potential handgun owner: recommendations needed

[huntindogg 0701]

can you help me pick the right handgun?:
here are my requirements:

1. 9mm, .380 auto, .40S&W
2. compact and easy to conceal.
3. minimum 6 capacity magazine.

all recommendations will be helpful.

[sFe]

A lot of shooting ranges rent guns, best thing to do is put your hand on as many guns as possible and shoot the ones you like.

[HootmonSccy]

Fist.. Welcome to the forum from Tampa Bay, Floriduh...
Guns are kinda like underwear.. A lot of it comes down to preference.. With your general question you are going to get a lot of opinion, some biased, some not..
My suggestion is make a list of requirements FOR YOU.. What are you looking to get out of a gun?? Can you purchase more than one gun?? Ate you going to carry or just use for home protection and target shooting?? What is your budget?? Are you the ONLY one who is going to use the gun or is your spouse expected to use the gun as well??? etc. etc. etc..
Here is some of MY LIST that led me to the pistol I purchased.. I was only going to buy ONE gun.

Had to be at least 9mm (nothing against a .380, my wife has one, but was not what I wanted)
Had to have at least 9 rounds total (Removes Revolvers from my list)
Had to be small enough to conceal (Pocket carry not necessary)
BUT has to be large enough to comfortably shoot at a range.
Had to come with a life time guarantee and the company had to have good customer service
Had to be comparatively light (Polymer lower 1/2)
Had to be under $350
Had to fit my hand well

I then went to several gun shows where there were LOTS of guns.. I handled many many pistols from many many manufacturers.
I narrowed down my list to about three possible choices..
I then researched the pistols (Check out forums for the specific guns and search for issues and ask questions.

Once you have decided on what you want, now you can start looking around both in stores and on-line to get the best deal you can on your purchase, make sure who you are dealing with is reputable and been in business for at least two years. You want them to be around if there are issues later.. Even if you pay a little more, local purchase may be better because you have a chance to build a relationship with the person/store.. Ask around, go to ranges, ask instructors and ask what stores other people like / don't like.
Some stores will lower the price if you pay cash.. You should ask..

But hey, IF you have LOTS of $$$, then you can skip many of these steps and just buy something and if you don't like it, buy something else!!!

Also many gun ranges (if you have them in your area) will rent you guns.. You can try several out IF they make your list!!!
Talk to a knowledgeable NRA instructor and tell them your requirements.. Remember you are still just getting an opinion, but at least it is a knowledgeable one..

I had to talk my wife down who was talking to a sales person that was ex military.. She was convinced that she was going to buy a big framed .40 cal.. I talked her down because she really wanted something that was small, easy to conceal, could carry in a small purse, and she has a plate in here wrist and really shouldn't be shooting such a large gun which could cause damage to her wrist..

I have attached a picture of what she purchased below, as well as what I carry...

Hope it helps!! Remember, one persons opinion may or may not line up with yours..

Wife's Sig P238 - .380


My Sccy CPX-1 - 9mm - Also comes with a flat based Magazine

[Anthony_I_Am]

Welcome to the forum. First of all, what are you going to be doing with the gun? Target shooting, personal defense, collecting?

Keep in mind, HOW you shoot is a far more important factor than WHAT you shoot. A money shot with a .22 is a lot better than a near miss with the big 'ol .45 ACP. I own a pile of guns from .380 to .45 ACP and I can shoot them all accurately. I guess if I could only have one gun for self defense, I would choose the 9mm. Ammo is in good supply, caliber is acceptable, performance is acceptable with hollowpoints, and recoil comparatively light.

I find my .380 LCP is very concealable for those hot days when I just want a T-shirt, but the felt recoil makes accurate double taps difficult due to it's small size. Probably better for those with smaller hands.

My Sig .45 1911 is ideal for the colder part of the year when I can wear a coat and my full size gun. Recoil is manageable and double or triple taps doable with practice.

My Ruger P345 is light, compact, and in .45 it still packs a whallop but I can conceal it on "light jacket" days unlike the full size 1911. Being a smaller .45 the felt recoil is a little more. Double taps manageable and tripple taps borderline. the muzzle tends to ride up with the lighter P345.

Again, practice paractice, no matter what caliber you decide on. I've seen indians from the reservation here take down a deer with a .22 rimfire from 100 yards . Accuracy is more important than firepower when it comes to self defense handguns.

[huntindogg 0701]

two other requirements i have:

1. minimal recoil ( recovering from a stress fracture in the thumb of my shooting hand).
2. accessory (scopes,lasers,etc.) accessible.

[huntindogg 0701]

one other question, should i buy the gun first, or get the permit first?

[Glockster20]

one other question, should i buy the gun first, or get the permit first?

I would get the gun first. If you don't mind me asking, what part of the country do you live in? Extremely hard to get a permit in some states. Anyway, as far as gun suggestions, you are right in that a semi-auto is going to have less felt recoil than a revolver. There are a plethora of models to choose from. I would handle several and see what feels best to you. If you go to a range where you can rent guns and try them out, all the better. As far as models I suggest looking into these;

1. Taurus 709 Slim
2. Glock 26
3. Kahr Pm9
4. Springfield XD (sub-compact) 9mm

[HK4U]

Get the gun first. Depending on where you are it may take a while to get the permit. You will have something to defend yourself at home if the need arises plus you can carry with out a permit if you have to but you can not defend yourself with just a permit.

[ConditionOne]

You will have something to defend yourself at home if the need arises plus you can carry with out a permit if you have to but you can not defend yourself with just a permit.

I wouldn't advocate carrying illegally, but I agree with getting the gun before the permit.

While you can't legally carry on your person in SC without the permit, you can keep it in your house or in your vehicle, loaded and ready to go. You can also begin practicing with it, and getting comfortable with it, before you start carrying with a permit.

[NDS]

one other question, should i buy the gun first, or get the permit first?

If it's a permit to buy -- move first.

If it's a permit to carry -- get the gun and start the paperwork the same day.