Hand gun to start off with

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
So today, I went shooting for the first time and I had a blast! (No pun intended) I would really like to get a gun of my own and learn more about shooting and guns themselves. Today I shot a 22,9mm, and an assault rifle of some kind. The rifle was the funnest to shoot, but would really like to start off with something smaller. What do you guys recommend? I know I have been told to start off with a 9mm, any specific type/brand?
 
I would recommend as a carry weapon a kel-tek pf-9 well priced & a good weapon. Ammo is relatively cheap. If you just want to shoot, have fun. Get a .22 plinker, cheap ammo & good fun. Night stand protection, there is not much that beats a 12 gauge with a breacher barrel or a .45 ( I have both by my bed :D
 
Jeff B said:
I would recommend as a carry weapon a kel-tek pf-9 well priced & a good weapon. Ammo is relatively cheap. If you just want to shoot, have fun. Get a .22 plinker, cheap ammo & good fun. Night stand protection, there is not much that beats a 12 gauge with a breacher barrel or a .45 ( I have both by my bed :D
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Well it will be for protection as well. I want to get my conceal. Ill check out the kel-tek and .22 plonked.
 
personally I am getting a Ruger Mark III for a first pistol. .22's are dirt cheap to fire, and good to learn on from everything I've read.

For protection at home, I'm looking at a shotgun myself.
 
I just looked up the kel-tec pf 9 and I really like it. Heard it might not be the best gun to shoot with as it has a bit more recoil and is hard to learn. What is the main difference in the pf9 and the p-11 other than the round amount?
 
Can't beat a Glock I personally like .45 it's got great knock down power as for home defense we have a few things around lol.
 
My opinion,
Glock g21 .45 acp with Trijocon sights. Or,
g22 .40 cal.
For self defense of course.
My name is Joe Biden, and i think the 2nd amendment is bullshit.
 
I second a .40 cal you get the best of both worlds with speed like a 9mm and knockdown power of .45. If your going to conceal carry I would stay away from a glock they are great guns I've had several but if you plan on carrying it inside the waistband then their thickness really sucks. I have an m&p 40 tha I have carried some I'm looking for the compact version though, they are a nice gun I have really enjoyed getting that one.
 
bryanjongodart said:
get at least a 40. cal.......... i started with a 9mm and quickly decided i needed somthing bigger. 9mms are for the ladies and the kiddos
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So, how many people do you know that can take 147gr of +P+ in the chest?
 
bryanjongodart said:
get at least a 40. cal.......... i started with a 9mm and quickly decided i needed somthing bigger. 9mms are for the ladies and the kiddos
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o_O


And people who can shoot accurately ....

The Kel-tec PF9 is designed primarily for concealed carry. It is small light and thin. It holds 7 rounds in the mag and 1 in the barrel.
The P-11 is a physically bigger gun and weighs quite a bit more.

Matt
 
I like the Springfield XD & XDm. Take a look at plenty of them. My brother likes his Sig-Sauer. They all have different feel and features.
 
I am in much the same position as the original poster. I went shooting for the first time (since Boy Scouts - that hardly counts!) a couple weeks ago and loved it. As it turns out, at 30 feet, I was a pretty good shot (hit 4"x4" head shot every time as first shot and hit body target on each shot there after) with both a .22 Sig Sauer and 9 mm Ruger that I shot. I also shot a 9 mm revolver, but I didn't like it as much.

I want a gun for both plinking, and personal protection. I do have small kids in the house, but they are now old enough to know what's a toy and what's dad's off-limits tools. My father-in-law is currently on the hunt for a handgun for me (he has a great network of old guys that he trades with).

As far as gun locks/safes/lockboxes go, what's the best practice there? I know for personal protection, if you hear glass breaking in the house, or whatever, you want to be able to get to your weapon quickly and not mess with locks, but at the same time, it needs to be safe from accidents and the wrong hands. What are the thoughts here?
 
Lizooki said:
o_O


And people who can shoot accurately ....

The Kel-tec PF9 is designed primarily for concealed carry. It is small light and thin. It holds 7 rounds in the mag and 1 in the barrel.
The P-11 is a physically bigger gun and weighs quite a bit more.

Matt
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Would you recommend the kel teck pf9? as a starter gun? Price is also going to be a concern as well. I know that the Kel-tecs are around the $300+ range. Also, is it worth getting one that is Parkerized?
I honestly, would like something smaller to start off with and also use it for protection for the time being. Only thing, I don't want to go shooting with my buddies and have them make fun of it :)
 
for plinking, Ruger Mark III .22 Good for beginners. Just clean it when it jams. It never jams.
 
my $0.02 (and unfortunately this is from experience as Ive had to pull a gun on a couple trespassers in my time- one being a cop...) any kind of .357 (or 44) revolver you could afford to shoot and feed. remember that revolvers go bang. I have a .45 auto that I love, but wouldnt dare take ANY auto to a gunfight. no fumbling, no safety, no worrying about a round being in battery... just point and squeeze. the reason that there are only 6 rounds vs 10 or 11 is that you DONT NEED them. in a panic stressed situation, youre so rattled with fawking with a slide, safety etc youre shooting barn sized patterns.
 
Im looking into hand guns, I want the 4th gen g30 for fun, occasional carry, and will be looking for a .357 as a main carry weapon, for the exact reasons he said above, autos are nice, reliable, and fast if you are a pro, but for a guy who will mostly shoot targets randomly on the weekends, and do a few late night craigslist dealings, I would lean toward a revolver.
 
revolver is out of the question. they are nice, just not that into them. I will check out the Ruger Mark 3 .22
My other concern is ammo. Want to be able to buy in bulk on the cheap. I know absolutely nothing about guns other than what I hear about in rap songs :)

Might try to find a local gun shop and just take a ride up there and just aska bunch of questions and hold alot of different ones.
 
Go to a gun range that rents and shoot several guns.
I have a lc9 that I love and a couple of .380 that I carry everyday. I idea of a self defense weapon is one that is used within 10 ft. A +p load hollow point in either .380 or 9mm will give me time to exit the problem. My .02. a .380 will be cheaper to shoot than a .40 which next to a .45 is one of the more expesive to shoot.

If you want something to shoot for fun, get the .22. I wish I had never sold mine.....
 
Chuckman said:
my $0.02 (and unfortunately this is from experience as Ive had to pull a gun on a couple trespassers in my time- one being a cop...) any kind of .357 (or 44) revolver you could afford to shoot and feed. remember that revolvers go bang. I have a .45 auto that I love, but wouldnt dare take ANY auto to a gunfight. no fumbling, no safety, no worrying about a round being in battery... just point and squeeze. the reason that there are only 6 rounds vs 10 or 11 is that you DONT NEED them. in a panic stressed situation, youre so rattled with fawking with a slide, safety etc youre shooting barn sized patterns.
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Very true about a revolver. If one was to go that direction I would recommend one without an external hammer. It could get caught on clothing.

A .40 caliber compact glock doesn't have a safety to fumble with. If it were being carried for protection there would be one in the pipe. Point and shoot. :D

You can't go wrong with a Ruger Mark III. I love mine, it operates flawlessly and is cheap to shoot.


The best advise has already been said, go to a range and shoot a variety of pistols and see what works for you.
 
Selecting a gun really comes down to personal preference. x3 on finding a gun range or similar place that rents them so you know how it fits & fires!

My dad bought me a 1911-22 for Christmas that I love to shoot! .22s are great for target practice, they're fun, + cheap to shoot. Picked up 500 rounds of high velocity ammo this weekend for $30. I'm also buying a Ruger SR9C (9mm) from a friend for personal protection. My husband, on the other hand, loves his M&P .40...its just too expensive for target shooting!
 
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