need a learner pistol

[jr916]

I'm turning 21 soon and want to get a pistol for my birthday, but don't know too much about them as I've never owned one. I've shot several pistols before: a Ruger .22LR, a couple of Glocks, and some Springfield polymer semi-auto in .45ACP, the recoil of which didn't bother me. I'd been planning on getting a Ruger .22 with a long barrel to learn solid fundamentals with and shoot on the cheap, but now a big part of me thinks I'll be disappointed for not getting a slightly heftier caliber.

Can anyone suggest a good starter pistol in .38 or larger? I'd be interested a .357/.38 revolver but haven't ever shot one and tend to naturally lean towards an autoloader. I'm a college student and my budget is tight: I'm looking to spend $350-400 or preferably less. I know this is a small amount, but I'm not opposed to buying used, and have looked into the used CZ-70 or CZ-82 pistols: does anybody have experience with these guns? They seem like the cheapest semi-auto option for me, but are they bad quality?

I just want to get a handful of models that fit my purpose to both research and search out to shoot for myself. Thanks for any advice and I hope this doesn't start a "9mm vs 40S&W vs 45" debate!

[nrvnqsrxk]

As it's pretty late, I don't want to get into the nitty gritty of why or how I recommend these types of pistols for you. But it has something to do with reliability, durability, and consistency of trigger pull.

Buy a Glock 19 or S&W M&P9.


Don't like my recommendations? Go to the range and rent every gun possible. Decide which gun makes you get wood because of its aesthetics, ergonomics, or performance. But just to keep this simple, go with a Glock19 or M&P9.

[Z ME FLY]

I personally think first you need to decide if you want a semi auto or a revolver. From there you can figure out the caliber then go for the type of gun. That's probably the best way. I would probably get a 9mm or .38 special. You are going to get a lot of options about what gun to get. None of us can give you the right answer because it's your gun.

[Joe]

Go 9mm for sure.

I got a glock 19 as my first pistol 4 years ago. Best decision I could have made.

[jr916]

Great, I'll try to seek out a Glock 19 and S&W M&P9 to test out.

ZMEFLY, I have to shoot some revolvers first if I want to decide on one over a semi- got any suggestions for a cheapish .357/.38 revolver? I like the idea of having a lighter/cheaper round to practice with but having the option to shoot .357 too. I also like that revolvers are more reliable(and easier to clean?)... I've just never have shot one and need suggestions!

BTW, does anyone know of a good range in or near Santa Barbara that rents handguns? I usually shoot at the free, open public range in Los Padres National Forest that doesn't even have employees let alone rent guns.

[M47_Dragon]

I agree with what everyone else has already posted, but did want to address one of your questions...

Re: CZ pistols:

They seem like the cheapest semi-auto option for me, but are they bad quality?

No, CZs are not bad quality, they are very decent guns and one of the best deals available. There are a lot of CZ owners here, and you'd be hard pressed to find one that isn't pleased with it/them.

[Rekrab]

For revolver a Ruger SP101 would fit your budget and give you the .38/.357 option you're looking for.

[k1dude]

Semi Auto:

Rock Island Armory M1911A1 .45 ACP ($380 delivered from Bellshire @ Gunbroker):

[XDRoX]

Get a glock 19.

[Hayashi Killian]

Why not another .22? Like a Ruger MkIII? Something you can learn on and experiment on. I imagine you can find a new or used .22 handgun for cheap. I don't know how much experience you have in shooting, but if you think you're still in the learning stage, a .22 doesn't hurt, and even if you're not, it's dead-cheap to shoot.

[Ed_in_Sac]

Great, I'll try to seek out a Glock 19 and S&W M&P9 to test out.

ZMEFLY, I have to shoot some revolvers first if I want to decide on one over a semi- got any suggestions for a cheapish .357/.38 revolver? I like the idea of having a lighter/cheaper round to practice with but having the option to shoot .357 too. I also like that revolvers are more reliable(and easier to clean?)... I've just never have shot one and need suggestions!

BTW, does anyone know of a good range in or near Santa Barbara that rents handguns? I usually shoot at the free, open public range in Los Padres National Forest that doesn't even have employees let alone rent guns.

A G-19, any Glock, is very easy to clean. Revolvers require each cylinder to be cleaned and deposits can build up in the forcing cone. .357 is a great load, but the ammo is expensive and can be hard to find. 9mm is ok for defense with the right load and the cheap ball ammo for practice is easy on the pocketbook.

[Fantasma]

If your budget is only $400 I would tell you to go for a Ruger MK 1 or 2 with the target barrel and lots of ammo. You will be having lots of fun and learning all the fundamentals. Then when you have a budget of 500-600, you could get a 9mm to also learn and practice with, try to get a metal handgun as they feel better in your hand and aid with accuracy IMO. So I would say a nice 1911, Hi Power, CZ 75B SA, Berreta 92FS(alloy, but feels better then tupper ware guns). If you want target guns those are my suggestions.

You will not beat a .22 or 9mm to learn from, they are the best to start with.

I'm not really into plastic guns, so I do not recommend any for target shooting, but that s subjective IMO. You might feel more comfortable target shooting with a glock than me.

[DaveFJ80]

I'd been planning on getting a Ruger .22 with a long barrel to learn solid fundamentals with and shoot on the cheap, but now a big part of me thinks I'll be disappointed for not getting a slightly heftier caliber.

IMO, get a gun that you're going to be happy with and not possibly regret later saying to yourself "I wish I spent a few extra bucks and got the 9mm that I really wanted" if you think a 9mm might work out for you better (not just for praticing at the range, but for other purposes). I think a 9mm is a great platform to get into. Ammo isn't too bad, considering other larger calibers, resale is always good, and there are good JHP ammo out there that can be used for defensive situations.

I'm a college student and my budget is tight: I'm looking to spend $350-400 or preferably less.

As everyone said, the Glock 19 is a great gun (I just recently got one), but even used you're not going to find one for under $450. If you do, it's sold within minutes after it's advertised. For the price range you're looking at, you can get a S&W SW9VE and it's a good 9mm to shoot. I posted awhile back that I was shooting this quite a bit when renting that, an XD9, and a Glock 17. If I knew I didn't want to spend much on a gun and would use it every now & then for the range, then the SW9VE is a great gun. But since I wanted to use my gun more, and the craftsmanship between the SW9VE and the XD9/Glock is really noticable, I saved up a few extra bucks and got the Glock 19.

I remember being in college and buying a Glock 17 back in 98, and then a Glock 19 in 99 (still have a lot of pre-ban high cap mags from them ), but I also had to sell them a couple of years later since I really needed the cash and I always regreted selling them. The point being, I know money is tight in college and a purchase like this can be great at first, but then things come up and you may have to (and hate to) sell the gun. If you know you won't want to part with the gun, even if times are tough, then get something you like and will enjoy now and down the road. If you are really tight on a budget, get a cheaper alternative (like looking into the SW9VE) and later when you have more money, can you sell that if you want and get something else.

[zman]

I'm a college student and my budget is tight: I'm looking to spend $350-400 or preferably less.

A new Ruger P89 or P95 should fit the bill. Both 9mm too.

Semi Auto:

Rock Island Armory M1911A1 .45 ACP ($380 delivered from Bellshire @ Gunbroker):

This should work too if .45acp doesn't bother you.

[wu_dot_com]

I'm turning 21 soon and want to get a pistol for my birthday, but don't know too much about them as I've never owned one. I've shot several pistols before: a Ruger .22LR, a couple of Glocks, and some Springfield polymer semi-auto in .45ACP, the recoil of which didn't bother me. I'd been planning on getting a Ruger .22 with a long barrel to learn solid fundamentals with and shoot on the cheap, but now a big part of me thinks I'll be disappointed for not getting a slightly heftier caliber.

Can anyone suggest a good starter pistol in .38 or larger? I'd be interested a .357/.38 revolver but haven't ever shot one and tend to naturally lean towards an autoloader. I'm a college student and my budget is tight: I'm looking to spend $350-400 or preferably less. I know this is a small amount, but I'm not opposed to buying used, and have looked into the used CZ-70 or CZ-82 pistols: does anybody have experience with these guns? They seem like the cheapest semi-auto option for me, but are they bad quality?

I just want to get a handful of models that fit my purpose to both research and search out to shoot for myself. Thanks for any advice and I hope this doesn't start a "9mm vs 40S&W vs 45" debate!

try a CZ75B in 9mm. there is a lot of history behind this gun.
this gun first came out in 1975. its based on the rail system of P210 and the internal working of browning HP. the 75B version have both steel slide and frame while the 75 SP-01 is steel slide and alum alloy frame. whats remarkable about the gun is that, the the slide rides inside the rail like the Sig P210. this design gives a better barrel to slide fit which results in better accuracy w/o sacrificing reliability. the down side is that this design makes the gun a bit heavier than other choices. what was really remarkable about this gun is that for the basic 75B model, the center of mass is rested right on the grip. unlike all the other guns i've held where the center of mass is in front of the grip or top heavy. this characteristic makes the gun extremely comfortable and easy to aim and shoot for long period of time. however, the 75 SP-01 w/ alloy frame suffer from the forward center of mass issue like most other guns.

this is a great gun to own and learn on. turner have it on sale in their spring catalog. so pick that up before its too late.