What handgun does everyone recommend?

[MackTheKnife]

The best answer

The best gun I'd recommend is one you can afford, and that you can shoot well with little to no problems.

This is the best and obvious answer. I am a huge 1911 fan but have a Glock 36 as well. Go with what works for you.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Some unfortunate folks just can't handle the Glock. Pax...

I can't handle Glocks because I have HUBS(Handgun Uncontrolled Buyers Syndrome). IF I handle one I will buy one, and I just do not need anymore guns.

 

[Big Gay Al]

Some unfortunate folks just can't handle the Glock. Pax...

I have "handled" a Glock plenty of times. I just plain don't like them. My right thumb keeps searching for the safety switch.

If the 10mm Glock came with a REAL safety, I'd consider buying one. But, having a safety on the trigger, that's just dumb. In my humble opinion that is.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I have "handled" a Glock plenty of times. I just plain don't like them. My right thumb keeps searching for the safety switch.

If the 10mm Glock came with a REAL safety, I'd consider buying one. But, having a safety on the trigger, that's just dumb. In my humble opinion that is.

Not dumb just different. A Schwartz safety is activated by the trigger on a 1911, is it dumb? It serves the same purpose. From what I have heard the Glock pull is too light for a gun without a manual safety, but then those are just what people claim, I have never handled a Glock yet.

 

[Gil223]

I can't handle Glocks because I have HUBS(Handgun Uncontrolled Buyers Syndrome). IF I handle one I will buy one, and I just do not need anymore guns.

I know all about HUBS - I've been afflicted with it for decades. Today, I made the mistake of handling a semi-custom CZ 82 in 9mm Mak, belonging to Matt Winslow (an armorer, and acquaintance of mine)... it felt very good in my hand, and the trigger was superb. I managed to walk away without it, but that doesn't mean I won't see Matt again................ soon. (In the past I have owned handguns made by H&R [my 1st - yuck], Rossi [ok], Llama [ok], Star [very nice], Walther PPKS[pfffft], Kahr [excellent],etc., etc.) These days, I have many more handguns than I have hands, and have learned to steel myself against impulse buying... unless I find a "must have" pistol. Pax...

 

[Gil223]

I have "handled" a Glock plenty of times. I just plain don't like them. My right thumb keeps searching for the safety switch.

If the 10mm Glock came with a REAL safety, I'd consider buying one. But, having a safety on the trigger, that's just dumb. In my humble opinion that is.

Wandering Thumb Syndrome (WTS) can be easily overcome through a process called "training". Since the Glock can't be discharged without your finger actively squeezing the trigger - which automatically disconnects the safety - the need for one more switch/lever/button/hubcap/iPod docking station/external safety seems "dumb" to me (although I have such appendages on about 80% of my pistols).
:shocker:
On the other hand, when I bought my 1st generation G-17, in the mid-80's, I did so with a skeptically raised "Oh, yeah?" eyebrow, but I was a quick study back then. Pax...

 

[Big Gay Al]

Not dumb just different. A Schwartz safety is activated by the trigger on a 1911, is it dumb? It serves the same purpose. From what I have heard the Glock pull is too light for a gun without a manual safety, but then those are just what people claim, I have never handled a Glock yet.

You're talking about the firing pin safety. Not all 1911s have them. Mine doesn't. The M1911-A1 that I carried in the Army didn't have one either. But in the case of the 1911, that is typically the last safety that is disengaged. Some like it, some people don't. Myself, I've never really cared one way or the other.

My biggest problem with the Glock, you have to pull the trigger to take it apart. Either that, or someone showed me the really stupid way to take it apart.

 

[MAC702]

... I made the mistake of handling a semi-custom CZ 83 in 9mm Mak, belonging to Matt Winslow (an armorer, and acquaintance of mine)... it felt very good in my hand, and the trigger was superb...

The CZ82 is 9mm Makarov, the CZ83 is .380 Automatic, though I suppose an armorer could swap the barrel or rechamber it.

I have a surplus CZ82, and its stock trigger is the SMOOTHEST DA trigger on any automatic pistol I have, and it would be embarrassing to some very high end expensive makers to list them in this thread. The double-action CZ 82 trigger is that good.

 

[MAC702]

...My biggest problem with the Glock, you have to pull the trigger to take it apart. Either that, or someone showed me the really stupid way to take it apart.

Yes, you do.

Honestly, I'm trying to figure out why this is such a big deal to some people.

Do you never dryfire a firearm?

 

[Gil223]

The CZ82 is 9mm Makarov, the CZ83 is .380 Automatic, though I suppose an armorer could swap the barrel or rechamber it.

I have a surplus CZ82, and its stock trigger is the SMOOTHEST DA trigger on any automatic pistol I have, and it would be embarrassing to some very high end expensive makers to list them in this thread. The double-action CZ 82 trigger is that good.

Thanks for the correction. Sometimes my fingers don't go where I want them to on the keyboard, but I usually catch my typos (and they are many). Pax...

 

[Big Gay Al]

Yes, you do.

Honestly, I'm trying to figure out why this is such a big deal to some people.

Do you never dryfire a firearm?

Yes, I do. But with having to pull the trigger to separate the slide from the frame, I see too much chance for mistakes. I don't want to be the next youtube video like that DEA agent.

 

[WalkingWolf]

Yes, I do. But with having to pull the trigger to separate the slide from the frame, I see too much chance for mistakes. I don't want to be the next youtube video like that DEA agent.

Remove magazine, pull slide and eject chambered round, do it again and lock slide back. Inspect chamber, or use a rod to clear chamber. Put gun down collect magazine and ejected round. Inspect chamber again to make sure it is empty, then continue. I do this on any of my semi auto handguns before service. If done properly every time it should not be a problem.

 

[Aknazer]

I am picking up my first pistol tomorrow and I am unsure of what I want to get. I really like the look of a M9 but I've been told that the weapon system is to heavy.

Answer: One that goes bang reliably.

Personally I like the XDm line of guns as they have both a trigger and grip safety. This prevents something getting in the trigger guard and disengaging the safety, but yet still allows the gun to auto be off safety when it is properly drawn without any extra steps from the operator (each extra step is a "potential" point of failure regardless of how much you train). Plus I think the XD/XDm guns (haven't tried the XD-s ones) feel good in the hand when compared to something like a Glock.

 

[Big Gay Al]

Remove magazine, pull slide and eject chambered round, do it again and lock slide back. Inspect chamber, or use a rod to clear chamber. Put gun down collect magazine and ejected round. Inspect chamber again to make sure it is empty, then continue. I do this on any of my semi auto handguns before service. If done properly every time it should not be a problem.

I know that, you know that, and I think there's an EX-DEA agent that knows that now.

 

[MAC702]

Yes, I do. But with having to pull the trigger to separate the slide from the frame, I see too much chance for mistakes. I don't want to be the next youtube video like that DEA agent.

Conversely, do you not function test a firearm after putting it back together?

There should be NO AMMUNITION at your cleaning/dry-firing location. One of the more common negligent discharges occurs AFTER cleaning and reassembling, doing a function check, then loading it while still seated at the cleaning desk, and doing another function check because that's what you do at the cleaning desk. Oops.

UNLOAD, leave ammunition in another room, take Glock (or any gun) to cleaning area. Verify unloaded, and disassemble, whether it requires pulling the trigger or not is not an issue anymore, and you'd better be doing the same verification whether it is a Glock or not.

I don't even know you and I already know there is no way on the planet you can be even close to being as arrogant and stupid as that DEA agent.

I think Taurus is the one that likes to advertise how you don't have to pull the trigger to clean their Glock-like guns. Taurus is also the same marketing department that brings you the most powerful handgun in the world, firing a .410 shotshell, even though they didn't invent it, because it was a failure 15 years ago. Taurus is also the same company that touts their double-strike feature on their Glock-like guns. Sure, their heavier/longer trigger pull gives you a second chance at firing bad ammo. When was the last time you had factory fresh centerfire ammo not go off? And are you seriously supposed to aim at the bad guy again and hope it goes off a second time anyway? If this was really an issue, we'd all carry revolvers and bring a fresh round into play at the same time. Taurus has the finest marketing department in the firearms business.

 

[Shoobee]

Conversely, do you not function test a firearm after putting it back together?

There should be NO AMMUNITION at your cleaning/dry-firing location. One of the more common negligent discharges occurs AFTER cleaning and reassembling, doing a function check, then loading it while still seated at the cleaning desk, and doing another function check because that's what you do at the cleaning desk. Oops.

UNLOAD, leave ammunition in another room, take Glock (or any gun) to cleaning area. Verify unloaded, and disassemble, whether it requires pulling the trigger or not is not an issue anymore, and you'd better be doing the same verification whether it is a Glock or not.

I don't even know you and I already know there is no way on the planet you can be even close to being as arrogant and stupid as that DEA agent.

I think Taurus is the one that likes to advertise how you don't have to pull the trigger to clean their Glock-like guns. Taurus is also the same marketing department that brings you the most powerful handgun in the world, firing a .410 shotshell, even though they didn't invent it, because it was a failure 15 years ago. Taurus is also the same company that touts their double-strike feature on their Glock-like guns. Sure, their heavier/longer trigger pull gives you a second chance at firing bad ammo. When was the last time you had factory fresh centerfire ammo not go off? And are you seriously supposed to aim at the bad guy again and hope it goes off a second time anyway? If this was really an issue, we'd all carry revolvers and bring a fresh round into play at the same time. Taurus has the finest marketing department in the firearms business.

I guess several gun owners have not heard of snapping caps.

Using live ammo inside the home is very dangerous.

Snapping caps are great for checking the functioning of magazines and slides.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I guess several gun owners have not heard of snapping caps.

Using live ammo inside the home is very dangerous.

Snapping caps are great for checking the functioning of magazines and slides.

Snap caps are a marketing scheme, most guns do not need them, and the Glock was certainly designed to be dry fired without them. They are not needed for the 1911, and I can see much more chance of a ND with a "snapcap" as opposed to an empty chamber. If a mag is loaded in with a live round and mistaken for a snap cap = Boom!. A empty chamber with no ammo nowhere near it cannot go Boom. That is why it is so important to not have any mags or ammo anywhere near the gun when servicing. Collect them and set them to the side or put them in a container.

A unused pencil is one of the most important tools for disassemble. Inert it with a retracted slide until the eraser can be seen in the ejection port, if there is a round in the chamber it will push it out. Then the pencil is used during function check for firing pin strike.

Wow, what a great marketing idea, official Glock pencils designed for only Glocks~LOL. I bet I could get some schmucks to pay 5 dollars a pencil.

 

[Shoobee]

Snap caps are a marketing scheme, most guns do not need them, and the Glock was certainly designed to be dry fired without them. They are not needed for the 1911, and I can see much more chance of a ND with a "snapcap" as opposed to an empty chamber. If a mag is loaded in with a live round and mistaken for a snap cap = Boom!. A empty chamber with no ammo nowhere near it cannot go Boom. That is why it is so important to not have any mags or ammo anywhere near the gun when servicing. Collect them and set them to the side or put them in a container.

A unused pencil is one of the most important tools for disassemble. Inert it with a retracted slide until the eraser can be seen in the ejection port, if there is a round in the chamber it will push it out. Then the pencil is used during function check for firing pin strike.

Wow, what a great marketing idea, official Glock pencils designed for only Glocks~LOL. I bet I could get some schmucks to pay 5 dollars a pencil.

You really should get some snapping caps of your own for each of your firearms. AND however many it takes to fill up each magazine or magazine well.

 

[WalkingWolf]

I don't need no stinkin snap caps, you should mind your own business.

 

[Gil223]

Snap caps are a marketing scheme, most guns do not need them, and the Glock was certainly designed to be dry fired without them. They are not needed for the 1911, and I can see much more chance of a ND with a "snapcap" as opposed to an empty chamber. If a mag is loaded in with a live round and mistaken for a snap cap = Boom!. A empty chamber with no ammo nowhere near it cannot go Boom. That is why it is so important to not have any mags or ammo anywhere near the gun when servicing. Collect them and set them to the side or put them in a container.

Agreed that the use of snap caps can add one more element to a potentially dangerous situation.

A unused pencil is one of the most important tools for disassemble. Inert it with a retracted slide until the eraser can be seen in the ejection port, if there is a round in the chamber it will push it out. Then the pencil is used during function check for firing pin strike.

That is an excellent suggestion!

Wow, what a great marketing idea, official Glock pencils designed for only Glocks~LOL. I bet I could get some schmucks to pay 5 dollars a pencil.

Would the official Glock Armorer's Pencil (GAP) have compatible polygonal rifling? Pax...