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nitro456

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I have recently begun the process of acquiring my RPAL. While it is in 6+ month limbo I am trying to educate myself on handguns and pick my poison.

I had my heart set on a Beretta M9A3 as as I was fortunate to try one a few times at the range, then discovered that the 92FS is very similar. I have also been looking at a 1911 but have no idea which ones to consider. Then there is Glock I don't know much about them except they have a cult following.

My Questions are there any unique ones that you recommend? or any topic I should look into?
 
Go with what fits your hand and feels right to you. All modern pistols with few exceptions, are good to go out of the box. Metal, polymer, hammer and striker the options are there for the picking.
 
nitro456 said:
I have recently begun the process of acquiring my RPAL. While it is in 6+ month limbo I am trying to educate myself on handguns and pick my poison.

I had my heart set on a Beretta M9A3 as as I was fortunate to try one a few times at the range, then discovered that the 92FS is very similar. I have also been looking at a 1911 but have no idea which ones to consider. Then there is Glock I don't know much about them except they have a cult following.

My Questions are there any unique ones that you recommend? or any topic I should look into?
Click to expand...

The new and used market for guns is much like the new/used market for automobiles (try replacing everything "guns" below with "cars" and you'll see my point) .
Except that automobiles probably depreciate faster!

Keep in mind that prices for most handguns usually depict an accurate reflection of their quality.

Brand new, Norincos (think Kia) are very affordable handguns.
Some people who describe as Jam-o-matics piles of crap.
Their low used prices also reflect their level of quality.

Brand new, STIs (think Mercedes Benz) are expensive handguns.
Some describe them as the tippy top.
Their higher used price also reflects their level of quality.

Buy whatever you think is ###y.
If turns out you don't like it, then sell it on the EE and try something else....
A wiser man than me once said "you can't trade wives that easy, but you can always trade guns"

Also keep in mind, if you want to sell or trade a guns down the road... don't ever expect to recover your cost if you add custom or aftermarket parts.
You add customization for you... I won't give you top dollar for it later (even if I like what you did to it).

You probably will never get a good used price (even though you spent a bundle on custom cerakote or barrels or whatever).
Some guys on this site cerakote their Sig P226 to look like a gun from Star Wars or Mandelorian...
IMO they really limited pool of potential buyers by doing so ! LOL
 
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Strongly recommend a 22LR pistol or revolver to start. It doesn't have to be expensive, eg an entry level Ruger, Buck Mark, or S&W Victory. There may be people who've become good handgun shots without burning thru a lot of 22 early on, but I don't know any. It's the gateway drug. But not just for beginners. If you wanna get into serious precision shooting, a real 22 target pistol -- Smith & Wesson Model 41 & above -- will get you there. By there, I mean small groups at 25m using one hand with iron sights. Doesn't have to be expensive -- you can pick up a nice DES Unique 69 or FAS SP602, older Olympic pistols, for well under $1K from Trade Ex, a reputable vendor & CGN sponsor. (Not a faux 1911 -- you want a design where the sights are immobile, not on the slide.)
 
All the guns you listed have hordes of fans and for good reasons. I'm an M9 and 1911 guy so I'm biased :) Take a look at Sig M17 or P226. I look at it this way, if it's good for the military, it's good for me.
 
Get whatever you want but some, like the Beretta, require bigger mitts.

My general recommendation is a Shadow "1" and my small hand recommendation would be a single stack or SR9.
 
i went with a girsan regard 9 mm and a norinco 1911 .45 to get my feet wet before i sunk a boatload of $$ on some higher end stuff. i figured early on that they'll always be just range guns and never ended up upgrading them,instead i started aquiring some decent wheel guns instead,smith and wesson K,L,N frames and so far have no regrets.i still take all of them to the "range" on a regular basis and i'm quite happy with them.
 
Welcome to the world of restricted! There are countless number of handguns on today's market, so I understand your struggle.

I don't know your purchase philosophy and what you need your handgun for, but here are some suggestions that will help you.

-As Munkey1973 mentioned, you get what you pay for. Don't cheap out, and get a handgun from reputable company.
-Simple is best. If you are just starting out, you probably don't need features like threaded barrel, night sight, and custom slides.
-Make sure you can access all the control without changing your firing grip. Case in point, for many people, actuating the slide release on 1911 with their firing hand is difficult.
-It is perfectly ok to choose a handgun based on your taste. Do not worry about other people's opinion. You do you.

Goodluck :)
 
I don't know if you are near a range the rents handguns but being able to try out various pistols and or revolvers is a eye opener for many. Try before you buy if you can.
 
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