WTB my 1st handgun but I am not that into them. What is the best gateway handgun?

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KsCan

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Hi everyone. I never had too much interest in handguns but I already missed out on owning a prohibited on May 1st and I don't want to miss another chance :p. Plus it would be nice to mix things up at a range a bit as I am more into milsurp rifles. I have shot handguns a couple of times and held some at a gunstore so my knowledge on this subject is limited. While I can recognize many makes and models and I am not too familiar with the details. For example, I am aware of Glocks but have no idea the difference between models and generations. I am looking at something that is reliable, not too expensive, and "stereotypical". I assume something in 9mm would be a good start. I am leaning towards a Glock as they appear to be on the affordable side and are in common use around the world. Ideally, I want to spend under $1000. I was also thinking of getting a Tokarev as I am in surplus stuff but kinda wanted something more modern if I were to buy one handgun (at least for now). I know that I don't want a revolver or a .22 pistol. With that in mind, what do you think would be a good start for a handgun newb? Thanks, Kyryl.
 
You can't go wrong with a Glock 17. Lots of Gen 3, 4 or 5 around for well under 1K. If you are ok with surplus stuff, some great deals on Beretta 92s, Beretta 1951s, CZ75s or Jericho 941s. (i.e less than $600). The 92 is a classic obviously. Lots of fans of the CZ75 and Israeli Jericho's because they are all steel and have grips frames that work well ergonomically for many shooters.
 
gdawg said:
You can't go wrong with a Glock 17. Lots of Gen 3, 4 or 5 around for well under 1K. If you are ok with surplus stuff, some great deals on Beretta 92s, Beretta 1951s, CZ75s or Jericho 941s. (i.e less than $600). The 92 is a classic obviously. Lots of fans of the CZ75 and Israeli Jericho's because they are all steel and have grips frames that work well ergonomically for many shooters.
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That's a decent list. If you had to choose one of those, which one would you get?
 
gdawg said:
You can't go wrong with a Glock 17. Lots of Gen 3, 4 or 5 around for well under 1K. If you are ok with surplus stuff, some great deals on Beretta 92s, Beretta 1951s, CZ75s or Jericho 941s. (i.e less than $600). The 92 is a classic obviously. Lots of fans of the CZ75 and Israeli Jericho's because they are all steel and have grips frames that work well ergonomically for many shooters.
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^This. These are all good recommendations.

If your looking into Glocks a 17 (Full size pistol) or 19 (Shorter grip, same width as 17) are both well regarded. There are others but for the most part those are the two biggest. There is also the newer Glock 48 specifically designed for the Canadian market, and is more slim then the 17 and 19 due to only using a single stacked 10 round magazine, compared to all other Glocks double stacked magazine designs that make them thicker. New a glock 48 is the cheapest of the three coming in under $700

There are also CZ pistols. Lots love this brand they have some that are like glocks (Striker fired) Or old school types like the Cz 75B omega which are highly regarded. There's Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 which are a lot like a Glock. There's a few cheaper brands out there from Turkey and the Philippines. Girsan makes M&P, and Berretta 92 clones. Rock island and a few others make 1911 clones.

I do personally like the 75% sized Browning 1911's in 380ACP. Really good looking pieces. https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/1911-380/current.html

If surplus is your thing why not try a Walther P1 unissued and in it's original wrapping. Can find them at this link, and a page on the sellers forum here on CGN, that talks all about them and reviews from customers who love them https://www.nordicmarksman.com/Walther-P1-9mm-49-Surplus.html This company has a good selection of glocks as well.

I know you said you don't want a 22lr. But hear me out, there is nothing wrong with a good Ruger Mark IV. Great well built easy to clean pieces. Plus side they are super cheap to shoot at the range. No sticker shock bricks of 22lr may not be as cheap as they once were but you can't shoot anywhere near the amount of 9mm that you could do with a 22lr in a Mark IV. https://ruger.com/products/markIV/overview.html

There are many others so really it comes down to what you like the look of.
 
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Ribstaylor said:
^This. These are all good recommendations.

If your looking into Glocks a 17 (Full size pistol) or 19 (Shorter grip, same width as 17) are both well regarded. There are others but for the most part those are the two biggest. There is also the newer Glock 48 specifically designed for the Canadian market, and is more slim then the 17 and 19 due to only using a single stacked 10 round magazine, compared to all other Glocks double stacked magazine designs that make them thicker. New a glock 48 is the cheapest of the three coming in under $700

There are also CZ pistols. Lots love this brand they have some that are like glocks (Striker fired) Or old school types like the Cz 75B omega which are highly regarded. There's Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 which are a lot like a Glock. There's a few cheaper brands out there from Turkey and the Philippines. Girsan makes M&P, and Berretta 92 clones. Rock island and a few others make 1911 clones.

I do personally like the 75% sized Browning 1911's in 380ACP. Really good looking pieces. https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/pistols/1911-380/current.html

If surplus is your thing why not try a Walther P1 unissued and in it's original wrapping. Can find them at this link, and a page on the sellers forum here on CGN, that talks all about them and reviews from customers who love them https://www.nordicmarksman.com/Walther-P1-9mm-49-Surplus.html This company has a good selection of glocks as well.

I know you said you don't want a 22lr. But hear me out, there is nothing wrong with a good Ruger Mark IV. Great well built easy to clean pieces. Plus side they are super cheap to shoot at the range. No sticker shock bricks of 22lr may not be as cheap as they once were but you can't shoot anywhere near the amount of 9mm that you could do with a 22lr in a Mark IV. https://ruger.com/products/markIV/overview.html

There are many others so really it comes down to what you like the look of.
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Thanks for that. That Walther P1 option is pretty neat, it's an interesting idea. Those 1911s do look good. I have nothing against .22s in general but handguns are not really my focus. I just want 1 or 2 to mix things up at the range. If you were restricted to only having one, because "public safety" or something, which one would you choose? (<$1000 of course :) )
 
KsCan said:
That's a decent list. If you had to choose one of those, which one would you get?
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Honestly, i'd go with which ever one appeals to you. If you don't like it, easy to sell on EE and try another. If you don't shoot or plan to shoot pistols a lot, CZs and the clones like the Jerichos, tend to be easy to just pick up and shoot well (a little heavier, some find the triggers a little forgiving-arguably). All the others will shoot just fine, but your shooting with those will probably benefit from a little more concentration and practice.

For Glocks, Gen 4s and 5s have different backstraps - might be helpful if you have very small or very large hands, but if in the average range, you won't need them. You can get Gen 4s and 5s cut for optics (MOS version). Gen 3s and 4s have finger groves and different barrel rifling compared to the 5s. Gen 3s will be the cheapest and just fine if you want a basic stock Glock.
 
KsCan said:
Thanks for that. That Walther P1 option is pretty neat, it's an interesting idea. Those 1911s do look good. I have nothing against .22s in general but handguns are not really my focus. I just want 1 or 2 to mix things up at the range. If you were restricted to only having one, because "public safety" or something, which one would you choose? (<$1000 of course :) )
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If you want polymer and reliable A Glock 17 Gen 5 FS NS. Night Sites and front serrations, and it's a glock 17 the tried true and dependable. Can find them at Nordic marksman the place i linked, or other stores but Nordic marksman's a great company can't rave about them enough. If you wanted to save money do the same night sights and serrations but on a glock 48 instead. (Night sights glow in the dark)

If you want a more classic metal one I'd probably right now go for a Cz 75b omega. Great pistols.

If I wanted a good surplus I'd go that Walther P1.

All of them are 9mm, and all of them are more then awesome and reliable. All will be under $1000.
 
Rightly or wrongly I purchased a Girsan MC9T with red dot and a ruger wrangler single action . I have never even shot a handgun but got my restricted and chose inexpensive starters. I decided the Girsan was more prudent than an M17.
Still haven't fired them. :) 9m and 22lr. Two for under $1000 new.
 
KsCan said:
Hi everyone. I never had too much interest in handguns but I already missed out on owning a prohibited on May 1st and I don't want to miss another chance :p. Plus it would be nice to mix things up at a range a bit as I am more into milsurp rifles. I have shot handguns a couple of times and held some at a gunstore so my knowledge on this subject is limited. While I can recognize many makes and models and I am not too familiar with the details. For example, I am aware of Glocks but have no idea the difference between models and generations. I am looking at something that is reliable, not too expensive, and "stereotypical". I assume something in 9mm would be a good start. I am leaning towards a Glock as they appear to be on the affordable side and are in common use around the world. Ideally, I want to spend under $1000. I was also thinking of getting a Tokarev as I am in surplus stuff but kinda wanted something more modern if I were to buy one handgun (at least for now). I know that I don't want a revolver or a .22 pistol. With that in mind, what do you think would be a good start for a handgun newb? Thanks, Kyryl.
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Want it or not, a .22 would do you well, a Tokarev might turn you off handguns if it is your first. Glocks are lego, and they feel like it to me. More than one dealer has told me that there is no shortage of guys wanting to trade their Glocks in... which is why used ones sell cheap. Ruling out the .22, go 9mm steel frame, CZ or CZ Clone or 9mm 1911 will give you a good trigger and have enough weight to help reduce the chances of you developing a flinch.
 
Glock if you want modern/retro (polymer), 1911 if you want all metal. Also depends on hand size Glock 48 is great for a shooter with small hands but 19x or 17 has the largest grip area. 1911 goverment profile is large or commander if you want shorter barrel/slide. You can also try renting a few different ones at the range to see what you prefer to shoot before buying.
 
Since you are new to handguns I would strongly suggest getting a 22 cal to assist with your shooting fundamentals. The cost of ammo is skyrocketing and will soon dwarf the cost of any pistol you purchase. If you just want to mix it up and just have a range toy for under 1000.00. You could get yourself a Glock 19 or 17 9mm at a really good used price. I would also suggest getting a used Glock 44 22cal. The Glock 44 mimics the Glock 19/17 in every respect except that its a 22 and way cheaper to learn on. If you bought both of these guns you would be set. If in the future you wanted something else they are pretty easy to sell as well.

Having said that you have many options - I am a big fan of Walther PPQ-M2 or the new version the PDP. They have the best out of the box trigger and ergonomically they feel great in the hand. The Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 are excellent as well. For a steel framed gun the Jericho 941F can be picked up for around the 500.00 mark and it is a great shooter as well.

The best thing is to find a gun that fits your hand. What may fit in my hand may be awkward in yours. Head to a gun shop and hold a few and dry fire.
 
Go with a 22 to begin with. inexpensive ammo and low recoil to get the basics of aiming, trigger control and follow through. There are several good 22 to choose from a Ruger mark anything is always a good affordable choice.
 

Since surplus is your thing, options like a Walther P38 might scratch your itch? (if they are still selling for what I remember) But don't forget revolvers are even earlier surplus and something in 38 special would be superb to begin with: light recoil, accurate and cleanup is a breeze. And while you currently aren't interested in 22LR, with the cost of ammo it'll become more attractive. Personally I'm not suffering immediate shortage, but I still shoot more 22LR than anything else... frequently with revolver.
 
I'm also new to handguns, and just got a PPQ-M2, and it feels very good in the hand, and a reasonable price. Also grabbed a Tokarev, just to have a neat old piece of history......It certainly doesn't "feel" as good to use, but thats not why I bought it.
 
Beretta 92 surplus old police issue can be got for 450. Cant beat that for a 9mm. mine just had real worn down grips I replaced. I find them a lot more interesting than glocks but I'm bias because glocks are just so boring to me.
 
My advice is if you don't like em, get something good. It's hard to go wrong with a 9mm. 1911s are fantastic. Glocks are great, too. I love my shadow 2.

Avoid super cheap stuff. Spend at least a grand.

One more tip, get something with an adjustable rear sight and a fiber optic front sight. So nice.
 
KsCan said:
.... I am looking at something that is reliable, not too expensive, and "stereotypical". I assume something in 9mm would be a good start. I am leaning towards a Glock as they appear to be on the affordable side and are in common use around the world. Ideally, I want to spend under $1000. I was also thinking of getting a Tokarev as I am in surplus stuff but kinda wanted something more modern if I were to buy one handgun (at least for now). I know that I don't want a revolver or a .22 pistol. With that in mind, what do you think would be a good start for a handgun newb? Thanks, Kyryl.
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Can you tell us more about how you want to use it? If you know it's just for casual plinking, then the suggestions might be different than for one of the shooting games/disciplines. Different again for something that is mostly going to sit in a safe.

It will also tell us whether you need to budget for belt/holster/pouches, extra magazines, upgraded sights, etc..
 
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