First handgun, what would you get?

[cwj]

Can’t go wrong with H&K usp 45, glock, or a sig 220 you can now get the sig in 10mm also. All three of those have plenty of holster options and magazines are easy to find.

 

[Rich M]

DON'T buy a Hammerless 357 Mag - just don't do it. I have one and hate it - regular revolver is a lot better, even in double action operation. A regular old revolver is fine - stainless is better. 357 mag is a great caliber and you can shoot 38 specials out of it too.

As for a semi... Consider getting something with a solid reputation and some magazine capacity. 9mm is where I'd look.

 

[False_Cast]

I won’t say there’s one correct answer, but a 9x19 Glock is about as close as it gets, I think. Capacity. Cheap, effective, and available factory ammunition. Manageable recoil means you’ll practice more, which means you’ll be more proficient with the tool. 17, 19, 34, 45... can’t go wrong with any of those.

 

[menhaden_man]

Not really looking for concealment. I have looked into the hammerless 357 and the 10mm Glock. What do you prefer? I have shot several calibers but still unsure what to purchase. Thanks!

First handgun, I’d go 9 mm no question. Cheap ammo, trigger time is easy, lots of options, and great options for back country carry (@Ryan Avery had a long post on ammo for this purpose; @Hill Difficulty also some solid feedback).

Then your next ten handguns purchases can be used to argue about knockdown power, the Griz encounter that won’t happen, and Rokslide acceptability .

 

[Donk]

Not sure on you level of training since it’s your first hand gun. I would buy a Glock 19 or Sig 320 with the X carry frame. Take a course from a reputable trainer. After you have about 2,000-4,000 rounds through you 9mm upgrade to a Glock 10mm. You might be able to do all that for 1000-1500 bucks. Minus the ammo. Not sure how much it cost these days.

 

[mcseal2]

In grizzly country I’d recommend going 10mm. I have a Glock 20 and a Sig 1911 in 10mm. I personally shoot the 1911 better, I have a tendency to point high when hurrying with the grip angle on the Glock. Both are good guns and I’d not hesitate to take either in bear country.

44’s are powerful and I have tried a couple. The Ruger Redhawk was nice but really heavy. Also the frame was large enough I had to really reach for the hammer with my thumb to cock it. That made it a little slower for me to shoot single action than my 357’s. The second I tried was a lighter 5 shot S&W 69. It handled great but recoil with hot loads was more than I wanted.

The 357 revolvers I really like. That said I’m slower getting 3 accurate shots off with them when I practice than I am with the 10mm’s. The smaller sights are great for precision shooting, but not as fast to pick up as the ones I put on the Glock or the ones on the 1911.

Another plus for the semi-auto when I decided is the ability to have a rail for a light. There are some amazing compact and lightweight lights for a pistol that are well worth having in my opinion. My favorite is the Olight mini valkyrie 2, but I mainly use the Streamlight TLR-1 since I had my Razco holsters built for them.

If you don’t want the bulk and weight of a 10mm more people are carrying 9mm’s in the backcountry. I bought a Sig P365XL I really like. It is a gun that is just big enough to shoot really well but small enough to conceal well too. The factory sights are great too. I think mine will be going along in black bear areas on scouting trips when I don’t have a rifle. I just need to test it with hardcast and Underwood Extreme Penetrator ammo to see what it shoots accurately and reliably.

Hope that helps. I would not buy a hammerless revolver. They are harder to shoot well. I want my backcountry pistol to be able to take small game if it needs to also.

 

[Chrisward828]

Just inherited a Bersa .380. Seems like a nice piece. Can’t wait to shoot it.

 

[Rokbar]

Got to 2nd the Glock 19. Glocks are very reliable, affordable, and most always go bang when you pull the trigger. The 19 is good all around for CC, self defense, or just shooting cans.

 

[Beendare]

Looking to spend around 700-1000. I would mainly use it out west elk hunting in Wyoming and Montana. I don’t reload.

I like a Glock G20 SF for that grizzly country....otherwise a 9mm is fine.

You have some tradeoffs to consider.

First pistol is the question. Glocks take some effort to learn to shoot well and though easy to clean, it does take a little effort to learn to maintain....but then so does every semi auto.

Maintenance wise, a revolver is the easiest for a first timer. A SW 329 PD is a potent weapon, easy to maintain, light to carry around. Its a little harder to shoot well than a steel framed revolver like the SW 686 which is another good choice but heavy to pack around.

____

 

[BFR]

If you’re getting a handgun just for western elk hunting consider this, what is your proficiency. Can you draw and fire in a couple of seconds while adrenaline level is thru the roof hitting a small moving target. I hunt in Griz country every year, I’m fairly proficient, I was a firearms instructor before retiring and still practice. I used to carry my XD40, now I carry bear spray. I’ve met a few guys who ran into bears while hunting and did some research on my own and am convinced it’s more effective. Not trying to talk you out of buying a new gun, Lord knows I buy enough for any excuse, just pointing out an alternative for bear protection.

 

[DenverCountryBoy]

Springfield Armory XD-S in .45ACP

XD-S Mod.2® Handguns - Springfield Armory

www.springfield-armory.com

It is a single stack magazine so the grip isn't too thick. It has a trigger safety and back strap safety.

 

[bayoublaster7527]

Glock 19 and/or S&W 686 always a good choice.

 

[Baskhunter13]

I will echo what others have said. Glock 10mm if strictly packing for bear country or for all around a glock 19 is tough to beat.

 

[zacattack]

Not really looking for concealment. I have looked into the hammerless 357 and the 10mm Glock. What do you prefer? I have shot several calibers but still unsure what to purchase. Thanks!

my first handgun was a S&W 686 with a 2.5” barrel, love that thing

 

[Irishman12]

Glock 19 is a classic choice

 

[Ethan-333]

Have the kimber K6s in .357. Trigger is fairly smooth and easy to stage for being hammerless. Also a beautiful handgun

 

[Whosweetlou]

Hk p7 best handgun ever made imo i own 4 if i wasnt married with 2 kids id own a lot more

 

[Fatcamp]

Well, that should narrow it down for you, OP.

 

[Ucsdryder]

10mm is expensive to feed. Get a Glock 19 and after you’ve put 5-10k rounds down the pipe you won’t be asking anybody.

 

[CoffeeGoat]

First handgun, I’d go 9 mm no question. Cheap ammo, trigger time is easy, lots of options, and great options for back country carry (@Ryan Avery had a long post on ammo for this purpose; @Hill Difficulty also some solid feedback).

Then your next ten handguns purchases can be used to argue about knockdown power, the Griz encounter that won’t happen, and Rokslide acceptability .

This is the right take. My first (and only) hand gun is FNX-45 which runs 45, 45 super and eventually 460 rowland. I love it, it's totally awesome, but I could shoot twice as much with 9mm. It's a smart move to go through several thousand rounds on a cheap reliable 9mm and then upgrade.