handguns for beginners, which do you recommend?

Question

I'm thinking about buying a handgun for self defense, something not cheap but not to pricey. I never had experience with guns before, which do you recommend & Why???

Answer 1

1

Answer 2

For your first shot, a single action trigger pull is going to give you the most accuracy but on follow up shots many feel it is easier to get back on target with the 9mm because it does have a little less recoil. The barrel length and practice are going to be your biggest factors with overall accuracy. The .45 does shoot a much heavier round which many feel give you the most stopping power but in the end, shot placement is the key, next would be the type of ammo. The 1911 is a particular design of pistol that many manufactures now make. It was patented in 1911. It is a great style but not one I would recommend to a beginner. Reliability comes more from the brand and the work you put into taking care of your pistol. Some good brands out there are Sig Sauer, Kimber, Springfield, Glock, Smith & Wesson, Ruger, to name a few. The model numbers on the Glocks refer to the size of pistol and the caliber. As a previous poster said, check out there website and it will give you all of the details. I wouldn't recommend making any of the repairs yourself in the beginning, leave that to a qualified gunsmith. Any weapon you plan on using for personal defense is not one to play with. Cleaning can be done by you but leave the rest to a gunsmith. With all of that said, I always try to encourage new shooters to start with a revolver vs. an auto so they learn the basics without all of the added complexities of an auto. If that's out of the question then I would have to suggest something like a Sig Sauer P220, P226 or P229. They are DA/SA so they're always ready with the hammer down, yet you still have the ability to fire everything from SA (single action) if you want. It also has a de-cocking mechanism so you can safely let the hammer down without trying to ride it with your thumb. I'm not a fan of the DAOs like the Glocks and Springfield XDs for starting either although both are fine weapons. The Sig is going to cost you a little more but it will last you a lifetime+ and you won't ever regret having one. I've got many Sig's and love them all.

Answer 3

Well, I recommend you go to a gun range and take 2 classes. First, a basic handgun class. Almost any range will have them. It will go over the basics of firearm safety, and the basics of marksmanship. Usually I've seen them at about 2 - 3 hours and $60 - $90. You'll probably get some classroom instruction and range time with .22LR most likely to give you a feel. Even a little handling teaches you a great deal.



The second class I would suggest is most rental ranges has a "guided tour" sort of class where essentially they will let you shoot, with a teacher half a dozen to 10 different popular firearm types, models and calibers. They will teach you how they run and you'll probably go through 100 - 200 rounds or even a bit more depending on the class. Again, usually a couple of hours, and probably $100 or so.



Then start looking. It is a topic which really boils down to a series of tradeoffs. Do I want an external safety? Well, Typical firearms with external safeties have better triggers and are more shootable ... but people forget to disengage the safety under stress.



Do I want a revolver or a semi auto? In a revolver there is an argument for reliability (which is complicated in and of itself) and more powerful rounds ... but the capacity is lower and they quickly become bulkier to carry.



So, invest the couple of hundred bucks first. Learn a little bit. Then consider buying a shotgun.



Thinkingblade



I'm only partially kidding about the shotgun comment. There is a large defensive shooter population that argues that the ideal home defense firearm for the beginner is a 12 gauge pump action shotgun. Maybe you will be too after taking the handgun classes and understanding their limitations. I ... don't happen to fall into the shotgun camp personally.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.



RE:

handguns for beginners, which do you recommend?

I'm thinking about buying a handgun for self defense, something not cheap but not to pricey. I never had experience with guns before, which do you recommend & Why???

Answer 5

If you want to get useful information here - you need to include details.



Starting with - what do you consider cheap? What do you consider too pricy?? You should have told us where you lived - because the gun I would recommend to someone who lives in Maine where people frequently wear big coats - wont be the same gun for someone living in Florida. And the 'self defense' gun I recommend for a woman in Alaska who is worried about attackers and bears - would not be the same gun for a gal living in the North End of Boston. There are 50 states - with 50 different rules, laws and regulations about handguns.....and a handgun model someone loves and praises - might not available or even legal in your state. Then there is the matter of age...... if you are under 21 - we would have provided other alternatives. You also do not mention if this is a gun that is going to sit in your nightstand and about never be used or a gun that you are going to carry concealed? Does your state require a concealed carry permit? Mine doesn't - but - yours probably does.



Most all the recommendations so far - are from 'fan boys' and people who have product loyalty. These answers do you no good.



You have no experience. That is not a bad thing - it's actually a great thing - this means if you take a class and learn about gun safety from an instructor ...... we don't have to break you of any bad habits. Most all indoor ranges will hold beginner pistol safety classes and classes that teach you to shoot better. Often they will hold a women only class. This will be money and time well spent - so - do not buy a gun or any accessories until you have taken it. In these classes - the instructors bring in 20 or more very different guns for the women to pick, choose, and try out. Quite frequently - the gun you 'thought' you would be buying because someone has been trying to convince you of it..... will not the be gun you really enjoy and feel comfortable after taking the class. If you would spend 4 hours to buy a pair of $30 shoes - you really should invest a similar amount of time to buy a $400 to $900 gun.



In General, for concealed carry - I tell women in my class to choose a holster first - then go find the gun that fits that model. Holsters range from nylon poorly fitting $30 models (Uncle Mikes) to high grade leather that fit like a glove and you totally forget you are carrying a gun - for $200+ (Galco, Bianchi). Both Galco and 'Pistol Packing Mama;s" make high end, very, nice all leather handbags that have a secure compartment for your pistol. Galco makes a very nice dayrunner that does the same thing.



Some pistol are inexpensive because they are not designed to be fired allot. Examples: $300 or so gets you a Ruger LCP in 380 auto .... but it's not durable. After 2500rds (which might seem like allot) it's worn out - this is a great gun for someone with good shooting skills, lives in a city and doesn't shoot it much. In the same 380 auto caliber - $600+ gets you a Walther PPK/s - this is a pistol made from the best metal alloys and is designed to be fired allot (50,000rds) and last over 100 years. The Walther would be a pistol you could visit the range every weekend and fire a few boxes of ammo until you got good shooting skills, and, you could keep shooting on weekends for fun. Need to consider investment too - You pay $300 for a Ruger - ten years later even new in the box, maybe you get $250 for it. The $600 Walter - even well used you will get $700 for it ten years later, new in the box, you will get $100 on top of that. Walther - the quality makes them collectable. The Rugers - no. My wife choose a Walther.



Before you make any decisions - you need a point of reference. That means getting to a pistol range and trying a few. Take a class, take a class at a range that rents guns, or get to the range and try out a gun or two a friend owns. This way you can say 'I fired a model XYZ and I want a smaller/larger gun with /more/less power and recoil. I fired the Model A and loved it - hated Model B and C. The Model D is butt ugly and I would not keep it if you gave it to me. With a point of reference - magazine articles, blogs, forums, etc will make tons more sense.



I have seen allot of women struggle with the gun their husband or boyfriend got them - only to try out someone else's and learn a totally different type of gun is what they actually shoot awesome and love.



Bottom line. Start looking for local classes, and, go try on holsters at the various gun shops. Galco Holsters - come in a zip close bag just for this reason, so you can try it on at the store! My wife worked as the head of a casino cash cage - the shorter the skirt, the more skin she showed - the better the tips from the winners. She showed allot of leg and allot skin - and had no problem keeping that Walther PPk/s under wraps concealed. She had a near $300 Galco shoulder rig and Galco purse to pull it off.....



Good luck.

Answer 6

I will give you my own opinion based on my own limited experience. I purchased a Bersa 9mm Ultra conceal carry online. It is large enough to be very very comfortable, and holds about 13 rounds. It is a little hefty, but a solid gun. I have shot 300 rounds through it before getting a failure to feed or failure to eject with dirty ammo and 500 rounds before it happens a second time, I've tested this with similar results all three times. That is very impressive considering I am only going get to 26 rounds before I'm out of ammo if in a situation where I need to return fire, reload, and return fire again.



Good luck. Oh and if you find it on sale you will only spend a few hundred bucks. maybe $350 tops.

Answer 7

Easy answer. Buy a good quality, name brand .38 revolver.

They are cheap to buy and cheap to feed and the venerable .38 was used by police and military forces for almost 100 years. When I was an Air Force cop in the late 1970s we used Smith and Wesson .38s. FYI, the ".38 special" was called that for advertising hype, as it is actually the same caliber as the .357 magnum. Amy .357 magnum revolver can fire cheap .38s for practice at the range and (to quote my Commander In Chief) (yea, that really sucked) Jimmy Carter, "You can trust me". [puke]



When you say self defense, I offer advice. Lots of people favor semi automatic pistols but they are complex and since you had it in a drawer for the last 6 months you will not remember how to use it, whether there is a round in the chamber and your fingers will not automatically know where to find the safety switch.



Revolvers are simple, they never fail to fire, there is no safety button and it's just point and shoot. Which makes a very significant difference when you have one second to do it right the first time without thinking or remembering, since you will have time for neither.



As for those who claim having lots of rounds in the magazine means something, look at the facts. In defensive shootings the average number of rounds fired per person is 3. The average distance is less than 10 feet and the average time from start to end is less than 10 seconds.



Did you really want to waste seconds finding the safety switch or jacking a round into the chamber?

Hence my recommendation of a good quality used .38 or .357 revolver. (NEVER put .357 magnum ammo in a .38, it isn't going to handle the stress, but any .357 can shoot any .38 ammo. Plus, the .357 cartridge is very slightly longer to prevent such errors.)

Answer 8

Take a handgun safety and use course before you purchase. Many of these courses have target practice and have guns to rent. This will give you a chance to learn without a major expense and it may be requires in your jurisdiction before you can purchase a handgun. A nice .357 revolver is a good choice since it will also allow the use of the less expensive and less powerful .38 special ammunition.

Answer 9

To sense secure you have to master the home security and for this you will need this system the following https://tr.im/EAkMm , the Patriot Self Defense program

Most of the practices and movements are explained by the writer in a easy to understand language. Additionally, the live manifestations in the videos describe every move around in a detailed way, rendering it easier to learn the techniques and exercise them so if you want to experience safe and get self-confidence then this system is a must.

Answer 10

Your question is analogous to someone asking for a car for beginners to get them around town and not be too cheap or too expensive. For basic self defense and target shooting, there no "beginner guns" vs "expert guns". Like cars there are dozens of models on the market made to fit a wide variety of reasonably priced guns to fit most personal preferences.



Undoubtedly someone will tell you a Glock semi-automatic will be a good choice because it is a good one size fits all solution, and someone else will recommend a revolver because it is *theoretically* more reliable and less expensive. Neither is a bad suggestion, but it may not be the best for you. Rather than accepting the word of some Yahoo Yokel who may be physically different than you or have different preferences and experiences, I highly suggest taking an NRA basic pistol course, which will give you a great overview of different types of handguns and cartridges, and it will teach you how to shoot and maintain them, giving you real hands-on time on the range, often with different types of guns. That way you won't sound like a complete rube when you into a gun shop and tell them you want a gun for protection.



The NRA Basic Pistol course is often at many ranges around the country. Here is site that you can search for courses near you:

http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx

Answer 11

Look to spend around $500-600. Best way to find out is to go shoot em. Find a range with a good rental selection. Or go to a gun shop and just try some out. Youlld shoot with what fits your hand best. But take a handgun intro class first so you know the basics.



You don't wanna be the range noon that shoots himself in the foot or worse!

Answer 12

I tottaly agree with jadamgrd. You can buy a used Tauras for between 400 and 500 bucks. Also sugest that it should be at least 4 inch barrel .

Answer 13

Well first off what do you like the looks of? A Semi-auto or revolver? For teaching people to shoot I like a revolver. They are intrinsically easier to shoot. A .357/ .38 is very good. You start by shooting .38 specials then when you are comfy you shoot the more powerful .357 mag in it. But maybe you want a semi-auto.

http://swfirearmsinc.com/handguns-revolver-or-semi-auto/

Answer 14

Same thing I tell all new gun owners with limited experience, get a 3-4 inch revolver chambered in 38 Special/.357 Magnum. A quality used revolver will sell for less than most of Wonder 9mm's / .40 S&W's out there.

Answer 15

Without knowing where you live, and what's legal there, it's hard to recommend a specific model. Visit your nearest gun stores and see which gun fits your hand the best.



FWIW, it's easier to adjust the grips on revolvers than on semi-autos.

Answer 16

A 22 LR revolver with a swing-out cylinder for faster reloading and about a 4" barrel. Maybe a Smith 351 PD. Then a Ruger in 9x19mm, one that fits your hand well. Both can be used for defense.



The 22 will pay for itself in ammo, teach you to shoot without flinching, and revolvers are simpler and more reliable to operate. A better, safer beginning pistol.



The 9x19mm has more power. The semi-auto with extra mags will provide more shots without taking much time to reload. Ruger is a reasonably priced pistol that is reliable.



The other combination I like for carry and woods is a 5-shot 2" barrel 38 special with a 357 mag 6" barrel. This is better if you want defense in the woods against a black bear. Both pistols can be loaded with 38 specials for home defense. The smaller one is easier to conceal and carry. The larger one will provide better penetration and quicker kills.



Some guys do well with a 45 ACP for defense. I wouldn't recommend one for the woods. But you need to be realistic about which gun you would really carry in what situations.



There is nothing like actually trying them first. See how they feel in your hand, and how you like to shoot them. Many gun shops with pistol shooting ranges have rentals. Take a safety course, do some shooting, so some reading, do some shooting. Think about it and give yourself time to adjust to shooting and get used to a variety before you make a decision. By then, you will have your own opinion, and I'm sure you will have people giving you lots of opinions. Some of them will even know what they are talking about, but they are all flavored by their own experience.



Here's a range of articles to give you a little insight into the basics of handguns.



Handgun Stopping Power, Calibers and Loads by Chuck Hawks

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_stopping_power.htm

The truth about “stopping power” – Anatomy First (people)

http://www.breachbangclear.com/the-truth-about-stopping-power-anatomy-first/Handgun effectiveness: cavitation, penetration, hydrostatic shock, caliber; one-shot stops

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handgun_effectiveness

Mossad & .22 for defense/escape, C.E. “Ed” Harris

http://shilohtv.com/?p=3574

Moro fighters, drug free, proving .38 Colt and 9mm insufficient sidearm, .45 Colt was. 12 gauge preferred

http://www.morolandhistory.com/Related%20Articles/Legend%20of%20.45.htm

The .380 ACP Sucks" by Nutnfancy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEmF430-buc

Concealed Carry Pistols

http://www.chuckhawks.com/concealed_pistols.htm

Handguns for Home Defense

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_home_defense.htm



Conceal 12oz Pistols

http://www.humanevents.com/2011/01/04/12-concealed-carry-guns-12-ounces-or-less/



Ladies Conceal Carry Options - Guns & Holsters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiMQIYIDVC4



Hope these help. Good luck and shoot safe.

Answer 17

A 1911

Answer 18

CZ 75 9mm

It feels good in my hand. Nice design similar to the Browning hi-power. Rent the one you may want and decide.

Answer 19

for your needs ?...probably the Glock 17 or 19. ( the 19 is slightly smaller.)

Answer 20

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/