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Old August 7, 2012, 08:35 AM   #26
railroader
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I just got a witness polymer 9mm. The gun shoots great and it definitely budget priced. Buds gunshop is selling them for $291 shipped. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...+4.5%22+16%2B1
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Old August 8, 2012, 01:48 AM   #27
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First pistol ????

Hands down, goin' away - the Ruger SR9 or SR9c, depending whether or not you intend to use it for concealed carry.

Mine is obviously more accurate than I am. Smooth trigger, about 5 lb trigger pull; eats anything I feed it, so far, and that's 8 or 10 different brands and different types of bullets. If you want LOTS of firepower, they come with a 10-shot and a 17-shot magazine. Pretty nifty, I think.

Price wise - I got mine from a local dealer who works out of his home - about $350.

I would second the motion for 9mm. For all intents and purposes, a decent brand of ammo with a good hollowpoint will serve you very nicely for self-defense and the price will allow you to do a LOT more shooting for fun, which you need to do anyway.
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Old August 8, 2012, 01:56 AM   #28
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Ruger P95 and SR9/c are my suggestions. If you plan to CC it, SR9c would be perfect. 9mm would also save you money when buying ammo.
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Old August 8, 2012, 06:42 AM   #29
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there is alot of LE trade in guns on the market right now for a good price.
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Old August 9, 2012, 12:28 AM   #30
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Bersa has a nice 9mm . 13+1 if your in the free part of America 10+1 if in the commie states or cities.
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Old August 9, 2012, 08:26 AM   #31
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As you can see, codyb1991.....ask an open-ended question, get a million different responses. Everyone throws out his/her favorite. You need to really think it through.

1) What will be the PRIMARY purpose of the gun ? If home defense, open carry and target shooting....then a full-size auto would be better. Full-size models are easier to shoot and much easier to learn on. If concealed carry figures into this, then you'll probably need to compromise your purchase toward compact models. If CC is the main purpose, then a sub-compact model would be almost necessary. Bear in mind that the smaller you go (with frame size), the harder it is to learn to shoot well.

2) What budget ? $100 ? $12,000 ? You will need to do a LOT of research and narrow this down. A very good auto pistol, suitable for all round shooting, but NOT specialized for target shooting or competition-style shooting, can be had for $500 or less. If your budget allows, if I were you, I would start there - and work down.

3) As to caliber, I concur with most here. 9mm Luger is the best overall choice, when one considers a mixture of factors : effectiveness, recoil, cost. 9mm is by far the best of the three on cost. It is generally the best of the three as regards recoil (depending on bullet weight, loads, etc). And it is effective for self-defense. So, if I were you, I would choose 9mm over 40 S&W or 45 ACP, for a first pistol.

4) Features. An important consideration, as they vary. Single-action only ? Double-action only ? Hammer-fired ? Striker-fired ? Safety mechanisms (some are almost ubiquitous now, such as firing pin locks - but there is still a good bit of variance between brands and models) ? Polymer or all-metal ? Literally, there are hundreds of variations.

5) Feel. VERY important. I suggest that, once you get a better idea of items 1 - 4 above, you go to your local gun dealers (several of them) and handle as many different guns (that fit your criteria) as possible. It is very important that the chosen pistol feel GOOD in your hand. That the controls make sense to you - and that they are easy to access.

As regard brands, there are a dizzying array to choose from. This is a matter for research and talking to those you trust, if you can. Of course, you've started your research phase by posting here. Now, take some notes and check out different gun manufacturers websites. Look through the different models - and think over your purpose(s) for the gun and narrow down your budget numbers.

When you have more information to go on (and can narrow things down a bit), probably someone here has experience with whatever models in which you might be interested.

What I DON'T recommend is that you simply walk into a gun store, cash in hand, with NO experience with hand guns.....and just buy something that "looks acceptable".....or simply go with the advice of the counter guy. Bad plan. You MIGHT find something that way that works for you - or, you might well end up like a lot of people, with a hand gun that doesn't fit you, is of questionable reliability, cost more than you really wanted to spend.....and that you really don't care much for. That's when you'll feel "taken"....or foolish.
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Old August 9, 2012, 10:18 AM   #32
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Like others have suggested, I would recommend you try the Ruger SR9 or Sr9C. I use the SR9C for CC. No problems in over 1200 rounds.
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Old August 9, 2012, 11:43 AM   #33
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Beretta 92fs or Sig 2022. I will be picking up a sig 2022 .40 as soon as I can. LockedBreech, how did you see Bud's price of $344? Was that for a new one or used? The link in your post is $409 cash price when I link. My beretta is 100% reliable with absolutely 0 failures of any kind with any ammo I have put into it. Over 1500 rounds through it. That is the gun I trust my Home defense to at this time. I KNOW it will work when it needs to. For <$600OTD brand new from my LGS its a bargain in my opinion.
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Old August 9, 2012, 01:17 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by power5 View Post
Beretta 92fs or Sig 2022. I will be picking up a sig 2022 .40 as soon as I can. LockedBreech, how did you see Bud's price of $344? Was that for a new one or used? The link in your post is $409 cash price when I link. My beretta is 100% reliable with absolutely 0 failures of any kind with any ammo I have put into it. Over 1500 rounds through it. That is the gun I trust my Home defense to at this time. I KNOW it will work when it needs to. For <$600OTD brand new from my LGS its a bargain in my opinion.
I checked it a few hours later and it was $409. It definitely was $344 for a second, on a new 15+1 9mm. I wish I had bought while the typo was there!
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Old August 9, 2012, 02:23 PM   #35
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Another vote for a new Ruger P95. I have two of them, they do the same thing my Glocks do for less. The P95 is durable/reliable and made in the U.S.A. with a life time warranty.
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Old August 10, 2012, 06:14 PM   #36
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plus 1 for the sig pro 2022
mine is the 9mm
WELL over 2,000 rounds down range
ZERO FAILURES
all kinds of ammo
I paid 411 out the door a year ago
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Old August 10, 2012, 07:48 PM   #37
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I have seen the Sig 2022 at $350 before, keep in mind that that it only includes one magazine... It was a serious consideration for my fiance's pistol. She really liked its feel and the control layout. I had a CZ75, and she really liked it better, so we got her one in 9mm. (mine is a 40) The CZ has a shorter slide height, so she does have a little more difficulty racking the slide than other pistols.

The CZ is a fine Handgun, one of the best feeling guns I have ever used or held, it shoots very well too. I keep it hammer down when loaded for defense use. Can be found for as low as $500. (maybe less if you search hard)

The Sig 2022 is a little smaller overall than most full size pistols, (like 1911s and Beretta 92's) I call them "duty" size, as compact is not accurate. (though the manufacturers call them such) Thw 2022 feels good, never shot one though.

I have owned a Springfield XD, and I found it an excellent pistol. The updated XDM version improved the ergonomics even more. The XD costs less than the XDM. I would prefer the XDM for its ergos and feel, but if cost was a concern, the XD is great. Get the duty size, and you can conceal it, but it is a bit bulky in that role. If thats not a concern its a good overall size, but they do make a longer barreled "tactical" version. Prices vary by model, I think the XD is around $450-500, with the XDM about $100-150 more.

The Ruger SR9 seems to be well received as well, and is a good price.

Then there is Glock, I am not a fan, but I do think they are good guns functionally. Around $500+

If your budget is really limited... say $250 or less... then your options are likewise limited. Used guns may net you a good deal. Just be careful and inspect them well. A used revolver "can" tolerate a bit more neglectfulness on the prior owners part than an auto-loader. Plus most well maintained auto-loaders from top manufacturers are going to cost more than $250. The biggest issue with revolvers can come from "Hollywood" handling of the gun. Things like slamming the cylinder closed or open, it can warp the frame or other parts and cause fit/clearance issues.

If you want new at that price range... there are small Kel-teks but they are not range guns by any means, they are small pocket guns meant for easy concealment.

That leaves really only one option... Hi-point... you can get a NIB 9mm for $175 or less out the door.

People bash on Hi-point... they are big, ugly, crude, triggers are not the best, low capacity, hard to field strip... Unsophisticated would be a good description... But they work, and work pretty well. I have heard that the 9mm can have feed issues the first few magazines you run through them. Running +p ammo for the first few mags helps break in the springs and action, then after that they feed reliably. Or you can just put a few boxes of FMJ target ammo through it and it should break in. As with any pistol, it may be brand/type sensitive when it comes to hollowpoint ammo. So put a few boxes of your chosen brand through to ensure reliability, you may find you need another brand. FMJ usually runs fine regardless of the brand.

Sticking with the big name manufacturers and well established models makes the odds of getting a bad gun much lower. That said, there are plenty of smaller/newer manufacturers that put out good products, just do a little research.
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Old August 10, 2012, 08:06 PM   #38
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I recommend the ruger P95 new or snag a used P-85, P-89. They are great guns. I own and fire all of them.

I also like the S&W Sigma. I got one and liked it and ended up with two more. The trigger is stout but my hands are strong and huge so it doesn't bother me a bit. They are extremely reliable and very cost effective.

Flash
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Old August 10, 2012, 08:12 PM   #39
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+1 for Rugers. My P89, gently used was $300. Their new SR9 aren't much more.
Nice & reliable.
I love shooting Glocks but I can afford a Ruger (3 actually).
Also look at .22s. You need one of those.
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Old August 10, 2012, 08:36 PM   #40
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Quote:
I absolutely agree with a 9mm.
+1

Also +1 on the P95. Love mine.
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Old August 10, 2012, 09:17 PM   #41
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Glocks are overpriced for what they are. Resist the kool aid. Get a handgun that actually feels good in your hand rather than one that forces you to conform to its quirks.

You can get spotless reliability out of all the big name brands of 9mm semi-autos. Glocks are nothing special in that regard.
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Old August 10, 2012, 09:32 PM   #42
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The OP hasn't posted anything on TFL in over a week. I wonder what he's thinking.

A LOT of folks have viewed this thread...
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