Posted on 02/16/2007 5:10:53 PM PST by LukeL
Looking to buy a handgun this summer for self defense and was wondering what would be a good gun for a first time buyer under $500.00. All I know is that I want a .45 ACP and was looking at a Glock 21.
Also what is a good rimfire gun for practice so I do not have to waste good ammunation (and my arm) target shooting.
A Ruger MKII will serve you long and well as a rimfire target pistol - and you can make it a 22/45 if you want.
I'd suggest you visit a range that has an instructor and try some different handguns first. Many ranges rent or have a "gun day" where manufacturers will allow you to try before you buy.
A good instructor will teach you safety and handling of a handgun which is extremely important. And that same instructor will ask you the right questions to help you decided which handgun is right for you.
Then after you buy your first, be ready for the fever to hit. You'll be buying, or at least wanting, other handguns.
So guns are like Lays Potato Chips?
Glocks and gun newbies tend to make corpses, buy almost anything else.
Well, you quote General Patton in your tagline. His Potato Chips had pearl grips.
If you can, try one at the range. A lot of ranges offer rental guns and these are a great way to test drive a pistol. I have a Glock 19 (9mm) and I've been happy with it. The one change I made to it was to replace the recoil spring. What I have now is better matched to the 9mm cartridge.
I second the Ruger MkII ideal, the 22/45 has 1911 'controls'. I was just doing the math and i figure that my MkII (like the one pictured above w/o rail) digested 20,000 rounds! It is still going strong. Plus, when you reassemble it, you may feel a little proud of yourself.
Darn, that's "train like you fight, fight like you trained."
I started out with a Glock 23 and still carry it, on occaison. I'm currently carrying a S&W 642 airweight revolver.
Remember, they don't get any lighter as the day goes on.
There are lots of people out there that don't carry anymore simply because the gun they selected turned out to be too heavy and they just leave it home. That's not going to help.
The Ruger MKII is a good choice for plinking, as was mentioned in a previous post. I also have a Browning Buckmark .22 with a bull barrel that loves to go all day long.
I agree. Have Glock, love Glock and carry Glock. But it's NOT for noob's. Like any gun, you have to really treat it as if it were loaded always. There are no "external safety's" to engage or dis-engage. Yes, I know the trigger has a safety and there are also two other internal safety's. When finger pulls trigger, gun go boom.
I carry mine with a Glock SAF-T-BLOK and Clipdraw inside the pants waistband.
"Also what is a good rimfire gun for practice so I do not have to waste good ammunation (and my arm) target shooting."
Rimfires are great for plinking and practice, but for a carry weapon, no ammo is wasted. Practice with what you will carry and also with the ammo you will carry with it. There are some really great carry rounds out there to use. I like Glaser safety slugs and Hornady TAP.
Smith & Wesson Model 686
Kind of like asking yourself what you need in a car or truck purchase.
AMT Hardballer 45 cal..
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