OT - need advice on handgun purchase

hey the henry leaver actions are great i saw that and i just thought id express my opinion.

I agree with the 9mm guys. $129 for 1000 rounds. Guns from the Ruger P89 (I have) for about $350 to the Baretta 92F (I want) for about $600-$700 depending on the "deal". The 9mm is a nice "plinking" round. My $.02

Yeah think i'd have to agree on a 9mm. I have a Ruger P90 .45 its a great gun my brother in law has a ruger P89 9mm and its also great fun to shoot and they don't cost alot. My 45 doesn't kick much more then the 9mm if at all but if your set on something smaller I'd go with a 9mm

get a glock

you never know when you'll want to shoot something underwater

Glocks are very nice. People say they suck becasue they are made of plastic. Those people are ignorant. Ive never seen one break or even crack. I shot a 9mm and a 10mm before. They were both very nice. And I love the safteys on glocks too.

It depends on what you want to do with the pistol. Talk to your local hangun dealer, see what the recommend, its kinda like buying a car, Though I would go with a .22 if you just want to learn "how" to shoot, its cheap. Once you have the basic's down, the move to something else.

The .357 is not a bad choice, but I don't know if your gf would like to shoot it much. I personally have never shot the .38 loads in one, but I have shot the .357 loads in one and they are a handfull. I like the 9mm for my plinking gun. I have a kel_tec p11 that cost about $225-250 and also a Browning Hi-Power that costs about $400-$600. Both in 9mm. The p11 is small for carrying and the Hi-Power is a really nice piece; in fact it looks very similar to the 1911 .45's that have been mentioned above. Ruger, Glock, Smith & Wesson, Beretta, and a ton of others make quality guns that will last a long time and be reliable. It just all boils down to what you like and want to spend on a gun. If you really like the idea of a revolver, look into the .22 magnum. It's a step up from the .22 long rifle and it's not terribly expensive to buy. The ammo might cost more than the 9mm, round for round though. Good luck with your decision. And remember, that "Gun Control is hitting what you were aiming at".

I would never buy anything less than a .40 IMO. If you want something that is just cheap to shoot than a 9mm would be the way to go. I have a couple .40s and a Kimber 1911 CDP Compact .45. That gun is a blast to shoot. Almost anyone can blast quarter size groups with it at 15 yards. The .45 has some kick but it is a good kick. It is like driving a loud V8. Sure it is loud, but they sound soooo good and have sooo much power.

I have a Glock 27 .40 cal, which to me is not a comfortable gun to shoot. The safety switch on the trigger is really poor/uncomfortable and whole thing feels very "toy gun" like. I bought one simply because I carry it on my ankle for work/off duty and I need something small and able to take abuse.

Revolvers are great guns for target shooting and hunting but I think they are worthless for combat situations. You would be very happy with a .357 revolver for target shooting.

S/CBlack95GT said:

I would never buy anything less than a .40 IMO. If you want something that is just cheap to shoot than a 9mm would be the way to go.

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My thoughts exactly. For home protection I have a H&K USP Compact .45. For farting around at the gun range a 9MM is the way to go.

I have owned Beretta's, Ruger's and currently own 6 Glocks. In my opinion you can't go wrong with buying a Glock. If you want a great target pistol buy a Glock G34. It is a 9mm and is a great target pistol. I personally like the simplicity and reliability of the Glocks. The price of 40 is not that much more than 9mm. Go to Walmart and buy the 100 round boxes.

I got a Ruger .45 and a Bersa .380 acp, the Bersa is argentinian but basically a PPK knockoff- good quality though and cheap.

i have a ruger p89 and I love it for just shooting target. Very little recoil. my 12 yo cousin shoots with me and has no problems.

Gibbo97 said:

I got a Ruger .45 and a Bersa .380 acp, the Bersa is argentinian but basically a PPK knockoff- good quality though and cheap.

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P90? If so post some pics of it if ya have any.

I agree with the majority; 9mm Glock.

I was pretty much in your exact situation; I just wanted a decent semi-auto to practice with.
I got my Glock 17 brand new for $430 after taxes and haven't regretted going with the more affordable gun. I mean, for what you want, is a Sig or USP really gonna be 2x better? Cause they'll cost twice as much.
Depending on your g/f's hands, you may consider a Glock 19. It'd also be easier to carry too if you decide to get a permit down the road. I've held the Ruger, and the slide release is in an awkward place.

If you really want to go cheap, but still get a decent gun, look at a Knock Off brand High Power.