Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Lafayette, Tn
Posts: 701

OK guys, just wanted to know what your preference is in the handgun dept and what caliber you prefer and why. Not speaking on which 22 you use for coonin cause quite frankly I am pretty fond of my mark II but rather the next step up in pistols. I am soon to be buying one and the Beretta 92 or 96 is what is really getting my attention right now. I had originally thought that the springfield XD(M) line was what I was getting but after seeing the berettas I am almost certain that is the gun for me. It just has some features that I really like over some of the others. I like the decocking safety fist and foremost and yes I know there are a few others that have this feature. I like the more open slide, seems there would be much less chance of any hang-ups there. It doesnt have the oversized handle like the polymer grip pistols so it is quite a bit more comfortable to hold and I dont feel like I am "reaching" for the trigger. Love the alloy "INOX" looks on this pistol as well. Unless something changes my mind by the first of the year my biggest decision will be on which one it will be, the 92 (9mm) or the 96 (40cal). So what do you guys and gals like shooting and the range?

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Jeff Driver

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Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 214

Just make sure that it fits you. Some brands fit some hands and some fit others. I have gotten rid of some nice handguns just because they don't fit.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Lyons, GA
Posts: 1014

I believe the 40 cal will give you more range and knock down.
I really like the .223 pistol from kel tec

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Registered: Jun 2004
Location: SC
Posts: 1762

I CAN TELL YOU HONESTLY , MY FIANCE HAS BEEN LOOKING AT HAND GUNS LATLEY, AND HAS LOOKED AT MANY..........

WE HAVE A DEALRER HERE THAT SELLS NEW AND USED GUNS AND HAS AN INDOOR RANGE, THEY WILL LET YOU TEST FIRE ANYTHING BEFORE YOU BUY IT, MAKE SURE YOU PUT YOUR HANDS ON SEVERAL KINDS AND JUST FELL THEM . IF YOU LIKE THE FEEL OF ONE THEN SHOOT IT. IF YOU STILL LIKE THEN IT MAY BE THE GUN FOR YOU.

LIKE I TOLD HIM, ITS KINDA LIKE BUYING A CAR, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE IT FOR SOME TIME, SO YOU DONT WANT TO JUST SETTLE FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU ARENT TOTALLY HAPPY WITH.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North Carolina
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quote:

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Originally posted by Casey
I believe the 40 cal will give you more range and knock down.
I really like the .223 pistol from kel tec

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Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Mayer, MN
Posts: 920

quote:

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Originally posted by Cynthia
this is a pistol??? it looks more like an assault weapon - and why would anyone other than the military needs something like this??? I'm just looking for understanding.

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 3995

Depends why you carry a handgun but in my oppinion you cant beat a 45acp. for personal protection.

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Registered: Oct 2007
Location: Northeast Mississippi
Posts: 888

I had a Springfield 1911 .45 stainless steel with black rubber handles. Worst mistake I ever made was selling that pistol. I loved shooting it. I shot it at a shooting range one day and fired 130 rounds or so through it as fast as I could, and it never missed a lick. I now have a S&W .357 Mag that I'm pretty fond of. It is a great pistol, but isn't nearly as nice of a gun as my .45 was. I also have the Mark III .22 and it's fun to shoot. I have a few other pistols as well, but those are my favorite 2 shoot.

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Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Holt, Missouri
Posts: 432

i think that the sig sauer p226 or p229 are one of the best a person could buy. iv shot alot of hand guns and the sig by far fits the best and has shot the best for me. jmo

http://www.sigsauer.com/

nate

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Registered: Jan 2005
Location: West Tenn.
Posts: 484

quote:

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Originally posted by john Duemmer
Depends why you carry a handgun but in my oppinion you cant beat a 45acp. for personal protection.

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location: Everywhere
Posts: 2708

I like a SIG229 in 40 cal myself. It will NEVER jam on you, is very accurate, holds 12 rounds, shoots a 180grn bullet, excellent trigger, and great controls..with a decocking lever. The frame has an accessory rail for a light and/or laser. Order it with Sig's Night Sights, and it's a great low light defense weapon.

I also like a Sig 232 in .380 as a backup/ conceal weapon. very nice little gun, real accurate, nice trigger, with a decocker also. It's a true mini frame, but the slide design wont cut the top of your hand if you're holding it lose or high like allot of compacts can.

Sig makes the best, safest, most accurate handguns that money can buy. You will never hear a Sig owner say anything bad about their handgun.

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 3995

Hope i never have to shoot someone, but if i do i want them DOWN and DEAD. 9mm might not do that but a hit anywhere in the torso with a 45acp and there off there feet, a 1911 is probably the most dependable semi auto ever built with lots of knock down power.

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Registered: Jul 2008
Location:
Posts: 1310

357 magnum

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Posts: 6113

I'm in the market for a carry pistol also. It's really a matter of personal preference and what you are comfortable with. If you like the Beretta do it. I'm a Beretta fan when it comes to shotguns.

But I've narrowed my search down to the Glock 27 or Springfield XD. Both are double action only which is the ultimate in simplicity. The Glock gets the edge in my book as being slightly more comfortable to hold and has a noticeably smoother, lighter, shorter trigger pull. Regardless of what model you settle on, at least go 40 cal. A friend of mine is a cop and was telling me they have tests where 9 mm did not even penetrate a set of Carhartts.

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Registered: Sep 2007
Location: Western Pa
Posts: 3377

I like my Dan Wesson 357 mag. great handgun, just a little too big to carry on yourself for personal protection in the city and such...

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Registered: Sep 2007
Location: Occupied TN CSA
Posts: 1877

If you shoot someone for personal protection, its almost always gonna be from 10 feet or less. Sometimes even a 9mm may be overkill. You shoot somebody from 3 feet and chances are the bullet will pass clear through them and possibly hit whoever is behind them.

For personal protection, the 9mm is good enough for me. I carry a Bersa Thunder 9 Ultra Compact. I also carry a Derringer 'type' 22 Mag in my pocket and a 25 Auto on my ankle just as bugs.

I have a Ruger P90 .45 but seldom carry it. Its big and heavy. If you carry a 45, make sure you can handle it. You get to shooting and might get out of control and hit some old lady on her way to the grocery store and you're gonna be in a lot of trouble...

PS... a 22 beats a rock any day lol...

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Registered: Oct 2008
Location:
Posts: 263

I guarantee a 22 round in someone would make them think twice about trying their luck. My personal opinion its all ya need out there. Not to mention its light and easy to pack around.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Lafayette, Tn
Posts: 701

Cant really say that I am in the market for a pistol for self defense or to carry with me at all times. Just looking at something to take down to the local indoor range and squeeze off a few rounds and such but nothing to carry concealed on a day to day basis. As far as picking out what is comfortable I know about that already, have turned away from several really high end rifles and shotguns not for pricing reasons but just because I didnt like the way they handled. On the other hand I have bought a couple that I thought were way overpriced but they just felt right. Only gun I have ever just "settled" on was bought before I ever even seen it but a very close friend was in a pinch in his life and needed some money to make ends meet so I bought it and told him if he ever wanted it back it would be sold back to him at the same as I gave for it otherwise it would be handed down to my son after my time here is done. In the mean time no gun is bought without my using it and that particular gun was the demise of 5 deer the first year I owned it and has only been shot once per season the last five years because I have quit deerhunting.

Todd, I was absolutely sold on the XDs from the get go until I got one in hand. If my hands were just a bit bigger this would be it bar none but the polymar grip is too large and in order to get the trigger on the pad of my finger I feel like I am compromising my hand too much to reach it and lose accuracy. That is the only reason I dismissed it. As for the glock if all of them shot like lil bros then I wouldnt have one. It patterns about the size of a pickup hood at 15-20ft and thats with 3 different guys shooting it, self included. Kind of had me nervous that I was that bad a shot till I pulled out the ol trusty mark II and shot 2 clips at 30ft you could cover with a snuff can. Anyways I do like the 92/96 Berettas and the 1911 model pistols for that matter because they are a bit narrower and I can feel more comfortable holding them over the polymer grip pistols.

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Jeff Driver

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Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 3995

What wingman says is partially true, in most cases if you have to use a handgun for defense it will probably be close quarters, where i disagree is if you have an attacker with his own gun or a knife or a club for that matter unless you get a lucky shot with a 9mm he may keep coming and take you with him. Another thing to consider is if he lives he will probably sue you. I will stick with my 1911.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Greentown, Indiana
Posts: 252

Buy a CZ pistol....most carried by police world-wide.
I have a CZ-100....9mm for target and carry and I have a small Kel-tec PF-9 for summer conceal carry.
9mm rounds are cheapest and best for target and defense as you can spend time shooting for pleasure and for defense it is best to KNOW your gun.
Get a DOA----double action only.....FAR the SAFEST for carrying.....

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Registered: May 2007
Location: missouri
Posts: 1356

a close friend and someone i consider a weapons expert. many fight shooting moves...I didnt relieze civilians could get years of this training...

First one I really understood and liked.

A semi-auto self defense weapon just flung your fingerprints all over and now you need to go and pick them up.

bought a revolver.

a high caliber pistol tends to kick and has a recovery time. even a second.

I bought a ported barrel.

bullets are expensive but shooting is fun.

357 magnum that shoots cheap .38 specials.

9mm have shot many rap gangsters and they all lived...cuz all they do is punch holes...NO KNOCK DOWN POWER. I'm shooting a human and I want his limbs to fall of at best and bleed out. ..if I miss.

happy gun shopping.

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Registered: Sep 2007
Location: Iowa
Posts: 81

I shoot a 92G. I like the nine because of low recoil and less expensive ammo. To me recoil is very important in a pistol. Follow up shots may be just as important as the first. My concealment pistol is a 32 but only because its hard to conceal a full frame auto. I agree with everyone that says it has to fit. And you need to be able to easily run all the controls without takeing your hand out of position. As far as reliability you cant go wrong with a Beretta. My second choice would be a Glock.

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Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1839

I like the Glock in either 45 or 40...I prefer the 40 bc of it's smaller size but for stopping power the 45 is probably the better choice of the two.

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Registered: Sep 2008
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 128

I carry a sidearm for my job. Have tried several but in IMO the glock is the most user friendly less likely to cause problems mid price range pistol there is. 45 acp's are cool, but they take a large hand. In the military I screwed up my little finger and finger next to it. I have about 60% use of hand as far as grasping things. The 45 was too hard to control. I carry a 40 sw and will shoot against anyone who wants to go to the range, Hi cap for those cases you need one more bullet. To me the 9 MM is to light of load. If I was going to carry one of them I would just carry one of the many 22 pistols. Which I do concealed at times. My theory, it is bullet placement, not bullet size.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Lyons, GA
Posts: 1014

quote:

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Originally posted by Cynthia
this is a pistol??? it looks more like an assault weapon - and why would anyone other than the military needs something like this??? I'm just looking for understanding.

---

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