need 1st time buyer advice

[Eyeless]

im looking into either a Ruger P90 or a Smith & Wesson SW9VE both are 9mm. are either of these a good starter? ive shot the S&W before and i like it. i dont want to start out with a sissy .22. im eventually going to buy a .40 but want a 9 for my wife once i get the .40.

thanks in advance

Jason

[Jesse]

Actually the P-90 Ruger is a .45ACP. The 9mm versions of the Ruger P series pistol are the P-89, P-93, P-94, and the P-95. Any of these or the S&W you mentioned would be a fine beginning shooter's pistol. Follow the link for more Ruger P-series info. Wish you the best.

Ruger P-series pistols

Jesse

[Doglips]

I always recomend trying out as many calabers as you can..then if possible the modles your chooseing from..some ranges rent guns..some dont....but the fit of the pistol is important as is how much/little recoil you want/can handle... As for the wife...thats a long process in my case...I started her off with a 22 then fily (2 yrs) later got her to a 32acp..then a 380..38 and now into a 9mm... she progressed in calabers pretty quickly from the 32 to the 9mm..(occasionaly 45 colt in my Super Redhawk). Big thing with her was the noise (Out door is better if possible) as she associated noise with recoil and was afriad of bigger guns than the 22....For HER 9mm I let her pick it out...women dont like beiing forced to use something they dont like...granted it means not freaking out when she goes..Oh that ones cute but well worth the time. Funny thing is my 12 yr old daughter thinks Glocks and HK pistols are cute....got to get her some glasses...

[Klaus]

I would not recommend a S&W Sigma. Some of the guns have improperly molded magazine well, making them jam easily. I had one in .40 and it was a POS. It is a cheap imitation Glock.

[MikeC]

Eyeless, the .22 is a sissy caliber??? True it is smaller but it still does the job. There is an old adage that "a hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44". I also agree with Doglips. If the local laws allow rental, spend $50 renting guns and check some out. Does your wife have any experience with guns? If not give her a gift of training from a pro. Many times people learn better from a stranger than their spouse.

[Eyeless]

thanks for the info

Jason

[JohnD]

A 22lr is mainly fun but It will work for self defence better than you think lets see3-5 shots out of an 22lr equals the power of a single 45acp so somone who can shoot a 22lr real fast may be just as effective, say a 22lr machine gun would work realy slick for self defence.

[Eyeless]

im not looking for a rifle

[MikeC]

Jason, I don't own any Ruger centerfire semi-autos, I do own a GP-100 .357 mag revolver and a .22/45 (i think) .22lr pistol. Both are worth the money. The .22 is a royal PAIN to reassemble but is very accurate. If you want a 9mm, check out the CZ-75b, accurate, cheap and well made.

[Rock]

Eyeless, Go with a Ruger and get it in a 40cal or 45acp you and your wife will be happy with it and it will last. you can find one at www.actionarms.com If you need more info let me know...

[Eyeless]

ive decided on a Ruger P89D 9mm thanks for all the input

[alan c.]

Eyeless-- excellent choice for the money.

[oneastrix]

Good choice on the P-89. My first duty weapon was a P-95 9mm. Very similiar to the P-89. Both are excellent. You'll have it for a long time unless you get rid of it.

[Libertyman777]

More people have lost their lives to under-powered calibers, such as the 22 or 9x18 Makarov, than all other pistol calibers combined. I will hold with MikeC in that a hit with a 22 is better than a miss with a 44. Competent marksmanship training is a must for the neophyte. After your training, time spent, with the firearm of your choice, at the range, in several different scenarios, is also a must. These two requirements are, in my opinion, are just as important as the the caliber, if not more so. Good luck!

[Klaus]

Libertyman, I find your assertation about the .22 and 9x18 a little hard to buy, altough it can be taken two ways. Were you trying to say that more people are killed with "underpowered" caliber rounds or that more people were killed because they tried to use those rounds for defence?And if it is the former, why would you call them underpowered? Most people think that .380 ACP (9x17) on up is reasonable for defence, and the 9mm Makarov round is more potent than a .380. Do you have any actual data for your claim?

[Libertyman777]

Hi Klaus,
I went back and found some of my reference material. I did get the Makarov and the Tokarev mixed up. The statement I was referring to involved bullet weights from 55 to 124 grains and probably should have stated ?Soviet block service weapons? instead of naming only the 9x18 Makarov. The writer who made the statement was Jim Thompson in Surplus Firearms Vol. V that was on the newsstands during 1997. I guess I could throw in the German WWII sidearms, which were medium powered at best and still accounted for a loin?s share of death and destruction. It isn?t because the weapons or ammunition is superior or inferior as much as because the weapons were so prolific and the regimes so harsh.
Now about the .22 caliber, I was referring to the .22 rimfire. It is the choice of many professional killers, whether they are involved with established governments or criminal organizations. The reasons are obvious, the round is easily suppressed, whether via machining or expedient methods. The weapons are often small and easily hidden, and the ammunition is easily manipulated so that it can be made more difficult to trace back to a given weapon.
All that said, I have a concealed carry permit and carry an AMT 380 backup in my truck and sometimes on my person if I think it?s necessary. Like everything, it was a compromise. The price was right, the pistol fits well in my pocket and doesn?t have a tendency to print. I do understand that if I am in situation that forces me to use this weapon for protection, that in most cases it is not usually a one shot stopper, based on tests performed by Handguns Magazine, April 2000. Neither were the 38 Special or the standard-pressure 9mm?s for that matter. (In this test, one shot is fired and strikes an aggressor. If the aggressor runs, it is no more than 10 feet, this is considered a one shot stop.) I have confidence in my little 380 ACP because I can shoot with it, not because of it's power or lack thereof. I can consistently hit grapefruit sized targets at a combat range of 7 yards. The order of the day for me is to be prepared for the double tap, because of my chosen caliber. But as I stated nothing can take the place of competent marksmanship training. I received mine via the US Marine Corps and am very grateful for it. I urge anyone who is considering owning a weapon for personal defense to get good instruction and practice, practice, practice.

[Klaus]

I think the range of "underpowered" bullets is still off. Now the category has been expanded to include most 9mm luger ammo, many .38 specials and .357 magnums, and .30 Mauser. I agree with the rest of your post. Even a subsonic .22 LR load has a good chance to kill someone if it hits a vital area.

[Libertyman777]

Well, we may have to agree to disagree but there have been many disagreements that were much worse than ours, over firearms theology. I will say this, regardless of how I feel about the effectiveness of any of the aforementioned calibers on thing is for certain, they were used prolifically, as the body counts will attest to. I think that we now have come full circle. You are exactly right about the subsonic 22 ammo, bullet placement is the most important issue and this is what I was trying to convey to the gentleman with the question. Touche Sir Klaus.

[Fitz Grips]

I have spent my lifetime in civilian, Police and Military competition and ave been a major reloading tool supplier as well as a pistol grip company. To protect yourself you need to be able to shoot accurately and the best starter weapon is a Ruger 22 automatic with target sights. Once you can shoot accurately then you can go to a more powful weapon. Then still buy another target weapon to shoot accurately like a Smith or Colt 38-357 mag revolver with at least a 4 inch barrel. What counts in self defense is the FIRST BULLET PLACED ACCURATELY. A 25auto, 32 auto, 9mm, 40 mm are not accurate target weapons and are a waste of money for self defense. Many people have died using them including Officers. Once you have developed your skills with the 22 and 38/38357 then the best and most intimating self defense weapon ever is the Colt 45acp which can be mastered easily based on your skills developed with the 22 and 38/357. When someone is coming at you with a knife or 2x4 you want to STOP them with the FIRST accurate shot. Not a dozen shots from a puny caliber while they are CUTTING or BEATING ON YOU or your family. Also a Ruger, Smith or Colt target quality weapon retains their value and years later you can sell it for more than you paid for it. Thanks fitz_grips@hotmail.com retired 1979

[NRAJOE]

Get the Ruger P-95DC in stainless! You can't go wrong !