Hand gun?

Wife got me a gift card to buy a gun and I want to get a hand gun that I can carry. I’ll be honest that I don’t currently own a gun and has been a long time since I’ve used one. With all the craziness in the world, it’s time to protect myself and my family.

With that being said, what guns should I look at. Really big on a Glock, but what else?

I appreciate any input as I know there are a lot of gun owners in the group. Thanks!

-Wes

 

Springfield Xd is a very reliable gun

 

I have a Beretta Nano that will one day be my everyday carry when I get a day to take the course. Also, been eying the Springfield XD-S 9mm.

 

Big fan of the Springfield XD. The XDS would be good for conceal carry.

 

Go to a range and rent ones you think you would want to buy. Or go with someone that has and test them out before buying. That way you will get what feels right in your hands.

 

I have the nano with extended 8 round mag. Check that. “Had” a nano. Lost it in boating accident.

 

One of the best defense handguns in IMO is a Taurus Judge or S&W Governor. 410 defense ammo does some nasty damage. You don't have as may rounds, but you wont need them

 

When you CC, consider the size, you want something small enough to easily conceal. Also, You want to consider what kind of "knock down power" yoiu want. I've carried Springfield XD,and a Glock 26. The XD was ok, but a little too awkward for my liking. The Glock was a stagger stack,so that was too bulky for me too. My current carry, and so far my favorite is my Ruger LC9s... Just my opinion, but I've reviewed and carry a bunch, and my preference is this... Good luck with your search.

 

The most popular carry pistol by professionals is the Glock 19. This is world wide. The aftermarket for Glock is larger than any other firearm. The reliability of any of the large manufacturers polymer pistols is way higher than you will ever need to worry about.
Like the above statement said, your best bet is to go rent several that you are curious about and see which one YOU like the most. Not the salesman. Not the Internet. Not your friend who has brand x. Your brain, eyes and grip complete the triangle and yours is different than mine. So if I love the Glock but you like the M&P, than so be it. Get the one that feels most comfortable to you and your body type. Don’t fall for any marketing hype or the salesman’s pitch.
Any polymer will outlast you considering your statement on how often you use it. Please let me know what other questions you have.

 

LC9 is my other fav. Trigger could use a shorter reset tho.

 

+1 for go to a range that rents weapons to try out. What works best for your eyes and hands may not be what works best for mine. This question is like who's Tundra is better. You'll never get the answer until you find it. A 9mm is just as deadly as a .500 s&w in the right hands. Personally, I like the .40 XD sub compact, the G23, and my Sig229... all shoot different, but I'm most accurate with the XD.

 

He is brand new to pistols and does not need to worry about trigger reset or anything at this point.
He needs a pistol and some training only.

 

True. But should be aware of it as he considers different hand guns.

 

I'm looking at the Kimber Micro after Christmas. Its a shrunk down model of my favorite 1911... Again, just preference. Go to a reputable higher end range. Those will let you rent theirs... if not, go to a Bass Pro Shop, their gun counter is huge. You can get a hand on just about every burner on the market, under one roof. But do your own homework, don't rely on the clown behind the counter to know everything about every gun they sell. See which ones feel good, make note of your favorite 3, go home and do some internet searching on all of them. Narrow it down that way.

 

Also a thing to keep in mind, every "gun expert" in the world likes to pound away behind their keyboards on the internet. There's insurmountable amounts of BS and arguments over who/what/when/where/why is better for the zombie apocalypse or for shooting the guy that stoles your wife's purse. You can say you like the look of X gun and find thousands of people crapping on it, 98% of which probably only don't like it because they had a friend that saw one once in a gun show on a magazine stand with Jesus holding it...

Real life handling, training, and practice is the only real answer! A good handgun safety course is a great way to handle and shoot a variety of weapons without a large expense as well!

 

This right here!





I'm currently looking at a Sig P238 personally. Currently carry a Kahr 380

 

Wes, the best handgun is the gun you feel most comfortable with. All of the above mentioned will do the job, but it's what's best for you. Just like Jose mentioned, look at the one's that feel good in the hand and go to the range. I also took into account the breakdown of the firearm for cleaning and inspection. Good luck

 

I love the Springfield XD line, XDS is nice, the Trigger is a lot better in the XDM and heard good things about the MOD 2

 

Thanks for all the info and everyone is right. I do need to check them all out, but I do like hearing people’s own experience with different brands.

I have a real close friend who has worked in law enforcement and so is a huge fan of Glock. I’ve held it and feels good but would probably need the pinky extension.

He told be about the Glock 43 9mm, which is smaller and a single stack mag so it’s good for carry. Again, I’d have to check it out before just buying.

 

Yup.

Also, make sure it feels right tucked away. If it's uncomfortable tucked away there'll be times when you won't carry.

Do you feel you need a larger weapon with 15 rounds? Compact with 6? Extra mags?

Personally, I don't like a bunch on crap on me or in my pockets. I carry a Walther PPS (1st Gen cuz I'm a lefty and like the paddle style mag release) in the thinnest kydex holster I could find. It's unobtrusive and doesn't feel uncomfortable when I carry so, I'm more likely to have it on me.

Also, depending on what mag I'm carrying, I can have between 7-9 rounds in the weapon and another 6-8 in my pocket, if I choose to. If I'm shorts and a t-shirt I most likely will not have an extra mag on me so I'll go with the 8+1.

 

You can't go wrong with Glock. I shot the 42 & 43. There nice and simple breakdown. I shot the XDS, Ruger, and Walther. Walther PPS M2 won for me.

 

The point of me buying a conceal carry pistol is to carry it as much as possible. I have learned I am more likely to carry more often if the pistol is small and light. I have a few small pistols but my conceal carry pick is a Glock 42, with that said, that doesn't mean it's right for you.

If you plan to carry often, the price of a quality holster should be included in your budget.

I have been through a few, my favorite at the moment is a Black Arch Ace.

 

Lots of good info here. As many have suggested, if you can, go to a shop or range that will let you shoot before you buy. A local shop here allows up to 5 guns to try for $25 and will put that money towards the purchase price if you choose to buy one. For 4 years I've carried a Springfield XDs 9mm, prior to that a Kahr CM9 and occasionally a Ruger SP101 revolver. I Love my XDs, it fits me, I shoot it well and shoot it well fast. I like the Kahr but never was proficient with it and that didn't make me confident carrying it, although I did for several years. I personally ruled out Glock because of all of the ones I've shot none of them fit me very well. The 43 might be different though, I haven' t shot one yet. Glock, Springfield, SIG and Ruger all have some great guns but they all feel different to different folks. Single stack guns are great for concealment but know going in that smaller isn't always better and smallish, short barreled, short sight radius guns do take some getting used to. Whatever your choice, make sure it fits you, that you're comfortable shooting it and can shoot it accurately at a defensive distance. Some other things to consider if you're going for a carry gun is that a good quality holster and a belt meant to support the extra weight make a huge difference between carrying and carrying confidently and comfortably. A concealed carry course is also a good idea. Not just one that teaches gun safety but one that explains the rules and laws and how they apply to you when you're armed.

 

S&W M&P Shield. I carry the 9mm, no safeties. Also in .40 S&W or .45 caliber. Your choice

 

I can’t tell you what to buy. I can tell you what i do.

9mm- fast follow ups, bullet technology has come Long way.

Hot summers: Springfield XDs 3.3” which is small single stack. (7-8rds) I find that this handgun hides easy on my body type. Always with me Law permitting.

Colder weather or long x-country drives:
HK VP9 15 rds. Wearing heavier or more clothes it’s easier to hide. Long rides with 4 mags just warms my heart! Lol

I buy what i will carry. No sense having a gun that is uncomfortable to carry or difficult to hide. (It will end up at home when i need it)

My $0.02.

Best of luck and go shoot a lot!

Merry Christmas
-NoMoTaco

 

I have many handguns. Glock, sig, cz, hk. If I could only keep one it would be the glock G19.

 

If you can go try some out that'd be your best bet. Get what feels best to you. If you like Glocks I'd also check out the Springfield XD-S series (as others have said). They're striker-fired polymer framed and are extremely reliable. It's usually a toss-up on whether people prefer Glock or XD grips.

Either way, have fun shopping and congrats on your Christmas gift!

 

I carry guns that are used as tools and are similar in operation if not the same. Glock 26, Glock 35. But for constant concealed carry year round in all temperatures I use a Ruger LCR in .38 5 shot in a DeSantis front pocket holster. So all are 4-6 pound triggers, and all pull the trigger right out of the holster.