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Affordable 9mm

KatieVT

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Oct 2, 2008
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, Vermont, USA
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Hi! I am a new member; have been reading this forum for a couple weeks. I am a 21 yr old women who has been thinking about carrying a handgun for awhile. I live in Vermont and we've been seeing more and more crime lately. I'm also concerned about the state our country is headed.

I have had some practice with firearms, but am not extremely proficient at this point (used to be better when I was 12-15). I need to finda pistol range and/or rig something up in the field below our house to practice on. I own aTaurus .22 revolver (for hunting rats that terrorize my rabbits in the winter) and a Mossburg 20 gauge. I would not carry until I gotreally proficient at shooting exactly where I wasaiming.

I mentioned my thoughts to some friends and they both recommended a 9mm for me. They have experience with a lot of different firearms. One of them was (still is?) on the West Point Pistol Team.

So, my question is: do you have any recommendations on a good 9mm? I am looking for an affordable one (being a college student and all), but one that is reliable. One that I can go out and shoot for fun, butthat would be a good self-defensehandgun in the future.
 

NWGirl

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I know the people who actually know what they're talking about will pipe up any second now but until they do I thought I'd throw my comments out. Being fairly new to this myself I'll tell you what I learned.

1. Shoot some guns! Really, you aren't going to know what caliber you are comfortable with until you actually shoot it. I like my 9's (I have two) but I also like my DH's .40 and I love his .45 so much that I'm now shopping for one. You just never know until you shoot one.

2. Make sure whatever you seriously consider for carry fits your hand. (My favorite site for basic info is www.corneredcat.com. She has a lot of information and pictures and she's mostly geared for women so she addresses things that we need to know but guys might not think about.)

3. If you can get some range time, do. If you can take a class from a reputable source, do that too. It will cover the basics of safety and help you shoot better plus you'll feel a whole lot more confident with your abilities (and you'll know the steps to take toward improving.)

I'm also on the www.womenandguns.com site where you'll find a lot of info and conversation that's geared toward girls (but don't leave this site because they're very knowledgeable and friendly too.) :)

I'll leave the make and model discussion to whoever else shows up to answer your questions.But just so you know, my two9's are a Sigp229 and a Springfield EMP andI love them both.
 

Comp-tech

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First...welcome to OCDO KatieVT

I have a current generation Smith & Wesson Sigma 9mm that I've had absolutely no issues with.....with around 4k rounds sent downrange.
You may have heard that the Sigma is junk and I might agree with that statement in regards to the first generation of several years ago but, as with most new designs, they went through "growing pains".

My son-in-law has a Sigma in .40 that has been just as reliable with around 1.5k through it....and I believe the current generation is as reliable as any pistol out there....even more so than the others in same price range. (around $300 new)

Good luck...stay safe

Edit to add: NWGirl offered good advice...get some range time and try different pistols/calibers if you can...you might find that you prefer .45
 

MITCH

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, Arizona, USA
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Having owned 15-20 handguns over the past several years, I now have, among others, two CZ's. A CZ Mod. 75B and for cc a CZ Mod 2075 (Rami). In spite of all the others I've owned, I consider the CZ's among the top 5 I've ever owned.

Good Luck with what ever you choose.



Mitch
 

Liko81

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I guess I'll put in a vote for Ruger. Not the SR9; that one's seen a lot of problems and even though they appear to have fixed it I would stay away for a while longer. I'm talking about the P95 or if you like a full-size the P89. I have the P95 and through about 1400 rounds so far, it has NEVER failed to fire, extract, eject, or chamber.It has failed to lock back, but that hasALWAYS been my fault for puttingmy thumb on the slide lock.
 

David.Car

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NWGirl wrote:
a Sigp229
Women with Sigs... Doesn't get much better than that.

Anyways, a Sig is a fantastic firearm, but it definitly might not fit in for the OPs "Affordable" requirement.

Moving on, the best advice is to get to the range that rents out firearms and start trying them out. Find the one that fits your hand and ends up being naturally more accurate for you.
 

thorvaldr

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Jul 8, 2008
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Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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So yes, lots of ranges have guns you can rent. It pays to try some out and see what you like. Here are some inexpensive 9MM to consider:

Taurus PT92 - Typical steel frame, DA/SA hi cap 9. Copy of the Beretta M9 I paid $326 (including shipping and FFL fee) for this gun and I like it very well.

Sig P225 - There seem to be a lot of surplus German police guns hitting the market recently. These are supposed to be nice.

Hipoint C9 - Really cheap SA made in America. I've never shot one but I hear that once you get them tweaked to feed right they are a good shooter.
 

ghostrider

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Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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Don't have time right now to read the other posts, so I'll just put in a quick $.02.

Read cornedcat.com as the other poster recommended, then reread it.

Handle/shoot as many guns as you can before buying. Also before buying, look into what kind of holsters are available, and try different concealment methods. You may not want to carry it now, but that time may come, and it would be a shame for someone on a tight budget to discover that the gun they bought won't work for a new purpose.

I'll try to chime in later.
 

ChinChin

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May 17, 2007
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Loudoun County, Virginia, USA
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There is no "right" handgun; there is only the handgun which is "right" for you and only YOU can make that determination.

My wife fired all my handguns; and several from friends until she settled on a .38 S&W hammerless revolver as her primary carry firearm. She is a small woman and the grip on glocks were too "blocky" for her hand. Anything in a .357 flavor was right out as she couldn't handle the recoil. 1911s were too large a frame and she had issues with sigs sitting on her hip and the ability to naturally draw them from her strong-arm hip carry due to a boob issue and them getting in the way.

Everybody had recommendations but until she took the time to sample each option and get a feel for how they drew from a holster, she didn't find the firearm that worked best for her.
 

icode

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Apr 29, 2008
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Henderson, Nevada, USA
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Liko81 wrote:
I guess I'll put in a vote for Ruger. Not the SR9; that one's seen a lot of problems and even though they appear to have fixed it I would stay away for a while longer. I'm talking about the P95 or if you like a full-size the P89. I have the P95 and through about 1400 rounds so far, it has NEVER failed to fire, extract, eject, or chamber.It has failed to lock back, but that hasALWAYS been my fault for puttingmy thumb on the slide lock.
I would certainly give the P95 a look. If you like it and it feels right it's a good gun. Of course I'm biased toward Ruger in general, as I've said before IMO the P series offers the best all around value and is very reliable.
 

G20-IWB24/7

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Those who have told you to go to a firing range that allows you to rent and try different handguns are correct. Try as many as you can afford to, prior to making your decision. Here are a few that may fit your criteria:

Kahr CW9, K9, or P9, all 9mm's (pronounced "Car") Very thin, reliable, and easy to conceal. Work especially well with smaller hands, as the pistol has a thin, single-stacked magazine, as opposed to others with a staggered, wide-body hi-capacity magazine. The CW9 is the value series of these guns and are available at $379 new almost anywhere. The K9 or P9 are around $600-650 new, but quality used ones can be had for around $450.

Glock 19 (Compact 9mm) Very reliable, very easy to find holsters and other accessories for. Does have the staggered magazine, which some find produces too thick of a grip, on the other hand, it does hold 15 rounds, which is a bonus. Did I mention that this gun is extremely reliable? (Issue gun for NYPD.) $500, almost anywhere.

Springfield XD9 9mm. Reliable pistol with a few "extra" safety features. These tend to fit peoples' hands very well. The "Service" sized pistol is a full-sized gun, good for home protection, but if you are going to carry it often, you might opt for the "subcompact" version of the same gun. $480-520 new, depending on where.

Sig P239 9mm. Reliable, thin (single stack) grip.Easy to carry and bears the Sig name, which has a reputation for building tough, reliable pistols for hard use.~$600 new.

There are many others that could be recommended, and do try others, but this is a good start. Good luck, and welcome to the forums.
 

icode

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G20-IWB24/7 wrote:
Those who have told you to go to a firing range that allows you to rent and try different handguns are correct. Try as many as you can afford to, prior to making your decision. Here are a few that may fit your criteria:

Kahr CW9, K9, or P9, all 9mm's (pronounced "Car") Very thin, reliable, and easy to conceal. Work especially well with smaller hands, as the pistol has a thin, single-stacked magazine, as opposed to others with a staggered, wide-body hi-capacity magazine. The CW9 is the value series of these guns and are available at $379 new almost anywhere. The K9 or P9 are around $600-650 new, but quality used ones can be had for around $450.

Glock 19 (Compact 9mm) Very reliable, very easy to find holsters and other accessories for. Does have the staggered magazine, which some find produces too thick of a grip, on the other hand, it does hold 15 rounds, which is a bonus. Did I mention that this gun is extremely reliable? (Issue gun for NYPD.) $500, almost anywhere.

Springfield XD9 9mm. Reliable pistol with a few "extra" safety features. These tend to fit peoples' hands very well. The "Service" sized pistol is a full-sized gun, good for home protection, but if you are going to carry it often, you might opt for the "subcompact" version of the same gun. $480-520 new, depending on where.

Sig P239 9mm. Reliable, thin (single stack) grip.Easy to carry and bears the Sig name, which has a reputation for building tough, reliable pistols for hard use.~$600 new.

There are many others that could be recommended, and do try others, but this is a good start. Good luck, and welcome to the forums.
I mean no offense but the OP did say affordable;)
 

WCrawford

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Dec 8, 2007
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592
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Nashville, Tennessee, United States
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KatieVT wrote:
Hi! I am a new member; have been reading this forum for a couple weeks. I am a 21 yr old women who has been thinking about carrying a handgun for awhile. I live in Vermont and we've been seeing more and more crime lately. I'm also concerned about the state our country is headed.

I have had some practice with firearms, but am not extremely proficient at this point (used to be better when I was 12-15). I need to finda pistol range and/or rig something up in the field below our house to practice on. I own aTaurus .22 revolver (for hunting rats that terrorize my rabbits in the winter) and a Mossburg 20 gauge. I would not carry until I gotreally proficient at shooting exactly where I wasaiming.

I mentioned my thoughts to some friends and they both recommended a 9mm for me. They have experience with a lot of different firearms. One of them was (still is?) on the West Point Pistol Team.

So, my question is: do you have any recommendations on a good 9mm? I am looking for an affordable one (being a college student and all), but one that is reliable. One that I can go out and shoot for fun, butthat would be a good self-defensehandgun in the future.
I have to ask, are you going to practice with your firearm on a regular basis? At least once a month? If you are, then go for a semi-automatic. If you aren't, go for a revolver.

If there is a malfunction, you just continue to pull the trigger on a revolver. It takes more work to clear a malfunction of a semi-auto.

As others have suggested, shoot a number of handguns. Find the one that feels right in your hand and feels comfortable when shooting.
 

t3rmin

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Feb 27, 2008
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I hear good things about the S&W Sigmas. And you CANNOT beat the price:
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_39_71/products_id/13283

Fobus makes what looks like a decent molded w/ thumb break holster for OC. Cheap, too.

I love my Ruger P95, which I picked up for $375 (and you can do better than that). Got an Uncle Mike's Kydex paddle w/ thumb break for open carry (also cheap).

I no longer recommend Hi-Points, unless I guess you're *really* strapped for cash. In that case, you could definitely do worse.
 

KatieVT

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Thanks for the suggestions!

I think I'll have time on Tuesday to stopat alocal gun shop. Hopefully, they'll know about classes and the local shooting ranges.

In the meantime, I'll try to practice this weekend with my Taurus .22 revolver, if the weather isn't too bad.
 

G20-IWB24/7

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icode wrote:
G20-IWB24/7 wrote: I mean no offense but the OP did say affordable;)

I have found that the most expensive thing anyone ever buys is something cheap that doesn't work. That's why I ONLY recommend quality, reliable handguns that I would let my wife carry. If I don't trust it's reputation/reliablity to protect my family, then I would never recommend it to anyone else.

Also,I didn't see up above where she gave a specific dollar amount. Did you? "Affordable" is subjective. ;)
 

apcci2

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G20-IWB24/7 wrote:
icode wrote:
G20-IWB24/7 wrote: I mean no offense but the OP did say affordable;)

I have found that the most expensive thing anyone ever buys is something cheap that doesn't work. That's why I ONLY recommend quality, reliable handguns that I would let my wife carry. If I don't trust it's reputation/reliablity to protect my family, then I would never recommend it to anyone else.

Also,I didn't see up above where she gave a specific dollar amount. Did you? "Affordable" is subjective. ;)
G20 couldn't be more right about this. Think about it, is your life/safety/family worth $200 or $600?
 

squisher

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Sep 15, 2008
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Columbus, Indiana, USA
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thorvaldr wrote:
So yes, lots of ranges have guns you can rent. It pays to try some out and see what you like. Here are some inexpensive 9MM to consider:

Taurus PT92 - Typical steel frame, DA/SA hi cap 9. Copy of the Beretta M9 I paid $326 (including shipping and FFL fee) for this gun and I like it very well.

Sig P225 - There seem to be a lot of surplus German police guns hitting the market recently. These are supposed to be nice.

Hipoint C9 - Really cheap SA made in America. I've never shot one but I hear that once you get them tweaked to feed right they are a good shooter.
I second the PT92 (Or the PT917; PT92 w/ 20 round magazine :shock: )
 

KatieVT

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, Vermont, USA
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squisher wrote:
thorvaldr wrote:
So yes, lots of ranges have guns you can rent. It pays to try some out and see what you like. Here are some inexpensive 9MM to consider:

Taurus PT92 - Typical steel frame, DA/SA hi cap 9. Copy of the Beretta M9 I paid $326 (including shipping and FFL fee) for this gun and I like it very well.

Sig P225 - There seem to be a lot of surplus German police guns hitting the market recently. These are supposed to be nice.

Hipoint C9 - Really cheap SA made in America. I've never shot one but I hear that once you get them tweaked to feed right they are a good shooter.
I second the PT92 (Or the PT917; PT92 w/ 20 round magazine :shock: )

I'm definitely going to look at the PT92. I have a Taurus .22 revolver (model 94SS5) and its a nice gun.

A friend just purchased Taurus's version of the 1911. I thought it felt and looked nice, but didn't get a chance to shoot it. Probably at Christmas - we tend to have some type of firearm activity. :D
 

deepdiver

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G20-IWB24/7 wrote:
icode wrote:
G20-IWB24/7 wrote: I mean no offense but the OP did say affordable;)

I have found that the most expensive thing anyone ever buys is something cheap that doesn't work. That's why I ONLY recommend quality, reliable handguns that I would let my wife carry. If I don't trust it's reputation/reliablity to protect my family, then I would never recommend it to anyone else.

Also,I didn't see up above where she gave a specific dollar amount. Did you? "Affordable" is subjective. ;)
G20, I'm with you. Your suggestions were much what I would have suggested. Fact is that ~$450-500 is "affordable" anymore for a good quality NIB combat handgun. Certainly there are less expensive examples. Many people have had great experience with the Hi Point for example. And there are certainly pocket pistols that can be had for less and used examples that can lead to significant savings.

Regardless, I think G20s list gives an excellent starting place to find a 9mm that fits the OP's needs both ergonomic and defensive.
 
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