dnewton3
Staff member
Originally Posted By: GMFan
Hey all,
I am hoping you can recommend a pistol to a newbie. I have never owned a pistol, however have shot a few semi-automatics.
I am specifically interested in a semi-automatic. It will be used for home defense and target. I definitely want a full-size pistol as smaller pistols feel cramped in my hand and I want something that will help me be more accurate.
I know one of the primary questions some will have is what caliber? This is also where I am looking for suggestions. What is a good caliber for a new pistol owner? My NRA instructor suggested a .22 if I am on a budget or a .40 if money is not as much as a concern.
My fear is buying a .22, learning how to shoot accurately and then wishing I got a larger caliber. However, I am also not the type who would go to a range and fire off a box in 15 minutes. I'd shoot slowly and accuracy would be my main focus. I'd spend a lot of time dry-firing before wasting money learning. I am not interested in a glock.
I appreciate any suggestions.
edit: Budget ~$500
This topic is really no different that "which oil to use" or "which stereo speak is best" ...
You need to do a better job of defining your goals and needs and wants, because none of those are the same thing.
You are not going to find a "target" weapon that will suffice for a home defense weapon, or vice-versa. Target weapons are designed for one task; they will end up having specialized triggers, bbls, etc.
What you probably will be happy with (my presumption of your "need") is a good all-around, multi-purpose gun.
Here is what I think you should consider for shopping criteria:
- full size (no need for a shrunken gun if you're not going to conceal it - you didn't mention it so I'm ruling it out). Full size allows good shooting skills to develop via full hand control and good sight radius. Full size allows for large mag capacity which is important in defense mode (fewer mag changes, if necessary).
- 9mm cal because it bridges the gap between a decent (not the "best" but certainly "good enough") stopping power and reasonably inexpensive to shoot (by far the cheapest to buy when it comes to bulk ammo for any centerfire handgun round)
- not .22lr because, while it's very cheap to get ammo and it's a lot of fun, it does not qualify as a good man-stopper for defense (staying true to your "needs" list)
- pick from any well-known brand name of weapon maker; Glock, S&W, Sig, Beretta, etc, etc. (This is like choosing oil - we may not all agree on the "best", but we all can agree that many are "good enough")
My personal preference is the Glock, because of their ultra-simple design (KISS maximized more than any other handgun), and their cost (especially used) would easily fall into your budget.
You can perhaps buy a nice used .22 pistol to start with, and then once you become comforable with it, trade it in for a 9mm later. That would allow you to "buy up" as your skills and confidence increase. And, you'd lose only a small amount of equity in the first gun when moving to the second gun, especially if you buy used. Or, there are some options where you can buy a 9mm now, and get a ".22 conversion kit" that allows you to practice with the cheaper ammo. However, that second option calls for more initial money (gun + convesion kit = $$$$$) that you probably want to spend.
One other thing I'll caution you on; dry firing. That is often very hard on some gun designs, and especially hard on the .22 guns because the nose of the firing pin gets beaten down after repeated dry firing. Get some "snap caps" or other type practice dummy rounds. Also, get more than one, because you have to cycle the action with a semi-auto to reset the action, and you'll get quickly frustrated by having to "reload" a single snap cap each time.
Good luck!
Hey all,
I am hoping you can recommend a pistol to a newbie. I have never owned a pistol, however have shot a few semi-automatics.
I am specifically interested in a semi-automatic. It will be used for home defense and target. I definitely want a full-size pistol as smaller pistols feel cramped in my hand and I want something that will help me be more accurate.
I know one of the primary questions some will have is what caliber? This is also where I am looking for suggestions. What is a good caliber for a new pistol owner? My NRA instructor suggested a .22 if I am on a budget or a .40 if money is not as much as a concern.
My fear is buying a .22, learning how to shoot accurately and then wishing I got a larger caliber. However, I am also not the type who would go to a range and fire off a box in 15 minutes. I'd shoot slowly and accuracy would be my main focus. I'd spend a lot of time dry-firing before wasting money learning. I am not interested in a glock.
I appreciate any suggestions.
edit: Budget ~$500
This topic is really no different that "which oil to use" or "which stereo speak is best" ...
You need to do a better job of defining your goals and needs and wants, because none of those are the same thing.
You are not going to find a "target" weapon that will suffice for a home defense weapon, or vice-versa. Target weapons are designed for one task; they will end up having specialized triggers, bbls, etc.
What you probably will be happy with (my presumption of your "need") is a good all-around, multi-purpose gun.
Here is what I think you should consider for shopping criteria:
- full size (no need for a shrunken gun if you're not going to conceal it - you didn't mention it so I'm ruling it out). Full size allows good shooting skills to develop via full hand control and good sight radius. Full size allows for large mag capacity which is important in defense mode (fewer mag changes, if necessary).
- 9mm cal because it bridges the gap between a decent (not the "best" but certainly "good enough") stopping power and reasonably inexpensive to shoot (by far the cheapest to buy when it comes to bulk ammo for any centerfire handgun round)
- not .22lr because, while it's very cheap to get ammo and it's a lot of fun, it does not qualify as a good man-stopper for defense (staying true to your "needs" list)
- pick from any well-known brand name of weapon maker; Glock, S&W, Sig, Beretta, etc, etc. (This is like choosing oil - we may not all agree on the "best", but we all can agree that many are "good enough")
My personal preference is the Glock, because of their ultra-simple design (KISS maximized more than any other handgun), and their cost (especially used) would easily fall into your budget.
You can perhaps buy a nice used .22 pistol to start with, and then once you become comforable with it, trade it in for a 9mm later. That would allow you to "buy up" as your skills and confidence increase. And, you'd lose only a small amount of equity in the first gun when moving to the second gun, especially if you buy used. Or, there are some options where you can buy a 9mm now, and get a ".22 conversion kit" that allows you to practice with the cheaper ammo. However, that second option calls for more initial money (gun + convesion kit = $$$$$) that you probably want to spend.
One other thing I'll caution you on; dry firing. That is often very hard on some gun designs, and especially hard on the .22 guns because the nose of the firing pin gets beaten down after repeated dry firing. Get some "snap caps" or other type practice dummy rounds. Also, get more than one, because you have to cycle the action with a semi-auto to reset the action, and you'll get quickly frustrated by having to "reload" a single snap cap each time.
Good luck!
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