Recommended Caliber for First Handgun
- Thread starter Connor44
- Start date
gkitch
Member
You like the 45. Buy the 45.
You also need a 22 pistol.
You also need a 22 pistol.
tyusclan
Member
Another +1 on this.
No one can pick your gun (or caliber) for you but you. The perfect gun/caliber combo for your best friend may be completely wrong for you. Get what you like, that fits you, and that you shoot well.
loeman
Member
My first handgun was a Ruger .357 Mag. Security Six and I turned out ok. But I did practice a lot. I understand and generally agree with those advocating a .22. And as posted above, EVERYONE needs a .22. But, I personally find the .45 to work best for me. IMHO it's more fun to shoot and more accurate. If your mind is set on a .45, get one, but be prepared to spend a bunch of dough on ammo, cause you need to practice, practice, practice. And then go practice some more.
Ranger17
Member
two years ago i started shooting, with a .22 that was handed down thru family (my 1st gun). Wasn't until this spring that i picked up my 9c. So for me, i'm glad in how it worked out, spending more time learning on my .22's (and yes it is more economical) but ammo for 9's can be found "cheap" enough as well so it's not bad to keep shooting either.
So my thought would be to suggest to other new shooters (and OP may have had some experience just not in ownership) to start on a good .22 and learn the basics first.
But..... had that 1st gun given to me been one of a higher caliber, my answer could be totally different lol. Either way i think one should at least have a .22 as a good low cost range toy.
So my thought would be to suggest to other new shooters (and OP may have had some experience just not in ownership) to start on a good .22 and learn the basics first.
But..... had that 1st gun given to me been one of a higher caliber, my answer could be totally different lol. Either way i think one should at least have a .22 as a good low cost range toy.
photoman
Member
Between those two, I would go with the 9mm. Unless you reload, 9mm is going to be a more cost effective way to learn. You can always get the .45 later on.
If you do go with the 9mm, be sure to stock up on ammo right now while it is cheap and available. During the last gun grabber panic, 9mm ammo was impossible to find.
Last edited:
forrestinmathews
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2009
- Messages
- 1,063
- Reaction score
- 725
As .22 ammo is impossible to find and gaining value everytime I turn around, I would say to go with the 9mm in a longer gun say an M&P pro 5" or a Glock 34 or an XDM9 5.25". The .45 will cost more to reload and is not as readily available as a 9mm. The people telling you to buy a .22 are naïve to the fact that with the limited availability of the ammo, you are a possessor of a near useless firearm. The .45 can be trained with, but on a slightly higher budget.
IF IT IS GOING TO BE THE ONE GUN YOU OWN...
•Buy the .45 for defense and you plan to reload...hands down better caliber.
•Buy the 9mm for large volume shooting. Reloading is not a must here.
•Buy ammo as often as groceries. It is best to stay ahead of the rush.
•Buy ten full capacity magazines. You never know when they will become scarce.
IF IT IS GOING TO BE THE ONE GUN YOU OWN...
•Buy the .45 for defense and you plan to reload...hands down better caliber.
•Buy the 9mm for large volume shooting. Reloading is not a must here.
•Buy ammo as often as groceries. It is best to stay ahead of the rush.
•Buy ten full capacity magazines. You never know when they will become scarce.
Last edited:
MichiganScott
Member
Since the OP's question was about getting a 9mm or .45, I'd recommend the 9mm simply because of the lesser cost of ammunition. Modern bullet technology has improved the 9mm enough that it is probably as effective as a .45 in a self defense scenario, and possibly more so because of lesser recoil.
I'm a firm believer in getting a .22 for practice because ammunition is cheap if you can find it. A M&P22 is a great understudy for any of the centerfire M&P's. That said, shooting a centerfire has a certain gratification that shooting a rimfire doesn't. I find I leave my .22's home more than I should and shoot my centerfires instead. Again, the 9mm wins out because of ammo cost.
I'm a firm believer in getting a .22 for practice because ammunition is cheap if you can find it. A M&P22 is a great understudy for any of the centerfire M&P's. That said, shooting a centerfire has a certain gratification that shooting a rimfire doesn't. I find I leave my .22's home more than I should and shoot my centerfires instead. Again, the 9mm wins out because of ammo cost.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
There are two different arguments being made here which point to the old saying, "Amateurs talk equipment, experts talk tactics." Not quite related to the military version of "Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics."
You say you shoot it better, but do you shoot it well? I drive better than my wife, but that doesn't mean I'm ready for NASCAR.
I coached in the Marines, and have done some informal training over the years as a civilian. I'm positive there are scads of guys on here with more marksmanship coaching experience. But from what I know, training > equipment every time. You train to become a 10 out of 10 knowing that under stress you'll degrade to a 6 or a 5. If you're a 5 you degrade to a 1 or a 0, bad news. If you can quickly snap off shots into center mass at 7 yards or less, hitting the pie plate, and do it every time you're in good shape.
I'm a borderline competitive shooter --- never finished better than 20th out of 300. But the 1%ers can pick up any handgun made to modern tolerances and properly zeroed, and 10 ring at a boring rate. So it's almost never about the gun.
Pick the gun that meets your needs, doesn't have any ergonomic issues for you, and is one you feel completely comfortable carrying with one in the chamber. .45 vs 9mm is not the issue. Will you carry it, can you draw it quickly, can you hit with it quickly --- that's all!
2. If you don't have solid training already, get some. Don't practice the wrong way because you'll just reinforce bad habits. I've never, ever seen someone start fast and improve their accuracy along the way. Start slow and focus on marksmanship, then speed up.
Just my $0.02.
You say you shoot it better, but do you shoot it well? I drive better than my wife, but that doesn't mean I'm ready for NASCAR.
I coached in the Marines, and have done some informal training over the years as a civilian. I'm positive there are scads of guys on here with more marksmanship coaching experience. But from what I know, training > equipment every time. You train to become a 10 out of 10 knowing that under stress you'll degrade to a 6 or a 5. If you're a 5 you degrade to a 1 or a 0, bad news. If you can quickly snap off shots into center mass at 7 yards or less, hitting the pie plate, and do it every time you're in good shape.
I'm a borderline competitive shooter --- never finished better than 20th out of 300. But the 1%ers can pick up any handgun made to modern tolerances and properly zeroed, and 10 ring at a boring rate. So it's almost never about the gun.
Pick the gun that meets your needs, doesn't have any ergonomic issues for you, and is one you feel completely comfortable carrying with one in the chamber. .45 vs 9mm is not the issue. Will you carry it, can you draw it quickly, can you hit with it quickly --- that's all!
2. If you don't have solid training already, get some. Don't practice the wrong way because you'll just reinforce bad habits. I've never, ever seen someone start fast and improve their accuracy along the way. Start slow and focus on marksmanship, then speed up.
Just my $0.02.
4barrel
Member
Every shooter I know-and that is over 100-has at least one Ruger 22.
The area you live in has a gun show every week. You should have no trouble finding what you are looking for. 100s of pawn shops within 50 miles of you.
Last edited:
Ranger17
Member
one of the main reasons behind myself suggesting a .22 first; is the cost to shoot them over higher caliber guns. Yes i realize for many it can be frustrating at times trying to get ammo at a reasonable price, but if there is a jump in cost to 9mm ammo and take that even higher to a 45 (assuming a new shooter wont reload in the beginning), will a beginner hit a point where it's price-prohibitive to shoot often enough?
And without that frequent range time and practice, it will be difficult for one to really master their firearm(s).
again only this newb's .02
And without that frequent range time and practice, it will be difficult for one to really master their firearm(s).
again only this newb's .02
hangnoose
Member
22's
YES they are getting harder to find and more expensive, if you are not willing to look a little harder for them. Naivety aside I bought 5,000 rounds of win,fed,cci's at 3 cents per from a club member,and a few thousand more from retail stores for up to 8 cents per (my top price) ALL in the last year. Do you think you can afford 5,000 45's or be able to shoot 3-500 of them in 1 day?
YES they are getting harder to find and more expensive, if you are not willing to look a little harder for them. Naivety aside I bought 5,000 rounds of win,fed,cci's at 3 cents per from a club member,and a few thousand more from retail stores for up to 8 cents per (my top price) ALL in the last year. Do you think you can afford 5,000 45's or be able to shoot 3-500 of them in 1 day?
71velle
Member
Buy the 9mm and after shooting 2500 rounds through it you would have saved enough money to go out and buy the 45.
Rastoff
US Veteran
This is always quality advice, but it also depends on this...
This is the right question. Answer this question and we'll be able to help you pick.
If you're going to be shooting only at the range, then starting with a .22LR is hugely beneficial to learning trigger control. However, if the intended use is defensive in nature, the Ruger Mark III could be detrimental. You see the grip angle is much more pronounced on the Ruger than the M&P. So, if you learn on the Ruger first and try to shoot quickly with the M&P, you might have trouble lining up the sights.
So, if your main purpose is defensive shooting, start right off with the M&P.
I'm purchasing with Self Defense and eventual carry in mind. I can't thank everyone enough for the advice and guidance, y'all are really making it easier, this is something ive been going back and forth on. I've already found a basic handgun course at the local range I go to and plan on taking it immediately (within a few weeks of purchasing my M&P)..
hangnoose
Member
FIRST HANDGUN
First handgun doesn't tell us your experience level. If you have little exp & are not a good shot at the range, you would likely be a poor shot, aka loser, in a self defense situation. One answer MIGHT BE to get a gun with a 22 lr conversion available, although mine, for a Sig p220 is collecting dust. I did buy a S&W mdl 617 in 22 lr to match my mdl 681 357 (as close as possible, size & wt) for practice. Both of those get used at least weekly. I would say app 50-75% of my practice is with 22lr's and light load 38 specials, with 9mm, 357, 40, & 45 at least once a month. The 45 is my favorite to shoot, but unfortunately the most expensive to load, even using cast bullets. Double my top price for 22's. good luck on your choice.
First handgun doesn't tell us your experience level. If you have little exp & are not a good shot at the range, you would likely be a poor shot, aka loser, in a self defense situation. One answer MIGHT BE to get a gun with a 22 lr conversion available, although mine, for a Sig p220 is collecting dust. I did buy a S&W mdl 617 in 22 lr to match my mdl 681 357 (as close as possible, size & wt) for practice. Both of those get used at least weekly. I would say app 50-75% of my practice is with 22lr's and light load 38 specials, with 9mm, 357, 40, & 45 at least once a month. The 45 is my favorite to shoot, but unfortunately the most expensive to load, even using cast bullets. Double my top price for 22's. good luck on your choice.
Last edited:
Rastoff
US Veteran
Connor44,
Sounds like you have the right idea. Get that training scheduled and you'll be fine with whatever gun you get as long as the instructor knows what he's doing. If it's the NRA Basic Pistol course, and the instructor sticks to the lesson plan, the course is very good.
I would say to get the .45ACP. I have M&Ps in .45ACP, .40S&W and 9mm. I find the .45 more controllable. There could be many reasons for that. I have large hands and I'm a fan of the 1911.
Sounds like you have the right idea. Get that training scheduled and you'll be fine with whatever gun you get as long as the instructor knows what he's doing. If it's the NRA Basic Pistol course, and the instructor sticks to the lesson plan, the course is very good.
I would say to get the .45ACP. I have M&Ps in .45ACP, .40S&W and 9mm. I find the .45 more controllable. There could be many reasons for that. I have large hands and I'm a fan of the 1911.
Hmm...similar here.
Last June I started shooting for the first time at age 55, with similar goals.
After surveying the market, and test firing a bunch of rental guns (500+ rounds) I ended up with an M&P FS9 sku 209301 for $500 from Gander Mountain.
Pretty happy with it so far. It's my only firearm, and has to do pretty much everything (Range, Training, SD) for me.
Good luck with your choice. Nothing wrong with either 45 or 9 for SD. Agree with folks who say shoot them both then pick most comfortable for you.
If cost is a factor, might go price some ammo locally in 9mm and 45. FWIW I've bought approx 2,900 rounds of FMJ and 100 rounds of HP in the last year.
Capacity is another consequence of caliber. I daresay if you can't solve a problem with 8-9 rounds of 45, you probably have a bigger issue. But I prefer 17 rounds; I'm just risk averse lol.
Also: Good for you taking training. Probably more important, really, than what you carry, assuming a serviceable pistol in an effective caliber. 'Only hits count' as they say.
Rich
Last edited:
