Vladimir_Berkov
New member
I am talking someone who has never fired a gun before, but wants a handgun for self-defense. I was thinking a .38 special revolver.
Best handgun for a newbie?
- Thread starter Vladimir_Berkov
- Start date
Welcome. You are thinking on the right rack, although you may want to first consider a .357 magnum revolver rather than a .38 special. The .357 magnum is a more versatile revolver because it can shoot both the .38 special bullet, which is easy to control, as well as the more powerful .357 magnum bullet. This gives you versatility in bullet selection so you can practice with the cheaper .38 bullet and still upgrade to the more effective defensive .357 bullet at a later date. Also consider something in stainless steel for durability and with a 4" barrel for accuracy.
Smith & Wesson 686 is a good model, so is the Ruger family of pistols.
Many people will give you their recommendations here, but also do a "Search" function here on this forum.
Good luck and tell us how you do.
Smith & Wesson 686 is a good model, so is the Ruger family of pistols.
Many people will give you their recommendations here, but also do a "Search" function here on this forum.
Good luck and tell us how you do.
I agree with CWL.
A full size revolver with a 4" barrel will serve you well. If the full house .357 mag loads are a bit much , you can also get the downloaded medium velocity Remington Golden Saber 125gr GSJHP load.
I would caution against using full house .357 mag loads for defense if you don't at least put a box or two through the revolver to know where your point of impact will be and to see if your recoil tolerance level will handle shooting the cartridge. Otherwise it would be wise to stick to a .38 special +P load for defense.
Try staying away from the snub nose, ultralight and small frame revolvers. It takes a bit more experience with weapons to handle these revolvers effectively. Since it is going to be a home defense weapon and not necessarily a carry gun, there should be no reason to not have a full size weapon.
Good Shooting
RED
A full size revolver with a 4" barrel will serve you well. If the full house .357 mag loads are a bit much , you can also get the downloaded medium velocity Remington Golden Saber 125gr GSJHP load.
I would caution against using full house .357 mag loads for defense if you don't at least put a box or two through the revolver to know where your point of impact will be and to see if your recoil tolerance level will handle shooting the cartridge. Otherwise it would be wise to stick to a .38 special +P load for defense.
Try staying away from the snub nose, ultralight and small frame revolvers. It takes a bit more experience with weapons to handle these revolvers effectively. Since it is going to be a home defense weapon and not necessarily a carry gun, there should be no reason to not have a full size weapon.
Good Shooting
RED
I started off with a S&W 586, it's a great choice (686 is the more forgiving stainless version). Though I sold the 586 long ago, it is just as good a handgun as any (and I shouldn't have sold it).
As stated, you expand your options to all .357mag offerings as well.
Good luck.
As stated, you expand your options to all .357mag offerings as well.
Good luck.
Concur 100%. Learning to shoot a DA revolver is a great way to start. The 357 magnum platform provides a new shooter with a great deal of versatility as well. A vintage S&W 586 is a great way to start. If you find an older one, you also find one with one of the smoothest triggers in the industry as well as a very well made firearm. 
Welcome to TFL and have fun!
Welcome to TFL and have fun! Vladimir, why not go to a range that rents guns, and run through everything they have on the board, from smallest caliber, to largets?
My experience doing so taught me that I can form likes and dislikes very quickly, it is a very small amount to 'invest' to be sure you find something that's right for you, and besides... it's a helluva lot of fun to shoot different guns in different calibers.
Just my two cents.
My experience doing so taught me that I can form likes and dislikes very quickly, it is a very small amount to 'invest' to be sure you find something that's right for you, and besides... it's a helluva lot of fun to shoot different guns in different calibers.
Just my two cents.
HookedAgain
New member
I'll add another vote for the Ruger KGP-141. Adjustable sights - nice for target shooting, 4" barrel - easier sighting than a snubby, stainless steel - more corrosion resistant, .357mag - can shoot full power loads or cheaper 38spl for practice, incredibly rugged and reliable.
Another thought, if you've never fired a gun, I'd suggest that you go to a local range and do a little bit of target shooting with a responsible friend who's shot before (or an instructor) and a .22 rifle before shooting the handgun. Just my opinion, but shooting a rifle is much easier than a handgun so you can probably get good results quicker while still learning some basics about guns in general - might be a much better experience for you all the way around I know when I was a kid I shot rifles a LOT but when dad handed me that first snubby revolver to shoot it was a whole new experience - fun (eventually ) but I'm glad I didn't start with one!
Another thought, if you've never fired a gun, I'd suggest that you go to a local range and do a little bit of target shooting with a responsible friend who's shot before (or an instructor) and a .22 rifle before shooting the handgun. Just my opinion, but shooting a rifle is much easier than a handgun so you can probably get good results quicker while still learning some basics about guns in general - might be a much better experience for you all the way around
I know when I was a kid I shot rifles a LOT but when dad handed me that first snubby revolver to shoot it was a whole new experience - fun (eventually ) but I'm glad I didn't start with one!Lots of excellent advice, including checking of our TFL archives (see "Search" above), that has many excellent threads re this overall topic.
I offer an additional recommendation for a Ruger KGP-141 (their four-inch barrel, full underlug GP-100) as a first handgun. I have two of them and -- heaven forbid -- I was compelled to keep only one sidearm of the many I have, it would be the one of the KGP-141s. They are foolproof, wonderfully versatile, quality designed and manufactured, durable, reliable, accurate, and rugged as a bank vault. New, they cost ~$350.
You cannot go wrong with any of the alternatives thus far mentioned in this thread, but I endorse the KGP-141.
I offer an additional recommendation for a Ruger KGP-141 (their four-inch barrel, full underlug GP-100) as a first handgun. I have two of them and -- heaven forbid -- I was compelled to keep only one sidearm of the many I have, it would be the one of the KGP-141s. They are foolproof, wonderfully versatile, quality designed and manufactured, durable, reliable, accurate, and rugged as a bank vault. New, they cost ~$350.
You cannot go wrong with any of the alternatives thus far mentioned in this thread, but I endorse the KGP-141.
Rainbow Six
New member
Am I the only person in the world that doesn't go for the "(insert personal opinion) is best first gun" theory? How is a revolver magically right for everyone when they start out, but after someone has "experience" and "knowledge" the revolver might not be right for them? And what qualifies those of us with some gun experience to choose someone else's "right gun", beginner or not? Makes absolutely NO sense to me, never has, never will...
There is only one correct answer to any "Which gun for (insert person here)?" type question. The answer is to have them try as many guns as possible and decide which one they like, PERIOD. If someone can explain to me how it's possible to know someone else's likes and dislikes, grip preferences, etc then please, let's hear it.
Have the person rent or borrow as many different brands, styles, sizes and calibers as possible. Then have THAT PERSON answer the question of which one, out of the ones they tried, fits their hands and their preferences best. That's the ONLY way to choose the right gun for that individual.
Let someone else choose for you and you just might end up unhappy with the "right gun" that they chose. If you choose it yourself you still may end up wanting to trade for whatever reason but I'd be willing to bet that you'll be closer to having what you want than you would be after going with their choices.
There is only one correct answer to any "Which gun for (insert person here)?" type question. The answer is to have them try as many guns as possible and decide which one they like, PERIOD. If someone can explain to me how it's possible to know someone else's likes and dislikes, grip preferences, etc then please, let's hear it.
Have the person rent or borrow as many different brands, styles, sizes and calibers as possible. Then have THAT PERSON answer the question of which one, out of the ones they tried, fits their hands and their preferences best. That's the ONLY way to choose the right gun for that individual.
Let someone else choose for you and you just might end up unhappy with the "right gun" that they chose. If you choose it yourself you still may end up wanting to trade for whatever reason but I'd be willing to bet that you'll be closer to having what you want than you would be after going with their choices.
Try out a few differnt handguns. I would suggest you go with a medium size revolver like the 4" GP100 or the 686. They are durable, reasonably priced (esp. the Ruger), and fun to shoot. But definitely look at as many as possible (Glock, SIG, etc.). Find a range that rents and try them all. A word of cautiuon though - most revolvers that I have seen for rent are quite old, so unless your range has modern revolvers, you might not get a good idea of how one feels.
Remember, only you know what feels good in your hand and what you like to shoot. Also, check out the price of AMMO. This can be quite high over time if you get an unusual (.357 SIG, 10MM, etc.) caliber.
Remember, only you know what feels good in your hand and what you like to shoot. Also, check out the price of AMMO. This can be quite high over time if you get an unusual (.357 SIG, 10MM, etc.) caliber.
Marko Kloos
New member
I usually recommend a 4" .357 as a first handgun as well, for the following reasons:
-A 4" .357 is very versatile in a ballistic sense. It can be stoked with everything from .38 Special target wadcutters to screaming .357 Magnum deerstoppers, covering every possible use between 200 and 700 foot-pounds of required energy.
-A 4" .357 is very versatile in a practical sense. It can do everything well, from CCW to hunting to home defense to range duty, just by varying the ammo load (see above). Few other handguns can be used for such a broad number of applications in an equally competent manner. A "first handgun" owner can do a lot of things with that one gun, until they decide to expand their collection and get specialized guns for each job.
-A revolver is generally safer to use for novices, since its loading status can be confirmed at a glance, and it can be instantly rendered completely safe by swinging out the cylinder. There are no safeties to forget or engage accidentally under stress.
I think a 4" .357 makes sense as a "first" or "only" handgun...I know it would be the gun I owned if I could only have one.
-A 4" .357 is very versatile in a ballistic sense. It can be stoked with everything from .38 Special target wadcutters to screaming .357 Magnum deerstoppers, covering every possible use between 200 and 700 foot-pounds of required energy.
-A 4" .357 is very versatile in a practical sense. It can do everything well, from CCW to hunting to home defense to range duty, just by varying the ammo load (see above). Few other handguns can be used for such a broad number of applications in an equally competent manner. A "first handgun" owner can do a lot of things with that one gun, until they decide to expand their collection and get specialized guns for each job.
-A revolver is generally safer to use for novices, since its loading status can be confirmed at a glance, and it can be instantly rendered completely safe by swinging out the cylinder. There are no safeties to forget or engage accidentally under stress.
I think a 4" .357 makes sense as a "first" or "only" handgun...I know it would be the gun I owned if I could only have one.
If they have never fired a gun before I would start with a bolt-action, single-shot .22lr rifle, then go to a handgun. As long as we are all going to assume that a new shooter is too stupid to learn about a semi-auto from the begining, then we shouldn't recommend anything that holds more than one bullet so Barney won't hurt himself.
I taught my Lady, who had never fired a gun before, to shoot with a Glock 19. The 15 pound DA trigger pull on a friends S&W 586 was too much for her. Why not just cock the 586 before each shot you ask? Because the 5 pound SA trigger pull is almost the same as my Glock's 4 pound trigger pull, but would require her to reload 2.5 times more often. Also, she likes the G19 better because it is lighter than the S&W 586.
My point is that the new shooter should have some input on firearm choice.
I taught my Lady, who had never fired a gun before, to shoot with a Glock 19. The 15 pound DA trigger pull on a friends S&W 586 was too much for her. Why not just cock the 586 before each shot you ask? Because the 5 pound SA trigger pull is almost the same as my Glock's 4 pound trigger pull, but would require her to reload 2.5 times more often. Also, she likes the G19 better because it is lighter than the S&W 586.
My point is that the new shooter should have some input on firearm choice.
Mike Irwin
Staff
R6,
A revolver ISN'T "magically right" for everyone.
But it is, generally, one hell of a lot easier, and safer, to learn the basics of how to handle a handgun and shoot it safely with a revolver than it is with a semi-auto.
I've taught several dozen newbies how to shoot. I ALWAYS start off with a revolver, always recommend a revolver for purchase if the person isn't familiar with handguns, or has no intention of shooting a lot. The one time I started a person out with a semi-auto, at his insistence, he came damned close to shooting both of us because he wasn't familiar with the gun's operation.
I took it from him, handed him a revolver, and we started again.
It is an ordered, logical progression, one that makes sense to me, always has made sense to me, and always will make sense to me -- a concept of learning to walk before hitting the ground running.
A revolver ISN'T "magically right" for everyone.
But it is, generally, one hell of a lot easier, and safer, to learn the basics of how to handle a handgun and shoot it safely with a revolver than it is with a semi-auto.
I've taught several dozen newbies how to shoot. I ALWAYS start off with a revolver, always recommend a revolver for purchase if the person isn't familiar with handguns, or has no intention of shooting a lot. The one time I started a person out with a semi-auto, at his insistence, he came damned close to shooting both of us because he wasn't familiar with the gun's operation.
I took it from him, handed him a revolver, and we started again.
It is an ordered, logical progression, one that makes sense to me, always has made sense to me, and always will make sense to me -- a concept of learning to walk before hitting the ground running.
Rainbow Six
New member
lendringser,
I wasn't discrediting the usefulness of a revolver. The fact is, some people can't shoot a revolver worth a crap. I do ok with revos but I can shoot much better and much faster with a semi-auto. This doesn't mean that semis are better than revos, but for me, my best handgun is a semi-auto. My whole point was that it doesn't matter whether I'm a beginner or a pro, if I shoot/like a semi better, the "best gun" for me isn't going to be a revolver no matter how versatile it may be.
Unless you're gonna hunt with your handgun I'd argue that a Glock 19 in 9mm is every bit as versatile as a 4" revolver as far as ammo selection from plinking /target to full house self defense stuff. The Glock 19 also has no safeties to forget or engage accidentally under stress. The rest of the safety issue is no big deal. Either a handgun is handled safely or it's not. Relying on features of ANY design for safety is asking for trouble. Is it loaded? Assume that it is! Keep finger off trigger until ready to shoot, etc...
I say that a 4" .357 makes sense as a "first" or "only" handgun ONLY if the gun purchaser has tried several different makes, models, calibers, etc and made his/her own decision that they are comfortable with the feel of 4" .357 and can shoot it good enough for whatever purpose they want it for. Otherwise, it's the wrong choice no matter how versatile it may be.
FWIW, if I could only have one handgun it'd be a Glock... probably a 19 or 23. The next guy that posts might want an HK as his only pistol. That's fine. The best gun for me may not be the best gun for you, him or anyone else on this board, which is my point. I love my GMC truck but for someone taller/wider/shorter/etc, a Ford might fit/sit/ride better. I love my Glocks but someone else with larger/smaller/fatter/slimmer hands might like a CZ, or a S&W revolver better. I can't say that Glock is the best gun for anyone other than me. Neither can anyone else...
The only things that makes even less sense to me than the "best", "first" and "only" gun recommendations would be the "chick gun" recomendations. I love to see those threads! Guns chosen/recommended based on gender alone! That's too funny! Or, ummm, too sad...
I wasn't discrediting the usefulness of a revolver. The fact is, some people can't shoot a revolver worth a crap. I do ok with revos but I can shoot much better and much faster with a semi-auto. This doesn't mean that semis are better than revos, but for me, my best handgun is a semi-auto. My whole point was that it doesn't matter whether I'm a beginner or a pro, if I shoot/like a semi better, the "best gun" for me isn't going to be a revolver no matter how versatile it may be.
Unless you're gonna hunt with your handgun I'd argue that a Glock 19 in 9mm is every bit as versatile as a 4" revolver as far as ammo selection from plinking /target to full house self defense stuff. The Glock 19 also has no safeties to forget or engage accidentally under stress. The rest of the safety issue is no big deal. Either a handgun is handled safely or it's not. Relying on features of ANY design for safety is asking for trouble. Is it loaded? Assume that it is! Keep finger off trigger until ready to shoot, etc...
I say that a 4" .357 makes sense as a "first" or "only" handgun ONLY if the gun purchaser has tried several different makes, models, calibers, etc and made his/her own decision that they are comfortable with the feel of 4" .357 and can shoot it good enough for whatever purpose they want it for. Otherwise, it's the wrong choice no matter how versatile it may be.
FWIW, if I could only have one handgun it'd be a Glock... probably a 19 or 23. The next guy that posts might want an HK as his only pistol. That's fine. The best gun for me may not be the best gun for you, him or anyone else on this board, which is my point. I love my GMC truck but for someone taller/wider/shorter/etc, a Ford might fit/sit/ride better. I love my Glocks but someone else with larger/smaller/fatter/slimmer hands might like a CZ, or a S&W revolver better. I can't say that Glock is the best gun for anyone other than me. Neither can anyone else...
The only things that makes even less sense to me than the "best", "first" and "only" gun recommendations would be the "chick gun" recomendations. I love to see those threads! Guns chosen/recommended based on gender alone! That's too funny! Or, ummm, too sad...
MeekAndMild
New member
IMHO the best of the best is the classic Model 19 in .38 Special. Blued steel, wooden grips and the old blue cardboard box are just cosmetic and there is much dithering and foot shuffling regarding the old style firing pin and lack of any sort of transfer bar. But IMHO these are easier to shoot and maintain than the newer versions and a lot easier to learn on than the .357.
Having learned on one myself I realize there is a lot of prejudice involved here.