Wanting to buy my first pistol

What is more important to you: concealabilty or comfort in handling (I.e assume same 9mm for both situations). For me, concealabilty was preference. I have the 9mm Shield and it is perfect for my needs. Not too bad on price either.

Sig p320 is around $600

Great pistol

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I'm looking for something, prolly 9mm, that I can carry. I don't love the compact size, so I'm probably looking at sub-compact or full size

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Your first handgun should always be a full sized 9mm. It is an excellent platform to learn from that you can use as a basis for every other handgun you shoot.

I'll copy some text from a bookmarked post I made about firearms for women since it was asked a while back. Almost all the information is applicable here.

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What does she plan to use it for? Home protection? Car gun? Carry gun?

And let me get this out of the way before I continue: for human targets, 9mm = 40 = 45 in terms of mythical "knockdown power." I choose 9mm because you get the most ammo in your magazine. On to the rest...

For any shooter, a larger gun (dimensionally, not caliber) is ALWAYS easier to shoot. A metal-framed full sized gun is even easier to shoot since it weighs more and negates one of the big barriers with new shooters (felt recoil). In this regard, weight isn't a terrible thing. But I always suggest a full sized 9mm to any new buyer regardless of the buyer's intended purpose. If he/she wants a smaller gun to carry he/she can get it later. But having the "base" for a good home defense handgun, i.e. full sized 9mm, is a great place to start. You get a full grip, a full length barrel, a large sight radius, more weight (less recoil), a lighter recoil spring (easier to rack), a full length rail (on the vast majority of them) and a larger magazine. These all make a full sized gun very easy to shoot. Add on a light under the rail (weight directly under the muzzle) and it will be even easier to shoot with less felt recoil.

Once the new shooter has mastered and trained well with a full sized handgun, he/she can work his/her way "up" to a smaller gun. The logic sounds backwards but it's quite basic actually. The smaller the gun, the sharper the recoil. Getting your wife a tiny 38 revolver may not be what's best for her because they are insanely difficult to shoot accurately. They make for a great belly gun but they have extremely long and heavy trigger pulls and have no sights to speak of. But, if she doesn't train often and learn to clear semi auto malfunctions or has difficulty with the controls, it may be easier. But anyone that tells you a woman cannot rack a slide is wrong. Yes, it is harder for them, but they are usually not using a proper racking method or the gun is tiny and has a stiff spring that takes practice to manipulate. Point your thumb toward your chest, gripping the slide behind the ejection port with the base of your palm and the tips of your fingers. Simultaneously grip the slide while pushing the gun from the grip of your hand on the slide. This will cause the slide to move all the way to the rear and slam forward on its own weight. This is the best way to properly rack a round into the chamber while utilizing large muscle groups (chest, shoulders) instead of isolating the forearms. Do not pull the slide back and then try to push it forward - it does not need your assistance. Allow the recoil spring to do the work.



For carry guns, most people usually have a rotation of guns, myself included. But I would say the best place to start in terms of a carry gun would be a single stack 9mm. The old adage that you hear is, "carry the largest gun you can comfortably carry." For most people, a full sized, full-gripped, double stack handgun will become cumbersome to carry and eventually be left at home for most people. What's the good in a carry gun if it isn't on you? This is where a single stack 9mm comes in handy - thinness, lightweight, and maximum ammo for its size (versus 40 and 45). Yes, it is more difficult to shoot than a full sized gun and carries a smaller magazine, but its intended purpose is for carry. It is ideal for this role. Rather than having the same gun do everything, having a gun for each role is better, albeit a bit more expensive.

So there's my suggestion - a full sized 9mm. I would keep it simple and avoid some guns that have safeties since they require more training. But ultimately her preference will beat anything out. Finding a gun that has a thin grip taper will ultimately be the most comfortable for someone with smaller hands. A few good examples from the big-player manufacturers for a first 9mm are:

S&W M&P
Springfield XD
Glock 17/19
Ruger SR9
Walther PPQ
Sig P320
HK VP9
FN FNS9

If these make her arms tired from holding for too long, then getting a "compact" may be slightly better. "Compact" simply means that the grip and slide are shorter than a full sized gun. The gun itself is typically still somewhat large and will produce more recoil than a full sized gun. But they are still easy to handle. Of the ones I listed up there^, nearly all of them have a compact counterpart.

If you'd prefer she'd have something lighter-recoiling that is heavier, there are a few metal-framed handguns to consider. They have a few more controls than most polymer guns and are hammer-fired, meaning the hammer that strikes the firing pin is visible on the outside of the gun. Some have safeties and decockers that require a bit more training but can be learned:

Sig Sauer P226/228/229
Beretta 92/96
CZ 75/P01
1911

All of these can be had in 9mm. If you step up the cartridge to 40 or 45, expect a bit more felt recoil.

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Original post is here:

OP

Buy once and be done. Does not take a genius to learn how to shoot.

G19

I would love to, maybe i'll go crazy and splurge.

Do you guys think I could carry a full size, perhaps at 6 o clock? Clearly could carry a compact, so i'm really open to either.

FWIW, I've shot my buddies M&P Shield, must have been compact, and I didn't really like it. Didn't like the size or the trigger pull

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Do you guys think I could carry a full size, perhaps at 6 o clock?

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You physically could but small-of-back carry (which is what 6-oclock carry is) risks you injuring your spine severely if you fall on your back.

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FWIW, I've shot my buddies M&P Shield, must have been compact, and I didn't really like it. Didn't like the size or the trigger pull

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The Shield is a single stack subcompact.

I'll extend you another olive branch and copy one of my other bookmarked posts about firearm sizes with pictures:

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To the average person it seems easier to stick with one gun that does everything. But it's much more practical to get multiple guns for different needs so it's good that you're open to it.

Now, for a home defense gun and a car gun, the role of the gun will be generally the same since a full sized gun will fit both roles.

But if you're like me and like to have a mobile gun in the car that can be carried at times, I think it's good to go with a compact or a subcompact in this case. I like going with the subcompact in this case because I have a single-clip holster that is very easy to take on and off. A double stack handgun is carried more comfortably in a leather holster with a dual-clip design. I'll show you each.

Single-clip holster with a Glock 43 (size category - single stack subcompact)




Dual-clip holster with an XDm compact (size category - double stack compact)

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If you don't know what I mean about "single stack" and "double stack" I'm referring to the width of the magazine. If a gun uses single stack magazines it has a much thinner profile. Here's what I mean:

On the left is the M&P Shield (single stack) and the right is an M&P9 compact (double stack)




As you can see one has a much thicker profile. The single stack gun will be more comfortable to carry but will minimize you on rounds. So it's really a question of how much comfort you're willing to sacrifice for number of rounds. For what it's worth, I have both a double stack compact (M&P9c) and a single stack subcompact (Kahr CM9) in my carry rotation. This is where buying multiple guns makes it easier to carry with different types of clothing.

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If the Shield was a subcompact, that's not the route I want to go. I'd rather sacrifice comfort for a gun that I can actually shoot, and one that my hand isn't hanging off of.

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FWIW, almost all compacts and subcompacts will have a pinky-less grip unless you use a magazine that is either extended in capacity (like the 8-rounder with the Shield) or has a baseplate that is extended for a pinky like this one:

I don't see how any of you actually decide on the first one. I've been reading about these things for over a year. Finally serious about buying one, and I'm not even close. I think if I bought three right now, I'd be happy. One? No. Can't settle on The One.

We are never happy with just one. That's why In 1 year of being 21 I've bought 4 pistols alone. But your first is very important as often many people stop at their first and never buy the others.

I bought a Springfield XD mod 2 yesterday at Academy for $429


Your thread is similar to one I started and that's what I ended up with