Now the first time gun buyer can also experience gun control.
Now the first time gun buyer can also experience gun control.
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ugh. I hate plastic guns.
I’d suggest a Star BM. They’re solid service weapons which have generally been well taken care of and which were recently surplussed by Spain. You can get one for about $250.
As a long time shooting instructor, I tell my students that if you go into a gun store to buy a gun, and the person behind the counter says "this is what you want", turn around and walk out. They don't know what you want because they haven't asked a lot of questions that go into finding the right gun.
Having said that, 9mm is a certainly a good option for a lot of people.
For later.
L
They buy the gun. Maybe fire a box of shells. Put it in a drawer. A year later they take it out and maybe have forgotten how it operates.
My 1911s have external safetys. Up is safe; down to fire.
My Beretta 92FS Inox also has an external safety. Down is safe. Up to fire. Two of my Sigs (226 and 220) have external levers, but none are safeties. A hammer drop. A slide lock. And a slide release.
My P239 SAS DAK Sig has neither a hammer drop or safety. It's DA only.
All the above can be confusing to someone who doesn't plan to spend consistent and frequent range time.
I'd recommend a Ruger SP101 over any in the article. Pick it up. Look at the side. You can see if it's loaded or no. Point. Shoot. I have one I use for CCW if I really need concealment.
For someone who is a 1st time handgun buyer, it goes without debating that they should purchase a 9mm.”
Wrong wrong wrong.
L
There is still an embarrassment of riches to be had in this area WRT polymer-framed, striker-fired 9mm handguns of decent quality. The prices are up however, and the ammo selection is down.
Buy American made whatever you do.
I bought a Smith & Wesson SD9VE 9mm just because it was brand new for 279 bucks. Say what you want, but it has been stone cold reliable. up to 1200 rounds so far and not a single malfunction or ANY kind. Not one hiccup. It feeds absolutely any profile of 9mm. (it’s called an Oprah gun, it will eat anything you feed it)
I dropped in the Apex spring kit for another 20 bucks and that cleaned up the trigger nicely. It is more intrinsically accurate than the M&P series pistols. The grip is perfect but not adjustable. Fits my hand like it was my... well, it fits my hand perfectly.
Fully loaded it is 2 ounces lighter than a Glock 19 with the same capacity.
Look at the slide machining and it is perfect. No cheapo feel. Don’t let the SD trigger throw you off. An APEX spring fixes it well. And to anyone raised on revolvers it will be a non event to run this trigger, but it has nothing like a revolver double action trigger pull distance.
And the best part, in the unhappy even that you use it, it won’t hurt your heart that it’s in a police crime lab just tossed on a shelf for a few years while the case is ongoing.
9 mm is a good choice due to available ammo. It’s easy to accumulate reloading components in good times. Also, if all hell breaks out, you’ll be able to readily find 9mm ammo from sources no longer functioning.
And yes, it annoys me how often I slip that SD9VE into my jeans because it is so damn good, stone cold reliable, light and fast. I can practically hear my quality revolvers, my Colt 38 Super with Mammoth ivory stocks, my sig shaking their heads in disbelief. But when I visualize “what if it was today?” I take it and don’t look back.
The must look at me like a society women seeing her man smile at the waitress.
If you are handgun shopping on a budget, you might want to have a look at the Taurus lineup. Your not going to get the ultra-high quality and precision from your top tier manufacturers. And I wouldn’t treat any of their guns as a future museum piece or take them to a serious shooting competition. But they generally make good (not great) quality firearms at very reasonable prices that are functional and will get the job done. They also back their weapons with a lifetime warranty. I had an old Taurus Model 85 stainless .38 that was basically a knock off J Frame. No frills out of the box with old school wood grips. Never did anything other than clean it and that was one of the best carry weapons I ever owned and I have deeply regretted selling it.
Hmmm...my favorite didn’t even rate a mention?
I looked at the SCCP in the article, ended up with a Taurus G2C instead, (9mm) excellent piece. And about $100 less than the Taurus in the article. 1st trip to the range, 1st 10 shots inside a 4 inch circle at 20 yards...not bad...
Lifetime warranty on everything Taurus makes and the online reviews of the G2C are all very good. Mine was $215, usual price around here about $250. So far no complaints at all for a striker rig, I’d recommend it.
But for a 1st time buyer, I think a wheel gun is a better idea till they know how to use it.
bbl
Good one!
Fwiw, new shooters, IMO as a former Army rangemaster of 3 decades experience, should NOT buy any semi-auto pistol.
Instead, you should FIRST buy a double-barrel or pump 12 or 20 gauge shotgun & get PROFESSIONAL TRAINING in its use.
(Even if you have never even held a firearm, most any person in one to two hours of coaching will be able to handle, maintain & safely use their shotgun to defend home & their loved ones.)
Once you are competent with a shotgun, you should buy a .38 special or .357 magnum revolver, as those handguns are about as easy to master, with proper training/practice, as a shotgun is. = MOST new shooters will be doing well with their revolver on the range within 5-8 hours of training.
(Once more, I advise getting PROFESSIONAL TRAINING.)
Just my OPINION, TMN78247
USA, Retired
In time of peace, prepare for war. The time to have been prepared for something like this was before it ever started.
Lifetime Warranty, send it to them and they will repair or replace for ever. MADE IN AMERICA !!!
“it goes without debating that they should purchase a 9mm”
It’s not without debate, but I agree with the author.
There’s some mighty fine 9mm ammunition on the market. And it leaves a pretty big, deep hole.