Which gun should I get?

[danielinthelionsden]

I'd recommend trying both first if you can. The Glock 19 is a great pistol, but you either like how a glock feels in your hand or you dont. If you end up with the glock and free ammo and dont like how the glock feels then all the free ammo in the world wont help anyway.

 

[RidgwayCO]

The only problem with the model 547 is the cost. They shoot any 9mm Luger round very well (without moon clips), but finding one for sale today at a reasonable price is problematic. I just checked on Gunbroker and Gunsamerica, and there's only one listed, for about $1300...

 

[tallpaul]

I'd get the glock and then find a .357 revolver...

Thd Glock 19 is a decent all rounder for what ya want it to do... Quite a few like em.. I like mine.

And I like my .357's

And for your info the smith K/L/N frame snubbies ae usually VERY accurate with a load they like... My K and L frame shorties are VERY accurate... even out a ways

 

[jframefreak]

Say no to plastic guns. Buy the revolver.

 

[scooter123]

Well if I decide on the revolver it defilently will be a 4" barrel, I dont like the 6" and the 2" isnt accurate enough IMO. I like the model 19 and the model 547 but does it shoot the standard 9mm round? I thought I read somewhere it wasnt the normal 9mm luger. Thanks for all the advice.

You might be a bit surprized at how accurate a 2 inch barrel can be. Gun barrels vibrate when a bullet is passing through it and that vibration effects accuracy. If the profile of the barrel is held constant, a longer barrel can deflect more at the muzzle crown than a shorter barrel. Because of this, many 2 inch guns will display greater accuracy than a 6 inch barrel when the gun is fitted into a fixed pistol rest.

The problem with a short barrel is that the sight radius is reduced. This gives the edge in practical accuracy to the gun with the longer barrel. However, practical accuracy is dependent on the person shooting the gun. I've seen people shooting a snubby produce groups that I can only match by shooting in single action off the bench. I've also seen people who have trouble just hitting the target with a snubbie.

Point is, don't make assumptions about what will suit you best. Find a range that rents a variety and shoot a bunch of different guns. You'll pay more up front because renting guns to shoot does cost a bit of money. However, it's the best way to find a gun that "fits" and you shoot well.

 

[Jimmymac46]

Tell him you bought a 9mm, get the ammo, pass on the Glock. Get a Smith 'L' frame 4" or 6".

Then, find a Browning High Power to shoot the 500 rounds of free 9mm ammo! The best of both worlds!

 

[samIam]

I'd recommend trying both first if you can. The Glock 19 is a great pistol, but you either like how a glock feels in your hand or you dont. If you end up with the glock and free ammo and dont like how the glock feels then all the free ammo in the world wont help anyway.

Absolutely right!You really need to shoot them to see which fits you the best.I don't like the grip angle on the Glock,doesn't fit me.With a revolver you can use many different grips to change the way it fits.

 

[Stainz]

The Glock and ammo deal would be hard for me to turn down... and I am a revolver guy. In fact, I hate Glocks. They have to be the single most boring gun in the world to shoot. My 21, which I sold 11+ years ago, was uncannily accurate, never hiccuped, had less recoil than a 1911, and, with +2 extenders, held 15 .45 ACPs. I never left a round in the chamber, as they have no safety. They were designed for LEOs. I have been all revolvers for nearly seven years... oddly, I don't mind leaving them loaded.

I suggest a late model 64 - like a 3" or 4" barrel security guard trade-in. That - and some ammo - will run about the same as the Glock. They are inherently +P rated, so the infamous 'FBI load', the venerable 158gr LHPSWC .38 Special +P, can be used. If you need more for home protection, perhaps you need to move.

My 64 was $315 OTD 5/08 at a local shop - and was apparently never issued by the security guard company that traded it in on a bottom-feeder. It was literally new. J&G Sales, and others, regularly have some DAO, ie, no hammer spur, and some regular 64s for less. It's a great protector - and plinker. Mine, above, looked lonely yesterday AM, loaded and in it's hiding place within arm's length from the bed - so it went to the range with me. Shooting mid-range, at best, level 158gr LRNFPs, aiming an inch or so high at 12 yd - and rapidly, I hardly ever missed the small SPC rebounding plates. I also shot a few other rounds - including those 'FBI loads'. Fun plinker! I had the ~150 pieces of brass tumbled and the 64 cleaned by dinner - then back to sentinnel duty.

I know folks who 'enjoy' shooting Glocks... I am not one of them. Want to see me smile as I pop away with a handgun? Give me a revolver! Good luck - and welcome to the world of S&W revolvers... even if you have a brief sojourn into Tupperware rude-case-tossers (For that price, we'll understand!).

Stainz

 

[brucev]

If you basically want a handgun to occasionally shoot in USPSA events, either the Glock or a revolver will meet your needs. Long after a good price and 500 rounds of ammo are forgotten, you will be shooting either the Glock or a revolver. Your experience shooting a single-action revolver will not help or hurt you learning to shoot either an automatic pistol or a double-action revolver. Personally, I own, use and like the Glock 22 that I bought. With little experience shooting semi-automatic pistols, I found the transition not to difficult. It is unfailingly accurate and powerful. I am extremely well satisfied with it. Having said that, I have for almost 30 years owned and used a variety of single and double action revolvers. I do think that for those who are not going to spend a significant amount of time in practice, practical effective accuracy is easier to obtain with a quality revolver rather than a semi-automatic pistol. And regardless of what type handgun you purchase, you will need to factor into your calculations the cost of practice ammo. At the local Wal-Mart, 9mm ammo (50 rd. box of FMJ) is selling for $10-12/box while .38 Special ammo (130 gr. FMJ) is selling for $15/box. Of course reloading would significantly reduce the cost of either round. If I were now considering the purchase of a handgun and had a limited amount of experience using handguns, I would buy the Glock and practice. I would also set aside money to buy a .22 LR top unit for the Glock. That would allow me to greatly increase the utility of the Glock as well as significantly reduce the cost of practice. With any significant amount of shooting you would soon recoup the cost of the unit. The ability to practice with your Glock... learn the trigger... learn the drills, etc. would assuredly enhance your on target effectiveness whether shooting informally or in USPSA events. Once upon a time, in police and civilian use the S&W M-10 was the standard against which every handgun was weighed. Until there is some significant innovation in semi-automatic pistols, the Glock is going to be the standard by which everything will be evaluated.

If you buy a quality .38/.357 revolver, you will find the cost of practice a ongoing issue. You can buy chamber inserts that will allow you to fire .22 LR ammo. This will allow you to become familiar with your particular revolver. But you will find the use of such inserts laboriously slow and with experience you will likely not be satisfied with the accuracy of such inserts. And you may find having to adjust your sights from .38/.357 to .22 LR ammo to be a bit of a problem. If you buy a K frame S&W, you will find the M-17 or M-18 are useful understudies for practice, field use and even target competition. The cost of either of these "understudies" is fully as high as that of a quality .38/.357 revolver. If cared for carefully, should you later loose interest in it, you would not have a problem selling either a M-17/18 or M-617.