Help!!! Need to Choose a New/Starter Handgun

sixty9santa said:
Just checked around quickly, S&W SD9 for $430 and the Remington RP9 can be had for about $370.
Real budget gun, Norinco NP34 for $260.
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The Norinco might be the best of the group you suggested which is saying a lot. The Remington has bad reviews for function and a spongy trigger. The SD9 has a heavy awful stock trigger. For those prices, I would seriously watch for a used M&P 1.0 or 2.0 for around $450. Most of the used ones have any combination of a range kit, upgraded sights and trigger and/or extra mags which improves the value somewhat.
 
I feel like my responses become more succinct each time I respond to one of these. Go feel all the name brand 9mm handguns; buy the one that feels best. It'll grow with you, and keep you shooting well. Don't buy budget unless you have to - you'll end up spending twice as much somewhere soon after.
 
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Danzel777 said:
Hi, New to the forum.

Have been shooting for years (shotguns/hunting/Trap) for just got into the market for my first handgun. As of right now, I'm getting married so I'm on a very strict budget. I've narrowed it down to these choices, but need help to choose one. Keep in mind, all I'm concerned with is reliability, shootability and something that is good as a starter just to get shooting. Later I will spend much more for something better when I'm ready financially.

If I had to choose one of the following which should it be


1) Girsan MC28 SA 9MM Olive Drab $399

2) Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 40 Caliber $500

3) Fabrique Nationale (FN) FNS-9 9MM $499

4) Walter Creed 9MM $499

5) 2019 Stoeger STR-9 9MM $499


Want to decide for tomorrow. Any help would be great.

Thanks!!
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Out of your list, there is only one that I'd choose, and your list makes it easy. Out of your list, for me, it's a process of elimination. I eliminate the .40, so that's gone. I eliminate the Girsan, the Stoeger, and the 'Walter', leaving only the FN FNS-9.

The FNS has it's critics, and it's been replaced in the FN line by the 509. Some who say they own both say they prefer the 509; others who say they own both say they prefer the FNS. I've never shot or handled a 509, but the FNS is a great choice, in my opinion, and a far better choice than any of the other candidates on your list, in my opinion.
 
I have two 9mm handguns (norinco np29 and np22) to start with, and I am now taking everyone's advice and going back to get a .22

I was going to buy another 9mm this black friday, probably a SW M&P9 2.0 for $530 from Cabela's or maybe cheaper form one of our site sponsors.
 
If you are looking at an MC28 the black ones are on sale around for $300 so why spend and extra c note on the coloured one? The Norinco NP22/34 ones are a good choiuce too. Decent pistols for $300 too. Spend another $30 on a set of Hogue grips for them and ou have a pretty comfortable pistol in the hand. If you look now at SFRC they have an extra 15% off so you can get an NP for around $260.

I spent more on a .22 for cheaper and easier practice. I bought one of the new Beretta 92 FS .22 and it eats any ammo I throw at it. Bought a bunch of Herter's .22 at Bass Pro Shop for $25 per 500 and the pistol has no problem with it.
 
Wendell said:
Out of your list, there is only one that I'd choose, and your list makes it easy. Out of your list, for me, it's a process of elimination. I eliminate the .40, so that's gone. I eliminate the Girsan, the Stoeger, and the 'Walter', leaving only the FN FNS-9.

The FNS has it's critics, and it's been replaced in the FN line by the 509. Some who say they own both say they prefer the 509; others who say they own both say they prefer the FNS. I've never shot or handled a 509, but the FNS is a great choice, in my opinion, and a far better choice than any of the other candidates on your list, in my opinion.
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I'm a big FNS9/40 fan. Got Glocks too but the FNS family is my favorite polymer "platform". Quite accurate, seems better than my Glocks. Might be the ergos that enable better accuracy for me. Never any FTF or FTE even with my own homecast bullets and reloads. Ambidextrous controls makes it ready for lefties or in case you need to shoot with the wrong hand. Ergonomics are very close to the 1911, even better IMO.
 
The fns is a well built pistol, one thing I will point out, buy a pistol that has parts and and gear like holsters and mags available with out to much trouble. That would rule out the fns. I would go with a m and p 9 gen 2, or a sig 320, I also like the sig 226. Good luck.. oh another good pistol is a ruger sr9.
 
Another option to consider is the Sig Sauer P226 in .22.

Same frame as its 9mm big brother, and you can buy the conversion barrel/slide/mags if/when you want to bump up to 9mm.
 
I would buy a sig 320 and stick with that platform, and learn how to shoot it, get some instruction now and then. 9mm is cheaper to buy than any other center fire pistol round.
 
fkiani said:
I am looking for a German made handgun, below $500
Any advise appreciated! Thanks
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If you have a prohib license you might find something in a German made Centerfire for that price... short barreled Walthers; maybe a restricted beat up Glock.
 
I would go with a new or used M&P 9MM Gen 1 but preferably the Gen 2 only because it is the latest and has some improvements over the Gen1.

My only experience recently with an FN, and I did not pay any attention to the model. occurred a couple of weeks ago. With three different brands of ammunition it could not fire three times without jamming. The gun, though well made had a serious problem in feeding. I have not idea what was causing the failures and suggested to the owner to either send it back for warranty service OR take it to a local gunsmith. I have no doubt FN makes good pistols, some of the best, but this example wasn't one of them. FN fans are welcome to suggest what the issue was. It was not the ammo nor the shooter so chime in.

The M&P will last you a life time and if you decide down the road you either don't like shooting or don't have the time for it, the gun will sell quickly on the EE.

I would not suggest you go for the bottom feeder guns. You will never be happy in the long run with them. A year or to from now you will wonder why you didn't spend a bit more for the M&P. The range kit represents excellent value and will save you the cost of a holster and mag holder. The extra mag is also nice as it allows you to play IDPA if at some point you want to play with the gun.

Take Care

Bob
Edite: Just looked at a picture of an FN FNS 9MM and it was that pistol I had the issues with it.
 
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Having stumbled across this while researching some pistols, I have some thoughts. There are 2 key factors in buying a pistol. 1) find one that fits your hand. Spend some time at a few gunshops and get your mitts on as many different guns as you can. Having bought and sold over 50 different 9's, I can definitely say there's some real subtle differences that make a huge difference in how you will enjoy the ride long term. Having done that, point 2) try to buy the one that YOU WILL BE ABLE TO FIND PARTS FOR!!! This is a bitter reality, everything will break / wear out at some point in time. Make sure you can find what you need to fix it, there's a lot of nice cheap guns out there but if you break a critical component, can you fix / find the parts to fix it or do you now have a new paperweight? (or, in some cases, a new boat anchor?)
 
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