thinking of getting a first handgun. 1911,Revolver,poly etc..

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cellfishracing

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I am thinking of getting a handgun and am not sure about what style is for me. thought i would ask the pro's and con's of some of them. I am looking for something that i can shoot @ the range. 50yards.

I am 255lbs with large hands so i will need a larger framed pistol. i would be nice to be able to mount a scope. I have shot many 9mm, .32, .45 and .44 mag. I prefer the 45 because it is a good balance of power and cost.


Why are 1911 style's so popular? I really like the Kimber Ultra-Tactical camo finish. .45

I also like the 460v and 500v Smith and Wesson Revolvers. something about all that crome and power appeals to me.

The Sig Sauer 229 elite with that cherry grip - only if it would come in .45

and of course some poly frames pistols maybe the soon to be reased hk45ct or Beretta PX4 storm SD.

what do you prefer and why?
 
1911 all the way. Every handgun owner should have at least one in the safe ;)

They're quite slim however, so maybe you should consider the double-stack Para 1911s with the wider grip. Then again it takes next to nothing to buy different size grips and pop them on.

My suggestion goes either to a 1911 of some kind, or a P220. The SIGs have fatter grips and will probably feel very comfortable in your hands.

As for poly guns, I personally won't ever buy another one. They're just too light and plasticy-feeling for my tastes.
 
cellfishracing said:
I am thinking of getting a handgun and am not sure about what style is for me. thought i would ask the pro's and con's of some of them. I am looking for something that i can shoot @ the range. 50yards.

I am 255lbs with large hands so i will need a larger framed pistol. i would be nice to be able to mount a scope. I have shot many 9mm, .32, .45 and .44 mag. I prefer the 45 because it is a good balance of power and cost.


Why are 1911 style's so popular? I really like the Kimber Ultra-Tactical camo finish. .45

I also like the 460v and 500v Smith and Wesson Revolvers. something about all that crome and power appeals to me.

The Sig Sauer 229 elite with that cherry grip - only if it would come in .45

and of course some poly frames pistols maybe the soon to be reased hk45ct or Beretta PX4 storm SD.

what do you prefer and why?
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"What should me my first handgun" is a question that gets asked here practically on a daily basis. Inevitably, you end up getting a bunch of people list the guns that they personally own, which is, to say the least, not very helpful.

You need to narrow down your scope as you are looking at too broad a range right now. As a first step, decide whether you want a pistol or a revolver. Then decide on the kind of action you prefer – single action, double action, double action only, etc. Are you planning to compete in any shooting sports? If so, find out what restrictions are imposed by your discipline of choice and take it from there.

Your next step is the choice of caliber. Unless you're a multi-millionaire, .460XVR and .500S&W would be extremely poor choices for a first handgun as you simply would not be able to afford shooting them much. 9mm (semi-auto) and .357 Mag/.38 Spl (revolver) tend to be the most popular choices for new shooters as they combine adequate firepower with reasonable cost. .45 ACP would be considerably more expensive to shoot than 9mm, especially if you're not reloading. Ditto for .44Mag and other hunting calibers vs. .357/.38.

Lastly you need to figure out how much you are willing to spend and what qualities are important to you. What is your budget? Do you merely want a gun that is functional and reliable or do you also value the quality of fit and finish?

Once you narrow it down a bit, it would be easier to guide you in the right direction.
 
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fit and finish is first on my list, reliable second. I like both revolver and semi.

i would like a gun that i could ding the 50 or 100m metal targets at the range all day long. how is 40sw for price ammo? i think the 229 elite is chambered in the 40sw and the fit and finish seems to be above average. how much will a box of .460 run ya 35-40 bux
 
cellfishracing said:
fit and finish is first on my list, reliable second. I like both revolver and semi.

i would like a gun that i could ding the 50 or 100m metal targets at the range all day long. how is 40sw for price ammo? i think the 229 elite is chambered in the 40sw and the fit and finish seems to be above average. how much will a box of .460 run ya 35-40 bux
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Because you are talking about 50-100m range and desire a scope, a Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 magnum. Easy to shoot, built to take a scope, built heavy duty for full charge 44 mag rounds. You can shoot it double or single action.
 
cellfishracing said:
fit and finish is first on my list, reliable second. I like both revolver and semi.

i would like a gun that i could ding the 50 or 100m metal targets at the range all day long. how is 40sw for price ammo? i think the 229 elite is chambered in the 40sw and the fit and finish seems to be above average. how much will a box of .460 run ya 35-40 bux
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.460 is around $2 a pop, that is if you can even find it. .40S&W is around $14-15 per box, slightly more than 9mm.

Since you are planning to shoot at 500-100m, you will probably want a scope. In that case, definitely get a revolver, as it would be much easier to mount the scope on it (the mounts screw on to the top strap). With a semi-auto, you’d have to use a contraption that attaches to the accessory rail and extends over the slide, which is unsightly and changes the balance of the gun. If you want an accurate revolver with good fit and finish, I would say get a S&W – either a 686 (L-frame) or a beefier 627 (N-frame). Both are chambered in .357 Mag and the range of ammo available in that caliber is very versatile: from very mild .38 Spl rounds that shoot softer than 9mm to full power magnum loads that pack a lot more punch than .45ACP.
 
if you have large hands and want 'large frame gun' I'd recommend Beretta 92FS 9mm it's a lot cheaper to shoot than .45, OR if you want more recoil the new 90-two was built for .40S&W (still cheaper than .45ACP)

For a revolver if you like powerful guns check out Raging Bull theyre are pretty big nicely finished and look steet. They come in .41mag, .44mag, .454cassul. (.500 and .460 versions will be availabe soon). Scope mounts are also availave for this gun.

If you want a polymer gun check out M&P it's one of the best deals going right now!
 
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cellfishracing said:
are the other round listed more economical to shoot
454 cas 45 long etc..
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cellfishracing,

Take a look at the Marstar ammo page to see how the prices of different calibers stack up against each other. The general rule of thumb is that prices are a function of a) power and b) rarity of the caliber. Anything that is .45 and larger is generally quite pricey.

http://www.marstar.ca/ammo-etc/am-handgun.shtm
 
I've been thinking along these same lines too. I have large'ish hands, and several guns don't fit well.

I've put a couple dozen rounds through a .40 Glock. The Glock is too small. The slide comes back, and for the life of us, we can't figure out why i wasn't snake bit. The top of my hand is redicusly close to the slide, after ejection.

I've also put a few rounds through a 9mm Beretta, with grips that had been replaced. MUCH nicer fit in my hand, and felt good too.

I was thinking about going with some sort of Breetta, simply because I want to shoot more (so cheaper $$ is nice), and the ability to change the grips.

Are there many other mode to do to hand guns?
 
A revolver is more fun to shoot because they are more accurate than semi's.
My choice:
- .357 blued and if you don't mind extra time cleaning, stainless.
- .357/.38 are fairly inexpensive rounds to buy/reload.
- you don't spend time crawling around to pick up your brass.
or
- .22 revolver or semi auto
- $15/500 rounds... you can shoot it all day long without scrimping on the grocery order!
- no recoil will aid you in developping good shooting skills before moving onto a larger caliber.

Once you have mastered the fine art of handgun shooting, then move onto pistols. I have a 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP and a .22; I enjoy them all equally. There are makes and models to suit every budget. Again, your choice will be influenced by your budget and what you plan on doing with it, plinking, self-defence, IPSC, PPC, etc.
A 1911 in .45 is my all around favorite caliber. It is my personal choice for self-defence, however, it is a lot of weight to carry around all day, every day. Now we don't have to worry right now about such an issue, but one day, in the not too distant future, CCW may be a reality here in Canada.
Another consideration is if you expect to use your firearm for CCW in the U.S. (which many Canadians do), NO "CHINESE" firearms are allowed into the U.S. So, if this is your goal, and you can only afford ONE handgun, then reconsider about buying a Norinco.
Good luck and have fun shopping!
 
"...reliable second..." That should be first. The fit and finish won't matter if the thing doesn't work every time. This applies to pistols more than revolvers. Revolvers tend to go bang every time with good ammo and not having been mucked with by the owner. Pistols tend to be more particular about the ammo they will shoot reliably. Pistol ammo has to shoot well and cycle the action. Revolver ammo just has to be accurate in that revolver.
Your weight means nothing. The size of your hands does. Having big hands is a good thing when it comes to buying a handgun. Grips can be changed to make a small framed handgun fit big hands. It's not so easy going the other way.
1911's are popular because they fit most hands well and are chambered in an accurate and relatively powerful cartridge. The .45 ACP will be fine at 50 meters. Not so fine at 100, but it'll do with the right ammo.
 
1911 my big man !

*Spooky voice* Look into my eyes... you need a 1911.

Well, if you are going to shoot at 50 yards, make it an STI Target Master in Chrome. Just ordered mine and from what I've heard, they're fantastic at that distance...:rockOn:

*Spooky voice* Now bark like a dooooggg !
 
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