Handgun Advice !

R

rdb700

New member
Ive been looking at handguns and not sure on which ones to look at. Ive been looking at the Beretta PX4 in 9mm or 40 with 4" barrel, not really wanting a compact. Ive had a Walther .380 years ago but didnt shoot it much. From what Ive checked on other guns in same price range I still am leaning towards px4. It would be used for mainly protection and ocassional shooting. I have been thinking that I might wait until "buyers remorse " sets in from all the crazy buying thats gone on and get a better deal cause Im not in a hurry. Any advice or opinions would be appreciated. Thanks
 
Take a look at a 4.25" S&W M&P40, I really like the feel of this gun and it shoots very good. Give it a try. I also have a M&P40 Shield thats just as good as its big brother, and I plan to add a M&P40 Pro 5" this summer----Riflemann
 
Go and pick them up and play with some. See what fits your hands. Get something that feels good. Stick with a good brand and it will be a good gun.
 
Yeah, at least go to a store with a big handgun selection -around here, Cabela's or Gander Mt. have the biggest stock - then have 'em pull out all the ones that interest you. See how they feel, do they point on target naturally for you, check out the features & calibers offered. See if you can find a shop near you that you can rent guns of interest and fire them in their range. Or a buddy or gun club member with that gun. Then go home and check out reliability, reviews, etc. Then make your selection.
 
I will make this very easy for you. Check out all the various 1911 choices in /45 and pick one you like... It will never let you down when the SHTF
 
Handguns are different just like rifles. Best advice I can give you is read the reviews on what you want and then goto a good store and check them out. There is a real good store on I-65 N at exit 6 on right side, can't remember the the name but good selection.
 
Quote:See if you can find a shop near you that you can rent guns of interest and fire them in their range....+100
 
Yeah I have went to a couple local dealers and everything has been pretty much picked over. Not very much selection. Its about an hour to go up to Gander mtn and a couple others bigger dealers. I was just asking on here cause I thought everyone here would give me an honest opinion on a variety of guns. Thanks
 
definitely go put different ones in your hand to see what feels right to you like some have already said, because most people are going to tell you to get what they have...
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a range that allows you to rent a few different ones is better than a store because you can fire them.

now for the best one in my opinion of course. XD40
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not only does it fit my hand really well, but there are no safety or decocker levers to fool with. It does have a grip and trigger safety, but all you have to do is put it in your hand and pull the trigger. I have an XD9 and an XD40 and I believe I am going to get another XD40 in stainless just because I sweat a lot and stainless holds up much better when you carry in the summertime. my 9 is stainless, but my 40 is super accurate and I do very well with it.
 
Buying a handgun can get pretty personal...As some have stated previously, it needs to fit your hand, balance well for a natural point, and be within your price range...

I like my Walther P-99 and my Sig-Pro, but they may not be for everyone...For some reason, I've owned several 1911s in various calibers and wound up selling most of them...

I've owned 7 or 8 Glocks and only have one left...It's a good reliable handgun and I've shot a lot of Glock competitions, but they are not my cup of tea either, outside of the competition venue...

Trying a variety of handguns will tend to make your choice much more solid than the opinions of others...You need to be comfortable and happy with what you have, regardless of popular opinion...
 
Originally Posted By: rdb700Yeah I have went to a couple local dealers and everything has been pretty much picked over. Not very much selection. Its about an hour to go up to Gander mtn and a couple others bigger dealers. I was just asking on here cause I thought everyone here would give me an honest opinion on a variety of guns. Thanks

RDB,

Given you said everything is picked over, ever given any
thought to why PX Storms are around...Just saying. I have
handled a couple, and shot one. Not my cup of tea, but it
may be yours. Also, do an internet search for PX Storm
failures. There were some problems in early models, or there
is some chronic failure point. Also to get one fixed, it
may have to go back to Italy. In Italy, they take the month
of July off, so firearm repairs can really back log.

If you are looking for recommendations, I usually tell
people to look at Glock, S&W M&P, Springfield XD, or
Ruger for plastic pistols, first. If you don't care
about price, add Sig and H&K to the list. Also, some
prefer 1911 variants, so you may want to check some
brands of 1911s, like Kimber and Springfield Armory,
or again if money is no object, Wilson Combat, Les Baer,
or even Nighthawk should go on the list to examine.

At least check any prospective pistol for fit, and if
possible shoot the leading contenders for your purchase.
Some pistols handle well, and recoil like a rear end
collision. You want one that fits well, and shoots
comfortably for you.

Squeeze
 
I agree with the m&p 40. Midway sales factory 9mm and .357 sig barrels for like 65 bucks that work wonders for conversion barrels.
 
I would agree with all that say get your hand on as many as possible. But if you want what I like it would have to be the following.
XDM40
Sig 229 in 40
Kimber Ultra covert 2
S&W 327 trr8 in 357
All are fun guns to shoot and will do all that you want.
 
Dont forget about Kahr they have a 4" bbl KT line with SS frames. I have a Kahr compact and it one of the best handguns I have owned.

Ruger has a line of duty sized semis that are dependable built like a tank, and have large capacity magazines availible. Their customer service is great too.
 
Ive looked at some of the S&W and Ruger that Ive seen but not got my hands on to see if they are something that fits and feels good. I guess that I need to clarify that I have not got ahold of the px4 either, Im just looking at those because I liked the looks and with the barrel rotating to help reduce recoil etc. I have read that some earlier models had some issues but the more recent reviews were good. Im just trying to get some opinions and advice from the people that use and are alot more expierenced and knowledgable about handguns than I am. And I appreciate eveyones honest input thats why I asked the question to you guys on here.
 
Check out the ruger sr series.I have the sr9c and it is a sweet shooting gun.I would have bought the sr40c but it came out like two months later.Just my luck....lol
 
I agree with the advice you have gotten about trying one on if possible, but will add something not mentioned about the natural point of aim.

When you pick it up, check to make sure it is unloaded first, and then put the gun down to your side. Close your eyes, and then bring it up into a shooting position. See how close you are to looking down the sights.

I personally dislike glocks for three specific reasons (they are great for what they were designed for though) one of which is that the sights don't feel line up for me because of the grip angle. I think this is a large portion of the reason that people tend towards loving or hating glocks.

Personally I am a disciple of JMB, and love the feel 1911's. They can be a little heavy for concealed carry(I still do it) but feel natural in my hand, so I like target shooting them, and it is hard to find a better choice for a nightstand pistol(Assuming your wife won't let you lean a 12 gauge against the nightstand like I do.)
 


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