Tell me about buying a first handgun.

[Rainman]

So I'm considering buying my own handgun for the first time. I know very little about which ones are good for what. Yes, I've fired guns before, I've just never owned a pistol of my own. I know that I want a semiautomatic, no revolver for me. It's just a preference. It would be for home/personal defense, but since I live in California, CCW is not likely to happen. So that will eliminate the "is it concealable" question. I don't need it to be concealable. To the contrary, it has to be visible or it's a felony. I don't have a lot of experience with a very wide variety of pistols. I've only fired a Kimber 1911 and a Beretta M9A1. I loved the Beretta. (The M9A1 is essentially the same hardware as a 92 or a 92FS, it just has a rail.) Lately I've been looking at the Springfield Armory XD(m) .40 cal. I know I don't want the 9mm if I get the XD(m). I like the feel of a Beretta, and I absolutely love the look. Recoil isn't bad at all, but it's a little bit big and a little heavier than I want. Again, size isn't a big issue, but I'd rather that it's not QUITE that big. I really like the look of XD pistols, and they also have a look that I like. Maybe I"m dumb, but the look is important to me too. Can someone recommend some reliable firearms to try out? What should a first-time buyer be looking for in a defensive firearm? -Rainman

[BPolar]

I say go with a Walther p99 if you like 40 cal. Very reliable firearm, very accurate, not much recoil. I love mine. I also have its little sister, the p22.

[Rainman]

Cool, thanks for the suggestion. I've heard a lot of really good things about the p99. I've never fired one myself, I'll have to check it out

[Felixplore]

Hey Rainman, As i live in UK i dont know a lot about handguns but i was curious on why you need a gun for defence...and defence from who? Dont take this the wrong way but wouldnt a bat be sufficient for home defence?

[Black_Eagle]

Get a separate shotgun for home defense.

[Invader]

Hey Rainman, As i live in UK i dont know a lot about handguns but i was curious on why you need a gun for defence...and defence from who? Dont take this the wrong way but wouldnt a bat be sufficient for home defence? When I break into your home with a sub-machine gun to rob you of your goods, yes, please use a bat against me.

[Taosaur]

When I break into your home with a sub-machine gun to rob you of your goods, yes, please use a bat against me. When I break in with a dragon that has a tank turret that shoots smaller dragons, your firearms will be useless.

[Odd_Nonposter]

Get a separate shotgun for home defense. I agree. A shotgun may not be maneuverable, but it is much, much more imposing than a pistol. If a burglar doesn't respect a shotgun, there won't be anything of him left. But then again, the situation may be different in an urban area. I've lived my entire life in a rural area where long guns and being able to see who is coming from a mile off are the norm.

[Universal Mind]

Dont take this the wrong way but wouldnt a bat be sufficient for home defence? That is a very risky way to handle an intruder. With a gun, you can hit the person from across the room and avoid putting your body within close range of his. Also, you can shoot the gun at a wall or floor and scare the intruder out of your house without ever leaving your room.

[Rainman]

Exactly. I live in Sacramento, California. People know that it's the capital, and for some reason, that gives them the impression that it's a safe, nice city. It isn't. Sacramento is shit-ville. Some kid got killed on campus at the college I go to a few weeks ago. Two days before that, there was a shooting in front of my house, in what I thought was a decent neighborhood. A girl who lives a few blocks away from me that I go to school with just had her apartment wiped out. TVs, computers, furniture, everything. There was a car-jacking in front of the hotel in which I work. Handgun. I'll probably end up getting a shotgun for the house anyway at some point, but right now, I need something that I can carry with me. I mean I COULD carry a shotgun around but.... seriously... not really that doable.

[Man of Steel]

Moved back to Ask/Tell Me About. I've heard nothing but good about Glocks, Rainman, and they're extremely durable. Sig is also supposed to be an excellent name, especially in .40. I believe some law enforcement officers are issued Sigs now.

[Rainman]

Yeah, a lot of FBI and government officials use Sigs now. p226's I believe. I think they have those in .40 cal. I've never fired a glock, but I've been hearing the same about them. Excellent guns best I can tell. I might do that. I've been looking at Sig p226, Beretta 92, Springield XD(m) .40, and glock 17. I think it's gonna be between those choices. Still just trying to figure it out though, I guess.

[Felixplore]

Sacramento is shit-ville. Some kid got killed on campus at the college I go to a few weeks ago. Two days before that, there was a shooting in front of my house, in what I thought was a decent neighborhood. A girl who lives a few blocks away from me that I go to school with just had her apartment wiped out. TVs, computers, furniture, everything. There was a car-jacking in front of the hotel in which I work. Im sorry to hear you live in a dangerous place like that, and it sounds to me that a gun might be needed for your safety. As i live in the UK almost no-one has guns so there is no immediate threat from getting shot, thats why i dont see the need in them. I just personal dont like guns, but dont get me they can be used for good in the right situation. If i was in your situation i would probably feel the need to get something to make me feel safer, or plan on moving somewhere else.

[Lulian]

glock 17 I have a glock 17, although I do not personally own any others. From my experience with the glock 17, it really is a great gun considering the fact that it fires 9x19 rounds. Has enough stopping power to down anyone not wearing a bulletproof vest, plus is reliable and easy to maintain. Perfect for home defense.

[khh]

When I break into your home with a sub-machine gun to rob you of your goods, yes, please use a bat against me. I'd rather come at you with a sword. Rawr. I have a glock 17, although I do not personally own any others. From my experience with the glock 17, it really is a great gun considering the fact that it fires 9x19 rounds. Has enough stopping power to down anyone not wearing a bulletproof vest, plus is reliable and easy to maintain. Perfect for home defense. I'm guessing that if anyone comes after you with a bulletproof west, it's likely to be the cops.

[Alric]

I know you were asking about pistols, but if you are leaving it at home for purely home defense I agree with the others about a shotgun. Shotguns are ideal for close range, which is what you will find in your house. It takes less practice to shoot a shotgun effectively. It is also less likely to shot through a wall and hit neighbors.

[Rainman]

It takes less practice to shoot a shotgun effectively I'm a pretty good shot It is also less likely to shot through a wall and hit neighbors. Excellent point. But I don't know anything about shotguns lol. I suppose I could always go to the range and get some lessons on how to use them. You're right, in a house, that's probably safer for surrounding houses.

[Alric]

You really need to keep that in mind, and make sure to get something that won't shoot through walls. Depending on where you live, it can make huge differences. If you got a brick house, you are pretty safe. A lot of newer houses are made pretty cheap though. I know out where I live, you can punch your hand through the wall if you really try. If you have family in the house too, the interior walls are even thinner. So you really want to be careful about anything to large. Well besides just being a good shot, knowing how to clear jams is important as well. Especially for automatic pistols. If you do both pretty well, you can't really go wrong with a pistol, though shotguns are always a good bet. Though back to the family issue, if you do have a family having something they could easily use would useful as well.

[davej]

Go wiht what you have been using, know and like. Also go to some gun shops. They may have different guns you can try out. Sorry I can't help you out more but I love my .357 revolver and wouldn't trade it for any semi.

[oniman7]

You know, you can buy a .40 caliber Glock. I've never fired a gun, but I believe I have a vast knowledge of them. Glocks are nice because they're reliable, pretty lightweight, and have a hard time jamming. They also have negative psychological associations because most cops are issued either a 9mm or .40 caliber Glock. World War II Era pistols are very reliable, most notable being the Luger P08 or the Colt M1911 (I think the modern versions are at least slightly different). These are powerful, and also make great show pieces, but are a bit pricey. Also, some might go through walls. If you are concerned about bullet penetration, shotguns are great choice. However, make sure it fires some kind of buckshot/birdshot, because deer shot or solid slugs will blow up the wall and keep going. Even some buckshot ( probably 14-12 gauge) will go straight through a wall, so you want smaller rounds. These should also lower the recoil, I think (don't know too much about non-military shotguns). You could also go for a .22 short. These are easy to maintain, quiet, cheap, and have a low recoil. They have little to no penetration abilities. Most handguns on the market can be easily and legally modified to fire .22 rounds. These have little stopping power, however, if you get hollow point rounds, they will tumble and break apart upon hitting soft targets. What this means is, instead of a .22 caliber (approximate a fifth of an inch) hole, the bullet will break up, tumble, and lose energy as it goes through the body. This is likely to tear open internal organs and leave a very large hole, making it more dangerous than a 9mm. I'm not sure how well this works with .22 short, but with a .22 hypersonic, or even a 5.56X45mm (a very long, pointed version of the .22 used by the military) it's quite devastating. If you have the money, an excellent weapon is the M1A1 Carbine. Although it is seen as a World War II weapon, they are still produced today, and are very effective. They jam very little, and they fire the .30 caliber pistol round, which has little penetration (although, admittedly, still some) it is devastating at close range due to the tumble and break effect I mentioned earlier. In fact, at close range, it is more damaging than the standard sniper rifle firing a .308 round. Normally, for home defense, I'd suggest a Colt .25 or Walther PPK, but obviously, you can't have "Saturday Night Specials". EDIT: I'm not sure if this is quite big enough, but my grandfather owns a Ruger MK1 firing a .22 LR round. They're supposed to be very reliable and accurate, along with quiet. Apparently, some versions have a built in silencers, and others just make a small pop when fired. Also, because it's based off of the Luger P08, you'll notice it's got a weird shape. This is actually a good thing. The way it's designed, when you raise it straight up, the sights should be aligned. Something to do with the tilt of the grip in coordination with your hand. Also, looks pretty sexy. Like something James Bond would (and probably has) used. Spoiler for Huge Image: