What firearm would be good for me?

by **Stealthgrl26** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 5:14 am

Hey, I am brand new at all this but I am really getting into it. Anyway, I am a 5'9" 120lb 27 year old girl who is about to purchase her first gun. I love the Taurus PT-92&99 the most but also the Springfield XD Tact or a Glock 34. Can anybody please give me their knowledgeable opinions on what you would think the pros and cons of me choosing one of these or what would be best because I am just starting out? Also if anybody has a totally different recommendation that would be better for me. I look like a very tall very skinny little girl but, I can handle shooting a gun. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much for your time!

by **BrianB** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 7:52 am

Welcome to the site Stealthgrl. What gun is right for you is a hard thing for someone to answer really. For the most part it is finding what gun fits you best depending upon many factors. How the gun feels in your hand is important as well as what you will be using it for.

If its just for target practice then a 22 may suffice. If its for self defense then you would likely want a larger caliber, 9mm, .38, .40 and several others could fit. For concealability, a smaller handgun would likely be required. The amount of factors could go on and on.

For the most part, many people would suggest a revolver, likely in .38, as a persons first gun as well as a basic self defense gun. Revolvers are easy to deal with and their lack of moving parts makes them very dependable. The drawback with a revolver though is the lack of rounds that can be loaded in it at one time and the time it takes to reload.

A semi-auto pistol has a lot of benefits to it such as reloading speed and a higher load amount, depending upon the gun. Semi-autos have come a long way though and it can be very easy to find a dependable gun in that category as long as you buy for quality which could mean paying a higher price.

If you plan on carrying it then there are a lot of very small guns out there for the purpose. Of course the smaller the gun, likely also is the smaller the load amount. A small revolver will still be in the 5 to 6 round capacity but a small semi-auto will likely drop from the 15 or 17 rounds you may find in a full sized hand gun to anything between 6 to 12 shots.

The price of ammo can also be an important factor. Being new to guns, plenty of practice is important to become proficient with a gun which means plenty of rounds being shot. .22 ammo is pretty darned cheap, but again, not very suitable for self defense. 9mm is the cheapest when it comes to ammo suitable for defending yourself. .38 would be pretty close and .40 is not too far behind those two.

There is nothing wrong with the guns you mentioned and which would be best for you, again, depends upon you. Personally, I feel Springfield is the best of the group, but that's just me.

Before heading out to the range with your first gun though, I strongly suggest you find a qualified hand gun instructor to receive some training from. This is something I suggest to everyone who is new to guns, its even something experienced people should do once in a while just to refresh themselves. The reason for this is I, and many others here, have had way too many bad experiences with ignorant people at gun ranges.

Another thing, many gun ranges rent handguns so it is possible that you can try out many different guns to see how you like each one and then buy one of that same make and model. You can go to a store that sells guns and try out the feel of some guns in your hand before going to a range, then ask for any specifically that you liked the feel of at the range.

Another thing that can help is reading through different threads here as well as anywhere else on the net to get information on the types of guns you are interested in.

Hope that helped.

by **Will_Carry** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 9:41 am

I have to agree with Brian for he is wise. Training is more important that gun selection. Sprinfield XDs are great, The Glock 19 is great too.

by **pastorfarley** » Sat Nov 13, 2010 12:55 pm

My wife recently took the basic handgun course and we shot both revolvers and autos. She did not like the double action trigger pull on the revolvers. She liked the "safe action" and single action autos. The double action trigger pull is the only area where being a 120 lb woman puts you at a disadvantage over a man (until you get to hand cannons).

Shoot as many samples as you can. One advantage to being a young lady is you will get more opportunities to try out pistols from casual range friends than a grizzled old man:)

The feel of a firearm in your hand is perhaps the most important and subjective quality. If it does not feel good, it will be hard to shoot well. It affects how the pistol points, can you hold it correctly, raise your hand to a natural position and find the sights aligned on a target? Can you hold it firmly but not tensely so the action will function well and the sights will be reasonably steady?

Hope this helps.

by **Tinmancr** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:06 pm

all the guns you mentioned are "good", they have varying features and detractors.

have you shot the glock if not get trained or avoid, similar with the XD they both have a misnomered Safe/Trigger.

the Taurus are basically a good copy of a berreta with some slight changes.

personally if you get a pt92-99 get one that is single and double action giving you multiple carry options.

for a first gun if you are not a gun snob their are lots of inexpensive guns that do everything the above do and more.

Astra, Bersa, Eaa "witness", Hi-point, Kel-tek, all are good and reputable mfrs go down and look at as many as you can pick them get a feel.

by **whitehood** » Sun Nov 14, 2010 8:23 pm

Pastor there is nothing wrong with the Glock trigger. They work just like a revolver. Pull it with a round in the chamber and it goes off. The key to safety with a Glock is keeping it in an holster. IMHO the DAO's aka double action only are the easiest for a novice to learn with. There is a reason(s) why Glock is the #1 selling police weapon sold.

by **tigwelder56** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 12:19 am

I agree wholeheartedly! The Glock is as easy to understand as any firearm on the market. A simple system that is as reliable as anything I've ever owned and equally easy to maintain. As WH mentioned, it is extremely important to keep the pistol in a holster designed for the Glock system, like a DAO revolver, the Glock trigger must be protected. It requires of the owner of any firearm to pay strict attention to the safest method of storage and if you plan to carry the weapon concealed (or otherwise), you damn well better listen to people in the know!!! This isn't a "sport" when you're dealing with peoples lives, including your own...

by **pastorfarley** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:45 am

Whitehood, I did not mean to imply any issues were present with the Glock. My wife and I both liked it and shot it well. I am a bullet caster and that is my only beef with the Glock. I meant the Double Action trigger on three revolvers tried (one my personal firearm for over 20 years).

Perhaps you were referring to tinman's post. I will weigh in on the issue though:) I consider the Glock "Safe Action" to be similar to a DA handgun, but with less margin for error because of the wonderfully light pull. Finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot and back outside immediately following is essential. I think the grip safety on the Springfields is a good addition to prevent certain possible negligent firing situations, then it carries some liabilities if you are a LEO and feel the need to be able to fire in unusual positions.

If Glock barrels tolerated cast bullets well I would already own one, maybe a good used + aftermarket barrel will do me.

by **whitehood** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:17 am

Here's the poop on lead and Glock. Glock uses polygonal rifling and warns against it, yet H&K and Kahr do too but without the explicit warning, yet state that fouling will be increased. The use of lead bullets and polygonal rifling is a controversial subject and guru's like Gale McMillan warned against it. It's also stated that it may have something to do with the Glock barrel itself. I can't comment on aftermarket barrels with a Glock. You'd still lose the warranty. I'd suspect if you were casting, you'd need harder than 20 to 1. Probably Linotype or Hardball would do. I'm not enough of a Glock guru to know, but someone out there does.

by **tigwelder56** » Mon Nov 15, 2010 4:32 pm

The information I've heard regarding the lead issue is that as mentioned, the Glock OEM barrel is polygonal rifled. Lead can be shot through the barrel but it will lead rapidly and left uncleaned, can cause a catastrophic failure of the barrel. It's far safer to select an aftermarket barrel if your wish is to shoot lead. Three companies that specialize in these barrels are Bar-Sto, Lone Wolf and Storm Lake. You can get them in multiple configurations.