Need Some Advice Selecting A Handgun

[Jack House]

been thinkin about your dilemma, limited funds, transportation, CPL, and Draconian state!

you really arent open to gun advise, as you say in the OP, you wand a P99 AS, 625 total at cabelas.

In the opening post, I had written that I really wanted a P99, but was too impatient to wait to save up the money to get one. That I was open to having my opinion changed if someone pointed out an excellent alternative. Basically I was looking for an excuse to settle for something else. And I got the excuse! But I found an excellent deal on a P99 when I went to peruse the gun selection at Cabela's and I just couldn't pass it up. Unfortunately the universe has been throwing road block after road block at me. The final road block is this infernal NICS check delay. Got delayed when I went to go pick up my gun, now I've gotta wait till like the weekend.


If it's not one thing, it's another.

 

[sultan62]

In the opening post, I had written that I really wanted a P99, but was too impatient to wait to save up the money to get one. That I was open to having my opinion changed if someone pointed out an excellent alternative. Basically I was looking for an excuse to settle for something else. And I got the excuse! But I found an excellent deal on a P99 when I went to peruse the gun selection at Cabela's and I just couldn't pass it up. Unfortunately the universe has been throwing road block after road block at me. The final road block is this infernal NICS check delay. Got delayed when I went to go pick up my gun, now I've gotta wait till like the weekend.


If it's not one thing, it's another.

I hope you get it this weekend. Good luck.

 

[Jack House]

I hope you get it this weekend. Good luck.

Thanks brother, the wishes of luck helped. Cabela's called this morning to inform me that they got the go ahead from NICS and I was able to pick it up this afternoon before work. Which is fortunate, because if I had to wait past today, there is no tellin how long I'd have had to wait.:monkey

 

[sultan62]

Thanks brother, the wishes of luck helped. Cabela's called this morning to inform me that they got the go ahead from NICS and I was able to pick it up this afternoon before work. Which is fortunate, because if I had to wait past today, there is no tellin how long I'd have had to wait.:monkey

Excellent!

Let us know how it shoots!

 

[230therapy]

This is a very good gun.

Now go acquire 10 more magazines, carry gear (need a holster for the range at least), 1000 rounds of practice ammo, 200 rounds of defense ammo (I like Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P) and go get some training.

Run several hundred rounds through it before attending CCW class. My first permit was from Texas and there were folks there who had malfunctioning guns. It slowed everything down significantly. You should also know gun safety before attending.

The Texas CCW class is NOT training in self-defense. It is liability "insurance" for the state and for you. Good instructors will spend time with you to make sure you pass. However, do not confuse it for actually learning what to do at "game time".

 

[sultan62]

The Texas CCW class is NOT training in self-defense. It is liability "insurance" for the state and for you. Good instructors will spend time with you to make sure you pass. However, do not confuse it for actually learning what to do at "game time".

Same here in NC.

 

[Jack House]

This is a very good gun.

Now go acquire 10 more magazines, carry gear (need a holster for the range at least), 1000 rounds of practice ammo, 200 rounds of defense ammo (I like Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P) and go get some training.

I was actually going to ask for some advice on some self defense and practice ammo.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[1245A Defender]

well?

I was actually going to ask for some advice on some self defense and practice ammo.

Thanks for the advice.

do you have any ammo?
did you shoot it yet?
do you have a holster?
tell us about the fit and finish.
workmanship.
how does it feel in your hand?
do you keep it under your pillow?
are you gonna name it?

 

[Jack House]

I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.

I do have ammo though, bought a box of 50 FMJ rounds when I got the gun, all I could afford for the time being(better than having an empty gun!). I don't have a holster. Can't afford one just yet. Probably going to get an IWB holster, or maybe a pocket holster(I have huge pockets, it fits in them nicely) or maybe both. It feels great in my hand. Though the polymer frame is a bit weird and it feels crazy when the slide is removed along with pretty much all of the weight. :lol: I thought about keeping it under my pillow, but I am a rough sleeper and I sleep with my arms under my pillow. At best, it'll get knocked off the bed on to the floor and all scuffed up. That's no good. Worse, my finger would find it's way to the trigger while I slept and someone or something(probably myself) would get shot. And that's definitely no good. :lol:

I LOVE the workmanship, she is absolutely beautiful. The slide has a lovely black tenifer coating. I am handling her with kid gloves. I don't want her getting all scratched and dinged up. :uhoh: Not sure if I'll name her or not.

I started a new job on Monday, come next Friday I should have a good amount of spending money. So I should be able to go get my carry license. :monkey Still wont be able to get a holster though, I'll be tight on money as I must get a cellphone as well. Though I'll be able to get a holster before I get my license in the mail, as it takes about a month to get it anyway. So I'll be good to go by then. :monkey

 

[1245A Defender]

thanks for the up date,
congrats on the new job,
tell us all about the shooting, when you get to!

 

[sultan62]

If you like my avatar pic, that's Winchester Ranger T-series. Granted, it's for .45ACP, but they offer it in 9mm (including +p and +p+) as well.

 

[Jack House]

If you like my avatar pic, that's Winchester Ranger T-series. Granted, it's for .45ACP, but they offer it in 9mm (including +p and +p+) as well.

The spiritual successor to the Black Talon. Good pick.

One of my mother's friends is having computer trouble and lives out in the country. So he's offered to let me go plinking on his land if I fix his comp, now to just get out there. Then I'll plink myself into bankruptcy.:monkey

 

[since9]

The spiritual successor to the Black Talon. Good pick.

I concur, Jack House and Sultan62, and use Winchester's 9mm Ranger XST. The ONLY two differences (or so I was told by an expert in ammunition) is that there's no lubalox coating, and the form used for the jacketing was slightly modified to minimize the occational separation (fragmentation) of the original Talon rounds.

UPDATE: I've learned Winchester no longer makes the XST. They upgraded it and are calling it their PDX1:

"The new Winchester Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1, which was chosen by the FBI as their primary service round, is now available in a full line of popular handgun calibers. The Bonded PDX1 is engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, as defined by the demanding FBI test protocol, which simulates real-world threats. The new Winchester Bonded PDX is offered in 9mm, 40 Smith & Wesson, 45 automatic and .38 special."​

At 10 rounds a box, though, I'll bet Winchester's "re-engineering team" consists mostly of accountants, marketers, and finance weenies, and I'll bet it's going for $19.95 a box, making it twice as expensive as the XST line.

If they're going to pull this sort of marketing BS, I might have to switch back to their 147-grain silvertips, or to another line of ammo altogether.

One of my mother's friends is having computer trouble and lives out in the country. So he's offered to let me go plinking on his land if I fix his comp, now to just get out there. Then I'll plink myself into bankruptcy.

Offer to eat his fine, Texas cooking! And if it's prarie dog land, you might be doing him a serious favor (in addition to fixing his computer), so a steak or two might help offset the gas.

 

[Jack House]

Steaks, guns and computers. Only thing that'd be missing is a beautiful woman, or three.

 

[sultan62]

I got mine for $43 for a box of 50 shipped. It's cheaper if you buy more. I'll link if anyone's interested, and it's the cheapest price I could find after looking on several sites.

 

[SouthernBoy]

If you like my avatar pic, that's Winchester Ranger T-series. Granted, it's for .45ACP, but they offer it in 9mm (including +p and +p+) as well.

For my 3G G19, when I carry it, the RA9TA Ranger load (127gr +P+) is one of my two preferred carry loads.. the other one being the Federal 147gr +P HST load.

 

[Jack House]

I got mine for $43 for a box of 50 shipped. It's cheaper if you buy more. I'll link if anyone's interested, and it's the cheapest price I could find after looking on several sites.

I'll take that link.

 

[golddigger14s]

Ammo

I was actually going to ask for some advice on some self defense and practice ammo.

Thanks for the advice.

I like Hornady Critical Defense for the real deal. For practice I shoot some Russian garbage called "Herters" that I get at Cabelas for about $8.50 (military 5% discount) a box. It occasionaly has a FTF, but for that price who cares for practice stuff.

 

[sultan62]

Link for the website: http://www.sgammo.com


Link for the .45ACP 230gr Rangers (what I actually got): http://www.sgammo.com/product/winchester/50rds-45-acp-auto-winchester-ranger-t-series-230gr-ra45t

 

[Jack House]

What do you fellers suggest in the way of cleaning supplies? I live in central Texas and it's extremely dusty here. I've noticed that my barrel is already starting to look like it's getting snowed in because of all the dust. I hate dust...

But I love Texas and I'd hate to live outside of Central for more than a few years. But I digress...