My First .45

[Gaius Marius]

SIG P220 as several others have stated. I've got both the P220 and the Glock 21, and the SIG is better in every regard aside from out of the box capacity, and theoretical (as in outside of CA) capacity. Just get some 10 round mags for your 220 and you're all set.

[Che762x39]

Hey guys, just in case anyone's still following this. I've had a change of heart, based off some of the advice here and more online research, i'm now heavily considering the Glock 21, and the Glock 20(dependent on further 10mm ammo cost research). If anyone has any experience with glocks, and could provide insight on the pros and cons of the different models(SF/Gen4/...), I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

I am still thinking 9mm over 45 ACP. But good luck and have fun

[JohnCCW]

How about a Kimber Stainless Target II or Eclipse Custom II in 10mm if you want to play with the big boys...

[Port Authority]

My first (1980's) automatic was a Colt Officers because it was not for fun, but for concealed carry.

More recently I had to go Glock, and the first one I got was the G36 ... for the same reasons.

Since then, I got a G41 for fun and shoot 45Supers, on a heavier spring, so I won't feel bad that I don't have a trendy 10mm.

I feel well Glocked and can shoot all kinds of ACP-based 45.

Still few holsters for the 41 though.

Port

[Anti-Hero]

Ummmm have you actually shot a .45 yet?

You may want to try different calibers and see which ones you like and shoot best. and which ones you can actually hit a target with... also consider if you are you intending on carrying.

IMHO, the best gun you can own is the one you can comfortably carry and somewhat accurately shoot under stress ... the fact you have accessible 10 rounds of .45 may not be much help you much if you are not carrying it when you need it and also that you are not that accurate when you shoot it under stress... also keep in mind that you have to shoot many thousands of rounds until you get proficient at it to comfortably hit targets under stress. Its not that easy to do that with a .45 when you first start out.

I see lots of guys who buy a .45 for their first gun at the range and the cannot even hit a 12" target at 15 yards.. they are all over the map the except anywhere close to the center of he target...

Personally for my first gun, I bought a .22 and later a 9mm ... I practiced with thousands of rounds until I can hit a 3" target consistently at 15 yards... then am looking at higher calipers...

My 2 cents....try as may an you can .. see what feels right in you hand and what you shoot best ... all the best.. pls keep posted what gun you end up getting

Caliber has little to do with accuracy at 15yards unless it's rapid fire.

[decepticon6551]

Cz 97

Says Smith and Wesson
I agree with the 97, but you have to have some big hands for it to feel comfortable... My personal favorite.

[JohnCCW]

OP- See now that you are considering a Glock 10mm, It's a hell of alot cheaper than a Kimber, the only other 10mm on our beloved Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale.
Striker-fired weapon won't be as accurate on the target range, but should be fun and accurate enough for most things.
G20 or G29 is easy choice. If you want the most concealable it's the G29. With a +1 grip extention, you get the full legal 10 round capacity.
G20 will be more accurate/powerful with the longer barrel and sight length.
You can get the Short Frame versions of either pistol if that feels better in your hand, but all CA approved Glocks are Gen3 only.

[Some Velvet-Fisted Brute]

There's a lot of good advice above. Primarily, go rent as many of your options as possible.

A 1911 is a great way to go. Not perfect, but it has a few features that are really worthwhile. Namely, the size, grip angle, typically steel construction, and low bore axis do a lot to tame what is a fairy substantial cartridge. The sliding trigger and crisp break is much easier to operate well with little experience. The downsides are that they're a bit more complicated than more modern pistols to clean and maintain. There are more parts to manipulate to field strip, and on a particularly tight make, they can be a bit finicky. Springfields are generally pretty well regarded, and most everything at similar or higher price points are pretty worthwhile. I would recommend avoiding a full-length guide rod (little to no benefit while taking fieldstripping from finicky to a nuisance) and don't worry too much about capacity. reliable flush fitting 8 round mags are widely available and if you don't mind the protrusion, there are also single stack 10's on the aftermarket. And of course, some manufacturers have widened the grip to allow for staggered 10 round mags.

Personally, I don't care for Sigs. It's not that they aren't good pistols. There's a reason they're one of the biggest manufacturers in the world. The thing is, their ergonomics just don't work for me. On the 220, despite being thicker than a 1911, it feels narrower, maybe due to the length of the grip. Maybe they'll feel better to you, though. Definitely try before you buy.

I would say the same for Glocks. They're wonderfully simple and extraordinarily reliable. But I never could get used to the grip angle and profile and have always felt the trigger is a bit too long and spongy for my tastes. But their popularity suggests a very large number of people feel otherwise. If you have a change of heart on the hammer vs striker firing mechanism, you should definitely try them out and while you're at it, handle a Springfield XD, too. They have a more upright grip which I strongly prefer over a Glock's, and if you have the chance to check a few out, you can find some with some decent triggers (although they are nowhere near as nice as most hammer fired single actions, of course)

Going back to hammer fired, check out the CZ 97. It's basically a CZ 75 scaled up to fit a 10 round mag of 45. I'll admit I've never handled one, but I grew up with an EAA Witness 45 (a CZ 97 clone manufactured by Tanfoglio in Italy... and doing little to extinguish the post-WWII stereotypes of their country's industrial skills. Long story short, it broke. Bad metallurgy along with aggressive lightening cuts led to a fatigue fracture under the ejection port on the slide. Common problem for Tanfoglio in the 90's but one that -- to the best of my knowledge -- never afflicted CZ's manufacturing). Despite its failure, it was quite an accurate pistol in my hands. It just felt 'right'. I might eventually get a CZ 97 to replace it.

With the right pistol, recoil won't be too much a problem. 1911's, HK's, and XD's all handle the cartridge fairly well in my experience. The suggestions to consider a smaller cartridge are both good and bad. Good because something that kicks less will be less frustrating and less expensive to master and bad because, ultimately, it's your choice and you should get what makes you happy. And not to beat a dead horse, but that's where rental time is absolutely invaluable. Good luck with your purchase and welcome to the club.

[Lightstrider]

On the day I turned 21 I DROS'd this:






Before this I had experience with an HK USP 40, Ruger SR9, G17, and some S&W compact 380. USP 40 was comfortable but way too snappy, the 40 kicks to random sides so it was hard for me to use. SR9 was comfortable but even more snappy. G17 was uncomfortable and felt like an airsoft gun. The 380 was metal and fun but being a compact I just didn't feel it was something I'd want for HD and carrying on the mountain.

Then without even shooting a 1911 I dropped the $1700 on this and loved it since day 1. It's very heavy with the bull barrel, but the recoil is very easy to manage as it shoots straight up and backwards so I just let the front fall back down for good follow up shots. Adjustable sights, great trigger, my only complaint is the front sight's pin has came loose a few times because of my leg holster. The holster is attached to a belt and I use my ACOG pouch to carry those 6 10rd mags and I lug it around all day without any problems, cutting wood, operating farm equipment, etc. I'm confidant that I can drop a hog, mountain lion, coyote or bear if I need to but you could with a .22 using a well placed shot.

After a few years with it I'm considering getting a backup. Would love an FNX/FNP 45 Tactical but they're harder to get. Have considered a 9mm 1911, but also buying into the HK VP9 hype.

Would love to try the Russian Grach.

[RobertLJones11]

Glock 30 SF

[BigGovernment]

Just in case anyone is still sub'd to this thread, you glock people got me. I went with the 21SF, and shot it for the first time this weekend. I went through about 100 rounds of ****ty wolf(got 500rds for $140 at sgammo.com), and some remington hollow points. I was very pleased with the flawless reliability of the gun, and the accuracy seemed great for me(i was able to get some 4-5" groups at 20 yards, standing). The only thing that threw me off a little bit was the rough trigger pull: it is just a little bit to tough for me to use effectively after a few mags, and the creep factor is there as well leading to a break that is anything but smooth. But fortunately you can get a 3.5 pound connector that sounds like it will limit that problem significantly, maybe even solve it. Thanks a lot for the advice, I am very pleased with my purchase! On another note, does anyone have any suggestions for a lower-riding holster? Thanks in advance!

[SoberClurichaun]

All the handguns you mentioned are commonly posted in the Marketplace. Also it is important to know that off list handguns are not "illegal" I own some as do most people on this forum. Sorry is restating what others have already said. Also yes check out the CZ97!

[viet4lifeOC]

hey, I have looked at 9mm and I don't have anything against the round but the major limiting factor preventing me from buying one in the stupid 10 round magazine law. I'm following the standard logic that if I can only have 10 rounds, they should be as powerful as I can handle. The cost does hurt but at this time .45 is what i'm strongly leaning towards.

I have looked at the sig 220, and it's an awesome gun and I am considering it, the only thing really holding me back from buying it is that I feel like buying it sort of like compromising with the state(when in any other state I could pay almost the same price for the 227) Also I was so into the 227 when I was first checking it out that buying essentially the outdated model of the gun just seems wrong. Not crossing it off my list but those are some of the things that I'm thinking about.

The 1911R looks like a good gun, I'll be looking into it.

Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, but props for having a very well thought out reasoning behind your decision. You have a good head on your shoulder.

One advice. This probably won't be your last gun....and you can always sell it if you find out the gun is not for you.

When I started shooting. I knew no one that own guns. I was in the "buy and try" plan. All the guns I did buy in the beginning I sold-RIA 1911, XDs, Sig. All the guns I thought I'd hate I bought in the end of my buying spree- glocks, CZ, M&P

[itsmekevin]

Yes, best bet is to try out different guns. I'm a 1911 and Glock fan. Can't go wrong with either. I've owned both in .45, but the 1911 always gets more range time. BTW, my first 1911 was a Kimber Custom 2 and can be had for $800 brand new. Ran great and I was really accurate with it.