First Handgun?

[Brian Pfleuger]

I'm thinking.....

Desert Eagle... macho, huge, easy to conceal....

no seriously, I'm thinking S&W .40 or .45


any suggestions?

 

[Jermtheory]

M&P-9(or .40 if you must) with a Burwell trigger job(basic/reset).

you can DIY if you feel up to it(level one,ends on pg. 22)...

http://www.burwellgunsmithing.com/misc/M&Ptriggerjob.pdf

or...

http://www.burwellgunsmithing.com/

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

BTW... I have many years of rifle/shotgun experience so there's no "new to guns" type problem... and even so I intend to take the pistol safety course.

 

[oneSoneK]

g23 perfecty sized for ccw i carry one love it..

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

oh, and I'd like to keep it under $500

 

[HowardCohodas]

If you intend to carry suggest you read The Beginner's Guide to Carry. http://concealedcarryforum.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4121

 

[jakeswensonmt]

If it was me, and I had 5 Benjamins burning a hole in my pocket, I'd be out looking for a deal on a CZ75 Compact.

 

[Homerboy]

Do you like hammer fired or striker fired? For striker, I'd go with either a XD or a S&W M&P. They both make full size and compact versions. For hammer fired, a third generation S&W auto fits my bill.

 

[Smaug]

Well for a first handgun, your best bet is a .22. (I like the Ruger Mk. IIIs)

Learn how to shoot with a gun that is accurate and that eats cheap ammo. Centerfire pistol ammo costs 8-10X as much as .22.

Then, when you've got the basics down, get a centerfire handgun and learn how to beat the flinch.

I know, it is not macho, and would be one of the last choices for personal defense, but if you want to get started right, that's how it is done.

It can be done with a centerfire handgun, but it is going to be costly. The $500 gun is going to look cheap compared to the amount you'll pay for ammo in the first year of ownership.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I *guess* I would prefer striker but I haven't really researched that aspect.


I'm not terribly concerned with cost of ammo as I don't intend to shoot thousands of rounds. (Even 1000 rounds is only $150-200 maybe)

Looking to keep it in the Home/Personal defense category. (no .22)

 

[ElectricHellfire]

+1 on the Glock 23 or 27.

 

[HKCHEF]

Before Glock gets pushed on you anymore despite your preference toward S&W, I will recommend the M&P in .45 or if you like steel S&W 1911.

You can ask what brand car you should buy on this forum and somebody says Glock.

 

[Topkicker]

My first handgun was a Ruger Mk II. I still have it and still love to shoot it. A new Mk III would be a gorgeous and reliable first handgun well with in your budget.

 

[Topkicker]

Oops. Missed "no 22s". I bought a 3rd generation Taurus Millilium Pro in a 45 at Cabelas here in Fort Worth for $329.00 plus tax. You can get this gun in a 9mm or 40 S&W. I've heard mixed reviews about this gun but I can honesty say that I haven't had any problems out of it and find it rather fun to shoot. I got the desert tan model with black slide. I think it's an attractive gun for the buck.

 

[Jermtheory]

btw,if you dont want to bother with the trigger job,the M&P trigger breaks in nicely after a few hundred rounds.doesnt help the reset,but the pull becomes much nicer than it is out of the box.

 

[hamster]

find a used Sig P229.

 

[american lockpicker]

I would avoid a large caliber (380 or above) subcompact as a first gun because of recoil.

 

[allenomics]

Yes, save money on ammo and buy a 9mm; Glock 17/19 or M&P. It's more than adequate for protection, IMO. A 45ACP would be my second choice and Glock (21SF) and S&W have good options to consider.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

I'm not so sure I have a real preference for S&W, they just seem like a good first option. I could become a Glock junkie too if I had a good reason, I don't have a problem with brand loyalty if it's well thought out.

I'm not sure that I'm necessarily concerned about recoil, maybe I'm wrong (please tell me nicely if I am) but I am an experienced shooter and shoot quite well with my neighbors .357mag.

I do like the Glock trigger (I think), I'd like to try one.


Mostly just thinking out loud here....

 

[Catchabullet]

i've heard good things about

Rock Island Armory .45's. i bought a colt 1991 commander in stainless with a 3.5 pound trigger job last week from ken (Wild West Alaska), was 800 but worth every cent. only shot 100 rounds through it so far...but it was oh so smooth. but anyways, the Rock Island Armory .45's are really nice. and i haven't heard a single complaint about them. not sure if you would need to take a drummel to the ramp to polish it up though. i know some guns don't come with the ramp polish but anyways, sorry i am rambling.


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=103618662

think about it.