Any gun fanatics out there?

[kleancut]

post yo heat!
http://stlhondas.com/forums/showthread. ... light=heat

[JVolsch]

For your price range I would say to also check out a used, but it good condition, Sig Sauer p225 or p226. You should easily be able to find an older one in your price range. Check out gunbroker.com, if you can't find anything online or locally. You can also check out Top Gun Supply, as they usually have pretty amazing deals on police over runs.
http://www.topgunsupply.com/sig-sauer-p225-nitron-da-sa-9mm-used-very-good-condition.html

[SikofFalln]

For your price range I would say to also check out a used, but it good condition, Sig Sauer p225 or p226.

My wife's department is getting Sig p226s. Get a used Sig, they are nice.

[kikkinasphalt]

Pulled from my post on stlsr.


this is always a tough question to answer.

Decision 1 - Semi Auto or Revolver
Decision 2 - Caliber
Decision 3 - Price Point.

For home protection id recommend either a full size semi auto, or a revolver in the 4 in BBL variety. I like both but prefer the Semi Auto's

Caliber is important. you want something with some power behind it, but watch out here, Ammo is still hard to find (cheaply) in some variations. Also, this will come into play when you train with your gun. having a colt 1911 is kinda pointless if you cant afford to train with it.

Price Point, to buy a quality product you should look to spend between 400-600 dollars. thats not to say there are not some good guns for under 400.00 but most of what you will find will be between 400 and 500 dollars.

My recommendations are

Semi Autos:

Glock
CZ
Springfield XD/XDM
Taurus (though im not a fan of these, but people seem to like them)
Ruger

*i believe all of these can be had for less than 500.00*

Revolvers:
Ruger
Taurus
S&W (gets expensive here)

Caliber:
Semi Auto:
9mm- cheap and readily available (9.47 a box at wal-mart)
.40 S&W - Decent round, but costs about 14 bucks a box at wal-mart
.45- LOVE this round, hate paying for it 20+ a box most places

Revolver:
38 SPL - likely the most popular revolver round, cheap but hard to find sometimes
.357 - THE revolver round. plenty of power, but not too easy on the wallet
*.357 revolvers will shoot a .38 SPL round which is a plus!*
.44 - little much for HD but its there.

*Taurus also makes the Judge revolver, it will shoot a .410 Shotgun round and a .45 LC round but IMHO this gun is nothing more than a show piece*


Im a fan of the 9mm round. and in the end i have a Glock 19, for CCW and one for HD. to me this Handgun was the best compromise to everything i wanted in both.

Good Luck on your choice, and by all means i suggest going to a Range and trying out (renting) a few guns there and see what fits you best.

[tbrazzy-s3]

kikkin's post qualifies as "fanatical". I enjoyed it quite a bit.

[Dabeastwthn]

kikkin's post qualifies as "fanatical". I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Definitely gets me started off right. Anyone ever had a Kahr?

[tbrazzy-s3]

Yea, his has definitely been the most "educated" and "helpful". Mine was more of a personal opinion lol, I have no experience with Kahr's first hand. Can't help you there sorry.

[Dabeastwthn]

What about this one?
http://www.gunsamerica.com/962946138/Gu ... _Steel.htm

[kikkinasphalt]

Kahr's are decent guns. IMHO a little high on the price point for the amount of gun i get.

If you try a Kahr and like it, check out a Kel-Tech. you can pick up a Kel-Tec PF9 (9mm) for about 300-330 dollars. now its only going to have 7 rounds i believe but if you ever decide to carry its well suited for that too.

Personally i like the 9mm Glocks the most. i think of them as the "Windows" of the gun world.

the Glock 17 (full size) 19 (compact) and 26( sub compact) are the best "bang for buck" in a pistol. however some people cannot stand the "combat" style grip angle on them.

since im a Glock Fanboy ill pass along some more info.

Dealing with Caliber the smaller glocks can use the Mags from its larger brother. all be it it will stick out some but in a HD option it never hurts to have a few exra rounds.

in the 9mm the g17 can use not only the G17 mags but the full auto G18 (30 round) mag as well. stepping down the G19 can use the G17 mags and the G18 Mags. and yet down again the G26 can use the G19/17 and 18 mag. its like Plug and play.
Also they are modular and parts and modifications are EASILY aval for them

heres another fun one.

the .40 Glocks (21/27 i believe) can be converted to shoot the 9mm and the .357 SIG round. its like having 3 guns in one.

If you get some free time check out this youtube Channel. just ser Glock under his Page and the doors will open.

he also Reviews several guns and is a wealth of information

http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy

[kikkinasphalt]

What about this one?
http://www.gunsamerica.com/962946138/Gu ... _Steel.htm

If you buy a Sigma ill never talk to you again LOL

Sigmas are pretty much "the poor mans glock" however from what i understand they work well. would i trust my life to one? the answer to that is a resounding NO (the same goes for anything "Hi-Pointe")


Something i might add.

something else to consider.

There are two types of actions and two types of firing styles Semi Autos have.

Actions are:

Single action (ie 1911) one pull of the trigger for one drop of the hammer
Double Action can pull the trigger again and again

Firing styles
Hammer fired, (1911,H&K,Kel-tec) where there is a hammer to smack the firing pin
Striker Fired, (glock, Springfield ect) has a compressed spring that fires the pin(stiker) (Has no external hammer)

Some handguns use a double action to single action method

i would suggest searching youtube for a visual idea of how these actions work.

Last but not least. Go to top gun, (ill go with you if you want) rent some guns there, its 10 bucks an hour to rent their guns(plus lane time). try a few things out. dont settle till you find what fits YOU best.