First handgun, Ruger P95 or Springfield XD?

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Ok, so I went shooting with a friend on Saturday and I really enjoyed it. (Shot a 9mm Ruger P95) Today I went down to Turner's to look at a bunch of different 9mm's, just to get an idea of what is out there. The only two that felt totally comfortable in my hand were the 4" Springfield XD and the Ruger P95. The price of these two is certainly doable as well.

I know there's a large amount of gun guys here. What are the pros and cons of these two? Any other 9mm's you might recommend? What should be my next step? What safety courses should I take? etc..

[legion]

Get the Springfield.

My first 9mm was a Ruger P95. It wasn't a bad gun. It also wasn't a good gun. The tolerances were a little loose, it could be fussy with ammunition, and it wasn't very accurate. On the plus side, it was inexpensive and durable. I traded it for a G17 the first chance I got. (I like the grip angle better on the Glocks than the Springfield, but it is highly personal). I would consider getting one for a back-up gun some day.

[Tim Hancock]

Glock 17 or 19:

[jyl]

Suggest you also consider which gun has more aftermarket parts and mods - part of the fun.

As a practical matter, almost any modern gun will outshoot you and, except in their first year after intro, will be quite reliable.

Think about used guns - they are about the most durable machines any of us will use, no particular need to buy new.

Finally, if you get into shooting, you'll likely get a quiver full of guns anyway.

[azasadny]

Sig P239 is a very nice 9mm and you can get a nice, used one for less than $500

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

The smoking hot girl behind the counter at Turner's (no pics, Im not Lube) told me the same thing, Glock 17 or 19. It just doesnt fit right in my hands. I have the same problem with guitar necks, Ive always re-shaped them for my hands.

I have no objection to buying used, what do I need to look out for in a used gun? where do I buy one?

[Normy]

Sturm & Ruger firearms are cheap.

-When I was 17, I used to skateboard on a half-pipe in Michigan just north of Toledo, Ohio. My skateboard was this beat up old stick that I bought on the cheap; I didn't care.

I was there to skate. Not "hang" or be a "poser", I didn't care what I looked like; I wore old shorts and my running shoes. I arrived in my mom's pink '77 Cadillac DeVille, and when most of the skaters where spiking their hair, mine was heavy-metal long and I had a nervous tendency to chew on some strands from my forehead.

I sucked at skating, but everyone seemed to accept me because my local nickname was "No bu115h1t Normy". Boring, but accurate-

These handguns are average. But I've never had anyone tell me that they have any bad characteristics either.

N

[id10t]

Skip the 9mm .. . get a quality 22. 1911 w/ conversion, GSG1911, Ruger Mk II or III, Browning Buckmark. Get at least 5 mags.

[jyl]

You might also consider starting out with something other than a 9mm. .22LR is cheap, accurate, fun, punches paper just as well as 40c per round 9mm. Ruger Mk 3 is a classic, quality gun, you can buy one used and sell it for the same price years later. Revolvers are fun too, there are quality ones (Ruger, Smith & Wesson, etc) that you can also buy used and, essentially, own for free.

I assume this is a play gun, not a home defense / ninja warrior fantasy gun.

Anyway - next step is to go to the pistol range, try out (rent) different guns, see which you like, they feel different in action than just holding them in the store. If you have smaller hands, look at the single-stack semi autos or revolvers. Note some ranges won't rent you a gun if you come alone w/o bringing one (anti-suicide measure). Ask around about local safety courses, maybe a local Pelican can help you. Learn up on local (CA) laws - calguns.net is a good place to ask.

Safety first. We've had some threads on the topic, worth a good search.

[on2wheels52]

For a first handgun, none of the above.
Jim

[Rick Lee]

Get the XD. They're a lot of bang for the buck. Do not get a 1911 as your first gun. Glock was an acquired taste for me. Took a very long time for me to become a fan. My main carry gun is now an HK USP Compact. Stole it for $427. But you'll never find a deal like that.

[porsche4life]

Having shot both of the guns... Get the XD. I love my XD.

[Jim Bremner]

Take a bud with you and head to a range that rents out guns.

My Dad went to with what everyone told him to buy in his mind to be his first pistol a glock.

I had him try sigs, a .357 wheel gun, HK's, a CZ75 ( I REALLY wanted to try the CZ!) and a few other pistols. He ended up buying a 1911. It wasn't in his mind to buy it untill he tried the rest.

[Bill Douglas]

A 9mm is a bugger of a gun to shoot well. A .22 is probably the most accurate, by that I mean a good .22. Another accurate gun that you will get some satisfaction with how you are shooting is a .38 or .357 S&W revolver - something like a six inch 686. Or a 1911 in something other than 9mm. .38 Super is the same calibre as a 9mm (just a bit longer case I think and lower pressures or something) but shoots way better.

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

Take a bud with you and head to a range that rents out guns.

My Dad went to with what everyone told him to buy in his mind to be his first pistol a glock.

I had him try sigs, a .357 wheel gun, HK's, a CZ75 ( I REALLY wanted to try the CZ!) and a few other pistols. He ended up buying a 1911. It wasn't in his mind to buy it untill he tried the rest.

This is good advice.

[HardDrive]

Given your choices, I would get the XD.

I would recommend a Sig P228 or a P226. They are excellent weapons, widely used in law enforcement and military applications world wide. I have a P226R in .40.

[fred cook]

The suggestion to start with a .22 pistol or revolver is very wise advice. You can/will develop much better shooting habits with a .22 than a centerfire. Once you have learned the basics of sight picture, body position, grip, trigger squeeze, breath control, etc., then you will be ready to move on to a centerfire weapon. I have been shooting on a regular basis for over 40 years and still take a .22 pistol (Colt Woodsman) along to the range to shoot before moving on to other larger caliber revolvers or pistols. Once you have developed your good shooting habits, then is the time to look for something bigger. Since you are in Kalifornia, the land of 10 round mags, why not go for a .40 S&W or .45 ACP handgun? You will have a much better/harder hitting round and will still be able to carry the legal number of rounds. The XD or XD-M, Sig 220, FNP and Glock are all good choices. Personally, I prefer the FN FNP over the Glock, but that is just "me". Good luck with your search!

[shadowjack1]

I would go and have several, 1911's and one conversion kit. The kit allows me to shoot 22 cal. on the cheap. Having used a 1911 on the pistol team as well as in combat, the gun is hard to beat. It will take anything you put it thru. Lots of after market parts and upgrades. The design is over a hundred years old and is still used in competition. One of the very good things about the 1911 is if you run out of ammo you can beat the other guy to death with the gun. I do belive the colts are overrated, I have two. Remington and Ruger have just come out with thier own 1911. I just purchased a Remington, the gun is a mil spce type nothing fancy but a good weapon. You could go high end, Ed Brown, Kimber, or a custom maker. Just my 2 cents.

[Henry Schmidt]

Originally Posted by Jared at Pelican Parts

The smoking hot girl behind the counter at Turner's (no pics, Im not Lube) told me the same thing, Glock 17 or 19. It just doesnt fit right in my hands. I have the same problem with guitar necks, Ive always re-shaped them for my hands.

I have no objection to buying used, what do I need to look out for in a used gun? where do I buy one?

I agree, the Glock just doesn't fit my hand and the trigger is for shyt. I had two and sold them both two months after purchasing them.
Try a Beretta 92fs.

I love all the 1911 configurations (just fits my hand) so I built a 22 conversion for practice.

[Rick Lee]

Might find something local here.

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