Just received my PAL. Want to buy a handgun. Not really sure where I should start. Have never fired anything but a rifle before. I basicly need a few opinions on what people would buy if they were starting out now and had no experience with handguns. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
First Handgun Purchase Advice Please
- Thread starter Wretch
- Start date
Wretch, this question comes up a lot with new shooters and the short answer is no one can tell you. You have to decide what's best for you.
Best advice: look up (hopefully) several gun clubs in the area and drop by or get a phone number of a contact.
You are going to need a membership in one anyways at some point and it will allow you to see what everyone is shooting.
9 times out of 10 if you make it known you have never shot a pistol before, you will get to do so in very short order. Be polite, be careful, and ask lots of questions. Pay attention to what guns you like and, more importantly, what feels best for you.
Another question to consider is what shooting activities interest you? If you don't know, try and check out every shooting event locally you can attend, be it bullseye, IPSC, PPC, IDPA, Cowboy, or even range plinkers. What you decide you would like to do, invariably will lead you to the type of pistol you will need/want (if you don't already have a notion of what is your "it" gun).
Sorry, can't help much more than that.
Also, as a final note, take a scan of these other threads and see what everyone else has said with similar questions. You aren't alone in figuring out what to get, but it is ultimately your decision.
Best advice: look up (hopefully) several gun clubs in the area and drop by or get a phone number of a contact.
You are going to need a membership in one anyways at some point and it will allow you to see what everyone is shooting.
9 times out of 10 if you make it known you have never shot a pistol before, you will get to do so in very short order. Be polite, be careful, and ask lots of questions. Pay attention to what guns you like and, more importantly, what feels best for you.
Another question to consider is what shooting activities interest you? If you don't know, try and check out every shooting event locally you can attend, be it bullseye, IPSC, PPC, IDPA, Cowboy, or even range plinkers. What you decide you would like to do, invariably will lead you to the type of pistol you will need/want (if you don't already have a notion of what is your "it" gun).
Sorry, can't help much more than that.
Also, as a final note, take a scan of these other threads and see what everyone else has said with similar questions. You aren't alone in figuring out what to get, but it is ultimately your decision.
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Wretch, I see you're in Surrey. So the ONLY answer for you is to get yourself over to our own local indoor commercial range where they have about 35 handguns that you can shoot using their ammo. It'll cost you since their "babysitting" time to monitor you along with the use of the range and guns is built into the ammo prices. But by the end of a $120 to $150 day you'll have gotten to shoot a wide variety of handguns of all sorts and you'll have a far better idea of what fits and works for you. They've got revolvers, steel framed semis and plastic framed semis in many shapes and calibers.
All of our well meaning advice on which to get isn't worth a pickle compared to actually getting to shoot all the options. Take a notebook and take notes or you'll be totally confused and discombubilated by the end of the session and all you'll remember is that you want the "black one"....
You can find the location and contact info at www.indoorshootingcentre.com .
All of our well meaning advice on which to get isn't worth a pickle compared to actually getting to shoot all the options. Take a notebook and take notes or you'll be totally confused and discombubilated by the end of the session and all you'll remember is that you want the "black one"....
You can find the location and contact info at www.indoorshootingcentre.com .
^ I did the same thing 2 weeks ago when I was deciding on a handgun. It really helps in deciding what fits your hand well and what type of frame (polymer/alloy/full metal) you prefer. I did a bunch of reading on this site to see what handguns people compared with the most.
For me I went with a 9mm as the ammo is cheaper than .45 and I can work on my recoil control better than a .22lr. I was also working on a budget of less than $800. Here is a post I made of the my top choices for handguns.
I ended up going with a Beretta M9 (92FS) since I was able to work out a deal with Reliable Gun (I highly recommend them) located in Vancouver. Don't forget to sign up with a gun club and send your long term ATT in while you are deciding!
For me I went with a 9mm as the ammo is cheaper than .45 and I can work on my recoil control better than a .22lr. I was also working on a budget of less than $800. Here is a post I made of the my top choices for handguns.
Beretta 92FS 9mm
- Good: Great gun. Military issued so that must say something about reliability and effectiveness. BEAUTIFUL design in my opinion. I really like the decocking lever as well.
- Not so good: It's on the expensive side of my budget (~$799). The grips maybe sliiiiightly to big for my hand though it is not uncomfortable. If it was ~$600-700, I'd pick one up right away.
S&W M&P 9mm
- Good: Out of the handguns I've tried so far, it fit my hand the best (adjustable palm sizes). The weight feels well balanced in my hand. I like the look of it better than the Glock. Decently priced for ~$680.
- Not so good: I'm not a fan of double action only guns because most lack a manual safety. Also the pull is longer if I'm not mistaken. I originally said no polymer when I handled the Glock but after feeling out the M&P, I decided not to rule it out.
CZ-75B 9mm
- Good: Looks to be a reliable gun and it seems like a lot of people use it for IPSC. I haven't had the chance to shoot one yet but apparently it fits people's hand very well and it has a lot of after market support. Pricing is also decent at ~$650. This is very likely going to be my first handgun.
- Not so good: Not sure whether I'm quite liking the looks of the gun yet. I think the SP 01 looks awesome. Still a decent looking gun.
As of now, it's between the CZ-75B and the S&W M&P. I'm leaning towards the CZ since it has a manual safety on it and as a first time shooter I think it may be something I should have. If I could find a 92FS brand new for around $600-700 I'd pick one up right away. Hopefully I can make my decision by the weekend.
I ended up going with a Beretta M9 (92FS) since I was able to work out a deal with Reliable Gun (I highly recommend them) located in Vancouver. Don't forget to sign up with a gun club and send your long term ATT in while you are deciding!
Would getting a CZ-75B with a .22 conversion kit make sense? I hear a lot of good things about the CZ, but I'm not sure what I'd learn from having the .22 first, could you explain?
Wretch, I'm in the same boat as you are, although I have shot a handgun 5-10 times, maybe. I hope I'm not hijacking your thread - if you feel that I am, pls. tell me.
Owning a 22 first makes complete sense. Too many people get into handgun shooting and buy a center-fire to start with. Handgun shooting is an acquired skill that takes time to get good at. Learn the fundamentals with a 22 first and I guarantee you you'll shoot rings around most people at the handgun range with a center-fire.
I wonder how many people who have given their recommendations on this thread can hit the bull or 9 ring at 25 yards with each shot. I bet you many of them have a hard time hitting the black.
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- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I'm not sold on the notion that one needs to start with a .22, but if you begin with a centerfire, you should take up handloading at the same time to reduce your costs and produce a recoil and blast level that is more tolerable for the novice. While purchasing factory centerfire pistol ammo is not a huge hardship compared to centerfire rifle ammo, the use of full power ammunition can be intimidating. Good marksmanship is a product of practice, both live fire and dry fire. Dry firing is better done with a centerfire, but is acceptable with a rimfire if you use a snap cap.
Decide if you wish to shoot a revolver or pistol, then try to decide on a make and model. There are so many choices that this can be a little overwhelming. But like a long gun, a handgun should fit you. When you hold the gun, ideally your grip should be such that the gun is in a direct line with your forearm, and you finger should be able to reach the trigger without undue effort and without the need to adjust your grip. If your favorite gun does not fit your hand perfectly, the human being is an adaptable beast, and you'll just have to do the best you can. Revolvers are more adaptable to custom grip sizes than are pistols because the grip frame size of the pistol must be large enough to hold the magazine. Some revolvers don't even have a full grip frame. A gun designed for a double stack magazine requires a larger grip frame than does a gun designed for a single stack magazine.
Neither should the gun be too heavy for you. You should be able to hold the gun at arms length in one hand without trembling for as long as it takes to get a shot off. I think 40 ounces is a good limit for a first gun, but neither should the gun be so light that recoil becomes intimidating, so lets say 32 ounces at a minimum.
While adjustable sights are not mandatory, the sights do need to be easily seen because sight alignment, focus and trigger control are the foundations of good marksmanship. Adjustable sights are useful though if you intend to fire ammunition that varies greatly in velocity. For example, if you began with a .357 Magnum revolver, .38 Special target loads might be about 700 fps, but velocity can exceed 1500 fps with full powered ammunition; and it would not be reasonable to expect a single sight setting to be useful over such a broad velocity range.
Guns with long barrel are the easiest to shoot well, but short barrels are the best to learn on, because small changes from shot to shot in your grip and small inconsistencies in your sighting are magnified at the target; thus the short barreled gun will require you to have greater focus. Since 4" guns are verboten for those just getting into the game, 4.5" or 5" guns are preferable to 6" or 8" guns. The overall length of a pistol will be shorter than a revolver, and a 5" auto is similar in length to a 4" revolver.
Decide if you wish to shoot a revolver or pistol, then try to decide on a make and model. There are so many choices that this can be a little overwhelming. But like a long gun, a handgun should fit you. When you hold the gun, ideally your grip should be such that the gun is in a direct line with your forearm, and you finger should be able to reach the trigger without undue effort and without the need to adjust your grip. If your favorite gun does not fit your hand perfectly, the human being is an adaptable beast, and you'll just have to do the best you can. Revolvers are more adaptable to custom grip sizes than are pistols because the grip frame size of the pistol must be large enough to hold the magazine. Some revolvers don't even have a full grip frame. A gun designed for a double stack magazine requires a larger grip frame than does a gun designed for a single stack magazine.
Neither should the gun be too heavy for you. You should be able to hold the gun at arms length in one hand without trembling for as long as it takes to get a shot off. I think 40 ounces is a good limit for a first gun, but neither should the gun be so light that recoil becomes intimidating, so lets say 32 ounces at a minimum.
While adjustable sights are not mandatory, the sights do need to be easily seen because sight alignment, focus and trigger control are the foundations of good marksmanship. Adjustable sights are useful though if you intend to fire ammunition that varies greatly in velocity. For example, if you began with a .357 Magnum revolver, .38 Special target loads might be about 700 fps, but velocity can exceed 1500 fps with full powered ammunition; and it would not be reasonable to expect a single sight setting to be useful over such a broad velocity range.
Guns with long barrel are the easiest to shoot well, but short barrels are the best to learn on, because small changes from shot to shot in your grip and small inconsistencies in your sighting are magnified at the target; thus the short barreled gun will require you to have greater focus. Since 4" guns are verboten for those just getting into the game, 4.5" or 5" guns are preferable to 6" or 8" guns. The overall length of a pistol will be shorter than a revolver, and a 5" auto is similar in length to a 4" revolver.
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Try before you buy. Don't take anyone's advice, until the gun you want has passed your own personal test. Most range members will let you try theirs out. Also if you can afford a little gun tourism trips to the US are amazing in terms of easy access to some really cool s**t so you can learn your likes and dislikes about so many guns. I've never had so much fun as when I was in Richmond Virgina and Dallas texas. The gun ranges were low key but well outfitted. The guys great to talk to, and the experience can't be beat.
That said I just got into handguns in the last little while and I've had extensive opportunities for gun tourism so I can say that whiel I am weak on depth, I have significant breadth of experience with a wide variety of guns. Blackpowder pistols, revolvers, pistols, UZI, FAs galore. I've played with just about every common caliber (except .454 casull) and I can say that .22lr and 9mm are o.k., but the fun starts with .357/45acp. I don't enjoy anything above or below that other than for novelty. (read rentals only) Buy .45 and .357 I can shoot all day and never get bored.
My personal favourite of everything I've tried is the Ruger GP100. .38SPL and .357 Mag compatible. So much fun, so versatile, inexpensive yet total quality. Plus at the range, I don't spend 1hr after shooting looking for my brass. Just my two cents, but for what it is worth, if I can only have one handgun, the GP100 would be it.
That said I just got into handguns in the last little while and I've had extensive opportunities for gun tourism so I can say that whiel I am weak on depth, I have significant breadth of experience with a wide variety of guns. Blackpowder pistols, revolvers, pistols, UZI, FAs galore. I've played with just about every common caliber (except .454 casull) and I can say that .22lr and 9mm are o.k., but the fun starts with .357/45acp. I don't enjoy anything above or below that other than for novelty. (read rentals only) Buy .45 and .357 I can shoot all day and never get bored.
My personal favourite of everything I've tried is the Ruger GP100. .38SPL and .357 Mag compatible. So much fun, so versatile, inexpensive yet total quality. Plus at the range, I don't spend 1hr after shooting looking for my brass. Just my two cents, but for what it is worth, if I can only have one handgun, the GP100 would be it.
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x2
learn to handle a handgun first then move up
NorthernPF
Regular
- Location
- Ramore, Ontario
I think the reason people often want to start with 9mm or some other centrefire cartridge is because like myself, I want to shoot PPC competitions locally but you can only use a centrefire. So although a .22LR would make me a better shooter, I wouldn't be able to compete which is what I ultimately want to do.
If you like the SP01 or shadow variant and can afford the extra money get the 22 conversion for it from the start.
Put the 22 conversion on and learn how to shoot and by the time you get a few bricks of 22 thru it you will also have a 9mm with a nicely broken in gun and hopefully the skills to go with it.
Put the 22 conversion on and learn how to shoot and by the time you get a few bricks of 22 thru it you will also have a 9mm with a nicely broken in gun and hopefully the skills to go with it.
I don't see how practicing on a virtually recoilless 22lr will prepare you for working with a 9mm and up. As long as the cost doesn't hold you back from practice, it shouldn't matter. Now renting a .22lr to gain a few critical "first time" attempts at handling makes sense, but I wouldn't buy one as you MAY outgrow it pretty quick. I get no joy out of shooting the smaller calibers. I have a .22lr rifle and .17hmr or that and they are way more precise than a handgun.
I say if you're only getting one (for now) get the one you want to use long term. If that means IDPA, IPSC get a 9, 10, 45 or .38/357.
I say if you're only getting one (for now) get the one you want to use long term. If that means IDPA, IPSC get a 9, 10, 45 or .38/357.
Point taken, but you have got to learn to shoot before you start competing.
You're experienced and can obviously hold a ten shot group in the ten ring at 25 yards with your handgun, but novices generally can't.
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Thanks everyone for your input. What I recall from my gun course was that I liked the feel of the .357 mag/.44 mag and the Desert Eagle. I didnt want to start with a large cailbre handgun thats ammo cost so much or handguns that cost so much. I am probably not gonna be doing reloads as I live in a condo and dont have a place for it and its probably not the safest thing in such as space.
NorthernPF
Regular
- Location
- Ramore, Ontario
Don't fool yourself. Reloading can be done in tight spaces. I'll be reloading in my apartment and I know of other people that do it aswell. Look under the Reloading section and you'll find a couple threads about it.
- Location
- Off the "X"
If you're gonna get and SP-01, get the Shadow or Tactical, not he Phantom. The Phantom is the polymer variant, weighing 30% less and the recoil is felt a lot more than on the all metal versions. I don't think a competitor would use, whereas they use all metal CZ a lot. If you were carrying it all day on your hip, it would be a different story.
