Thread: 1st handgun too many chocies please help!

Hi Jordan and welcome to HGF.

Here's my advice. Get your hands on as many different handguns as you can and fire at least 100 rounds through them to see what 1) Feels best in YOUR hand and 2) You shoot best with. Rent or borrow a buddies.

If you have access to some local ranges and get to know some folks. Most gun people I know are very eager to show off their firearms and many will let you shoot them. Bring your own ammo though and a little extra for the kind folks who may offer you a session with their weapon.

You are talking about CCW so I would say this is very serious business picking out a gun you may rely on to save you skin.

It looks to me like you are trying to keep cost manageable so i won't offer up my favorite Sigs as a choice for you to consider. They are pricey. I would strongly suggest you take a look at the Smith & Wesson M&Pc. You can get a Full Sized .40 with a 15 round magazine or the "c" with ten rounds for a reasonable price. The one I own is a tack driver and it feels great in my hand.

I'm a certified Glock hater, but I will confess that I know people who own them and love them. Many shoot them better than I shoot my Sigs, but I don't blame the guns. Grip angle and blockiness seem to be the make it or break it with most people considering Glocks. See how it feels to you.

I own an XD, but to be honest, the jury is still out for me. Some times I like shooting it, other times I don't. The stock trigger blows, but that's common to many out of the box firearms. Its' a great concept and well put together.

I don't know enough about your other two options to comment on them

Whatever you do decide, please take that class you mentioned. Practice, practice, practice.

Enjoy and good luck. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Add the M&P40 to your list. You might want to change all those 40's to 9. It will be easier for you to afford all the ammo you need to test each of the items on your list. Once you decide on brand/Model the lower cost of 9MM will allow you to buy all that ammo you will need to become very proficient with it. It is a very good defensive round also.

Good luck and enjoy the search.

Welcome the the forum ram03reg!

I completely agree with Scorpiusdeus. There's no chance you're gonna know exactly what you want without firing as many as you can get your hands on. Most ranges have a great selection of guns that you can rent for a very small price, given that you buy their ammo.

I personally went with a 9mm S&W M&P for my first handgun. Could not possibly be happier with my choice. Lots of the guys/gals on here are hardcore glock or XD fans. Neither of which I enjoyed shooting. It's very much a personal preference thing. Good luck with your search and be sure to let us all know what you go with!

-Jeff

Here's what I have done for years as you can't always get a chance to shoot a gun you might want. Frist, do I want a revolver or a automatic. Most people like the automatic for packing. Metal or plastic. Today the plastic is the in thing and lighter than steel. Now what caliber 9mm,.40S&W,.45acp. These are the most common. Strike out what you don't want. Then go to a gun show and finger print everyone that meets your list. There's going to be one that stands out. Buy it and don't look back. Good luck.

Thanks for the quick replies. I am going to go check out he S&W M&P40 tomorrow at the local gun shop.

I have to say right now it looks like the FNH 40 cal. (DA/SA) is at the top of my list. but i really like that beretta but its just a little to big to carry i think unless i can get my hands on that subcompact.

Keep that replies comming

thanks
-jordan

Originally Posted by scorpiusdeus

It looks to me like you are trying to keep cost manageable so i won't offer up my favorite Sigs as a choice for you to consider. They are pricey. I would strongly suggest you take a look at the Smith & Wesson M&Pc. You can get a Full Sized .40 with a 15 round magazine or the "c" with ten rounds for a reasonable price. The one I own is a tack driver and it feels great in my hand.

I looked at the sigs but they are a little pricy for me right now but they are really nice. A little on the heavy side but im sure that i will end up getting one some time in the future.

This is an almost impossible question to answer, but my advice to those I talk to in your position is what others have suggested. Try and shoot and hold as many as possible. If your unfamiliar with handguns just try as many out as possible and choose from a reliable manufacturer. Personally I would buy new, (due to warranty) for a first gun, and go with a company that has great customer service in case there is a problem. For the best CS I would look at S&W, Glock, and Springfield, there are others that have good CS but these consistently stick out on all forums as being top notch and all have firearms in the $500 range. Good luck.

Originally Posted by scorpiusdeus

I'm a certified Glock hater, ...

Where do you go to get certified?

BTW, welcome aboard Ram03reg, and have fun with the hunt!

WM

Fellow cajun here, GO TIGERS. I agree with the other members here and would suggest a 9mm instead of the 40-less recoil and cheaper ammo especially if you are going to the range often. Please rent as many guns as you can to see which one feels right, that is the only way to make the best decision. Some guns feel right in your hand until you shoot them. I also suggest you try the M&P 9 or 40c. I have the 9 and it is one of the best shooters in the $500 price range. Good Luck.

don't you mean geaux tigers?? i have to say the FN handguns just look great and most any firearms associated with browning are very smooth. i have a springfield xd9 4 inch right now and i'm enjoying it. if you are going to carry in the heat of the south you may want to consider a subcompact model so you don't have to wear uncomfortably warm clothing in the climate down there. of course if you don't mind baggy shirts you may be alright with the choices you've listed above.

haha yeah geaux Tigers! Yeah i think that im going going to keep looking at the compacts epically since i dont wear baggy shirts. I went and looked at the S&W M&P .40 and i have to say i really liked it. i Kinda narrowed my list down between the s&w and the Glock. The more i read about the S&W the more it seems like the right choice. I shot a S&W sigma and i didnt care for it very much but i hear that the M&P is a totally different gun.

given your list that you provided
i'd get the glock 27

scorpiusdeus
Here's my advice. Get your hands on as many different handguns as you can and fire at least 100 rounds through them to see what 1) Feels best in YOUR hand and 2) You shoot best with. Rent or borrow a buddies.

In spite of my learned colleague's dislike for Glock, the above is the very wisdom of Solomon (who undoubtedly would have recommended Glock).

Have you checked out CZ? I'm ordering a CZ85 this week (I'm a lefty), I know the 75/85 models are probably too big to carry, but have you looked at the other CZ models? I've read amazing reviews for these firearms, and they're very reasonable priced. Just a thought!

-Jeff-

I think that i made up my mind. I checked out the S&W M&P compact 40 cal. since some of yall suggested it. I really liked it so i think that im going to end up getting it, but im still thinking about the glock. I like the way that the S&W fits in my hand and the grips are interchangeable + the $50 mail in rebate and 2 free mags. But the free stuff was not the deciding factor at all just a perk. Thanks for all the help.

That S&W promotion ends today, fyi.

I may have missed something at the top of this thread but.. if you are considering the SW M&P40 and a Glock have you looked at the XD's yet? I admit I don't own one but have shot one and love it. The 4" XD45 Compact will be my first gun as of next week.

Ben

I'll second the CZ suggestion. I have Colt .45's, Beretta's, S&W's, Walther's and several others. I never really thought much about getting a CZ but happened to pick up a NIB CZ 75B compact for $175 a few years ago. It has got to be one of the nicest fitting pistols for my hand. It just FITS!!! And "fit" is one of the main things you need to look for when it comes to a carry gun. Since buying the Compact I purchased other CZ's. My CZ's shoots great and are built like a tank ala Ruger. It is my bedside, travel gun.
I am currently looking to get a PPS when they come out in 40 S&W for my CCW.
Good Luck!
WW

It's said all over this site. Find a range that tents them....Call all your friends.Whatever it takes to get your hands on as many as you can and see how you work with them. As to a first carry gun if you get an auto loafer I might want to shy away from the Glock like guns. Glocks and most like them are really good pistols I just wouldn't recommend them as a first is all.

If you try out a bunch of them you will find that magical fit and feel that you will be totally confident with and that is REALLY IMPORTANT. if you're not totally comfortable with the pistol then that can lead to a problem. Also if you can when you find a good fit try different calibers of them. you can get a 46 but might bot be totally at ease with the recoil. That can render your new tool useless. Some people do better starting with something like a 9mm and working their way up.

Good luck with your hunt