Thread: Handgun.. any recommendations?

There will be a lot of suggestions here, and they will all probably be good ones.
I am partial to Smith and Wesson, but don't let that sway you.
There are several things to consider.

First is you get what you pay for.
If you spend $2000 for a nice Kimber, you will have a good reliable firearm that will not fail you. The same goes for H&K, S&W, Colt, Taurus, etc...

Ask questions If someone tells you a certain brand is beter, ask them why.
reliability, accuracy... etc.
I like Smith & Wesson, because mine have never failed to chamber a round, including questionable hand loads, they have never misfired. They fit my hand well, and feel right. I also have an old off brand 1911, a Taurus, and a Walther that fit that description.

Know your round, and what your intended use is. You wouldn't want to hunt Elephants with a 22, and you aren't going to want to buy a 500 magnum for concealed carry.

If you want a weapon for home security, you should also consider your neighbors. a 357 or 44 magnum have too much penetration and can travel through several houses before stopping.
If you have no intention of carrying and don't have a lot of interest in going to the range, a short barreled pump action 12 gauge shotgun is effective, and can intimidate the most battle hardened criminal.

If you want concealed carry, oso you walk out in front of your house without shouting to the world that you are armed, you may want to consider something smaller like a .32 Beretta, or something in .380 or .40

Do not try to make the gun fit you. As a novice you should look long and hard to find a firearm that feels natural in your hand. If you find such a gun, even if it's not a 45, give it careful consideration.


My suggestion for you for an all around most bang for your buck firearm would be the Springfield XD. It comes in several calibers up to 45, I found it to be very comfortable, it has some good features including an indicator to let you know if you have a round in the chamber without looking.

You can get similar features from almost any firearm manufacturer. so you'll have to shop around.

Originally Posted by Mike_ratliff

First is you get what you pay for.
If you spend $2000 for a nice Kimber, you will have a good reliable firearm that will not fail you. The same goes for H&K, S&W, Colt, Taurus, etc...

Unless its a race gun designed for speed not reliability or a pretty boy toy.

There are some really nice reasonable choices out there. Price isn't, to me always the best indicator of quality. S&W is cheaper than Sig for the most part but I wouldn't put S&W quality at a lower level and Taurus is a bargain for the level of quality you usually get. At the same time for a first gun I wouldn't recommend used either, until you are able to tell if you are buying someone else's' problem that is.

Originally Posted by bevansmw

Well since there seem to be so many guys into guns here I thought I'd see if I could get some pointers on buying a handgun. I've been thinking about it for a while and was considering getting something in .45 caliber. Just thought I'd see if any of you guys could provide any recommendations for a gun, maybe good place to buy it. It'd be mainly for home defense type of thing I don't do much shooting usually.

My pointer would be to buy a firearm you like and will learn to shoot. Im sure Hawaii has a gun range at which you can rent a firearm. A firearm is of marginal value if you cant or wont use it. If its a house gun, get a 12 ga. shotgun and some 00 buck shot loads. That should do it. If you like hand guns, go rent some at the range. Revolvers are good as you can hardly make them malfunction. Or, I guess you could go buy one off the street and get a few rounds to stick in it and hope you never have to pick it up.

All great advice, but i will chime in once more, often times a gun can save your life without being fired...
It's the OH S**T factor, or Pucker factor as my dad calls it.
Most guns have to be seen to induce this fear in an intruder, but as another member said a pump action shotgun will induce this to the greatest degree, and without being seen.
The sound is recognisable the world over, and because of the spread you are almost guaranteed to get a hit. Nothing will stop an intruder, and keep them away as effectively as a 12 gauge.

I got the Springfield Armory XD .40 subcompact back in September as my first gun. It has great safety features that you won't find in a glock. The butt of the gun must be engaged with your thumb webbing as this presses down on a safety mechanism built into the rear side of the handle. It also has two indicators of the gun's cocked and/or loaded state. So, I feel quite a bit more comfortable with the Springfield than with a glock. That said, the first time I shot with the Springfield, it scared the **** out of me and I thought that it may be too much gun for me. That feeling does go away some, but the feeling that I should've bought a shotgun does not. When and if I get my conceal carry license I think the Springfield will be perfect, but if the gun is mostly going to stay at home I don't think you will have any regrets with a nice shotgun. Also, many have told me that the 9mms do similar damage compared to the .40 and are not quite as scary. Let us know what you end up with.

Yes, don't get one, guns are bad




































p.s. thats just jealousy because they don't let us play with guns over here