New to TFL, could use input!

[tom98390]

First I would like too introduce myself. My name is jason, 20 years old and I have been shooting rifles and pistols for about 6 months now. The is the first firearm fourm I have joined, and I joined it because everyone here (almost) seems too be very helpful.

Ive been thinking of my first pistol for along time now (as I still have a long time tell im 21) and I am really stumped on what too get. I havent gotten to shoot that much, but what I have shoot is a s&w .22 witch was fun and I was able to make some sort of grouping with it (3.5 inch at 15 yards) but I am really looking for somthing alittle more powerful.The other gun I have shoot a few times is a 9mm hk. I hated it. Well first I wasent ready for the recoil as I own a 9mm carbine and have shoot it with no problems. Second well there never was a second because I never was able too get past the recoil. And i know what everyones thinking "recoil on a 9mm??" but im not sure if it is just the hk line or the 9mm cal. but it think it will take alot for me too get over it. Any sugestions? Ive been looking around and I really like the look and style on any of the 1911's but there alittle out of my price range. Im looking for somthing sub-600$. Anyone have any ieads? Well I would just like to thank everyone in advance for there help

-Jason

 

[Love&Hate12]

Hello friend and welcome, you will recieve lots of good information here.

I'm 21 myself. Good grouping with the 22 by the way.

Th recoil jump from a .22 to a 9mm is very significant, however with practice the recoil with the 9mm won't be anything of a problem, the jump is what turned you off I promise. The HK line is fantastic and they are some of the softest recoiling guns I have ever shot, I use an HK .40 myself.

I would reccomend trying out a Glock, their 9's recoil the softest from my experience, a 1911 would be a good choice but they are mostly .45acp and the .45 recoils more than the 9mm does. The .45 recoil is more of a push and the 9 is more of a slight snap, the .40 is a harder snap.

But really check out the glock, I can rapid fire those with hot Corbon 9mm ammo like it's a .22

I am sorry if some of this is blotchy, I am about to pass out.

Good luck buddy

 

[Doogle]

It sounds like a .22 would suit you at this stage...>

...as you have already shown some liking for the calibre and have shot it well. If you intend to shoot a fair bit a .22 makes sense both in allowing you to gain good technique that will serve with all calibres, as well as with economy. You can shoot many .22 rounds for the cost of 50 rounds of 9mm or other centerfires. Apart from that .22s are fun to shoot. As to brands at reasonable prices there is the perenial Ruger .22 auto in its various forms, the Browning Buckmark range, and the Beretta Neos to name just a few.

I've shot the H&K USP a number of times and found it to be one of the lesser-recoiling of the 9mm handguns I've encountered, and so I don't know that you'll find other 9mm pistols too much different. A 1911 pistol in .45ACP is unlikely to be the answer, as the calibre generally has a little more recoil, although with a different, less sharp, feel. The fact is that 9mm and larger calibre guns recoil significantly more than .22s, and it's something you just need to adapt to and the more you shoot the more comfortable you'll likely become with it. This is where the good techniques you've learned on a .22 come into play.

I'd also recommend you find a range to hire a few more handguns of the various types that interest you to see how they feel. Try out a .45ACP. a .40, a .380ACP - see what they are like. Not all will fit your hand for a start, and others may have features you don't like. I tried out most models I could and narrowed things down that way. For example, the Beretta 92 (and Taurus equivalents) were an attractive 9mm option until I shot a couple of them. Single action was fine but the double action trigger reach was just a bit much for my stubby hands. They may suit you fine.

If you really find that the 9mm recoil is not for you, there are always the .380ACP pistols to consider.

You may not have considered them, but there are plenty of .38spl revolvers (or .357mag, which can also shoot the .38spl round) around that are very good, and at decent prices. The .38spl round can be had in a variety of loadings from quite powerful down to light target loads that offer very little recoil.

I ended up getting a .22 Beretta 87T first, then a Browning Hi-Power 9mm, and a Taurus M689 .357mag revolver. This had been my plan to give me a variety of shooting. The one hole waiting to be filled is a single action revolver in .357/.38spl, just because I like them

​

 

[SD_Chop]

welcome to TFL jason. If you were upset with the recoil of a 9mm HK and want to purchase a handgun that is larger then the .22, my suggestion would be practice a little more and get used to the recoil. 9mm is one of the lower recoil calibers out there, the 1911 is a .45acp and has more then the 9mm. I know your new to shooting but you would probably wannna handle a few more firearms and just get used to their habbits or reactions if you would before you purchase one. Good luck with it!

chop

 

[blume357]

Try a Revolver

Best choice is a good heavy 357 mag shooting standard 38's. Or, I know it's hard to believe even a 44 or 45 cal shooting standard loads. I have to agree with you, the recoil on a 9mm is pretty heavy. I've been shooting 22 for the last two months and had kind of forgotten what it is like until last week.. as for the 1911... that's another step up, the two Springfields I have kick like a mother.

 

[denfoote]

I'd suggest a wheel gun as well.

Smith and Wesson make the 617 and 317 revolvers. Both in .22LR.
It would be a good way to learn handgun basics.

 

[Baba Louie]

4" barrel, .357 magnum shooting .38 spl wadcutters. Once you've got that down, move up the ladder to .38's then +p's, finally, later, some magnum loads. The heavier the platform, the less recoil you'll feel. The heavier the bullet wgt, the more recoil you'll feel.

Learn to love it. (The recoil) Seriously.

A problem with shooting centerfire semi-auto's might be attributed to the back and forth action of the slide, the height of the bore axis above your grip, your wrist strength, two handed vs single hand hold... and very important, flinch-wise, (and I haven't seen it mentioned yet) your ear protection. Foam plugs AND earmuffs please.

Another method (which I do not really recommend) is shooting a larger bore platform for a while, then going back DOWN to the smaller. An interesting exercise.

And Welcome to TFL tom/Jason.

 

[Top_Notch]

My suggestion would be to rent (beg, borrow, or steal) other 9mm handguns and determine what is right for you.

A full-size, metal frame 9mm will lessen the perceived recoil. Something like a Beretta 92 FS. I shot it's cousin, the Taurus 92 and it was a soft shooter. The large size and metal frame go a long way.

I ended up with a Glock 19. To me this gun is a soft-shooter but to other's it may not be. I found that a full sized framed 9mm seemed overkill for the cartridge and thought a smaller package had all that I wanted.

good luck

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's And Welcome Aboard-

Like most other's, I will have to say that a .22 caliber revolver would
be the way to go. Very easy to learn on, plus the low cost of ammo
makes this a top choice among novice's. Even us old farts like to shoot
the lowly .22 LR every once in a while. Choice of weapons is just 'bout
wide open. From a low end Taurus/Rossi to a top quality expensive
Colt Diamondback (if you are lucky enough too find one~!). My
choice would be too try and find a very nice used Smith & Wesson
4" barrel "Combat Masterpiece". These are great training weapons,
but they too have become hard to find lately. And, if you are
lucky enough too find one, expect to pay between $450 and $500
bucks for one in pristine condition~!

 

[QuaTscH94]

Last week my friend and I went out shooting, I am a .45 and 9mm guy and I previously owned a Beretta 92/fs in 9mm, the gun was absolutely flawless and shot so smooth. But this past week my friend brought out his Beretta 92 9mm equipped with Hogue grips and a compensator (recoil reducer). That piece felt and shot smoother than a .22 pistol, I was amazed at the difference it made, and it also looked cool

Definatley look into the Beretta line

 

[mikejonestkd]

Start with a .22

Everyone ends up owning at least one .22 so why not start there? Ammo is very cheap, no recoil, the guns are usually 50% cheaper than centerfire....

Practice with a .22 until you are very comfortable with handguns. Also try every larger handgun you can get your hands on. You will eventually become more comfortable with the larger calibers through practice. THEN you can go out and buy a centerfire that works well for you.

I probably shoot 6000+ rounds of .22 every year, but less than 1000 centerfire rounds. I practice with the .22 to improve my skills and it really pays off when I step up to the larger calibers.

in semi autos I like the Browning buckmark, the beretta neos and the ruger. The old high standards are great as are the smith 41's but they are expensive.

in revlovers the smith 617 is wonderful, but the ruger single six or the tarus are nice and cheaper too.

 

[tom98390]

Wow thanks for all the help you guys. A few more qestions. Isnt there 1911 that are in the 9mm cal.? For some reason I thought I rembered seeing them on gun brooker. Also I plan I getting a hand-me-down .22 as soon as I turn 21 but I know soon after that I will want somthing more. So anyone have any tips on getting used to the 9mm recoil? I know most say just shoot as much as you can but I find that I clinch my arm so tight when I have it in my hand that my arm begines to hurt after 50 or so rounds. It was pretty funny my brother in-law (who is the one who I borrow these guns from) loaded me 9 rounds instead of ten, and since I count rounds in my head to cail me down as I shoot I went to shoot that last round and my hand flinch was really bad, It looked like full recoil....

 

[QuaTscH94]

A Beretta is the ticket for smooth action, I was really impressed with mine. If you don't want to jump right to the 9mm why not look into a .32acp? Practice makes perfect, I used to anticipate recoil whenever I went shooting, now I am confidently firing my .44 magnum with one hand

 

[Billy_H]

If you decide on a 9mm go out and hold as many as you can, rent them and fire if possible. Practice will help a lot, but you can also pick up some snap caps and practice pulling the trigger with a steady hand at home and concentrate on not flinching.

 

[tom98390]

The whole reason I wanted too go with a 9mm is because then I caould share ammo with my 9mm carbine. Snap caps..... I dont know what they are, Im assuming it is a dud that has a sound to it. How loud are they, what price? Thanks for all the tips. Is there a reason why miy whole arm gets tierd so fast. Im not really out of shape I do manual labor for a living.

 

[Billy_H]

They don't make a sound but do give the firing pin something to strike so its not just a normal dry fire.

 

[blume357]

personally I think 50 rounds through

any large caliber (9mm-45cal or greater) gun is enough. that's a box of bullets and enough for me... I'm tired and ready to go home. 22's you can shoot all day...but 9mm-45acp... not for me.

 

[tom98390]

Really so its not just me. I was really wondering I can shoot my AK and my highpoint all day and only have a sore finger.

 

[bazilla]

Wanting to share ammo with your hipoint carbine is a good reason for choosing 9mm. As for the recoil, it just takes a little getting used to. Really. I've been handgun shooting for just 3-4 months now, and I started with a 9mm pistol, and a 357 snubbie shooting 38 spl +P loads. I.e., I skipped the "learn with a 22 first" advice. I'm not denying that's good advice, but it is not the only way to go. I've shot over 1K rounds through the 9mm, and 200-300 through the snubbie, the recoil is no longer an issue.

To tame the recoil, make sure you are getting a very tight grip on the handgun. Then concentrate on (a) the sight picture, and (b) seeing the muzzle flash when you shoot. If you are really concentrating on those things, you are not even going to notice the recoil.

A lot of dry firing helps also. It helps you get familiar with the way the gun fits your hand, the sight picture, and, most importantly, the trigger pull. My first couple of sessions did not go well because my concentration was distracted by the trigger pull. In my experience, "flinch" and worrying about recoil were closely tied to concentrating on the trigger pull. The trigger pull needs to become an act of will, something that is entirely "mental." You should be completely unaware of the physical motion involved, because if you are thinking about that, you are not thinking about the sight picture or seeing the muzzle flash.

And finally, don't even try to compare the recoil of shooting 9mm from a handgun to the recoil of shooting it through the carbine. It would have been better to have experienced, and mastered, the handgun recoil first. Then the relative lack of recoil in the carbine would have just been a pleasant finding.

 

[bazilla]

that's a box of bullets and enough for me... I'm tired and ready to go home. 22's you can shoot all day...but 9mm-45acp... not for me.

I've not tried shooting my 9mm all day, but I do 120 rounds minimum when at the range, and could easily do more. OTOH, 30 or so rounds through my snubbie is about the limit of that one. I chose the 9mm, over larger bore pistols, so I could shoot it a lot. I haven't been disappointed.