Seeking help. First timer.

[giinguanzo]

I am a few months away from turning 21 so I will finally be able to purchase a handgun. I have been looking around researching and I seem to like either the glock 19 or Beretta px4 storm. I am seeking a little suggestions or advice just to see what else is out there. I do like the fact that the storm has a manually operated safety. Any suggestions out there that might help? I am open to other brands an models besides Beretta and glock. I am looking for a 9mm pistol. Thanks for the help

[iluvmycolt]

What's your budget, intended use, polymer/steel, etc...?

[iluvmycolt]

Oh, and welcome to cal guns, OP.

[giinguanzo]

What's your budget, intended use, polymer/steel, etc...?

Budget range is between 300-600
Intended uses would be for home defense and range shooting. Polymer or steel is both fine with me. Open to DA/SA as well.

[Capybara]

Rent or borrow before buying. Nothing anyone will recommend will mean as much as your own instincts in just shooting them. What appeals to me, you may hate and vice versa. Handguns are a personal thing and you should buy whatever you will shoot best and enjoy shooting, doesn't really matter what other people think you will like.

[iluvmycolt]

Pistols that come to mind right now....CZ 75B, springfield xd, or glock. If you haven't had the chance to handle/shoot the pistols that are mentioned, you should. Go to the shooting range rent them, shoot them and see which one you like best or which one you shoot best with. Good luck with your search.

[jfdodge]

Op, where are you located?

[003]

While I do like my Glock 19, unless you are going to CCW, take a serious look at the Glock 17 or better yet the 34. It is my observation that a full size handgun is easier to learn on. Hard to go wrong with any of the current generation handguns available in California. Go to a range where you can rent them and see what you like.

Do not automatically dismiss the idea of getting a good .22 pistol for your first handgun. A quality .22 is an excellent learning platform, and much less costly to shoot.

Lastly, be sure and take at least one good handgun class. Trying to learn on your own, or from the internet is not a good option.

[the_duck]

Spend a day at an indoor range and shoot everything they got. I shot about a dozen handguns of various calibers at OnTarget over a decade ago when I was shopping for my first handgun.

After that day, I knew what controls, grip angle, texture, sights, caliber I wanted and then went from there.

I ended up with a CZ. Now I have 3 CZ's & a Dan Wesson

[Plunger9]

While I do like my Glock 19, unless you are going to CCW, take a serious look at the Glock 17 or better yet the 34. It is my observation that a full size handgun is easier to learn on. Hard to go wrong with any of the current generation handguns available in California. Go to a range where you can rent them and see what you like.

Do not automatically dismiss the idea of getting a good .22 pistol for your first handgun. A quality .22 is an excellent learning platform, and much less costly to shoot.

Lastly, be sure and take at least one good handgun class. Trying to learn on your own, or from the internet is not a good option.

I second this. I went with a 22lr. handgun before stepping up to 9mm. and I feel that the 22lr. afforded me more trigger time which encouraged more practice.

If you set on 9mm. in your price range I'd take a good look at a CZ 75b.

[giinguanzo]

Op, where are you located?

East bay. Hayward area.

[Baer1911]

Glock 19 is a great choice!

[RichardBay]

Op what handguns have you shot before

[aye_dre]

I currently have a Glock 19 gen 4, but my first pistol was a CZ 75B. I loved the CZ and only reason I traded it was because I plan on buying the CZ 75 SP-01 and a fellow CalGunner was willing to do a straight trade.

CZ was a great first handgun for a few reasons. All steel frame made recoil significantly less noticeable, ergonomics of CZ are unmatched, and is easier to hand then most handguns in 9mm.

Even though I have a G19, I highly recommended a CZ for your first handgun.

[CSACANNONEER]

Get a .22lr pistol first. It'll pay for itself in a few thousand rounds and help you learn to shoot better. Then, get a centerfire pistol. It's way cheaper to do it that way than to buy the centerfire pistol first.