Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

First Handgun Advice!

8K views 86 replies 31 participants last post by  Indy 
#1 ·
First, I live in California (or Republic of Kalifornia, or Commifornia, take your pick ), so know that I'm somewhat restricted by our State laws. Anyhow, I'm considering a Hand Gun for part home defense and part target/range shooting. I've never owned a handgun before and have only shot a couple times, the last time a couple weeks ago when back in Nebraska for a funeral.

Anyhow, just looking for some advice on direction I should look at. I shot a Ruger 9mm the other day. My pop has a newer Springfield 1911 that he really likes (traded a Glock .40 for part of it), although I haven't been shooting with him yet. Price is really not a huge issues, I don't need/want to go ultra cheap and worry about quality but don't need/want the "Ferrari" either for a first gun.

I don't have a lot of gun shops close by, no Bass Pro or Cabala's or similar big box stores that have guns and live in a VERY liberal area along the coast. There are a couple ranges in the area and a private club if I find a sponsor eventually.

I looked on the NRA site today and saw a NRA FIRST Steps Pistol Orientation and NRA Defensive Pistol course in the area that I think would probably be a good starting point too. I know that I will need to also invest in a Gun Safe or lock box of some kind as well.

Anyhow, just wanted to get some feedback on where to start, whether the NRA courses (or similar) are a good place to start, and any recommendation on good first guns. I'm my extremely novice opinion I'm leaning towards 9mm vs .40 or .45 primarily for the cost of the shells here in CA when I want to go to the range.

Thanks in Advance!
SW2
 
See less See more
#2 ·
First handgun for home defense should be a double action revolver. As a defensive weapon, it never jams, can be fired with one hand, and comes in long enough barrel lengths so you (as a novice marksman) can actually hit something. I'd recommend a 5" barrel. .357 magnum. But, you could go with 6" assuming you are never going to carry it on your body.
 
#3 ·
Not sure that it matters, but after a bit of thinking, I"m guessing 90%+ Target/Hobby/Collection and 10%- Home Defense...

For the price of many of the .357 Mag Revolvers, I can get a nice 9mm or similar. I understand and appreciate your reply but I don't think I'm even considering a Revolver at this point.
 
#4 ·
I would highly recommend getting some quality (and I stress quality) training. As for a pistol, get a GLOCK (17,19 or 26) if it's good enough for law enforcement, Govt. agencies, Govt. contractors and a few military guys, it might work for you.

PS. Make sure you get quality training.
 
#8 ·
How large are your hands?

I love my FN P45 but if I had the extra cash I would have bought a USP .45

Or if price is no object, you cannot go wrong with a FN Five-Seven. Its like sex to shoot it.
Average Sized I guess...


What is a FN or a USP?

I'm leaning 9mm vs. .45 due to ammo costs... .45 is a chuck more to shoot out here!
 
#9 ·
Want a cheap to fire range gun, get a Ruger Mk2
Want a home defense gun? Get yourself a 20 gauge pump. If you miss with a 357, it will go through walls. Great way to shoot your kids while they're sleeping in their beds. That 20 gauge with #4 buck won't have much left after it goes through a wall. Still think a 357 is good gun for the home? Go to a range and shoot one. But, it has to be at night with no hearing protection. No doubt a revolver is the way to go for a house gun if you're just dead set on it. I don't care how much you say you practice with your pistol. You might be able to work it with your eyes closed. That's awesome. Now think of it this way, it's 2am and you've just been woken up from a deep sleep by the sound of glass breaking. Your heart is pumping, your wife is hiding in the corner calling 911 and you can hear your kid in her bedroom yelling "DADDY?" You see the POS that broke into your house. You pull the trigger, and nothing. WTF? Revolver? Just pull the trigger again. Pistol? Safety on? No. Now what? Tap rack squeeze. I've been shooting for 25 something years now, and am very comfortable with any gun I can get my hands on. My house guns are a 12 gauge O/U and a 38 snubbie.
These might give you an idea of the muzzle flash of a 357. It's HUGE
https://www.google.com/#hl=en&tbo=d...c8db76974e7f67&bpcl=40096503&biw=1600&bih=799
 
#10 ·
While obviously this is just window shopping and no hands on yet.... the Springfield Armory - XDM 9mm BiTone 4.5" has really caught my eye (and I guess recommendation on the S.A. Brand from my father...)



Unfortunately as I read more, it seems that they don't make a 10 round mag for these, so not legal in CA (and won't be able to get shipped in)... if that's true, it sucks hard!
 
#11 ·
Let me know if you find yourself in my part of the valley, I have lots of handguns and I shoot them often. You can try whatever you would like in my collection. If there's something in particular you would like to fire, let me know and I will see if I can get a hold of it. I have done a few safety courses in the last but its been a few years. :)



 
#13 ·
The .357 magnum is a great gun that is very flexible in that it shoots a powerful .357 magnum round (in several loads) or a mild .38 special round. It's great if that was your ONLY gun and you could never buy anything else.

however, for a first gun that you are wanting to use for HD and targets, I would go with others who said 9mm. they firearms are cheaper (for the same quality), the ammo is far cheaper (although after this weekend, good luck finding it.) and it has plenty of power.

As for the forearm it'self.
Beretta PX-4 (I have two and LOVE them)
Sig Sauer (I have the 2022, no problems.)
Glock (had one didn't like it, but tons of other people love them).
Springfield XD series
S&W M&P series.
Ruger SR9

there are others as well but all of these can be had for under $500, and all will be quality firearms.
 
#14 ·
Of course, almost no one who legally owns a hand gun will ever use it defensively. It is more likely to have your house burn down or be killed in a car accident. And, for home defense there is nothing to beat a loaded 12 gauge shotgun under the bed. I have a Mossberg 88 for that job. No handgun is remotely equivalent for home defense, although I also have a laser grip hammerless 5 shot Ruger 38 Spec. nearby just in case.

Since the OP is not going to CC, the compact automatics are a non-starter.

And, for target and range shooting, the best possible choice is a 22LR target pistol like a Mark III.

Its always a problem trying to get one gun to do two things well.
 
#16 ·
Of course, almost no one who legally owns a hand gun will ever use it defensively. It is more likely to have your house burn down or be killed in a car accident. And, for home defense there is nothing to beat a loaded 12 gauge shotgun under the bed. I have a Mossberg 88 for that job. No handgun is remotely equivalent for home defense, although I also have a laser grip hammerless 5 shot Ruger 38 Spec. nearby just in case.

Since the OP is not going to CC, the compact automatics are a non-starter.

And, for target and range shooting, the best possible choice is a 22LR target pistol like a Mark III.

Its always a problem trying to get one gun to do two things well.
Up close yes, at a longer distance no. The shotgun mentioned above with a pistol grip and short barrel could be ideal for home defense, depending on your home. A shotgun will throughout multiple "bullets" that can end up where you don't want them.

For me, I have large rooms in my home, a couple are over 30 feet in length. For a shot gun to kill at that range you would want rounds that could rip into a person at a greater distance. This type of load would go through the wall just like any other gun, only difference is there would be more of them. If that isn't an issue than the shotgun could be a great choice.
 
#17 ·
After reading some of this discussion and conversations with a few of my friends, I likely overstated the "Home Defense" needs and my purchase will likely be more for "hobby"/target practice with little actual home defense use cases. I live in a fairly nice neighborhood with no imminent fears of break in, but do keep a baseball bat under the bed now just in case (hopefully enough to scare someone out of the house if I heard them). I don't have fears of my children killing themselves or others with the baseball bat (yes I know very possibly, but they don't mess with it)

I have 7 year old twins, I can't imagine a scenario where I would be comfortable having a shotgun, and anything with real home defense value anywhere that is going to actually be "grab and go" in a home invasion situation. I will likely be super duper, extra cautious with a hand gun lock, bio-metric safe etc since this is my first gun.

So lets change the disucssion back to, "I would like a nice semi-automatic handgun for my first and would love to hear more recommendations"
 
#19 ·
I would say 9mm and larger would be adequate for home protection and just fine for hobby target shooting. You don't have to make an either or decision. For me a longer hand gun is easier to shoot more accurately. If you don't plan on carrying the weapon on your body size really isn't an issue.

Go shoot a few and see what you like, there are many many choices.

P.S. get a 1911, you won't be sorry, Colts are nice.
 
#27 ·
my votes on s&w mp 9mm... accurate, easy to use and clean. im a sucker for the m&p line of firearms. i have a few firearms but i only call upon two for home defense. the 9mm and a mp15-22 (looks and works like an ar 15 but shoots 22lr.) i will always suggest a class or classes, it just good to have the training. as for my home defense needs, i live in an upstairs apartment so i look at all my need a little different. after firing through targets on drywall the same thickness as my wall from around 30 yards i found the 9mm will rip right through at least 5 sheet of drywall, meaning it will travel through my apartment and into the next apartment. my 22 on the other hand with hallow points will go through only 3 so it won't travel into someone else's place. but it depends on your circumstances how "big" you want to go. i chose my 22 rifle because my 7 year old daughter can use it, but i trained her to use it... my 12 gauge would rip through every wall in the building and keep going, but thats with slugs.
 
#28 ·
After obsessing over it most of the day, watching about 100 YouTube review and reading every comparison and review I could find, I think I'm pretty set on the M&P9 9mm. It will be a couple hundred dollars less than the XDm with less hassle and the extra $ will help me buy some of the stuff that I don't have like Pistol Lock Box, Ammo, Ear Plugs, Glasses, Locks, Carrying case, Cleaning kit, etc, etc.

Now I just need to find someone that can sell it to me. Closest Gun shop is about 45 minutes away (give or take with traffic). Maybe go do some "shopping" on Friday, of course still have 10 day California waiting period, etc.

SW2
 
#31 ·
A 1911 with a 22lr conversion would get my vote.after owning many different handguns,I have 4 1911s now.one glock 21 and one revolver(44mag).
the one I shoot the most is my 1911 delta elite in 10mm.As I usually shoot about 500rds each time I go to the range,reloading my own ammo is the way to go for me.with a 22lr conversion,reloading would not be needed.
 
#33 ·
S&W M&P9 9mm paid for and on order/paid allocation, whatever the correct term... as soon as the shop gets one, + 10 day's I'll have my first handgun! No idea exactly how long it could be, but I think this is a more common gun that shouldn't be too terribly long to get in stock (I hope)!

I took to the Handgun Safety Test today and missed one question that I think the state is actually wrong on (I thought it was a trick question). The question was about Shooting in the Air for Celebration for Holidays/Events being Dangerous and "Often" Illegal. I was under the impression that it was ALWAYS illegal therefore the "Often" should have made the question FALSE instead of TRUE, but oh well... it's CA, and not really supposed to make sense I guess.

I've started ordering some of the gear that I'll need as a new gun owner... so far I have the following stuff here or on order.

* CA DOJ Approved Safe (Stack-On PS-514)
* Range Bag (MidwayUSA Compact Range Bag)
* Pistol Case (MidwayUSA Pistol Case)
* 2 Extra S&W M&P9 Magazines
* UpLULA
* Earmuffs
* Shooting Glasses
* Otis Cleaning Kit/Brushes
* Tekmat Cleaning Mat
* MTM Ammo Case and 100Ct 9mm Boxes
 
#34 ·
I am always so puzzled as to why a guy would get a 9mm as a "first handgun." It took me years of shooting, thousands or tens of thousands of rounds to shoot well enough to put a respectable pattern in a target at 25 yards and hit a moving target at walking speed. That skill, technique, and muscle control translated right over to center fire large caliber arms with virtually no learning curve. But, now after years of only occasional shooting, I am sure all my accuracy is diminished.

It would cost thousands more to climb that learing curve with a 9mm over a 22LR. Am I nuts? Do you guys with little or no previous handgun shooting just pick up a 9mm automatic pistol on day one and put a 4" pattern into a target?
 
#35 ·
I understand your point, but if the gun is ever needed for Home Defense, there is no room or hallway in my home anywhere close to 25 Yards long. 20 Feet or so is about as far as any shot anywhere in my home would be. So at 7 Yards at the range yesterday, while I wasn't hitting a 4" Pattern, I had an multiple magazines unloaded into a Human Chest Sized area on the target (while not moving).

I do plan on also getting a .22lr pistol in the near future as well once I decide on which one (M&P 22, one of the 1911 .22lrs, maybe). And I expect that I will probably spend as much or more time with it at the range due to ammo prices.

If I ever needed one for home defense, I'm much prefer a 9mm with +P ammo over a .22LR.
 
#41 ·
Get a Glock 23, .40 Cal

Get a 9mm barrel and mags

Get a .357 sig barrel and mags

3 guns, 1 package. You can even get a .22 conversion for it... so 4 guns one package. Use the 9mm for target practice, the .357 sig for defense and the .40 for in between.

:thumbsup:
 
#42 ·
Get a Glock 23, .40 Cal

Get a 9mm barrel and mags

Get a .357 sig barrel and mags

3 guns, 1 package. You can even get a .22 conversion for it... so 4 guns one package. Use the 9mm for target practice, the .357 sig for defense and the .40 for in between.

:thumbsup:
I don't like any Glock I've ever seen, touched or shot! Feels like I'm holding a 2x4
 
#44 ·
For a first gun don't get a Glock and don't get a .357 or a .44 those are common rookie mistakes. The Glock is very touchy and unless you really learn how to shoot it you won't be able to hit anything! I would get a Beretta 92fs it's a very balanced gun and forgiving.
 
#46 ·
In my opinion, the best first handgun AFTER a .22 is a 357 mag DA revolver. You can shoot 38's in it and even drop down in bullet weight so you have less recoil. And also have the advantage of a heavier bullet when you need it. Get into reloading and it makes it very cheap to do. A revolver is more accurate and easier to load and shoot. There is nothing worse than going out and paying money for a gun and can only get 4~5" groups at 25 yards which is what a auto will give you compared to 2~3" groups from a revolver. Makes it no fun to go target shoot cause you can't hit anything. Now autos would be my choice for home defense, 1911 .45 and carry where you may need to get a few more rounds off quickly. Auto's can jam on you and that's not a good thing when the time comes, although revolver could jam, but none of mine ever have in the past 37 years I've been shooting them. 9mm ammo is cheaper and a good place to start for auto's and is slightly less powerful than the 38. So, you go with a 357mag, and then you have basically 2 guns in one. One caliber good for plinking and the other good for home defense.
 
#47 ·
I totally agree with everything above. I have a S&W .357 DA revolver in the bedside table. One does not have to use two hands to rack it, it will never jam, and is more accurate than the automatics. And, a .357 round, although very dangerous in the house has the advantage of you not having to open the door to clear the bad guys from the other side.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top