First Time Purchase Sarasta FL and Bergen County NJ

[ZZYZXXXX]

Hi guys,

I am about ready to make my first gun purchase. I am a 36 year old guy, if that makes any difference. I am currently in Sarasota, Florida but live in Bergen County, NJ. I visit here often and have friends and family members who shoot, so I am in the market to purchase a .22 to leave here in FL. Eventually I will get a concealed permit but I do not have one now. Even when I do get my permit, I do not think I will carry a gun much if at all but that may change. With this in mind, I am sort of leaning towards a compact. I know I want a semi-auto. I am leaning towards a .22 because from what I have been reading ammo is just about dirt cheap. I am also trying to stay relatively cheap in price, since I will not be using it all that much. I am not against buying used if I can find one I like however, I really do not know what to look for. My Dad and Uncle are both pretty knowledgeable about guns and I will get both of their opinions before I settle on one to purchase. I realize I will grow out of a .22 relatively fast but when I get back home to NJ in a week or two, I will be in the market for a 9MM. The 9 will be primarily a safe queen with the occasional trip to the range. I have not started on the purchase permit yet, so I have some time to wait before I am able to purchase.

So...can I get some suggestions on a .22 to leave in FL and a 9 to look at when I return home. I want both to be semi-auto pistols. I had a friend steer me towards a P220 or an XD9 tactical. I had a family member steer me toward a Glock 19 as far as a 9MM. I am not sure I am a fan of the Glock safety though. I am pretty sure I know where I will be purchasing my 9 but not too sure on the .22. I know of Shoot Straight in Tampa and Take Aim in Sarasota, does anyone have any other suggestions? I will be heading home to NJ in about 2 weeks, so I would like to get a .22 before I leave. I realize I need to have a background check done, which is no problem. I know this will take a few days, so I hope to purchase my gun ASAP, so I have a day or two to shoot it before I leave.

I hope my long rambling post makes sense, if not, just ask. I found this forum a few days ago and have spent hours reading through it. Are there any other informative sites that might help me out any? Thank you for any help you can provide.

Joe

[BfloBill]

At the moment the Glock 19 is one of the guns I'm considering, I have not heard of anyone who owned one and did not like it.
For a .22 if you want to shoot it a lot at the range you should look at a target pistol instead of a compact. Both the Browning Buckmark and a Ruger Mk I or MkII would fit the bill. I prefer the Ruger, .22 's are great because you can shoot all day for next to nothing and my Ruger feeds even the cheapest ammo flawlessly.

[voyager4520]

Welcome!

For a .22 handgun I don't mind a revolver. The semi-auto .22LR handguns don't hold much more ammo than most .22LR revolvers do. Most semi .22's hold 10 rounds in the magazine and most .22 revolvers hold 9 rounds in the cylinder. I've shot a Taurus 94 in .22LR and I really like it. If I were to buy a semi .22 it'd probably be a Ruger Mark III or 22/45 Mark III.

I personally own a Glock 23(compact .40) and Glock 27(sub-compact .40). The only reason I chose .40 was because I bought my first during the ammo shortage and .40 was always on the shelf no matter where I looked. One of the main things some people don't like about Glocks is how the grip feels in their hand, for me it feels fine.

You said you live in NJ and you want to buy a handgun in FL? You can't legally buy a handgun outside of the state in which you're a resident. Well, you can buy it from a store in another state or from a person who resides in another state, but under federal law you must take possession of the handgun from a gun dealer with a Federal Firearms License in your own state of residence.

You can, in most states, buy a handgun in a private sale from another resident of your state with the sale taking place within your state of residence.

You can buy a rifle or shotgun outside of your state of residence, depending only on the laws of the state you happen to be in.

Good luck trying to get a concealed carry permit in NJ, the state government isn't among the friendliest to gun owners. You could probably get a non-resident concealed carry permit in FL, but that permit wouldn't be recognized in NJ.

[Newton Arms Company]

Hello, if you are in Sarasota, you're in luck. Check out www.ArmedCitizenLeague.com They run the Florida $20 Dollar Concealed Handgun Permit class. It is run by a Veteran of the 82nd Airborne who also tought at West Point. He holds an NRA lifetime master pistol rating and is very friendly. he is sure to be able to help you.