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Old November 4, 2012, 11:03 AM   #1
acehigh
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First Pistol Purchase question

Hey all, wanted to just get some feedback on a pistol purchase I am looking to make and what would be the best one.

I am going to use this for target shooting and home defense.

I am looking at purchasing a .357 caliber Pistol.

In terms of the range a .357 would be pricey ammo. I would purchase a lone wolf converter barrel to convert this to a 9mm for the range.

For the home defense, I would feel comfortable using this as a .357

Any recommendations you guys have on which pistols would suit this need?

Right now I just had the Glock 32 in mind. Thanks for advice
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Old November 4, 2012, 11:36 AM   #2
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IMO get a dedicated 9MM pistol for your first pistol. A 9MM will have less recoil and be FAR less expensvie to shoot and practice with and there are a LOT more great pistols available in 9MM than in .357 SIG to choose from. Also high quality 9MM SD ammo is very effective such as Speer Gold Dot +P 124 gr and others such as Federal HST. The .357 SIG round excels in penetration such as windshields which is why some agencies use them but you don't want or need that in the home.

As for selecting a pistol you really want to go out and handle as many as you can and then from the ones you like try to rent them and try them out. Shot placement will be the most important aspect of defending ones self and not missing the target that could lead to collateral damage. That is why practice practice practice is important.

My choice for .357 SIG is the SIG P229 but again I strongly suggest you consider a 9MM - especially for a first pistol purchase. If you insist on .357 SIG the P229 can be converted to .40 by simply buying the SIG factory .40 barrel. For 9MM you would need something like the Barsto 9MM Conversion barrel. There is even a .22 LR conversion kit for the P229.

Last edited by sigarms228; November 4, 2012 at 11:45 AM.
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Old November 4, 2012, 11:44 AM   #3
acehigh
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Thanks. I live in NY so our ranges here (at least in my area) do not allow the option to rent. Took me 9 months just to get the permit! I can only go to the local shops and see how the pistol feels in my hand.

Using a 9MM as a first pistol makes perfect sense.

Based on this, my question is..

Couldn't I purchase a pistol such a the Glock32/ SIG P229 and get a 9MM converter barrel for it?

Would that be sensible?
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Old November 4, 2012, 12:14 PM   #4
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Why do you feel the need for a .357 Sig cartridge? It really doesn't do much more than 9MM, and as you say ammo is very expensive. Plus, do you really want that much muzzle blast and noise indoors?
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Old November 4, 2012, 12:27 PM   #5
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Plus, do you really want that much muzzle blast and noise indoors?
Great point. Everyone in the house would be deaf for probably a couple days and the shooter could have some damage to the ear drums possibly if in a smaller room. Usually one does not put in ear plugs when they get up to check out something in the night.
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Old November 4, 2012, 12:30 PM   #6
sigarms228
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Couldn't I purchase a pistol such a the Glock32/ SIG P229 and get a 9MM converter barrel for it?
Yes you could but I prefer to train with my gun primarily in the caliber that I intend to use it for SD.
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Old November 4, 2012, 06:52 PM   #7
loose_holster_dan
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yes and yes to the other posters. 357 doesn't offer any advantages for indoor shooting, and conversion barrels are not worth your money. the guns are built best for the primary caliber. the conversion is not as reliable.
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Old November 4, 2012, 11:35 PM   #8
acehigh
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Well a buddy of mine had a hook up on .357 rounds.

In the case of sticking with a pure 9mm, would a Glock 19 be a good choice?
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Old November 5, 2012, 04:13 AM   #9
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Well a buddy of mine had a hook up on .357 rounds.
Was he talking about the .357 Magnum? Because that's a terrific chambering for a revolver; if you're getting a revolver a .357 Magnum is a great choice for several reasons. But for the most part, revolver rounds and semi-auto rounds are different; the .357 SIG is completely different and is a semi-auto round. The .357 SIG is a great round for some law enforcement (I think the Secret Service uses it), but its power is not usually needed for self-defense use. The downsides of the .357 SIG vs. the 9mm is that the .357 SIG is more likely to over-penetrate and hit people in other rooms or other houses, it's going to have a lot more recoil, it's going to have a smaller magazine capacity, ammo will be a lot more expensive, and ammo for .357 SIG can sometimes be hard to find and if you can find it there is often a very small selection. Stick with 9mm; you should train with ammo that shoots pretty close to what you're using for self-defense.

Quote:
In the case of sticking with a pure 9mm, would a Glock 19 be a good choice?
In my opinion the Glock 19 is the best all-around self defense handgun ever made; I think it's the perfect balance of concealability and shootability and it's my current every-day-carry gun. Also, it's incredibly popular so holsters and other accessories are very easy to find.
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Old November 5, 2012, 04:34 AM   #10
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I have to agree with sigarms228 on this one. The 229 is a great handgun and if you can talk yourself into a 40s&w instead of 9mm all you would have to do is get a 357sig barrel (or vise versa get it in 357sig first and 40s&w later) for it you can even use the same mags for both calibers. It seems like one of the most cost effective ways ammunition wise to go about your situation in my own opinion.
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Last edited by TankBu5ter94; November 5, 2012 at 04:42 AM.
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Old November 5, 2012, 04:36 AM   #11
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Ooops hit submit twice
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Old November 5, 2012, 04:58 AM   #12
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First, and last

Ace high.

Quote:
Well a buddy of mine had a hook up on .357 rounds.

First time you fired that in your bedroom? Damaged hearing.

In the case of sticking with a pure 9mm, would a Glock 19 be a good choice?
Bold-ed above, yes, yes, and yes! Carry ammo? Lots to pick from, my choice? 147g Ranger T Winchester, but lots of good rounds out there.

The Glock 19 is one of the best (and most reliable) pistols in the world.

As a first carry holster, the cheapy Glock holster, $13.? is a good one. The same cheap Glock magazine pouches, buy two, one for the extra spare mag; one for your Surefire flash light, sit the one mag pouch for your flash light in the sink, run the hot water on it, to soften it up, force the head of the flash light into it, till it fits.

A good folder, you are good to go.
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Old November 5, 2012, 05:03 AM   #13
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Quote:
I have to agree with sigarms228 on this one. The 229 is a great handgun and if you can talk yourself into a 40s&w instead of 9mm all you would have to do is get a 357sig barrel (or vise versa get it in 357sig first and 40s&w later) for it you can even use the same mags for both calibers. It seems like one of the most cost effective ways ammunition wise to go about your situation in my own opinion.
I agree that the P229 is a great handgun, but I think the 9mm is a far better round for a new shooter than a .357 SIG or even a .40 S&W. And instead of having to buy conversion barrels, he can just spend that money on ammo and maybe even training.
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Old November 5, 2012, 07:16 AM   #14
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For a first go with the 9mm because you'll be able to shoot it a bit more considering the fact, spending a lot of money on something that you are new to will be a waste and cause you to become frustrated
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Old November 5, 2012, 08:18 AM   #15
loose_holster_dan
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sig p229 is FAR superior to the glock
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Old November 5, 2012, 09:51 AM   #16
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Agree about the 9mm. Also, as an economical practice option, don't rule out the lowly .22lr.
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Old November 5, 2012, 10:09 AM   #17
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I'd suggest the Glock 23 40s&w.
Its ballistically similar to the .357Sig, but 40s&w ammo is much less expensive.
The G23 can swap to a 357Sig or 9mm aftermarket barrel in seconds, works great.

But it is a Glock - No manual safety.
Its not going to go off because you look at it wrong or even drop it, but you really must have good trigger finger discipline or you will shoot a hole in something.

If you have the basic firearms rules down, and keep your finger off the trigger, the G23 would be a great first pistol with lots of versatility.
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Old November 5, 2012, 10:41 AM   #18
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CZ makes a fine gun as does Sig. Not a fan of Glock, but they are good guns (I don't care for the trigger safety)
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Old November 5, 2012, 07:03 PM   #19
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CZ 75 reasonable price, 9mm and it will be worth more tomorrow than you pay today.
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Old November 7, 2012, 12:41 PM   #20
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I agree with what has been said regarding 9mm & if I was purchasing a gun for defense & it was the only one I had I'd definitely want to practice with the caliber I'd be using in the defense situation. The Glock 19 is my personal favorite handgun. I'm not sure about the carry laws in NY or if you intend to carry but you could also look into the 26 for a bit more concealability.
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