First pistol

[Stats Shooter]

My father in law is looking to get his first pistol to begin target shooting with my mother in law. He want to also use it for home defense. While I have dozens of pistols and have been shooting for decades, the question of "which pistol to own, if you will own just one" is tough. It's also going to depend on many factors. He has shot many of my guns and has an idea what he wants, or doesn't want, and he is going to take a class or two but:

Here is his general stipulations.
- It needs to be low maintenance..
- Needs to be reliable
- moderate recoil
- He wont be carrying it so concealing it isnt a factor
- Doesn't want to spend over $750
- he doesn't reload so ammo cost needs to be considered

My initial thoughts are an s&w 686 in .38 sp/.357 , but perhaps I am overlooking something.

If anyone has any better thoughts I am all ears.

[BarryLee]

If he wants a revolver I think your recommendation is pretty good. If he wants a semi-auto there are simply too many options to say for certain, but what the heck Berretta 92FS.

[Elliottsdad]

Well, in semi auto: 9mm, .40, or .45. Those are reasonable cost, reasonable recoil cartridges. Glock 19/17, Smith M&P, Ruger American, Sig 320. All are simple and reliable.
For a double action revolver: Smith 686, or Ruger GP100. Either one can be had with 7 shot cylinder.

[chris in va]

Despite my general dislike of revolvers, it's hard to beat the simplicity and reliability of one. If that's what he wants after renting al the latest/greatest, by all means go for it.

They make versions that fire 45acp, a good caliber for pretty much everything.

[jetinteriorguy]

CZ75B. Accurate, reliable, durable, easy maintenance, and soft recoil. Plus 9mm is pretty economical to shoot.

[Kvon2]

It sounds like any of the popular 9mm polymer guns would work perfectly fine!

[USNRet93]

Glock 17....gen 4 or 5..fills all the squares unless he wants a revolver.

[Spats McGee]

Originally Posted by Stats Shooter

My father in law is looking to get his first pistol to begin target shooting with my mother in law. He want to also use it for home defense. While I have dozens of pistols and have been shooting for decades, the question of "which pistol to own, if you will own just one" is tough. It's also going to depend on many factors. He has shot many of my guns and has an idea what he wants, or doesn't want, and he is going to take a class or two but:

Here is his general stipulations.
- It needs to be low maintenance..
- Needs to be reliable
- moderate recoil
- He wont be carrying it so concealing it isnt a factor
- Doesn't want to spend over $750
- he doesn't reload so ammo cost needs to be considered

My initial thoughts are an s&w 686 in .38 sp/.357 , but perhaps I am overlooking something.

If anyone has any better thoughts I am all ears.

A .357/.38 revolver would fit the bill nicely. As I know relatively little about revolvers, I'll leave suggestions in that arena to those that know better. That said, I'm also a big fan of compact semiautos as "jack of all trades, master of none" pistols. Something with a ~4" barrel, and 12-15 rounds in the mag. Cost and recoil considerations point to 9mm. So, probably within his price range and in no particular order:
G19
XD/XDm
M&P 2.0 Compact
M&P9c (1.0)
SR9/SR9c
P10c
P07

[FITASC]

Low cost ammo dictates a 9mm. Which one is a tough thing to state as there are many, but for utter reliability, the Glock 17 would be hard to beat IF he likes the grip; otherwise it's cousin from S&W, the M&P 2.0 would also be a good choice with the interchangeable backstraps.

[Stats Shooter]

You guys seem to think mostly like I do. It isnt that it has to be a revolver. It's just that you cant beat it for simplicity. I have several and like them a lot. I also have several poly pistols and 1911's. The glock is probably a hood bet but in a revolver, the GP 100 and s&w 686 were actually my top two in his budget

[Spats McGee]

I priced 686s on Gunbroker just for fun. They look to be near the top of the price range. Something like a GP100 or an SP101 would also fit the bill, I think. Perhaps for a little less $$$, which could be spent on ammo or training. (Please bear in mind that I have an admitted soft spot for Rugers.)

[USNRet93]

Back to revolvers and in spite of the 'Taurus hater' thread..my son has a Taurus model 65(.38/357), and shot it a lot without any issue or problem.. About $350 new....then buy lots of ammo..

[AmmunitionDepot]

Since size isn't an issue if he goes with a semi-auto I think a Glock 17 would be good. If he wants a revolver I think he would like a Ruger GP100.

[IdaD]

Whichever fits his hand best between an M&P 2.0 Compact or Glock 19. Both are priced well, small enough that they can be conceal carried without too much trouble but also large enough to be very well suited to home defense with stock mags or higher capacity mags. I realize you're saying he won't carry it but these guns give him that option with very little trade-off compared to their slightly larger full size big brothers. If carrying it really isn't a factor, I'd skip the slightly larger full size versions and jump up to the equivalent models with 5" barrels.

Between these options I like the M&P because it feels better in hand to me, but I can't say it's any better in an objective sense. There are lots of other polymer 9mm options in this size range but these are the two gorillas in that market and with good reason. The M&P will be a little cheaper but not really by a material amount in the scheme of things.

I think 9mm is a great round because it's effective but still easy to shoot and the ammo is the cheapest of any caliber, which equates to more practice. Since shot placement matters far more than minor ballistic differences between handgun calibers, cheaper practice with the 9mm is a huge advantage.

[Targa]

Moderate recoil and ammo cost considerations would certainly have me looking at 9mm.

[cslinger]

Moderate recoil, inexpensive ammo, great value, easy to shoot, easy to clean, cheap magazines, reliable, money left over for a quick access safe (please secure your weapons).......:

I give you the CZ 75SP01. It hits all the high points and is a FANTASTIC target gun that will give them confidence. The Glock 17/34 is great but is harder to learn to shoot IMO, and I don’t like that pull trigger break down for novices.

[Nathan]

IMO, there are 2 competing factors here. First is women’s hand strength which makes heavy guns and heavy triggers a complaint item. These make revolvers hard to really get mom interested.

The other simplicity of operation and feeling of safety.

Revolvers are simple, but heavy and da trigger is heavy.

Plastic fantastically have better triggers, but semi-auto actions can be complicated and herd to run on some women’s hand strength.

I don’t know what is right for you, but a s&w 65 from the late 70’s can be had in great condition for $600 and will have a decent trigger, reasonable weight and shoots 38 or 357 well. The small grips work well for many folks.

Also, an XD9 requires almost no maintenance or cleaning. You may want to though. Oil is a good thing to put on it internally. It does require more complex semi-auto handling, but that can be learned. The mod2 has a really nice grip. 9mm is cheap. Triggers weight is 6lb ish. The grip safety is a nice safety feature.

Glocks are fine, but really lack any safety other than not pulling the trigger. The passive safeties will keep it from firing as long as the trigger isn’t pulled. The mags can be hard to load. A mag loader helps, but still, the last round or 2 can be nearly impossible to load. Generally, Glock’s need sights replaced. Also, their grip shape is often complained about. They work fine for me, but I see the complaints as valid. Glock mag releases can be a hard reach. Glock slide releases really don’t. You really need to release by grasping the slide. Accuracy is quite good, but a step down from the XD & S&W 65.

Ruger GP100 is sweet, but the DA trigger is heavier than the s&w. It is also a heavier gun.

The 686 is a nice gun, but heavier.

M&P 2.0 is nice, comes with or without a thumb safety. Triggers are fine, but a little hard to learn. Could be a non-issue for you.

Taurus could be great or such a nightmare that nobody will ever trust any gun again! Sometimes they run. Sometimes they just travel back and forth in the mail.

CZ75B....great gun....heavy, and a pretty BAD trigger all around in stock form.

A Kahr might be worth looking into as it is a smaller pistol with a long smooth 8-10 lb trigger, which might be too heavy or just right. It is a semi-automatic, so just a bit complex in its manual of arms.

[TailGator]

I agree with several others that since ammo cost is a consideration, that a 9 mm is a good starting place. Glock 19 and 17 have been mentioned, and in my opinion the biggest difference between the two is hand fit, especially among the generations that have finger grooves. The Beretta 92 is a good recommendation, too - highly reliable, good accuracy, and a nice piece to own. The Beretta PX4 is worth considering, too - lighter, with the rotating barrel reducing recoil, and the much maligned bat-wing safety levers not really a factor since concealed carry isn't in the picture.

[Cheapshooter]

My initial thoughts are an s&w 686 in .38 sp/.357 , but perhaps I am overlooking something.

Nope! You haven't overlooked a thing. Other than maybe brand name. A Ruger GP100 could also check all the boxes.

[Jim Watson]

Certainly the various glocks - my generic term for any striker fired plastic pistol whether made by Glock or other - will do fine. They are made for simple operation by soldiers and cops who don't get a lot of training and practice.

If he took an interest in "traditional" DA-SA, I recommend one or another Sig-Sauer over Beretta or CZ.

If he votes for the stone axe simplicity of a revolver, there are waves of tradeins from departments going auto. J&G has some $330-$400 now. (Don't get the $300 job, that is a "gunsmiths' special."
Appearance will show a lot of holster wear, but will be a decent shooter if he doesn't mind the looks.
Bud's has some, too. cheaper but more worn looking and some with the odd Trausch grips.
https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...0+38Spl+4+Blue

[Pahoo]

the question of "which pistol to own, if you will own just one" is tough.

When asked why I need more than one firearm. I reply by saying that even though you can still play golf with one club, you can do better with more than one. I once saw a video where a guy only plays golf with one club and even listed his first choice ……

First Pistol;
Ruger MK-Family and preferably MK-II. From there, you can go to many of the ones previously mentioned, in this thread. My "Second" handgun choice, would be the GP-100 Family.

Be Safe !!!

[44 AMP]

First is women’s hand strength which makes heavy guns and heavy triggers a complaint item. These make revolvers hard to really get mom interested.

I'd say it depends on the mom, and the pistol. Desire can overcome a number of physical difficulties, but not all of them, and physical difficulty can kill desire. You need to balance and adjust them to the shooter. There are "work arounds" for many things, but its much better to begin with a gun that fits the shooter's physical capabilities, rather than one they have to work at in order to learn to operate it.

For example, my mother was 4'10" (and a half, damnit!!) never weighed over 110lbs in her life, and wore a size 3.5 ring. My son's mother is 5'9" and weighs ..er..considerably more.., and has a much larger hand size.

My Mom couldn't use any of the pocket autos, though the grip size was good for her, she couldn't rack the slide. (a combination of small gripping area and her small fingers and gripping strength). She could operate a Colt Government Model, and preferred Dad's .38 Super over his .45, but wasn't really crazy about either one. She could also shoot Dad's Highway Patrolman ,357, but not DA, too long a trigger reach combined with the pull weight and the overall size of the gun for her small hands.

Dad got her a Ruger Super Bearcat, and she loved it. She shot it a lot, and shot it well, to the point where she got the local nickname of "Annie Oakley". A small light gun that is shot well even in calibers sneered at for personal defense is a better choice than a bigger, more powerful gun that can't be handled well by the shooter.

Today, few consider the SA revolver to be a good choice for home defense, against guns that hold more rounds, and reload faster, but for something to use to target shoot, train a new shooter, and could be pressed into adequate defensive use in gravest extreme, but I don't think it is something to be completely ignored.

You have the simplicity and durability of the revolver, no long heavy DA trigger to master, it only works one way, no slide to rack, no magazine to ensure is fully seated, etc.

IN this case, its not intended to be a carry gun, nor a priority self defense gun, but a gun for target shooting /plinking that could be used defensively. SO, while a combat/duty style gun would do, perhaps its not necessary, and a more sporting type would serve better?

A Ruger SA in .357 (and there is even one that comes with a 9mm cylinder) gives a wide range of ammo choices, recoil and power levels from mild to wild, and ammo cost from about as cheap as it gets, on up to what ever you want to spend for premium...

Plus, there is also the possibility of them just liking to shoot it. This isn't a minor thing. Getting beginners (no matter their age) interested and enjoying shooting is a good thing, and a "light" gun helps with that. Even a .22LR is better than nothing, and when they get comfortable and enjoy shooting, that "only going to get one" might become "only going to get one more..." that "one more" being a more serious defensive pistol.

Just some things to consider. Might not be the right choice for you and yours, but something you could consider along with other things.

[Jim Watson]

I have dozens of pistols

So take him (and her) shooting.

[rt11002003]

1911

[cw308]

Colt Combat Commander in 45ACP in Stainless steel for low maintenance , I like blue though . Revolrers have more maintenance , cylinders , cylinder face , cone and barrel . Auto remove the slide & barrel spray it down with Ballistol , patch it out , wipe down the frame and your done .