Help choosing my first handgun!

[Bill86]

Originally Posted by cigarmonkel

i've actually been looking at the usp 45 for the past few minutes lol

I cannot argue with anyone mentioning 1911's nothing shoots truer.

[Col. Kurtz]

Sig makes a darned fine weapon. If you don't like the double stack grip, pick up one of the single stack varieties. There is a new E2 out that has a fancy looking ergo grip, may help you out some.

[Coach Deg]

I have sig 226 and sig stainless 229 for the boat. Also have the sig 522 rifle. All great guns. Good video on YouTube sig to hell and back.

Good luck

[Fordman4ever]

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CCIQ8wIwAA#

Rock Island Armory makes a great 1911

[G G]

I love my Glock 27. Glocks aren't for everyone though. I would also say that you should stick with whatever caliber you can handle. What I mean by that is if you can group a 9 mm very well and only soso with a .40 or .45 then stick with the 9 mmm. I know you can practice, but if you can put 10 shots in a tight group then that's better than 10 shots from a bigger caliber spread out.

Jumping on the bandwagon as well about the safety of the Glock, trigger pull equals fire, no trigger pull no fire.

[cigarmonkel]

Ok so i went to the range the other day, 70 bucks later in range time 4 boxes of 9mm and 3 guns rented i think i know what im gonna jump at!

Shot the springfield xdm 9mm, s&w M&P 9mm, my friends CZ 9mm/22 (2nd time i've shot it), and berretta 92.

XDM felt kinda bulky just in general. I could hold it find and i shot with it fine my groupings were pretty tight, actually the best of the rentals but i HATED the grip on it and again just felt to bulky for me. Which was a shame since i shot it so well .

M&P 9: felt good. like the grip like the sights. Groupings were tight, not as tight as the XDM or my buddies CZ but i was happy with them. I was able to out shoot my buddy while he was using his own gun (then again was able to outshoot him using his personal gun as well ). Only thing is the trigger. It has that goofy kinda two triggers in one thing going on. Not like the glock or the xdm but it was almost like one trigger cut in half then put back together using a hinge. I did get used to it pretty quickly though and after about 50 rounds through it didn't even realize it. Plus the fish scale thing going on on the slide is nice. Made it a lot easier to pull back then the others.

Berretta 92: Felt just too... plain? ordinary? Nothing about this gun really stood out to me. The trigger was i guess the only thing i could say i enjoyed. In one mag it jammed twice. Coulda been the best feeling and best shooting gun i used that day but twice in one mag? No thanks.

CZ 9mm: I'll have to ask him what model it is but this thing shot like a dream. Only down side is he has about 500-600 worth in gunsmithing work which i'm not interested in. I know i will be down the road but i want one i like right out of the box. But boy does it shoot nice.

So unless i shoot a gun i like better then the M&P, i'm gonna jump on that one. Going again sometime soon with a buddy who is a board patrol guy who has a issued H&K .40 dunno what model USP maybe? All i know is its a 40 and has no safety. Trying to stick to the 9mm though since this is also gonna double up as a range gun for me.

On a side note is there any difference between the standard M&P and the pro? I know the pro has a lighter trigger pull and also comes in the 5" barrel and the standard 4 and however many inch barrel so you get an option. But other then that i can't seem to find much about comparing the two side by side.

edit: lets not forget the 17+1 mag the M&P comes with .

[SteveH]

Just want to put this out there....
Any reason why you are going w/a semi-auto ? Try a good quality S&W revolver....you'll love the trigger.
SW TRR8


But I guess if you're gonna go semi-auto; go with the best
USP Compact 45:


The only words of wisdom I can offer (after carrying on/off the job for over 10 years..) is ya gotta go with something comfortable in the hand. It needs to be an extension of your limb; not just some badass looking hunk of metal.

Also, if you are considering CCW; most of the weapons you tried will be too big to lug around and tuck comfortably.

[cigarmonkel]

Not interested in a CCW atm. When i do i'll look into a 2nd smalller gun compacts ect ect.

[St. Lou Stu]

Originally Posted by SteveH

Just want to put this out there....
Any reason why you are going w/a semi-auto ? Try a good quality S&W revolver....you'll love the trigger.
SW TRR8

I have to agree with the revolver... The new Smith 686s are sweet.
Nothing says stop like the report from a 357!
I own two 686s and I would pick either up before anything else. I can drive nails fro 75 yards and the feel is phenomenal.
Sure, the 'fun' factor is lacking a bit, but you could get a really nice weapon for well under your imposed $700 limit.
The versatility of being able to shoot some .38+P rounds on days when your wrist is feeling a bit weak is also nice.

I LOVE SMITH REVOLVERS!

Can ya tell?

[mfarre03]

I love my 1911 and was looking at the H&K USP until I held it, something just didn't feel right. I have to say that my buddies Springfield XD in .40 is a great pistol. This felt great in my hands and was light enough to carry.
If you aren't going to worry about carrying then I would look at a 1911 or something in a SIG. The Sig's are great pistols, you can usually find them used pretty reasonable. I love a good .45 but .40 would be good also.

I owned a Beretta 92 for a bit, it felt nice but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it, lol and 9mm, just too damn small :P

[Barcode]

You can change the grip Backstrap on the XDM.

"With our interchangeable backstraps, we've added another level of comfort. Personalize your grip by choosing one of three backstraps for a more custom fit."
http://www.the-m-factor.com/html/personlization.html

Edit:And the XD is 19 + 1 Magazine

[mfarre03]

Originally Posted by Barcode

http://www.the-m-factor.com/html/personlization.html

Edit:And the XD is 19 + 1 Magazine

Not in NYS anymore, freakin BS!!

[Barcode]

Originally Posted by mfarre03

Not in NYS anymore, freakin BS!!

Glad I left NY in 89

[Stevez]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm somewhat in the same camp as the originator of this thread. Not my first handgun, but my first model 1911. I have shot one and loved it and I want a solid new Model 1911 in the $1,000 to $1,500 range. Doesn't have to be that much, but I'm willilng to pay more for a gun with good accuracy. I'm not into the custom's or into competition at all. I have my conceal carry license but don't intend to carry much at all. Looking for a very accurate, steel, full size model 1911 for my price range. I'm leaning towards a Cold National Match in Stainless Steel, but they are incredibly hard to find. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Steve

[Remo]

Originally Posted by Stevez

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I'm somewhat in the same camp as the originator of this thread. Not my first handgun, but my first model 1911. I have shot one and loved it and I want a solid new Model 1911 in the $1,000 to $1,500 range. Doesn't have to be that much, but I'm willilng to pay more for a gun with good accuracy. I'm not into the custom's or into competition at all. I have my conceal carry license but don't intend to carry much at all. Looking for a very accurate, steel, full size model 1911 for my price range. I'm leaning towards a Cold National Match in Stainless Steel, but they are incredibly hard to find. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Steve

Again I am gonna rant about 1911's again (sorry), after being at the range yesterday with 2 co-workers who carry Kimber customs and watching their guns malfunction time and time again (they carry these to save their lives mind you) and my M&P just going and going without a hiccup (500 rounds or so) it boggles my mind that a $1,200 gun cannot work right. Anyways I do love 1911's and like to play with them, but if my life depended on it, and it does the M&P is the only choice for me.

[GTsetGO]

I have a walther p99. it's the nicest gun that i have shot to date. i love that fun

my concealed piece is a Springfield XD40 subcompact.

[MiamiE]

Glock 19 or 23.

[Stevez]

Thanks guys for the quick feedback. I'm going to have to look into the M&P for sure; I've heard great things about it, but I seem to have read early on some concerns about the safety being an issue. I'll see if I can rent one to shoot before I make up my mind. Thanks.

[GTsetGO]

thats the best thing to do. go to a range and put some rounds through as many guns as possible.

find what feels good to you and go with that. no sense in owning a gun that you don't like the feel of.

[MurphysLaw]

Originally Posted by Coach Deg

I have sig 226 and sig stainless 229 for the boat. Also have the sig 522 rifle. All great guns. Good video on YouTube sig to hell and back.

Good luck

I have a Sig 229 that I shoot way better than any other gun I've owned or carried. Sig makes a 1911 that looks awesome, but I recommend holding, manipulating, and shooting a variety of guns before investing a decent amount of money so you get what works best for you.