Any of you guys own a handgun?

[VentdependenT]

I'm no firearms freak but I would like to start practicing at the gun range. Something cathartic about blasting your hand cannon. No I won't carry it around with me dirty harry style or get a NRA tat on my chest.

Anyways, I'm currently interested in a Glock 20, standard, 10mm rounds. Concerned that 10mm round may be tough to find.

Any advice, does this sound like a good pistola? Its about 580 bones.

For those against firearms, thats cool, please don't read into this too much.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[core0]

I'm no firearms freak but I would like to start practicing at the gun range. Something cathartic about blasting your hand cannon. No I won't carry it around with me dirty harry style or get a NRA tat on my chest.

Anyways, I'm currently interested in a Glock 20, standard, 10mm rounds. Concerned that 10mm round may be tough to find.

Any advice, does this sound like a good pistola? Its about 580 bones.

For those against firearms, thats cool, please don't read into this too much.

Glock 20 is a nice weapon. 10mm is a bit stout, especially if you are not used to shooting. If you are getting into pistols a .22 is nice. You can fire all day for a couple of bucks. Also the same glock in 9mm the 17 is really nice and you can pick up surplus ammo for a few bucks. The key (in my opinion) to having fun and getting good with a pistol is to fire a lot of rounds.

You can pick up a surplus police 17 for about $300 usually. New springs and maybe a new barrel and your in business. For that matter for $600 you could get a 17 and a .22 like this:
http://www.berettausa.com/promotion/U22/neos_land.htm

David Carpenter, PA-C

 

[VentdependenT]

Glock 20 is a nice weapon. 10mm is a bit stout, especially if you are not used to shooting. If you are getting into pistols a .22 is nice. You can fire all day for a couple of bucks. Also the same glock in 9mm the 17 is really nice and you can pick up surplus ammo for a few bucks. The key (in my opinion) to having fun and getting good with a pistol is to fire a lot of rounds.

You can pick up a surplus police 17 for about $300 usually. New springs and maybe a new barrel and your in business. For that matter for $600 you could get a 17 and a .22 like this:
http://www.berettausa.com/promotion/U22/neos_land.htm

David Carpenter, PA-C

I never even considered gettin a 22. Maybe I'll check it out. I think I want something with a little more bang however.

How much more kick does a 10mm have over a 9mm?

The other Glock I was thinking about fires the 380 round. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Pilot Doc]

If you're looking to spend $600 on a gun, just spend another $200 to have your own ammo stockpile. Shouldn't have any ammo-finding problems.

 

[usnavdoc]

I'm no firearms freak but I would like to start practicing at the gun range. Something cathartic about blasting your hand cannon. No I won't carry it around with me dirty harry style or get a NRA tat on my chest.

Anyways, I'm currently interested in a Glock 20, standard, 10mm rounds. Concerned that 10mm round may be tough to find.

Any advice, does this sound like a good pistola? Its about 580 bones.

For those against firearms, thats cool, please don't read into this too much.

10mm is kinda an odd choice. Dont get me wrong Its a good high powered round, but not my choice for an inexperienced shooter who simply wants to go to the range every now and then.

9mm is a much cheaper round to shoot. 45acp is cheaper as well if you want more power than a 9mm. Anyway there are tons of great guns out there in both calibers. As far as the 10mm goes, you arent going to find as many models overall to choose from, but I think the glock 20 is one of the better choices although.

 

[VentdependenT]

So I shouldn't go out and buy a Desert Eagle 5.0 because I saw it in "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels."

How friggen hard is it to shoot that thing?

Well, perhaps I'll go with the 9mm after this thread. All the Po-Po use it.

 

[Noyac]

I have a .45

It has plenty of fire power.

While I was in La. there was a serial killer in the area. He mutilated 2 young women less than a mile from my house. My wife was pretty scared even with our 2 large dogs at her side but she swore to not let this assh*le change her life. I taught her to fire the .45. If she fired and missed the sound was enough to chase the bastard away. If she hit him, he was toast. I told her to fire till it was empty that way he couldn't take it from her and use it.

Anyone remember that serial killer in Baton Rouge, La?

 

[usnavdoc]

I never even considered gettin a 22. Maybe I'll check it out. I think I want something with a little more bang however.

How much more kick does a 10mm have over a 9mm?

The other Glock I was thinking about fires the 380 round. Any thoughts on that?

Alot. The 10mm is a magnum powered load compared to the 9mm or the 45. The 10mm actually has more stopping power than the 45 or the 357 magnum.

Another choice is a .40sw. Probably the most popular choice thesedays. plenty of guns to look at and still cheaper to shoot and more stopping power than the 9mm but not quite as much as a 45.

Also dont rule out a revolver like the 357 magnum. great stopping power and kick but can also fire the 38 special loads so you can practice rather cheaply.

 

[Salt Creep]

I was going to recommend the .40 S&W also. It's basically a mid-point between the 9 and 45.

As for what brand/model, you need to see what fits your hand the best. Some people really like some brands that I hate (Sig and Glock, for example). At the same time, some brands fit me very well - I like Para-Ordinance and my Beretta Cougar a lot. I taught self-defense shooting classes for 6 years, and one thing I learned was that part of the reason for so many brands and models is that people are just different in what they like - and what they are easily able to shoot well.

Go to a couple gun stores, or better, a couple shows. Pick up a lot of pistols, and see which ones seem to "point" well and feel good in your hand. I always told people that being able to hit your target with a .22 is better than missing with a .45 (Noyac - that has nothing at all to do with what you said - I think if your wife unloaded a .45, any thug would be long gone, assuming your dogs didn't shred the thug - it's just what I always said to people looking)

I love my Ruger MK-II .22, and I've competed well with it. I can nail shotgun shells at 30 yards with it pretty easily, and at the same time, I can burn up 500 rounds & not walk away broke.

I agree with usnavdoc not to discount revolvers. I have a couple carry guns, that usually stay in my car (or my wife's gun purse), and 2 of my favorites are revolvers, for multiple reasons. For a carry gun, you never have to worry at all about feed problems, jams, etc. And you can leave it loaded for years without the magazine spring losing tension.

The ability to get ammo cheap is a good point too. It gets expensive. I've been saving brass for years, and I just reloaded about 800 rounds of .38, for about $100 in materials. They're about $15 for 50 rounds, if you're getting new factory ammo.

 

[Gimlet]

Vent, try PMing Hernandez (mshheaddoc's husband). The dude knows pretty much anything there is to know about guns, and is very helpful to people looking for info. I know he's not a huge fan of Glocks, but he could definitely steer you in the right direction.

 

[core0]

I never even considered gettin a 22. Maybe I'll check it out. I think I want something with a little more bang however.

How much more kick does a 10mm have over a 9mm?

The other Glock I was thinking about fires the 380 round. Any thoughts on that?

380 is a mouse gun. Good for shooting mice not much else . I have a 17 a 20 and a 22. The 17 kicks the least. The 22 is pretty stout and the 20 is more than that. I would guess that it has about twice the recoil of a 17.

It depends on what you want to do with it. A .22 is good for getting used to shooting and getting a lot of trigger time. For perspective for $100 you can get 200 rounds of 10mm, 500 rounds of 9mm and 2500 rounds of .22. 9mm is a pretty good compromise between recoil and cost. If I would have to grab a gun for self defense it would be either a .40 (mentioned below) which is a nice compromise between recoil, ammunition capacity and general down range badness. Basically it is a downloaded 10mm. Smith and Wesson makes a revolver that will take both .40 and 10mm.

If I had to pick one gun for self defense and general plinking it would probably be a Glock 22 or 23 (although the ammo is about the same price as the 10mm.

Sadly guns being like popcorn I have a glock 22, 23 and 35L (long barrel no longer made). I also have a 20, 17 and 17L to fill out the glockage component.

David Carpenter, PA-C

 

[Salt Creep]

You're welcome to PM me anytime about guns too - I don't consider myself an expert in anything really, but I've been shooting since I was 4, and I prefer handguns.

BTW - I love it that this thread has so many replies so fast!

 

[VolatileNavyDoc]

So I shouldn't go out and buy a Desert Eagle 5.0 because I saw it in "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels."

How friggen hard is it to shoot that thing?

Well, perhaps I'll go with the 9mm after this thread. All the Po-Po use it.

http://www.break.com/index/skinny-girl-owned-by-desert-eagle.html

Not very funny, but it does show what a Desert Eagle can do.

Personally, I like the glock 23 ( their .40) and the Sig sauer 9mm.

 

[Noyac]

I have a .45

It has plenty of fire power.

While I was in La. there was a serial killer in the area. He mutilated 2 young women less than a mile from my house. My wife was pretty scared even with our 2 large dogs at her side but she swore to not let this assh*le change her life. I taught her to fire the .45. If she fired and missed the sound was enough to chase the bastard away. If she hit him, he was toast. I told her to fire till it was empty that way he couldn't take it from her and use it.

Anyone remember that serial killer in Baton Rouge, La?

 

[bubalus]

You've been given good advice. There's not a lot more I can add. However, even better than fondling a gun at a gun show is if you can go to a range that rents guns. I went to one a few years ago and for $20 or so, I could shoot as many guns as I wanted. I just had to buy factory ammo at the range. You'll find that some feel better in your hands than others--kind of like shoes. Sigs fit my hand nicely, and I shot them well. The Glock was pretty good, but not quite as good as the Sig, and I didn't shoot it quite as well. That way you can also try different calibers. I'd strongly encourage you to look into this if at all possible. You may find that you don't like the 45 as much as the 9, or that you like a Sig instead of a Glock. Don't overlook Ruger, Beretta, and revolvers.

If it's your first gun, seriously think about a 22. It may not have the testosterone-laden gratification that a big-bore gun does, but you can put a lot of rounds through it cheaply. Ruger makes some really nice, affordable 22s (250-300 used). I used to have one, and will eventually get one again. As mentioned, 9 mm is probably the next cheapest way to go. I wouldn't get a 380 unless I was getting a very compact one to carry on a regular basis. I'd get a 45 over a 10mm. The 40 is a nice compromise between the 9 and 45. The 357 Sig is becoming more popular. If you get a Glock 40, you can buy an aftermarket 357 Sig barrel and let your gun do double duty.

let us know what you do.

 

[Salt Creep]

even better than fondling a gun at a gun show is if you can go to a range that rents guns.

Very good point. You might also have some friends with a few guns who'd be willing to go with you & let you try some out.

If it's your first gun, seriously think about a 22. It may not have the testosterone-laden gratification that a big-bore gun does, but you can put a lot of rounds through it cheaply.

Starting with a smaller caliber also helps to prevent learning some problems you'd have to fix later (like flinching, jerking the trigger, milking the grip, catching the target, and others).

 

[tkim]

.380, .38 special, and 9mm are the same diameter bullet. The difference is in the length of the cartidge, which determines how much gunpowder=energy you can put behind that bullet. .380 is a shorter round, .38 is the cartridge for revolvers.

I have a Glock 27 which is the .40S&W for concealed carry. Nice gun.

 

[deleted9493]

Springfield makes an excellent 9 mm handgun...their design seems to fit my hand well and they're exceptionally reliable.

Heckler & Koch makes a sweet little 10 rd. 9 mm that is light and just fun to shoot and would probably be a close #2 for me.

In looking at guns you've just got to get your hands on a lot of different pieces and find the one that fits you best. Ammo expense is an important consideration and I think that the 9 mm offers one of the best bang for buck ratios out there.

 

[camkiss]

I currently own a S&W 9mm police issue that I picked up cheap when a dept swapped over to Glocks. A few times a year, an attending friend of mine and I will go shoot post call. He owns a sig sauer .40. Having shot both, the .40 has a bit more kick. The nice thing about these calibers is that Wal-Mart sells the ammo cheap. We will buy 100 rounds for each gun for $11.00 a box, then go shoot them all. A nice way to blow off steam after work. We started inviting more residents to go with us, and every one of them has since bought a handgun.
Have fun!

 

[zippy2u]

Zip don't do guns as got a wife and a few buggers in the house. Gotta nice Stihl chainsaw in the garage and some big, ugly knives in the kitchen, does that count? 'member the Melendez brothers out in squirrel land--Cali? I told them that I have no life insurance so it behooves them to keep me alive and working so they can shop 'til they drop which they seem to do with increasing frequency. For right now, they seem to be OK with that. Regards, ----Zip

 

[Frank Rizzo]

It may sound silly, but I would also sign up for a shooter's education class. They offer them at some of the larger ranges.... sure, they'll teach what may seem like common sense, but they'll give you some good tips also. I grew up in a home where it was normal to know how to safely handle and operate all sorts of firearms before being able to ride a damn bike!

As for good starting options. I agree with the idea of starting out with a .22. The Ruger MKII mentioned is a very nice gun, but can be pricey. Get some good (and cheap) experience shooting hundreds of rounds through that. AFter that, its more a matter of what feels good in your hands, and how much you want to spend on the gun and ammo. I like to shoot an old-model Browning High Power 9MM that I put some pacmar grips on. Its light, shoots great, NEVER has jammed, and ammo is cheap. Great gun.

 

[dhb]

Gotta nice Stihl chainsaw in the garage and some big, ugly knives in the kitchen, does that count?

guns for the show knives for the pro

 

[somedumbDO]

I was going to recommend the .40 S&W also. It's basically a mid-point between the 9 and 45.

As for what brand/model, you need to see what fits your hand the best. Some people really like some brands that I hate (Sig and Glock, for example). At the same time, some brands fit me very well - I like Para-Ordinance and my Beretta Cougar a lot. I taught self-defense shooting classes for 6 years, and one thing I learned was that part of the reason for so many brands and models is that people are just different in what they like - and what they are easily able to shoot well.

Go to a couple gun stores, or better, a couple shows. Pick up a lot of pistols, and see which ones seem to "point" well and feel good in your hand. I always told people that being able to hit your target with a .22 is better than missing with a .45 (Noyac - that has nothing at all to do with what you said - I think if your wife unloaded a .45, any thug would be long gone, assuming your dogs didn't shred the thug - it's just what I always said to people looking)

I love my Ruger MK-II .22, and I've competed well with it. I can nail shotgun shells at 30 yards with it pretty easily, and at the same time, I can burn up 500 rounds & not walk away broke.

I agree with usnavdoc not to discount revolvers. I have a couple carry guns, that usually stay in my car (or my wife's gun purse), and 2 of my favorites are revolvers, for multiple reasons. For a carry gun, you never have to worry at all about feed problems, jams, etc. And you can leave it loaded for years without the magazine spring losing tension.

The ability to get ammo cheap is a good point too. It gets expensive. I've been saving brass for years, and I just reloaded about 800 rounds of .38, for about $100 in materials. They're about $15 for 50 rounds, if you're getting new factory ammo.

Vent BEST all a round caliber is the 40 cal. Best ballistics minimal kick, big knock down power. I have owned alot of calibers 9mm, 357, 44, 45, 50, 22, and the 40 is my favorite infact I own 3 of them. as far as which gun you need to see what fits in your hands. Glocks are little smaller I needed to custom fit grips and the like to get it to work, it kicks more cuz of the less weight and all the synthetics. The SIG i have is nice, nice feet, but a little heavy. MY favorite is the HK P2000 adjustible grips great weight picadily rails for lazer/light stuff. so so so smooth.

Although, in CHICAGO got to have a pistol permit to even have one in the city limits. As a side note, welcome to loyola I will see you there next year..

 

[g3pro]

Chicago has atrocious gun laws. They punish the upstanding citizens for than the criminals. It's really sickening.

Anyways, get a revolver of some sort. Small caliber for target practice as everyone else said. .357 might be a good choice. But don't get a DE .50cal. That's over-kill.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

It'll be a little tight to conceal in your pants but . . .

 

[militarymd]

I've had a CCW permit since 1998, and I've carried a number of different weapons over the last 10 years.

Started with a 9 mm, moved to a 45, than to a 357 magnum (ruger)....

Finally settled on this:

The Walther P22....light, cheap, cheap to shoot/practice, barrel already threaded for a suppressor if you are so inclined.

There are some issues with this weapon, but for my purposes...it's not a problem.

 

[drchick331]

My husband got me a small handgun for our first Christmas (I know, how romantic )...it's a .22 but has a great trigger pull that is both smooth and crisp. Makes for some great target shooting after a rough day! Just might be something you want to try out...Browning Buckmark .22 Camper...

 

[militarymd]

I've had a CCW permit since 1998, and I've carried a number of different weapons over the last 10 years.

Started with a 9 mm, moved to a 45, than to a 357 magnum (ruger)....

Finally settled on this:

The Walther P22....light, cheap, cheap to shoot/practice, barrel already threaded for a suppressor if you are so inclined.

There are some issues with this weapon, but for my purposes...it's not a problem.

Forget the list the attributes that I wanted in a carry gun:

1) double and single action capable
2) exposed hammer for cocking and decocking
3) manual safety

 

[Groove]

I'm a gun freak. As people have already stated, the 10mm is the wrong load to get for your first handgun. The rounds are expensive, as are 40 cal rounds. What you want is a more popular round that is cheaper to buy, especially if you plan on using it at a gun range. You probably want a jack of all trades for your first gun. You want to be able to sport shoot with some degree of accuracy as well as have enough stopping power to put down an intruder if you needed it in an emergency, etc.. 9mm fits that bill best IMO. Cheap rounds will be for 9mm and 45 but you'll be much more accurate with a 9mm. Glocks are nice in that they are polymer based and can fire in very dirty and wet conditions. Personally, I prefer to shoot my Sig Sauer P-226 for 9mm sport shooting vs my Glock 17. I find the Sig to be more accurate. Part of that lies in the fact that it's a double action sidearm. Meaning, once you fire, the hammer is thrown back and cocked for your next round. That reduces trigger pressure and distance for the pull, so you don't strain as much and can squeeze off another round with very little trigger pressure. It sounds minute, but it makes a difference sometimes IMO. Glock is single action. Nice gun though. The Sig P-226 used to be the standard FBI firearm. Check it out for your first, you might like it better. Also, I think you can add a few more mods for the Sigs than you can for Glocks.

 

[proman]

I have a Heckler & Koch USP Compact .40S&W. I love it. I can't shoot Glocks without the spent round hitting my forehead (I'm left handed/left eye dominant). The H&K is fully ambidextrous (the slide release/safety/de-cocker can all be switched to the right side). It's never mis-fired, mis-loaded in over 1000 rounds. H&K is known for reliability and so far I have to agree. You do pay a bit more for it though. I had a carry permit in Georgia, but haven't tried to get one in Maryland.

View attachment uspc40.jpg

 

[Salt Creep]

...it's a double action sidearm. Meaning, once you fire, the hammer is thrown back and cocked for your next round. That reduces trigger pressure and distance for the pull, so you don't strain as much and can squeeze off another round with very little trigger pressure. It sounds minute, but it makes a difference sometimes IMO.

Very minor point (but may be of use for Venty when asking about particular weapons): Single Action means that when you pull the trigger, it performs the single action of releasing the hammer. Double action means that when you pull the trigger, it performs the double action of both cocking and releasing the hammer.

Thus the trigger pull distance on a double action is considerably longer and usually more stiff than single. Some weapons are double/single, so that the first round fired is double action, and the slide cocks the hammer for subsequent rounds, making them single action.

I'm typically a revolver man, so I prefer the double/single, which is most like my wheel guns that I can choose to fire double or single as I prefer.

[aside] As long as I'm posting again, another plus to revolvers is cleaning time after you shoot. It takes about 2 minutes to clean my stainless revolvers after putting hundreds of rounds through them, which is nice. [/aside]

Glocks are double action only, as other some other weapons, and that's part of what I don't like about them. Again, these things are all personal preference, and there is no perfect handgun for every shooter. You just gotta see what you like.

You're right, firing single action does make a difference - it's more accurate, but can be slower if you're not practiced.

Again, minor point, but thought it could be useful to know what you're asking for.

 

[VentdependenT]

I have a Heckler & Koch USP Compact .40S&W. I love it. I can't shoot Glocks without the spent round hitting my forehead (I'm left handed/left eye dominant). The H&K is fully ambidextrous (the slide release/safety/de-cocker can all be switched to the right side). It's never mis-fired, mis-loaded in over 1000 rounds. H&K is known for reliability and so far I have to agree. You do pay a bit more for it though. I had a carry permit in Georgia, but haven't tried to get one in Maryland.

View attachment 9582

I've read that online. That the flaming hot spent shell casings smack people in the face with the Glock.

Right now, thanks to everyones advice, I'm leaning towards a .40S&W. Leaning away from Glock now. Would like to stay in the 600 dollar range.

MMD? What round size does that walther shoot? 380?

My pops had a 380, fit in my palm, crazy easy to shoot.

 

[VentdependenT]

Is there nothing that this form cannot provide? I bet we could even start an online gambling thing (money) and overseas bride sales (women). That pretty much takes care of everything.

 

[VentdependenT]

I've had a CCW permit since 1998, and I've carried a number of different weapons over the last 10 years.

Started with a 9 mm, moved to a 45, than to a 357 magnum (ruger)....

Finally settled on this:

The Walther P22....light, cheap, cheap to shoot/practice, barrel already threaded for a suppressor if you are so inclined.

There are some issues with this weapon, but for my purposes...it's not a problem.

Ok its a 22. Sorry man. Just worked out and all the blood is in my massively ripped tri's right now. Ahem...cough cough.

 

[militarymd]

I have a Heckler & Koch USP Compact .40S&W. I love it. I can't shoot Glocks without the spent round hitting my forehead (I'm left handed/left eye dominant). The H&K is fully ambidextrous (the slide release/safety/de-cocker can all be switched to the right side). It's never mis-fired, mis-loaded in over 1000 rounds. H&K is known for reliability and so far I have to agree. You do pay a bit more for it though. I had a carry permit in Georgia, but haven't tried to get one in Maryland.

View attachment 9582

I have this in 9 mm....too big of a CCW gun for me......5'9" 155lbs....

what bugs me about combat handguns for ccw is that they pull my pants down when I have to go to the restroom.

 

[VentdependenT]

Very minor point (but may be of use for Venty when asking about particular weapons): Single Action means that when you pull the trigger, it performs the single action of releasing the hammer. Double action means that when you pull the trigger, it performs the double action of both cocking and releasing the hammer.

Thus the trigger pull distance on a double action is considerably longer and usually more stiff than single. Some weapons are double/single, so that the first round fired is double action, and the slide cocks the hammer for subsequent rounds, making them single action.

I'm typically a revolver man, so I prefer the double/single, which is most like my wheel guns that I can choose to fire double or single as I prefer.

[aside] As long as I'm posting again, another plus to revolvers is cleaning time after you shoot. It takes about 2 minutes to clean my stainless revolvers after putting hundreds of rounds through them, which is nice. [/aside]

Glocks are double action only, as other some other weapons, and that's part of what I don't like about them. Again, these things are all personal preference, and there is no perfect handgun for every shooter. You just gotta see what you like.

You're right, firing single action does make a difference - it's more accurate, but can be slower if you're not practiced.

Again, minor point, but thought it could be useful to know what you're asking for.

Good point. I suppose if you really needed the pistol for self defense you'd want a double action so you could skip the initially hammer cock.

Personally I'd go for the double action. I don't think walking around with a gun "half cocked" is something I'd like to have.

I'm already screwed up enough as it is.

 

[VentdependenT]

I have this in 9 mm....too big of a CCW gun for me......5'9" 155lbs....

what bugs me about combat handguns for ccw is that they pull my pants down when I have to go to the restroom.

6'2'' 190 here

 

[militarymd]

I've read that online. That the flaming hot spent shell casings smack people in the face with the Glock.

Right now, thanks to everyones advice, I'm leaning towards a .40S&W. Leaning away from Glock now. Would like to stay in the 600 dollar range.

MMD? What round size does that walther shoot? 380?

My pops had a 380, fit in my palm, crazy easy to shoot.

22 long rifle......nothing cheaper to shoot....nothing easier to shoot.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

I've read that online. That the flaming hot spent shell casings smack people in the face with the Glock.

Right now, thanks to everyones advice, I'm leaning towards a .40S&W. Leaning away from Glock now. Would like to stay in the 600 dollar range.

MMD? What round size does that walther shoot? 380?

My pops had a 380, fit in my palm, crazy easy to shoot.

Vent, go with the H&K USP 40 or 40 compact and buy a separate .357 Sig conversion barrel for those times you decide you want to really kick a$$. I carried the USP compact for a while, didn't like the power or range of the 40 after a time, dropped in the .357 Sig barrel, and saw the light.

There are a lot of good HK and aftermarket modifications available for you as well. Just don't go spend crazy as most of us are wont to do and BARGAIN on the price. Everyone sells at full + price so if they don't want to go down on the price, walk to the next store.

 

[Mista Suprane]

i'm surprised nobody specifically mentioned the 1911 yet... it's a 45. SWAT teams love it.

shown here a beautiful kimber custom target II.

 

[core0]

I've read that online. That the flaming hot spent shell casings smack people in the face with the Glock.

Right now, thanks to everyones advice, I'm leaning towards a .40S&W. Leaning away from Glock now. Would like to stay in the 600 dollar range.

MMD? What round size does that walther shoot? 380?

My pops had a 380, fit in my palm, crazy easy to shoot.

I like the glock because you can tune it so the trigger stages like a revolver. Thats what I learned to shoot on so it works best for me. I'm right handed so the brass ejects in a nice pile over my right shoulder. The Sig P226 comes in .40 and .375 also. Nice if you have smaller hands. Carried it in the Army and its a good shooter (think its the current SEAL gun). Smith and Wesson make some glock clones that aren't as good (in my opinion). Besides the P22, Walther makes the P99 which is very similar. Its like the Browning, either you hate the grip or love it.

If you want a real race gun this is my absolute favorite:
http://www.benelli.it/Articoli/Armi.asp?ID=130

Shoots like a dream. Hangs off your arm like you placed it on a table. Uses .32 wadcutter. The real problem is mine is very prissy. Magtech or Fiocci ammo its all over the place. Federal match ammo all goes in one hole. Of course thats the stuff that is $12 for a box of 20. My best with this is 299 16x for indoor timed fire.

The best way to look at a bunch of pistols is to go to a gun show (if they are still allowed in Chi town). You can handle a bunch of guns and look at prices in a bunch of places at once. Get a good idea of the price spread.

David Carpenter, PA-C

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Probably because the 1911's have only 7 shots and those that have more have really chubby grips.

 

[Hernandez]

Anyways, I'm currently interested in a Glock 20, standard, 10mm rounds. Concerned that 10mm round may be tough to find.

Any advice, does this sound like a good pistola? Its about 580 bones.

That price is a bit on the high side, unless it's coming with night sights and extra magazines. The G-20 is almost identical to the G21 except caliber. the G21 is the 45acp version. I use to own it and have nothing bad to say about it other than it just wasn't the right handgun for me. There aren't too many other firearms as reliable as a glock. 10mm ammunition is going to be more expensive and not readily available. You can buy .22, 380, 357mag, 38 spl, 9mm 40 s&w, 45acp at even most walmarts or kmarts. but 10mm is going to come from online or a decent sized gun dealer.

9mm is a much cheaper round to shoot. 45acp is cheaper as well if you want more power than a 9mm. Anyway there are tons of great guns out there in both calibers. As far as the 10mm goes, you arent going to find as many models overall to choose from, but I think the glock 20 is one of the better choices although.

And with the massive increase in price of ammunition in the last 3 years, one of the more common calibers would be my first choice. I reload and the prices for even the components is getting expensive. The projectile themselves have doubled in price in just over a year.

Alot. The 10mm is a magnum powered load compared to the 9mm or the 45. The 10mm actually has more stopping power than the 45 or the 357 magnum.

eh, the topic of stopping power is a deceiving one. The 10mm round is very impressive and a great round, but there is more to stopping power than velocity and size. First and foremost is shot placement. All things being equal (barrel length, magazine capacity, type of sights, reliability of the gun) I would feel just as comfortable carrying anything larger than 25acp for self defense.

Another choice is a .40sw.

Ya know what S&W stands for don't you? Short & weak. It's the nickname given to it because it what happens when you have people who think the 10mm is too big for them. they just shortened the case and down sized the power charge to come up with the 40S&W

Also dont rule out a revolver like the 357 magnum. great stopping power and kick but can also fire the 38 special loads so you can practice rather cheaply.

agreed, I am partial to semiautos, but revolvers are great handguns as well.

Vent, try PMing Hernandez

It's probably sad that I've become that guy

So I shouldn't go out and buy a Desert Eagle 5.0 because I saw it in "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels."

How friggen hard is it to shoot that thing?

Police use the 40S&W just as much as 9mm. but the Desert eagle isn't hard to shoot, it's just a very large handgun. the recoil is little different than any other handgun. The main difference is that it is a gas-operated semi as opposed to more of the blow-back design of most conventional firearms.

.380, .38 special, and 9mm are the same diameter bullet. The difference is in the length of the cartidge, which determines how much gunpowder=energy you can put behind that bullet. .380 is a shorter round, .38 is the cartridge for revolvers.

I have a Glock 27 which is the .40S&W for concealed carry. Nice gun.

Something else to consider which tkim alludes to is that there are certain firearms which can be interchangeable in calibers with only a barrel swap and magazine swap. Like with the glock, you can switch between the 357 SIG and 40S&W with only a barrel swap. (do your research before buying however.)

It'll be a little tight to conceal in your pants but . . .

There are rumored to only be 1 or 2 of these which are legal to own by civillians and probably upwards of half a million to purchase.

I have a Heckler & Koch USP Compact .40S&W. I love it. I can't shoot Glocks without the spent round hitting my forehead (I'm left handed/left eye dominant). The H&K is fully ambidextrous (the slide release/safety/de-cocker can all be switched to the right side). It's never mis-fired, mis-loaded in over 1000 rounds. H&K is known for reliability and so far I have to agree. You do pay a bit more for it though. I had a carry permit in Georgia, but haven't tried to get one in Maryland.

H&K is nice, but for the price, I'd rather own a SIG, or a custom 1911, but that's me.

6'2'' 190 here

then you shouldn't have any issues other than maybe the compact models being a little too small for your hands

 

[coprolalia]

I have this in 9 mm....too big of a CCW gun for me......5'9" 155lbs....

what bugs me about combat handguns for ccw is that they pull my pants down when I have to go to the restroom.

This is my CCW:

-copro

 

[Frank Rizzo]

I've had a CCW permit since 1998, and I've carried a number of different weapons over the last 10 years.

Started with a 9 mm, moved to a 45, than to a 357 magnum (ruger)....

Finally settled on this:

The Walther P22....light, cheap, cheap to shoot/practice, barrel already threaded for a suppressor if you are so inclined.

There are some issues with this weapon, but for my purposes...it's not a problem.

Hey Mil...

I own the same gun. I like it a lot, but I have some jamming problems with it, unless I shoot the more pricey .22 claiber rounds through it. Have you had the same problem?

 

[PMPMD]

i'd like to put in another vote for the Springfield XD, in 9mm, you can get one new for around $500. it has a few improvements over the glock, such as the grip angle (which more closely resembles that of the 1911) and the grip safety (a plus since the double action only mechanism does not have a hammer). I've put about 2000 rounds through mine with no problems. it's rock-solid and very consistent with respect to accuracy. it's not target accuracy, but very good for most general purposes. you can get 9mm rounds for 11-12 cents each. Springfield makes the XD in 9mm, 45, 40S&W and maybe some others. the 9mm comes in 3 barrel lengths: 3 (compact), 4 (standard) and 5. I went with the 5" since I'm not planning on packing it, and I do lots of target shooting. My buddy has the compact 3" version. The new ones they're putting out come with a holster, extra mag and speed loader. Springfield bought the patent off a Croatian company, i think it was initially called the HS 2000 or something. I believe they're still made in Croatia. they also make a light which attaches to the Picatinny rail. I bought a M3 light since it was the same price, fit on the rail, and is MUCH brighter.

 

[militarymd]

Hey Mil...

I own the same gun. I like it a lot, but I have some jamming problems with it, unless I shoot the more pricey .22 claiber rounds through it. Have you had the same problem?

No, mine has been flawless...otherwise I would not make it my carry gun. However, I've only shot high velocity ammo with it.

go to rimfirecentral.com and check out the walther forum.

There are a number of known issues with regards to jamming...some of it is related to the type of magazine you have.

 

[Green912]

.38 special revolver. No jamming, point & shoot, easy for the wife to use.

 

[173291]

It'll be a little tight to conceal in your pants but . . .

I LOVE this!

 

[usnavdoc]

i'm surprised nobody specifically mentioned the 1911 yet... it's a 45. SWAT teams love it.

shown here a beautiful kimber custom target II.

I dont think SA is the right choice for a first time handgun owner. Thats why I didnt mention a 1911 or a browning hi power. Both are great guns but I think for a first time gun owner he should opt for a revolver or a DA pistol. just my opinion.

There are tons of great guns out there but whatever you choose take it to the range and get very familiar with it.