What handgun to buy?

[mehavey]

Keep your used-gun eye out for the classic revolver in the classic cartridge:

S&W Model-19 357 Mag -- Combat Magnum -- generations 19-3 or 19-4
(~$350-$400 in Nat'n's Gunshows over last several years.)

[zachattack2]

I have one more question about the SD9VE.

How is the body of the gun, the material. Is it polymer?
Nice quality or cheap?

Thanks,
Zach

[Spats McGee]

Originally Posted by zachattack2

SpatsMcgee.

I would like it nice for conceal carry and range time.

NOW we're getting somewhere. Thank you.

For this combination, I'm going to join in with those who suggest 9mm. It is, IMHO, an acceptable round, and about as cheap as you can get in centerfire ammunition.

As far as the SW9VE, I handled them a few times, but I've neither fired nor owned one. Accordingly, I cannot speak to its quality. I was considering one at one time (IIRC), but I shied away from them because I'd heard that they have a very heavy trigger. Like 8-10 lbs. As I could never test the trigger on one, I cannot tell you if it's true. I'm not what you'd call a trigger snob, but that sure seemed too heavy for me, and Mrs. McGee would absolutely hate it.

That said, the SW9VE is in what I call the 'Goldilocks Category' for CC and the range, at least in terms of size. Goldilocks Category pistols are (for me) large enough to shoot well, and small enough to conceal easily. (Not too big, not too small, but just right.) The other semiautomatic* pistols that I put in that category include (but are not limited to . . . ): the Glock 19/23, Ruger SR9C and SR40c, several CZ models, 1911 Commander models, etc. YMMV

* = Frankly, I don't shoot or carry revolvers enough to have established the Goldilocks Category for them, so I leave that determination to people who know more about them than I.

[GunLuvr01]

IMO the SD9 feels good in the hand, I used to own one and didn't have any problems with it. I traded it to my uncle and he hasn't had any problems with it. The SD series is considered S&W's budget line, this doesn't necessarily mean they are junk, IMO it felt solid for a polymer framed pistol, they just don't have the bells and whistles the M&P series have. For the price, the SD9 is quite a bargain, if you take care of it, it will more than likely take care of you.

[Dufus]

How is the body of the gun, the material. Is it polymer?
Nice quality or cheap?

zach: read post #24, first and second line.

[zachattack2]

I have been thinking about getting a little nicer of a gun and get the S&W mp shield. It looks accurate, durable and is in my price range at $430.
Does anybody have any opinions on this gun? Experience?

All are appreciated

Thanks,
Zach

[Spats McGee]

zachattack2, if I may ask, are you LEO, military, retired military, EMT, or anything like that? Some of the manufacturers (Glock, S&W, Ruger, I think) all offer discounts for folks that are.

Also, are used pistols and option for you?

I'm trying to help you stretch those dollars here.

[osbornk]

I like the S&W SD9VE 9mm pistol, especially for the price. But I have two questions I would like to ask.

First, I would like to eventually like to use it for a carry gun and is that possible with the size of this gun? Is it slim enough, light enougn?

Second, If I shoot tons out of it like I am planning cause it is 9mm, will it hold up and still shoot after thousands of rounds?

Thanks,
Zach

I have one and it almost exactly the size and weight of a Glock 19 which makes it very good as a carry gun for me. It also operates almost exactly like a Glock and has a lifetime service warranty. I plan on keeping it for the rest of my life and I don't worry that it will ever wear out on me.

[zachattack2]

Spats McGee,
I am not one of those.

As long as they are in good condition yes.

[zachattack2]

Spats McGee,
I would like to get either a S&W or a Glock.
I like those two companies and they are Good quality and not to exspensive and good rep.

[tallball]

Buds Guns has police trade-ins that are S&W 4" 38 special. They are $319. There are round butt and square butt versions. That would be an excellent general purpose handgun.

If you want a semi-auto, they also had a variety of trade-in semi-autos, different makes and calibers... Glocks in particular, but others too. They are in the $369-$399 range.

[zachattack2]

Or I could get an old surplus pistol for cheap like the star model super b 9mm
for $320 or m70a tokerev 9mm for $246.

What do you guys think on the reliability and accuracy on the surplus guns??

[AustinTX]

Or I could get an old surplus pistol for cheap like the star model super b 9mm
for $320 or m70a tokerev 9mm for $246.

What do you guys think on the reliability and accuracy on the surplus guns??

I would recommend keeping in the direction you were headed. Those are fun range toys, but you're not going to get any warranty service at all for an old surplus gun like the Star. The M70A is a single-action gun with no safety, meaning you would have to carry the gun with the hammer down and cock the gun on the draw. The M70AA is the same gun with a slide-mounted safety; I don't know if the safety enables cocked-and-locked carry, but even if it does, this is not an ideal setup at all. (I believe that the safety is also a decocker, but I'm not certain. In that case, you're back to the same situation as with the M70A.) I wouldn't count on them to be as reliable as something like the SD9VE.

Get Stars and Tokarevs and whatnot for fun later on. S&W has possibly the best customer service in the industry, and the the SD line is a modern no-frills design that works well. Keep looking in that general direction.

[Armed_Chicagoan]

SOG has "like new" Beretta PX4 Storms 9mm now for $389. Includes 2-17 round magazines and Trijicon sights.

That's an excellent deal on an extremely reliable pistol IMHO. I've put thousands of rounds through my PX4 with only 1 failure, and that was with a reload in which the case split and hung up on ejection.

eta: I just noticed those are the "Type D" model, double action only. I don't have any experience with the trigger on those. SOG also has "like new" 92S for
$349.

[AustinTX]

Shame that they're "Type D" guns. The trigger is quite nice for a polymer. It's lighter than the DA on the Type F or G PX4s, because the hammer spring isn't as heavy. That said, it's a long revolver-like trigger pull, which probably won't be appealing to the OP. Too bad, because the PX4s are outstanding guns and values.

[NavyVet1959]

If you don't even know whether you want a semi-auto or a revolver, that means that you probably have no experience with firearms (or at least with handguns). As such, I really don't think that you should be getting a Glock since it does not have a true safety on it and the trigger is a bit too light given that it has no safety.

https://sites.google.com/site/navyve...glock-handguns

A M1911 has a significantly better trigger (i.e. it is lighter and has a clean break), but it has a safety. Rock Island / Armscor makes lower cost M1911s, but they are well made.

Glocks might be dependable, but they have the ergonomics of a brick.

You need to try out a lot of different handguns and decide which one you like. Where are you located? Do they have gun shows around there? Go to the shooting ranges and talk with the other shooters and see what they are shooting. See if any of the nearby ranges hold USPSA or IDPA matches.

As someone who has spent most of his entire life around firearms, it's difficult for me to think that someone could actually be old enough to buy a handgun and never had any experience with any type of them. I guess times have changed...

Once you have an idea of what you want to buy, go over to ArmsList.com and check out what people have for sale. I've bought a few firearms from people on there in FTF transactions. I always get the serial number from them beforehand so that I can have my local PD run the numbers for me to see if it is stolen. This doesn't *guarantee* that it is not stolen, but helps.

[zachattack2]

Navy vet,
I have experience with both pistols and revolvers and I love both, they are both really cool and have a purpose so I didn't know what to get.

And I am probably going to get the S&W MP shield 9mm which does have a safety.

[NavyVet1959]

OK... No insult intended, but your original post came across like someone who had no experience with any sort of handgun, but was wanting someone to tell them what handgun to buy.

[doofus47]

Ruger SR9c can be carried or taken to the range. In free states you can buy it with 2 magazines: a 10 round for concealed carry and a 17 round for range time.

On the heavier and larger side:
Surplus Browning Hi Powers are cheap online nowadays. 13 shot double stack magazines and has a reputation for accuracy and reliability.

Surplus Sig P6s with a standard single stack mag will hold 8 shots. Same description as the BHP above.

[Spats McGee]

I'd also avoid the older surplus guns for carry, for the reasons stated. Not that I definitively know that you can't get them serviced, but because I don't definitively know that you can.

For CC, don't forget to factor in the cost of a decent belt and holster. Having those makes carry much more comfortable. Making carry much more comfortable increases the chance that you'll actually carry.

[NavyVet1959]

For CC, don't forget to factor in the cost of a decent belt and holster. Having those makes carry much more comfortable. Making carry much more comfortable increases the chance that you'll actually carry.

If you don't like having to tighten your belt so that your pants won't lean to one side due to the weight of the gun, you might want to consider suspenders. Yeah, laugh all you want, but it *does* work.

[zachattack2]

I have been thinking about the Berreta 92S in 9mm a Italy police import.
I won't be carrying a pistol for a while so I can get a nice small carry gun in 40 S&W after this.

I have been thinking about just getting a fun old pistol in 9mm first and then get a nice carry gun in 40 S&W maybe a Glock.

Beretta is a very nice fun company's and the 92FS is used by the U.S. military and the 92S is very similar just a Italian style gun, like the mag release is at the bottom corner of the gun, and just has some tiny things not as good as the 92FS. So I thought the gun would be very realiable. I can get it in excellent condition for $410 to the FLL dealer for pickup. It also can hold 15 rounds of 9mm in the clip so as self defense it's not that bad of a gun too for that too.

I've been researching it and a lot of people say it is very accurate and well worth the price especially because it can be a collectable gun too.

Does anybody have any personal experience with this gun or something to say about it. All is appreciated.

Thanks,
Zach

[pblanc]

If you are interested in the Beretta 92S I would certainly check out this thread if you haven't already:

http://berettaforum.net/vb/showthread.php?t=111450

You can find out just about anything you want to know about Berettas on that forum.

I have a Beretta 92FS. I have fondled the 92S a time or two, but never shot one. I see no reason it should shoot differently than the 92FS.

There are many small differences between the Beretta 92 FS and the 92S but undoubtedly the biggest functional differences are the magazine release and the safety. The 92 FS has a slide mounted, ambidextrous safety lever that functions as a decocker. The 92S is similar but lacks a lever on the right side of the pistol. The 92S also has a rounded trigger guard unlike the "combat" style contour on the front of the 92FS trigger guard.

The other difference is the location and nature of the magazine release button. The 92S button is not only in a different location, it cannot be switched to the other side like it can on a 92FS. So neither the safety nor the mag release on the 92S is "ambi" which is no big deal for a right-handed shooter. It also means that some magazines made for the 90 series Berettas will work and some won't. The 92S requires a magazine with a sizable cutout on the bottom, rear, right hand side of the magazine. Some new Beretta magazines for the 92FS have this cutout (in addition to the 2 smaller rectangular cutouts on either side of the front of the mag higher up) but others do not. This means you might not be able to buy high capacity (more than 15rd) mags for your 92S but you should be able to buy new 15 rd mags from Beretta and other vendors.

People seem to either love or hate Berettas. I suppose that is true for most, if not all handguns. I can find you many people who will say that the Beretta 90 series is the finest 9mm handgun ever made, and perhaps just as many who will say it is a complete POS.

What I think can be said is that the Beretta 90 series is a well-made and reliable pistol. People argue about its accuracy but there are certainly people who can shoot it competitively at the highest levels, and most Beretta owners find that they are more than adequate in terms of combat accuracy. What is pretty much inarguable is that the 92S, like the 92FS, has a fairly thick grip with a sizable grip circumference which can make the trigger reach for the DA trigger pull to much for comfort for some shooters. If you have never handled a Beretta 92 I would at least find someone with an M9/92FS to handle it, and preferably shoot it, before you decide on the 92S.

The Beretta is also an all metal pistol which makes it heavy, in some people's opinion. A criticism of the Beretta 92 series which is often heard is that the Beretta is "too big and heavy for just a 9 mm." Personally, I think the size and weight of a pistol should depend on the shooter's hand and intended usage, rather than the caliber for which it is chambered.

[gwpercle]

If you are new to handguns a nice K-frame 38 special ( or 357 magnum) has a whole lot to offer. Simple to operate, inexpensive ammo, they are not ammo sensitive, no magazine to worry with. Any 38/357 load that will chamber will shoot.
I have a police trade in , model 64 in 38 special, it gets shot the most because it's just so pleasant to shoot.
An adjustable sighted 357 magnum, is probably the most versatile all around gun you can own.
The demand for S&W K frame 357 magnums caused them to re-issue the model 66 this year after a 30 year lapse...why? Used ones were selling for $800 in good condition, when you could find one. People kept them.
So if you could find a deal on a new model 66 that is what I would get. If you can find a used one that would be just as good.
Gary

[lee n. field]

Hi-Pointes is affordable.