Hope you all are having a great day! I want to start checking out some guns but only having shot a .38 revolver and a .22 rifle (25 years ago) I am not quite sure what caliber gun I should be looking at as my first. I would love to see what your suggestions are. Definitely looking at a handgun. My hands are on the smaller side. Thanks!

 

Eddie

A 22 and 38/357 make excellent starting handguns. Nothing beats a 22 for ammo price so you can get a lot of practice for a only a couple of bucks. A 38/357 gives a massive amount of flexibility as you can practice with soft 38 loads and work your way up to full load 357s.

Eddie,

 

I think that 9mm is a comperable to the recoil of 38special. It is alos cheaper than most calibers. I suggest you looking into pistols in this catergory.

 

a 22lr rifle is one of the funnest rifles in the world. I have more of those than anything else and have more fun with 22lr's. The ammo is cheap and usually harder to get good groups. That makes it more fun to me.

I would say for cost, get pistols in 9mm and 22LR, you can branch out to other calibers when you know what you want to do. Both of these are the cheaper of the 2 (Rim-Fire & Center-fire) and will let you shoot USPSA, OBRAMS, Steel both knockdown and static as well as IDPA. They are good to practice with and will keep you busy while you see what other calibers you would like to get down the road. If in to gaming, ie;, shooting sports you might want to look at .40, 38 special or .45 in time. Either way, the 9mm and 22LR will keep you busy and open for shooting paper at the range and gaming.

Definitely 9mm.

Thanks guys! I was just watching a vid on the Sig Sauer P226 Classic 22. As far as the 9mm's go, people seem to rave about the Glocks. Are they really that good?

 

Eddie

Eddie,

 

I have a Sig p226 classic 22. It's a great gun and allows your to go either 9mm, 357 sig or 40 cal in addition to the 22lr upper. I believe a local FFL and vendor of the forum TJ Sporting Arms has one in Stock. They are really great gun IMO, but I am a little biased.

 

Glocks are great guns and have their place. You have to really try each gun out to see what you like. I prefer a SIG every day of the year but do shooot competitions with glocks.

Eddie, I have a Glock 19 and I like it but it's my home defense gun and while I will use it as a backup for sport shooting I would not say that my go to 9mm for that but that just my opinion. I would look to see what you want to use the gun for first and then see what people recommend. Either way shoot whatever gun you are thinking of getting before you buy it, Shore Shot is a good option, also many of us are willing to let you shoot our guns if we meet up at a rage so there are options there.

 

As far as a 22LR, also what you want to do with it can help in making suggestions.

I found a link to a page that has caliber descriptions. Now most of you probably know this stuff but I think you'll get a chuckle out of how this guy wrote it.

 

http://www.imao.us/archives/000914.html

 

Eddie

Thanks Bryan and Harry! I am interested it getting good enough to try out some competitions. For me its for the fun so in my head I don't have a goal of being some top shooter. However I like to continually have goals. What I have read so far is the .22LR is a great starter for training; low recoil, low sound. I don't really have a problem with either but I can see recoil forcing me to hold the gun different, etc. if its too much at first. The guys at Shore Shot seem really cool so when we go this weekend I will see if I can start out with the 22 and then try a 9mm.

My favorite 22LR Pistol is my new GSG 1911, heck it's a 1911 and who doesn't like a 1911, but my wifes Ruger MK III Hunter is more accurate, not that the GSG isn't just different.

A 22 and 38/357 make excellent starting handguns. Nothing beats a 22 for ammo price so you can get a lot of practice for a only a couple of bucks. A 38/357 gives a massive amount of flexibility as you can practice with soft 38 loads and work your way up to full load 357s.

 

I agree 100%. A 4" 357 revolver (I like a GP100 or L frame S&W) is about the best all around handgun. Many will say the DA pull is too hard to learn but think of the millions that have and it really isn't that hard. Plus when you learn to use a DA revolver well everything else is easy.

 

If you choose the semi auto route I'd say a Glock 19 is the best all around 9mm.

My favorite 22LR Pistol is my new GSG 1911, heck it's a 1911 and who doesn't like a 1911, but my wifes Ruger MK III Hunter is more accurate, not that the GSG isn't just different.

 

I will say the GSG 1911 looks cooler though LOL

Also, when you go to SS over the weekend, you should get there early. The place fills up quickly over the weekend.

If you can meet up with people on this forum or try out guns before hand it would probably be the best decision. Personally I am not a huge fan of Glocks so they are not for absolutely everyone.

Every day of the week, I will always recommend a .22LR for someone's 1st firearm, whether it's a rifle or a handgun. Ammo is dirt cheap, even compared to 9mm. The .22LR is so under-rated it's not even funny. Anyway, I don't want to turn this into a thread regarding the merits of the .22LR round. Anyway, I think you'd be very well served in finding a nice .22LR handgun. First, decide if you want a revolver or semi-auto, then start your research from there. Assuming you go with the .22LR, once you decide on the revolver or semi, we can give you more suggestions.

Thanks Nascar. I shot a revolver at SS and it was cool but I see myself getting one down the road, not as my first gun so I'm looking for a semi.

I would say go for a 9mm for your first handgun, Glock 19, Sig 226/229, S&W M&P, XD, etc

Also, when you go to SS over the weekend, you should get there early. The place fills up quickly over the weekend.

 

Thanks for the tip. Last time we wanted to go on saturday but my woman's dad went into the hospital and we didnt get to SS until Sunday and it was surprisingly not busy. We walked right in and got a stall. So we will allocate the proper time on saturday. I never got a chance the last time to actually look around the shop (not that I can hold any of the pieces) but its still fun to look and pick their brains. So if necessary we'll kill time doing that.

Thanks Nascar. I shot a revolver at SS and it was cool but I see myself getting one down the road, not as my first gun so I'm looking for a semi.

 

 

That's great. Speaking along the lines of the .22LR, check out the Ruger website for their "Mark Series" semi's. I have a Mark III Hunter, that's accurate as all hell.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out there site. They have many different styles and varieties of .22LR. Ruger also has a few 9mm pistols as well. This is the one that interests me right now.

 

 

both my handguns are glocks.. they work all the time. no issues.. you have to go to store and handle the gun see what fits your hand.. if glock works then get a nice used 9mm glock.. will you ever carry this gun?

both my handguns are glocks.. they work all the time. no issues.. you have to go to store and handle the gun see what fits your hand.. if glock works then get a nice used 9mm glock.. will you ever carry this gun?

 

I can't imagine NJ giving me a CCW. I have no justification for it other than because I want to exercise my right.

That's great. Speaking along the lines of the .22LR, check out the Ruger website for their "Mark Series" semi's. I have a Mark III Hunter, that's accurate as all hell.

 

 

 

 

 

Check out there site. They have many different styles and varieties of .22LR. Ruger also has a few 9mm pistols as well. This is the one that interests me right now.

 

 

 

Is that the SR9?

both my handguns are glocks.. they work all the time. no issues.. you have to go to store and handle the gun see what fits your hand.. if glock works then get a nice used 9mm glock.. will you ever carry this gun?

 

I read so much about folks having Glocks. I have some reasons why I don't want a Glock (at least right away) one I'll keep to myself, the other is the fact that tons of people want them. I am funny like that. I never saw any of the Austin Powers movies because I was just sick of everyone talking about how great they are. They may be but it was like :thsmiley_deadhorse: So it would have never leaped the pedestal it was on in my mind. I know its a weird trait LOL

I can't imagine NJ giving me a CCW. I have no justification for it other than because I want to exercise my right.

 

 

as a NJ resident you can carry in other states with the correct licensing... also with all the push for CCW you may see it in your lifetime.. so if you have any desire to carry.. I would not pigeon hole myself into a gun that is difficult to carry.. the midsize Glock (compact) in 9mm would probably be a really good compromise between cost.. reliability.. and ability to carry should the desire arise..