First Pistol

I think the trigger on them is horrible and no gunsmith will touch it. They're cheap for a reason. I think it's worth the extra $ for an M&P or Glock.

Also, I think the best first pistol is one of the Ruger .22s. I may be slightly biased as I did just buy one as my first pistol a few months ago [wink]. You can't beat shooting all day for $12 in ammo.
 
Since nobody ever sticks up for Walthers I will. Don't buy anything until you at least hold a Walther P99. I would however avoid the compact model in .40 (its very snappy).
 
I am absolutely sold on my baby glock 357, but I do think that for a first pistol, you cant beat a Ruger that shoots 22. You will shoot all day, be happy AND save inflicting pain on your wallet. Move up from there, obviously.
 
I was thinking about buying a s&w sigma series. What do you guys think of them?---
I don't know anything about the S&W Sigma series as I'm not a fan of the "plastic" type handguns (just personal preference).

What may I ask are you planning to use your first handgun for and what have you shot so far?

Respectfully,

jkelly
 
Since nobody ever sticks up for Walthers I will. Don't buy anything until you at least hold a Walther P99. I would however avoid the compact model in .40 (its very snappy).

I agree, had a p99 .40 full size and sold it a few monhs back. Now I want it again.

Check out the walther p99, you see them used alot for just under 500 the m&p's are about that new and I think S&W has 50 rebate on them so its a good deal.
 
Since nobody ever sticks up for Walthers I will. Don't buy anything until you at least hold a Walther P99. I would however avoid the compact model in .40 (its very snappy).

dido! I had one and sold it ,missed it and got another one. great gun. I have the 9mm .The ammo is a little cheaper.[smile]
 
I am absolutely sold on my baby glock 357, but I do think that for a first pistol, you cant beat a Ruger that shoots 22. You will shoot all day, be happy AND save inflicting pain on your wallet. Move up from there, obviously.

I used to hate Glocks.

I absolutely friggin' hated them, until I shot one. Then it felt like what was missing from my hand. The little ones are the best. I have a G29 (10mm) which is my usual carry gun, as well as a G30 (.45 ACP). Because of the dual recoil spring, they have less recoil than the big Glocks.

That said, I agree on the Ruger .22 auto. If you get yourself a MKIII, you'll have an accurate gun that will last a lifetime and be cheap to shoot.

Youradolt,

From reading your other thread, I'm going to assume that you don't yet have a license; and when you get one, you won't be looking for a carry gun (being as how you're trying to get a permit in Brockton). If so, even though the Ruger is more dough than the S&W Sigma, you'll be able to shoot 300 rounds of .22LR for the price of about 50 9mm.

One other thing. Have you seen the "NES Members Forum" that's marked as Private? If you go here and spend $19, you'll be able to access that forum and you'll learn about two upcoming shoots.

These shoots are awesome. You'll get to meet about 100 people from here that will all be willing to let you try out their guns for free (although it's always appreciated if you bring a box or two of ammo). You don't need a permit, and it's not a competitive environment - so if you've never shot before, you're not going to look bad. Quite the opposite in fact because the people that attend these shoots like nothing better than to help new shooters.

I'm hosting a shoot at my club in July. Show up, and you can shoot anything I have.

I've met some of the best people here - people that I consider good friends. You should check it out.
 
I was thinking about buying a s&w sigma series. What do you guys think of them?

Why are you thinking that over, say, the M&P? With the M&P you can have the trigger worked if you want, which you can't on the sigma as I understand it.

Best choice is to shoot a bunch of stuff if you can.
 
I bought a sigma .40 cal for my first pistol. I absolutely hated it. They come with an 8lb trigger which for me was way too heavy. Every time I pulled the trigger, it was so stiff it would throw my aim off. After I found out that there was no replacement trigger available I sold it to buy a Glock 22 .40 cal. I loved that gun. It came stock with a 5 lb trigger and I quickly replaced it with a 3 lb. You can find tons of replacement parts and upgrades for Glocks. They are very easy to field strip and clean and upgrades are a breeze. Well worth the money.
 
I agree with getting a Ruger (or S&W) .22. Ammo costs alone justify one but they're a lot of fun regardless.

I have an M&P9 full size. It's a good gun but if you can afford it, consider a Sig P226 or P229 also. They cost more but you can get high cap mags and have a great trigger in SA mode.
 
I don't know anything about the S&W Sigma series as I'm not a fan of the "plastic" type handguns (just personal preference).

What may I ask are you planning to use your first handgun for and what have you shot so far?

Respectfully,

jkelly

i plan on using it for self defense an target practice.but so far i've shot a walter p22 , taurus 9mm, s&w 357 revolver, glock 22, i really liked the glock
 
Sigma SW9VE was my first. As stated before, the trigger sucks. I'd save up a little more and buy a better gun, or a higher quality used gun. Your going to want to buy a better gun down the road anyways.
 
Ya like the Glock? Well there you go! I agree with an earlier poster though, shoot as many as you can. And don't bother with a 1911, you'll hate it.[wink] Actually you'll just hate buying ammo for it.
 
I have the Sigma 9mm. It was my first handgun.

I like it. It's reliable... The trigger isn't that bad and it loosens up with use. You probably wouldn't want to use it for competition but I suspect that it is more than adequate for home defense and target practice.

I think you can get them for like $230 after the $50 rebate and you get 4 mags with it. (Two by rebate.)
 
Try S&W M&P

Try the M & P 9mm. Very easy gun to shoot with accuracy. It will help to build your confidence in shooting, ammo is reasonable and low maint.
 
Ya like the Glock? Well there you go! I agree with an earlier poster though, shoot as many as you can. And don't bother with a 1911, you'll hate it.[wink] Actually you'll just hate buying ammo for it.

well thats nice to know cause that gun was on my first to buy list
 
The are 2 problems with the 1911. 45ACP is expensive, and the trigger will spoil you for all other triggers.
 
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Newer handgunner here. Picked up a M&P.40 and am very pleased with it. Yes, the trigger pull is stout -- for its intended purpose, I've got no problem with that. The striker-fire action is very easy to get used to. And after some dry firing and a few sessions at the range, my single hand shooting is right on target, with both strong and support. I like that the M&P is simple to use, and points where I want it to with a very natural grip in my hand. I also like that the gun is both easy to use AND clean.

I've put enough rounds through that S&W to get comfortable with accurate follow-up shots, and I take it to the range often to stay familiar with it. That said, I don't find it to be a particularly "fun" gun to shoot. It's just that the M&P is such a functional, utilitarian piece of hardware. For "fun" shooting, I also have a Ruger Mark III that I've topped with a Bushnell Trophy red dot scope. Cost of ammo aside, the MKIII is just more enjoyable to shoot. It's fun and challenging to get on target at longer distances, and to experiment with different shooting methods. It can be used for target, plinking, and small game hunting. Cleaning it is a PITA compared to other guns, but that's a small price to pay for such an accurate and fun gun. My MKIII is the target model with bull barrel. Kinda wish I'd gone with the Hunter setup, but I'm very happy with what I've got.

With the M&P.40, I'm focusing on quick target acquisition and accurate shot placement. It's not a "bulls-eye" type of gun for me. If you're into competitive shooting (something I'm contemplating), it may be more fun to use. But then, there are a lot more options to choose from. For that type of shooting, I'd want a 1911-style gun.

In retrospect, I think I probably should've held off for the compact M&P. The compact's capacity is the same (in MA), and its size more easily carried. Seems to me, the compact is just a more versatile option for my needs and uses. The full grip of my standard sized M&P surely helped me to get used to shooting though. With what I have invested in now, I've got two guns that allow me a lot of shooting options. Of course I want (need?) more, but I'm covered for now. A 1911 and snubby will find me eventually...
 
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I think the full size is the way to go starting out. Shooting the compact accurately is MUCH harder. It's hard work to not develop a flinch if you start shooting the compact. I bought an M&P compact, but it mostly sits in the safe. I've found that concealing a full size gun (my BHP) really isn't that much harder. A good belt is absolutely critical.
 
You might want to consider one of the semi auto pistols for which .22 conversion kits are available. Kits are available for Glock,Taurus,Beretta,Browning Hi Power,and the 1911's. There may be others but I'm not aware of any.
 
(although it's always appreciated if you bring a box or two of ammo).

It is illegal to buy or possess ammo in MA without a license, so please don't do that unless you get one.

Also, it is illegal to 'sell' ammo without a permit, so don't try to 'buy' any at the shoots.

However, buying a guy a soda, or even lunch if you shoot a lot from his gun is allowed.

I don't mind letting anyone try a few rounds. I don't think anyone here would balk at that for the most part. Most shooters I know are very generous.

You don't need a permit, and it's not a competitive environment - so if you've never shot before, you're not going to look bad. Quite the opposite in fact because the people that attend these shoots like nothing better than to help new shooters.

Yes, you can attend a shoot without a license as long as a licensed person is watching you.

And fun shoots are all about having fun, not worried about how well you do. A great time to try out different things. Then again, it's also a great way to plan the demise of your kid's college fund. (^_^)

Seriously, you might want to make the effort to try before you buy.
 
The first semi-auto handgun I fired was a Sig P229 9mm. Loved it to death. I think it will be my first handgun, hopefully by the end of '08.
 
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