Best Starting Caliber

[UnderADyingSun]

I have two schools of thought on this subject.

Start big, and in learning discipline with something like .45 one should be able to control lesser calibers with ease.

Start entry level, 9mm, and then work up.

Noting, in my life I've shot .357, a .40 hk, and a competition .45. Years removed from those experiences, and I don't recall how I handled them. They went bang, that's the extent of my recollection.

I'm on the cusp of my purchase, and will spend some range time with various calibers hopefully by this weekend, and I really want to feel secure in starting with 10mm ( g20sf ) since the gun has so much versatility. It's my understanding that simple barrel conversions would allow me to shoot both .40 and .357 ( kind of trivializes a standard .40 purchase, doesn't it ), emphasizing the lesser caliber should costs impede my ability to hold effective range time.

This initial purchase will serve both as both a home defense and carry weapon ( assuming ccw goes through, and I'm increasingly confident it would ) and given the superficial legislative implements in Cali, I'd rather run around with a glass that can be more than half full. Thoughts, suggestions, many thanks!

[mnichols]

If youre only getting one, i would research the pros and cons and choose the caliber i want to end up with. dont start with a caliber just to learn on and switch. UNLESS you can get multiples, then get one of each and carry the one youre best with. just my opinion

[JackRydden224]

I'm against the 10mm, 357sig and .45 ACP as starter calibers because of their cost. You need practice and 9mm is still cheaper. The .40 S&W might be OK seeing how ammo is steadily available at most places (Big5, Walmart...etc).

[003]

The best in every sense of the word "starter" caliber is .22LR. Anyone that does not recognize and understand this does not understand the learning curve involved in shooting a handgun well.

Those that believe starting with a large caliber remind me of the folks from my generation that said when a person first learns to drive that they need to learn on a stick shift as once they learn that they will be able to drive anything. The flaw in this logic is that learning to drive (shoot) is hard enough, without adding additional hurtles. Take it one step at a time and you will do much better.

[ElDub1950]

You mentioned possibly using a conversion barrel. This varies from IA to IA, but in my county I can only carry a gun in it's factory original configuration so I can't carry my Glock 27 with my Lonewolf 40-9 conversion barrel. A lot of IAs don't care, but if that's your intent, you should check the requirement first.

[REDdawn6]

Any caliber as long as it starts with 4 and ends with 5!

[axhoaxho]

If I were to start over since I was a young gun decades ago, I would have listened to folks and gone with the .22LR.

Of course, I didn't listen and went with a snubnosed .38/.357. Over the years I had established so many bad habits from stance to trigger, and took many instructors and countless hours to unlearn/correct them. Yet, even now whenever I was tired or tried new guns, sometimes my 'ol bad habits would surface again.

I sincerely recommend the .22LR and a good pistol like the Browning Buck Mark, use a lot of patient to practice practice practice with classes until the instructor releases to move up the caliber. The reward will go a long way in life.

[ElDub1950]

If I were to start over since I was a young gun decades ago, I would have listened to folks and gone with the .22LR.

Of course, I didn't listen and went with a snubnosed .38/.357. Over the years I had established so many bad habits from stance to trigger, and took many instructors and countless hours to unlearn/correct them. Yet, even now whenever I was tired or tried new guns, sometimes my 'ol bad habits would surface again.

I sincerely recommend the .22LR and a good pistol like the Browning Buck Mark, use a lot of patient to practice practice practice with classes until the instructor releases to move up the caliber. The reward will go a long way in life.

Just as likely to develop bad habits with a .22 as with anything else. The biggest return on your money is some good training early.

[tal3nt]

Start with nine. End with nine.

But honestly, once you get handgun shooting down, any caliber will be manageable as far as the common 380, 9, 40, 45

[yankee-pete]

IMO, a .22 is not a good starter caliber. They are generally not nearly as accurate as bigger calibers. The guns are usually not as well engineered or built, and the ammo is rarely consistent. They are fun to shoot though.

[BoJackUSMC]

9mm for budget and practice wise.
45acp if money is no issue.

[Lead Waster]

The best in every sense of the word "starter" caliber is .22LR. Anyone that does not recognize and understand this does not understand the learning curve involved in shooting a handgun well.

Those that believe starting with a large caliber remind me of the folks from my generation that said when a person first learns to drive that they need to learn on a stick shift as once they learn that they will be able to drive anything. The flaw in this logic is that learning to drive (shoot) is hard enough, without adding additional hurtles. Take it one step at a time and you will do much better.

I agree here 100%. The car analogy is excellent. With driving, not only must you know the controls of the car (gun), you must learn the traffic (safety) rules as well. Learn on an automatic transmission so that you can learn the traffic rules FIRST because that's what will kill you if you screw it up. Then after mastering it, pick a manual if you really want to.

With a handgun, start with a 9mm (if not .22). Why do you want to instantly have to deal with flinching on large calibers and the more costly ammo?

Honestly, in terms of "start big" don't use that for caliber. Use that for trigger control. Shoot a Glock first and a 1911 after or you'll be sloppy. Larger calibers don't really give you any teaching points as much as an unforgiving trigger will.

Best of the best, is a nice .22 revolver. It will acclimate you to the sound of gunfire so you will not flinch and it's cheap practice. Then move up or you're just wasting money.

IMHO.

[RichardBay]

10mm with the .40cal conversion sounds awesome i want one in my collection. But I'm in love with the 9 i started with. S&W M&P9fs.

[axhoaxho]

IMO, a .22 is not a good starter caliber. They are generally not nearly as accurate as bigger calibers. The guns are usually not as well engineered or built, and the ammo is rarely consistent. They are fun to shoot though.

To starters, they might just need to practice at 5-10 yards targets, and that is good enough for most decent .22LR ammos (e.g. CCI Mini-Mag, or similar.) There are nice quality .22LR pistols for starters too (e.g. Buck Mark, Mark II/III.)

Like learning to drive, the loose nut usually is located behind the steering wheel

[jmpgnr24k]

45acp. Get a mans gun. If you're getting into firearms - nothing about it is cheap. You're gonna have to pay no matter what so you might as well go the big dog road.