I want to purchase a semi-auto in either a 9mm, 40 or 45. I have been looking at the XD's and S&W mp's and I have also looked at the glock 27 (for which I would have to purchase larger clip from a 23 with a finger extension...at least for me to be satisfied with this gun)
I want something small enough to conceal but large enough to have good clip capacity. I have also looked at the Taurus 24/7 and the only thing holding me back is the size.
Also, I have a budget of about $350. Possibly $375 but not much more. Any other ideas?
Id look at the used guns first off. A solid semi auto will probably run more of 4-600 NIB. I looked up a pistol I use to own and loved. Its a CZ 100 I had the 9 comes in a 40 also. Here is the link to cz's web sit.
lorcin: Sir; good spectrum.
Consider this
9mm cheapest to shoot
.40 expensive to shoot
.45 expensive to shoot
All handguns have a ?feel? don't go out and just purchase based on any of the recommendations.
Go to a range and rent. One will come out ?feeling? the best. Part of your answer. ?Feel?
A short list
Stoeger Cougar 8000 formerly a Berretta 8000
Ruger SR9
Springfield XD
Glock
Follow up with your thinking
Whatever you purchase. Practice and practice responsibly. Practice until you know your weapon and then practice some more
__________________
Craig
Who refreshes others will be refreshed. Proverbs 11:25
There is a better chance of obtaining a good quality and least used gun for a great price this way. Know what you are looking for in signs of abuse.
IF you are opposed to that, I agree with the CZ 100B and would also suggest a compact version of the Springfield XD line.
The point I can't stress the most... make sure the gun fits your hand and you are comfortable with the feel and controls. Obviously, budgetary restraints come into play here. IF you can hold off for a little while to afford one of these two mentioned... you may be better off.
There are, however, FEG, Taurus, Kel Tec, S & W, etc. as well as other foreign handguns you may consider.
i agree with everyone who has said go out and rent/handle as many guns asyou can and see which ones feel correct/comfortable for you.
oh yeah and i have not fired a cz 100 but i recomend renting/handling one, they are a great company, i have a cz75.
Very accurate, reliable, and probably small enough to carry. But it might not fit your hands like it fits mine (although it comes with 3 backstraps to change the grip size).
I would pick the XD or Glock in 9mm or .40 depending upon how much you plan on shooitng it. 9mm is a good bit cheaper to shoot than .40 and will still take care of problems with the right ammo, but three of my 4 Glocks are .40 the other is 9mm.
__________________
"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."
- Alexander Hamilton
My preferences are well known by our G&G family, but I agree with most here in that if you can find a range that rents a wide variety of handguns you can then get a feel for what is right for you. Once your choice is made seek out some training from a qualified source, then practice everything about your firearm until it becomes instinctive, until safety becomes a rote behavior. The practice some more. PS: my main preferance is for the M1911A1 (from very long aquaintance) following by th eBrowning or clone Hi-Power. Good Luck to you!
__________________ "You can have my Freedom when I'm done with it!"
+1 for renting and shooting guns. Even if it is not the exact gun you are looking for you will know how a 9 fires, a 40, 45, so on and so forth so it will at least give you a general idea.
Now depending on what you want to do with it depends on what you should buy. There are so many factors that come into play. Look at all the features and benefits each gun has to offer.
I was almost 100% sold on the glock at first. It is very light weight, and I was very accurate with it, even with out a lot of practice. The very first time I shot a glock I was hitting my target at 50 feet every time. Not all bullseyes or anything but I was pegging it none the less. It has a safety in the trigger. So the safety is always engaged whenever you are not pulling back the trigger. When you do pull back the trigger it disengages the safety. So, if you wanted to conceal and carry you wouldn't have to worry about disengaging the safety from some clumsy switch.
Overall, I did not like how the glock felt in my hand. Other than that, it was a pretty good gun and easy to use. I like how the ruger felt so I ended up getting a Ruger. The only thing I don't like about my Ruger is how the trigger has to travel a decent distance to fire. Typically, when i am shooting it at the range I keep the trigger half way squeezed and never let it travel all the way back. This reduces my distance but is not ideal for quick shooting.
Just rent and shoot and get an idea for what you want and then go out and buy it.
Any ideas though on what would be good for my budget? My wife and I are expecting and I wouldn't consider the gun a "need" (i have others for home protection) so my price range is pretty locked.
Also, I have medium to smaller sized hands.
Particularly ideas of 9's...ammo cost may be an issue.
I don't think you can beat a Ruger for what you get for your dollar. I picked up a P89 for $300 at a gun show. Fired over a thousand rounds with it last month and not a single jam. It is easy to strip and clean, and it always goes bang whatever crap ammo I toss in it.
The P95 is also a good gun and they just released a new auto called like the PR which looks very nice as well.
If you can bump up a bit some of the SIG 9s, 40s, and 357s aren't too highly priced. I was looking at a SIG P229 (could have the model wrong) .357 that was like 450ish at a gun show. It felt real nice in my hands but the Ruger was just more of what I was going to spend.
lorcin25, I heard a very cynical rule awhile back concerning personal defense handguns: "Never use a handgun for personal defense whose caliber does not start with .4!" Translation: if you are buying a handgun for personal defense, get one with enough power to make a one-shot stop for sure.
That means .40 S&W, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 ACP, .45 Long Colt, .454 Casull, .475 Wildey... you get the idea. And yes, I am aware that shot placement counts, but consider: the US Army learned the hard way in the Phillipines that bullets in the .38 Special/9mm Luger range won't guarantee a one-shot stop.
It's why the Army went to the .45 ACP in the first place. Also consider that despite the Army having had a 9mm handgun forced on them by our NATO allies, the current Army pistol trial specifies a .45 ACP chambering. That should tell you something.
If you have to use a handgun in a personal defense situation, you shoot until the threat is eliminated. The threat will be eliminated a lot faster and with a lot fewer rounds of .45 ACp than 9mm. The 9mm fans are fond of pointing out that what with imporved projectile design and hotter powders, according to the ballistic tables the modern 9mm Parabellum round is thee equal of the venerable and proven 220 grain FMJ .45 ACP. But the Army has specified the .45 ACP for its next generation pistol. Draw your own conclusions.
The other cartridges I mentioned are at least the equal of the .45 ACP. Some of them pack even more oomph than the .45 does. If you are going to use a pistol for personal defense, make sure you have the power you need to do the job.
I personaly like the 1911 45 acp, with a 22LR conversion kit and hyper velocity ammo you can practice your shooting with some rather inexpensive ammo,very easy to field strip at the range and exchange receivers&magazines if you want to shoot 45acp.I just bought some 45acp ammo paid $15.00 for a box of 50, 22LR hyper velocity ammo I believe cost me around $20 to $25 for a thousand rounds.a box of good jacked hollow points for self defense will cost around $30. for a box of 50.of course reloading is another option. 10mm is another excellent caliber rather expensive tho
Be sure and look closely at the Ruger, either in 9mm or .45. They may not be the best looking pistol out there but they are among the most reliable and rugged. I have owned both.
Caliber is all well and good when talking about stopping power, however, a gun that can not be used by its practitioner properly is worthless.
Really, if you want a good home defense gun, that doesn't shoot a round 2500 meters (like if you live in the city like I do and have close neighbors) a shot gun will suffice. Its loud, scary as hell, one hit will down almost any human threat, and the rounds don't travel like 1.5 miles. If my neighbor got into an altercation with someone and wildly fired some higher caliber rounds that came into my home, I would not be happy about it.
It is your responsibility to own the gun, handle the gun, control the gun, and you are liable for whatever happens with it.
So, don't think that caliber is the end all be all for guns. Most people, you hit them with a 9 and they aren't going to like it at all. You hit them in the right place and they will be downed quickly. Accuracy and timing have a lot to do with it.
I know if I ever get into a home defense situation I am going to make damn sure that I have a clean shot so I don't fire through my wall and outside somewhere or into something on the street or into my neighbors property. I am concerned for their safety as well. Of course there will always be that "heat of the moment" element, and of course there are no rules, steps, or standard procedures in fighting. It is all anarchy and chaos.
As far as a Glock 27 is concerned the pierce +1 pinky ext is only like $30. Me personally in that price range would check out the millenieum pro taurus line up and the kel tec pf9 and p11. Like so many have said the "feel" goes a long way. I personally have a Glock 27 and if it was legal would sell it for $300. I just picked up a Para Hawg Lite in 9mm and like the 'fat' feel it has. All up to personal pref. By the way names like "glock,sig,s&w,beretta,xd, do not mean they are quality weapons for you. Pick what you like and fit.
