Your first handgun

Your First Handgun

Buying your first handgun can be a very difficult experience. First, there is the possible anxiety of actually buying a handgun. Second, there are so many choices available that it gets very confusing. Everyone you talk to will give you an opinion. The first question you have to ask is, what is the main purpose of the handgun going to be? If it’s self defense, than we must look at certain choices. If it’s going to be target shooting, then the choices are different. If the choice is hunting and you are new to the sport we would recommend starting with a rifle.

New handguns are a fairly expensive investment. However, unlike most things that you buy today, they hold their value. The low end of the handgun market is probably around $350 for a good quality weapon. Prices go up from there to over $1000. In the long run, if you’re looking at personal defense, the choice of weapon is not going to be as important as your commitment towards learning how to use it. A $1000 weapon that has never been shot by its owner is going to be a lot less effective in an emergency than a $250 revolver that the user is proficient at using.

Revolvers are generally cheaper than similar quality automatic pistols. The choice between a revolver and an automatic is a personal one. There is no reason a beginner cannot learn to use an automatic pistol as easily as a revolver. Many will recommend that you start off with a revolver and then grow into an automatic. This really is kind of illogical. Automatics are usually easier to shoot than revolvers. Their main drawback is that they are a bit more complex than a revolver. However, learning how to shoot a revolver does nothing to make the automatic pistol less complex. If you feel that an automatic pistol is your choice for personal defense don’t hesitate. The bottom line is that whether you buy a revolver or an automatic pistol they are lethal weapons. You have a responsibility to learn how to safely handle and shoot these weapons. If you’re going to buy a defensive handgun and put in the drawer and never learn how to use it, then just don’t.

In the hands of a trained user, either type of weapon will provide excellent personal protection. What matters most, given that a quality gun is purchased, is how it fits in your hand. Is it comfortable or awkward? Too big or too small? All of the guns recommended below come in various sizes. They are all good guns, but one of them is the one that's perfect for you. Go to several gun stores and just ask to hold several models. Try as many as possible and you will see the differences and find what works for you. Don't let the sales clerks push something on you that doesn't feel right and don't purchase anything at the first shop you visit. The clerks job is to sell guns and to sell the one that has the highest profit margin. Their opinion is biased, which is no different than the opinion of any sales person. You need to do research, read reviews and try them all out before deciding.

A beginner wanting a defensive weapon should chose a cartridge that is effective but that has minimum recoil. This allows you to learn how to shoot without having to fight the heavy recoil of larger rounds. Many people will recommend that a beginner start with a .22LR chambered handgun. If your goal is target shooting, that is an excellent choice. It is a cheap round that you can afford to practice a lot with. It is not a defensive round, by any means. For defensive use, we recommend either a .38 special/.357 magnum revolver or a 9mm or .40 S&W auto loading pistol. We recommend that you purchase a revolver in .357 magnum because you can learn to shoot the very mild .38 special but also shoot the very effective .357 magnum ammunition once you are trained. Ammunition for the .38 special and .9mm is about the cheapest there is for centerfire* handgun cartridges. This makes for inexpensive practice with the actual weapon you are going to bet your life on.

For an auto loading self defense pistol we recommend a double-action only model for beginners. This eliminates ever having the hammer of the pistol at full cock or the striker cocked. It eliminates the very light trigger of a fully cocked pistol which can be dangerous for a beginner. In a crisis situation the golden rule of firearms, don't put your finger on the trigger until ready to shoot, is likely to be forgotten as the adrenalin starts pumping and fear sets in. Having that short trigger pull is a recipe for a disaster for a novice shooter. The long and heavy double action pull will prevent you from making a mistake, that could be tragic, by making it very unlikely that you will accidentally pull the trigger out of stress and panic. Although excellent in the hands of a trained user, we consider the Glock pistols in the single action category and not recommended for a first time user.

Revolvers:
Here are some recommendations in .357 magnum/.38 special. There are other variants out there from these manufacturers like different barrel lengths and finishes. Blue finish is usually the least expensive. The 4 inch barrel is optimal for home use and allows a good sight radius when practicing. It also is a good compromise in .357 magnum providing good velocity and minimal muzzle blast as compared to shorter barrels. You can't go wrong with any of the major revolver manufacturers. They have been building these types of guns for a long time and they work.

Taurus Model 66 4 inch – An excellent entry level 7 shot revolver.

Ruger GP-100 4 inch – A very strong six shot revolver of premium quality.

Smith & Wesson 619 4 inch – A premium quality 7 shot revolver.

Auto Pistols:
The following 9mm pistols are easy to shoot and have very minimal recoil. Similar pistols chambered for the .40 S&W are also good candidates. Auto pistols have come a long way since the model 1911 and the Smith and Wesson 39 of the 1950's. Today's quality made guns feed almost any type of ammunition and rarely malfunction. You can't go wrong with brands like Beretta, CZ, Glock, Ruger, SIG, Smith and Wesson, Taurus and others.

CZ 75 Compact – 14 rounds of 9mm in a medium frame. A classic and extremely reliable pistol.

Beretta 92 series – 16 or 17 rounds (depending on model) large frame pistol as issued by the US military.

Ruger P95 series – A 10 or 15 round (depending on model) low cost pistol that always works.

Kel-Tec P11 – A 10 round very small frame 9mm low cost pistol. Ideal for concealed carry.

Target and fun-to-shoot pistols:
If your goal is just to purchase a handgun simply for the enjoyment of shooting, then the .22 long rifle rimfire* cartridge is the ideal starting point. The .22 LR is the cheapest ammunition you can buy, making it very affordable to shoot. There are many makes and models of .22 handguns for sale -- some as little as $100 and some costing thousands. Here are a couple of choices for a beginner:

Smith & Wesson 17 6 inch – The classic .22 revolver of the highest quality.

Ruger MK-II 6 inch – Probably the finest entry level auto pistol ever made.

* Rimfire cartridges have their priming compound around the rim of the one piece case. The firing pin of the weapon strikes anywhere on the rim to ignite the powder. Rimfire cartridges are always low powered very cheap to produce ammunition. Centerfire cartridges have a separate primer inserted in the middle of the base of the cartridge. They are usually re-loadable by replacing the primer and then reloading the case with fresh powder and bullet. The firing pin of a centerfire cartridge always strikes in the middle of the cartridge base. All high power handgun and rifle cartridges are centerfire.