I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that many people who who get into pistols end up selling the first gun they buy within one year of purchasing it. Let me add a couple of caveats to that statement, though. First of all, this assumes that our new pistol aficionado has access to an easy means of selling or trading in their pistol. Secondly, it also assumes that you don’t have a friend or two who owns pistols of various types which gives you the opportunity to extensively test different models out before buying that first one.
In my case, my assertions and caveats are true. I did not have the opportunity to try out a number of pistols extensively and do have access to a ready market to sell my used guns, which is why my so-recently beloved XDms are going on the block.
Let me step back for a minute and give you some background on myself as the new gun buyer back in March 2011 (yes, I am very much a newbie here). Growing up, I knew that I wanted an automatic. My perceptions were initially shaped by the original Lethal Weapon movie in which Mel Gibson had a Beretta 92 and he mocked his partner’s old fashioned “wheel gun.” The Beretta looked cool, Mel looked cool using it and I wanted one.
Flash forward a few years until I was in college and got a chance to see a Glock for the first time. This was the end of the 1980s and Glock had come on the scene pretty hard. I remember shooting a friend’s Glock and thinking, “meh.” I would not actually get around to purchasing a gun of my own until more than two decades later.
In those intervening years, I had the chance to shoot a few Glocks (as well as other guns from time to time) and thought that I was ready for a Glock of my own since they were everywhere and the universe of aftermarket Glock accessories was frankly amazing. But all that ended in March of 2011 when I accompanied my 82 year old father to a local Houston gun store to get himself his first automatic. He already owned a S&W.357 and a 12 gauge, but wanted an automatic too.
“Show us a Glock” was what I confidently told the salesman. He said that the Glock was indeed a very nice gun but suggested before committing to buying one that we compare it side by side with a Springfield Armory XD. He brought up the issue of grip angle on the Glock and I noticed this myself as did my father. We both discovered that the angle of the grip on the Glock tends to initially point the gun too high to engage a target in front of you. Sure, if you use Glocks you quickly learn to compensate, but both my father and I preferred the angle of the XD grip and the accessory package that shipped with it was a definite plus.
My father would have bought the XD that day except that he no longer had the hand strength to rack the slide. With this in mind, the salesman suggested he look at the Beretta 92A1. He could work the slide on that one and that’s the gun that he took home that day. We both worked with it using dummy loads, practiced breaking it down, loading and unloading it, etc. It was a nice gun, but in my head, I was sold on what I thought was the superior XD.
When I returned home after my visit with my parents, I promptly went down to the store and bought my first gun, an XDm in .40 (okay, I was sold on the “upgrades” of the XDm platform – I am a sucker for that sort of thing). It wasn’t much more than the XD and I figured the extras were worth it for me. I went with the .40 because I felt that I wanted the extra stopping power of the more powerful .40 caliber round.
I soon learned that the difference in ammo prices made shooting the .40 a bit more expensive than I wanted over the long term, so my next purchase was an XDm in 9mm. I was happy as I knew nothing else. That happiness was to change soon enough.
In one of the books I was reading at the time, the protagonists used the special forces H&K MK 23 in .45. That looked like a cool gun and I did want to eventually get a .45. At north of $2,000, the MK23 was bit out of my price range, but its smaller cousin, the USP Tactical .45 was a nice compromise as it, too had a threaded barrel so that I could one day fit a silencer (if I ever decide to go that way). Even better, the local gun shop had a used one in stock at a relatively decent price.
I really liked the H&K. As a true DA/SA pistol with an external hammer, I discovered that I very much liked having a hammer to cock for a couple of reasons. First of all, I had recently purchased a Laserlyte targeting system that projects a laser dot onto a laser-sensitive target when you pull the trigger. It was much easier to practice with the H&K than with the XDm as the XDm required me to rack the slide after every shot whereas the H&K only needed the hammer cocked. Or I could simply pull the trigger in DA mode.
Secondly, and even more important, if I wanted to carry the gun with a round in the chamber, I had to carry the XDm “hot.” The striker was pulled back so all it required was a single action trigger pull to discharge the gun. Now, conceptually I know that striker fired guns are safe.
Many people carry XDs, Glocks, and other striker fired guns every day, but in the back of my mind, I still think that all of the built in safeties are only mechanical and mechanical things can fail (Yes, I know that I am being a bit of a wuss here, but there it is). If there was even a chance that the striker might go forward on its own volition, I simply was not prepared to take the chance, which means that I would be consigned to carrying my XDm without a bullet locked and loaded which, in turn, meant that in an emergency, it would have to take an additional second or two to chamber a round. Not an ideal option either.
The DA/SA of the H&K allowed me to load a round in the chamber and then use the decocking lever to safely drop the hammer. Now I could carry with a round in the chamber, but nothing was under tension waiting to release the hammer. I would simply have to contend with the heavier trigger pull for the first round, but I could live with that.
The H&K was nice, but let’s face it, even though it was smaller than the MK23, no one would ever call it a compact gun. It really was not a good choice for concealed carry. For some reason, I got the Beretta back in my head again and a few weeks later, I became the proud owner of a 92A1, just like what my father had. As I used it, I became astounded at how good it was. I could shoot the Beretta very accurately and it had all of the features that I liked on my H&K.
Flash forward a few more months to when I took my first course at the Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. I’m fortunate in that I live less than an hour away from this amazing training facility. The class gave me the opportunity to study the Sigs in more detail in the pro shop and it soon became clear that a Sig Sauer was in my future.
One Sig became two, then three and as of today, I have four Sigs in my stable; a P238 Equinox, a P226 Tactical Ops, a P229 Equinox, and a P239. While Sig does offer different trigger options, all of my guns with the exception of the P238 are DA/SA. The Sigs shoot like a dream, are reliable and ridiculously easy to take down for cleaning. Furthermore, I went on to take the Sig Armorer class and now am qualified to work on my Sigs without voiding warranties.
My .40 XDm has already been sold and the 9 mm XDm is currently on the block. Once I get rid of it, all of my guns will either be DA/SA or SA only in the case of my 1911 and P238.
The moral of the story is that, had I known then what I know now, I would never have bought a striker fired gun. I’m taking a bit of a bath to unload them, but better that than to have money tied up in guns I will never use. Many people will continue to swear by their Glocks. Price-wise they are certainly a bit better than the Beretta and a lot easier on the wallet than the Sigs. But for me, the peace of mind of the DA/SA is worth the extra cost.
I caution anyone who is about to start their own gun collection to consider carefully your needs and concerns and pick the best gun for the job rather than simply buying whatever is hot today. If you can, get to a range and rent any gun you think you want to buy. And ask the range owner to show you how to take the gun down for cleaning. Doing that before before plunking down the plastic will save you a lot of regret down the road.
I went milsurp for my first pistol. A buddy of mine started acquiring guns a few months before me. After seeing him have to send 3 new guns (s&w, ruger, & sig) back to the factory for service in the 1st 500 rounds, I decided against new. Did a lot of research and decided on a CZ-82. Its small, ambidextrous, reliable, accurate, sweet trigger, carries 13 rounds of 9×18, and only ~$200.
There are some sweet surplus weapons out there, some good 1st pistol options too.
Hard to go wrong with a Makarov or variant.
You’re helping to sell me on the CZ-82. I guess I better get one quick, everybody’s catching on. And as I said in my previous post (which apparently will never be posted, thanks again TTAG) if I don’t like it, I’m out $200ish and I have a cool collectible which will likely increase in value.
You will like it. The only complaint about it is the rough finish. They look beautiful when refinished.
That’s half the appeal! I love messing with things (I’m a contractor, and a shade tree bicycle/car/motorcycle mechanic). I’ve Googled up some great pics of refinished surplus CZ-82s. I’d love to pimp one. I recently made walnut grips for my old Ruger Mk I.
Over 22 years: S&W Model 13 .357 revolver -> S&W Model 49 .38 revolver -> Sig Sauer P226 9mm pistol -> Walther PPK/S .380 pistol -> Ruger SR1911 .45 pistol (and, finally, home). It’s been a nice trip, too.
I’d hate to see the number of people buying a judge or governor as their first handgun.
I think I see a Judge laying on the counter on at least 75% of my visits to my local gun shop. To their credit, it’s not the shop guys recommending it, it’s the customers asking to see it. I have seen them work hard at dissuading people from buying it, esp if they’re thinking carry/personal defense, but if someone really wants it, they will sell it to them.
My first was an XDM 9mm. Good gun, but the balance never did sit right with me, and the grips were too small no matter what panels I put on. In truth, I bought it because I was a novice at the time and everyone told me it was great, so I figured it must be.
But, guns are like any other preference, it varies person to person. After that I tried a Beretta 92fs, HK P30, and RIA 1911 before finally finding my perfect match and carry piece, a Walther PPQ. I must say, I enjoyed the journey.
Next up, a Ruger GP100.
My first, which i purchased a few weeks ago is a Ruger P95. my only problem is that its the old model without the rail, and its too big for concealed. But im already studying on what i want for a good conceal gun. Also eying a few surplus guns for fun such as the Polish P-64
They have an awful trigger pull.
My first was a 60s vintage S&W M19 in .357. I sold it a year or two after buying it used. I just contacted the guy I sold it to to ask for it back! What a sweet revolver. I didn’t know what I had till it was gone.
Since then, I’ve only sold one other gun (a Springfield stainless 1911 – meh). My motto now is to never sell anything again, ever. Especially since the wife and family make buying new guns hard, and selling old ones easy.
You occasionally regret buying a gun, you almost always regret selling one.
This. I can attest to this from personal experience. Think twice before buying a gun. Think thrice before selling.
Good article.
Enjoyed reading it.
Now I need to check out some Sig’s.
Hopefully, you will get through the mental turmoil you are putting yourself through and eventually have the guns you want that suit each and every need you have. Best of luck with that endeavor.
My first handgun was a Hi-Point. Man, talk about a mistake. That one was like losing your V-card to a fat chick and telling everyone about it. I still catch crap from my friends about getting it in the first place. Lesson learned. It’s currently on Armslist.com.
My tax-return gun is going to be a Sig Pro 2022. The price point is sweet (college student poverty sucks) and by all accounts its a great gun. It’ll be interesting getting used to the DA/SA with an external hammer though.
How many “big” purchases does one make, expecting it to last a lifetime? Cars, trucks, power tools, houses, computers… the list goes on. A great deal of things we buy are short term. Should firearms be any different? Some things wear out, some are traded out.
Can’t hurt to buy used, until you find that which you love. And even then…
I tend to justify purchases based upon how long I will keep them, and if I can live with the cost/year or cost per round fired or any other metric. If I can’t hit that measure of cost per, then I don’t bother. Well, that, and if I don’t plain have the money in the first place.
… And ask the range owner to show you how to take the gun down for cleaning. …
That little gem right there is perhaps the best bit of info out of the whole article. Make sure someone (friend, range master, gun seller) has shown you how to properly disassemble and clean your new firearm.
Very first handgun I purchased/owned was a 1911. I had no freakin’ idea how to get that thing apart to clean it. Didn’t take me long to install idiot scratch prevention on my new gun by giving it a big ol’ idiot scratch. Thoroughly beat myself up over that one.
I got around to going to a different gun store and watching someone break the gun down correctly. I wish someone would’ve shown me that before I had gouged my new gun. And no, there weren’t any instructions. It was a used gun.
Youtube is great for this. There are tons of videos that will walk you through step by step of how to disassemble your new firearm. If you rather have the one on one instruction I agree the gun store route is good but if you’re a bit of an introvert youtube is a good source.
My first pistol was a Kahr MK9. Got it for concealed carry, not a bad package for that but I soon realized that not getting my whole hand on the abbreviated grip wasn’t going to be a winner in the accuracy or confidence departments. Didn’t even get it to the range before I traded it out (plus some more cash) for the Sig P229 I should have bought first. I still have the Sig.
My first was also an MK9. The grip was okay with me, actually, but I really hate the trigger. I’d purchased it for pocket carry, however, and it’s just a little too heavy to be comfortably carried that way on a regular basis. It started migrating to OWB carry under a covering garment.
Then I just figured, hey, since I’m just carrying it OWB anyway, I might as well get something a little bigger with a trigger I like. So I bought a Springfield EMP, and have been loving it so far.
I still keep the MK9 for times when I want to carry and pocket carry is the only option (for whatever reason,) although I’ve been thinking lately about switching to a .380 caliber for my pocket carry needs. (I keep debating between three, but have been unable to make up my mind: the LCP (I REALLY hate the trigger,) the Kahr P380 (it’s expensive, plus I hate not being able to slingshot to chamber a round,) or the Sig P238 (but it’s almost as big as the MK9 in the first place.) So until I make that decision, I’m keeping the MK.)
Somewhere I read that if gun shop owners could only have one gun, most would choose a Smith & Wesson Model 686 revolver. The one I have is a 686-plus, so it loads 7 rounds of .357 Magnum or .38 Special Plus P or straight .38 Special. When I train new shooters I use that and its companion piece, the S&W Model 617, which is nearly identical in look, size & weight but loads 10 rounds of .22 Long Rifle. (Thus making training even less expensive.) Quality speed loaders are available for both.
What frustrates me is that many new shooters, often women, are directed or drawn to J-frame snub-nose revolvers, which can be very inappropriate for a beginner since it is, according to Clint Smith and others “an expert’s gun” due to its weight, small size, trigger pull, short barrel and short sight radius. The first time I shot one I just nicked the target at 7 meters. My round count now is in the thousands and I’m much more of a threat to the paper now, but it took a lot of dedicated practice.
My advice to a new handgun purchaser would be to go to a range wearing “eyes & ears” (safety shooting glasses and hearing protection—hardware store gear can do in a pinch) and, during a lull in the action, ask a shooter if you could try his handgun. Offer to pay for the ammunition, target, and the experience–most shooters will decline and are happy to welcome another participant into the community. Ask the shooter why he/she likes the gun and what they like least about it. Take good notes and make an informed purchase. I’d also consider the cost of ammunition and try to identify a similar gun in .22 caliber with which you could practice a lot at lower cost. (As with the Model 617 above.)
Last, a few earlier commenters above have channeled Mel Gibson shooting a semi auto pistol. When you shoot the Model 686 or comparable revolver, you can channel a lot of Hollywood, too, and most of it seemingly saner than Mr. Gibson.
Revolvers: easy to shoot, easy to clean.
If someone said they had to buy one gun, and do it today, I would say Smith 642 with Crimson Trace. Bank-vault reliable, and five shots of .38+p will do the job in 99.999% of DGUs.
The integrated CT will out of the box let you hit center of mass.
Maybe first gun for concealed carry, but that was not the topic.
I’ve got the same 642 set-up, but a laser does not a marksman make. I consider the laser valuable if I’m knocked down or need to shoot around something where I can’t get a proper sight picture. Otherwise, when I’m aiming on target, I don’t even seem to notice the sight. YMMV, right?
Tim, I’m a first-order S&W 642 fanatic (witness my review at http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/09/ralph/gun-review-smith-wesson-model-642/), but not as a first gun.
I chose a fairly unconventional handgun to be my ‘first’. I picked up a EAA Witness 10mm.
Pretty good handgun. CZ action, good strong caliber, and they’re built like tanks. The inherent accuracy left a little to be desired… and she was heavy. But I guess you can’t be perfect
I chose a fairly unconventional handgun to be my ‘first’. I picked up a EAA Witness 10mm.
That is a decent and thoroughly overlooked pistol/manufacturer. Good pick.
I could never give up my first pistol, not even for twice what I paid for it. I love it too much!
Much like just about anything in life, you will make the wrong decision for all the right reasons the first time you buy a gun. Or a holster. But it’s a really fun ride!
But for me, the peace of mind of the DA/SA is worth the extra cost.
I agree. I like my Walther very much.
my first was a ruger p944 in 40sw. the sights were too small and there is a lack of mags over 10 rounds, needless to say it got sold and i have a sig 226 elite and am not looking back.
My first handgun was a S&W K-22, because I was joining a college gun club and wanted something for target shooting. I still have it (I’m not a gun collector; I’m a gun accumulator). I still fire it occasionally. My second handgun was a Colt 1911. While I still have that, I’ve retired it to nothing but dry firing, since it’s had springs, sights, and nearly everything else replaced at least once (in over 50 years of shooting). While I do recommend that everyone have a gun, I will not recommend a specific one because the fit to the hand, weight and balance, etc., make the choice a very personal one. My recommendation is always, try several. Check with friends who own guns. Rent a few at ranges where that’s possible. Even so, you’ll probably change guns several times over a lifetime.