Help me decide - first pistol

[Mike619]

+1 on the vote for 9mm

That said I know you mention a budget but I’d recommend renting them out at a local range. About 10 years ago when my good buddy and I first got into guns we were both torn on these exact handguns. We ended up going to a local range that rented out those in particular, tried out a few other options as well.

He ended up going with the M&P and I went for the g17. We both still have those handguns to this day.

Some of our other friends/family we’ve taken over time for the same experience completely hated the M&P/glocks and liked something like a CZ much more.

It’ll cost you another $50-75 or so but imo it’s very worth renting out to see what you find yourself most comfort behind from the getgo before spending $500+ (Especially in the off chance your life/that of your loved ones might depend on that $500 investment)

 

[.dC0m]

I would also encourage going to the LGS and getting a feel for both options 2 and 3.

G17 is nice but you mentioned you have larger hands - think about the feel and if you need to add modifications such as grip tape and/or flared magwell attachment. I have a G19 that I carry daily and while the grip is perfect for me, I've added a crap ton of modifications to my liking.

I will add that with the Smith & Wesson - they should come with adjustable back straps with you can customize your grip depending on how you're feeling. I have the M&P 2.0 4" version and found that a slightly larger back strap worked well with my medium sized hands. I imagine you may want the largest back strap for larger hands?

Just throwing out another $0.02...

 

[Shredla]

Glock, any 9mm flavor. /end thread

 

[AR15barrels]

I must have some guns not made of this world! Anyone else change all springs at 6000 rounds? Any gun?

Only the springs that cycle with every round fired should be changed on a 5000-6000 round schedule.

For example, in a 1911 pistol: recoil spring, mainspring, trigger/sear/disconnector spring and firing pin spring get changed at 5000-6000 rounds because those springs cycle with every shot fired.
The mag catch spring does not move every shot so you could take your average mag capacity and multiply it by 5000-6000 for when to change that one.

On an AR-15, mainspring, hammer spring, trigger spring, extractor and ejector every 5000-6000.
Mag springs go longer because they only get fully cycled every time the mag is fully loaded AND emptied.
Mag catch and bolt catch spring is the same, mostly gets used when mag is empty so much longer then the mainspring.
Springs on sights are rarely adjusted and will likely last forever as long as they are oiled so they don't rust.

 

[BunnySloper]

g26, g19, g17 is like the holy trifecta of legendary 9mm glocks. They are the very best, and gotta catch ‘em all!

Off-topic: I’m curious how much more concealment g26 offers vs a g19? Is there any trade-off in difficulty with a 2 finger draw?

With a shorter grip the G26 provides better concealment when carrying Appendix than the G19. Nonetheless, printing isn’t noticeable with the G19, unless some knows that you are CCW permit holder, they won’t notice any printing. It’s Worth noting that there’s a lot more options when it comes to holster and WML. I RDS and WML on all my EDC.

As for grip on the G26, a Pearce Mag extension solve this problem for me. I wear size Medium gloves.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

Cant go wrong with either the Glock 17 or the M2.0. Forget about the Bersa thats a terrible idea. Especially if you have huge hands. And .380 is more expensive than 9mm. Why would you do that? Makes zero sense. It would make more sense to find a used .40 by that rationale than to buy a 380.

I normally would recommend the Glock 19 but you said you have huge hands and the finger grooves on the 19 can be an issue for people with massive hands since their fingers end up on top of the bumps not in the grooves. The 17 isnt an issue as the grooves are spaced out wider.

The M2.0 is a really nice gun as well. I like Glocks because mags are so cheap and you can never have too many mags.

"Grip angle"? Stop listening to your friend. I dont take anyone seriously that brings up grip angle. It doesnt make a difference.

 

[ar15robert]

I’m not a Glock fan myself good guns just don’t fit me good.

But go with the 9mm guns. Whatever fits you best either 2 or 3 will work good. As for 380 like you say double price to shoot and a 9mm ain’t much bigger but more power more common and cheapest to shoot.

 

[tedder987]

OP again with some responses...

380 - this was considered for 2 reasons, one was the friends recommendation of the Bersa and second because my wife will also get trained on whatever I buy. She is fit and 5'10" but we are both 57 so I worry a bit that at some future time hand strength will become an issue for her and then me as we age.

Glock vs SW - I would be fine with the G17 and thats what I initially planned for 9mm, but its been at at least one LGS for $500-550 somewhere local for the last 3 months since I started researching. The SW at 590 with the extra mag seems like a nice upgrade for an extra $90 and this is not a price I have seen it drop to (in the last 3 months locally).

Used guns - I've only bought used cars 4 times as often as new and am confident there because I know what to look for. With guns I really don't have the experience to be able to tell if its gonna be OK, and the used prices don't seem like enough of a discount to make up for uncertainty. A used G17 for $400 over new at 500(+tax) doesn't seem like enough savings to cover my uncertainty.

Rent first - Sadly the once-a-year anniversary sale starts 50 hours from now and there just won't be time to try them at the local range. If I go with the SW (as I am leaning) the sale is $90 off + an extra mag ($40) and a range bag (probably worthless). At $590, the $130 off is the only thing pulling down into my budget against the G17 (500 + 30 for a 3rd mag). Cheaper 9mms (Taurus, FMK) don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about reliability so I planned to stick with the big names. Basically I want a Toyota equivalent (Glock) but the sale lets me consider a Lexus (S&W) both of which should be reliable.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Haven't gone through all the posts so forgive me if redundant, know that besides style (which seems Job 1) the angle of the grip to the barrel is different on Glocks v. other brands. I wouldn't consider any gun without shooting a few dozen rounds through it with the ammo type I intend to use (target v. defense). Some folks just naturally shoot better right away with one over the other.

 

[Ol'Chap]

Hey OP, if money is tight, then there's nothing wrong in saving up first. As a result, you might end up with something much better. There's always going to be a sale, so what's the rush again?

 

[tedder987]

The main rush is my wife finally agreed to let me do this (and the sale this weekend)...

 

[Tere_Hanges]

OP again with some responses...

380 - this was considered for 2 reasons, one was the friends recommendation of the Bersa and second because my wife will also get trained on whatever I buy. She is fit and 5'10" but we are both 57 so I worry a bit that at some future time hand strength will become an issue for her and then me as we age.

Glock vs SW - I would be fine with the G17 and thats what I initially planned for 9mm, but its been at at least one LGS for $500-550 somewhere local for the last 3 months since I started researching. The SW at 590 with the extra mag seems like a nice upgrade for an extra $90 and this is not a price I have seen it drop to (in the last 3 months locally).

Used guns - I've only bought used cars 4 times as often as new and am confident there because I know what to look for. With guns I really don't have the experience to be able to tell if its gonna be OK, and the used prices don't seem like enough of a discount to make up for uncertainty. A used G17 for $400 over new at 500(+tax) doesn't seem like enough savings to cover my uncertainty.

Rent first - Sadly the once-a-year anniversary sale starts 50 hours from now and there just won't be time to try them at the local range. If I go with the SW (as I am leaning) the sale is $90 off + an extra mag ($40) and a range bag (probably worthless). At $590, the $130 off is the only thing pulling down into my budget against the G17 (500 + 30 for a 3rd mag). Cheaper 9mms (Taurus, FMK) don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling about reliability so I planned to stick with the big names. Basically I want a Toyota equivalent (Glock) but the sale lets me consider a Lexus (S&W) both of which should be reliable.

The S&W will work great for both you and your wife. Your reasoning for the S&W over the Glock is very sound. Go for it. Its not that complicated.

If she cant shoot a 9mm, a 380 isnt going to make a difference. A 9mm pistol isnt very demanding. Id go with a 22 over a 380 if she is struggling with a 9mm. The biggest issue with women shooters is not necessarily hand strength its fear and timidness. If they handle and shoot with intention, that overcomes any perceived physical weakness. Its mostly psychological. If they dont think they are strong enough, they wont be. Even though they actually are plenty capable, physically.

 

[sonofeugene]

Of the three, I’d get the Glock 17. Hands down the best of the three.

The only reason I have a .380 is because it’s my father’s gun. 9 mm ammo is available everywhere. And is excellent for home defense. .380 is less so.

 

[.dC0m]

The S&W will work great for both you and your wife. Your reasoning for the S&W over the Glock is very sound. Go for it. Its not that complicated.

If she cant shoot a 9mm, a 380 isnt going to make a difference. A 9mm pistol isnt very demanding. Id go with a 22 over a 380 if she is struggling with a 9mm. The biggest issue with women shooters is not necessarily hand strength its fear and timidness. If they handle and shoot with intention, that overcomes any perceived physical weakness. Its mostly psychological. If they dont think they are strong enough, they wont be. Even though they actually are plenty capable, physically.

^Completely agree.

The extra mag on the S&W is a nice deal - metal mags typically cost more than the polymer mags that Glock uses. In most cases, there are aftermarket mags for Glock that can be had for ~$20 depending on where you look. Metal mags for S&W usually cost in the upper $30 to low $40.

Just stick with 9mm! My wife was trained on 9mm and she's a small framed 5' 4" woman with small hands...

 

[pikachu]

You can get ‘open box’ 10rd oem glock mags at Big Tex Ordnance for about $16 each. Sign up for email restock notifications, save some coin there’s no rush to buy everything at once.

 

[tedder987]

AFAIK my wife has never fired any gun but she is not timid or fearful. She has used a jackhammer and a hammer drill to break up concrete around our pool and scrape pebble-tec off the pool surround so noise and vibration in general won't be new to her. I don't think that the bang will be a problem, but do plan to take her out with a friend (basically our daughters in-laws) so she can start on one of their 22s for a few magazines before moving up to whatever we do end up buying.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

AFAIK my wife has never fired any gun but she is not timid or fearful. She has used a jackhammer and a hammer drill to break up concrete around our pool and scrape pebble-tec off the pool surround so noise and vibration in general won't be new to her. I don't think that the bang will be a problem, but do plan to take her out with a friend (basically our daughters in-laws) so she can start on one of their 22s for a few magazines before moving up to whatever we do end up buying.

Sounds like 9mm wont be an issue. Not sure why you would be thinking it might be, given the additional background information you provided. She might be a better shooter than you.

 

[Paltik]

+1 for a Glock 19. It's sorta a community standard that other handguns are defined in comparison by. You may end up years down the road really preferring some other handgun, which you will describe in comparison to the Glock.

(Thanks @pikachu for the video link from another thread)

 

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice]

Planning to get my first pistol this weekend (LGS sale this weekend) but I am really struggling in a 3-way decision. Money is tight, prices below are advertised sale prices (limited quantities they say) and they may be out of stock before I get to the head of the line anyway... Purpose is range toy plus home defense. CCW is not anticipated anytime soon. Cheap ammo desirable since I want to actually shoot the thing. I have big hands (XL /11 gloves) and lean towards a full-size gun in general, but then I am also cheap.

Option 1. Bersa Firestorm 380 w/2 mags. $260. Cheap to buy but 380 ammo seems to start at $0.60/rd. Recommended by a friend that has one. Like the James Bond overtones.
Option 2. Glock 17 gen 3 w/2 mags. $500. Same friend hates glocks because of the angle. Didn't bother me but only fired 20 ish rounds. Like the reliability and simplicity.
Option 3. SW M&P 2.0 4.25" barrel w/3 mags: $590. Same friend loves it, I haven't fired this one. Seems like it would be nicer than the glock and not a ton more $$.

I had pretty much decided to keep it cheap and get the Bersa, but the ammo is about double 9mm ammo costs so it might be a false savings, or maybe 380 will be cheaper again later. My math says that the break even is at about 900 rounds, if I shoot that many, the Glock is cheaper and the SW might be nicer for about the same. I have no idea how long it will take me to hit 900 rounds, when I have gone out with friends I usually slip them a few $$ and buy dinner and beer after so I never really counted shots (plus they own a bunch so it was many varieties of ammo).

What do y'all think, is the cheap 380 really not gonna be cheap enough in the long run because of the ammo and should I go up a size to the Glock or up a size and add a but of luxury with the M&P? I have till Sat morning to decide...

No on option #1. Spend that bit more now; thinking of the long run.

 

[Tere_Hanges]

+1 for a Glock 19. It's sorta a community standard that other handguns are defined in comparison by. You may end up years down the road really preferring some other handgun, which you will describe in comparison to the Glock.

OP said he has XL hands which can be awkward with the Glock 19 since theres the possibility his fingers will land on top of the finger groove bumps and not in the finger grooves. The 19 is a shrunk down version of the 17, so the finger grooves are narrower on the 19 than the 17.