Recommendation for first handguns ... to train, in home, to carry

[Karnog]

I am wondering what should be my first handgun purchases. I am thinking eventually I will have 3 handguns. One for home protection, possibly one for training and eventually one to carry. My first thoughts on brand have leaned towards Sigs since I took some courses there and have read good things about their guns. For home I was thinking the P226 and for carry, either the P232 or P239.

Outside of that, it has been suggested to me that for most of my training I ought to consider a .22. It apparently will allow me to focus solely on my accuracy (without worrying about gun noise and kick.) Also, I am told ammo is much cheaper.

So, what are your thoughts? What should be my first purchase?

Paul

 

[Ninsho]

I'm not the best person to answer this with my limited experience, but if your diehard on sigs for your other two then a Sig mosquito might be a good .22 for you. I have heard a lot of bad reviews on it being picky about ammo, however.

 

[vellnueve]

It all depends on what feels good to you. If you like Sigs, go with a Mosquito for a .22 and a P226 or 229.

If you like 1911s, go with a Ruger Mk III 22/45 and a SW1911

If you like revolvers, go with a SW686 and 617.

It's all personal preference when you get into high quality guns. All of them will perform if you treat them right and use them correctly.

 

[Davidk]

I highly recommend revolvers to new shooter. Easy to learn, hard to screw up, won't jam, not ammo sensitive, and a heavy long trigger is the best trigger to learn on. I still love shooting mine

 

[massnee]

My first handgun was a Glock 27. I use an ar15 for home defense. I highly recommend making your carry gun the firearm you shoot the most.

 

[Dieseldog1]

revolver for simplicity

I have trained hundreds of people to shoot for their first time as an instructor. Typically I would use a Ruger GP 100 revolver in .38/.357
or a Ruger SP 101 revolver in the same caliber. In my opinion not much beats a good double action revolver to learn with.

 

[Gabe]

...I am thinking eventually I will have 3 handguns. One for home protection, possibly one for training and eventually one to carry.

Home protection: 1911
Training: 1911
Carry: 1911

I'm not saying you can save money by purchasing an all-in-one gun. By all means, buy three 1911s!

 

[Ripach]

I'm not saying you can save money by purchasing an all-in-one gun. By all means, buy three 1911s!

Now there is logic can't be argued with when talking about any make/model of firearm.

 

[Lugnut]

First- all handguns you rely on should fit you well. I have a few Sigs- they are great, reliable guns. However the smaller Sigs are a little on the heavy side for daily carry to me. A baby Glock or a snubby are good for CCW. This of course depends on your size and type of dress styles.

 

[Slim]

I had to make the same decision several months back and wound up getting an M&P 9mm compact. It just felt more comfortable compared to some of the others I held. And the 2 free mag deal wasn't bad either.

As a fairly new shooter, I am finding it a bit more fun to shoot than a .22 and not quite as harsh as a .4x. I have shot about 1500 rounds so far and I'm very happy with the decision. I also like it because as a compact, I could use is as a carry gun if I chose to carry.

I tried a Glock 17 and 23 before I made my purchase just to see what the "Glock" was like. Looking back, I think the recoil of the 17 a little less easy to control than that of the M&P, and the 23 just was too much to be enjoyable for this noob.

 

[boltonguy]

P226 for home
Kahr MK9 for carry

Best of both worlds - both are well made, accurate and fun to shoot.

 

[DavidC77]

22 22 22 22 22 22 22

There's alot of 22's for ya . Really though a 22 is a great learning gun, and one that you will allways go back to shooting to have fun with. Once you feel like you shoot well enough than move up to a Sig (or S&W M&P or S&W 1911).

As far as rounds a 9 MM will be less recoil than a 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 45 ACP. Alot of people put down the 9 MM, I my self don't care for it but there are alot of people that that is all they will carry.

My carry gun was a S&W 1911 45 ACP (got to be to heavy for my likes), I have switched to a S&W M&P 40 S&W. I love that round, as well as alot of LEO's.


Have fun and buy a 22, you will not regret it, they are alot of fun.

 

[Twigg]

I am thinking eventually I will have 3 handguns.
...

So, what are your thoughts? What should be my first purchase?

Paul

That's how it begins...

What town/city you live in ? Some of us are likley to let you try something you're thinking of iffin' we've got one ourselves.

Better yet, join as a paid member, (19.00 measly bucks) come to a shoot or two, (We're a socialable bunch. ) there'll be lots of different guns to try !

 

[matt]

That's how it begins...

What town/city you live in ? Some of us are likley to let you try something you're thinking of iffin' we've got one ourselves.

Better yet, join as a paid member, (19.00 measly bucks) come to a shoot or two, (We're a socialable bunch. ) there'll be lots of different guns to try !

That's good advice! A trip to Manchester Firing Line will easily run you $50 and you'll only shoot 1-2 guns.

.22 is the standard advice, and for good reasons (those you listed). If you can't wait, or can't buy 2, get a 9mm. Still relatively cheap to shoot and not too much bang/recoil.

 

[DavidC77]

I forgot something to help you chose also. Go to S&W or Sig and shoot a few of the gun before you buy them, see which one you like before you buy it.

Not sure about Sig's cost, but at S&W you can rent a gun, box of ammo, 3 targets and all the range time you want for $25.

 

[FrugalFannie]

I forgot something to help you chose also. Go to S&W or Sig and shoot a few of the gun before you buy them, see which one you like before you buy it.

Not sure about Sig's cost, but at S&W you can rent a gun, box of ammo, 3 targets and all the range time you want for $25.

Sorry for the question inserted here but...

Where are S&W and Sig located? It would be really cool to go there and try out their guns before buying. Do you have to have your license to go there and try them (I'm waiting for my safety class - Sep 15th!)?


Thanks.

 

[ephemeratta]

1st Handgun

I'd say a good start would be a .22 Ruger MKII or MKIII, Browning Buckmark, or Ruger Single Six, or maybe the Sig Mosquito since you're looking down that road.
.22's Are a blast...well they're more of a 'pop' but they're a ton of fun and you can buy 500 rounds for about $10. Great for working on the fundamentals without breaking the bank and did I mention they're a ton of fun

 

[badmotorfinger]

I am still "new" in the firearms area, however after taking the safety course at the SIG facility in N.H. 6 months ago, I knew that I wanted to buy at least one pistol from SIG ARMS. I ended up buying a 226 for home protection and a 239 to carry concealed; both are in .40 caliber and I use both to practice with. The ammo can be expensive in comparison to .22 rounds, however I buy all my rounds at Wal-Mart in tax free NH and save some cash.
With regards to carrying the 239, yes it is a little heavy, but certainly not as heavy/bulky as the 226. Both pistols are very reliable and may not be as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as other manufacturer's pistols available on the market, but the workmanship is evident nonetheless. There is definitely a "kick", or recoil, that takes some getting used to (I am still getting used to it), but through practice comes a level of comfort as well.
When it comes to practicing/training/accessories, be sure to surf around this website, as there are so many knowledgeable/helpful people that have posted previous information available to read. I have also found that so many of these seasoned vets will respond to any private messages you send to them as well.
Good luck with your first purchase!

 

[DavidC77]

Sorry for the question inserted here but...

Where are S&W and Sig located? It would be really cool to go there and try out their guns before buying. Do you have to have your license to go there and try them (I'm waiting for my safety class - Sep 15th!)?


Thanks.

S&W is in Springfield MA and Sig is in Epping NH. Not sure which one is closer for you.

Have fun

 

[Karnog]

A lot of great advice here and much of it I will try to follow up on. If I decide to pursue getting a .22 for practice shooting, any advice on what gun is a good, reliable one?

Paul

 

[Alchemist]

great advice

I have been reading a lot of good advice. This is what's been given to me by members of certain Army organizations that are highly respected. First and foremost: Never practice with anything that you won't carry. A .22 is GREAT for fun and cheap shooting. Unfortunately, its' recoil is nothing like the ammo you would normally carry for home defense or personal conceal and carry. I personally went with a .38 Special from Smith (J frame) who IMHO creates the best revolvers for what they call a "Summer Carry". It is big in impact and conceals about the same as a .380 which is awesome for concealment. In my summer-lite clothes, you can barely notice I'm carrying it. Yet, if you fire it at the range, you know that it will ruin some bad guy's day if they approach you in any illegal fashion. After practing shooting with that, shooting a pistol was CAKE. However, the downfall (outside the high recoil), is that it has been proven to be less than 100% effective in penetrating through layers of winter-heavy clothing. Which is why I went with the .40 cal (Smith and Wesson SW99). It falls short of the stopping power of a .357sig but its' availibity of types of rounds makes it more attractive. If you do not care about it containing such an esoteric round, I suggest finding a gun with the .357 round (P229 or P226). Please read up on penetrating power before you continue). I would also suggest if you buy both of these guns, one for home defense and one for C&C, you buy both barrels with the same round. It'll be much easier to find rounds lying around the house. With that said, I would like to revisit what I said about the penetration of winter clothing. Although, it will stop an individual wearing a leather jacket, certain rounds of the .38 Special have been known to be stopped by a t-shirt (so I've been told). One must study the expansion rate of a certain bullet even after you've purchased the weapon. I bought the .38Special not knowing the dangers of certain brands. It turns out, if I just bought the next box of ammo on the next shelf for the same price, I would have been able to buy the stopping power of a .357 Magnum. Just food for thought. No gun is "wrong" but just understand that EVERY gun is designed for a special purpose and it was designed by an engineer. I know from working with engineers, they are not always geniuses and you should be careful. Like many of the other Post'ers say, try out the gun before you buy it. It's an investment in your safety and your family's safety, don't buy it like you would buy a liability.

 

[vellnueve]

Alchemist, the best shooters and instructors pretty much to a man say that practicing with a .22 will build the good habits and prevent bad ones from forming. More rounds = better shooting. .22 = cheaper = more rounds.

 

[Cross-X]

A lot of great advice here and much of it I will try to follow up on. If I decide to pursue getting a .22 for practice shooting, any advice on what gun is a good, reliable one?

Paul

Paul, I'm partial to the S&W 22A, it's a 10 round .22 semi-auto. The retail price is about $300.

I have owned five of them and have found them to be utterly reliable, easy to disassemble and clean, and quite accurate given what they cost.

Also, the built in top rail makes for easy mounting of a red dot or holographic sight.

 

[Jose]

I personally went with a .38 Special from Smith (J frame) who IMHO creates the best revolvers for what they call a "Summer Carry". However, the downfall (outside the high recoil), is that it has been proven to be less than 100% effective in penetrating through layers of winter-heavy clothing.

What exactly do you mean? That some 38 Special bullets have failed to penetrate through all clothing? Or that they did penetrate but did not have the magic "one shot stop"? If it's the former, I call bullshit. If it's the latter, you will soon find that such is the case with ALL handgun calibers.

certain rounds of the .38 Special have been known to be stopped by a t-shirt (so I've been told).

I hope you did not place ANY credibility on something this ridiculous.

I carry a 38 Special revolver almost dialy and year round. It is loaded with five Remington +P cartridges with 158 grain lead semi wadcutter hollow point bullets. I am completely unpreoccupied with how many layers of clothing my attacker may wear.

 

[jamz]

I would try for a .22 conversion kit for your primary carry piece, that way you can practive with the same manual of arms, feel and weight (mostly) of your carry gun. Popular conversion kits are made for Glock and 1911 design pistols, not sure of others.

 

[Cross-X]

Paul,

If you are interested in a revolver, also known as a "wheelgun", you might take a look at what Smith & Wesson has to offer. They have many fine guns, and an unbelievable no B.S. lifetime warranty.

 

[M.Nastek]

I have to chime in here. train, carry and shoot the same platform always.

Become familiar with all others in the event that you may have to use them.

Carry the same platform primary 5" 1911 & backup 4" 1911 or primary Glock 19 & back up Glock 26.

And with that train, train and train some more.
Take courses in shooting skills, carry methods, tactics, unarmed defense and force on force type training.

Read, inquire and question all methods and build a tool box of tactics and skills.

If you would like some sound and proven info and training contact us.
Jim C. & Mike N at NESHOOTERS.Com

 

[Alchemist]

What exactly do you mean? That some 38 Special bullets have failed to penetrate through all clothing? Or that they did penetrate but did not have the magic "one shot stop"? If it's the former, I call bullshit. If it's the latter, you will soon find that such is the case with ALL handgun calibers.

I hope you did not place ANY credibility on something this ridiculous.

I carry a 38 Special revolver almost dialy and year round. It is loaded with five Remington +P cartridges with 158 grain lead semi wadcutter hollow point bullets. I am completely unpreoccupied with how many layers of clothing my attacker may wear.

don't quote me on this but if I recall correctly, the individual from the S&W range recapped on the Federal "low recoil" round. Yes, you're probably right, the .38Special +P would probably have little problems penetrating. But I still feel hesitant to rely on the .38Special when dealing with a leather jacket, sweater, button-up shirt, t-shirt and then bone. If you read "Happy Handgunner" you'll find that certain rounds have a problem penetrating at a slightly longer distance that 10 feet due to expansion rate. My main concern is to not let any intruder stay alive long enough to sue me.

 

[vellnueve]

Shoot for the head.

 

[Jose]

If you read "Happy Handgunner" you'll find that certain rounds have a problem penetrating at a slightly longer distance that 10 feet due to expansion rate.

What is "Happy Handgunner"???? I prefer to read whatever I can get my hands on from experts int he field like Dr Gary K Roberts. Also, over at the Smith & Wesson Forum, an attorney by the name of Erich has some interesting things to say about his experience as a first prosecutor and now defense attorney regarding all the GSW victims has has seen over the years. Neither of them consider the 38 Special +P as a weakling in any sort of defensive scenario.

My main concern is to not let any intruder stay alive long enough to sue me

Then do what Vellnueve said. And even that is no guarantee of a lawsuit-free happy life. The BGs relatives definitely have standing to sue if he's six feet under. Your only ironclad defense is to live in a state that gives you immunity from civil prosecution if the shooting is ruled justified. And Massachussetts is not one of them. So maybe you should move south. Way south.