Starting Handgun

A handful of Marines in special positions isn’t really the same thing as the Marine Corps using glocks.

 

If you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball.


Go for the .454casull.
https://www.ruger.com/products/superRedhawkAlaskan/models.html

 

The glock 19X is the pistol the USMC has adopted as the replacement for the 92FS. The army has adopted the Sig P320. MARSOC is using the colt 45. I do not believe the glock or the sig to be superior to the Beretta however that is what they have chosen.

 

Listen to your father... the g19 is a great starter gun.

 

The Marines bought Glock 19Ms as a stopgap for a few select positions, not the entire Corps. They are trying to get the Sig for normal issue.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/ne...place-handgun-stock-with-armys-newest-pistol/

 

I remember having useless conversations about bullet calibers and which gun was best. It doesn’t fucking matter, OP, what you do now. It doesn’t. Spoiler: you will suck until you get training no matter what gun is in your hand. If you become good with a gun, and dangerous with your mindset, you will care much, much less about what equipment you have. Debates are fun I guess, but they don’t fucking matter. If you must buy a gun, but a quality gun(Glock, Sig, CZ, Smith and Wesson, Ruger-ish) and spend 4x that amount on training classes. Also, if you want to be THP you better set your sights higher than being enlisted with no college degree or hours. Much, much higher. LE agencies don’t really give a crap what you do in the military UNLESS you’re a gunslinger who they know can keep a cool head under pressure. There are a thousand applicants that have the qualifications you mentioned you wanted and you damn well better believe they will pick the 120 guys/gals with a college degree over you. Stay out of trouble. Some college credits show you have some brains. A security clearance doesn’t really matter to state or local agencies.

 

things can change...but hope it works out for you OP...

 

I think you have a smart and wise dad. Talk with a good instructor, he may suggest they have different pistols you can learn with and try out. That will help you to decide on what to buy.

 

No love for the VP9 in this thread?

But really, I mimic what others have said: get whatever you will have in whatever branch you enlist in. But train, train, train.

 

Just train with a firearm. It doesn't matter. Best thing you can do is go to a range that does rentals and find what feels the best in your hand. I have several pistols, none of them is a beretta. I still shoot expert every year that I requal.

Also, if you're joining the Navy, you really dont need to worry about practicing firing small arms before boot camp. You won't be a gun slinger. If you end uo being one of the very few recon guys, then you'll be training everyday in small arms.

Really what I am saying is, don't worry about the small stuff. You'll get the training you need.

If you want to be a gun slinger, join the Marines.

 

Went to my local range this afternoon, and I have narrowed down my choices. I'm between a Glock 19 Gen 3, or a Glock 22 Gen 3. I liked these both, but I feel the 9mm is not as strong as the G22. Maybe I'll start shooting with .40, but for now, I think I want to go with the 9mm.

 

Whatever feels the best in your hand man.

 

Yea. I can handle the recoil from the 9mm much better than the .40 Glock.

 

A good reason to pick one over the other would be cost of ammo. 9mm is pretty damn cheap, so you can shoot a bunch.

 

I know this isn't the sexy choice, and this comes from 40+ yrs of shooting experience including teaching basic and advanced marksmanship in the Army for many years, but a good quality 22 pistol that you will put thousands of rounds through while developing good habits is a great choice. I've got many pistols and revolvers in almost every cartridge, but my 22s get many thousands more rounds through them than anything else.

As far as going into the service, it doesn't really matter if you can shoot a gun or not. In fact, we preferred getting the guys who hadn't because we didn't have to unlearn all their bad habits. Get something you're going to shoot a lot and enjoy.

 

Don't train? What kind of advise is that? You might train bad habits? That's more of a poor choice in instructor than trying to better yourself before you do something. Dudes that have never shot did better than someone that grew up shooting? That is the exception not the norm, and who did you go to basic with? Perhaps they were lying about having shot before....

If you want to get better at something, or just familiarize yourself with it before you ship out, do it! Find a quality instructor (do your research) and practice. Cause practice makes perfect. Or you can just do nothing, as suggested here. Cause doing nothing also makes perfect.

 

^^^ Ever tried to re-coach kids on how to swing a bat or throw a baseball? Some just naturally ‘have it’ and for others it’s a learned skill. But for many that have just learned from the other neighborhood kids pick up bad habits that they fight through to be almost competitive. Apples and oranges but it’s still fruit. The basic mechanics are all that’s needed in firearms along with a positive attitude to get better. IE, taking constructive criticism and learning from it.


“My dad taught me this way and he hung the moon....”

 

I'll echo those saying get a .22. I have my own 100yd range on my property, shoot and reload for 9mm, .357mag/.38spl, .380ACP, and .44mag and shoot at least once a week.

With a bunch of handguns--revolvers and semi-auto in those calibers I shoot my .22s the most. A .22 will teach you trigger control and sight alignment without causing you to develop a flinch--hugely important in learning how to shoot a pistol accurately.

Buy a .22LR handgun. A revolver will allow you to shoot anything you want in it including the CCI quiet ammo. An auto is fine as well. Buy a pistol that is all steel and you will have it for a lifetime and pass it down to your kids. Here is my favorite .22 pistol. A Ruger MkII. I've had it since 1985 and just recently put a Pac-lite upper receiver on it so I could mount my suppressor. It probably has 20,000+ rounds thru it and gets shot weekly.

 

This is a decent place to start OP, especially if you’re wanting to go navy. There’s plenty of gun ranges that will let you rent guns to shoot - i’d start there. It’s too bad you’re not closer, I’d let you take mine for a test drive... good luck, be safe, and study the cardinal rules of firearms. They can save your life or someone else’s.

 

Maybe I'm crazy but I think your over thinking this whole thing. Your joining the Navy which as a whole isn't known for engaging in ground combat. With that being said your concern is learning how to shoot a pistol before you join?

Do you know how to swim, whats your physical fitness like? My point is there are alots of other areas you can improve upon that would pay bigger dividends.