Handguns

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Leavenworth

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I don't own a handgun but thinking about it . #1 Would you buy a pistol or a revolver and why ? #2 What caliber would you buy in a pistol and what caliber in a revolver ?
Thanks
Leavenworth
 
I would buy both, a 9mm in semi auto and a .357 magnum in a revolver. Can't go wrong with those calibres, very different experiences but I enjoy both. Smith & Wesson or Ruger for the revolver and many choices for the 9mm. My preference is CZ but ymmv.
 
If the choice is only one than that choice for me would be a semi auto pistol. Unless you're talking large heavy calibers there's nothing a revolver can do that a pistol can't do better.
Much better trigger pull unless you want to #### it for every shot
Higher mag capacity
Much faster reload times
Lighter by far thanks to polymer use in semi auto frames
Cool factor

My choice for your first gun would be Glock G17, G19 or G45 in 9mm. Excellent trouble free operation, cheap to operate, easy to keep clean, tons of accessories available.
 
You will get a million opinions and none are really wrong. It’s all personal choice.

If you’ve never shot a handgun or have very little experience with them, I would get a .22LR. It’s very difficult to shoot a handgun well and very easy to shoot one badly. A big loud caliber can induce severe flinching which may slow your progress and enjoyment.

Personally , I would get a .22 revolver like a S&W M617 or M17. They are reliable and easy to shoot. They are a K frame all steel gun which will last forever. And great for training kids too.

I would get a 9mm semi auto to back up the .22. You will find .22s get a bit boring after a while. Get a CZ Shadow SP-01 or a Walther PPQ. They have the best in class trigger for their category and are not super pricey for quality guns.

Here’s a tip. Resist shooting anything bigger than your .22 until you can consistently put 10 rounds into one tight group at 7-10yds. Once you master that skill, you will be able to shoot any caliber and action.

And lastly, get good training early. You don’t know what you don’t know so don’t fall into bad habits early.

Good luck!
 
^^Good advice here.^^. I like Glocks a lot but they’re not a great choice for a new hand gunner...their light weight and “unique” trigger pull make them tough to shoot well for a new shooter. And don’t even think about a .44 revolver...ketchup or no ketchup.
 
Still alive said:
You will get a million opinions and none are really wrong. It’s all personal choice.

If you’ve never shot a handgun or have very little experience with them, I would get a .22LR. It’s very difficult to shoot a handgun well and very easy to shoot one badly. A big loud caliber can induce severe flinching which may slow your progress and enjoyment.

Personally , I would get a .22 revolver like a S&W M617 or M17. They are reliable and easy to shoot. They are a K frame all steel gun which will last forever. And great for training kids too.

I would get a 9mm semi auto to back up the .22. You will find .22s get a bit boring after a while. Get a CZ Shadow SP-01 or a Walther PPQ. They have the best in class trigger for their category and are not super pricey for quality guns.

Here’s a tip. Resist shooting anything bigger than your .22 until you can consistently put 10 rounds into one tight group at 7-10yds. Once you master that skill, you will be able to shoot any caliber and action.

And lastly, get good training early. You don’t know what you don’t know so don’t fall into bad habits early.

Good luck!
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Just say I got a S&W 617 .22 LR what barrel length would you go and why as I don';t anything about them ?
Leavenworth
 
I have always heard the name Glock when pistols are talked about they must be good,are they ? What about this new pistol the USA Army has coming the Sig Sauer P320 M17 9mm . They make it in a civilian model.
Leavenworth
 
I went with the Sig P226 classic 22LR as my first handgun because using the same lower you can buy a 9mm, 40 S&W, or 357 SIG x-change kit for it and have multiple calibers with one gun. The gun itself is awesome as well I have a Glock 17 Gen 5 to compare it to and I definitely think the SIG is the better shooting and better feeling of the two. I have a FX9 too which takes Glock magazines so that's why I got the Glock but the Sig is by far the better of the two in my opinion.

Both the Sig and the Glock are the ones most police and military trust and use so if they are what's trusted by the men and women who actually use handguns in life and death situations they are easy choices for reliability and use
 
Since it’s a range toy, all the arguments for “work” uses that a semi does better might be null and void for you. I had an affair with semis while thinking revolvers were “Grandpa’s” gun, but in the last few years I’ve found revolvers more fun to shoot.
 
Leavenworth said:
Just say I got a S&W 617 .22 LR what barrel length would you go and why as I don';t anything about them ?
Leavenworth
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Yeah, the 617 isn’t cheap! They do pop up on the EE regularly though. Or look for the older blued M17.

I would go with the 6” barrel. It’s likely the most common length. Traditional thought says the longer the sight picture, the easier to aim and more accurate. At typical handgun distances, it really isn’t a big deal though.

Another thought is maybe find a friend who has a .22 handgun and learn on it. That might save you some money. I shot a club rental .22 M17 for a year even though I had bought a 586 .357. as my first gun a long time ago.

I tell my students, it’s easy to shoot fast but hard to shoot fast accurately.
 
1st gun- get a used Ruger mark1 ,or Mark 2, mark3.
They are always in good shape. you will never wear it out.
they are accurate, fun to shoot.
can be bought for $250 to $350 bucks.
you will not regret it.


any one of these will do
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Leavenworth said:
I don't own a handgun but thinking about it . #1 Would you buy a pistol or a revolver and why ? #2 What caliber would you buy in a pistol and what caliber in a revolver ?
Thanks
Leavenworth
Click to expand...

In thinking about your question, I rented a .44 magnum revolver and a Glock in 9mm and .45 acp before I bought them. I borrowed a friends .357 magnum before buying 3 of them myself. What about someone at your range letting you try different guns? Or rental as there are options in the lower mainland to do that. I rented in Vegas.

I always let others at my range (Abby) try my handguns if they ask and are polite and seem responsible. Never had an issue and if there is one thing I have learned, it's always better to try before you buy if at all possible.

Good luck with your choices.
 
9mm and .357
I'm going to go against the grain and suggest against a .22
Personally .22 bores me to tears and the cost of the handgun itself is still an investment. Also they seem to sit a while on the EE if you try to resell
Ammo is less pricey, but at the cost of fun imo
 
Lungorthin said:
9mm and .357
I'm going to go against the grain and suggest against a .22
Personally .22 bores me to tears and the cost of the handgun itself is still an investment. Also they seem to sit a while on the EE if you try to resell
Ammo is less pricey, but at the cost of fun imo
Click to expand...

You could get a Ruger Blackhawk Convertible, changing the cylinders allows you to shoot 9mm or 357Mag/38Spl.

rube9E6l.jpg
 
Chas59 said:
I would buy both, a 9mm in semi auto and a .357 magnum in a revolver. Can't go wrong with those calibres, very different experiences but I enjoy both. Smith & Wesson or Ruger for the revolver and many choices for the 9mm. My preference is CZ but ymmv.
Click to expand...

Yep, would absolutely agree.
 
First handgun i bought was a CZ sp-01 in 9mm and while its more expensive and harder to shoot than a .22 i dont regret it at all. Id definitely recommend it or a sig p320 from personal experience.
 
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