Another pistol newbie advice needed

chadeech

chadeech

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
63   0   0
Location
Montreal Quebec
Greetings waiting on my Pal to Rpal upgrade and researching what to get as a first pistol
Not rich so tops 1000
On my list .1911 norinco ...M9...p226 norinco...or a 1911 22 gsg. Or the like
Anything else i should be looking at ....thanks
 
My advice would be to avoid the .45ACP as it costs the most, in your list, to shoot.
A .22 like a Ruger Mk. III or Browning Buckmark would be my choice. The 617 revolver is excellent but will be near the top end of your price range.
If you're looking for a 9mm, the Walther PPX, P99, , S&W M&P 9, Glock 17 (used), CZ-75 are all excellent guns and under a thousand also, if you shop carefully.
Spend the rest on ammo!
 
I have had most on your list, and if its your first pistol get a quality reliable gun like SF said, have you tried a few on for size? Any idea on caliber you want to get? What are you going to be using it for? I am sure if you go to your range and ask to try other's pistols, the overwhelming response will be "heck ya" fill your boots!

I'll throw my .02 as i have had a few and the best pistol in my safe is my M9 hands down, lots of people are not fond of the double action/single action trigger, everyone will have an opinion on this :)
 
Good pistols tend to hold their value. For a 1st, why not decide on a type (double-stack auto, revolver, target, combat, single-stack auto, etc.) and then look at the Trading Post below and buy one used? Then you can get some rounds behind you, decide what your preferences are, sell your gun and buy what you want?

Some guns seem to shoot very soft for calibre. Others can be uncomfortable after 50 rounds. To me, that seems related to price (and the shooter), so buying a higher-quality used gun might help get off on the right foot.

9mm is likely the easiest calibre to buy and sell, plus the ammunition is easy to find and is cheaper than most others.
 
for my 2 cents.
as a novice i would suggest a 22 cal pistol in any copy of is big brother---1911/glock/sig/revolver etc.
as far as high end i would not recommend till you get settled into what you want to shoot --no reason to spend great amt. of cash on something you find is unsuitable or just not you style
for all the bashing a norinco gets it is a good place to start and there alot of deals on EE as well as new
as a starter you will be consuming large amounts of ammo thus 22 is a good choice and the gun is easy to handle which allows you to get comfortable with it before your next purchase

hope that helps
 
For your first handgun I would recommend a .22. You can find some Norinco woodsman clones around for $200 or so, but they can have issues (I bought one and the firing pin broke after about 30 shots). For the money, I would get a Ruger pistol, either an older used one or new, they're bar none the most reliably accurate .22 pistol I have shot. The 22/45 target or mk 3 target are both great pistols. If you wanted a revolver, there have been some used smith and Wesson model 17s kicking around lately and could be had for around $400-500 bucks depending on condition. You can get a new one from S&W for about $1200. A ruger single six can be had for about half that price and will not let you down either, but they are single action.

If you wanted a centerfire for your first, I would stay away from 45acp pistols, 44 magnum and 357 revolvers (unless you plan on shooting 38 and 44 special in them to start). There are a lot of good and not so good pistols in your price range. you really need to handle them and see what feels good in your hands, which feels best while looking down the sights and general ergonomics, everyone is different!
 
First pistol.....get a 9mm Luger (Glock 17 / Beretta 92FS / HK USP 9 / Sig P226 / SW M&P 9, etc, etc.

Don't get a .22lr pistol. It's great for teaching little kids firearm safety and handling/shooting, but for a man/adult and sports shooter, get a REAL pistol caliber. 9mm is cheaper that most other calibres, accurate, light recoil, and for its size still amazing capabilities. I love the .45 ACP but at $30/box it gets costly to shoot....9mm is just as fun and cheaper at roughly half the cost.

9mm still has the Oomph as a pistol cartridge....the .22lr is ideal for dispatching pests on the farm and teaching children firearm handling/safety.


Get the 9mm. You won't regret it....and you'll have LOTS of fun with it ;)


Happy Shooting :)
 
We've all contemplated this at one time or another. As others have mentioned, select a type rather than a specific model. You're going to learn about yourself more than the gun you buy. So buy something used, and more of a commodity (eg. Glock, Norinco, Smith and Wesson, Ruger) so that it can be reasonably sold with ease if/when you move on.

And for God sakes skip that whimpy .22 (though still fun) and get a real manly caliber, which apparently starts at 9mm LOL
 
Go to an indoor range and try a few out to see what you like.

Can get a Glock 17 Gen 4 brand new at some of the site sponsors for under, or around, $1000. Dont listen to the nay-sayers about Glocks. They really are sweet.
 
depends on how much of a student of the shooting sports you wanna be.

.22 is great for learning the basics and not developing a flinch.
maybe thats the way to go if you plan on practicing form alot.

it is super cheap compared to 9mm or 45, but the appeal may wear off quickly.

If you're just gonna be blasting away at the range and not thinking about become a better shooter for IPSC or something, go the middle road and get 9mm.
the fun won't wear off as fast as with a 22
 
I can't help but chuckle when people say .22 is for kids, men use 9mm...cuz that 9 is such a hellish recoil.

if I was starting over again, I'd probably take that $1000 and buy two guns. Maybe a .22 semi like the GSG and an Alfa revolver in .38spl or 9mm. Or if flip it...a .22 revolver and a centre fire Norc semi. Always good to have the .22 for cheap plinking and practice, but the bigger bang is satisfying too. Best of both worlds...You can always upgrade later once you know better what you like and what style of shooting you prefer.
 
I Beretta 92 should sneak in under the $1000.00 mark, they are a good pistol , I have a Norinco 1911, and a GSG and they are both very good value for what they cost.
 
Magellann said:
I Beretta 92 should sneak in under the $1000.00 mark, they are a good pistol , I have a Norinco 1911, and a GSG and they are both very good value for what they cost.
Click to expand...
Skip the Beretta and get a Girsan Regard if you like the looks of the 92. Spend the rest of the money on ammo. And I'll give another +1 for the S&W 617, such an awesome revolver.
 
Firstfishman said:
Go to an indoor range and try a few out to see what you like.

Can get a Glock 17 Gen 4 brand new at some of the site sponsors for under, or around, $1000. Dont listen to the nay-sayers about Glocks. They really are sweet.
Click to expand...

I like mine for the very fact it is 100% reliable and I've learned to shoot it reasonably.
 
Turkinator said:
Skip the Beretta and get a Girsan Regard if you like the looks of the 92. Spend the rest of the money on ammo. And I'll give another +1 for the S&W 617, such an awesome revolver.
Click to expand...

I have never shot the Girsan yet, but wouldn't mind giving one a try, from what Ive heard they too are not a bad pistol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom