retroboy

I'm thinking of getting a hand gun. What is the best type to get? What do you use?

MrTuffPaws

Some 9mm auto loader (I have an XD9 and love it)

OR

Some 357 mag revolver (I have a Taurus 627 and love it (maybe more)).

The 9mm is good for self defense, cheap, and reliable. The 357 mag is flexible (you can shoot 38s out of it), powerful (BOOOMMM!!!!), and you just can't beat a revolver for reliability.

Finding the gun right for you:

FIRST: Go take a NRA basic pistol class. Go to nra.org to find one in your area.

Afterwards, go to some forums, use search and look up some guns you are interested in. Read up on them, then go to a store and handle them. If you can't reach the controls, or they just does not feel right, write it off of your list and move on. Then see if you can rent one. Try it out and see if you like it. Save and buy the one you like. Don't shoot self and have fun.

Lebell

Please check:

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=80403

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=58985

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=38743

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=43131

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=41775

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=21233

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=20092

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hrdwareguy

Nice!!

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ziadel

the one that fits your hand comfortably, you can shoot accurately, and has adequate power for all of your needs.






1911 all the way.

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Lyncher

Glock 9mm ... just love it ... real accurate and easy to shoot... and looks cool

daswig

I'd suggest an inexpensive but decent .22LR pistol like a Ruger Mark II. Later, if you like it, you can submit a 5320.1 or 5320.4 (depending on your situation) and put a supressor on it once you get BATFE's blessing. There's nothing so sweet as a nice supressed .22lr...

bigdaddy19

Smith and Wesson makes an Airweight .38 caliber. Small, very lightweight. Couple of guys I work with have 'em and really like them.

P-Naughty

Start off with .22lr. I did and am happy I did so. Bullets are cheap, if you mess up you probably not gonna kill yourself or others, and

If you can't wait, get yourself a Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver. Just an amazing gun that's very reliable that is offered in a variety of styles, sizes, barell lengths, and hammerless/hammered. Or, get a 9mm or 7.65mm semi-auto.

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DUNIYATFP

Go with walther p22 for plunking around with, 22 cal is super cheap and fun to shoot. or a 9mm like a Glock for self protection.

longbough

really depends on what you want to do with it.
If you want a plinker you can't go wrong with a ruger single-six - 22lr.
If you're looking for defense that's a whole different matter. First of all a proper defense tool requires practice. Don't go with less than a .38 or a 9mm. If you don't intend to practice much (be honest) at the range then I'd think twice before even considering an autoloader.
Frankly, most new gun owners who want something for defense will not make the committment to practice regularly or attend a proper defense course. For them I'd suggest a .38 revolver - a Taurus or S&W. 4" barrel is a good all around size. Airweights are nifty but uncomfortable to shoot. Consider the new Hi-Viz sights - they are a nifty feature. Consider a DA hammerless model - because a purely defensive revolver is used DA. SA is for target shooting. And without the hammer it is less likely to snag if drawn quickly.

Stare At The Sun

Personally, I like the good reputation, and awesome look of a walther p22.

kel

The best gun you can ever have is the one in your hands.

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cj2112

that question is similar to asking what kind of vehicle should I buy? If you really want an answer that's worth anything, then you gotta give us more information. What do you plan on using it for? Are you looking for a competition grade target pistol, a concealed carry gun, a gun just for plinking or would ya like it to be a little bit of all those things? How big are your hands? Are you recoil sensitive? What kind of budget do ya have?

bigwolf

If you are looking for a small CCW (Conceled Carry Weapon) {check concealed carry laws for your state too!.} A Bersa Thunder .380 is a nice balanced weapon that shoots accuratly. If you are looking for a full sized hand gun a Ruger p89-p95 are good 9mm and .40 acp pistols. If you are in to rifles let me know there are as many out there to fit what ever needs you need. But for a beginner a small caliber easy to handle pistol is a good start for working target proficency and getting use to guns if you have never had one before. Then as you become more comfortable you can move up to the big ones. hope it helps. .

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Telluride

I agree with the people who said to buy a 22 pistol. They are cheap to shoot and they don't have much recoil, which can be distracting or even kind of scary for someone who is just learning to shoot. You could always move up to a larger caliber pistol later on.

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moosenose

Bersa and a ruger semi-auto pistol? Come on, get real. They're both crap. Anybody who buys a sintered pistol deserves what they get.

THGL

.22 (either revolver or semi-auto). It'll be light weight with cheap ammo. Then practice, practice, practice. When you feel you've become a good markman with the pistol you can move up to something bigger.

I don't know your experience with guns, so I'd advise to stay away from the larger calibers until you know what you are doing.

MSD

It's kind of funny to hear this. The first pistol I ever fired was a Ruger Redhawk in .44 It could have been the 44 special instead of the magnum rounds, but I had no problem with recoil and could easily reacquire the target for followup shots.

Telluride

Not everybody would be bothered by the recoil. But I learned to shoot when I was a kid, so it probably had more effect on me than it would on someone who was learning to shoot as an adult. Even then, the recoil only bothered me at first. The main benefit of a .22 is that it is cheap to shoot.

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cheeterbo

i echo everyone above and......

you definitely need to test many different guns. a good dealer will help you. depending on your hand size and other physical attributes, you may find a gun too small or too big.

the first gun i bought was a glock 21. this gun is too fucking big for me. my favorite is my p99. i just bought a p22 but havent shot it yet

beejay

Everything depends on what you want it for. If you just want to shoot paper, I would recommend a .22LR pistol, preferably a semi-automatic so you don't have to reload as often.

If you want a defense weapon, it depends on if you just want home defense or you choose to carry the weapon with you.
-If it's just you or you and your S/O and you think the most likely scenario will be defending from your bed(room), then I would suggest a shotgun with bird or buck shot. Reasons for this are: the racking sound may scare the intruder away; you can shoot through the door in a wide pattern, if you shoot in the direction of the intruder, you will most likely hit him with at least some of the shot, etc.
-If you have kids, you may want to rethink the gun as first line of defense (not that I think that parents shouldn't own guns...). If you still want one for this purpose, I would get a 9mm and utilize blue dots/glazers, or whatever they're called in your area. These rounds are made to stop in whatever they penetrate and not "pass through". This keeps the stray bullet from possibly hitting something you don't want to hit.

If you want to have a weapon for concealed carry, a small-framed 9mm semi-auto would be a decent place to start. HK makes a compact 9mm that feels good in my hand and so does Sig (P226 or P228). Beretta also makes a good compact (92 Compact L).


I have been carrying for years and I prefer the stopping power of .45's. I carry a 1911-type, mostly for stopping power and reliability reasons.

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Suave

If you're into .45s and need a small frame, I don't know how well they actually perform, but the Springfield Armoury makes some pretty small ones.

Also, if you want to target shoot rifles, you could go with an sks or other 7.62x39mm WP weapon, since that ammo can be cheaper than 9mm even.

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