PDA

View Full Version : 1st gun any pointers


nj94supratt
July 25, 2005, 07:34 PM
Hey guys,

I just got my permit and have been to the range about 6 times. I feel comfert with 40 cal. and have shot many different guns with various calibers.
I just got my permit and was looking to get my first gun. It was reccomend to me to get a 9mm to start and then work my way up. I was interested to see what you guys thought.

I have been looking into the sig pro 2022, taurus 24/7, and the hk p2000(little high $$) I would either get a 9mm or .40 to start any input on gun or calib to start with would help. I understand there is no set answer but i am interested in what you feel with your experiance.

thanks
matt

Colonel Klink
July 25, 2005, 07:58 PM
You haven't given enough infomation for us to know what you want to do. Will the gun sit on your night stand? Do you have rodents to get rid of? Are you going to carry all the time?

I own .38, 9mm, .40, .45, .25 caliber handguns. I most enjoy shooting the 9mm and the .45's. I carry a .38 caliber because it is light so it is always with me. If you are going to practice and take lessons I sould suggest a 9mm pistol. Have you looked at used guns. Some of my best gun deals have been used guns and some of my new gun purchases have been disasters. I have a Glock G-19 - that's the mid size Glock in 9mm. It is their best selling gun. It is a good compromise of sight radis, cartridge capacity, ease of use and concealability. It is also a reasonable weight for a carry gun.

A lot of people start with a 9mm because ammo is inexpensive and they want to shoot a lot to learn how to do it. Before you learn a lot of bad habits I would suggest you take a class.

croyance
July 25, 2005, 07:58 PM
What state do you live in and what is the intended purpose of this gun?

I wouild recommend a .22 LR for a first pistol. You have only been to the range six times and need the practice. For a person who goes to the range a lot, a .22 LR will pay for itself in ammo costs alone.

The only SigPros I know about are the 2009, 2040, and a thing a .357 Sig model (2357?). A 2022 would be a .22 LR by their numbering system.

Anyways, if home defence is part of the intended purpose, a medium caliber gun like a 9mm or .357 Magnum may be in order. I would recommed this be in addition to the .22 LR if you can afford it.

ATW525
July 25, 2005, 08:06 PM
The SP2022 is the latest Sig Pro and comes in 9mm, .40 or .357 Sig.

On the subject of a firearm to get, I'd suggest trying as many as you can and see what fits you best. I personally love my Beretta 96, but to people with smaller hands, it's cumbersome to shoot and of course the girly men might find it too heavy to carry. :p

skipper~ray
July 25, 2005, 08:21 PM
That question requires some more input from you Matt. Think about what are you going to be doing with the gun- Do you think shooting will become a hobby- target shooting, hunting, plinking? If the gun is for protection, will you be carrying or will it be kept at your home or business? What do feel that you can spend ($) on the gun and ammunition? What safety features do you need and feel comfortable with, and how close are those who live around you (are you in an apartment or on a farm)? How much time are you willing to spend to practice with and to clean and maintain the gun?
It’s good that you have spent the range time and have already given it some thought. The right “first gun” very often leads to the right second gun, third gun…… You’ll find that your guns are like other tools in that each one does a specific job better than others, but cannot do all jobs equally well.
Good Luck!!

Mark54g
July 25, 2005, 09:01 PM
I am in the same boat as you, and I just picked up a .22 beretta Neos U22. If you're ever around TheBulletHole when I am there, I'll let you try it out. I would recommend one to start with. It was $229 for the basic 6" model in blued/black and about $39 more for the inox stainless.

Its been good for now. If you plan on going to something bigger, try a 9mm. The recoil is easily handled and the ammo is cheap.

You just can't be a .22 for teaching yourself the basics. It is cheap to shoot (I just bought 1850 rounds from natchezss.com)

Mark54g
July 25, 2005, 09:03 PM
Skipper, this is NJ he's talking about. He won't be carrying that thing unless he's the judge's wife or the mayor's son. We need to buy permits to purchase a handgun for each one we want, wait 30-60 days for one (the law says no more than 30 days, but try and fight the cops on that one). and then repeat the process each time you want another.

MTS840
July 25, 2005, 09:10 PM
Hey Matt!

Congratulations on getting your permit! Whatever you get, get a good quality gun you can bet your life on. Don't settle for something less than first rate. This will cost a little more, but your life is worth it and you will have a lifetime of satisfaction in getting a high quality defensive firearm. There are plenty of good quality guns out there and it should be a lot of fun shooting as many different ones as possible!
If you're comfortable with a .40, then go for it! There are lot of good quality concealable .40s on the market. Do some research and read impartial reviews.
I've owned a SigPro 2340 for a couple of years and it's a great gun! After a couple thousand rounds or so it has never had any malfunctions at all. Zero. It also cost quite a bit less than the outstanding Sig P Series.
I also have a HK USP 9mm Compact and until recently a HK USP .45 full size and the same can be said for both of them. Maybe over 1,000 rounds apiece and zero malfunctions. Great carry guns!
I also have some Glocks and right now I am carrying my full sized G-21 .45. I can attest to the quality of my G-19, 23, and 26. Thousands of rounds, zero malfunctions.
Police and military units all over the world use guns made by these manufacturers. There are a few others of course, but I would stick to those manufacturers who supply police and law enforcement.

nj94supratt
July 25, 2005, 10:07 PM
hey guys thanks for all the replies and sorry about the open ended question.

I live in NJ. I know how the process for purchasing goes, and I will prob be carrying in the future because i will be starting the academy soon for local PD.

I want the gun for target practice and plan to go about once a week. Maybe more depending on the time i have with work. I put alot of time into any hobbie i start up and i know this will be the same. I clean my paintball guns after every game so I cant imagine I would neglect a real gun.

I have about 700.00 to spend, but I dont know if I want to get used or new. I could get used and work that for a few months. After getting comfortable then I could move to a .40 or .45.

If you have any ideas for a cheap good beginner gun or think I should just get a new 9mm ex. let me know. I want to explore all options.

matt

Colonel Klink
July 25, 2005, 10:25 PM
Where are you in NJ? I grew up in Brant Beach on Long Beach Island. Go shoot as many guns as you can. You will be surprised how good and how bad some feel. Rule out the one's that feel bad.

TWilliams
July 25, 2005, 10:40 PM
I also own a Sig Pro 2340 and it is a great gun. I also own an HS2000 (Springfield HD) in 9mm. That's about the best shooter I own, out of Taurus .38, Sig 2340 in .357, SA 1911, Ruger 345, Firestorm .380. The 9mm is a smooth round in my HS2000, which new would be a Springfield HD.

Mark54g
July 26, 2005, 07:24 AM
Matt,

I was not directing the NJ stupidity at you, but others that live in free-er states than that. In NJ, you cannot rent guns, they consider that lending a gun, which is prohibited, but other people, unaware and trying to be the helpful guys that they are give recommendations which normally would be great, but in NJ cannot be done.

You could always go to ranges in PA to rent, if you were so inclined.

Going with a .22 is not a bad idea. You will save tons in ammo, and probably shoot more, though they do miss some OOoomph compared to larger pistols.

I went the .22 route. You could always get a trade in sig or glock and try that, however it may lead to some bad habits down the line if you are not experienced. 9mm is cheap ammo for centerfire, but not as cheap as the 22 stuff. You could get a ruger 9mm for about $300ish, a CZ for about $450, etc or get a good 22 for under $300 and practice about 5x more.

ATW525
July 26, 2005, 07:59 AM
In NJ, you cannot rent guns, they consider that lending a gun, which is prohibited, but other people, unaware and trying to be the helpful guys that they are give recommendations which normally would be great, but in NJ cannot be done.

That's funny, here's a NJ range that advertises firearm rentals for $10...

Shore Shot Pistol Range (http://www.shoreshotpistolrange.com/)

Jkwas
July 26, 2005, 08:46 AM
Yes, but no cci blazer or wolf ammo!!! Still for NJ, a good deal. :cool:

Mark54g
July 26, 2005, 10:30 AM
Interesting, ATT

I was given the same crap (about not renting) from 3 gunstores I asked and they said relatively the same thing to me, that ranges won't do it because of the reasons above. I will check that place out if it is not too far from me

One of the reasons PA is going to be on my house shopping list in about a decade.

Slateman
July 26, 2005, 10:47 AM
Yea, don't shoot yourself :D

Seriously, try some guns out. Make friends with people that shoot, and learn from them. Shoot what you're comfortable with.

The Stook
July 26, 2005, 11:07 AM
I say don't buy untill you find THAT gun you fall in love with.

That gun you hold that says "im your huckleberry".
If you have been shooting at the range and not a single friends or rental screams at you, start going to every gun store you can. Ask to hold every gun in the case that catches your eye. Ask to dry fire the ones that feel good in your hand. And purchase the gun that demands it of you.

Happy hunting and good luck.

shield20
July 26, 2005, 11:51 AM
If you are comfortable with a .40, then get a .40. You can learn on a .40 as well as another 'smaller' round. If you do not get what you want, you WILL BE buying another, which is OK, if you have the $$$. If you get a .22, you'll wish you had bigger, esp. if you want to carry or otherwise use for SD.

Go through (read) all the info you can on different models, you'll find a few you'll like. Then try them for fit, trigger pull etc. in the store.

nj94supratt
July 26, 2005, 07:00 PM
wow.

thanks for all the help. I am always happy when i find a good forum.
Back on topic someone wrote that buying a used glock/sig may lead to bad habbits. Is that bc of the angle of the grips. If so are there other 9mm/.40 that you would rec.

The taurus 24/7 is a pretty inexpensive gun. Does anyone have any experiance with that gun.
The other guns I am looking at would be a hk upc(I believe thats right), a sig perferrable sp models.

The Body Bagger
July 26, 2005, 07:02 PM
keep the barrel end pointed down range.......

skipper~ray
July 26, 2005, 07:51 PM
I agree with Mark54g's thought: Going with a .22 is not a bad idea. You will save tons in ammo, and probably shoot more, though they do miss some OOoomph compared to larger pistols.

My opinion ( everyone’s got one, right?) is that you ought to think seriously about going the .22 route. You can get a new Browning or Ruger .22 auto for a very reasonable price and the price of the ammo allows you to shoot about as much as you want. Save the rest of your gun money for whatever you decide on later. Even in NJ you can buy another one somewhere down the road can’t you?
I’ve been shooting handguns for about for about 40 years now and have NEVER NOT enjoyed shooting one of my .22s. I can’t imagine not owning a .22 and I seldom make a trip to the range without one in my bag; they are great for practicing your technique, and more than that- they are always fun.

Mark54g
July 26, 2005, 09:40 PM
Skipper,

Even in NJ you can get more. While the laws are asinine, you can at least fill out the form for a gun purchase for more than one permit at a time. You then get 90 days from issue to make your purchase.

I looked at the ruger. I looked at the browning, and while the browning felt nice, the Neos felt nicer and was significantly cheaper (while really different looking).

The best advice is usually to trust your instincts, but give those who have been there and done that the respect that comes with it.

People usually recommend something because they know something, and I was told that a 22 was a great place to start.
I had originally had my eyes on a .40 or 9mm, but you can't argue with the fact that I just ordered 1850 rounds for $47 for my neos.

Its even easy to take down :)

My next gun........ who knows, I want a CZ 75b, XD, HK USP and a few others, but $$$ is going towards a house right now

AZta2guy
July 27, 2005, 05:50 AM
This is just another fan of the .22 route for you. I would only add that you consider one that is da/sa for practice incase you have to go the dao route down the road. I know that walther p22 has spotty reputation, but it can be fired da/sa. I have to admit to some problems with mine, but after adjusting a few things it has run great. Especially once I found ammo that the pistol liked. Best part... have a threaded barrel and a supressor so as not to hurt my ears!!!! Seriously, you indacated that you are looking to go to the accadamy I believe. i only point out the da/sa because of that. A lot of duty weapons are dao issue if I am not mistaken. I personally use one of my sigs for da practice too. You can get cpo sigs at very reasonable prices if you are looking to go the used route. What ever your choice I wish you luck and I will be looking for your report on your decision. Oh and do not foget about looking at revolvers if you do go the .22 route.

Aim straight and have fun
Jon

Larry C.
July 27, 2005, 08:35 AM
Howdy,

If you are a "newbie", consider a Ruger GP-100 or S&W 686/586 in .357 Magnum. These guns are easy, simple and downright FUN to shoot. They're less expensive (generally) than semi-autos and this leaves more room in the budget for ammo. I recommend .38 Sp. ammo for target practice.
They are still a good deal on the used market. Revolvers may lack for glamor, but they're accurate, simple and again-FUN to shoot. Good luck.

Larry C.

us.armysniper
July 27, 2005, 08:28 PM
I say the springfield xd you can have it in 9mm .40 375 sig or 45 gap and they are sweet and for the money you can't beat um! I prefer them over glocks any day of the week!

Lee M.
July 28, 2005, 04:49 PM
It was reccomend to me to get a 9mm to start and then work my way up.

These type of reccomendations crack me up. If a kid or a person who has never been around a gun, I would suggest starting out with a .22lr. But I have never understood why anyone says to start out with a 9mm. If you can handle a 9mm, than you can handle a .45 acp. I guess this way of thinking goes back to when you hear people say, "That .44 Mag kicked so hard it knocked him off his feet.:) :)