Posted on 08/01/2013 7:57:08 AM PDT by circlecity
Looking for advice on which pistol to buy. After my first child was born 30 years ago I sold my pistol so as not to have it around the house. Now I am an empty nester and would like to get back into having a few handguns. After so many years I consider myself a newbie so all advice on which handgun to purchase is appreciated.
For my first gun I would like a 9mm autoloader. I intend to use it primarily for shooting at the range and for personal carry. Eventually I will also purchase a revolver to use as my primary carry weapon - but for now I'm looking at an automatic. I'm looking to spend between $450-600.
Too bad you picked a topic that will only get one opinion and very few responses. < /sarc>
Get a nice throw away
You should expand on this. Will it be in a purse, tucked inside your waistband under a belt?
Cheap good first gun. Very reliable. Rotating bolt mechanism makes it a soft shooter. Grip is very comfortable.
Whatever you do, stay away from the newest generation of Glocks. They have reliability issues.
Can’t go wrong with a Glock sub-compact (G26, I think).
Dibs on the popcorn concession!
Ruger SR9
Go to a range that rents handguns.
Try all that look possible.
Start small caliber.
My advice would be to before you even go shop for your ccw, find a range that rents handguns of the type your interested in and try them out on their range. Spend the time and a little $$ on ammo to try atleast a few out, you may be surprised at what you decide on..................After all, have you ever bought a car without test driving it first?
Just my 2 cent. v/r V_TWIN
Personally I would recommend you find a shooting range which rents pistols and has a wide selection of options. Then try out a variety of guns and see what suits you. I find handgun selection to be a very individual thing. People have very different tastes in grips and overall feel.
One thing I would note to be careful about is making sure you have a nice trigger on the gun. A good trigger is really crucial to accuracy. Even if you do go for a less expensive option, make sure it can get a trigger job which will get it up to snuff. (some triggers really can’t be improved much)
My personal preference are Sig Sauers, but I suspect those are a bit past your price range.
Best suggestion is to visit a range and rent some that fit your hand and shoots well.
I was SURE I wanted a Sig till I did this...1hr later I bought a Kimber 1911.
Check out hickok45 on Youtube
I train with weights four times a week and am a powerlifter. I don't think that will be a problem.
I, too am in the age of life where I am concerned about my protection. Recently I went to a gun safety course conducted by a friend and saw a bunch of different types of small fire arms. There was a smallish revolver with no hammer to get hung up in a purse. But at the range it was calibrated with a too hard to pull trigger setting so I didn’t take to it though I know I can have it adjusted. I tried a Kimber with a hair trigger and loved it. Also for a female-type, the recoil is something to consider.
Good luck!
Second that. Never a blip.
For the price range you are talking about you could get a Springfield XD, a Glock, or a Smith Wesson M&P. All of these are well built, reliable guns with a strong fan base. Some gun stores have ranges where you can shoot a couple different guns and see what you like best. If it was me I might go with the M&P
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