They now have built in Crimson Trace Red Dot Sight. Don't forget a Cleaning Kit for whatever You select. Start out with Basic Round Nosed Lead Ammo to shoot first AND a box of JHP for Defensive use. That's My opinion.
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Posted on 06/01/2020 8:47:23 AM PDT by Sharkfish
Forgive the vanity post (my first ever) but I need advice from Freepers. I have never owned any firearm other than a shotgun for duck hunting. I feel a real need now to own a gun. I'm looking for insight into the type of handgun I should research and test. Remember, it's for a newbie. I intend on getting a Florida concealed carry permit and undergoing training.
ditto what dino here says.
.38 has ammo available everywhere. Good power and loud enough to make folks pay attention.
Hammerless is also a good idea as you say you are not familiar. The simple way is best. Less ways for you to screw up.
Good luck.
A 4" stainless Ruger GP100 is a good choice.
I’m sure that there will be many great suggestions here. Go to a range that rents out handguns and either go with a friend who is familiar with handguns, or call the range ahead of time, and ask them if they have someone who would be willing to spend some time with you to help instruct you on proper handgun handling and safety. If a shooting class is available, take it. Try different handguns, and decide ahead of time that you will want to train regularly. Find out if there is a “pin shooting” club, or some other type of recreational shooting group you might want to join. (Bowling) Pin shooting is both fun and extremely good training, if you can find a club.
If you are new to handguns, you want something simple and reliable. Going with a revolver may be your best bet. They are simple to use and easy to make and show safe (swing out the cylinder.)
A great starter handgun would be a .357 magnum, because it’s both a “proven man-stopper,” but you can practice with much less expensive, and easier to shoot, .38 special rounds. Though harder to conceal, for a first handgun, you may want to consider a longer barrel, rather than a “snub nose.” 4”-5” is a good starter gun, and they are much easier to aim and shoot than a snub nose with a 2” or 2 1/2” barrel. With the shorter barrel, the muzzle blast is substantially greater.
On the other hand, you might learn that you’re just not really comfortable with a handgun, in that case, you should stick with a shotgun. a 12 guage pump with an extended magazine tube (which could still be plugged for hunting) and interchangeable choke tubes, with a cylinder bore (or just a bit tighter) and #4 buckshot (NOT #4 (bird) shot!) makes a wonderful personal defense weapon.
Mark
Ditto on the Magsafe ammo, I have a couple of boxes of the 10mm at 2400 fps stuff that is awesome.
Ran a box through my Colt Delta Elite just to make sure it would cycle with such a light round and such a heavy spring, I think 21 lbs if I’m not mistaken, and she fed them beautifully. That is what I keep in my nightstand as a backup, I prefer the tried and true Model 97 12 gauge under the bed though tbh.
The sound of that chambering a round in the middle of the night with all it’s clicks and clacks and that final klunk is probably enough to scare the s*** out of anyone except someone too stupid to deserve to live.
I second what he said.
If you are going to carry, and I assume you are because you are asking about hand guns, you need to pick something that fits YOU.
I carry a Lady Smith. My husband carries a 1911. My brother, nieces, dad and mom all carry and what they carry is what suits them. Different people, different guns.
And as time goes on you might even change what you carry. But for your first gun, try out a whole bunch, narrow it down to three and then shoot them a number of times before deciding.
And then make it a habit of going to the range at least every quarter. Every month is better. Get to know your gun and it's quirks.
If you are going for home or business defense, 12-Gauge Pump Action Shotgun. Some brands are better then others but if you go for a name brand they all do the job.
I second much of the advice above.
Go to a range that will rent, and try a few different ones.
You’ll probably find a full sized revolver is easiest to learn to shoot. Might as well get one chambered to accept .357 Magnum and .38 S+W special. Shoot with the .38 until you’re proficient, and then try the .357. You’ll probably go back to the .38 rounds after that, and that’s just fine.
Terminal performance of the .38 is very similar to the 9mm parabellum, which many regard as the minimum for a self-defense round.
I completely agree with this, but I would also add that you should take some training before you start handling firearms. I’m a huge believer in training (voluntary, never government mandated) and think everyone should do training before they touch a gun and continue ongoing training throughout their lives. It would prevent so many accidents.
The NRA offers a number of very good training options. There are also plenty of independent firearm trainers out there. Once you feel comfortable handling both a revolver and a semi-auto handgun, go to the local range and talk to the people there. They can give you a variety of options to try before you decide to make a purchase. This doesn’t have to take a long time, by the way. You can knock out a good amount of training and range time in a weekend, then just wait the stupid waiting period on the final purchase. Less than a week all-in.
You have gotten a lot of good advice, but I would like to emphasize that in addition to learning safe firearm handling and shooting skills, like clearing a jam, quickly changing magazines and marksmanship, there is another type of training you really need.
You need to really understand your local “use of deadly force” laws. I mean really understand.
You need to know what “brandishing” is and really think about that in this day and age of security cameras and cellphone cameras. You need to understand what a “reasonable man” would do.
Furthermore you need to figure out a strategy to use should you ever have to shoot to defend you life or that of another. While you may not need to legally retreat, you may want to just to boost a defense if arrested afterward. You may want to scream “I am afraid for my life”, as you back a way for the same reason.
You should learn how or it to tell a police officer that you have a concealed carry license if you are pulled over for a traffic stop. You should also keep a card for an attorney who specializes in firearms related criminal charges within you wallet.
Oh and finally, you should own a “less lethal” method of self-protection. May I suggest police grade pepper spray. If you are confronted by a danger that could hurt you, but you judge that you might be harmed in a court of law by responding with deadly force, a less lethal weapon may just keep you from getting serious jail time and loosing your right to own a firearm.
Good Luck, stay safe.
Go to a range that rents guns.
The range by me helped me quite a bit. Tell them your new etc. and they will help you out.
I have special concerns with my hands being somewhat weak. Most of the glocks I couldn’t pull ...so that was an easy elimination.
Ultimately though, ended up with a Sig P238.
In a country where there are 500 million firearms in private ownership, many of us don’t know a single person that owns gunz. For this the interweb chit-chat forums and youtubes were created. Best advice you can get is free, from total strangers.
I would give serious consideration to the “nice little revolver” that half the posts recommend. You probably won’t be shooting enough to use a speedloader, and that’s okay. Find out what one is, but you don’t have to get one if you don’t think you would carry it. You are very unlikely to get into a gunfight where you need more than 5 or 6 shots, so long as you only fire aimed shots. The fact that you can reload a semiautomatic in no time does you no good unless you carry spare magazines, so the revolver works out to be just about as useful as a semiautomatic for most concealed carry people.
A .357 loaded with .38 special (one of the rare times you can mix calibers) can be nice. The gun is strong, but the kick is less so with the .38 sp ammo. Figure out what barrel length you are comfortable carrying for the holster option you choose (I like pocket holsters because they stay concealed without extra thought). Figure out whether you want a heavier gun with less kick or a lighter gun so you’re carrying less dead weight. Make that one of the guns you try out at a gun shop. Note: I’m not recommending a specific model because there are so many good ones. Any major brand is good, and S&W is great even though it is a little more expensive than some brands.
Another revolver: S&W 617 Kit Gun in .22 LR with a Crimson Trace laser, weighing in at 13 ounces including ammo? No one likes a .22 for self defense. I don’t like it either. However, the sound won’t deafen you, the weight won’t bother you, and there is no kick to speak of. My .22 revolver holds ten rounds and hits precisely where I want it to. I took a squirrel (for stew) with the revolver in one pull of the trigger last month, head shot at 15 yards. Even with less practice than I get, you can hit with the .22, and the kick will not mess up your aim. That’s worth considering.
If you get a semiautomatic, don’t get one that’s overpowered. You’re about my size, and it takes practice to control that .45 auto. For someone who doesn’t shoot very much, if you’re going semiautomatic, it’s hard to beat the S&W shield EZ in either .380 or 9 mm. [I’m not overwhelmingly a S&W guy, but they are the best choices for self-defense if you don’t have experience or plan on practicing much.] The nice thing about the S&W EZ is that it’s designed so you don’t need a lot of strength or practice to operate it.
I would suggest that you try anything I recommended that appeals to you, plus any of the other recommendations that sound good, and whatever 2-3 nearby gun shops recommend. Actually shoot the gun before buying. A gun store that won’t let you shoot is not the place for your first purchase, unless there is a gun range in your area that will let you rent and shoot a variety of guns. Once you find something you love, buy it from the store that helped you figure out what was right for you.
When you shop, wear what you plan on wearing when you carry this gun. Yes, it is appropriate to shop for firearms while wearing a suit. Try out different types of holsters. Even experienced shooters are really bad at buying the right holster, and gun shops tend to be bad at selling good holsters. Figure out where you want to carry this gun, and get a holster that works for the gun you choose and the way you plan to dress. Your height/weight are important when choosing a holster. Different options are more or less convenient, depending on how heavy you are around the waist. Actually try the holster on and draw the gun you like from that holster multiple times to see what you think.
I hope that helps.
They now have built in Crimson Trace Red Dot Sight. Don't forget a Cleaning Kit for whatever You select. Start out with Basic Round Nosed Lead Ammo to shoot first AND a box of JHP for Defensive use. That's My opinion.
Deaar Sharkfish,
I cannot give you adequate advice, since you gave us scant information.
I’m an old guy. I have owned both revolvers and semi-auto pistols. You did mention concealed carry. There are many choices here. I saw that someone mentioned a range visit, with the idea of shooting various ones. I agree. Also choosing a caliber that will not blow your paycheck in ammunition purchases, too. Don’t rush your purchasse, it just might end up in a drawer, and then your will. I wish you well.
I forgot it also came with PINK Grips. (it’s a Female thing)
If your question is specifically about a carry weapon, then how you plan to carry/conceal may limit the size of the gun, and capacity or other things related to that. Smaller size for concealment is traded with larger size for better shooting at farther distance as well as larger caliber/firepower.
Next, how much training are you planning to do? A wheel gun is a simple point and shoot. A semi-auto has lots of advantage over the revolver, but you have to practice with it, or it may not operate the way you want when you need it.
Many other factors after this to consider but you should start by defining these drivers first.
Actually you probably do. You just don't know it.
Outside of my family you can count the number of people who know I carry on the fingers of one hand and three them are "need to know".
To many people a gun is a tool. You keep it with you, you learn how to use it properly but you are not interested in it as a hobby. It is like there are many people who drive a car but only a small percentage are into CARS.
Glock 43.
Concelment express holster.
Wearing mine now.
Good. No bad habits yet. See my earlier post to you. You have the opportunity to start out with the 'right' gun for you if you make people ask you the important questions first. Go to your local gun range and ask to talk with some instructors with defensive handgun experience. They will probably have a few different kinds of guns you can try on their range. Make sure you discuss what/how you plan to use it. If someone tries to tell you they have just what you need but they dont know what your needs are, you are talking to the wrong person. Remember, nice as some gun salesman are, their job is to sell you something. Some will give you good advice, others will sell you whatever makes you feel good as a customer at the time.
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