[jmgonzalez731]

Hello Everyone,
I have never owned nor fired a gun before but am looking into purchasing one. I will be taking a course on gun safety and usage in about a week. Can anyone recommend a good starter handgun? It would be primarily for range shooting and home defense.

[dog2000tj]

Hit up a few local gun shops and get some guns in your hands. Keep in mind what you are wanting a gun for ... my suggestion would be to look at revolvers or polymer handguns, small frame, 9mm

Some ranges will even rent guns so you could try out some and get a good idea of what feels good.

[1411]

Whatever you can find ammo for. Easier to buy a pistol than bullets right now.

[gr8oldguy]

Get a good revolver. Doesn't make any difference if it's a 22lr, 22mag or a 38 spl. Learn to shoot it and then think about getting a semi in a year or two. Stay away from small pocket guns your first time out. good luck.

[canebrake]

Go to the Florida Gun Center and fondle every gun they have.

This may save some time, take a look at the SA XD9 or the SA XDM9. For range and HD use I'd look at the 3.8 model. It will be a good compromise falling between a full size service pistol and the sub-compact carry gun.

The XDm has better sights and IMHO a much better trigger,

I bet you will find either one to be a great first gun.

Welcome to the FTF. Stop over at the introduction section and say hi.

[FrontierTCB]

I would suggest a med. or small frame revolver to start with. I like Rugers they are well made and fairly priced check out the Ruger LCR's and SP101. You should go to a store with several different makes and models to choose from and handle a few. What feels good on one persons hand may not in another. Good luck.

Oh and as far as caliber I would look at .357 mag. You can shoot lower power .38 sp. or full 357 magnum loads out of it. Just my .02.

[eatmydust]

Ditto on the .357/.38 revolver. Don't rule out Smith & Wesson, especially older, used guns. Have a gunsmith check it out for you.

[AR10]

No home defence handgun holds a candle to a home defence shotgun. A shotgun with normal loads will not kill a family member sleeping in the next room, or a neighbor sleeping in the next house.

Also a gut shot from most pistols will only piss off a drug craised intruder in your home. If you have a handgun, be prepared to shoot the perp many more times than once with a handgun to get them stopped or turned around, or once with a shotgun.

Much harder to miss with a shotgun.

Also the sound of a shotgun shell loading into a pump shotgun is usually all it takes to spin them around running away. No criminal wants cut in half with a shotgun blast.

Handguns are good for CCP, but a shotgun is better for home defence.

Handgun choices? You will also want a handgun. Go Glock and have a simple to use, easy to shoot, dependable firearm.

[Stillersfan]

My first pistol was a Glock 19 (9MM). Easy to maintain and ammo is cheap. Good for the range and for the home front. But.. Its your decision. Go to the local gun shop and look around. Sometimes it'll take a few trips to the LGS to know exactly what you want.

[potentialglock]

Is recommend a 357 right now. You can shoot 38 special through it and those two calibers still seem somewhat available versus a 9mm