Best semiautos for someone that's starting the hobby?

[quickcanary]

Let me first say hi to everyone. I decided to register here because it looks like one of the more active forums for handguns -- I do not know much at this point in time but like any other hobby I've pursued, I'm eager to learn.

I'm looking at buying my first handgun. I don't have a lot of experience with firearms and want to look into a solid semiauto that's not overkill for a beginner. My criteria so far:

• Reliable
• Accurate
• Relatively easy to break down and clean (ease of maintenance)

I'm sure there are more that I haven't thought of yet. There are probably many semiautos that would fit the bill, but I'd like some guidance so that I can make as wise and informed a purchase as possible.

My GF's father took us to a local shooting range on Saturday so that we could get some experience with a handgun before our upcoming class this Saturday. I had a blast and knew right then that I'd probably end up purchasing a handgun in the foreseeable future. He brought his S&W 9mm and a little .22 revolver folder that was obviously meant to carry in a purse or something similar. I turned out to be the best shot that day and like I said, it was extremely fun. I definitely want to do some more shooting. A lot more!

I don't want to get in a rush so I'm not going to buy anything in the immediate future; I definitely want to take the class first even though I know the general basics of gun safety. The instructor is a policeman and is supposed to bring a few handguns from his personal arsenal for the class to try out. I'm sure I'll get more of a feel for what I like then, but in the meantime I'd like some suggestions on a nice solid semiauto that would be a great starting point to what might eventually turn into a collection of my own. Something that I wouldn't want to move up from immediately and would still be a viable handgun when I'm ready to move on to something else. I've heard great things about Sig, HK, and Glock, although I realize that a huge part of it is personal preference and each handgun will have its quirks, just as every manufacturer probably has certain models that are regarded as being great firearms.

I remember reading that some people suggest that a beginner start out with a revolver since they are simpler in operation and a good starting point. I don't know if that's the general rule of thumb or just that persons opinion, but I enjoyed the semiauto so much that I can honestly say I probably wouldn't be satisfied with a revolver for long and would probably end up buying a semiauto rather quickly. Aside from that, I believe my father owns a .38 (or maybe .357) that I'm sure I can use whenever I'd like.

On Saturday, we'll be bringing the S&W 9mm to the class, as well as a .40 that he did not bring to the range on Saturday. I'm not sure what brand it is.

I was also told today that someone at work has a Glock 9mm for sale with very few rounds through it. It was purchased when the owner was a police officer, and he changed careers shortly thereafter. I think he's looking to get around $350 for it and supposedly it's like new. He is willing to let me look at it--anything I should check for if it ends up being a possible purchase consideration?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, and as I'm new to the forum I apologize if there's already a guide or FAQ for this sort of thing. I'm sure there are bound to be dozens of people in a similar position every day who might be asking the same question.

[HardcoreHehaw]

A couple things we need to know before we start suggesting makes or models.
1) What is your budget?
2) What do you want the gun for? Self defense, Concealed Carry or just plain target shooting?

I was in the same boat as you a few months ago, didn't know where to go just knew i wanted a gun and wanted to get into the sport.
My advice to you would be to get your hands on every possible gun you can, get a feel for it, a gun that you think is perfect because you read a lot about it and seems right not might fit your hands right. It happened to me and i'm glad i held the gun before I bought it.
Also if at all possible go to the range and rent guns that you are thinking about purchasing. My local range charges a $9 to rent any gun they have, and you only have to pay it once and can rent 20 guns if you want.
Also I would suggest if money is any kind of a restriction that you go with a smaller calliber gun, i'm not saying get a .22 but a 9mm is a cheap round that packs enough punch that you could feel safe using for self defense if you ever needed to.

[HappyGunner]

The Smith&Wesson MPs are quality handguns. Glocks are also quality. I like the H&K Compacts only real problem with them is their high price.

[NCHornet]

I agree with the try as many as you can theory, but if this Glock is in decent shape I would jump all over it quick for $350, you can always sell it if Glocks aren't for you. One of the reason why folks recommend Revolvers for first self defense guns is the lack of levers and buttons to confuse. The Glock is one of the simplest semi out there, point and shoot just like a revolver, although you do have a mag release and slide release, but no saftey to worry about. The Glock makes a good SD gun and a plinker, so do many other guns but seriously if it is in Good shape grab it. He may have some holsters and other goodies for it. Good Luck, and welcome to the wonderful world of firearms!!

[rgillis]

First of all WELCOME

IMHO the Glock you mentioned whether it is a Glock 17 or 19 would be a great choice to start with. I would also agree with the previous poster concerning the Smith & Wesson M&P's. I had an opportunity to shoot the 9mm service model and I was very impressed, so much so, that I will be purchasing a M&P compact very soon.

[quickcanary]

OK...the first gun I purchase will be mainly for plinking around at the range until I'm very comfortable handling a firearm; therefore I want something that won't break the bank if I want to unload a few clips every week (like a DE, lol). For shooting at the range I was thinking a 9mm might be a good choice, but as always I'm open to suggestions. I'll probably eventually want to get my CC permit (for self defense purposes) and, as it's purpose won't be strictly for target practice, I'll probably want something with a bit more stopping power. Not necessarily a .45, maybe a .40, but I've read that a .40 cal is a pretty high pressure round and if I went that route I'd definitely want a gun that could handle the strain and pressure of that over time.

So let's take one thing at a time...budget? I'm prepared to spend upwards of $400-$500, maybe higher if the gun is a worthy purchase. I'm not really sure what I should expect to spend. If I need to be looking in the $750-$850 range then so be it--I'll either stretch my budget or try to find a nice used one in my price range. I don't know that I should spend $800 on a gun that'll be mainly used for practicing, but if that's simply what it costs to get into the sport then I'm probably willing to go there. I'm going out on a limb here but there are probably guns for every budget...I just don't think that I should be looking in the $1k+ range until I get more firmly rooted in the sport and can make more informed decisions myself.

I assumed the standard advice would be to just try and shoot as many guns as I can get my hands on; I'm sure everyone has their own preferences for fit/finish/trigger pull and the only way I can find out what I like is to shoot different guns. Of course I like the S&W 9mm that I shot, because I was fairly accurate with it and it's the only semiauto I've ever used -- I don't have anything to compare it to.

Like I said, there should be more guns present on Saturday for me to try out. I really hope he has an XD, as I am consistently reading great things about those and would love to get one in my hands. I'll see if my local club has any guns that I can rent. If there are any members in my area that would be willing to meet up on a weekend, that would be awesome.

[BillCA]

QC,

Welcome to TFL and your first post. You're obviously heading into this with some enthusiasm and a good attitude which is good.

You're correct that the traditional teaching method calls for starting out with a revolver. Mostly this is because the wheelgun is simpler to use and it allows teaching the fundamentals of trigger control, sight alignment, breathing and overall marksmanship. Typically novices are started out in single-action mode, cocking the hammer each time, until they grasp the basics of using the trigger and aligning the sights. You "graduate" to the harder double-action mode for quicker shooting while still using the sights.

There's nothing "wrong" with starting on a good quality semi-auto pistol. Conventional wisdom, however, suggests you practice marksmanship and the basics first, which is not always practical with some semi-autos.

One crucial factor to shooting well is how a pistol fits your hand. You should be able to grip the pistol comfortably, with the first pad of your finger on the trigger without stretching and maintain your grip with the gun forming a natural extension of your forearm in a straight line. You need to be able to reach & manipulate the safety easily, as well as squeeze the trigger all the way through without shaking the gun like a salt shaker.

If I were to recommend a type of pistol for a novice, I'd suggest starting with a single-action style pistol that requries the hammer to be cocked before firing. This allows you to concentrate on trigger, sights and marksmanship first without complicating things with a double-action or self-cocking trigger squeeze. Typically, the triggers on these guns are much better than SA/DA pistols. Suggested guns might include:
A 1911 type - Springfield, Colt, S&W, Rock Island, Para-Ordinance
Hi-Power - Browning, FM or Charles Daly

If you're really fond of the double-action 9mm pistol, these can be operated in single-action mode to get the basics covered and then you can move on to firing the first round double-action. There are plenty of guns to choose from and you'll have to find one that fits your hand the best. Popular choices are;
S&W 9mm series (39, 439, 39xx, 49, 659, 69xx, M&P)
Cz Series (Cz P01, Cz75, Cz85)
Springfield XD-9 series
Beretta (92, 96, Cougar)
H&K (P2000, USP)

The 9mm cartridge is currently fairly inexpensive when compared to .40 S&W and .45 ACP ammo, plus its recoil is easier to get used to compared to the bigger bores.

You'll find a lot of folks here on TFL ready to give you their opinion of what makes a good 9mm pistol. All you need to do is ask.

Oh, the coworker's Glock. I, personally, don't recommend the Glock as a first pistol as the Glock "Safe Action" trigger often makes transitioning to other pistols a little more difficult and the lack of an external safety requires more diligence with trigger discipline. But there is nothing wrong with a Glock as a first gun if you are a careful gun handler.

[hodaka]

I think the $350 Glock is not that bad of a place to start. Granted, as Bill mentioned, the trigger is different than most others but since you do not have a lot of experience with other triggers, it probably will not make much of a difference. I would typically recommend someone starting with a .22, like most everyone else has (I imagine), but the recoil of a 9mm in something like a Glock is not hard to handle. With the Glock, you are getting $50-100 in built in equity so you are ahead if you decide to switch to something else. Welcome to a great sport. You will get a lot of opinions and most people at the range will offer trials of their pistols, especially if you have the ammo.

And don't be convinced that a 9mm does not have stopping power, but that is a whole subject in itself.

[HardcoreHehaw]

Well i don't know why I bothered trying to make a decent effort to help you find the right gun, if everyone is just gonna throw out names because they own one and like it....
So in that case, get a sig p220 equinox, its the best pistol ever....

[quickcanary]

Well I certainly appreciate the warm welcome and suggestions. Thankfully this appears to be a friendly site; hopefully there aren't too many childish arguments that seem to plague other forums. Everyone here has different firearms but it appears that you can appreciate others' tastes which is conducive to an atmosphere that's free from hostility.

Thanks for taking the time to post your replies, I definitely appreciate it. I'm sure I'll have more questions after the class; after talking to a couple of guys at work today it appears that they're willing to show off their toys and give me the opportunity to play with them as well.

It looks like the Ruger MKII or MKIII would be a great starting plinker, so I'm going to look into those. What exactly are the main differences between the Sig P226 and P229? Those are great-looking guns IMO, and if they shoot as nice as they look I definitely wouldn't mind owning one eventually. I also like the fact that the P226 appears to be versatile with the ability to use 9mm, .357, and .40 ammo.

[Houndog]

Surprised no one mentioned the SIG 226, but you seem to have discovered it on your own. I think this would definitely be a model to consider. Gun is extremely well made, extremely reliable, extremely accurate and fairly easy to learn how to use. It's going to be a little more than you want to spend if you're budget is $500. If money is really an issue, you might either buy used from gunshop, someone one one of these boards, etc, or get a CPO gun (basically a used Sig that's been reconditioned by the factory).

BTW - its my understanding that while the 226 comes chambered in 9mm, 40 and 357, only the 40 and .357 can be alternated by changing barrels. In other words you can turn your .40 into a .357 or vice versa, but the 9mm can only be a 9mm. Having said that, I would go with 9mm as you're first gun. Cheaper ammo, and slightly less recoil will make it easier to shoot and less likely that you will develop the dreaded shooter's flinch.

Of course, ultmimately the best thing to do is for you to try a bunch of different models and get what appeals to you most. I started out with a 226 after trying Glocks, HK's and Sigs, and am still partial to the SIGs and just don't like Glocks. Other people are exactly the opposite and prefer the Glock. SIG, Glock, HK, S&W, Berretta, etc all make fine guns, so it really comes down to your budget and personal preference.

[Agios]

I would pick up that Glock and then for another $150 or so find a nice used Ruger or Browning 22. I would consider that a great start!

[Oz_Shadow]

I highly suggest finding a CPO - Certified Pre-Owned - Sig Sauer pistol, either a P229, P239 or a P226. Try the feel out at a store.

CPO's can be had for around $500. These are basically new pistols that Sig Sauer has completely redone. You will find it hard to tell the difference between one of these and a brand new one and they come with a warranty.

Sigs are extremely accurate out of the box, very reliable, and just great period.

They are easily the best bang for your buck right now.

Most all can be had in 9mm, 40, and .357 sig.

[Oz_Shadow]

The P226 is a bit bigger. The 229 in a tad smaller and my preference. The 239 is even smaller and usually people get different grips to suit their preference in the 239.

The 40 and 357 P229 can be converted to either 40, 357 or 9. The 9mm P229 cannot convert. I am not sure about the P226.

The 229 is more suitable for carry than the 226, and the 239 is even more suitable.

Sigs shoot excellent.

[BoneDigger]

Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are asking the right questions, and getting some good responses. Understand that people tend to lean towards THEIR favorites so you'll get a lot of different answers. Here's mine, for what it's worth...

Don't overlook the Ruger P series. I would suggest a 9mm, since ammo is cheap. Something along the lines of a P89 or P95 could be gotten used in the $250-300 price range, and these are some of the most dependable and fun guns to shoot that can be found anywhere. Get one with a safety and a decocker, and you'll have a great range gun. They are not, however, good guns for CC.

If you were to want a polymer gun, I would probably recommend the Beretta PX4 Storm since it has a manual safety. Until you can get used to your gun, I would recommend the manual safety. However, as you probably know, you should treat all guns as if they were ready to fire. Don't DEPEND on the safety.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

Todd

[SIGSHR]

Were I starting out fresh in handgun shooting, I would look long and hard at
one of the full size CZ pistols AND their .22 Cadet Unit. That way you have the .22 for practice, practice, practice and the centerfire pistol, since the
controls on both are identical transitioning to the centerfire should be much
easier. If you are looking at an M1911, either a Colt or a copy, I recommend the Ciener unit.

[JerryS1]

All the suggestions here have been really good. It really comes down to your personal preference. I would suggest trying to get something that would cover as many needs as possible including price, accuracy, reliability, concealability. Something that you can use as a target plinker but can also adapt to CCW if you later choose to go that route. Most CCW pistols aren't your best target plinkers.

My suggestions would be G19, CZ P01, Sig CPO 229 (depends on your frame whether or not you can conceal it but it's a great gun).

Just my 2 cents.

Jerry

[The Law]

FWIW. My first two guns were Sigs. YMMV.

[HardcoreHehaw]

If you are noticing a lot of votes for Sig Sauer, it is for a reason

I can easliy say that the best gun that I have ever shot was a sig p220.
Everything about it was spectacular.. it is accurate, reliable, comfortable, and very pretty. I have the equinox.

Second would be the H&K USP Compact followed by the fullsize, yea I prefer the compact.

Than in 4th place would be my walther p99.

[quickcanary]

OK, I should be able to take a look at the Glock tomorrow. Whether it's a G17 or G19, for the price it sounds like I probably can't go wrong if he's being straight with me about the history of it. If I think he's trying to get rid of a lemon, needless to say I'll steer clear of it. But if it's legit, at that price I should be able to snag a solid 9mm and have funds left over if I want to pursue a .22 or .40/.45 cal. I'll let you all know what happens if I'm indeed able to check it out.

My next choice would probably be a Sig 226/229 just based on my preference of the style, along with the fact that they are supposed to be extremely accurate and reliable from the factory which were two of my original criteria for choosing a gun. The 229 is obviously more compact, but is there something to be said for a gun with a shorter barrel being less accurate? It may be simply a matter of adjusting to the different barrel length, but I've always heard that the longer the barrel = a more accurate weapon (thus why the "Dirty Harry" style guns and rifles are commonly said to be more accurate than a compact). The .22 revolver that I shot on Saturday had an extremely short barrel, and none of us could hit ANYTHING with it, even when moving up to the line closest to the targets. It was pretty embarassing, as I expected to at least hit something out of 6 rounds through it after having a pretty good percentage with the 9mm, but I'm sure with more practice I'd be shooting better with the .22.

I'm kind of surprised that no one has really said much about the HK USPs. I like the look of those also...is it simply a matter of there being better handguns in that price range? (edit: while I was writing this, Hardcore coincidentally mentioned a USP )

Also -- and I know this is a question that only a noob would ask -- but what classifies a gun as a 1911? Style, caliber, action, etc?

[CarbineCaleb]

I remember reading that some people suggest that a beginner start out with a revolver since they are simpler in operation and a good starting point. I don't know if that's the general rule of thumb or just that persons opinion, but I enjoyed the semiauto so much that I can honestly say I probably wouldn't be satisfied with a revolver for long and would probably end up buying a semiauto rather quickly.

That might be true, certainly there are people that prefer one to the other.

In my opinion, from a functional perspective, the practical advantages of a semiauto are:

• higher capacity
• faster reloading from a preloaded magazine
• if single action, lighter trigger in rapid fire (revolvers must be cocked manually to fire single action, a bit slower)

In my opinion, from a functional perspective, the practical advantages of a revolver are:

• greater reliability - no failures to feed or failures to eject are possible
• simpler/faster recovery after a failure to fire - just pull the trigger a second time
• both smoother and faster reloading from a box of cartridges
• no shell casings flying in your face/down your shirt, or to pick up at the range
• lighter trigger in mid-to-slower speeds than a DAO semiauto by cocking hammer
• no chance for confusion/delays in a defense situation regarding either the safety position, or if a round is chambered - if it's loaded, it's ready to go
• it may not matter to you, but a single revolver will handle a much greater variety of load powers than a single semiauto, because it doesn't rely on delicate balances of recoil spring tension and slide recoil momentum for proper operation
• although it won't matter for you, they are the only real choice for hunting anything other than small game, because they handle more powerful rounds
• it's probably a bit safer to handle, due to the reduced ambiguity as to whether or not it will fire
• no chance to have hand cracked/cut by the slide if your grip is too high

That doesn't mean revolvers are 'better' or even that you in particular will like them better, but I wouldn't write them off if you haven't tried them.

If you're set on a semiauto - nothing wrong with those either and some nice intro guns to me would be a Smith & Wesson M&P in 9mm or a Glock 17 (also 9mm). Both are high quality, fairly inexpensive and robust guns.

[Oz_Shadow]

Don't worry about the 229 barrel. It will put the bullet exactly where you point it. It becomes a question of how steady can you hold it and maintain the exact sight picture. You will find in most cases, Sig pistols are more accurate than you are.

[9x19]

Keep in mind that the Glock can wear a .22 conversion kit (I prefer the Advantage Arms models) and allow for very cheap practice... and a whole lot of fun!

The Glock is an excellent weaponm IMO.

[hodaka]

QC,

A 1911 refers to John Browning's famous .45 ACP (mostly) pistol. The standard US military firearm until a few years ago. Last year, in deciding between a 1911 and a Sig 220, I went with a S&W 1911. I don't think there was a wrong choice between the two but I didn't have a 1911. A 1911 is a great firearm and you will want to add one to your collection one day. For now, I think your plan to buy the Glock and add a .22 (I suggest a Ruger MKII) is solid. BTW- I don't think Glock, Sig, Beretta, H&K or Ruger turn out many lemons.

[robctwo]

I bought the CZ75BD and the Kadet Kit back in 2002. 9mm and .22 with the change of the slide and magazine. Great gun. The Kadt kit will soot with any of the mid level stand alone .22s, and with the kit you get the same trigger pull and gun weight with both the slides. I think you can get a good CZ75 for around $450 and the Kadet Kit for around $300. Look on Gun Broker or Guns America.

Welcome aboard. This sport is addicting.