[cfroehlich7584]

I am looking into buying a pistol sometime next year and I was wondering if you guys had 6-700 dollars to spend which model would you get? I am still looking around and I want to try different things, but from what I have read on websites and pamphlets, I am leaning towards either a SIG P239 or a USP Compact in either .357 SIG or .40 S&W. I may get a full size pistol but like I said, I am still looking around and really want to research my options before making such a large investment.

 

[truewarrior]

First you need to decide how you will use the pistol. Do you intend to carry concealed? Will it be used for home defense? etc etc. Sig makes a very accurate "out-of-the-box" pistol. My buddy (an INS agent) carries a usp compact in 40 s&w, he likes it a lot and the gun has good accuracy. If you have not already, go to a range and shoot each of the guns to get a feel for them. I bought a Beretta 96FS (40 s&w) twelve years ago because I liked how it looks and it was one the first pistols offered in .40 cal. I would have gotten more use out of a pistol I could conceal carry. Now I'll have another gun in my collection when I get my Kimber Pro CDP II for a carry gun.

 

[FLEA]

!

Like truewarrior said.....go to a range and try out many different kinds.... find out what weight ....shape....size....trigger pull....action...you want....you may end up with a gun that never crossed your mind before.

I lean toward HK....they remind me of a great mix of 1911 and glock stuff.

 

[badshot]

I have a USP compact on 40 cal. It will cost you more than $6-700 but I am very happy with mine and consider it well worth the price. It is also very easy to carry concealed (legally of course).

 

[Ross L.]

.

if you are planing on carrying consealed i say go with the good old glock. maybe it is the cop in me but if you are carrying it consealed or just have it around the house for protechtion you cant go wrong with them. the amount of tests that they have done and they still dont jam up is just crazy. also the fact that they offer the .40 cal in full size compact and sub compact is nice to. you can get just the right size for yourself. when i am on duty i carry the full size model 22 and i am planing on geting the subcompact model 27. another nice thing about the glocks is that i can take my duty 15 round mags from the 22 and put them into the 27 with no problems. and hey with a glock you will be spending less then 600 bucks. well theres my 2 cents hope it helps

 

[Yimmy]

re

The only side-arm I have been shown how to use is the Browning Mk2(?); the 9mm with plastic grips and ambidextrouse controls.

I think you would probably be able to get one at a fraction of the $700 you are thinking of spending, and realisticaly I don't think you can get any more out of a handgun.

As far as I can see, Glocks and Sigs and H&K's are all very innovative and all, but a pistol is a pistol, and none are a match for a rifle.

 

[Jeffvn]

I'm in for a Kimber TLE, under your limit and sweet shooting.

 

[cfroehlich7584]

Well since I can only legally have a clip capacity of 10 (hopefully not for long though) i was thinking of going with a campact unless there is another advantage to full size pistols besides larger clips.

As for the purpose of the pistol i was sort of hoping to find one that could sort of be a nice blend of everything. I wanted something i could carry if i wanted to as well as home defense. Which was why i was leaning towards some of the compact models that had the 10 round capacity.

 

[cfroehlich7584]

Oh also there is another problem i forgot to mention. All the of the ranges around me that i know are not owned by or have a gun store. They are pretty much just dedicated shooting ranges and thats it. They sell a few boxes of crappy hunting ammo and have a few shotguns on display but thats about it. So i dont know how i would go about trying different guns aside from asking around and seeing if anyone will let me try the guns they own.

 

[FLEA]

!

cfroehlich:

If you compare the USP 45 and the compact version there are a few differences. To me the compact feels a bit on the small side..(for my hands anyway). And there is a difference in recoild as well. On top of the fact that the full size fits my hand a bit better and weighs a bit more... the full size also has a added recoild buffer spring....this not only increases the life of the gun but makes it easier to shoot.

I still say try out a bunch of kinds at a shooting range and decide for yourself. If you can't rent them you can ask to try someone elses gun. If you tell someone your are looking to buy what they have they ussually will tell you all the good.....or bad things about it.....just ask to fire a few rounds down range.....I let people shoot my 700 when they ask how the AICS stock feels.

P.S. as far as home defence goes....if you need more then 10 rounds your prolly screwed anyway :wink:

 

[badshot]

For home defense I would recommend a shotgun with about #4 shot. It doesn't penetrate walls as bad. And the sound of someone pumping a shotgun in the dark is very eiry. Just my .02 on home defense. I do know for a fact that you can use the high cap clips in my HK USP 40 comp as well as the regular 10 shot clips.

 

[truewarrior]

Flea touched on the biggest difference(for me) between a full and compact: the length of the grip. Go to a gun store and handle both types. I have little-girl-hands yet the compact grip is still uncomfortably small for me. Also, it seems to me to be harder to operate the slide on a shorter barreled auto. As far as testing a gun, go to the gun store and ask those guys where/how you might be able to test fire the guns. They might have their own thing or be able to point you in the right direction. Shotgun vs. handgun for home defense: I had a potential home invasion situation about a month ago, where I needed to draw on a person. I was using my Beretta .40 cal and was able to maintain draw on the person while holding a cordless-phone to call 911. A shotgun typically requires the use of both hands, although I do like a shotgun for certain scenarios...

-tw

 

[Yimmy]

re

"I needed to draw on a person".

If you don't mind my asking, why did you need to draw a weapon on them? I assmume you mean you pointed it / threatened them?

Over here that is a big no no.

 

[FLEA]

Re: re

If you don't mind my asking, why did you need to draw a weapon on them? I assmume you mean you pointed it / threatened them?

I imagine its because he said someone was in his house...(burglar) unlawfully so he held them at gun point while he called for emergency services (911). Over hear you have a right to defend your home and your family.

 

[badshot]

I had an incident very similiar happen to me back in late October. I was outside my apartment and caught a guy going into my apartment. I at the time time did not have my handgun on me since I didn't have my CHL yet. When I caught the guy I surprised him and broke my hand on his face when he tried to come at me. I messed the guy up pretty bad and both of us wound up going to the hospital. I left with a cast on my arm and hand and he got to spend the night in the hospital and then a few days in jail. I had to have surgery to repair my hand and it took a long time to get over it. I was told by the investigating officer he was glad I didnt shoot the guy so he didn't have to do all the paperwork. Next time, I won't be breaking my hand.

 

[Yimmy]

re

Unless you intend to shoot someone, there is no need to aim a weapon at them....

And does a thief really deserve a death sentence?

There is a very large difference between someone comming at you with a knife / gun and someone breaking into your house.

 

[FLEA]

Re: re

Unless you intend to shoot someone, there is no need to aim a weapon at them....

How else do you play to get him out of your house? Say please?

And does a thief really deserve a death sentence?

He did not shoot him. He called for police. The gun was just to keep the burglar under control.

There is a very large difference between someone comming at you with a knife / gun and someone breaking into your house.

A thief in your house produces a immediate danger to you and your loved ones....no matter what weapons he/she may or may not have. A thief may just choke you too death or kill you buy some other means in stead of facing jail time.

Where are you from?.....cause over hear people get killed in thier own homes daily and its ussually people that caught someone in the act of stealing. A thief can easily become a killer under the right circumstances.... so no..... a thief in my house without my consent will be shot.

I think Truewarrior went well over and above what he needed to do..... My choice would be based on if I were alone or not. Being alone if I was in reach of a phone I would most likly call for assistance ....if family was with me. maybe a child in the house ....that guy would get shot.... I would not risk the chance or another thief with him....him concealing a weapon....or somehow getting past me and getting to my loved ones.

 

[Ross L.]

TASER

as far as the shooting the burgler and such in some situations i would agree with it. but one thing you guys might be interested in looking into is a company called Taser Inc. this is the company that makes the tasers for police and the public. thats right you as a citizen can own a taser (in most states) as a means of defence.

for those of you who dont know how it works it basicly shoots 2 probes into your body and gives the person a nice 50,000 volt, 26 watt shock that will very mush so take you to the ground.

i can tell you first hand that if you get hit with one of these you are not geting up from it untill the shock is over. and even when it is over if the person is non-complient you pull the triger again and they get to ride the lightning again.

yeah i know its not a hand gun but i thought i would throw it out there as an option. espesialy if you are thinking of buying a hand gun for defence purposes and dont think you could pull the triger if you needed to.

 

[Yimmy]

re

FLEA, I am from England, and here it is perfectly okay to take actions in self defence.

However pointing and/or using firearms against unarmed thiefs is really very cowardly.

As a side note, I never said he shot him as you suggested.

A taser, all that does is incapacitate people, however still it should only be used in self defence.

 

[FLEA]

Re: re

However pointing and/or using firearms against unarmed thiefs is really very cowardly.

Well please offer a suggestion for how to deal with a thief? Tell him the combination to your safe so he thinks your nice and won't hurt you! Help him load your Tv in his car?

Ross L.:

Many states have outlawed tasers for pirvate ownership. I have recommended these to people before. But if you run into the problem of muliple attackers or robbers then you are out of luck.