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

[Ricklin]

Let's all reach back deep in our memory banks, back to the first time we fired a handgun.
Mostly the first reaction is, why is there not a hole in the target? Because you not only missed the bull, you missed the entire target.

OK OK a little hyperbole. It takes time and effort to shoot a handgun well. There is no cheaper way to do that than good ol .22

Heck a Heritage Rough Rider .22 only is only 100 bucks or thereabouts. Not pretty but all reports indicate decent accuracy.

Start there.

[Cosmodragoon]

"...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.

This is true but I think we're dealing with the added dimension of it being a first handgun. That's why we have so many good recommendations to look for what Spats called a "Goldilocks gun".

Most schools don't allow firearms on campus though.

This is worth considering. In addition to some more sage advice from Spats that "colleges are a breeding ground for for over-consumption of alcohol, theft, and bad decisions", there are legal considerations. Different states have different laws and different colleges have different policies. However much anyone even remotely educated on this issue understands that banning defensive weapons can get people hurt or killed, you're still subject to the law and you need to know what that is.

[shafter]

Get a Glock 19 and call it good for awhile. More than suitable for both purposes.

[44 AMP]

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.

OK, here's some flak (37mm, not 88 )

If you are going to be "stuffing a Glock into your pants", I suggest you use FMJ ... That way, when you shoot yourself in the testicles, you will at least be using "ball ammo".

and another thing, if you DO stuff a Glock, or any of the clones that don't have a positive safety lever (lock) into your pants, if it slips and starts to fall, DON'T GRAB IT!!!!!!

Holsterless carry (aka "Mexican carry") of a Glock or any thing similar is a stupidly dangerous thing to do. And recommending it to a beginner is VERY poor advice.

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

Range gun. And NOT one of the compact or subcompact semi autos or a snub nose revolver.

And, it should be a .22. Especially if you are on a tight budget. Something in the "sport pistol" class, with decent sights and a fair trigger. Something big enough to easily handle and shoot. Because your first handgun is a training tool, more than anything else.

My life was different from yours. The first pistol I actually bought was a .45ACP. BUT, I grew up in a family who had, and used guns. Dad was and NRA safety instructor, and by the time I bought my first pistol, I had nearly a decade's worth of practice and instruction on and with Mom & Dad's pistols. And yes, I absolutely started with a .22.

First thing is LEARN TO SHOOT well, and how to safely handle the pistol. Everything else comes later.

The only way to get good at shooting is to shoot. And shoot properly, not just bang off rounds in the general direction of the target. That takes practice, PROPER practice, and that takes ammo which means cost. 9mm is "Cheap" but only in comparison to other centerfire rounds.

.22LR is the cheapest (lowest cost) ammo there is. You get more practice for less cost with a .22 than any other cartridge firearm.

Simply put, you need to learn how to drive before you go out into big city traffic.

Like driving, carrying a handgun has two major parts. The first, is the mechanical aptitude and skill to operate the "vehicle" (learning to shoot and safely handle the gun) the second is more complex, its the "traffic laws" and the "rules of the road", and is an entirely different matter than just being physically capable of driving.

Start with learning to shoot, and for that, nothing is as good as a .22. The rest can come later.

Now, there is a school of thought that says you should just go out and get the gun you will wind up carrying, and learn to use it. There is some merit to that line of thought.

HOWEVER, doing that makes the learning curve steeper than necessary, and more expensive (ammo costs), and it also assumes you KNOW what you will wind up carrying to begin with.

Lots of us knew what we wanted, and what we were going to do, when we were beginners. Then, as we learned things (by doing - shooting etc) some of us learned how much we didn't know.

And, we also learned that what was right for someone else might not be the best thing for us. Get some personal shooting experience, to base your opinions on. You might learn something that changes your choices.

[kraigwy]

Why cant they be the same?

[DFM914]

If you really want to start out right, buy an HK. Any model will do!

[Onward Allusion]

Glock 26. Super soft shooting 9mm. Inexpensive to practice with and if you pop in a G17 mag, you have capacity, too.

[Cosmodragoon]

If you are going to have one gun for both tasks, what you can reliably and comfortably carry is the limiting factor. So think about it. How will you carry? What is the weather like where you live? What kind of job do you have? How do you dress? What are the laws?

I'm guessing open carry is out. If conditions are right for vertical shoulder carry, the only thing limiting your choice in polymer-framed semi-autos is what hides alongside your personal frame. (Having done a lot of all-day shoulder carry, trust me on the polymer recommendation.) I've seen guys pack all sorts of things IWB but I find that a little more limiting. Guns like the PPS and Shield are decently comfortable for me inside the waistband. I've never tried ankle or appendix carry. The biggest thing I can comfortably carry in a pocket holster is the LCR.

Where do you think you'd be on the spectrum?

[JJ45]

Your "carry gun" should also be your "range gun" for obvious reasons.

Things I hate on internet gun commentary;

"range toy"
"entry level"

[SonOfScubaDiver]

SP101 3inch barrel. Easy to carry and a good range gun. The G19 sized semi-autos would also be a good choice.

[Hunter Customs]

1911 Commander it can easily full fill both carry gun and range gun duties!

[Cheapshooter]

My carry guns aren't fun range guns too? WOW that never entered my mind. Guess I'll just have to leave them at home on in their holsters when I go to the range to do some shooting from now on.

[223 shooter]

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

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

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).

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?

I would go with one of your "A" choices for a first handgun. Learning to shoot a handgun well should be your first priority. A handgun with good sights and trigger like the 357s mentioned above is what I would go with. And they allow a wide range of ammo power levels to be used. A 686 is what I picked as my first handgun some 30+ years ago.

To the "B" list I have a couple of Shields and the 642. The 642 for a beginner will undoubtedly be one of the most difficult handguns to learn to shoot well with. The Shields have a more of a hand filling grip, far better sights and a decent trigger.

[Siggy-06]

I'd say just go for the shield you mentioned. You can get the 2.0 model for around $310-320ish. Small enough to carry, easy enough to shoot at the range. Also has an extended magazine for the range or home defense. If it fits your hand good, go for it.

[ammo.crafter]

See if you can borrow a buddy's CCW along with the holster and walk around with for a few hours every day. Let us know how many times your pants fall down.

There are so many considerations and most of the advice here is spot on regarding handgun size. Small pocket guns are very difficult to master; 9mm ammo cost more than .22LR ammo.

Starting with a 22 will afford you the opportunity for more practice and familiarity with a handgun.

After becoming proficient with your .22 then move up to something like a Colt Commander or a Walther PPQ or similar weapons.

[cw308]

The all in one handgun . For work I carried a S&W 3" HB 357 revolver & a S&W snub 38 spl. Revolvers are a pain to clean , the cylinder face ( burn marks ) 5 or 6 plus the barrel . Then go stainless , for a all in one , a Colt Commander is a good choice , blue or SS . After 40+ years I carry an shoot every week a Colt 3" 1911 , there accurate as a range gun 25 yards max. an easy as a carry piece . Mine is a 45acp , recoil is surprisingly soft . Hope I Helped .

Chris

[TruthTellers]

I think this is the one instance where a middle of the road, medium, not too big but not too small sized handgun would benefit you the most. Personally, I stray away from guns because I'd rather have both the largest (Glock 34/35/40) and the smallest (Glock 26/27/29) then something that tries to fit more niches.

I think I remember your first post a while back about what first handgun to get and many suggested you rent handguns at a range to "try before you buy." I don't recall if you're looking at pistol or revolver, I think most recommended a revolver for you, but I would say for a pistol... I think you should look at Taurus PT111 Gen 2's and the new Ruger Security 9. Maybe the S&W SD9VE if it's a compact pistol and not full size.

For a revolver, uh... it's tough for me to recommend the SP101's because they have stiff as a 90 year old on a cold day and gritty triggers. The GP100 3 inch is still a chunk, so I think I might steer you in the direction of the 3 inch Ruger LCRx in .38+P.

I won't mention S&W revolvers because I believe you had a limit on how much you were looking to spend and the S&W, unless it's a used model 10 are spendy guns. BTW, I wouldn't recommend a snub revolver unless it was like the S&W humpbacks with the DA/SA trigger pull.

[kenny53]

My first serious carry gun was a G 19 (no generation). I still carry it from time to time and take it range. They are fine weapons and mine has never failed 20ish years I have had it.

[seeker_two]

I'm going to suggest a different route.

Get a subcompact with a double-stack magazine that takes mags from larger models (Glock 26, XD9sc, M&P Subcompact). Buy the larger magazines and adaptors that give you a full-size grip for practice. Use the smaller, flush-fit mags for carry and occasional practice.

Best of both worlds.....

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[raimius]

Your priority should be training, if you don't have much pistol experience. The recommendations of a .22LR have some merit, but .22s are poor dual-use pistols (great for target practice, but not great for defensive use!) Therefore, I would recommend something in 9x19mm. Nine millimeter pistols are good for defensive use, and are some of the cheaper service caliber pistols to feed. That said, your budget really needs to support $25/month or more for effective practice with a 9mm (100 rounds, minimum, IMO). Also, I recommend getting a laser cartridge and target for improved dry-fire practice.

I would recommend a "Compact" sized pistol or sub-compact that takes extended magazines that form the rest of the grip. The Glock 19 would be the most popular "compact." A Springfield XDS-9 with 8 or 9 round extended mags would end up being a similar size. With 7 round mags, the grip is in the sub-compact range. The key here, in my opinion, is that the extended mags have a base that mimics the grip of a larger pistol, rather than just being a magazine.

For a general purpose pistol, I'd look for a 3.5-4.5in barrel in semi-autos. The shorter the sight radius becomes, the less forgiving they are to small errors in sight alignment...aka, they are harder to shoot well.

[Danoobie]

Four guns to think about:
1.-1911- if you like the 45ACP caliber, this is a nice way to go.; There's also the Ruger P90
and the FNX45, depending on your budget.
2. -Beretta 92FS- there's a few variants, but great pistol for large hands. 9mm
3.-Either a Browning or FN Hi-Power, or CZ75, for smaller hands-9mm
4.-Try to find a S&W 6906- old, but a great carry shooter that's range worthy-9mm

[Cheapshooter]

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

YES!!!

[JDBerg]

First, after your BD, take the NRA Basic Handgun Safety Course with a rental gun, after that, for the next 6 months, rent or borrow every handgun you can get your hands on, semiautomatics as well as revolvers, then when you are ready, you can make an informed decision about which handgun is best suited for your intended purpose.

[Ricklin]

How many handgun rounds have we expended learning to shoot a handgun well when we began shooting handguns?

Our OP is a college student and has stated that money is tight.

Get a .22

[shurshot]

I would tend to agree with others pertaining to suggesting a .22 as a starter gun, but since the OP ALSO specifically stated possible home defense and occasional CCW, (which SHOULD rule out a .22 rimfire), a 3" or 4" .357 (S&W or Ruger), would offer superb power for SD (Or even hunting small and medium sized game), with .357 magnums or .38 +P's and the superb economical advantage of .38 spl wadcutters for accurate, low recoil target practice. Very versatile indeed. With the right holster / belt and loose shirt, a mid size .357 is NOT difficult to conceal and carry. I often carry a 4" S&W "N" frame .44 concealed. He could opt to reload .38's and or .357's with a low cost Lee Loader kit. He can always get a compact semi automatic later on in 9mm or .45 acp or even a 22 LR target pistol. Hard to go wrong with a good quality American made 3" or 4" .357 revolver as a one gun solution. . Spats mentioned a safe in case of guests... VERY good suggestion!