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Seeking advice on that first handgun or next weapon purchase? Ask AW!

My wife likes our Beretta M9. It's a 9x19 so ammo is cheap via Walmart. It's a surplus model weapon, so maintainence is a breeze and accessories are abundant. The trigger reach is very short...in double action. You'll need to cock the hammer if you want to reach. The slide is very smooth so she can load and reload with ease. You can also get Hogue or Pachmayr grips on there if you think the grip is too big. She's 5'1" and has small hands, and the stock grip is fine for her. She already knows "two to the chest, one to the head," so stopping power is not an issue.
 
My wife owns a Smith & Wessson Model 642 revolver. A .38 special, 2" barrel, 5-shot, hammerless with a lady grip. It's a self-defense weapon and fits her small hands to a tee and very lightweight.
 
villanelle said:
I just liked shooting with double action better than single action in the past. I was a lot better shot.


Thanks for all the input thus far. I hadn't even considered cost to shoot, which I should take into account since I would need to spend a lot of time at the range to get competent.

As far as recoil, is a .40 better or worse than a .357? I fired a few shots with a 44 once and had to stop as it was just *way* too much gun for me. Am I likely to have similar issues with the .40?
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.40S&W is a 9mm on steroids. It's nowhere near as bad as .44 Magnum. I'd say less than .357 as well. Plus, if you get a .40, many guns only require a drop-in barrel to shoot 357 SIG, which is fun as hell. 357 SIG is just a .40 cartridge with a 9mm bullet in front.

I wouldn't get a gun in 357 SIG only. It's expensive to shoot, harder to find, and the penetration issues would make it problematic for a defensive load. Highway patrolmen often use it it in case they have to shoot through car bodies. Civilians will likely never have to do that.
 
I own a 1911 and a Glock 23 (compact) .40 and carry the Glock. However, after shooting my friend's Springfield XD 9mm, I cannot wait to trade my Glock in for a new XD.

I've always known that I am a better shot with the 1911 than with the Glock but always attributed it to the longer barrel and heavier feel in my hand. However, after shooting my friend's XD 9mm, I was able to hit 70ft targets with the same precision as if I was using my 1911... but here's the catch... I could fire the 9mm almost twice as fast and hit with the same precision. I then switched back to my .40 Glock and had no such luck.

The 9mm felt like a much smoother round than the .40 (duh, it's a smaller round) but I feel like it has a comparable "stopping power"--which is what you need out of a gun purchased for self-defense.

I would recommend a Springfield XD compact (it's double action) in a 9mm caliber. It has a lot of great safety features which makes a beginner feel much more comfortable--especially for carrying. Grip safety, protruding striker, etc..
http://www.springfield-armory.com/xdfeatures.php

And to echo what most have already stated, 9mm is cheap and easy to find. Buy cheap for the range. However, when you purchase your first gun, be sure to buy two clips and always have one loaded with the more expensive Gold Dot "flying ash trays" for "stopping power"--
http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/gold_dot_prsnl.aspx

Also, since this is for self-defense, I recommend reading this:
http://www.outdoors.net/site/features/feature.aspx+Forum+Firearms+ArticleCode+2602+V+N+SearchTerm+

(hey, surprised the Gold Dots are pictured in that article? I'm not..)
 
villanelle said:
... words ....
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What do you want the firearm for ... ???

The range?? Punching holes in paper?? Home defense/protection?? Concealed carry?? Competition?? Supplementing the Border Patrol?? Gang-bangin' ??

What??

The answer to that will help us provide you w/coherent suggestions instead of just what a particular person "likes" .... or are you just tryin' to stir up the "boys" ... ??? :)
 
wink said:
You guys have been all over the map and no one has mentioned the .357 Sig. If you go auto loader then the .357 Sig is a good choice. There was a time when the ammo were not so easy to find. Not so now. It has great ballistics, is cheaper to shoot then the .45 and most .40 rounds. Better still, many auto loaders in .357 Sig will permit the exchange of the barrel to .40. Even the mags accommodate the .40. On a related note. I just found out that the H&K Compact 40 (and I assume other models) will shoot 9mm just fine with a 9mm barrel dropped in. But if you go revolver, get a .357 mag and shoot .38s all day. Load up .357s for night. I know some deputies that still carry .357 mag wheel guns just because of the round.
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A third for this round. Absolutely love it. The bottleneck cartridge aids in smooth feeding and I've yet to have any failures to feed, stovepipes, or any other type of malfunctions (through my USP Compact). I've shot multiple thousands of rounds through mine.

The round is vicious, penetrates like a beast (car blocks, doors, etc) which is one reason the Secret Service carries it. In something like Speer Golddot or Glaser rounds it has better terminal ballistics than a .45ACP while reducing the penetration potential. A.k.a, "make the bad man stop" happens a lot faster.

My roommate has a .40 S&W in a USP Compact and I can drop his barrel in and shoot with no problems while using my same mags.

The only downside, the round has a lot of snap to it. I wouldn't say more total recoil, it just peaks faster than a .40. That's in part to the higher pressure of the bullet. One thing to consider on recoil is the platform you're shooting a bullet out of. Any bullet will have more "perceived" (not total) recoil in a smaller/lighter gun, i.e. a USP Compact versus a full size USP, simply because there is less mass in the gun to dampen out the recoil from the shot.

Either way, if you want a heck of a round, this is the way to go.
 
insanebikerboy said:
A third for this round. Absolutely love it.

My roommate has a .40 S&W in a USP Compact and I can drop his barrel in and shoot with no problems while using my same mags.

Either way, if you want a heck of a round, this is the way to go.
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I'll fourth that for the .357sig.

It is a zippy little round with some awesome ballistics. It is 17 ft/lbs of energy short of the best .357mag round at the muzzle for factory loads.
 
A4sForever said:
What do you want the firearm for ... ???

The range?? Punching holes in paper?? Home defense/protection?? Concealed carry?? Competition?? Supplementing the Border Patrol?? Gang-bangin' ??

What??

The answer to that will help us provide you w/coherent suggestions instead of just what a particular person "likes" .... or are you just tryin' to stir up the "boys" ... ??? :)
Click to expand...

I thought I already answered this, but I guess not. I want something to keep in my home for protection. I have no intention of using it for concealed carry right now. I also want something that I enjoy shooting so that it will be more enjoyable putting in the practice I need.
 
villanelle said:
I thought I already answered this, but I guess not. I want something to keep in my home for protection. I have no intention of using it for concealed carry right now. I also want something that I enjoy shooting so that it will be more enjoyable putting in the practice I need.
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O.K. ... then I'd go with a good quality .38 Special revolver w/a 4 inch barrel ... easy to learn, use, maintain, and quite "friendly" as firearms go ...

If you want to low-cost "plink" or go to the range, get a .22 of your choice to supplement it.
 
A4sForever said:
O.K. ... then I'd go with a good quality .38 Special revolver w/a 4 inch barrel ... easy to learn, use, maintain, and quite "friendly" as firearms go ...

If you want to low-cost "plink" or go to the range, get a .22 of your choice to supplement it.
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Good recommendation. That's what my 83 year old grandmother uses for self-defense. A .38 Special revolver.
 
Someone mentioned 2 to the chest 1 to the head,

My $0.02: It is also good to practice "2 to the chest, 1 to the pelvic girdle" as the head can be harder to hit, but the pelvis is still relatively "center mass" and it is completely debilitating. Plus if it hits the femoral artery they will probably bleed out.

The head is a small target and when adrenaline is pumping you want to be sure that you are going to stop your attacker, preferably with a hit to the CNS.
 
HueyCobra8151 said:
Someone mentioned 2 to the chest 1 to the head,

My $0.02: It is also good to practice "2 to the chest, 1 to the pelvic girdle" as the head can be harder to hit, but the pelvis is still relatively "center mass" and it is completely debilitating. Plus if it hits the femoral artery they will probably bleed out.

The head is a small target and when adrenaline is pumping you want to be sure that you are going to stop your attacker, preferably with a hit to the CNS.
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Yup. Head shots (anchor shots) are easier when the bad guy is on the ground. Pelvic girdle hits put people on the ground vest or not.
 
Help me buy my next rifle...

OK, so the spousal unit has given the go-ahead for another weapon buy. God bless her, she gets it. Taking her to the range and getting her a 9mm of her very own is turning out to be one of the smartest things I have ever done.

The two weapons that I am torn between are this one:

r308s09.gif


http://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=256


OR:

Either the Sprinfield Armory SOCOM II or Loaded M1A

Springfield_Armory_M1A_Socom_II_(AA9627)_A.jpg


Springfield_Armory_M1A_Loaded_ClusterRail_(MA9827)_A.jpg


http://www.springfield-armory.com/armory.php?version=40

Obviously I want a rifle that is going to fire .308/7.62. Any of the above options is going to do that quite well. I have plenty of cash to afford the much more expensive Springfield Armory products, but is it really worth it? I already have a Rock River Arms AR-15, and it is bad-ass. I have no reason to think that it's big brother would not be of similar high quality.

Thoughts?

Is there something that I am missing in this family of weapons that I should look into before dropping a wad of cash on the counter of my local dealer of death?
 
Go for the springfield

I mean if you already have one AR-15 type, why not get something that will provide it's own unique shooting character.

Word of caution,
I went to special order a springfield 1911 GI, and they're backed up on inventory for the next 6 months or so,

I have no Idea if thats the case for their M1A's

But, if you can find a dealer with one in stock then go for it!!
It will definitely be my next purchase ;)
 
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