Is anyone else's girlfriend as cool as mine?

[srshadwi]

So my girlfriend isn't big on firearms or reloading or hunting, but how cool is this. . .

She has been noticing that I have been writing a lot of letters to my legislators and reading a lot of articles and posts on the NRA website and this forum, so he started asking me questions about how necessary all this was. I told her it was very important to me and that I was concerned about my future rights to purchase and own certain types of firearms. I told her the current administration is very anti-gun and that everyone was buying up weapons and ammo to be sure they had them. Since I am a graduate student and can't afford to purchase a new firearm, she says (and this is the cool part)

"Why don't I buy you a new gun so you can be sure to have one. Which one would you like."

I know she doesn't know a lot about weapons and in case she thought you could buy a decent weapon for $100 I told her that most semi-auto pistols sell for more than $600-700. She shrugged her shoulders and said,

"Pick one out"

So . . . I'm not going to expect a Night Hawk tactical 1911, but I thought some reasonable options would be a Hi-Cap Springfield XD .45 or a more traditional 1911 by Taurus. I currently do not own a semi-auto firearm and I live in Illinois (no right to carry, but I am waiting on my FL non-res permit). Which option do you think would be a better investment? If anyone has any other ideas for a weapon in the same rough price range, I am open to opinions.

Steve

[utimmer43]

Springfield, Sig, Glock, S&W, Taurus, H&K, Ruger, CZ, Kimber, just to name a few, are all great makers. Ask 10 different people which is the best and you'll get 10 different answers. Each maker has their own little differences, so you need to research them and decide what features you like and which you don't. This could take a while. Try renting different guns at a range.

Also, realize that once you settle on one and buy it, you'll want another one in about 2 weeks.

OH, and yes. Very cool girlfriend you have!

[Cooter]

I would suggest something that would be managable for her to shoot as well. I mean, she is paying for it, so the least you could do is pick something less than a Dirty Harry gun that will scare the crap out of her to even hold it, you know?

I don't know what kind of girl she is, but most females prefer something smaller framed, and chambered in say, 9mm? Does she shoot or own guns yet? This could be an opportunity to bring the girl into the wonderful world of firearms.

[Boomboy007]

Cool, indeed.

While I know that you would like to get a great new gun, I might suggest to you that you look at something that has been lovingly used. My favorite carry pistol is a Steyr M40 that I picked up second-hand, and I absolutely love it. If you are less than comfortable appraising the condition of a used gun, find someone knowledgeable and take them along.

The benefits, especially in your situation, would be several; you could get a great handgun for much less than buying one new. Not only would you have your gun, your girlfriend would probably appreciate your efforts to save her some cash. Also, with the economy in the condition in which we now find it, you could probably find someone who needs money now, thus allowing you a deal.

That said, no matter what you choose, appreciate the gem of a woman that you have.

[GeneralSumter]

Very cool. Marry her if everything else lines up. A good friend once told me to marry a girl that is smoking hot and not psycho, even if she can't cook. You can teach her to cook, you can't teach the ugly one's to be pretty, though. Just sayin.

I shot several guns before deciding on the XD. Be sure to consider whether you want a gun with a positive safety or not. If you're ok with the XD and Glock internal safeties, they are both great guns. I'd recommend the XD40 subcompact. I have the XD40 service and wish it was smaller. But it's an excuse to buy a small one later. ;)

[Wolfling68]

The best gun is the one that "fits" you. Go to a gun show and handle as many as you can. Feel how they feel in your hand. Many ranges rent guns, rent a few and fire them.

Most modern firearms are of high enough quality that they will provide years of reliable service and fun, so, at this stage, manufacturer is not as important, YMMV.
If you are a new shooter, find an experience friend to assist, take a safety and shooting class, join a club, etc. There is no shame in admitting ignorance and asking for help!!! Have fun.

ENJOY!!!

[festus]

she picked up my savage 10FP while I was deployed! She buys ammo on special occasions and she continued shooting a makarov even though the slide pinched her badly. (she did not drop the gun!)

[netentity]

You don't buy a vehicle without test driving it, same goes for firearms. Take her to ranges with a large rental selection and have her pick out what she wants after handling as many as possible. Never pick out anything for someone else because you're going to screw it up.

[elkhuntCO]

Sounds like you have a winner there. You may want to look at the Sig P250, you can get it in a .45 for you and pick up a conversion kit to go to 9mm for her and get her started in the wonderful life of shooting sports. The P250 is available in three sizes of grip and in full, compact and subcompact sizes, as well as four different calibers. I picked up my 9mm compact for $635.00, not cheap but a great price for a Sig. Just my $.02.
SEMPER FI

[HK4U]

Yes she is very cool. My wife is very pro gun also. I own an HK, Glock, Sig and two Walthers so I can atest to how good these are.