First pistol

I'll tell you the same thing I tell anyone who is asking about " first pistol " ideas. Go out and look. Handle anything you can get your hands on. Do some shooting if you're able. Find something that fits your hands well. If you're going to carry.....GET A GOOD GUNBELT. Nothing will make a gun more comfy to carry....or more difficult to carry...than a good or bad belt. Also a necessity is getting a quality holster. These are suggestions for making it more comfortable to carry whatever you buy. I carry a full sized 1911..and have no issues. I also carry a S&W 642 snub in warmer months when it's hot. I'll also suggest getting something that isn't a " pocket gun " for a first handgun. The smaller the gun, and the less sight radius..the harder time you'll have adapting to it. Get something in the mid sized Glock/H&K USP compact size. My $.02....

 

yes, if you can rent at a range then find out what fits and what points naturally for you. I personally like Kydex holsters.

 

I have a Crossbreed qwik-clip holster, I love the thing. only 1/2 kidex. Hasnt marked my gun up AT ALL.

I probably have a couple/few hundred hours on it and so far no problems.

 

I carry my G 19, IWB every day, dont even know its there unless I bump into something, which would be the same for any firearm.

 

You could probably find a used Hi Point that is in your $200 range.

 

Gen 3 G17

 

Buds gun shop. And palmetto frequently have the sw mp on sale look into the safety options on the! I'm a fan of them

 

Honestly?

You should buy a standard sized or full sized pistol as your first gun - to learn to shoot with and to have fun with. Compacts just aren't as 'enjoyable' to shoot because of the recoil & such. It's the nature of the beast. Buying a compact first - you probably won't get as much 'range time' as you would with a more fun & comfortable feeling gun.

Guns are not cheap and you don't want to 'skimp'. Save up your $$ and buy a good, reliable, piece. Fullsize or compact....these need to be reliable to save your life when needed.

Our very first pistol was a Beretta 92FS. It's a little too big for my hands, so we bought a S&W M&P9C - which has become our favorite.

 

i got the rugged sr9c for my first handgun its great for concealed comes with 2 magazines a 10rounder which i use for conceal and a 17 rounder which makes it like the full sized sr9 i ended up paying like 340$ after tax.

 

The Ruger sr9c would be a great choice for you. You should find one under $450 easily. Great gun for practice with its longer 17 round magazine and excellent carry gun with the shorter 10 round magazine. Plus, it has a better trigger than any Glock I've shot. Also, Ruger is an awesome company with fantastic customer service. If anything goes wrong with your gun, they will fix it.

 

If you are a new shooter I would suggest not getting a Nano.

I cc a Beretta Nano in the summer. I like the nano, it takes about 200 rounds to break it in. I had problems with 115gr ammo not ejecting in the first 200 rds but after that it will eat everything.
The trigger on this thing is stiff, and the learning curve on hitting what you are aiming at is is steep. I would suggest if you go with the nano you practice alot with 124 gr ammo to break it in and trigger control.
Other than these 2 things the nano has been a pretty good gun. Dont worry about the field strip, I usually use a penny to get it apart.

 

OP, recommend that you take a strong look at a Glock 17 or 19, Gen3 or Gen4. Stay away from other calibers for now.

Shoot the heck out of whichever one you decide to go with, and enjoy it.

 

If this was an awards thread the Glocks would be holding first by a large margin. Tells you something OP.

 

G23.... .40 got a little more put down power without the kick of the .45
The G23 is the one I picked after trying a bunch for my first pistol...
JMO

 

Glock 19

 

Yeah, and Ford out sells Toyota ten to one prolly, but I still don't want one.

 

FNX9-45