First handgun?

Spurshot · February 8, 2016

You were correct. A 1911 is single action.

STI

Well, I'm probably not using the precise vernacular . But I think I know pretty well how they work. Almost 40 years ago, I shortened a 1911 stainless steel gun down to shorter than anything commercially available, both slide and grip. It required altering the locking system, the mainspring system, the slide, and creating a telescoping recoil spring system. Years later, I made some longer with compensators. I used to install a lot of S&W adjustable revolver sights. Then the Bo-Mar sight got popular and I started installing them. Customers mostly wanted trigger jobs, ramp &throat jobs, accurizing bushings, and sometimes sights. Once in a while they wanted race gun stuff.

But I haven't been keeping up with things for the past 20 years or more. I sold off a lot of my handguns, just keeping a few 1911s, a functional but cosmetically unfinished race gun, and two 70 series NMs.

Jsmith86 · August 14, 2017

My first handgun was a High point .380 (Embarrassed to say the least). after years of experience and handling hundreds of weapons I have learned to never own/use another high point. I currently conceal carry a S&W M&P Shield 9mm, I actually have 2 of them. Your first handgun just needs to be something you are comfortable with. If your not comfortable with it then if the time ever comes to defend yourself/someone else you wont be as effective. Whichever gun you decide on, make a commitment to spend time practicing with it at the range and learn everything about it. You should be able to clear a jam with confidence clean it without asking how to take it apart and be able to draw it smoothly and get it on target.

elementaltoad · August 14, 2017

For a first handgun, that will make a good CCW, I like the M&P Shield a lot. I currently carry a LCR in .357 and a Sig P938. Both of those are great guns as well, personally I am a revolver guy if I had to pick ONE to carry. The LCR is easy to shoot, 357 always has the option to go with 38 if you need to tame the recoil, and they are simple as dirt to shoot, operate, and maintain.

Jsmith86 · August 15, 2017

The classes I have been in usually tell woman and inexperienced shooters to lean towards using a revolver. There is much less that can go wrong with it. Don't have to worry about magazine misfeeds or jams. One complaint I've seen is that most revolvers have a 12 pound trigger pull which smaller shooters don't like. I'm a fan of using whatever you are most comfortable with. I would use a Glock, sig, S&W, Colt, or whatever else as long as I was comfortable with it.

chevy2tuff2006 · August 19, 2017

wow nobody has mentioned the H&K VP9....it is my first handgun

MikeNH · August 19, 2017

wow nobody has mentioned the H&K VP9....it is my first handgun

I love my VP9 and VP9SK. I don't much like carrying the VP9 due to the size but the SK has been my carry gun since I got it at the end of May.

Spurshot · August 20, 2017

I shot a friend's S&W M&P Shield 9mm not long ago. I found I could shoot it accurately, for defensive distances, and easy to shoot quickly. Very light gun. I thought it would be a sharp recoil and hard to handle. But it wasn't bad at all.

It'd be interesting to hear from the OP to see how he's done with the M&P 22 and see if he's progressed to a defensive caliber.

Doug Rosewood · August 24, 2017

Taurus 500 for the win....

lawn_star · September 3, 2017

Ruger LCP. It's inexpensive easily concealed and reliable. Only downside is that 380 ammo ain't cheap

Spurshot · September 25, 2017

Your first handgun needs to be something you can learn basics with, while not being driven to flinch. For most of the world , that's a 22. Even big tough guys. It's a bunch harder to train out flinching than train good shooting skill in the first time around. But every 20 something year old buying their first handgun wants a gun they can show their buddies and not be outgunned.

A friend that bought a Sig 226 40 S&W for his first gun, is now shopping for a 22 semi-auto, after I showed him the value of learning trigger control with my 22s. He is consistently flinching, pulling the gun as much as a foot off the aiming point at 10 yards. That's just crazy bad trigger/gun control. This is what happens to most people when they jump right into a defensive caliber without prior training with a light recoiling caliber. He's really struggling with the 40. I think he'll never be a decent shot until he gets a 22. He seems to agree. I'm partly to blame. I have three Sig 40s for the home and loaned him mine for a defensive caliber only class where he shot 3 yds and 5 yds. He never learned a thing about trigger control in that class. Just banging out hundreds of rounds making noise.