Author Topic: Good starter handgun (Read 1077 times)

Wadero · « **on:** September 07, 2004, 03:56:14 PM »

I want to buy a handgun just for target shooting. Maybe some rodents around the place. I want a semiauto. And I was thinking maybe a 9mm. Just because I am as big empty the magazine type of guy and I think they are cheaper. Any suggestions on which gun or a different caliber or anything?

Tom C. · « **Reply #1 on:** September 07, 2004, 04:01:32 PM »

Most people consider a .22 the place to start as a new handgunner. If you have a 9mm in mind that you want to graduate to, consider getting the guns as similar as possible to have max training transference. One way to do that is a .22 conversion for the 9mm. My 9mm is a CZ-75. They make a .22 conversion for it, but I don't have one myself. I do have a S&W Model 41 which is a close approximation of a 1911 which I prefer to the 9mm. I also have a Ruger Single Six which I use as the .22 alternative to my Blackhawks in .357 and .45 Colt.

Wadero · « **Reply #2 on:** September 07, 2004, 04:13:53 PM »

Well I shouldn't say that I am a new hangunner. I mean I have shot around before, just never owned my own. So, I was just planning on skipping the .22 step. Although, that was a thought too. I just wanted something with a little more heft. But not so much that I couldn't get used to it.

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** September 07, 2004, 04:28:18 PM »

For the purposes to which you say you will put this gun the .22LR semiauto sounds like the right gun to me. Cheap to shoot, very accurate and the round of choice for target shooting and rat extermination. I'd counsel against skipping it.

Wadero · « **Reply #4 on:** September 07, 2004, 04:38:29 PM »

Yeah I do plan on buying a .22. And apparently you all think I should. What is a reasonably priced, and enjoyable gun to shoot?

And will a .22 be large enough for bigger than mouse rodents? Woodchucks and badgers and such?

myronman3 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 07, 2004, 05:01:56 PM »

well it will kill them, but i think i would think twice before takin on a badger with a 22. if you have to fine, but i would prefer something with a bit more smack myself.

whether you are starting out or not, for hte purposes you mention, and the style shoooting, there is only ONE answer, 22lr.

ruger makes a fine auto loader and some nice single actions, too. browning also makes a nice 22; as does smith. if it were me, i would go with a ruger mark 2 in one configuration or another.

it isnt macho, but ask the guys who shoot alot which gun and caliber they shoot the most, and even the most seasoned will likely name the 22. it is truely a workhorse, and loads of fun, too.

tubbythetuba · « **Reply #6 on:** September 07, 2004, 05:22:22 PM »

Single Six: .22lr AND .22Mag. The difference between the two is rather dramatic in a pistol. Mine shoots WallyWorld Federal Bulk Pac like a dream.......that's cheap shootin'.

tubbythetuba · « **Reply #7 on:** September 07, 2004, 05:24:44 PM »

???I have no idea where that underline came from?

:lol:

What underline?

GB :eek:

Chris · « **Reply #8 on:** September 07, 2004, 05:26:44 PM »

Wadero:

Got to agree with GB and myronman3.

Get yourself a good .22lr revolver or semi-auto. I'm partial to the Rugers as they are rugged and relatively affordable....suggest your start-out with a no-frills Ruger MkII (sorry GB). Regardless, spend some time in the gun shop and see what best fits your hand and budget.

BE SAFE and Good Luck!

...Chris

Wadero · « **Reply #9 on:** September 07, 2004, 07:14:49 PM »

Alright, what are some of the better 22L revolvers out? Maybe I will go with one of them just forcost issues. I'd hate to spend to much on a semi auto 22.

Questor · « **Reply #10 on:** September 08, 2004, 02:44:17 AM »

I think you should shop, read, and then find something you like. Guns are too expensive to leave it to chance. Your first selection of a semi-auto is fine. If you want a .22, either the Browning Buckmark (my favorite) or the Ruger are good. They tend to make the trigger pulls pretty heavy, so a trigger job may be needed.

In revolvers, the best quality gun is the Smith and Wesson 617. It costs more than some others, but it is excellent. It's rather large, though. For smaller hands, Ruger makes a good cowboy style gun called the Single Six.

On the other hand, if you want a 9mm, that is a good option because ammo for it is the least expensive of the centerfire pistol ammo if you shop for good deals (like Walmart's Winchester promotional ammo.) I do, however, recommend getting one with adjustable sights or you will probably have a gun that doesn't hit exactly where you aim it. This is no problem for a self defense gun, but for hunting and plinking it will be too frustrating unless you can adjust the sights to hit your small targets precisely.

There are more options in guns that most other products, so shop to meet your needs and go to the biggest gun shop you can find and do some looking.

Wadero · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2004, 09:54:42 AM »

I have had the chance to hold a Buckmark and it felt so natural. I think a friend of mine owns one so I will probably get a chance to shoot it. Otherwise does anyone have any opinion about the SIG Trailslide?

Mikey · « **Reply #12 on:** September 08, 2004, 10:09:56 AM »

Hay Wadero: here's a suggestion for ya, following on your thoughts about either a 22 or a 9mm.

Suggestion is, as the Questor mentioned, is to shop around a bit. While you're doing that please consider this: There are a number of 9mm handguns for which a 22lr conversion (and a quality conversion at that) is available.

An example would be the Browning Hi-Power - a beautiful piece of work and always available in 9mm. I believe that Ceiner makes a 22lr conversion for that pistol.

Now that, or something similar, might give you what you are looking for without the problems (and costs) of having to find two similar styles of pistols to be able to shoot the inexpensive 22lr for practice, vermin or target, and then change to a 9mm (for which there is ample and inexpensive surplus ammo) when you want the more powerful caliber. With a conversion you get the same grip, the same trigger pull and the same feel with two calibers in one gun. Neat, huh? HTH. Mikey.

flabbydan · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2004, 10:13:07 AM »

Wadero,
If you check the Rimfire Handguns Forum, look for my post entitled "problem with Sig Trailside magazine". I have a Trailside and like it a lot, but I have to avoid cerain kinds of ammo. Good luck with your decision.
Dan

Wadero · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2004, 12:35:30 PM »

That is a pretty good plan Mikey, any suggestions on which is the best gun with the mentioned conversion?

And Flabbydan, thank you very much for that post. It was pretty helpful. Truthfully when I buy ammo I am pretty big into purchasing vast amounts of surplus so maybe I will steer away from it..

myronman3 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 08, 2004, 02:30:49 PM »

i really like the taurus tracker for the money... but....

in light of others experiences with taurus, i would not (will not) buy one without first being able to inspect it firsthand; before i put any money on the deal. i am tickled to death with my r.b., but i dont feel like adding my name to the list of folks who have had trouble with them. someday i still might get one...

redawg · « **Reply #16 on:** September 08, 2004, 06:15:00 PM »

I think Questor and Mikey gave some very good advice. A good 9mm with a .22 conversion kit would be the way I'd go. If you go this route, I'll echo what someone else said about getting adjustable sights. It's frustrating when you can't get your point of aim to correspond with the point of impact. I'm a fan of Glocks, so I'd get a G34 and an Advantage Arms conversion kit. There are many good choices out there though.

On the other hand you could get into a Ruger Single Six for less money. You'd have inexpensive plinking ammo with the .22lr, yet be able to use the .22 mag cylinder when you want more thump for badgers and such. The standard cylinder also allows you to use .22 shorts and longs, as well as .22 lr, making a very versatile gun (I'm not sure why I don't have one yet).

The Sig would be a good choice if you went with a semi-auto. The one's I've shot have been very accurate. The Ruger MKII, Ruger 22/45 and the Browning Buckmark are other good options that have already been mentioned. Any semi-auto can be finicky about what type of ammo it "likes". That's where you've just got to experiment with different types and brands of ammo.

Whatever you get I'd highly recommend the adjustable sights and get something that feels good in your hand. Get lots of ammo and practice, practice, practice. Let us know what you decide on and how well you like it !:D

jgalar · « **Reply #17 on:** September 09, 2004, 01:31:43 AM »

In my oppinion the CZ75 is the best value in a 9mm out there. The quality, accuracy and function will match any gun offered by any manufacturer and it costs less. A 22 conversion is sold by CZ.
http://www.czusa.com/product.pistols.php

Mikey · « **Reply #18 on:** September 09, 2004, 01:48:19 AM »

Wadero: My choice for a 9mm would be the Browning Hi-Power. I know a lot of folks out there have their own preferences for 9mms but I have always been a fan of the P-35 AND, since Ceiner (I think it is Ceiner) now has a 22lr conversion for that pistol, that would be my choice.

I would also contact ceiner and see what conversions they have for different 9mms. I know they have one for the 1911 platform but I don't know if it is just for the 45 or if it would also work on a 9mm or 38 Super. Also, if you wind up with something like a 1911 platform you could go for the hotter 38 Super/9x25mm caliber, get a 9mm barrel for shooting inexpensive surplus and still have a 22lr conversion to plink with. Man, this gets better every time. Mikey.

Tacoma · « **Reply #19 on:** September 09, 2004, 07:39:15 AM »

My 2 cents. I have yet to find an out of the box 9mm that shoots much better than 3-4" @ 50' Many will double that spread (especially with in experienced shooters.) I'm sure they do exist, but they are not the norm. Thats fine for combat or plinking watermelons. Not so great if you want to learn to shoot accurately. It's also my observation that large capacity mags tend to make upcoming shooters spray and prey vs proper placement of the one in the tube now.
My advice, get a quality 5-6" .22 handgun(semi if you insist) and learn to shoot it accurately. Ammo is cheap yet fundamentals are the same as bigbores. You also won't be fighting recoil or limitations of the gun. Then if you want a more powerful weapon, consider a .45 ACP and /or a good centerfire (.357) revolver to scratch that itch.

Speed is fine, accuracy is final.

Flash · « **Reply #20 on:** September 09, 2004, 01:17:12 PM »

If you have the financial resources and feel comfortable with your experience level to be satisfied with a centerfire pistol then buy it! The first handgun I owned was a 357 magnum Ruger Blackhawk. Sure, it kicked but I learned how to handload and loved it. If you are going to buy a 9mm, buy something that is reliable and has a good track record. There is the Browning Highpower which is a personal favorite of mine. It is top quality and the gun has been in production so long that the bugs have been worked out of it 50 years ago. Glock makes a decent pistol if you like polymer guns and they are accurate. I owned a model 19 and it was without a doubt, the most accurate pistol I ever shot. For a rimfire handgun that is inexpensive, I would recomend the Browning Buckmark Camper. Good luck in your choice.

Wadero · « **Reply #21 on:** September 09, 2004, 06:48:07 PM »

Wow, I think I have more advice than I know what to do with.... although it all pretty much amounts to buy whatever feels the best and shoot the hell out of it.

I am pretty confident of my abilities with a bigger gone than a 22 but then again what is the point if I am only going to play tin can alley behind my house?

The conversion is a pretty great idea and probably worth the price for getting the two for one deal. But then again, I am a poor poor poor college student who might not be able to afford even the conversion. LOL

I have a little time to think about it still as I probably won't be purchasing the gun until December.

HappyHunter · « **Reply #22 on:** September 10, 2004, 01:21:49 AM »

In light of your last post and current financial situation.

I would consider a used Rugger Mark II. I prefer the heavy barrel but this is not as important as the Adjustable sights.

You will need to learn about tear down as this gun is not user friendly to most. This is overcome with a few assembly efforts and is easy if you read and follow directions-there is a forum on net devoted to Rugger Mark II.

My first target bullseye pistol was a Mark II and it has scored as high as a 99 (a feat my new s/w 41 has yet to duplicate).

You will not go wrong with a Mark II, used they are 175-225 in my area.

HTH

Fred

jgalar · « **Reply #23 on:** September 10, 2004, 01:39:04 AM »

For just target shooting/plinking and offing little furry woodland/trashdump creatures the 22LR is probably your best bet. The 2 most common autoloaders are the Browning and the Ruger.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/category.asp?value=006B

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/P-CategoryPistolsRF.html

Dusty Miller · « **Reply #24 on:** September 10, 2004, 10:52:07 AM »

Between my gun safe and various hiding places around the house I have 7 handguns. My next one is going to be a .22 caliber semi-auto. Sure, I like shooting my .454 cannon but for just plain cheap gun-shoot'n fun, its hard to beat a .22.

greenjeans · « **Reply #25 on:** September 10, 2004, 12:59:52 PM »

I have a Ruger 22/45, polymer frame, 6" bull barrel. It is amazingly accurate and have had no problems with anything I feed it. Not quite as hard to assemble as the Mark II, but still takes a couple of tries to get the hang of it. Can't go wrong with the Ruger or Browning. Have fun. :grin:

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #26 on:** September 10, 2004, 11:14:37 PM »

if you dont reload stick with a .22 if you do about the best buy on a plinker is a smith model 10 15 or 64 they can be picked up for under $200 in nice shape and there about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

mr.frosty · « **Reply #27 on:** September 28, 2004, 12:54:15 PM »

I got a 480 SRH for my starter gun...