Advice for first handgun purchase.
 

i understand that everyone has their preference for make. i am bout to turn 21 here in the next few months and was looking for a 9mm. semi auto. i have hunted deer all my life, so shotguns and rifles i am very familiar with. i however have a .357 smith and wesson handgun i inherited from my dad after he died. i have alot of experiance handling handguns, and know how to fire them, but most of my experiance shootin the handguns is revolvers. so im here asking you experts what you have experiance with and truly enjoy to have and shoot. i am a college student about to graduate next semester, but because i am still in college i dont have a very large budget. i appreciate any and all advice guys and ladies

Might consider a .40

You could probably deer hunt with the .357 you've got, not that you ever will, but I think you need a revolver with a 3" or 4" barrel, with a minimum caliber/diameter, as well maybe a minimum energy level, think the .357 qualifies though, only thing would be if that barrel was long enough.

I think a .40 would be my choice for a cartridge with no other circumstances in a semi-auto.

If you have a wife who wants to shoot it, or a kid, or it's a compact model, etc...the 9mm might make more sense.

the .357 is capable of being hunted with as thats what my grandpa uses every year since its easier for him to carry through the woods with his arthritis. its got a 6" barrel.

and i was considering a .45 or a 9mm. just because the cartriges for .40 are so much more than either a .45 or 9mm. but i will be moving in with my gf after graduation and she loves to shoot as well, and would like her to not be to intimidated of recoil, especially if im gone and the time comes to use it in a self diffense situation.

What's the price difference between .40 and 9mm? .45?

Seems to me like the .40 is very popular these days.

I'd get a .40 over a .45, also the 9mm magazine will hold I think about 2 more than the .40, and the .40 will hold more than the .45, something to consider...

In my neck of the woods 9mm is cheapest followed by the 40 and then the 45 is the most expensive of the 3. The 9mm would be cheaper to shoot and would be an excellent defensive weapon with good ammo.

Many people I know find the 40 S&W to have snappier or harsher recoil than the 45 acp. I don't find it bad at all but it can be a little unruly in a Glock 27, shooting fullhouse Double Tap ammo.

I like Glock pistols myself, along with Sig Sauer and Beretta. As long as you go with what you like is all that matters. I would definately pick something from one of the major brands though. Look at Glock, Springfield XD's, S&W M&P, and Ruger...just to name a few in the price range you mentioned.

atleast where i am at, 9mm i can get a box of 50 for bout $20. a b0x of 50 in .45 is bout $35. and a box of 50 run bout $45 or more. i checked it out at 2 local gun stores. i personally am not worried bout the reciol, but at the same time (god willing it never happen) if someone where to come into my place with intention to steal, rob, or harm me or my gf. and she gets to the gun before me, dont want her to hesitate due to fear of the recoil. plus we enjoy target shooting when the weather and time allows. and i would like for her to enjoy in the gun as well, and still not cost me an arm and a leg in ammo. i was leaning toward a ruger P-89? defenitly an 80 model....just late and strugling to remeber now.

I got my Lady friend a 9mm Hi-Point semi auto. They are cheap and work good. Never had it ti jam up. She loves shooting it.
:fighting0007:

Sounds like you already have your first handgun? The auto has the advantage when it comes to magazine capacity, but that .357 is absolutely adequate for defensive purposes. In fact, even toning it down with +P .38 Specials instead of full-house .357s, I'd prefer it over a 9mm.

The 9mm's liability, in my experience, is FMJ ammunition. If you're willing to spend extra for dedicated defensive ammunition (typically, good hollow points), that liability can be significantly reduced. It IS very easy to shoot, though - and something that's easy to shoot often promotes fundamentally better marksmanship. A hit with a 9mm is better than a miss with a .454 Casull.

I don't have a .40, but seems every law enforcement person I know does. That's a statement in itself. But, also consider that everyone in the military who carries a pistol carries a 9mm, so it's often not a matter of choice.

The .45 (ACP) is a different animal. It doesn't have the high-velocity "whip" in its recoil like the 9mm does, but instead gets your attention with a "big bullet" shove. A double-stack .45 often gets to be too wide for many to properly grip, a single stack doesn't give you much advantage over a revolver in terms of magazine capacity. A compact .45 is the ticket for concealed carry, though. Narrow and short.

Given what you've posted, I'd probably elect the 9mm. Ammunition's more widely available (not that .40 and .45 are scarce, necessarily). If you're going to use it as a defensive gun, get some hollow points.

Glocks would be my choice followed by Springfield XD's. You can get them in a wide variety of calibers. I'm personally a fan of the 9mm, .40 S&W, and the .45 ACP. I don't think you can really go wrong with either of them.

Wow is that for hollow point ammo? If not I'd look for a new dealer. Walmart here sells 9mm Federal Champion for $9.97 for 50. The same Federal Champion in .40 S&W is $13.97 for 50. I'm not sure what the .45 ACP is since it's not often instock. I saw it instock a couple days ago but couldn't see the price of it. Those prices you mentioned are crazy high. WWB here is $20.97 or $21.97 depending on the Walmart for the 9mm. This is 100 round packs. The 100 round pack of WWB for the .40 S&W is right at $30 or so.

As for the Ruger P-89 they are reliable pistols. The biggest complaint about them seems to be the size of them. They are kind of a brick. I don't think you can really go wrong with one though unless you are looking for a gun to use for concealed carrying. It's a lot cheaper than the Glocks usually or Springfield XD's but I still prefer the Glocks if you have the extra money.

For home defense the 38.357 will work just fine. I have one that is a butt nose and I can keep em in centermass out to around 30 yards with it. When deciding between the other 3 cartridges you asked about I'd answer the following question "some one breaks in and you have to shoot. Do you want to mame them or do you want to kill them?" The 9mm is a mame gun in my opinion. What I mean here is that if you shoot someone and they're coming at you hard then you may not knock them down right away. This is the reason that most police officers carry a 40 sw now. It offers a tad bit more knock down power than the 9mm. 45acp is just a kick ass round. You may only need to shoot something once with it that you may have to shoot two or three times with the 9mm. Personally I own all three and my main carry gun is a 40sw in the springfeild xd. That would be my recommendation.

My .02. I would say go for the 40 for the "punch"and capacity. That said I have a Hi-Powder clone Feg HP-9 in 9mm as an all-around target traveling companion ,bedroom gun ,well its staying around. It shoots well with every load I've fed it from 75gn hps to 158gn rnfp's. That platform is all steel and is available in 40 also. Its easy to shoot and has mags available in 8,10,13,15 and 20 rds. My next choice would be just to jump strait in to a 1911which can be had in at least a half a dozen cartridges and 22LR swaps for training.

those where the prices at dicks sporting goods close to my apt. Ilinois is the home of our president who is trying to raise all the gun prices, and ammo prices, so thats not really helping our prices stay down. and since illinois is (i believe one out of the two states that does not allow carry of concealed) with this first purchase am not super worried bout size for carrying concealed. i would love a glock, just not sure if i can afford it.

lol my buddy got his ol' lady a 380, cant find any ammo fer it lol..some hollow points he got, but who wants ta blow those down range at that price fer fun.

i say glock....xdm's are nice and a very sweet deal, but they dont pass the sand test, and the glock does. i own both , and have tested them both with a buddy and we drew the same conclusion, although he did by an xdm instead, cause he says it feels better to him. i adjust perty good to both just fine. your ol lady should be able to shoot a 40 just fine..my 11 year old daughter was shootin it at the age of 9.....single shots of course.(1 bullet at a time in the pistol) cause i need no accidents on my watch.:fighting0007:

Ugh, i hate 9mms. Id either go with a .40, .45, or a 10mm myself, more knockdown power, and with semi-auto im not much worried about recoil, your used to a revolver where your arm takes the entirety of the recoil, in semis the recoil is partially absorbed by the ejection process

If you aren't worried about the size of it and and the Ruger P89 feels good in your hands it's a great choice. Really, the only downside I've ever seen to them is the size if you plan to carry it. Since that's not an issue it's probably a good choice. I don't have one but have a family member that does and he loves his and I have to say I really enjoy shooting it. For just shooting targets or cans the 9mm is all you really need imo and you can still get ammo for a decent price.

Go to a gun store and handle all of the guns and see which fits your hand the best. I shoot a 9mm Beretta and my wife shoots a 9mm Tauris. The 9mm shells will be a little cheaper than the 40. I would stay with a name brand though. A 9mm or a 40 you won't go wrong. Good luck.

My .02 is you should go with a 40 cal... It has a little more A** behind it when it comes to self defense and you only lose a couple of rounds when it comes to magazine capacity. If you can get someone who reloads the ammo cost wont be so bad.
As for brand I recommend Glock or Smith and Wesson along with any other reputable brand... As other people have posted go to the gun dealer and pick the gun up to see how it feels in your hand. I would also recommend night sights on your weapon... statistics have shown that a majority confrontations happen in low light conditions so be prepared!
I would also recommend taking some basic, intermediate, and advanced handgun classes if possible.

My son who turned 21 a while back just bought his first handgun. A Springfield XD 40 cal. It's nice but not as nice as My H&K USP 40. He also recently got his late Granddad's S&W Highway Patrolman 357 and a little single action 22. I think the 22 is a "Herters" made in Germany.

Glock makes a great point & shoot handgun, no frills just point and shoot. You can find a Glock at a cheaper price than some other handguns.

Springfield Armory XD or XDM would be a great choice also. The Springfield has a couple of safety features that you might like and they might make your girl friend more comfortable? The safety features I am refuring to:
The live round in chamber indicator
"****ed hammer" (there is no hammer on this pistol) or ready to fire indicator.

I own two Springfield Armory 40s&w one for me and one for the wife. My wife shot several pistols and decided she liked the Springfield better because of the safety features. She also shoots this pistol very well.

I also own a Kimber Crimson Carry in 45acp. this pistol has the crimson trace laser grip. I would think just the sight of the red dot on the chest should end 99% of all crimes?

So what'cha been knockin' down?