new guy here

[itsman]

I stumbled upon this site a few days ago and I would just like to say that, there is a lot of useful information and the people who post here are knowledgeable and friendly unlike other forums I have visited.

I am new to the hobby of shooting. I've been to a range twice and I am hooked, its really fun shooting. I turned twenty one a few months ago and am interested in purchasing some firearms to shoot at the local shooting range. My state requires that I take a firearm safety course before I can get a permit for a hand gun. I have already registered for the course at the local shooting range. If I decide to purchase my hand gun from the local shooting range/gun store I get a 50 dollar credit towards the purchase of any firearm. So I was wondering if anyone can recomend a hand gun for a beginner and something that is at the most 400 dollars u.s. I am a poor college student so I am unable to buy something beyond that price range.

On my most recent visit to the local range I rented a glock 17. I thought the gun was nice. It felt okay in my hands, comfortable. Another plus was the 9mm doesn't have a whole lot of kick. I remember the first time I went to a range, one of the guns that I shot was a .44 mag. It had a lot of kick, it was fun shooting it, but flinched every single shot I took. That gun was really loud. So besides any recomendations on hand guns that would fit my price range, any suggestions on guns to rent the next time I am at the range are welcome. I really want to make sure I am happy with my purchase. Oh and before I forget how is the ruger 10/22, I've heard its a good rifle for the money. Besides getting a hand gun, I want to pick up a .22 rifle for some cheap shooting. I couldn't believe how cheap the prices are on .22 LR ammunition, I had no idea since I've only recently gotten into this hobby.

[Knuckle_Dragger]

WELCOME TO TFF!!!


There aren't too many semi-autos in the 400 dollar range.....

There is only one that comes to mind - the Springfield XD-9. It retails at about $480 (only $30 over your budget with your $50 credit). It is VERY similar to a Glock, but has an added grip safety which works in conjunction with the trigger "safety" to ensure that the gun will fire only when both safeties are pressed simultaniously. Reviews on this gun are great. Supposed to be an excellent weapon.

If your not set on a semi-auto, Taurus makes several different revolvers at or around $400. A .38 spl is a great weapon to learn to shoot with. Low kick, easy to operate and easy to clean.

And lastly, there are used guns. While they may be priced less than new, as a new shooter, you could easily be taken since you may not know what to look for. If you decide to buy used, be sure that the shop will offer you some type of guarantee that will allow you sufficient time to shoot and evaluate your pistol.

Good luck.

[misiu]

Welcome to our site Itsman: And welcome to the sport of shooting-I think you will find a wealth of knowledge here and their is no friendlier site anywhere. I will leave it to others to give you info on the guns you want as I am not familiar with the prices in the U.S. but I am sure you will get lots of advice-especially from a particular "Glock nut" (A.K.A. Mike) who is our resident Glockaholic (just made that up-what do you think Mike???)

Anyway Itsman feel free to ask all the questions you want and jump in anytime.

[wuzzagrunt]

For a new shooter, I always recommend a double action revolver. Fewer controls, safety factor is high, they get the job done. Semi-autos are (IMHO) for folks who are willing to put more time into learning how to operate safely. If you must have a semi-auto, get some formal training beyond the firearm safety course. Do that anyway.

It depends on what you plan to do with it. For informal target/home defense, a Ruger GP-100 is a good buy and it's right about $400 (new). 38 special is reasonably cheap to shoot and not unpleasant, recoilwise, in a medium frame revolver. The GP also fires .357 magnum for more serious situations.

If it's going to be used for putting holes in paper and/or small game hunting, a .22 long rifle revolver is the ticket. The Ruger SP-101 is nice. A .22 will shoot a lot of ammo for a few $$$.

If you want to carry concealed, I'd still recommend the SP-101 (in .38/.357). People will try to tell you that a revolver is difficult to conceal but they just take a little more thought be put into holster selection. Get a 3 inch barrel on a carry gun.

Taurus makes a less expensive line of revolvers, but I have no experience with Taurus products. Ruger presents a solid value for the money. I prefer Smith & Wesson revolvers, over Ruger, but they (and Colts) tend to be more expensive.

If you buy from a dealer who will let you take the piece to an independent gunsmith for examination, then a used gun can be a great deal. In that case, get the S&W that makes you smile.

[Remington597]

Welcome to the hobby and welcome to the forum. I think you will really enjoy it here. I have a Glock 17 and would highly recommend it, but it will cost you in the neighborhood of $450. That is what I paid and its near wholesale. A Ruger 10/22 is your second best choice for 22LR rifles for the money. Your first choice should be a Remington 597. The Ruger is about $150 and the Remington is about $175. So your total output will be around $600 for both. If you can afford that , thats great, if you want to stay a bit lower, substitute a Ruger P89 or P95 9mm for about $350 instead of the Glock and you will be around $500 total outlay. All of the guns mentioned would make excellent choices for your first 9mm and your first .22LR rifle. May I also recommend that you think about a concealed carry if your state allows it. A perfect choice for that would be a KelTec P3AT .380. ,which is around $250. I would also recommend a good .22 pistol for target practice. In that case, A Smith and Wesson A22 or a Walther P22 are perfect. Each are around $300.
All of the guns that I talked about , except the Ruger 9mm; appear in my signature line. The Remington 597 is the gray one.
Good luck and thanks for becoming part of our group.

[Xracer]

Hi Itsman......and welcome to TFF.

I'd recommend you stick to .22 rimfire for both your first handgun and your first rifle........for several reasons.

1.) Low recoil......so you don't build a "recoil flinch" into your shooting.

2.) Inexpensive ammunition....so that you can afford to do a lot of shooting.......and practice makes perfect.

Once you've learned to handle a .22 safely, confidentally, and accurately, then you can move up to the bigger stuff.

[Marlin]

Glad to have you at TFF and in the hobby, itsman.

You have some good advice from several in the know. Once you get your sense of feel for what you might want, go and investigate. Hold each and see if it's comfortable for you. If you have arms at your disposal at the range, shoot them for a while while trying to get "the feel."

I comes down to a personal preference for what feels good in your hand and how satisfied you are. We all lean toward what our experience has been. I am a Marlin lover since I'm left-handed and the lever line was the best for me growing up. Also, Marlin makes a good Semi-Automatic rifle, any variation of the Model 60, which would serve you for years and is relatively inexpensive at Wally World.

Take you time and just enjoy. Welcome to a great hobby which will give you a lifetime of satisfaction.

[tuckerd1]

Welcome itsman! Yeah, what Xracer said. 22 is inexpensive & fun. Ruger MKII and 10/22. Almost within your pistol budget for both. Have fun!

[rosierita]

welcome to TFF itsman! i dont know much about guns...... but i have a 22 rifle, semi automatic. LOL! my hubby says i need one to be sure to hit something coming at me. LMBO!! anyhoo ~ i'm not gun savy, but i really like my 22 rifle, it's easy to handle.

that's about all i know about guns.
hmmmmmm, reading this thread, maybe i should get a 22 pistol. (i'm not a pistol fan)

[SouthernMoss]

Welcome to TFF, itsman! You've gotten a lot of good advice here. Stick around and continue to read. Ask questions. You'll find our experts are always willing to answer your questions and will continue to give you excellent advice.

Let us know what you finally buy, and keep us posted on your progress.

Oh, yeah, one last thing..... welcome to the addiction.

[ysacres]

itsman , welcome to TFF

[1952Sniper]

Welcome to the board, itsman.

Contrary to my esteemed fellow board members, I don't care for expensive handguns. $400 is a lot of money to me too, and I just don't like to spend that kind of money on a handgun.

You can find several different foreign semi-auto models on the military surplus market that are in the $150-$300 price range. Some of the calibers might be a little bit oddball, but ammo is easily found, especially at gun shows or on the internet.

For example, the Walther P38/P1 is an excellent buy and will cost you around $300. It's a 9mm parabellum (9mm Luger) handgun. Quality is excellent.

There's also the Czech CZ-52 in 7.62x25. Those sell as low as $89, but the ammo is a bit oddball. It's an extremely powerful round, and is basically a rifle round. Fun as heck to shoot, though!

The Bulgarian Makarov is another of my favorites. It's the one I carry concealed. Caliber is 9x18 Makarov, which is another sort of oddball caliber. But the pistol only costs around $150.

Then you have your foreign 1911 and hi-power knockoffs. There are lots and lots of different models out there that were used in military service around the world, then re-arsenaled and sold to the US.

Here are a couple of web sites, just to show you what's out there:
http://www.southernohiogun.com/surplus_hand.html
http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/copy_of_Pistols.html

I'm sure the high-dollar pistols the other members recommend are fine. But honestly, for a novice who doesn't have a lot of money to spend, I recommend buying a good surplus handgun and spend the rest of your money on ammo. You'll want to practice as much as you can.

[gipper]

ITSMAN, in the same boat, poor college kid, 22, just bought a ruger p89, bought it online, all in all got it for around 370 w/ shipping and FFL transfer fees. Check em out, good guns, some of the guys on here recommended the ruger p89.

Now, everyone else on here will try to get you to get a 1911.. and believe me, if I could afford it, i'd have one, but even if I could buy the gun, the ammo would swallow me up.

[inplanotx]

Welcome ITSMAN. Glad to havge you with us and postin! Stay with us, you'll enjoy it here!

[Marlin]

Gipper, that's where reloading comes in.

The .45 ACP is a great round with ease of relaoding and one can then afford to shoot all he wants!!

[gipper]

how much have you spent on reloading stuff, and once reloaded what essentialy is your cost per round?

So you're sayin I need to start a reloading hobby to support my other hobby... geez, it never ends

[tuckerd1]

Gipper,

I can't say how much I spent on equipment, but you can reload 45ACP for about 25-35% of the cost of factory ammo. Last time I calculated it.

[rglbegl]

I had to throw in my .02$
I LOVE my ruger 10/22. You cant go wrong there.
Springfield makes a $400 1911 that is a wonderful shooter, if you want to spend money on ammo. ( They told you us 1911 guys would try to shove one down your throat )
My recommendation - WALTHER P22. I paid $200 for mine and I Love it!! Cheap ammo, great reliability, and probably the most fun I have ever had with a pistol.
.22lr is cheap and fun, great for practice. If you are new to shooting, spend time in the rimfire forums here. A .22 is the best to start with.
Ruger mkII, Walther P22, Browning buckmark, Smith $ wesson 22a, all less than $300, and all great fun.
Try them all, get the one that works best for you. Just buy one gun, and a ton of ammo. Get the next gun when you have more money for it.

[gipper]

my next gun will be an MKII or walter p22, fun little things... if only I had more money... or one fell of a truck somewhere, anyone got any to give away?

[JohnK3]

Look to the left at my avatar.

I have a CZ75 in 9mm and love it. Very controllable, 15 rounds if you find a pre-ban magazine and very reliable. Under $400 brand-new. Loves to eat S&B 115gr. FMJ. (S&B=Sellier and Bellot, a Czech ammo manufacturer. Makes sense that a Czech gun would like Czech ammo, eh?)

[itsman]

I want to thank everyone for their advice and suggestions. I will most likely go with a .22 pistol. Just can't pass up the cheap price of ammo. Also like someone suggested, I dont want to develop a "recoil flinch" when I shoot. Not sure what make and model yet. I will try all the models I can before I make my purchase.

No need to get a pistol in a larger caliber yet, since obtaining a concealed carry permit is quite difficult in hawaii. You have to demonstrate a need to carry one. So I am sure .22 will do just fine for target shooting. I will update you guys on my purchase as soon as I make it and I look foward to posting on this message board.

[Smokin Guns]

I will update you guys on my purchase as soon as I make it and I look foward to posting on this message board

Welcome itsman! And good for you...We like shooter's over typist's anyday... Get ya a .22 in rifle and pistol, and get at it!...