Buyng a handgun this weekend, what to get?

wikdsvt

wikdsvt

Club Member
open ended question.

I want to shoot it and carry it. I tried the smaller guns that are "skinny" and the magazine only holds 1 column of bullets (and hence not as many) and it just doesn't fit my hand.

So I shot a bunch of guns at Peace Makers in Howell. They are having a NRA day this weekend and a sale on all guns.
http://www.peacemakersgunrange.com/content/

I'm thinking of the Sig P320 in a 9mm caliber.
http://www.sigevolution.com/p320

In the carry or compact size.

The subcompact has too short a grip, and with the magazine extender, I might as well get the compact size.


Is this is a good caliber? should I get a .40?
how easy it is to conceal this gun?

what else should I consider in this size/caliber.

I DO NOT want a gun with an exposed firing pin, or whatever it is called.
 
you want the gun that feels best in YOUR hand, in the largest caliber that you are most accurate/comfortable shooting, that you feel like paying for


that said, with modern SD ammo, 9mm vs. .40 is pretty much just a shouting match, however, same size gun often fits more in 9mm


the sigs are very popular guns, for good reason, though I just carry a Glock G26, feels best in my hand
 
I'm a glock fan, but more or less a striker fire pistol preference and I don't like any external safeties. That will normally leave a good smith and Wesson vs glock. However that is talking plastic frame guns. 1911s not to be included.


There is a thing whenever anyone goes to shoot, practice, train whatever you want to call it - you want to leave with the best performance results as possible. (Everyone wants sub moa 10 Rd groups and shooting the bullseye out.) A lot of people when they don't achieve holes on paper like they think they will and blame the weapon. So keep in mind mentally the capabilities of yourself when choosing a weapon - and something with a sub compact or compact length barrel is a self defense gun and not necessarily a hole puncher, and you might leave unhappy if you decided to shoot at 10yds+.

At 10 yds with 5 shots with a g19 I can put all 5 in a fist sized group. 4" compact size firearm.
At 10 yds with 5 shots with g34 I can make sure at least 3-4 rounds will touch holes.

However I rarely ever carry the g34.

I only make this statement because I have taken a lot of friends or possibly influenced friends by them seeing my passion and collection; to only have them asking me what new gun they should get to shoot better because they didn't make holes on paper like they remember a red Ryder doing.


Back to it all...I suggest a glock 17 or smith and Wesson m&p full size if they are able to still be concealed and function. Holsters play a big deal on comfortability. To me a firearm never loses its feeling or becomes so uncumbersome it can be unnoticed, like some people may say, so a g26 was just as uncomfortable as a g17 until I got used to it.


That hasn't touched on capacity, weight, chamber size (but as you can tell by everything mentioned previously I like 9mm) or a lot of other things. I guess a lot of people choose sig for features they might not know or like but because it looks like a Cadillac next to a chevy.
 
Last edited:
Scooter70 said:
G19.

/thread
Click to expand...


This is what I carry and I love it. I went and shot 10-15 different pistols when I decided I was going to get one, I was consistantly more accurate with the G19 than any other so that's what I got. Now I have a 19, a 43 for my wife, and a 34 for GSSF comps. IMO 9mm is the best round, I love that it's got plenty of stopping power but almost no recoil. If i was going to get anything else it would be .357
 
1. Go shoot a lot of different pistols in different calibers. A good range will let you try before you buy or apply the rental costs to the firearm you purchase. For carry guns try a glock, springfield xd, S&W M&P, Sig P320, ect. Don't let any mall ninja or online warrior tell you A firearm is better than B firearm. As long as it's quality made gun you're going to do just fine.

2. Buy whatever is the most comfortable and has the best point of aim. Meaning, what ever fits your hand well and is on target with out a lot of adjustment is the right gun for you.

3. Don't waste money on lights, lasers, and sights. Spend that money on ammo and range time. Muscle memory and weapon proficiency saves lives, not gizmos.
 
Like previously mentioned. Nothing is a replacement for proper training and technique. Muscle memory is key and what you need to have your mind on more then anything.

Starting at basics before gun buying...I probably went through 2-3 years when I first got my cpl of improper guidance. What I would suggest is practice your grip ( your off hand has a tighter grip then the hand on the pistol grip) , trigger pull ( straight back to wrist), and work on elbow plaement. They don't want to face the ground and lock out while shooting.


Dry fire practice with snap caps can get you real familiar with your weapons just always practice FAR FAR from any ammunition.


Learn to go to the range with a purpose and take your time. Bring a list and write stuff down to break your mind up if it helps as that's what I've had to do to remember to work on different things.


Your opening Pandora's box brother
 
Last edited:
jsxtreme said:
1. Go shoot a lot of different pistols in different calibers. A good range will let you try before you buy or apply the rental costs to the firearm you purchase. For carry guns try a glock, springfield xd, S&W M&P, Sig P320, ect. Don't let any mall ninja or online warrior tell you A firearm is better than B firearm. As long as it's quality made gun you're going to do just fine.

2. Buy whatever is the most comfortable and has the best point of aim. Meaning, what ever fits your hand well and is on target with out a lot of adjustment is the right gun for you.

3. Don't waste money on lights, lasers, and sights. Spend that money on ammo and range time. Muscle memory and weapon proficiency saves lives, not gizmos.
Click to expand...

Wise words.
 
jsxtreme said:
1. Go shoot a lot of different pistols in different calibers. A good range will let you try before you buy or apply the rental costs to the firearm you purchase. For carry guns try a glock, springfield xd, S&W M&P, Sig P320, ect. Don't let any mall ninja or online warrior tell you A firearm is better than B firearm. As long as it's quality made gun you're going to do just fine.

2. Buy whatever is the most comfortable and has the best point of aim. Meaning, what ever fits your hand well and is on target with out a lot of adjustment is the right gun for you.

3. Don't waste money on lights, lasers, and sights. Spend that money on ammo and range time. Muscle memory and weapon proficiency saves lives, not gizmos.
Click to expand...
Then spend money on the gizmo's.... :icon_bigg
 
The SIG 320 is nice in that it's a striker fired gun with the same trigger pull every time. It's also a modular gun. For $30-$50 you can get different frames for it, and just swap the guts and barrels in about 30 seconds. Want to go shoot USPSA or IDPA, you go with the 4.7 inch barrel and the large frame, what something a bit smaller, you can go with the compact or sub compact. It's all one gun because the serialized parts are the swappable chassis.

The non thinking decision is a Glock 19, it is the Honda Civic of firearms (stock it's just fine, but there is a billion dollar industry to make "perfection" more perfect". The Smith & Wesson M&P line is just as good, if price is an issue and you want a full sized gun look at the Canik TP line. Everyone bags on the "Grip Zone" of the new Springfield XD's, but from all reports it's a solid pistol. Other excellent options are the HK VP9 and the Walther PPQ.

There is no bad or wrong choice here, it's about what you like. Everyone has their favorite brands and there is much fanboyism and demagoguery surrounding it, shoot a few and pick one, then go spend $450 for 2000 rounds of ammo and shoot the hell out of it.

As for 40, unless you are shooting competition, skip it, there is no real world difference between a 9 and a 40, and a 9 is better for follow up shots. Self defence load, standard pressure 124 or 147 grain Federal HST's are about as good as it gets, see TNOutdoors9 or ShootingTheBull410 on YouTube or a few months back Lucky Gunner did a pretty extensive writeup on just about every self defense load.
 
jsxtreme said:
1. Go shoot a lot of different pistols in different calibers. A good range will let you try before you buy or apply the rental costs to the firearm you purchase. For carry guns try a glock, springfield xd, S&W M&P, Sig P320, ect. Don't let any mall ninja or online warrior tell you A firearm is better than B firearm. As long as it's quality made gun you're going to do just fine.

2. Buy whatever is the most comfortable and has the best point of aim. Meaning, what ever fits your hand well and is on target with out a lot of adjustment is the right gun for you.

3. Don't waste money on lights, lasers, and sights. Spend that money on ammo and range time. Muscle memory and weapon proficiency saves lives, not gizmos.
Click to expand...

Came here to say basically the same thing. Try a variety, find what you feel most comfortable with and shoot best with.

I'm in the same boat as you, the subcompact feels tiny in my hand and the mag extension effectively nullifies the subcompact size of the frame for me. The compact is a nice compromise.

I'd stay away from the Taurus and Kahr stuff. You want something that's been around and reliable. S&W, Glock, Springfield, Sig, HK, Ruger... are all solid choices.
 
I have the HK VP9 which might be a little big to carry depending on cloths and the s&w shield which is a smaller single stack. Like everyone said above, there are a lot of nice guns out there, need to try a few to see what fits you best. I am sure it wont be your only carry gun you purchase.
 
Sig 320 is already in your mind so start renting one, and a G26, and a G19..

40 cal kicks like a mule. true story.

multiholster is local and good. goodluck!
 
If your into striker fired handguns, try checking out the M&P line, very nice stuff, and you can get a good deal currently from Bud's Guns on Detroit P.D. unissued turn in M&P40's for $399, that come with night sights and 3 15 round mags. Great deal, and nice guns, they are only a $75 trigger job by ATEI from being stellar. I love mine, and it carries comfortably. I have transferred a bunch of them for customers.
 
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