OT: Side Arm Purchase

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Since I have never personally purchased a gun I have what might be a dumb question.



Obvisously I know never to point a gun at someone (without a damn good reason) and you don't put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to use it.



So how do you know if you like the way it fires without actually firing it? If I go into a shop and look at several guns how do I decide if I like how they feel?



Coastie: That is a great offer, and I appriciate it but I'm not totally comfortable with it so Thanks anyways :)
 
I have a Taurus PT-111 9mm. Night sights, a bit smaller than most 9mm's so it's easier to conceal, and has a plastic body so it's light. Also has a built-in child lock.



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There is concealed carry info here-----V
 
Based on your experience I think my Sig would be too much for you at this point. It is a serious weapon and has substantial kick for its size.



The Glock is better for handling purposes but does have issues as far as the over-all safety of it.



You need to go to a shop that sells guns and has a range. They will have test weapons for you to fire. It is the only way to get the feel of the weapons since your not too familiar with them....



Best of luck to you..
 


Coastlejoe is right. If you don't have friends/family that own weapons, find a range that will allow you to test fire weapons before you purchase them. I know in Georgia, Bullseye will allow you to do this. If you go to a range, many people will allow you to fire their personal weapons and will tell you what they like/dislike about them.



Taurus is a decent manufacture. I don't hear about two many people having problems with them. Ruger is reliable and inexpensive. I own several Rugers. Most Rugers have larger frames though.



My sister lives next door to me and I did a lot of research before I bought her a weapon. My research seems to point towards a revolver for women. Research showed people in a panic don't remember to pull the side back to chamber a round. Most people recommended a revolver. I bought her a feather weight lady edition Smith and Wesson .38 +p. It weights nothing, is easy to use, and packs quite a punch. Cost me $600 but I can't pry it out of her hands. She carries it everywhere. (Everyone in my family has a CCW)



Springfield, Glock, Ruger, Colt, Taurus, and Beretta all make good pistols in your price range.



Kimber, Sig, and H&K all make great pistons but are a little pricey.



Whatever you decide, send me an email and I can tell you exactly what you should pay for any weapon you purchase.





 
The trade off on size/barrel length is accuracy correct? For personal protection and sport shooting is a subcompact (3") too small?
 


I would say a 3" barrel is fine as long as the gun is of good quality.



I can hit 6" targets at 40 yards with my Sig p239 pretty easily. It has a 3.6" barrel. Of course, with my Ruger 357 w/ 8" barrel it is a lot easier.



My experience has been that the shorter barrels seem less accurate due to WEIGHT and not barrel length. For me, it is harder to keep consistent shots with a lighter gun. I prefer heavy, metal guns.



Most important is to Practice, Practice, Practice.



 
I carried a Ruger 357 revolver for years and bought a Glock 19 about 3 years ago. I really like it. True, the safety system is different from most auto's but since I was used to a revolver, the Glock's trigger system was a much easier transition for me. Most people seem to go for the 40 cal because they say it has more stopping power but with a 15 round clip I think that's a moot point. Unfortunately I believe Cho proved that at Virginia Tech.
 
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I carry a GLOCK 26. I don't carry with one in the chamber as I feel safer this way. As my experience and confidence grow I may begin to carry 'ready to fire'.
 
JD, first off, I highly recommend you research California's gun laws at packing.org. Depending on where you are going to be, it may be nearly impossible to get a carry permit. In the more rural counties, you have a much better chance.



As far as caliber choice, for any of the centerfire pistol cartridges, 9mm and up, the weight of the gun is going to be the most important factor in how you perceive recoil. 9mm recoil in a 2 pound gun is easily tolerated by most shooters. 9mm recoil in a 1 pound gun...many people want to put it down after the first shot.



And, of course, if you plan to carry it, weight represents exactly the opposite trade off. A 1 pound gun is not much of a burden. A 2 pound gun can feel like an anchor at times, if it's on your belt with certain types of clothing.



I know you said you want a semi-auto, but if you have to be a "one gun" family and that means comfortable shooting for your wife, as well as ability to carry an effective self-defense weapon, I highly recommend a moderate weight .357 Magnum 5 shot revolver with a 3" barrel, such as a S&W model 60 (link below). You and your wife can shoot 38 special wadcutters for practice and load it with 38 special +P or 357 magnum hollow points for self-defense. Yeah, I know it's not as cool looking as the popular semi-auto, but it's effective, very easy to shoot, accurate, and versatile in ways that a 9mm (or 40S&W) isn't.

 
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With all these responses I would have thought someone would have steered you toward a 1911. It is the top choice for ISPC and Bullseye competition and almost all custom pistolsmiths learn on them. There is more aftermarket parts avalible for a 1911 than any other pistol. You can get it in 45 acp,10mm, 40s&w, 9mm, 38 super and even 22lr with a conversion kit. I would really encourage you to get a 22 first to learn on. It will make you a much better shot. Only after you start to get good with the 22 should you move up to a centerfire pistol. Then if you decide on a semi auto instead of a revolver, the 1911 takes a back seat to none of the other ones mentioned.
 
Red, I think it's because most quality 1911's start at the top of his price range and go quickly up from there, particularly the compact and carry versions. And those won't solve the recoil issue, either. And, the 1911 is made to be carried "locked and cocked," which makes it not a good choice for a first time carry gun.



Plus, he's still gonna need a good holster, not to mention ammo to practice with. I don't think a 1911 is the right place to start to fill all the needs he listed.



 
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I have a Sig P220 (.45 caliber) and love it. It was my dad's baby, but since he got a pacemaker, he can't shoot it anymore. I'll agree that they are spendy, but you get what you pay for. I got it for a steal from my dad for $1k with about 1400 rounds of ammo, 2 sets of night sites, 8 extra clips, holsters out the wazzu, all sorts of extra goodies. I need to get out and shoot it more though (over 900 rounds of range ammo to have fun with :) ).



One thing I found with my wife, make sure she can hold it. My wife had long thin fingers, and it made holding the bigger gripped pistols harder on her. Fit her first, then you can make a better decision on what to get :)
 
I have a Llama subcompact (3"barrel) nice little .45acp w/10 round mag..Your mine out to 25 yd.s!! Any further and out comes the Desert Eagle .44!! oh and by s.c. law the deasert eagle is legal carry,the instructor of our class(knew him)asked me to bring it to show size limits to the class!!!Would NOT to carry this monster for a long time!!
 
Roy can you post any specifics on the size limit. I have never heard of this. I wonder if Florida has such a limit? It was not mentioned in my CCW class.
 

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