Should one's first handgun be a carry gun or a range gun?

[StainedClassKing]

This is a more fine tuned version of a previous thread I started, my first one I think.

Like I've said on here before, my only gun experience as of now is with a .22 revolver and a couple of bolt-action rifles.

I'm turning 21 soon and looking for a first handgun, basically as a birthday present to myself. Before that, I'm going out shooting with a couple of friends and I'll be able to try other stuff, probably the popular stuff like your standard polymer 9, a 1911, etc.

This coming summer will be pretty damn busy. I'm taking a couple of classes to get ahead on graduating and I'll be having a near full time job. During semesters I'll be working a bit less, but will have a pretty heavy load of courses. I also live in an apartment about a mile from campus, FYI.

Why is that relevant to the situation? In short, I'll have some free time, but not a ton. I'll likely only be able to make it to the range once a month, and I might have to skip some. Something that can be dry fired a ton at home for practice and shot every now and then would be best. I plan on taking a class or two at my local range, but I can't drastically alter my schedule just to be competent with it.

The two purposes I'd consider in a first handgun would be:

A) A large, harder-to-carry handgun for range fun, possible home defense and occasional carry if I'm going to a certain place I'm unfamiliar with. I'm thinking a 3 to 6 inch .357 Magnum (Model 19/686, GP100) or "compact" to full size pistol like a used Beretta 92 compact or third generation Glock 19.

B) A small, concealed carry gun. Either a single stack 9 (Shield) or a .38 snub (642, SP101, something used maybe). I wouldn't carry it every day at this point though, only whenever I'm traveling anywhere off campus, and considering that I go to school and work on the same campus, it might not be all that often.

Even if I go with option A, I'll probably go for option B later once my life settles down a bit and vice versa. So for now, which sounds like a better investment?

[Sharkbite]

Since your looking to carry it seldom, shoot it a little and have it in your Apt always....

I would go the Glock 19 route. Big enough to shoot well, small enough to carry when desired.

[sparkyv]

Most small concealed carry pistols such as those in your "B" list are difficult to shoot, and can be painful to shoot in a long range session. On the other hand, the pistols you list in the "A" category are difficult for many people to comfortably carry, except for the Glock 19. I don't own or even like Glocks, but they are reliable guns and accessories are plentiful and reasonably priced. The G19 is carried by many people, and great at the range. I recommend the Glock 19 or something similarly sized like a CZ P-07 or CZ P-10.

[peterg7]

My first handgun was a Blackhawk in .41 mag and I bought it at 22, unfortunately my life was a bit Chaotic and that wasn’t the gun for casual use.

10 years later I bought my 2nd handgun a KGP-141, my life had slowed down a bit and that gun was a good choice for where I was at.

Both of those purchases were before CC was legal in my state.

So for a young man with limited gun experience I’d say a .357Mag in 4” barrel or for a semi-auto 9mm compact or full size.


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[Aguila Blanca]

Guns are not investments.

Small, pocket pistols are uncomfortable to shoot, and difficult to shoot well.

My advice would be to make your first purchase a dual-purpose pistol. Something that's small enough to carry concealed (but NOT in a pocket), but big enough that it's comfortable to shoot and accurate enough that shooting it at the range will improve your shooting, not ruin it.

Being a dinosaur, my suggestion would be a 1911 in the Commander size (4-1/4" barrel). If that's too big, the Officers ACP size (3-1/2" barrel, shorter grip) is still large enough to shoot well and comfortably. The CZ-75 Compact is also a concealable pistol that's still big enough to shoot well, and a lot.

[Cosmodragoon]

It looks like I'm not the first one to recommend looking for a nice middle-ground. Look at some of the relatively compact 9mm handguns that are at least decent to carry and decent to shoot. There are benefits to having the same gun for range and carry, even if you didn't have limited practice time.

Handle something like a Walther P99 or PPQ, or one of the CZ models recommended by sparkyv and Aguila Blanca. Think about how you will carry when you start carrying. Research different methods, if you haven't already. Can you adapt to one of these guns and make it part of your life?

[Spats McGee]

I'm with the others who suggest that you go with a "Goldilocks pistol." Large enough to shoot well, small enough to conceal. Fortunately, there are quite a few handguns that fit in that category: G19, 1911 Commander, S&W M&P 2.0 Compact, S&W M&P 9c, Ruger SR9c, CZ P10c, XD 3.8" Compact, CZ 75 B Compact, and the list really does go on and on.

As a student, you're not likely to have a whole lot of extra cash floating around, so I'll suggest that you stick with 9mm. It is by no means the perfect round, but it's adequate, and it's the cheapest centerfire ammo you can buy.

As an old dude, I have to add: If you're going to have college-age friends coming in and out of your apartment, or if you'll be shooting with friends, please invest in a small safe and take reasonable storage precautions. Colleges are a breeding ground for for over-consumption of alcohol, theft, and bad decisions.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Well, I am a bit confused as I don’t consider the Beretta 92 (full size) to be in the same class as a Glock 19 (compact) for carry. Except for slide width, the Glock 19 is about my ideal size for carry.

However, I’ll second Spats recommendation to look at the very wide range of pistols that split the difference and shoot like a full-size pistol while still being comfortable enough to carry every day.

I’ve never been a revolver guy so I can’t comment much there; but at a minimum you’ll want to look at the Glock 19, SIG P320, S&W M&P Compact 2.0, or maybe even a Hi-Power or bobbed 1911, though the last two aren’t very budget friendly.

One important thing to keep in mind when budgeting - safe storage, a good belt, holster, magazines, ammo, cleaning equipment. Those things add up and can consume a lot of your gun budget.

[fourbore]

I suggest a pistol that will allow the OP to develop his shooting skills. Forget the carry for now, it is clearly not needed. Simply purchase a carry pistol later.

I would recommend a Springfield Armory range officer in 9mm. That is a full size 1911 with a good trigger and adjustable sights. Learn to shoot that well. Practice. Practice. The 9mm recoil is mild enough and 9mm ammo low cost enough.

If you get used to the 1911 operation, like I am, you might look at a sig p938 later on. Or any of a 100 good 9mm carry pistols.

Two quality firearms that will last a life time.

[stephen426]

I think the Glock 19 or Walther PPQ as already mentioned are ideal. They are small enough to conceal yet large enough to be enjoyable to shoot at the range. The PPQ has one of the nicest triggers for a striker fired gun.

I know there are some die-hard revolver guys out there, but I don't like revolvers for carry since they are wider (due to the cylinder) and carry less rounds for the size. Reloads are also much harder to carry. Ammo cost is higher than 9mm too.

[spawndn72]

Glock 19 fits your purposes perfectly and if you don't like it or want something different in a few years you will be able to sell it easily.

[tony pasley]

I would suggest find a range with a basic handgun safety class. They normally supply the handguns for the class, then find a place that you can rent different makes and models to try to see how they fit with you. This is a little more money up front but a lot less in the long run. Your friends and or family can be a great help but they can also be harmful if teaching you wrong. With proper education you will learn what will be best for you. Learn well, be safe and enjoy the hunt for the perfect firearm for you..

[SIGSHR]

I recommend a range gun, as the others have noted, carry guns are somewhat harder to master, and I maintain the best way to learn to shoot a pistol is Good Old Fashioned Bullseye Shooting. In a factory package I recommend a full size CZ with their Kadet 22 Conversion Unit. You learn to shoot with the Kadet, when you transition to centerfire the feel is totally familiar.

[Lohman446]

It depends. For some people "first" will mean "only" and then it is a different consideration. If first does not mean only I am a fan of learning the basics on a .22 pistol of some type. I'm not really concerned if it perfectly mimics an eventual carry gun or not at that point. There will be tremendous gains made from zero to some level of proficiency in a persons skill. Fine hone them later.

[bassJAM1]

I suggest a full sized range gun. Actually, if funds permit I'd even suggest a full sized .22 like a Mark IV or Buckmark first, and then something like a Beretta 92 or M19 when you can.

If you're relatively new to firearms, and handguns in particular, you're going to want to give yourself the best edge possible to develop skills. Even a compact like some are suggesting can be difficult to shoot well when you're new. But a full sized metal framed gun, especially a .22, isn't going to kick much, if at all. It'll be heavy and stable too when you're aiming. It'll let you take the gun out of the blame-equation so when you're practicing you can focus on yourself and not recoil, or a short sight radius, or a lightweight jumpy gun.

[Rangerrich99]

OK you say that you’re a college student, so unless things have changed drastically in the last 30 or so years, I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of money. I think it would help if we had an idea of what your budget was for this first handgun.

Second, you say that this is going to be your first handgun. I may get a little flak for this But I don’t think your first handgun should be a compact sized gun that you immediately start stuffing into your pants. If I were you, I would consider guns about the size of a Glock 19 with fairly simple manual of arms. Worry about carrying a little later down the line after you’ve mastered the fundamentals.

Third, as a struggling college student I’m guessing you’re not living in the greatest of areas. I would seriously consider some sort of safe. Like one of those small safes that will hold one or two guns with the four button combinations. One that can be bolted to a heavy piece of furniture, or to a stud. I say this because one of the worst feelings in the world is to return to your apartment to find it’s been broken into and that they’ve stolen your gun. And now it’s out there in the wild. Doing God knows what.

Try to make room in your budget for a lesson or two. That will go along way towards ensuring that you don’t become tomorrow’s statistic.

As my advice is free, take it for what it’s worth. Good luck in your search.

[T. O'Heir]

"...a carry gun or a range gun..." Those are the same thing. You should practice with whatever you carry, using the ammo you use when carrying.
"....357 Magnum (Model 19/686, GP100)..." Think 4" barrel. If you opt to carry a revolver, it'll do nicely for bullseye shooting and CCW. Most schools don't allow firearms on campus though.
In any case, you need to try a bunch of hand guns on for size. A hand gun must fit your hand. Your buddy's can help with that, but any gun shop will let you try stuff for size.

[lee n. field]

Either a single stack 9 (Shield) or a .38 snub (642, SP101, something used maybe).

Harder to shoot well. IMHO, start with something Glock 19 sized.

[PlatinumCore16]

So I was (almost) in your same situation about 6 years ago (turning 21, was in college, could only afford 1 pistol) and I went with a CCW. My reasons were that NY was still giving lifetime pistol permits at the time, and my permanent address was my parents house, so that's where I put in my application. Rural county, judge was very pro-gun/pro-CCW, and I wanted to be able to carry concealed. Could I use it for HD? Sure, but most CCW's are on the smaller side/single stack.

So, my reasons were slightly different from yours, and I went with a PT709. I still have it, and I still carry it every day. I would agree with most here that if you're not going to CCW as much as your other uses, get a larger pistol than the "pocket pistols".

What I will say, though, is that I disagree that they are harder to shoot. They are just as hard to shoot as any other pistol or just as easy to shoot as any other pistol THAT YOU PRACTICE WITH. It all comes down to time in the saddle. I can hit 25yds CoM with my CCW, but I have a hard time keeping it there with my M&P9 2.0 with a 5IN bbl because I've put over 1k rounds through my CCW and practice with it every other week if possible, and AT MINIMUM once a month. The M&P9 is a new addition and I just don't have the range time with it. Sure it fits my hand beautifully, but I'm used to shooting my PT709 and it's a vastly different fit.

So, I would say, get whichever fits your hand better and then practice with it, knowing that you will only be as good as you are able to train with, and that a wider/larger pistol is harder to conceal carry.

[peterg7]

Originally Posted by Rangerrich99

OK you say that you’re a college student, so unless things have changed drastically in the last 30 or so years, I’m guessing you don’t have a lot of money. I think it would help if we had an idea of what your budget was for this first handgun.



Second, you say that this is going to be your first handgun. I may get a little flak for this But I don’t think your first handgun should be a compact sized gun that you immediately start stuffing into your pants. If I were you, I would consider guns about the size of a Glock 19 with fairly simple manual of arms. Worry about carrying a little later down the line after you’ve mastered the fundamentals.



Third, as a struggling college student I’m guessing you’re not living in the greatest of areas. I would seriously consider some sort of safe. Like one of those small safes that will hold one or two guns with the four button combinations. One that can be bolted to a heavy piece of furniture, or to a stud. I say this because one of the worst feelings in the world is to return to your apartment to find it’s been broken into and that they’ve stolen your gun. And now it’s out there in the wild. Doing God knows what.



Try to make room in your budget for a lesson or two. That will go along way towards ensuring that you don’t become tomorrow’s statistic.



As my advice is free, take it for what it’s worth. Good luck in your search.

Uh a G19 IS a compact


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[Rangerrich99]

Seriously? Like you can’t figure out what I meant through context?

[peterg7]

I tend to take people at their word so no didn’t get any subliminal meaning, just confusion.


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[Rangerrich99]

Whatever. Nit-Pickery notwithstanding, a gun similar in size/dimensions to a Glock 19/S&W M&PC/etc. hopefully the OP is capable of making that enormous intuitive leap.

[KevininPa]

.....the Ruger SP101. With the three inch barrel, that would serve both purposes well. Or a used Hi Power clone ( I say clone because most Browning Hi Powers might be out of reach of a college students finances) . With the slim slide, it carries surprisingly well IWB. I carry a Ruger Speed Six as well.

[tallball]

I would go full-sized before I went CC. At roughly the same age, 22 or so, I got a 4" 357. Not long after I got a 9mm High Power. A snub 38 and a Makarov, both intended for carry, came a year or two down the road.