need halp on first pistol.

[exploding-waffles]

so, the gunfair is coming up this weekend, and besides there being a creepy guy i have to avoid, im also focusing on buying a pistol. Only problem is, its completely illegal for me. Anyway, its going to be the families gun, but i can use it. Right now the group is leaning towards a Barrera/m9, which for some reason i dislike.
anyway, tl;dr, what is the GGEs recommendation for a affordable, durable, 9mm target gun/carry?  

[Inquisitor Brock]

c**k gun!  

[Floyd]

The Bersa Thunder 9mm is inexpensive and reliable.

http://www.bersapistols.com/category/36-Bersa_Thunder_9MM_Pistols.aspx

Or you could suggest a .40SW model...

http://www.bersapistols.com/category/37-Bersa_Thunder_40SW_Pistols.aspx

Or the .45ACP, which I plan to buy shortly.

http://www.bersapistols.com/category/38-Bersa_Thunder_45ACP_Pistols.aspx  

[Freak_090]

What's your price range? The XDs are pretty cheap (around $450) and are growing in popularity.  

[OberFeldwebel]

Freak_090

What's your price range? The XDs are pretty cheap (around $450) and are growing in popularity.

Sure they're going up in popularity. If you like the Glocky look and don't like the kBs. That and they're Springfield.  

[Freak_090]

OberFeldwebel

Freak_090

What's your price range? The XDs are pretty cheap (around $450) and are growing in popularity.

Sure they're going up in popularity. If you like the Glocky look and don't like the kBs. That and they're Springfield.

SA XDs are more stylish and reliable than the bland glock (not a kB! joke either). The recoil is very light (one person said his XD45 felt like a 9mm), and they are very ergonomic. The only complaint I have is that they have a strong recoil spring that keeps the felt recoil low. However that also means that pulling the slide back is no easy job this also affects the required force needed to use the slide release lever, but as long as you use the "ball" of your thumb for the slide release you shouldn't have a problem.

They come with a belt holster, two mags, a 2 pouch mag holster, carrying case, mag loader, and mag extension for the (sub)compact, and it’s all for $450-500. I don't think you can beat that.


(I am to XDs as Armas is to revolvers)  

[OberFeldwebel]

Never held a Glock or an XD. So I really wouldn't know about how well they fit.  

[ArmasTermin]

Well sure, you could get a 9mm semi-auto, but you must remember that the only real guns are wheel guns. And a used Smith .38 or .357 could be found for between $275-350. If you want new, the Ruger GP-100 series is extremely reliable and the S&W 686, like all Smiths, supposedly has a great trigger. Not that a Ruger can't have a good trigger or a Smith can't be really durable. But the individual designs differ in their strengths. The GP-100 can be had blued or stainless in 3", 4", or 6" barrels at around $480 new. The Smith 686 can be had for between $500 and $600.

But if you must have a bottom-feeder, the XD-9, Glock 17, or USP 9mm (if you're rich) would serve you well. If you're like me and prefer metal frames, there's the Hi-Power, the new AR-24, and of course the Beretta 92FS. I love the Beretta design, but I guess everyone has their own tastes.

Any of the above guns would serve you well, though.

EDIT: Smith & Wesson and Ruger both also make semi-automatic pistols and they're held in pretty high regard, but I don't like them for whatever reason. There's also SIG and CZ pistols to think about and many people swear by them.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Dude.
Just get a 1911.
rofl
Seriously.
You can't go wrong with them.


Anyways...
A revolver would work, as well.
They're darn near indestructable.
Get a .357 for home defence, and then run the .38s for practice.


I think everything in this thread's pretty good, so just buy whatever feels right to you.

The only gripe I have, is with the XD line, which I'm sure Freak'll call me out on.
Unless I'm mistaken, Springfield Armory does not really like putting out aftermarket parts, so you'll need to send it in for service when/if it fails, as opposed to just getting the broken part from the local store.

The CZ-75 and the Glock both have aftermarket .22 conversion kits. The CZ-75's conversion kit is actually made by CZ themselves.

Bersa, the maker of the Bersa Thunder, makes .22 pistols. The Thunder series is generally cheaper, so you can get two new guns for $500 or so, as opposed to one new Glock in only one calibre.
HOWEVER, the .40 must suck in that small of a pistol. gonk

EDITED after I read Armas's: I'd say the S&W autoloading pistol lines are pretty decent. We've two of their pistols in this house, a 5906 and a M&P9, and they're both pretty decent. They're both pretty good shooters, but I'm not too picky, I guess. >.<
The M&P series has interchangeable grip panels for different hand sizes, which might be a priority since the gun would be for a family.

I haven't really looked up the Ruger series any, they just don't look appealing enough to me, I guess. redface  

[OberFeldwebel]

Revolvers certainly are more diverse in their use of calibers. Being so that they require little modification, if at all, to fire another cartridge of similar dimensions.

Nagant Revolver;
7.62 Nagant, .32 Long and with a different cylinder .32 Auto.

And a good question is, what .357 Magnum Revolver can't use .38s as well?

I do know for a fact that in the Sig 226 all you need to change from .40 S&W to .357 Sig is a different barrel. However from those two to 9mm or the other way around, requires a new barrel and different recoil springs.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Dunno.
What I DO know is that S&W has a few revolvers on their website that're for .44 mags but they don't say they'll shoot .44 specials.

Mateba, mayhaps?  

[Fresnel]

Browning Hi-Power. It's been in production for almost a century now. There's a reason for that.

I've held a Glock, and I don't like it. Too top-heavy. Gives the gun more force to recoil with, and less mass for me to fight back with. The same lightweight plastic that makes it a Glock also makes it a failure in my eyes. Of course, they ARE cheap...

I've also heard great things about CZ. Star isn't half-bad, especially if you have smaller hands, but my mom's PD is finicky with ammo.  

[OberFeldwebel]

Fresnel

Browning Hi-Power. It's been in production for almost a century now. There's a reason for that.

I've held a Glock, and I don't like it. Too top-heavy. Gives the gun more force to recoil with, and less mass for me to fight back with. The same lightweight plastic that makes it a Glock also makes it a failure in my eyes. Of course, they ARE cheap...

I've also heard great things about CZ. Star isn't half-bad, especially if you have smaller hands, but my mom's PD is finicky with ammo.

Nagant Revolvers are cheap as well, and they don't kB.
So are CZs. That is if you're a bit nostalgic and purchase a CZ-52.

However, 7.62x25 is more of a penetrating round.
Not sure about the stats on 7.62 Nagant or .32 Long or .32 auto.

http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/edu25.htm  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

I hate 9mm. Too weak for my taste.

I'd buy a .357, since you can fire .38 rounds from it. (same round, different length casing)