Thread: Seeking beginner's pistol recommendations

I'm surprised more hasn't been said about the 1911. It was a first gun for millions of Americans. It's reliable, easy to shoot, easy to maintain or customize and parts are readily available. 45acp is a serious self-defense round and it's easy to find in many varieties or to reload. Sig makes an excellent 1911 which comes out of the box with great sights and grips and all of the upgrades you might want to add to a milspec gun. If budget is a concern, look for an old revolver, like a S&W Model 10 for $300-$400. Otherwise, a quality 1911 will be a great starter gun that you will never outgrow or outshoot.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Good work. If at all possible try the thinner grip of the single stack G-43 Glock 9mm. Feels quite a bit different from the 'blocky' double stack grip. As far as triggers go, Glocks have the desirable short pull and reset and triggers can be changed from the standard 6 pounds to half the weight with a 3 1/2 pound disconnect for $20.00. Personally for a CCW I prefer a 6 lb or more trigger. In a self defense situation I'd hate to hear a loud noise come from my weapon that was unintended.

Yeah, I haven't looked at any single stack models in any line (but I should). Might be interesting to see how a thinner grip feels. I agree on the light trigger, I just didn't care for the heavy DA pull on the Sig P229, which shouldn't be an issue with the ones I'm looking at now.

Originally Posted by thunderbird47

I'm surprised more hasn't been said about the 1911. It was a first gun for millions of Americans. It's reliable, easy to shoot, easy to maintain or customize and parts are readily available. 45acp is a serious self-defense round and it's easy to find in many varieties or to reload. Sig makes an excellent 1911 which comes out of the box with great sights and grips and all of the upgrades you might want to add to a milspec gun. If budget is a concern, look for an old revolver, like a S&W Model 10 for $300-$400. Otherwise, a quality 1911 will be a great starter gun that you will never outgrow or outshoot.

I loved my 1911. Budget is a factor for me otherwise I would probably be looking more heavily at them. I have been reading a lot lately how the 1911 is falling behind in some ways to newer gun designs. I get what they were saying about more metal on metal action which can wear things out faster, but that doesn't seem to bother those older guns.

I have been intrigued by 1911 9mm's and 38 super which seems to all be 1911.

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I've had 1911s in 45ACP and I still have one in 10mm. They are legendary guns for a good reason but ....... a full size one is heavy for all day carry. The deal breaker for me is the safety. Same with my favorite, the Browning P-35 Hi-Power. Heavy and you have to remember to flip the safety. Carrying it in condition 1, cocked and locked of course.

I got used to shooting DAO (double action only) with revolvers and went over to semi-auto DAO like a duck to water. In a self defense situation I just want to be able to pull the trigger without thinking about safeties. YMMV

The latest Glocks and HK striker fired pistols feature different size grips and backstraps so you can tailor the grip to suit your hand size. I am very impressed with the HK pistols. Also the Steyr models are great. I don't know why they are not more popular than they are.

I love to shoot the big N Frame Smith & Wessons and am cursed with small hands and short fingers. I do alright shooting single action but on my Model 29, I have to grip the weapon far around to the right to get trigger finger placement. When Steve Herrett was alive he made stocks for me that made all the difference in the world. Weapon fit to the hand is very important. One noted firearms expert stated that the grip on a handgun was as sensitive as the strings of a violin. I once had a student who had hands like Sonny Liston and he could barely qualify on the old PPC course with a Smith Model 10. I took the skinny factory stocks off, screwed on a pair of Paychmayr oversize grips and that along with about an hours training on sight picture and trigger pull, his score jumped from the low 70's to the mid 90's.

I have a friend who has always carried a Colt Lightweight Commander, stocked with earthquake handloads. He is now on up in years and has arthritic wrist. I talked him into one of the new Colt Lightweight Commanders in 9MM, Some Corbon ammo and a Vulcan holster from Bianchi and it is working out for him.

One of my old bosses use to say, "What works for a West Virginia Coal miner might not suit a Greenwich Village Interior Decorator.

Human beings are adaptable and we have to work out what is best for our situation. James Bond and Dirty Harry sold a lot of Walther PPKs and Smith .44 Magnums. The work better on the screen than they do on the street.

Originally Posted by Fezzik77

I loved my 1911. Budget is a factor for me otherwise I would probably be looking more heavily at them. I have been reading a lot lately how the 1911 is falling behind in some ways to newer gun designs. I get what they were saying about more metal on metal action which can wear things out faster, but that doesn't seem to bother those older guns.

I have been intrigued by 1911 9mm's and 38 super which seems to all be 1911.

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1911's seem to "Fall Behind" every time a new generation of gunsmiths/experts get their opportunity to showcase their creations; whats bewilders me is how the 1911 never seems to get the memo.

That's what gets me. I keep hearing that but a 1911 makes me look like I know what I am doing. Even when I first started.

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300 years from now, Aliens (from outer space) will have taken over Earth, they will be carrying our 1911's.

I really enjoy my Beretta 92f. I've had it for quite a few years and it has never let me down. I even taught my 86 year old mother in law and 95 pound wife how to shoot it. Still trying to figure out if that was smart or really dumb on my part...


This ones not mine but it looks exactly like this. Mines all locked up right now.

It was smart ,,,,,