Whats going to be a good gun for me?

[Sean]

A year later....

I did a search on "first guns" and found my own thread. In a few weeks Ill be traveling to Nashville and going through Atlanta to visit my brothers. My brother and I are gonna go "shopping" for a pistol for me. I think im gonna look at a .357. The lower maintenance sounds great for me. But Im gonna have to try them out first. Im gonna try to stay around the $300 range due to the fact that Ill be on vacation for a week and dont wanna be broke. (renting a car and gas prices are killer!) Im not gonna get my hopes up if I dont find anything around there. Im still gonna look here. Its just that hes gonna help pay for it for a early birthday gift.

[Guest eyebedam]

I got my Walther P22 for 300.00 NIB OTD about a month ago. Its a nice little target plinker. Ive got other guns for carry purposes. Its really easy to clean & fun to shoot.

[Moped]

It's hard to go wrong with a .357. Very versatile revolver, since you can shoot .38s through it too. Maintence is a snap and a revolver is just flat out dependable.

I really like a Ruger SP101 or a SW model 19 (blue) or 66 (sts, same pistol though) with a 2 1/2" barrel. Their getting hard to find now though. Taurus also makes several, but I've never fired any of them. There's one over in the FOR SALE section right now that seems to be a pretty good buy.

[Guest mikedwood]

All in all do what you think is best for you but I went through what are about 2 months ago and it's a process, a fun one and an expensive one, much more if you make mistakes. Here is what I have learned.

Whoa! If you want to target shoot hold up on the .357 and .38. Cheapest box I could find for my .38 today was $17.95 plus tax for 50, the WWB .38 is still 100 for $29.95 but I'm guessing that is going to go up.

If money is an issue at all, and you like to shoot much at all. I'd strongly suggest you pick what gun you want, clam down and price the ammo for it at a couple of different places yourself, ammo has gone up again this week from what I can tell and it's not the end.

All that said S&W has a real nice target .22 for under $250 (as low as $229) at several places I have seen and that's for a new one. It's a snap to field strip and clean and shoots very well, or a Mark III 22/45 is great (that's what I have, a friend has the S&W) but it's a bear to strip and clean.

The CCI mini mags FMJ (the two semis I mentioned will ftf a ALOT on hollow points) are about $8.00 a 100, you aren't going to touch $4.00 for 50 shooting anything other than rocks with a slingshot.

I'd suggest that and everytime you shoot 50 rounds stuff back $20 bucks for a better gun and or ammo. That's why I spent $300 on my Mark III it's already saved me $200 in ammo costs alone over shooting even 9mm. (I shoot a lot lately)

Whatever you decide good luck, have fun and glad to have you on the board.

[Sean]

Yes, I saw the .38 thats in the FS thread. Looks like a nice gun. May have to check that out.

[TGO David]

Get a Glock 19. Call it a day.

[Guest atomemphis]

I believe you should get a 22 based on the 1st post: "I am getting into target shooting."

You'll learn good habits that will transfer over to bigger calibers, and its cheaper to shoot more. Many experts of teh interwebs will agree with me, while others will tell you to get a gun that goes boom so you can carry it. Based on your initial post, I will heartily recommend the 22.

Nothing will tattle on you like a 22. You can't hide flinching with a 22, the holes are too small to be cover up any errors in your shooting form.

If you feel inadequate shooting a 22lr, that is pure silliness and you'll need to self evaluate. The size of caliber you target shoot with does not determine how manly you are, or the size of your hang-low.

And the great part about a 22? High resale when you are ready to trade up to a big dog. And you'll have been around enough other people's guns to know what you really want to get that goes boom instead of pow.

Here's to buying 550 bullets in a box for $15.00, instead of 50 bullets in a box for $20.

[molonlabetn]

I'd suggest a double-action .22lr revolver. Maybe a .357/.38 DA revolver. After that get your semi-auto fix with a .22lr and then a 9mm.

[MrNobody]

I second getting Glock 19, I would look for a LE trade in because I know those can be had for around three hundred bucks. Ammo is cheap and if you wanna make it cheaper you can get one of these http://www.advantagearms.com/glock_kit_contents.html

My first gun was a .38 Taurus revolver which I got for $150, figure out what you like and go for it.

[Guest atomemphis]

I like conversions and have a Marvel 22 conversion for my 1911.

Regardless of gun (and included safety design) you choose to start with, follow the NRA rules for safety, specifically the booger-hook/bang-switch clause.

[TGO David]

I second getting Glock 19, I would look for a LE trade in because I know those can be had for around three hundred bucks. Ammo is cheap and if you wanna make it cheaper you can get one of these http://www.advantagearms.com/glock_kit_contents.html

Those are pretty much my thoughts too. Glock 19. Plinking? Check. Good enough to carry later? Check.

[Sean]

If I am able to find a 19, Ill check it out. I would love to have my brothers Glock 17.