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Recommended 1st handgun
- Thread starter BEAR
- Start date
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
9mm. Widely available, not that expensive, recoil is not too bad, can be found in a variety of frames to fit small to big hands, decent stopping power, can be gotten in a high capacity weapons. That and a gun safety course to learn the do's and don'ts of gun ownership.
Ninja Man makes a good point too. .38 Special comes to mind.
Ninja Man makes a good point too. .38 Special comes to mind.
Arckadian
Active member
I dunno I would probably say some sort of .22 revolver or pistol.... dont scare them with the price of a box of .45 rounds 
. But the .22 has almost no kick and I think would be a nice weapon to learn on. Just my two cents
. But the .22 has almost no kick and I think would be a nice weapon to learn on. Just my two cents
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
I dunno I would probably say some sort of .22 revolver or pistol.... dont scare them with the price of a box of .45 rounds
That is a good point also. For some reason I read his question as "If he were only going to get one handgun, what would it be"? But a .22lr is a great gun to learn with. But it's still no toy. The .22lr has a long range.
TheFuzz
Full Access Member
So, what will he be doing with it? Plinking? Getting into competition? Just a fun gun for the range? Self defense? Concealed carry?
Answering those questions will narrow the field considerably.
Answering those questions will narrow the field considerably.
enluzenment
New member
Precisely. Is this a nightstand gun? CCW? Whatever role the firearm will fill is the most important factor. This will determine size, caliber, weight, etc. If you can provide that info and price range if possible I know you'll get a lot of good suggestions.
SilvrSRT10
Super Moderator
I said 9mm...I win, I win! Lol. I'm partial to my Ruger P85. It's a fine weapon. You can probably find a good, clean used "P" series to shoot with. I find that mine points naturally, holds 15 rounds and is a pleasure to shoot. It has an external hammer and a hammer drop (decocking) safety. Easy to take apart and clean as well. It does have a little long trigger pull but that's due to the single action/double action capability of it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruger_P_series
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TheFuzz
Full Access Member
GLock 17 or Glock 19.
9mm, easy to operate, very accurate, extremely reliable, and won't break the bank. Tons of aftermarket support, and literally hundreds of holster options.
9mm, easy to operate, very accurate, extremely reliable, and won't break the bank. Tons of aftermarket support, and literally hundreds of holster options.
enluzenment
New member
Semi Auto 9 is a good choice. There are a lot of fantastic options these days. Like Fuzz said you can't go wrong with a Glock 17 or 19 depending on the size you want, the M&P and XDm are serious competitors and good alternatives. My vote is for the dark horse Walther PPQ. Not a lot of marketing around it in the states which I assume is because its imported from S&W and its direct competition for the M&P. Do some research and look for reviews, there is A LOT on YouTube. I shot two mags thru a buddies PPQ and it has the best trigger on a poly gun I've ever used, stock or jobbed. Minuscule take up, breaks crisp, and has a very short audible reset. It's a tough descision, do you know if you'd prefer a striker or hammer fired? All the ones I mentioned are indeed striker. Good choice for a first handgun, it's a breeze to take down and clean.
ViperJeff
Administrator
I wouldn't....
The price of renting a gun and shooting it is pretty cheap considering. I would invite him to go shooting at a range that has a good variety to choose from and let him have some fun. The first time a shot a hand gun in years, I had the opportunity to shoot 1911 .45 barretta 9mm, Walther .32 and a few others I can't remember. It gave me some knowledge that went a long way. Then off to the gun show and I did a lot of picking them up and putting them down. it came down to a XDM 9mm and a XDM .40. I felt the balance was better on the .40 and Wa-laa.....
Let your friend be a contributing factor on what he decides on. He will be much happier. He will listen to you simply because you know and because he will have input in the decision he will feel a lot batter about it
.0000000000002 cents
The price of renting a gun and shooting it is pretty cheap considering. I would invite him to go shooting at a range that has a good variety to choose from and let him have some fun. The first time a shot a hand gun in years, I had the opportunity to shoot 1911 .45 barretta 9mm, Walther .32 and a few others I can't remember. It gave me some knowledge that went a long way. Then off to the gun show and I did a lot of picking them up and putting them down. it came down to a XDM 9mm and a XDM .40. I felt the balance was better on the .40 and Wa-laa.....
Let your friend be a contributing factor on what he decides on. He will be much happier. He will listen to you simply because you know and because he will have input in the decision he will feel a lot batter about it
.0000000000002 cents
Trixxterr
New member
Another question that should be asked is.. how much does this person want to spend? Are they on a budget?
As for my wife, her FIRST handgun was/is a S&W Sigma 9mm. This was the first gun she EVER shot in her life. And she is a fairly good shot, and accurate. Cost was a factor for me, because I didn't want to spend a lot on a gun, if she ended up not wanting to keep shooting and practice and all. Plus it was decent price and its a 9mm so rounds are reasonably priced.
As for my wife, her FIRST handgun was/is a S&W Sigma 9mm. This was the first gun she EVER shot in her life. And she is a fairly good shot, and accurate. Cost was a factor for me, because I didn't want to spend a lot on a gun, if she ended up not wanting to keep shooting and practice and all. Plus it was decent price and its a 9mm so rounds are reasonably priced.
