My first handgun, on a budget

compass said:
Interesting way to put it silverfoxdj. I suppose I would like to shoot a few times a month, and at least a box of 50 if not two per visit to the range to make it worthwhile.
Click to expand...

Meh, I think it's hard to plan that sort of thing because it all could change when you start shooting. I only "planned" to get one pistol (I have three now and might get a 4th tonight), I only "planned" on shooting 1 box of 50 per visit, but those 50 rnds go quick and you're left wondering what else to do while you're at the range.

Prepare to spend money, lots of money in this sport/hobby. You can't get away from it. Like most people, you probably won't be able to buy just one gun. Like some people, you might not be able to just leave it stock and unmolested. And like everyone here, you will go through ammo, and possibly at an uncontrollable rate in the beginning. Just dive in, get a gun that you want first. If you're even thinking of other options (whether to get a Glock, 1911, or Beretta), you'll eventually find yourself reasoning that you can own all of them. The second that seed is planted, I predict that you will eventually get it, so you may as well just decide which one you want to shoot first. Everyone says budget in the beginning, but that word is meaningless in this sport/hobby.
 
Jay said:
The CanadaAmmo Norinco 1911 and 1000 rounds of 45 auto ammo for $499 gets my vote.
Click to expand...

Ok, the Norinco 1911 CanadaAmmo deal seems to make a lot of sense for what I am looking to do. Is it a solid and reliable gun? How would the Norinco 1911 .45 rate against the Ruger SR9? Thanks again for the input everyone.
 
This is probably the only time in the last 30+ years that buying a 1911 for a first gun makes any kind of sense at all, purely because of the Can Am deal. However, once those thousand rounds are gone, you have an expensive to feed gun. The Girsan 9mm pistols are an amazing deal for the cost - there is nothing cheap about them from what I've seen, and they are the issue pistol for the Turkish military, so they're a proven item. Either of those will work, I'd give the slight edge to the Girsan, because in the long run, it will result in lower costs/more shooting. If you go with the 45, get into the habit of picking up your brass, because the only way to shoot a 45 regularly -without the public paying for your ammo- is to reload. When it comes time to reload, I'd suggest a Lee Turret press, it's a nice blend of cheap, easy and fast enough to not feel like work.
 
compass said:
Interesting way to put it silverfoxdj. I suppose I would like to shoot a few times a month, and at least a box of 50 if not two per visit to the range to make it worthwhile.
Click to expand...

Good luck try to only shoot 1 or two box of 9mm each time....., when I go to the range I usualy bring : 4 box of 9mm / 4 box of 45acp / 2-3 box of 7.62x25 / 1 box of 44 magnum , yes each time I go , sometimes I also bring 200-300 22lr rounds.

:eek:)
 
enefgee said:
This is probably the only time in the last 30+ years that buying a 1911 for a first gun makes any kind of sense at all, purely because of the Can Am deal. However, once those thousand rounds are gone, you have an expensive to feed gun. The Girsan 9mm pistols are an amazing deal for the cost - there is nothing cheap about them from what I've seen, and they are the issue pistol for the Turkish military, so they're a proven item. Either of those will work, I'd give the slight edge to the Girsan, because in the long run, it will result in lower costs/more shooting. If you go with the 45, get into the habit of picking up your brass, because the only way to shoot a 45 regularly -without the public paying for your ammo- is to reload. When it comes time to reload, I'd suggest a Lee Turret press, it's a nice blend of cheap, easy and fast enough to not feel like work.
Click to expand...

Ammo will always run out, but when he's done, he can always buy another case of Norc ammo from Can Am, or the pricier stuff if he gets serious, or even reloading if he goes further.

If he wants to save money forever, get a .22lr. I suppose 9mm sort of falls in between the two somewhere. I've been looking at a Beretta, and I was also thinking about the Walther P99....I'll probably end up getting both one day, but for now, I've got my 1911s in .22lr and .45acp.
 
johNTO said:
Personally, I think you're too new to the sport to "not be a fan" of anything.
Click to expand...

My reasons for not liking Glock are completely personal. When I started shooting, I tried everything available at my local range, including Glocks. At the time, I settled on a CZ cause it was the pistol that minimized my own flaws with technique. I learned not long after that my reason for not liking certain firearms was due to my own inability to shoot properly. I've taken the opportunity to retry various pistols and have found a sweet spot with all of them, except for Glock. 7 months later, just haven't found a way to get comfortable with it. There's no logical reason, it's all in my head. Just doesn't feel comfortable in my hands. It's not even a tupperware thing. I'm a big fan of the Springfield XD and the M&P.

With all that, I did say it is still a good option for the OP. They're cheap, reliable, lots of people love them, you can find a ton of parts, some of the best shooters in the world run Glock.

Something I do want to point out to the OP, look at the M&P or Springfield XD. They often come as range kits so you may get one or two extra magazines, mag pouch, even a holster. Yes, they cost a bit more but you'll save a bit of money later on if you get into shooting sports like IDPA, IPSC, Steel, etc.
 
The SR9 isn't a bad choice, I've heard a lot of good things about it and it fits nicely in the hand. A couple of the other suggestions (Girsan, Norc, used Glock or Beretta) would be just fine as well. 9MM is probably a good pick for a first pistol if you want something a little more exciting than a 22. It's about the cheapest centerfire ammo out there and the recoil is quite light. The most important thing is to buy something YOU like. Post some pics when you get it and enjoy making holes in paper with the rest of us!
 
tazik said:
Good luck try to only shoot 1 or two box of 9mm each time....., when I go to the range I usualy bring : 4 box of 9mm / 4 box of 45acp / 2-3 box of 7.62x25 / 1 box of 44 magnum , yes each time I go , sometimes I also bring 200-300 22lr rounds.

:eek:)
Click to expand...

A good way I've found to stretch out rounds is to make every shot count. Make up/find some games for yourself, with the intention of becoming a better shooter. I've done the following.

-Blank paper with a 2"x2" square of painters tape. Try to get a 100% hit count. Anything outside is a miss. Do this from various distances.
-Load mags with two rounds each, practice reloads.
 
Tongarirohiker said:
A good way I've found to stretch out rounds is to make every shot count. Make up/find some games for yourself, with the intention of becoming a better shooter. I've done the following.

-Blank paper with a 2"x2" square of painters tape. Try to get a 100% hit count. Anything outside is a miss. Do this from various distances.
-Load mags with two rounds each, practice reloads.
Click to expand...

Agree with you, this is something that I have to work more on this, however, when I go its for a 4 hours session...
 
Originally Posted by johNTO
Personally, I think you're too new to the sport to "not be a fan" of anything.


Tongarirohiker said:
My reasons for not liking Glock are completely personal. When I started shooting, I tried everything available at my local range, including Glocks. At the time, I settled on a CZ cause it was the pistol that minimized my own flaws with technique. I learned not long after that my reason for not liking certain firearms was due to my own inability to shoot properly. I've taken the opportunity to retry various pistols and have found a sweet spot with all of them, except for Glock. 7 months later, just haven't found a way to get comfortable with it. There's no logical reason, it's all in my head. Just doesn't feel comfortable in my hands. It's not even a tupperware thing. I'm a big fan of the Springfield XD and the M&P.

With all that, I did say it is still a good option for the OP. They're cheap, reliable, lots of people love them, you can find a ton of parts, some of the best shooters in the world run Glock.

Something I do want to point out to the OP, look at the M&P or Springfield XD. They often come as range kits so you may get one or two extra magazines, mag pouch, even a holster. Yes, they cost a bit more but you'll save a bit of money later on if you get into shooting sports like IDPA, IPSC, Steel, etc.
Click to expand...

I got you (your comments) confused with the OP's...my bad!
 
An M&P from EE is your best bet. Other guns are overpriced used due to hype (everyone wants a Glock 17, 92FS - although this one can be had for a good price). The M&P is just as good as the Glock and there's no psychosis around them so the used ones are sold for what they should be.
 
johNTO said:
I got you (your comments) confused with the OP's...my bad!
Click to expand...

No offense taken, your point was still valid and it was worth it for me to clarify. The way I phrased my response made it sound like "well, Glock's not good enough for me, but it's good enough for you", and if Glock's good enough for KC Eusebio, who am I to judge?
 
Mind you all that careful use of each round goes right out the window if one finds out how much fun things like Steel Challenge, IPSC and IDPA can be. When that happens the ammo expenditure rises sharply both due to practice as well as ammo shot in the matches themselves.

When you're new to the whole thing standing in one spot and perforating paper on your own time can be fun. But it quickly becomes far too common place. At that point to bring back the smiles it's worth looking around at the various hand gun competitions in your area.
 
Several manufacturers sell kits to change from one caliber to .22. A bit pricey, but you could shoot .22 for awhile each session until you are feeling comfortable and then switch over to the more expensive ammo for whatever you can afford that day. Kind of like having your cake and eating it too. Me, I'll be stuck with feeding my .22's

al.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom