Analysis paralysis: First time gun buyer

[Shredla]

I think everyone should start with a plain jane glock 19. Its good to learn with and then you can do so much to it later down the line.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

I think everyone should start with a plain jane glock 19. Its good to learn with and then you can do so much to it later down the line.

It wasn't too long ago that people were willing to pay $1k for a Gen 3 Glock 19 and prepay to get on a 1 year waitlist.

 

[fiatlux]

Cortado?

Metal bottle water?

Mac Book?


la CROOOOIX

Man you pushing some buttons here

It's actually pourovers, big Stanley bottles, Macbook Pro, La Croixs are good, so is a sour beer. Let's add pickleball to the list as well

I'm looking forward to going to the range next week, been watching a lot of videos, will practice dry firing at home with some snapcaps and do some drills, and will take one class at minimum to get bad techniques out of the way early although I've been pretty successful at being self taught through observation and practice for most of my hobbies.

 

[fiatlux]

I've read some people suggested getting a gssf membership and getting a blue label glock. Is that something typically people do still or just look around for a used glock and do a ppt (for way later down the road if that's what I end up doing)

 

[SteamedHams]

I've read some people suggested getting a gssf membership and getting a blue label glock. Is that something typically people do still or just look around for a used glock and do a ppt (for way later down the road if that's what I end up doing)

You'll likely end up paying less for a new Glock at blue label pricing than PPTing a used Glock. It's only $35 for the first year and $25 for renewals, and that also gets you access to Glock matches. The only downside is that you'll feel compelled to get another Glock every year; that's how I've ended up with 10 of them.

 

[geoint]

My Glock feels better built and better quality than my Sig.

I'm a Sig (hammer fired) snob but I absolutely agree glocks are better than striker fire Sigs. ESPECIALLY THE 320.

 

[geoint]

Sig Sauer. You won't look back. Service is second to know, endless mods if you care to, and it goes "bang" Every. Single. Time.

Start noodling what accessories you'll add, whichever gun you get. If you know you'll be adding a light or optic or both- your box of farkles in the back of the closet will stay a bit smaller. Be sure to get a holster with good/adjustable retention and a heavy belt like Hanks.

And if he gets a 320, sometimes it even goes bang when without a Every. Single. Time. trigger pull

 

[joefrank64k]

That’s why I like the G34. A 9mm with a longer barrel and sight distance.

G35 for me, but for the same reason I like mine so much. Shoots like a dream.

I threw one of those Holosun SCS-MOS green dots on it. What a great combo!!

 

[claud]

A lot of wonderful responses and I appreciate it all. Quick update, I ended up meeting up with a seller from this forum for a barely used CZ 75 SP-01. The steel frame and overall construction of the gun felt really good as a first impressions. Can't wait to get it in 10 days and go shooting.

There's a lot of crossover with the specialty coffee community and here that I'm excited to get into. You guys talk about trigger feel and measure it in lbs and whatnot and coffee enthusiast nerd about different burr geometry and how that it affects the flavor profile as an example. It's great.

Three must have upgrades:
1. Cajun Gun Works Pro package
2. Cajun Gun Works barrel bushing
3. Lok grips (recommend GridLok aluminum)

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Three must have upgrades:
1. Cajun Gun Works Pro package
2. Cajun Gun Works barrel bushing
3. Lok grips (recommend GridLok aluminum)

How much does all that cost? Ive seen people offer their CZs for sale that have had all this work done to them. Like they listened to all this advice dumping money into a gun only to realize later on that they dont really want it. And theres something else they'd rather have. Any time you dump money upgrading a gun dont expect to get even half of it back when reselling. A lot of folks dont want upgraded guns. I'll often ask a seller if they can restore a gun to factory condition.

 

[ChestnutBleach]

Three must have upgrades:
1. Cajun Gun Works Pro package
2. Cajun Gun Works barrel bushing
3. Lok grips (recommend GridLok aluminum)

Dude, ixnay on Cajun-ay. Ammo first. Ammo. First.

Analysis paralysis: First time gun buyer

Sp-01 is like a nice French pressed cortado! Nice pickup.

caguns.net

 

[Shredla]

And if he gets a 320, sometimes it even goes bang when without a Every. Single. Time. trigger pull

For what its worth - Every sig I've ever owned I've always looked back. Sometimes immediately, other times 6 months or later after purchase ... i have never kept a sig sauer.

 

[geoint]

How much does all that cost? Ive seen people offer their CZs for sale that have had all this work done to them. Like they listened to all this advice dumping money into a gun only to realize later on that they dont really want it. And theres something else they'd rather have. Any time you dump money upgrading a gun dont expect to get even half of it back when reselling. A lot of folks dont want upgraded guns. I'll often ask a seller if they can restore a gun to factory condition.

Unfortunately, You will never get your full money back on mods. That's just part of the used market in practically every hobby.

 

[geoint]

For what its worth - Every sig I've ever owned I've always looked back. Sometimes immediately, other times 6 months or later after purchase ... i have never kept a sig sauer.

oh man I had a couple Sig Customshop (in Germany not the current 'custom shop') P series guns that I sold on Calguns about a decade ago. Thinking back about those is really really painful. But some of the others like the Sig 290, 938, 238 - oh ya absolute trash

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Unfortunately, You will never get your full money back on mods. That's just part of the used market in practically every hobby.

Thats what I already said.

 

[Shredla]

oh man I had a couple Sig Customshop (in Germany not the current 'custom shop') P series guns that I sold on Calguns about a decade ago. Thinking back about those is really really painful. But some of the others like the Sig 290, 938, 238 - oh ya absolute trash

Custom shop would have been an exemption... any of the production ones i get i always end up regretting...even looking at what id consider one of their long standing staples, the p226 (any flavor) the reciprocating slide is like having a sky scraper go back and forth.

 

[joefrank64k]

Custom shop would have been an exemption... any of the production ones i get i always end up regretting...even looking at what id consider one of their long standing staples, the p226 (any flavor) the reciprocating slide is like having a sky scraper go back and forth.

I’m with you. I have never been able to warm up to a SIG, and man have I tired over the decades, haha!!

The only SIG I have is a surplus M17. That’s a keeper just because it’s surplus, haha!!

 

[claud]

How much does all that cost? Ive seen people offer their CZs for sale that have had all this work done to them. Like they listened to all this advice dumping money into a gun only to realize later on that they dont really want it. And theres something else they'd rather have. Any time you dump money upgrading a gun dont expect to get even half of it back when reselling. A lot of folks dont want upgraded guns. I'll often ask a seller if they can restore a gun to factory condition.

Certainly you won't get all money back.

However, there are two kinds of mod: the one that commonly known as making sense, in which you would get portion of money back; and the one that doesn't make sense, in which you lose all mod cost and might have to sell it even lower than original one. For example, if someone sell a SP-01 with full pro package done right, I will consider that as an add-on in value; but if someone say the SP-01 comes with some of cajun mods individually, e.g., trigger and springs, but w/ stock sear and hammer, that gun would still function but that's a bad signal that it's changed in weird way.

A few more info for OP on necessity:

For range / static line shooting, since you will shoot single-action in all rounds, then CGW Pro pkg might not be necessary, but still nice to have. However, if shoot competition in divisions that this gun naturally used for (i.e., Prod, CO, not LO/Open), you will have to start at double action, that's when Pro Pkg is necessary and must have on reduce trigger reach and reduce trigger weight.

Barrel bushing is helpful to improve accuracy ~50% in >= 20 yards. Must have for competition, nice to have for range fun.

SP-01 grip is acceptable (way better than Shadow 2's trash grip panel) and not necessary to change. I saw OP purchased one that comes with Lok's G10 palm swell grip, that's good enough for now. But in case you like all metal setup, GridLok is the way to go.

 

[sjb323]

Dude, ixnay on Cajun-ay. Ammo first. Ammo. First.

Analysis paralysis: First time gun buyer

Sp-01 is like a nice French pressed cortado! Nice pickup.

caguns.net

Second this. I've had, I think, three triggers in my Shadow 2 and I'm ready to put it back to stock configuration. The stock trigger on the Shadow 2 is definitely good enough, and if I remember right, the stock trigger on the SP-01 is even better. If you shoot the stock gun for a few months, you'll find out what you don't like about it, then go from there.

 

[CWINSD]

For the last couple weeks I've been spending so much time browsing forums, Reddit, and social media to see what I would want to buy as a first gun that will be used for home defense, range toy, and probably will try a competition sometime in the next year or two. I don't see myself applying for CCW anytime soon because I will most likely be moving in a couple years due to school.

I kind of have a buy one cry once mentality and want the best value. I love attention to detail and have gone through expensive coffee gear, PC builds, pocket knives, etc. I've held a few guns at a local store and what felt best in my hands was the P320 X5 Legion. Should I just commit to that or save a little money with something like the XFull? Are there any other recommendations that you guys would say. I know Glock is a popular one but honestly, it didn't feel right in my hands, felt cheap and plasticky, and the slide was pretty squeaky and didn't feel good compared to something like the Legion. The only thing I don't like about the Legion is the color but I figure i can Cerakote it down the road too.

Would love to hear thoughts from the gun community here.

I'll just tell you now, it's not gonna be the last gun you buy Based on what you're looking for, the X-Five Legion is not a bad choice especially if you're looking on doing competition. I love mine. I'd say for a good all around first gun, I'd recommend any one of the following: X-Five, VP9/VP9L, Glock 17/34, or M&P 2.0. Too bad CZ's are no longer on the roster because that would have been another great option. Welcome to the sickness!