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18 year old virginian buying first Handgun.

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MirkoCrocop

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Nov 28, 2008
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Hey guys i've been lurking here for about a month and I turned 18 back in march. I've decided that I would like to buy my first handgun for many reasons like self-defense, protecting my family, trying to be a better patriot, wanting to be a sheepdog instead of a product of propaganda, and wanting to show people that yes I am young, but that doesnt mean Im irrational or tooincompetent to open carry one. In order to aqquire the funds forthe handgun I sold my american strat for 525 bucks yesterday:(. Now i'm 6'0 225lbs, and im sure I can handle larger calibers, but for some reason the 9mm caliber just sticks out to me the most. Now i narrowed it down to 2 which a gunstore near me called the armory carries. Keep in mind I'm a lefty so this my dilemma. Do I go with the springfield xd9 or the glock 17 or 19 which while not as lefty friendly is simpler in that it doesnt have as many parts and doesnt have a handle safety. All I have is 525 bucks but besides those 2 are there any others I should consider?
 
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bourneshooter

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Either the Glock 17 or the 19. Nothing is as good as one of those two.

You should try the grip angle on both. Its slightly different. I prefer the 19 but the 17 would fit you better from the description of your build. Plus you can CC the 17 is you ever decide to do that instead of just OC.
 
XD-GEM

XD-GEM

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Go to a range and try all of them before you buy them. If you can't rent one at the range, re-post this in the VA forum and see if anyone will meet up with you and let you try theirs.

As you may be able to tell from my name, I have a Springfield XD. It's the 9mm 4" Service model. I have benn able to both OC and CC it and have found it comfortable either way. I am somewhat smaller than you, so I don't know how that will translate. The mag release is ambidextrous, which should help a southpaw like you.
 
Huck

Huck

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You mentioned that you're a lefty and I'm sure you're concerned about eating ejected casings. Have you considered a revolver? There's plenty of good ones out there in your price range.

I aint pushing wheelguns, though they are my preferred type ofhandgun, I'mjust giving you something to think about.

III
 
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neddis

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I had an XD-9. LOVED it. Only reason that I don't still have it is because I sold it to get the XD-45 with the manual safety - and now I love my .45. I can't say enough good about these guns. the feel is great, cost is great, durability is great. Don't get me wrong, Glock makes a very fine product, but I am in love with my XD. It just feels right in my hand.
 
zoom6zoom

zoom6zoom

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Keep in mind also that at 18 you can legally possess, but you can't purchase from a dealer, only from a private party. You can't give someone else the money to buy it for you, that would be a straw purchase (a felony).
 
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MirkoCrocop

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What if I get my dad to buy it for me as a gift Isnt it legal for your parent to give you a handgun as a gift? Could I be there with him in the store if he purchases it and he says its for me so I can try it out at the indoor range or would that be illegal? In retrospect I think I should have put this in the virginia section.
 
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eyesopened

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I prefer the XDs over the glocks, but that's mostly because of the ergonomics. I have smaller hands and the XDs have a thinner grip than the glocks. Also the grip angle for the XD is closer to a 1911 and which I really like. I do like the shorter trigger reset on the glocks though, the XD is a little long for my liking but still a good combat trigger.

Like what others have said, if you can find a range to try both that would be ideal.

On top of not being able to purchase a handgun from a dealer, you also will not be able to buy ammo for the handgun from the dealer either.
 
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foxcall

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CZ-pcr or p-01 fits your price/size ( same size as g19) range and they are fantastic guns. I love my glock, but I'll never part with my CZs.


Are you cross dominant? Just one more thing to consider if this is your first handgun. I'm right handed but shoot lefty because I'm left eye dominant. It just makes buying things like holsters easier. But it never hurts to be able to shoot with either hand.
 
Gunslinger

Gunslinger

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MirkoCrocop wrote:
What if I get my dad to buy it for me as a gift Isnt it legal for your parent to give you a handgun as a gift? Could I be there with him in the store if he purchases it and he says its for me so I can try it out at the indoor range or would that be illegal? In retrospect I think I should have put this in the virginia section.
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He can buy it for you and give it to you as a gift or sell it to you for $1. You should have no problem at the range, so he doesn't have to tell them he's buying it for you--and I wouldn't advise he do so. You could shoot my or anyone else's guns at the range, or rent one yourself, so that's not an issue. Learn to shoot it well and have fun.
 
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MirkoCrocop

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thanks for the advice guys I tlked to my neigbor about this who is a navy seal instructor and he recomendeda ruger 9mm that he showed me but he said I should really get one in 40 s&w if ammo budget isnt an issue oh and I shoot right handed on long guns but left handed with handguns I dont know if that means cross dominant though?
 
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Walleye

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Cross dominant means you aim with the eye opposite of your dominant side. For example, shooting with right hand but aiming with left eye. I'd advise learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand if you're cross dominant. It's difficult, but it can be done and will help you in the long run.

As for a sidearm, I recommend a CZ-85 if you're not cross dominant. It comes in 9mm only, but the controls are ambidextrous. If you're not too concerned about the controls, then it really depends on what someone is willing to gift to you. Since someone else has to get it for you, consider looking online and getting the gun shipped to your dealer. You can find some really good deals on pistols online these days - all the AKs and ARs are sold out, but pistols appear to be very competitive right now. Also, case ejection will likely not be an issue as most cases are ejected on a high upward arc.

My personal favorites are the SIG P226 and P229 series, but neither of them have ambidextrous controls.

Have you ever fired a handgun before? If not, you may also want to get some training for it, or get together with some guys in Virginia who can run you through the motions.
 
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MirkoCrocop

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Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
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Walleye wrote:
Cross dominant means you aim with the eye opposite of your dominant side. For example, shooting with right hand but aiming with left eye. I'd advise learning to shoot with your non-dominant hand if you're cross dominant. It's difficult, but it can be done and will help you in the long run.

As for a sidearm, I recommend a CZ-85 if you're not cross dominant. It comes in 9mm only, but the controls are ambidextrous. If you're not too concerned about the controls, then it really depends on what someone is willing to gift to you. Since someone else has to get it for you, consider looking online and getting the gun shipped to your dealer. You can find some really good deals on pistols online these days - all the AKs and ARs are sold out, but pistols appear to be very competitive right now. Also, case ejection will likely not be an issue as most cases are ejected on a high upward arc.

My personal favorites are the SIG P226 and P229 series, but neither of them have ambidextrous controls.

Have you ever fired a handgun before? If not, you may also want to get some training for it, or get together with some guys in Virginia who can run you through the motions.
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well for rifles I shoot right handed and use my right eye for aiming Ive been shooting rifles for about 2 years now about twice a month at the range, I've never fired a handgun but I have handled one and in that time that my neighbor let me hold and aim it I found Im a southpaw when it comes to handguns and I aim with myrighteye also.
 
Gunslinger

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NavyLT wrote:
Gunslinger wrote:
MirkoCrocop wrote:
What if I get my dad to buy it for me as a gift Isnt it legal for your parent to give you a handgun as a gift? Could I be there with him in the store if he purchases it and he says its for me so I can try it out at the indoor range or would that be illegal? In retrospect I think I should have put this in the virginia section.
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He can buy it for you and give it to you as a gift or sell it to you for $1. You should have no problem at the range, so he doesn't have to tell them he's buying it for you--and I wouldn't advise he do so. You could shoot my or anyone else's guns at the range, or rent one yourself, so that's not an issue. Learn to shoot it well and have fun.
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Oh gawd, here we go again. WTH is the difference if dad sells it to the kid for $1 or for $525? If dad purchases the gun with the intention of selling it to the son when it is purchased, it is considered a straw purchase by the ATF, regardless if the money switches hands before or after the purchase and regardless of the amount of money that switches hands related to the gun.

It is not a straw purchase if either:
1. Dad buys it as a gift for the son and no money switches hands from son to father in relation to the gun.

2. Dad buys the gun for his personal collection and use and decides sometime later to sell it (the ATF "recommends" one year, but not a requirement).

The correct way to handle the transaction according to an ATF agent that I spoke with personally, is for son to give dad a sum of money for something completely unrelated to the gun, such as a christmas gift, for the purchase of something else, or for a service performed such as a $525 oil change. The ATF then does not care if dad uses his own money to buy a firearm to be given to the son as a gift, even if the purchase price of the gun happens to be very similar to that given to the father for something completely unrelated to the gun.

Yes, it's stupid, yes it's skirting the law, but the BATFE has bigger fish to fry than trying to put two gifts together as in the above scenario.
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As long as the buyer is legally 'fit' to purchase the handgun, it can be sold to him by anyone who is legally seized of the weapon, relative or not. As I said, and the law specifically allows, he can gift it to his son or sell it because he decides he no longer wants it, or his son makes him a good offer. As long as he doesn't show or demonstrate intent to purchase it only for the purpose of immediately reselling it, there can be no proof of intent. If I buy a pistol at a great price with the intention of selling it at a profit at some point in time, it is legal. If I decide I don't like it and sell it, it is legal. There is no "straw purchase" absent the intent to sell a gun to someone who otherwise could not purchase it himself or for whom the sale was expressly created. The easiest course if to gift it--completely legal and specifically stated as such in the Brady Act. Your ATF agent describes a perfect case of conspiracy to violate the Brady Act and is full of it.
 
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Walleye

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well for rifles I shoot right handed and use my right eye for aiming Ive been shooting rifles for about 2 years now about twice a month at the range, I've never fired a handgun but I have handled one and in that time that my neighbor let me hold and aim it I found Im a southpaw when it comes to handguns and I aim with my right eye also.
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As has been said before, you really should find a time and place to try shooting some handguns before you make the plunge. That way you can sort these issues out which will help you make the right decision in the future. Handguns are vastly different compared to rifles - it's not point and shoot, and getting proficient with handguns can take some time. This is especially true if you've never fired a handgun before.
 
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