pistols

okietreedude

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enid, ok
Im fixing to buy my first pistol and am looking for suggestions and info.

Im pretty set on a 9mm. Ive toyed the idea of 40 s&w and also the 45 acp, but after all and all, Im leaning back to the 9mm. The ammo is cheaper and the recoil isnt as bad. I thought of the 40 as a cross between the 9 and 45, but seems everyone ive mentioned it too has said to stay away from 40.

What do you guys think?

also, Im still trying to decide which brand to go with. I like the ruger except that its big. Ive only been to one shop (my indoor range) and he doesnt have much in inventory. What other brands should i be looking at?

thanks for your imput.

also, it will be an auto.
 
Glock. 8)

And if you're looking for a CCW then the Glock 36 (.45 ACP) is nice because the magazine is a single stack, resulting in a thinner handle and lighter loaded weight but you still have the stopping power of the .45.
 
I had a Glock 22 in .40, I liked it. The best part was that I didn't have to worry about babying it. It was a great utility gun. Rugers are my favorite guns, I don't know what they are offering these days, but they have had great autoloaders in the past, and I wouldn't be afraid of them.
 
Have you looked at a S&W 10mm auto?

Better yet a Colt in 10mm:P

I used to like 9mm, but it's never really improved like the other rounds have with new bullet technology.

The .40 is the neutered version of the 10mm, because someone in the FBI got scared (after spending millions to figure out that the 10mm met all the criteria the FBI DEMANDED for it's new round) that some agents couldn't handle the round.
They downloaded the 10mm, then S&W thought "Hey, less powder, less case volume is needed!" Viola the .40 S&W! The ammo came out so fast the only gun on the market at the time that culd shoot it was the S&W 610 revolver:lol:

Out of a 1911 style, I really enjoy shooting .45acp, out of a Ruger, I hated it!!!

.357Sig, .45GAP, hell you can have a cartridge of the month if you wanted!
 
I have the 1076 Smith.

With a hot load, it's damn near identical to the .45 ACP in stopping power.
 
I have the 1076 Smith.

With a hot load, it's damn near identical to the .45 ACP in stopping power.

I love the round Erick!!! Colt Delta Elite and I handload. Just didn't care for the S&W guns, felt like holding a 2x4 to me. Different strokes...........
 
Of course Rob the marine says ... colt 45 with pachmayr grips ...
Ahhh business partners.. LOL

I really need to just get him to register here and he can input from his own puter in the next room.. LOL
 
If its your very first ever , i reccomend a ruger .22.
or a browning .22
The ruger hunter model .22 is really nice.
Just play ,for cheap ,for a while befor moving up to more expensive ammo.
With a .22 will learn u alot for pennies..
Jerr
 
If you plan to keep it with you all the time you will want a smaller package that isn't too ponderous...a Sig P230 in .380 carries well..so does a Walther PPK/S...good for concealed carry.

If you plan to have it in the house or car but not carry it a lot a Sig P220 in .45 is good. It carries fine in the right rig but is not very concealable.

Dark's .22 suggestion is a good one...cheap ammo will let you get in a lot of practice.
 
Good grief.

Nothing wrong with a 9mm.

I prefer Glocks, specifically the G19 for a 9mm platform. I can recommend the Springfield XD, or SW MP. For a smaller platform I like a Springfield EMP, but it's not that much smaller than a baby Glock.

There's also nothing wrong with the 40 chambering. The 10mm isn't for most people and I'd charge that in nearly any situation it's at least equal to 45ACP/GAP.

If you're going to carry it all the time, AND you don't want to change your clothing/lifestyle, I'd recommend a small gun. I prefer a J frame SW in 357 over a 380. The 380 isn't a bad round, although it's at the bottom of what I consider marginal. With a J frame I'm loaded at 14oz and have 2 rounds of 38 special and 3 rounds of 357 with a spare 5 rounds in another pocket.

I have minimal trouble concealing a G19 in a IWB holster, as some here can attest. I have no trouble concealing a J frame in anything but a speedo.
 
David, They are all good. The Rugers are great values and tend to run foreverbut they are BIG. If you are on a limited budget used can be very good. So can brands like Bersa (Argentina) I used to own a S&W 59. A good gun. I shot it well but hated the blocky grip so I sold it when i needed money. I love revolvers more than autoloaders but I decided a while back that I needed another 9mm and bought a Bersa. Dead reliable and a lot of fun. ( And it cost less new than I sold the 59 for a dz years previously). Buy something that you like and feels good in your hand. Have fun.
 
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Carl, the equality of a 40 and 45 was what my gun guy told me...'if your thinking 40, step on up tothe 45.'

Im not thinking continuous ccw, but in the car/house like panther mentioned. I was also thinking of the 9 for the cheaper ammo to practice with, yet having something decent enough for protection. a 22 hardly stops a tree rat.

also, 9mm is readliy available. some others arent.

40 is not suggested to reload and though I dont plan on it, it may happen someday (i do have a press and stuff).

I can always step up to a 45 down the road.

does anyone know anything about the CZ line?
 
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stump, I hear ya on the rugers being big, thats exactly what I thought too.

another brand for ? - taurus... anyone?

my cousin has a glock and loves it. I hear its a love/hate w/ the glock line - you love them or hate them.
 
There's nothing wrong with reloading 40.

You're gun guy is a bit off. Going from 40 to 45 in almost any chassis requires going to a larger frame.

Again, there's nothing wrong with 9mm against anything you'd shoot with a 45. A 10mm can be another league entirely.
 
The love/hate thing with Glocks is mostly due to the fat, square grips. Most Glocks have a double stack magazine and they feel like a 2X2 in your hand. The 36 is one of the exceptions.
 
stump, I hear ya on the rugers being big, thats exactly what I thought too.

another brand for ? - taurus... anyone?

my cousin has a glock and loves it. I hear its a love/hate w/ the glock line - you love them or hate them.

A Glocks trigger guard can be changed (yourself, nothing to it, no worries, don't over think it) to make it more comfortable for nearly everyone. I can shoot a 1911 as well as I can shoot a Glock or XD. I haven't shot a M&P, but I don't see a problem there.

Tarus/Rossi, Ruger is the Echo of saws. They still function and they've came a long ways, but I don't want them.

If you want a 1911 style, that's an option. But in the polymer lineup, again I say, stick with Glock, SW MP's, or the Springfield XD.
 
The love/hate thing with Glocks is mostly due to the fat, square grips. Most Glocks have a double stack magazine and they feel like a 2X2 in your hand. The 36 is one of the exceptions.

The 10mm/45's use a completely different frame than the 9mm/40/357SIG, and the 36 is the only single stack.

Most people bitch about the grip angle, from what I've seen.
 
A Glocks a safe gun if youre ever worried your gonna drop it. A few months ago I shot a browning high power for the first time and started my search to buy one as soon as I left the range. Picked one up in 9mm, no problems carrying concealed with it. With a little bit of gun smithing, its the most accurate 9mm I've shot. I prefer larger calibers, but the Browning HP patterns for me like no other
 
I claim old school on this one... Browning Hi-Power; a compact CZ-75 for carrying out of sight... which I never do anymore.
 
Chip, Those are both dandies.-Good ergonomics from before pinheaded bureaucrats discovered eronomics was a word.
 
If you were going for concealability, I have to throw the notion of the Bersa 9mm or .380 into the ring. They are very small, shoot well, and fairly reliable.

That being said, I still can't complain about my Glock 19 or my Smith and Wesson 6904.
My opinion is still up in the air on my last purchase... Llama 1911 with 600 rds of .45 for $100. :D I just need to hit the range to try it.
 
Good Guns are like Good Women...Each man has his own preferred shape, size, color and style and would like nothing more than to snuggle up to the perfect one! But, in a pinch, a man will be happy to have whatever he can get!:P:lol:

Some food for thought here that I haven't yet seen in this thread...maybe it's here but I'm often blind anyways! 8)

What is a good process for selecting a firearm?

The first thing you want to do is decide what the job is that you want the round to do.

Then determine which round will do the job and provide a bit extra than you would expect (akin to SWL and ropes)

Now you need to find a firearm that will not only handle that round but will also fit the job criteria and fit you like a glove.

For example a lot of people love the Glock in 9mm for general CC. Myself, I feel that the 9mm just won't put the stop on my target as much as I would like. Putting that thought aside, I have wide palms and short fingers. The Glock, or any double stack mag for that matter, does not fit my hands at all.

In this case the 9mm and glock while great rounds and guns will not suit me.

After using the above analysis I decided that the vernable .45ACP in std mil loads will stop my targe quite handily and to my surprise the 1911 Govt fits my hand perfectly. Shooting it is also a dream with recoil being minimal.

CC is OK with this gun but I also wanted a smaller profile for certain occasions. There are times when a nice old 1911 is just not readily concealable.

So, I also need something that fits that bill. Unfortunately since the firearm is the leading factor in this decision I ended up having to concede to a smaller round.

9mm is definitely a close quarters self defence round and compact 9mm handguns abound but all the 9mm luger guns seem to be double stack mags. As I mentioned, they don't fit my hands at all.

Enter the three-eighty. Bersa makes a compact single stack that fits anywhere you care to hide it and with almost zero recoil you can unload it fast into your target.

My buddy has one and I have consistently shot my first five rounds into the center of mass (6 inch circle) in under 3 seconds.

It is still not a .45acp stop'em-in-thier-tracks round so instead of 1 showstopper I have 5 that will bring down the curtain.

This Bersa is also well suited for the ladies.

Anyhow, my advise is determine the job, find the right "nail" to do the job, then find the right "hammer" to drive the nail. And if the right "hammer" won't fit the space you have find a hammer that "fits" and then figure out what "nails" you need to drive.
 
Walther P99c 9mm is what I'll get when Nassau county send me my permit. :X (better pic this time) This one has the QA trigger system, I'll be going for the AS system. Check out the Walther PPS in 9mm also.
 

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