Recommendations for a first time gun owner

[vmax]

Glock 19

 

[vmax]

Way too vague a question. Without knowing more about the intended person that would carrying and shooting the pistol, there is just not practical way to suggest, or recommend any pistol.

What the hell else do you need ? His shoe size..what his favorite color is?
It don't matter much anyway because usually..as I've seen in OPs in these type of threads end up going to Academy and buying whatever catches their eye instead if really putting much thought into it thats my my standard answer is Glock 19..because it doesn't matter. And they usually won't spend any real time practicing with it , just stick it into a cheap shiny holster and look at it

 

[SQLGeek]

A woman first time shooter should not buy a 45 cal for a first gun.

Depends entirely on the woman. Recoil of a .45 is vastly overrated especially in full sized, steel framed guns. This is too broad of a statement to be helpful.

This mentality tends to push women into mouse gun .380s or light weight .38s that end up having a harsher recoil than a full sized pistol.

The best approach is to not one-size fits all it and have the person try as many as possible to see what works.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

What the hell else do you need ? His shoe size..what his favorite color is?
It don't matter much anyway because usually..as I've seen in OPs in these type of threads end up going to Academy and buying whatever catches their eye instead if really putting much thought into it thats my my standard answer is Glock 19..because it doesn't matter. And they usually won't spend any real time practicing with it , just stick it into a cheap shiny holster and look at it

I get what you're saying, and pessimism is my natural speed. That said, if all anyone ever sees are recommendations to buy the cheapest POS gun and a trash nylon holster from Academy, the result will only ever be trash.

Lackluster standards and recommendations = lackluster results.

Might as well make our recommendations aspirational so people might be more likely to strive for better.

 

[leVieux]

How about a good 4" revolver in .38spc ?

 

[jcriswell]

Taurus G2C ..
Glock 19 with a thumb safety. (ok ok 1/16th inch difference)
I have a couple of the Taurus I use to teach grandkids and other inexperienced shooters how to shoot.. then graduate them to the Glock IF they seem interested. I have carried a 19 for more than 25 years.
A first time - new shooter should not be learning on a Glock it is too much to process.
Taurus is an easier gun to shoot, softer feel in the hands and infinitely safer in a beginner's hands.
You can get a new one for $225 bucks most everywhere right now, holster for $50 or less at your nearest local gun show.
We need to put away our visions of grandeur and notions of superiority we see in the mirror, and think about the life (and potentially life preserving) lessons we are hoping to teach. That's why bicycles have training wheels.

 

[Sasquatch]

M&P full size - with the thumb safety. New shooter - may as well learn how to operate a safety right off the bat, and the M&P safety works exactly like a 1911's in the "swipe down" for fire, and "push up" for safe.

The argument that a safety is too unsafe under stress I find bunk - dudes who bash safeties on a pistol have no problems with shotguns or rifles having safeties. Unless the guy saying "no safeties" on a pistol runs a lever gun with no manual safety for their primary long gun, they're wrong.

Like trigger control, sight alignment, and every other aspect - it comes down to training. It doesn't take much effort or energy to practice swiping a safety on and off a thousand times to put it into muscle memory. Fifty dry draws and holsters per day (which can be done in 10 or 15 minutes, while also confirming sight alignment and practicing a first shot break to boot) is nothing and in no time he'll have the muscle memory to swipe the safety off as the gun comes up, and engage it before reholstering. No different than engaging the manual safety on an AR15, a shotgun, or similar modern combat long-gun.

The M&P safety also gives one a great resting place for the trigger-hand thumb, away from the slide stop lever.

The other nice thing about the M&P specifically - you can remove the safety lever in 10 minutes, and Smith & Wesson will send you the little plugs to pop into the frame channels to fill the void if you decide to run your gun slick. If you decide you LIKE the safety after all, the plugs pop right out, and in ten minutes you can reinstall the safety lever.

The M&P has the reliability qualities you'd see in a Glock, with better ergonomics. The 2.0 lineup have nicer triggers than the Gen 3 and older Glocks. If he likes the gun but doesn't love the trigger, there's always Apex to the rescue with some of the sweetest aftermarket striker fire triggers you can get.

You can get this gun in any of the four popular self defense calibers now - 9mm, .40SW, .45ACP, and now just released yesterday (or was it the day before) 10mm.

Lots of holsters out there, easy to find one to fit. Leather or Kydex.

 

[capoward]

First, don’t let your friend purchase the first semi-auto that might work or “kinda feels good”.

As you’re located in Fort Worth I’d recommend a few options based around your friend should physically handle as many semi-autos as possible before selecting his prospective carry gun.

The Original Fort Worth Gun Show is a good place to start but you’ve missed the October 2021 show so will need to await the January 1-2, 2022 show.

Cabela’s in north Fort Worth has a pretty good selection of both semi-autos and revolvers.

A few of the indoor gun ranges, Defenders Outdoors and Shoot Smart, in the Fort Worth area have a good selection of handguns and have rentals your friend can try.

I did the above with friends (a couple) and my wife, none were handgun owners nor users, over the past six months.

My wife selected the newly Sig P365X and our friends - she selected a Springfield Hellcat, and he selected a Sig P320 X-Compact.

I did this scenario myself in 2019 and selected the then newly released Sig P320 X-Compact.

We all selected the handgun that “just felt right” in the hand and the sight were always “properly aligned“ no matter the direction of presentation.

 

[Tactical Panda]

As you’re located in Fort Worth I’d recommend a few options based around your friend should physically handle as many semi-autos as possible before selecting his prospective carry gun.

This. I'll also add to not push him into buying a gun he's not excited about just because "it's good for beginners." I've always hated the mantra of "you should buy XYZ because your new." Unless your friend is a complete idjit (which, if he is, why help arm him) he doesn't need to start on a .22. My first firearm was a Sig 226 chambered in .357 Sig. Why, because the Texas State Troopers carried it and I thought it was badass. Was it practical, no. I picked possibly the worst caliber in terms of price and availability learn to shoot on. I got made fun of quite a bit by experienced shooters, but I didn't let it deter me because I loved both the weapon, and the round (still do) even though I have since switched to the 9mm.

My point is, if he likes the gun, it fits good in his hand, and it makes him excited to go out and shoot it, then have at it. Proper training and instruction will overcome any learning curves.

 

[BMF500]

I'm looking for good reasons to own a 1911, what are they?

Title pretty much sums it up. I'd just like to hear y'all's reasoning or justification for owning one.

www.texasguntalk.com

 

[Moonpie]

I hope you’re joking…$1,500 for a new gun owner is a little steep.

Buy once, cry once.

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

Taurus G2C ..
Glock 19 with a thumb safety. (ok ok 1/16th inch difference)
I have a couple of the Taurus I use to teach grandkids and other inexperienced shooters how to shoot.. then graduate them to the Glock IF they seem interested. I have carried a 19 for more than 25 years.
A first time - new shooter should not be learning on a Glock it is too much to process.
Taurus is an easier gun to shoot, softer feel in the hands and infinitely safer in a beginner's hands.
You can get a new one for $225 bucks most everywhere right now, holster for $50 or less at your nearest local gun show.
We need to put away our visions of grandeur and notions of superiority we see in the mirror, and think about the life (and potentially life preserving) lessons we are hoping to teach. That's why bicycles have training wheels.

How in the world is a Glock considered complicated? Pick it up, aim, pull the trigger.

What’s complicated about that. They are one of the most simplistic pistol designs around.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Mike_from_Texas]

that's fine, but if you can explain how a 5lbs trigger that moves 1/8 inch is safer for someone with little trigger discipline over a 9lbs long pull I'll listen.

1/8”?

Have you even shot a Glock?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Axxe55]

All beginners, old or young, male or female, short or tall, fat or skinny should start with a S&W 500.

If they can handle that, they can handle anything.

/s.

 

[SQLGeek]

Best way to go is to hit a range and rent as many as possible to see which works best for them.

There are a few places that will do unlimited rentals for x amount of time.

Not to be an ass...ok maybe a little bit but well intentioned...

I think my post above bears repeating.

I will add that when I was shopping for my first carry gun, I was pretty much set on getting an XD based on internet reading. Until I actually went and shot a bunch of guns. I hated the XD the most. At the time, I settled on a Glock 19.

Then the Shield came out and I didn't look back.

Guns are like shoes, individual fit and preference is vital.

P.S.
I will also say this, for a defensive firearm, you couldn't pay me to own a Taurus. Too many QC issues for me personally to trust them. That's my take and mine only.

 

[BeatTheTunaUp]

1/8”?

Have you even shot a Glock?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yeah, printed high lol. I was making a point to compare striker action vs a double action pull. No arguing it's easier to have a ND with a striker over a hammer setup. Next time I'll use something closer to the real measurement. It takes 1 and 1/2 lengths of your dick to fire. Happy?

 

[cycleguy2300]

M&P full size - with the thumb safety. New shooter - may as well learn how to operate a safety right off the bat, and the M&P safety works exactly like a 1911's in the "swipe down" for fire, and "push up" for safe.

The argument that a safety is too unsafe under stress I find bunk - dudes who bash safeties on a pistol have no problems with shotguns or rifles having safeties. Unless the guy saying "no safeties" on a pistol runs a lever gun with no manual safety for their primary long gun, they're wrong.

Like trigger control, sight alignment, and every other aspect - it comes down to training. It doesn't take much effort or energy to practice swiping a safety on and off a thousand times to put it into muscle memory. Fifty dry draws and holsters per day (which can be done in 10 or 15 minutes, while also confirming sight alignment and practicing a first shot break to boot) is nothing and in no time he'll have the muscle memory to swipe the safety off as the gun comes up, and engage it before reholstering. No different than engaging the manual safety on an AR15, a shotgun, or similar modern combat long-gun.

The M&P safety also gives one a great resting place for the trigger-hand thumb, away from the slide stop lever.

The other nice thing about the M&P specifically - you can remove the safety lever in 10 minutes, and Smith & Wesson will send you the little plugs to pop into the frame channels to fill the void if you decide to run your gun slick. If you decide you LIKE the safety after all, the plugs pop right out, and in ten minutes you can reinstall the safety lever.

The M&P has the reliability qualities you'd see in a Glock, with better ergonomics. The 2.0 lineup have nicer triggers than the Gen 3 and older Glocks. If he likes the gun but doesn't love the trigger, there's always Apex to the rescue with some of the sweetest aftermarket striker fire triggers you can get.

You can get this gun in any of the four popular self defense calibers now - 9mm, .40SW, .45ACP, and now just released yesterday (or was it the day before) 10mm.

Lots of holsters out there, easy to find one to fit. Leather or Kydex.

That's because I carry my rifle and shotty out of its "holster" nearly all the time. Instead of drawing, I flip the safety as I bring it onto target, essentially equivalent security wise, but substantially simpler than drawing a pistol in the motions required and done under less stress due to space and time due tobthe nature of the weapon and contact As compared to when a pistol is needed.

The more steps the more places for something to be skipped or go wrong.

I don't have anything against pistols with safeties, but if you carry your pistol in a holster, it serves no purpose I can think of.

Sent from your mom's house using Tapatalk

 

[toddnjoyce]

…I don't have anything against pistols with safeties, but if you carry your pistol in a holster, it serves no purpose I can think of….

Not too many revolvers with a safety, but there are a couple.

I’d agree with striker, decocked DA, or DAO pistols not needing a safety, but I do believe single action guns and safeties go hand in hand.

 

[long_tall_texan]

I always say, and recommend, go to local range, rent and try a few to see what style you like before you buy.

 

[Sam7sf]

Yeah, printed high lol. I was making a point to compare striker action vs a double action pull. No arguing it's easier to have a ND with a striker over a hammer setup. Next time I'll use something closer to the real measurement. It takes 1 and 1/2 lengths of your dick to fire. Happy?

6 inch trigger travel bro.