Best first handgun. Just upgraded PAL.

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Grotto

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Vancouver Islander now in Toronto
Today I finally got my upgrade to restricted papers away goof people at Miramichi N.B. and of course now the waiting game begins. A friend of mine who did the same got his in just 4 weeks. I've been long gunnin for years.

To kill the time I have been looking at what to buy and I have been having a rough time making decision that will not break the bank. I would prefer to spend in the $500 neighnorhood for my first, but would go a bit more for something worthwhile I also have the problem of small hands so anything huge is out

Pistols such as a 1911 type handgun would be cool but tend to break the bank.

I have no problem with single action revolvers as I think they are fun to shoot.
I have even thought of Norinco CZ copy, but the "made in China" bit scares me and I have not done enough research on their quality.

SO LET'S HEAR IT. BEST FIRST HANDGUNS.
 
9mm ammo is very common and cheap, so I'd suggest a Chinese SIG copy or their 1911 in 9mm. The first gun anyone buys is a compromise between what you think you need and not wanting to get taken.

So, buy as much ammo as you can afford and shoot the new gun until you know what you like and dislike about it. Then go buy a better one.
 
Grotto said:
I would prefer to spend in the $500 neighnorhood for my first, but would go a bit more for something worthwhile I also have the problem of small hands so anything huge is out

I have no problem with single action revolvers as I think they are fun to shoot.
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If you like single action, don’t overlook Ruger Bisley. I have medium size hand and Bisley fits me better than Blackhawk or Super Blackhawk. On top of that, for majority of us it handles heavier loads better than standard SA grip. It’s not coincidence that some of the most prominent custom smiths wouldn’t build 475 and other handcannons on any other revolver than Bisley. They are available in 22 LR (small frame), 357, 41 (hard to find, out of production), 44 and 45. All that you have to do is to thin the grips and blend corner on the grip behind trigger guard. Do that gradually because the small amount of material removed affects handling significantly. Don’t overlook Redhawk, with slimmed factory wooden grips it has surprisingly short trigger reach. As for the calibre, I use to have Bisley in 357 and now in 45 and 41, plus Redhawk 44, but for general shooting, 41 is my personal favourite. Some folks shun that calibre, but from what I had seen and found on websites, many, many shooters who use to have 44 and started shooting 41 regretted why they didn’t discover 41 earlier. See http://www.rugerforum.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/009532.html and my personal view http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67355 .

Good luck!
 
Glock 17- Cheap, simple, tons of add ons and easy to learn on or a 1911, ammos not cheap but they sell 22lr conversion kits for it! and there tons of add ons for it too.
They also sell conversion kits for glocks too.
I was not a glock fan at first but it grow on me
 
Decide what caliber you want -ie your budget and availability. Decide if you want a pistol or revolver. Then go to a store with a good variety and see what toots your horn. Also see if you might be able to try some at your local range. Most shooters are very helpful. Major brand names are very reliable : Kimber, Glock, Sig etc. If you look around you probably can find something near your price range used ( or new---Glock 17 @ Questar). :D Just do not buy it unless you can hold it first, thats like buying a car with no test drive.
 
First handgun? I'd go back in time, and sack myself. While my past self was writhing in pain on the floor, I'd cup my hands like a bullhorn and yell; "Buy a 22/45 #######!"

Seriously, best shooting investment ever.
 
A good .357 revolver is a great choice. Start out with .38 spl and you can move up to .357 mag anytime if you want some power.
 
agit-prop said:
A good .357 revolver is a great choice. Start out with .38 spl and you can move up to .357 mag anytime if you want some power.
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This is true. If you like SA or DA revolvers, .357/.38 Blackhawks, GP100s and maybe sometimes a S&W 686 will come around in your price range.

If you want a 9mm pistol and you're patient, you can find used CZ's and Browning Hi Powers in that range. I've got a Hi Power and a GP100 (On the way), and I paid $1025 for both. That puts each one within your price range.

Or, you can get a 22/45 or a MkII/III if you want something in .22LR. Or a Single Six in .22LR if you want an SA handgun.

Honestly, you need to get out and handle and shoot a couple of guns. Advice on the internet can give you an idea of price and reliability, but you need to know how each one feels in the hand before you drop your cash. Contact your local gun club and see if you can meet up with some handgun shooters, or try to get ahold of some locals on here. Good Luck.
 
Learn to shoot with proper habits before jumping into the "speed shootin" stream.

.22lr revolver should be first. D/A or S/A shouldn't really matter though I think that it would be cheaper to find a good S/A than a D/A.

2nd gun should be a .357 D/A revolver. They aren't bothered by low power ammo & whether you reload or not you can start slow & work up from factory .38 to factory .357.

3rd gun go wild & buy a bottom feeder (probably in 9mm). BUT FIRST shoot a bunch of other peoples guns to decide whether hammer drop or cocked & locked is for you.

Remember that you can always trade it off.

Probably a good place to start is the CZ-75 family. Their DA autos have the cocked & locked ability (ala 1911/BHP). Sigs have hammer drop safeties. All have differing attributes which are definately worth trying.

Regards & good luck
D
 
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Most people are happy with the CZ family. A glock it simple as a door knob to use. mag in, rack slide, point and shoot. (obeying all safety rules of course)
 
It also depends on what your preference is:
if you want a revolver, than I agree with getting a .38 or a .357, but only shoot .38 out of it to get comfortable with shooting handguns (you can shoot .38 out of 357, just n case you didn't know, but not the reverse)
in these, ruger, colt or S & W are all good, the rugers can be less costly & a good gun.

if you want a semi pistol, than like Maurice said, the CZ's are not o.k., but a great gun for such a low price. you can get in 9mm, which is a good starting calibre & cheaper to buy ammo.

I wouldn't buy a chinese knock of something important like a gun. ya, some copies probably work just fine, but for $100 or so. get the real quality thing.
someone mentioned a Springfield XD for only $605, that's good as well

there are many variable, that all start with want you'd like.

someone mentioned starting w/ a .22, NOT unless you 9 years old or a little old lady. If you're an experience shooter of long guns & maybe shot a few rounds of andguns already & your not timid around guns, than don't bother !!
unless you'd like to shoot that, it is very cheap to do so.

My first handgun was my Colt .45 :) , after shooting rentals of various calibres for 6 months.

my 3 cents
 
The fisrt gun I would buy is a Browning Buckmark (.22cal). Ammo is cheap and this is a great gun to learn the fundamentals. After that go to the range and try as many guns as you can get your hands on :D .
 
I'll also suggest that a .22LR is the best first gun—cheap to buy, cheap (and fun) to shoot and great for developing good shooting skills. You can get a good semi-auto like a Ruger or Buckmark (as mentioned up-thread) for a few hundred bucks. I've seen a lot of shooters start with a centrefire semi or revolver, try it for a bit, develop some bad habits like flinching, never really get that good, and then lose interest in shooting. Certainly, there have been lots of folks that have started with centrefire and have done well, but the odds are better that if you start with a .22 you'll do better in the long run.
 
Nine said:
First handgun? I'd go back in time, and sack myself. While my past self was writhing in pain on the floor, I'd cup my hands like a bullhorn and yell; "Buy a 22/45 a**hole!"

Seriously, best shooting investment ever.
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X2. I'd also reccomend a .22 for a first gun. Very little recoil and just compare ammo prices: 500 rounds of .22lr is about $15, the same number in 9mm would be well over $100. You might not get the big flash and recoil of a larger caliber, but you can shoot a heckuva lot more. :D

P.S. Whatever you buy do not repeat my mistake and buy a P22.

Oh, and the Ruger 22/45's a cheap and reliable. You can't go wrong with one.
 
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