains out there in my opinion is the FNS models from FNH. My every day carry is the FNS9. I love it. Fully ambidextrous, comes standard with Trijicon night sites, interchangeable back straps, and 3 mags (17 round for the 9mm). Plus, it's made in the good old US of A. My second choice would be the Glock 19 which is a little smaller than most of the others without going to a sub-compact which I don't care for personally. Reality is that any of the current pistols which are popular today are good, solid platforms and it comes down to figuring out what you want, like , need, etc. then it's a matter of what you like vs. how much are you willing to pay.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by UpNorthHuntin » Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:26 am

homestead setters wrote:Bear hunting with a bow with a hundgun for back-up, If I were you I would buy a 357 or 44 Mag revolver Ruger or Smith & Wesson they both are excellent guns.
I agree. .357 or 44 mag. .357 has enough knock-down power. I carry a S & W 686 and it's a beast on big game. 9mm is a little fast without quite the knock-down power. Sometimes will travel right through without a lot of damage. I carried a glock 17 for years for work and then they switched to the 40 H & K. H&K was nice, but pretty tuff trigger squeeze compared to the Glock. For game though, I would stick to the revolver and carry High Velocity Hollow Points like Speer Gold Dots or something.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by UpNorthHuntin » Sun Feb 10, 2013 7:27 am

UpNorthHuntin wrote:
homestead setters wrote:Bear hunting with a bow with a hundgun for back-up, If I were you I would buy a 357 or 44 Mag revolver Ruger or Smith & Wesson they both are excellent guns.
I agree. .357 or 44 mag. .357 has enough knock-down power. I carry a S & W 686 and it's a beast on big game. 9mm is a little fast without quite the knock-down power. Sometimes will travel right through without a lot of damage. I carried a glock 17 for years for work and then they switched to the 40 H & K. H&K was nice, but pretty tuff trigger squeeze compared to the Glock. For game though, I would stick to the revolver and carry High Velocity Hollow Points like Speer Gold Dots or something.
If you are looking for a good price, the Taurus .357 MAG is a pretty nice revolver for the money as well.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by JWP58 » Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:33 pm

Glock or S&W M&P. Start out with a 9mm. Pay for some training...good training.

Or at the very least purchase a training dvd and practice, practice, practice. Buy some snap caps and dry fire practice. You can gain a ton without even firing a round (weapon manipulation, drawing, reloads, ect)

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Southwind » Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:42 am

I know I probably shouldn't be asking this on a gun dog forum, but does anyone know if S&W changed their factory trigger group in the M&P? Before I left the police dept a couple years ago, I remember the LAPD banning its officers from carrying the M&P on duty or off because they had multiple fail to fire malfunctions caused by the trigger group. And these were on-duty malfunctions, not just at the range malfunctions.

I knew a couple guys that were buying them last year and the first thing they did was put aftermarket trigger assemblies in them. Ergonomically, the gun feels great in your hands. The M&P and the Springfield XD probably fit the hands of the greatest numbers of shooters the best. In my opinion, those two are in a class of their own for feel and pointability for a polymer framed double action only pistol.

My concern is that the documented LAPD malfunctions occurred 3-4yrs ago. I know up until even last year, they were still putting the same trigger in them and they might not have changed them yet.

How can S&W pride themselves on a weapon that they knowingly put faulty components in?

I know plenty of people that have them and swear by them, but I would not even consider one until I knew the trigger assembly had been modified by the manufacturer.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by tommyboy72 » Wed Mar 06, 2013 11:30 pm

I like the Phillipino made 1911's so much I purchased a couple more recently. A SAM commander model and a Citadel compact for concealed carry, Citadel is also made by Armscor who make the Rock Island. Here are some pics.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by gotpointers » Thu Mar 07, 2013 6:03 am

As soon as the shelves fill up again after the recent craziness I'm gonna try the FN 5 7. From what I read its like no other's.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Southwind » Thu Mar 07, 2013 10:34 am

Gotpointers--I have handled one before. The pistol was huge and I have pretty big hands. I haven't heard much about them either way. I don't think it is quite the manstopper that most people thought it would be. I know a bank robber got stitched up by one in the Kansas City area about 10yrs ago and it took several hits with it and other calibers to put him down.

The idea of that type of round has been around for a while. 15yrs ago or so there was a round called the .224 BOZ. It was a 50gr Nosler Ballistic tip bullet made for a .223/5.56. The casing was a 10mm pistol case necked down to fit the bullet. A special barrel was made specifically for the Glock 10mm which I believe was the model 20. The conversion barrel like 6-10" and extended out the end of the slide, but was completely drop in and even used the regular glock mags. Never really took off, but seemed impressive at first glance.

I am with Tommyboy. After having to carry a double action only pistol for many years on the PD, I am have caught the 1911 bug and the Rock Islands are fantastic guns for the money you spend.
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by gotpointers » Thu Mar 07, 2013 1:58 pm

Thanks Southward for the information on the FN. I have never held one before but I think I was more in love with the rifle type round and capacity.
I too am a big 1911 fan but I sold all it them to buy dogs. I think I may just go back to the tried and true. Hopefully I can buy back the 38 super para ordinance 1911that I sold.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by JWP58 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 12:51 pm

Southwind wrote:I know I probably shouldn't be asking this on a gun dog forum, but does anyone know if S&W changed their factory trigger group in the M&P? Before I left the police dept a couple years ago, I remember the LAPD banning its officers from carrying the M&P on duty or off because they had multiple fail to fire malfunctions caused by the trigger group. And these were on-duty malfunctions, not just at the range malfunctions.

I knew a couple guys that were buying them last year and the first thing they did was put aftermarket trigger assemblies in them. Ergonomically, the gun feels great in your hands. The M&P and the Springfield XD probably fit the hands of the greatest numbers of shooters the best. In my opinion, those two are in a class of their own for feel and pointability for a polymer framed double action only pistol.

My concern is that the documented LAPD malfunctions occurred 3-4yrs ago. I know up until even last year, they were still putting the same trigger in them and they might not have changed them yet.

How can S&W pride themselves on a weapon that they knowingly put faulty components in?

I know plenty of people that have them and swear by them, but I would not even consider one until I knew the trigger assembly had been modified by the manufacturer.
I have no idea, and have personally never had it occur or even heard about it. Most people whine about the accuracy of the 9mm's.

And I personally dont give to "BLANKS" what the LAPD thinks/does/says...
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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by walt501 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 1:31 pm

First pistol? Easy, anything in 22 Long Rifle. Why? Because it is relatively cheap to fire, so you'll practice practice practice and because the blast and recoil are minimal meaning you won't develop bad habits and can put all your energy into focusing on the fundamentals of accurate pistol shooting. Revolver or Auto loader, it makes no difference. You'll learn to control your breathing, focus on the front sight, clear your mind and slowly squeeze the trigger. Accuracy will be fair at first, but you'll make steady progress until you amaze yourself at the level of accuracy that can be had with a hand held weapon. At that point, you're ready to purchase a center fire pistol. 9mm will be the cheapest to shoot. Then start over with practice practice practice. I'm well aware of the current ammunition shortage, especially anything in 22 rim fire, but as they say this too shall pass.

As for a shotgun for home defense, I'm not a fan. Try this test, take a yard stick and hold it like a shotgun and try to go from room to room in your home. To point it down a stairwell, you'll have to move your entire body into the stairwell, exposing yourself. Now, try the same drill with just your hand pointed like a handgun. You can peak around corners and bring the handgun into position to fire while still keeping your vital organs concealed. Advantage: handgun.

Everyone has their own opinion, this one is mine based on decades of experience. It works for me. If something else works better for someone else, more power to you.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by buck » Sun Mar 24, 2013 2:04 pm

Finding a handgun to buy right now is harder than deciding on which one to buy. If you are not desperate, I'd wait till the demand is back to normal along with prices. I shoot wheelguns and bottomfeeders, and use different revolvers as my primary deer firearm. Most folks can cover the most bases with a .357 revolver. Accuracy with any handgun is tough unless you practice......a lot.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by jwnissen » Mon Mar 25, 2013 9:43 am

buck wrote:Finding a handgun to buy right now is harder than deciding on which one to buy. If you are not desperate, I'd wait till the demand is back to normal along with prices. I shoot wheelguns and bottomfeeders, and use different revolvers as my primary deer firearm. Most folks can cover the most bases with a .357 revolver. Accuracy with any handgun is tough unless you practice......a lot.
+1 and I would buy the one you can find the most ammo for. .357 and .38 is definitely easier than a lot of the others.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by Fshhntr » Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:44 pm

I carry the Tarus Judge 45/410. There are some great personal protection rounds avalible. Check it out.

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by jwnissen » Fri Mar 29, 2013 2:50 pm

So what did you decide to buy?

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Re: Buying first pistol

Post by DonF » Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:18 am

Brazosvalleyvizslas wrote:Matt, you really think that you can shoot a .355(9pm) bullet down a .45 barrel of a Glock just by changing the slide and magazine. I don't wanna be around when you do that. You also would need to change the extractor and mag catch also. You could buy a second handgun for you suggested not to mention the medical bills When the higher pressure from the 9mm being fired in an unsupported .45 bbl causing it to rupture.
Actually not much of anything would happen with the first round. pressure will blow by the bullet and if your lucky the bullet will fall out the barrel. if the bullet doesn't fall out then the second shot is gonna give you the vapors!
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