Hey everybody! I am relatively new to the world of shooting but have fallen head over heels! I recently completed my CFSC/CRFSC (with 100% I might add, and pretty proud of this obviously). I went to the range the other day and tried out a few handguns. The SIG P226 9mm, S&W M&P .40 and 9mm, and the Glock 22 .40. I was really happy with my groups with the SIG but found the polymer guns harder to handle. The Sig had a hogue grip on it and was fairly chunky in my hand which felt way more stable. I'm thinking 9mm is a good place to start learning to shoot accurately. If anyone could help me out finding a used SIG for a reasonable price it would be greatly appreciated. Also if there's any suggestions that would help me out fly at er! Thanks for your time.
What is the best starter handgun for me?
- Thread starter Rathammer
- Start date
Well you are going to get several answers and several reasons. I've always shot .45 ACP 1911 since I was a kid (and .22LR) so I can't say anything about the other calibers/styles. I love .45 and as much as I'd like to buy a .40 I just don't see the point. Realistically my next pistol will be a .357 revolver. In the mean time ... more rifles!
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A revolver would be the handgun to start with...If you master those,go to the semis.Some guys would recomment .22 regardless,but in my opinion,it just depends on the weight of the gun,aka a polymer semi in 22 throws farther off target line than a heavy Iron 7 1/2 barreled 38 special.
PorkNBeans
Regular
- Location
- Central Manitoba
a p226 9mm of some variety would be a great choice. an even better one would be a p220 .45
.22, 9mm or another light recoiling caliber would be a good place to start. Pick something reliable, a POS that needs constant attention is not a fun place to start. I know there are some ex European police SIGs floating around out there, a little cheaper than a new one. I've never seen one in person so I can't comment on them. The M&P has interchangeable backstraps, I like the large one for that chunky feel. Works in my gorilla mitts. So light recoil, quality brand and personal preferences are the best advice I could offer. Oh nice score, I got 100% too!
Thanks everybody! I've been drooling over the EE already quite a bit. I might be jumping the gun (no pun intended) cause i just sent my application in for my restricted last week. I'm just reeeeaaalllyy excited to start my arsenal. I've shot .22 and .380 handguns as a kid and am pretty handy with a shotgun so i think I'm ready to kick it up a notch. I'll head back to the range and try a few more on for size when I get out of camp. Thanks a lot for your help gents!
"...best starter handgun..." The one that fits your hand best. The calibre doesn't matter much. You need to be able to easily reach the trigger with no stress. Too small can be fixed with a change of grips. Too big, rarely so. Sometimes the frame is just too big. For example, standard Smith 'K' frame revolvers are too big for my hand. No matter what grip it has. Best thing to do is go to your local gun shop and try a few on for size.
Mind you, for learning sight picture, breathing and trigger control nothing beats a .22 target pistol.
"...polymer guns harder to handle..." Slippery? Pachmayr makes or did make a relatively inexpensive, slip on, rubber sleeve for just that reason. Doesn't change the size of the frame though. Just fixes that slippery feel.
"...9mm is a..." Sort of. Most 9mm's aren't as accurate as they should be. Nothing wrong with 'em but target guns they ain't. And rarely can they be turned into one. A 1911 style .45, aside from having less muzzle blast and noise, can be turned into a target gun. More expensive to shoot if you're not reloading. Reloading is something you will be doing, eventually. Factory ammo is too expensive to shoot regularly.
Mind you, for learning sight picture, breathing and trigger control nothing beats a .22 target pistol.
"...polymer guns harder to handle..." Slippery? Pachmayr makes or did make a relatively inexpensive, slip on, rubber sleeve for just that reason. Doesn't change the size of the frame though. Just fixes that slippery feel.
"...9mm is a..." Sort of. Most 9mm's aren't as accurate as they should be. Nothing wrong with 'em but target guns they ain't. And rarely can they be turned into one. A 1911 style .45, aside from having less muzzle blast and noise, can be turned into a target gun. More expensive to shoot if you're not reloading. Reloading is something you will be doing, eventually. Factory ammo is too expensive to shoot regularly.
You heard wrong IMHO...
I have a Norinco 1911 Commander. While it is not a top end gun, there is nothing wrong with it IMHO. In fact, I like it so much that I just purchased another one from CanadaAmmo because they have a sale going on, $499 for a 1911 AND 1000 Rounds of 45Auto!!! That makes the pistol $171 if you consider the ammo sells for $329, an unbelievable DEAL!!!
Cheers
Jay
P.S. We also have 14.5 inch barreled M4 clones, a M14 and they are all decent guns!
Never owed a Norinco that I didn't like. Never sold a Norinco that I didn't regret.
A 22lr is a good place to start. You can throw a lot of lead down the range and not break the bank and find out if handguns are for you. The GSG 1911 is a good choice the gun is readily available in a number of styles and reasonably priced. If you get tired of it you can sell it on the used market and get into something else. I have one in my collection and I take it to the range regularly.
- Location
- West Quebec
