What is the best hand gun?

Question

I'm talking for self defense / target shooting for fun. I've always wanted to get a Beretta model 92 of course, but lately a friend bought a Springfield XD 45. Glocks are popular. Reliability would be the main issue for a self defense weapon. Then safety. Then ease of use. I was always impressed with the super reliability of the Berettas with their shallow feed ramp and all the 10,000 round tests they pass with flying colors. My Browning stove-piped once. Turned me right off. It's a beautiful weapon, no doubt, but it has a steep feed ramp. I'm older now, so maybe a brand and model that can be equipped with aids for aiming....laser target designator, whatever. We have to plan for our old age after all. It's inevitable. Thanks if you can answer these questions.

Answer 1

well let me start by saying that one of my top 3 pistols for self and home defense is my Beretta 96 (.40)

the other two are my Colt and Kimber 1911's in .45acp

the Springfield is ok but the Glock or Beretta is MUCH better built. i also have a Glock 27 for concealed carry but if the situation allows i prefer the Beretta. it also has a double action action which is always nice and the external ambidextrous safety also decocks the weapon. about the best sighting aid for one is the Crimson Trace grips. some are sold with the laser grips already attached. i would recommend the Beretta 96 over the 92. wile 9mm is good the .40 cal has about the same ballistics, range and recoil as the 9mm but still has almost the same stopping power as the .45acp

the most important thing to remember is that you need to feel comfortable with the weapon, and you should get one that you will be able to draw and fire with one hand and still maintain total control of the firearm. most situations where you will need to use it will not allow for extra time to put a bag of grocery's down, draw, use both hands, acquire the target as a threat or not, aim straight, then fire.

i never buy a pistol that i can't draw and fire w/ one hand with total control.

i hope this helps.





answer to askers question to me:



i have noticed that people keep going back to the Browning hi-power, that is the one you said you had a problem with. if you don't feel comfortable with it then you should stay away from it. the bottom line is, if you need it to protect yourself or your family you don't want to have to second guess rather it will preform or not.



to answer your question, on an everyday basis i carry my Beretta 96 on my hip and a .357 mag snub nose in my back as a backup just to be on the safe side.

Answer 2

Once again the impossible question is asked. There really is no best hand gun.

One gun is not going to be ideal for everybody. Go to a few stores and get a feel for the ones you are interested in. Play around with the slide release, (which i never use, i prefer to use the slide itself) the mag release, de cocking lever, safety and so on. The weapon should fit comfortably in you hand an you should be able to operate all the features with ease.

As for Browning's, I have a High Power some years back and it was rather finicky in what is would shoot. Not good in something that you are going to trust with you life.

I have shot many different brands of weapons over the years and have never had a problem with jams in the big three (Sig, Glock and Beretta)

I agree with Adrian on the whole caliber debate, go with the .40 you wont be disappointed.

And P.L. is right about the .357 125 gr. That thing rocks.

I have carried a Glock 22 on a daily basis for 18 years and have not had one problem with it.

And I have lost count of the number of rounds that have gone down the barrel.

Answer 3

The absolute best handgun for self defense is the .357 Magnum with 125 grain jacketed hollow points. Numerous studies have shown this round to have a one shot stop rate of over 90%. Of course, this is primarily available in revolvers. But once again, for reliability, you can't beat a revolver. In the event of a misfire or primer failure, you simply pull the trigger again.



Avoid the 158 grain loads as they have a tendency to over-penetrate, are harder to control, and their muzzle flash can cause flash blindness in low light conditions. But you can't go wrong with something like the Remington Golden Saber, or the Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok.



The .357 Magnum also has the advantage that if you find you cannot handle the magnum loads at first, you can shoot lighter / less recoiling .38 Special ammo in the .357 Magnum. Once you feel comfortable with that, you can move up to the .357 Magnim loads.



If, for whatever reason, you don't want to go with a revolver and insist on a semi-auto, than I would look for something in the .45 ACP caliber. It's not quite as effective as the .357 Magnum when it comes to one shot stops. But it's very close.



@Newell Yeah. They dropped the .357 Magnum in favor of the vastly inferior 9mm. At least a lot of agencies have wised up now though and dumped the 9mm in favor of the .40 S&W.



There are two main reasons that most agencies don't use the .357 Magnum. One is that they want higher capacity and faster reloads. But that's rarely an issue with self-defense situations. 6 shots are more than enough in almost all self defense situations. And if you really think you will need more, you can become quite proficient with a revolver speed loader.



The other reason is that rookie cops had trouble handling the .357 Magnum because of its substantial recoil. That's why I suggest starting out with .38 Special ammo in the .357 Magnum until you are comfortable with it, and then switching to the more powerful Magnum loads.

Answer 4

Glock 17 or Browning Hi-Power.



Go to a police pistol range. Watch 100 guys fire at once. Then look and see how many guys are fumbling with jams. At the Los Angeles Sheriffs Academy it is about 5 guys for every hundred. Automatics jam. That's life. You need to buy good clips and use ammo that works in your gun, and you need to learn how to clear jams quickly.





Regarding the .357 Magnum: 99% of all agencies that used it, dumped it for a semi automatic. What does that tell you?

Answer 5

This like counting angels on the head of pins. If you like the model 92? Buy it. Personally I think your fine with the Hi- power. You can by Laser grips for it for about $240.

Answer 6

asking 'whats the best hand gun' is like asking whats the best car, or whats the best pair of jeans. There are certainly bad guns to avoid, but my best isnt likely to be the same as your best. xd's dont fit my hands. nice gun, but i hate them. others feel the same about glock. the 92FS is a great gun too, but if you have small hands its tough to shoot. You need to narrow it down a bit to what you like, then ask again.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

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