If you could have only one hand gun..

[Sam Or I]

As for your "one and only handgun" purchase intention? I encourage you to think very carefully, maybe moreso than you have already, about why you are buying a handgun. Frankly, it sounds like you're buying a pistol just to say you have one, which tells me at first blush you're not too serious about the whys and hows of owning one. At the stage you seem to be, just getting into the hobby/sport, the exact pistol you pick is a lot less important than gaining the skill and confidence to use one properly. Feel free to correct me if my assumptions are off base. And if you haven't gone to the local range to rent and try out different pistols, get your ass over there before you make any decisions.

I am not a gun nut, so I am pretty much a layman when to the technical aspects of a hand gun. That being said I am by no means new to guns. I had a .22 rifle when I was 10, I served 6 years in the military where I have shot M-16's and M-9's regularly. I fully admit I am no expert on what is out there, and I have a very limited knowledge of what is avalible. I have shot private fire arms, but not on a regular basis. Outside of the M-9, I do not know hand guns very well.

Why am I looking to buy a hand gun now? To keep in practice is the main reason. Others include home protection, and protection while back packing. (One of reasons I am leaning towards a revolver is a good snake-shot gun. But I am not sold due to the revolvers limitations.) I don't need to stock up on different types of fire arms. I would rather just stick with one good gun, and get to know it well. I plan on getting a long gun for the same reason, but I am a lot more familar with the rifle.

So am I just getting into weapons as a hobby, yes. Am I ignorant of how to use them, no. One of the reasons I asked on the internet is that I want to know what is out there, and what is a good choice. In the end I will make the choice of what works for me, but I am always willing to learn about what other options are out there.

[Shroom Man 777]

Why not another M9? Stick with what you know, etc. There are shot shells available for the 9mm too.

[His Divine Shadow]

The revolver has no real limitations for backpacking or home/self-defense, most such things don't ever require 6 whole rounds, and if you are in bear country a revolver can accept more suitable rounds than most semi autos (there's always models like the Glock 21, but 10mm is a bitch to buy).

When you mention backpacking it just says "S&W mountain gun" to me. Ofcourse running around with different types of ammo in the gun is p.dumb, stick to one type. If you want to run snakeshot then any old gun will do. Just don't buy one of those retarded taurus judges.

[RIPP_n_WIPE]

I agree with the Mak clone as well. CZ82 or makarovs are cheap (got mine for $180) accurate (can hit man sized target at 100m) and 9x18 Makarov is very inexpensive. Enough to hurt/kill a person or an animal around person size. Anything bigger I'd want something with more kick.

[TheFeniX]

So am I just getting into weapons as a hobby, yes. Am I ignorant of how to use them, no. One of the reasons I asked on the internet is that I want to know what is out there, and what is a good choice. In the end I will make the choice of what works for me, but I am always willing to learn about what other options are out there.

If you are dead-set on a revolver, the .357 Magnum is pretty much the end-all. Get a S&W and avoid the short barrel stuff. Avoid nickel-plating at all cost (although it went out of style anyway). Buy stainless steel and consider starting with wood grips if available. Last I checked (years ago), molded grips were much cheaper after-market. I can't stand them.

As for automatics, things get a lot crazier. I personally think the 1911 .45 is the finest automatic you'll ever own. People bash Colt 1911s, but I've had mine for years, fired I don't even know how many rounds through it (at least 10,000), and I can count the malfunctions on one hand. Kimber makes pretty much the best 1911 though. Many come with removable tritium sites and a damn fine trigger. They do have fiarly tight tolerances though, making them more accurate, but more prone to malfunctions. A little too fancy looking for me as well, and they're fucking expensive. My Compact Ultra was $1200. .45 ammo is pretty expensive as well. But it's the most forgiving automatic when it comes to weak grip and milking the trigger. If you get one, throw the stock magazines away immediately and buy Wilson mags to replace them.

I fell in love with the PX4 a few years ago (and the accompanying CX4). It's a moderately priced automatic, but you could probably get an XD or Glock cheaper. 18 rounds, tritium sites, and a very smooth action. That and it doesn't have a retarded guide-rod and spring like the XD does (which you will want to replace immediately). The magazines are specific to the gun though and they aren't cheap.

Really you just need to get out there and put your hand(s) on some guns and see how they fit in your hand.

If you want to run snakeshot then any old gun will do. Just don't buy one of those retarded taurus judges.

I understand the Judge gets a lot of shit because a bunch of guys bought it for the "LOL cool" factor. But it's a perfect snake gun. I've seen video of the spread at ~6 ft and it's respectable. I've also seen them for ~$350 at gun shows and that's not a bad price considering what it will do.

The one problem with snake-shot out of my .357 8" barrel is the spread is pretty tight, which you really just need 1-2 pellets to hit the snake and make him back off. But if he's buying a .357 anyway, then there's no point blowing $400 on another gun to do the same thing. But I've fired a Judge a few times, it's a good firearm.

[Zixinus]

It's interesting how you can guess at the nationality of the poster just by looking at their gun choice. A good deal of people go for the M1911 almost exclusively, barely talking about more modern handguns (only one mention of HK, no one mentioned FN or Walther or SIG or even CZ).

[Joviwan]

If I could only have one handgun? I would get something totally strange and weird because why the hell not.


Mateba Autorevolver! preferably with the 6" or 7" barrel, though the 3" would be funny, too.

Semi-automatic revolver with an under-barrel cylinder? It could only be more awesome if it was breach loading.

[Zixinus]

If given a choice to use a weird revolver, I would definitely go for a Mateba MTR-8. It looks like a cross between a sports pistol and a revolver (which it is essentially).

[TheFeniX]

It's interesting how you can guess at the nationality of the poster just by looking at their gun choice. A good deal of people go for the M1911 almost exclusively, barely talking about more modern handguns (only one mention of HK, no one mentioned FN or Walther or SIG or even CZ).

Yea, I can see that. I've owned a pretty large selection of handguns, but nothing from what you listed. I have shot a few of them though. People tend to go back to the 1911 because it's just that damn good of a firearm. I'd still use it if ammo wasn't so expensive and it had such low capacity. But for an all-around good firearm, you can't beat it.

As for the brand's listed, Bond's favorite gun is almost twice the cost of a Browning .380 and holds half the ammo. The p99 is a sweet gun, but it's nothing all that fancy and I've seen them pegged as high as $700 in gun stores. Meanwhile, the PX4 packs more ammo for ~$100 less. Sigs and HKs are hard to justify with their inflated price tags.

It's not so much American's don't like foreign guns (Glocks are extremely popular as are Beretta pistols and shotguns), it's just we have a nice selection of domestic guns (and some foreign ones) that are reliable and $100-200 cheaper than what you listed. Maybe the price difference is swapped oversea, I don't know.

If I could only have one handgun? I would get something totally strange and weird because why the hell not.
Mateba Autorevolver! preferably with the 6" or 7" barrel, though the 3" would be funny, too.
Semi-automatic revolver with an under-barrel cylinder? It could only be more awesome if it was breach loading.

Holy shit, that's awesome. Too bad it's going for like $2K for the 6" model. That thing would drive IPSC judges crazy.

[Zixinus]

Personally, I have reservations about the M1911, although only from an armchair-standpoint (getting a gun collection is not as cheap or simple in Hungary as in the USA).
It's just that a modern gun with a plastic outer shell, better ergonomic design and DAO trigger seems to be more simple than a M1911. Plus, I believe that there is some bias in USA for the .45.
Don't get me wrong: it is a fine weapon, with obvious reason as to why it was copied over the 20th century. However, it just simply would not be my first choice.

I am not surprised that you have never tried any of the con manufacturers listed. They are mostly European, although I hear that SIG is pretty popular in the USA.

As for price, the question was what handgun would you have for your entire life if given a choice. I presume that there isn't a budget involved in the question, as long as it is only one handgun. At that rate, a Koch or Spinx may as well be mentioned.

[Mr. Coffee]

It's interesting how you can guess at the nationality of the poster just by looking at their gun choice. A good deal of people go for the M1911 almost exclusively, barely talking about more modern handguns (only one mention of HK, no one mentioned FN or Walther or SIG or even CZ).

Nothing to do with nationality. Homeboy was looking for his first handgun and 1911s are 1. fairly inexpensive, 2. reliable, 3. useful for home defense or concealed carry use, 4. .45ACP is commonly available in a variety of loadings and doesn't cost much, and 5. it's a very simple design with good safety features and is generally considered a good handgun for people new to handguns to learn with. A decent 1911 will last for-fucking-ever with even half-assed maintenance, and finding qualified gunsmiths to tinker on them is easier than finding a good liar in D.C. Overall, it's a good choice for a newbie shooter and it's a gun that will grow with the shooter with more aftermarket parts and tinkering options than any other handgun out there.

Other manufacturers...

Glocks lack any real positive safety, so that could present some issues for a beginner, and I'll freely admit I don't care for them much because of looks and ergonomics, but other people swear by them so what ever. Some of FNs wares might make a decent pistol to learn on, but only if you stick to handguns chambered in more common calibers (i.e. stay the fuck away from that fruity 5.7mm cartridge they keep trying to whore out). SIG is a good choice as well, I've got a couple of their handguns and they're over all decent weapons. Walther can straight up go fuck themselves with a rake. CZ is good enough, but there are better manufacturers out there, and while CZ is cheap you should always remember that you get what you pay for. HK makes some really nice stuff, but again it's a matter of personal comfort that makes me prefer 1911s over the USP.

Really, best advice I can think of of is before you buy, go find a local gunstore that has an indoor range and rental handguns and go fire a few rounds. Try stuff out, get a feel for what it is that fits you best and go with that. Make sure to talk to the people that work there about any issues you might have (take with a grain of salt, they are trying to get you to buy stuff after all).

[Atlan]

Get a CZ-75. It's pretty cheap, it's reliable, good ergonomics, plenty of spare parts, and it fires the 9 mm which is a perfectly acceptable round for both self-defense and target shooting.

[His Divine Shadow]

Personally, I have reservations about the M1911, although only from an armchair-standpoint (getting a gun collection is not as cheap or simple in Hungary as in the USA).
It's just that a modern gun with a plastic outer shell, better ergonomic design and DAO trigger seems to be more simple than a M1911. Plus, I believe that there is some bias in USA for the .45.
Don't get me wrong: it is a fine weapon, with obvious reason as to why it was copied over the 20th century. However, it just simply would not be my first choice.

I am not surprised that you have never tried any of the con manufacturers listed. They are mostly European, although I hear that SIG is pretty popular in the USA.

As for price, the question was what handgun would you have for your entire life if given a choice. I presume that there isn't a budget involved in the question, as long as it is only one handgun. At that rate, a Koch or Spinx may as well be mentioned.

It seems to me that the original question is poorly suited to fidning what gun the OP ought to buy is likely just going to generate wankfest answers from counterstrike players rather than informed opinions W.R.T to his actual budget and needs.

I'm not american and I recommended the 1911 as well. It's a nicer shooter than most modern guns. And all those guns you counted are just as common in the states as in europe, certainly they are not rare in the states. As for better ergonomics etc, I disagree, thats why I said the 1911 is a finer shooter. It is well crafted piece of metal bordering on art and genius in design, it fits my hand so well and points and shoots straight.

I like my Glock and all (and yes the safety is enough and the take down is not a problem) but the 1911 is what I would choose if I had to. The 1911 is also very simple design and the ammo capacity is not an issue for home/self-defence or plinking, it's also a reason to why a revolver would be an option given the OP's stated needs.

I also find that the CZ is a good quality gun for a decent amount of money and its hard to go wrong with those, they also have many variants. The Shadow or Tactical Sport models for instance. This is a popular gun in america. Also all metal construction, something I've begun to appreciate more with time since I am not in the sandbox dropping tangoes whilst operating under low drag, high speed conditions.

Since the OP mentions camping and I am still not sold on the semi auto and I would still keep an eye on the S&W mountain gun line, depending on if he is in bear country, this will affect the type of gun he'd need.

[Mr. Coffee]

Since the OP mentions camping and I am still not sold on the semi auto and I would still keep an eye on the S&W mountain gun line, depending on if he is in bear country, this will affect the type of gun he'd need.

My only problem with that is if he's going for "bear country" scenarios he's going to want one of the larger bore cartridges. Some of those have a hell of a lot of recoil and aren't at all fun to shoot, especially something like that ridiculous 2 3/4" .500 S&W "emergency" gun Smith sells. If it hurts to shoot that'll make some people shy away from going to the range an maintaining proficiency with their shooting. If you're planning for camping/hiking use for bear encounters you're better off with an actual rifle or a shotgun and you'll be more likely to shoot more often with those than you would with a small hand-held artillery piece.

[His Divine Shadow]

Since the OP mentions camping and I am still not sold on the semi auto and I would still keep an eye on the S&W mountain gun line, depending on if he is in bear country, this will affect the type of gun he'd need.

My only problem with that is if he's going for "bear country" scenarios he's going to want one of the larger bore cartridges. Some of those have a hell of a lot of recoil and aren't at all fun to shoot, especially something like that ridiculous 2 3/4" .500 S&W "emergency" gun Smith sells. If it hurts to shoot that'll make some people shy away from going to the range an maintaining proficiency with their shooting. If you're planning for camping/hiking use for bear encounters you're better off with an actual rifle or a shotgun and you'll be more likely to shoot more often with those than you would with a small hand-held artillery piece.

That's true, it depends on what kind of country, if its black bear country then a .357 would be sufficient, then train with .38spl ammo, hardly any recoil. Otherwise a .44mag loaded up with some suitable ammo would be sufficient (no need for .500 territory IMO), then train with .44spl ammo (this is what I do, though I load my own cast bullets for this, they can bought as well).

A rifle or shotgun is ofcourse a nice option but heavy to lug around, a nie S&W mountain gun in .44 or .357 can be tucked in a crossdraw or chest holster without ever getting in the way. In Alaska though I'd probably carry a guide gun or 870 with slugs.

[The Yosemite Bear]

hey I went for a revolver...

stable, low ammo capacity, long term functionality, bitch to reload. also american wankfest because were talking .44 old west cartrage.

[His Divine Shadow]

.44 magnum is hardly old west, it was invented in the 1950s by *see avatar*.

[The Yosemite Bear]

My prefrence wasn't for .44 magnum, but for US Army Single Action Revolver, the famous Iconic old west pistol, that just happens to be chambered for .44

[His Divine Shadow]

If you're referring to the 1873 Single Action Army that one is traditionally chambered in .45LC

Though it was made in .44-40 in great quantities because it made a great companion to the 1873 winchester rifle in the same caliber.

[Mr. Coffee]

Think you might get a grin out of this, HDS.

Remember to always use an appropriate grip/stance when firing. Especially if you're the sort of nutsack that actually enjoys firing crap like .460 S&W Magnum.

[Atlan]

Think you might get a grin out of this, HDS.

Remember to always use an appropriate grip/stance when firing. Especially if you're the sort of nutsack that actually enjoys firing crap like .460 S&W Magnum.

Been there, done that (fired it, I mean. Not "Lose thumb") and the damn gun is so big an heavy that, together with the build-in muzzle brake, it's actually quite soft shooting.

Now, you want hurt? Try the Redhawk revolver in .480 Ruger, especially with hot loads. Once was enough, thankyouverybloodymuch.

[CaptHawkeye]

I'm with Hav on the USP personally. It's the only logical .45 these days vs. what else? That fossil the M1911 and its many, many copies? The Colt was a nice pistol but let's face it, the design is very old.

[Alyeska]

Semi-autos are just fine in bear country. Multiple bullets with decent penetration are what you need. The 9mm might not have a lot of stopping power, but it makes a mighty nice hole. And the more holes you put into something the more likely you hit something critical. Basically no pistol is good at killing a bear in a single shot. So I would take something that can put multiple shots down range quickly.

9mm, 40cal, 357sig, and 10mm are the best options. Each produces good firepower, penetration, and can carry large magazines. In a Glock we are talking 15 rounds for 40, 357sig, and 10mm. 17 rounds for the 9mm. I carry a Springfield Armory XDm 40 when hiking. Thats 16 round capacity in 40cal. I can fire a controlled grouping on a bear sized target at 50 feet, rapidly.

A 44magnum will give you 6 shots. Thats it. Better make those shots count. Reloading will not be fast. Same with the .50cal pistols. .357 magnums could have up to 8 rounds. A good semi auto will be 13+ rounds depending on make and model. Reloading is extremely fast.

If bear country is your primary concern, the best semi-auto is a 10mm pistol. Its the same diameter as the 40cal, but a longer cartridge. Almost the same as a 357magnum in firepower. In a Glock20 thats 15 rounds of near magnum firepower.

[Alyeska]

Good grief. If cost isn't an issue. I just found the coolest damned conversion.

Para Ordnance P16-40 pistol. Its a 40cal pistol with 16 round capacity. Re-chambered for 10mm. So you get a 10mm pistol, 16 round capacity, and its the M1911 style with double stack magazine.

[Mr. Coffee]

Been there, done that (fired it, I mean. Not "Lose thumb") and the damn gun is so big an heavy that, together with the build-in muzzle brake, it's actually quite soft shooting.

My main problem with crartrdges like that isn't really recoil. It's that depending on where you get your ammo it can get a tad expensive to fire.

Now, you want hurt? Try the Redhawk revolver in .480 Ruger, especially with hot loads. Once was enough, thankyouverybloodymuch.

Go fire a Model 500 with a 4" barrel. That's quality pain. Don't even bother trying to control muzzle climb, just try to not let it come back far enough to schwack yourself in the face with it.