Choosing a Beginner Handgun

[Todd.K]

I am looking specifically for a handgun that is better suited for a beginner.

I'm not looking for "buy a Glock and learn how to shoot it" advice. I have a Glock that I shoot well, but never felt it was an easy gun to start a beginner out on. Some discussion in the closed 320 vs thread by Grant really stood out to me, backing up my feeling on it.

...The truth is that the Glock is one of the hardest guns to shoot well...

...Glock's and new shooters should stay away from each other...

Insight especially from instructors on what they have/would choose to teach teens or a beginner with no gun experience is what I'm looking for.

[C4IGrant]

I am looking specifically for a handgun that is better suited for a beginner.

I'm not looking for "buy a Glock and learn how to shoot it" advice. I have a Glock that I shoot well, but never felt it was an easy gun to start a beginner out on. Some discussion in the closed 320 vs thread by Grant really stood out to me, backing up my feeling on it.



Insight especially from instructors on what they have/would choose to teach teens or a beginner with no gun experience is what I'm looking for.

Before I get the random drive by from the Glock fanboys telling me I am wrong, I will add "shooting fast." Lots of people shoot Glock's "well" (loose definition here), but when we put them on a 10/10/10 drill, they push rounds to the left (as a right handed shooters). I will also add an * to my above statement that Todd grabbed. Flat triggers seem address a lot of the issues with people pushing Glock triggers (instead of pulling them). Example, my 14yr old son shoots my G19 straight and true (at speed). He has small hands and really cannot reach any of the controls...

With that out of the way, the M&P 2.0 line (compact) would be a good choice Todd as would the VP9/P30. Customizable grip size is where its at and allows a young shooter to grow into the gun. There are of course others (PPQ, FN 509, APX, etc), but these two a my favorite.



C4

[MegademiC]

Do you want a gun that will help them become a good shooter, or something that is easy to be good with?

[Todd.K]

Looking for easy to shoot reasonably well, keeping it fun so they build confidence and interest in continuing shooting.

Grant, just the kind of details I needed, thank you. If I don't have to give up Glock are the Gen 4/5 without backstrap small enough for most women? I'm only up to Gen3.

I believe in the ease of learning a single trigger pull of a striker. Is anyone challenging that idea?

Any advances in DAO worth looking at?

Being a range gun with no expectation of carry, is a DA/SA just run SA worth considering?

[MegademiC]

Looking for easy to shoot reasonably well, keeping it fun so they build confidence and interest in continuing shooting.

Grant, just the kind of details I needed, thank you. If I don't have to give up Glock are the Gen 4/5 without backstrap small enough for most women? I'm only up to Gen3.

I believe in the ease of learning a single trigger pull of a striker. Is anyone challenging that idea?

Any advances in DAO worth looking at?

Being a range gun with no expectation of carry, is a DA/SA just run SA worth considering?

Money no object? A 9mm 1911.
If it is, id suggest a cz75 or m92 based on my limited pistol experience. They are both easy to shoot well.

[hile]

I'd go with an M&P 2.0 compact or a PPQ M2.

[jsbhike]

Find a rental range where the person can handle and shoot a few different pistols and form a decision on what they like best.

[C4IGrant]

Looking for easy to shoot reasonably well, keeping it fun so they build confidence and interest in continuing shooting.

Grant, just the kind of details I needed, thank you. If I don't have to give up Glock are the Gen 4/5 without backstrap small enough for most women? I'm only up to Gen3.

I believe in the ease of learning a single trigger pull of a striker. Is anyone challenging that idea?

Any advances in DAO worth looking at?

Being a range gun with no expectation of carry, is a DA/SA just run SA worth considering?

The GEN 4/5 is going to be slightly smaller with the GEN 5 being the most accurate Glock made. So you will need to see how well their hand size fits.

IMHO, if a shooter can run a DA/SA gun, they can shoot ANYTHING well. The worst thing I ever did was start training with a WC CQB. The trigger pull set me up for failure when I transitioned to any other gun (Beretta, Glock, SIG, M&P, etc).


C4

[EzGoingKev]

Flat triggers seem address a lot of the issues with people pushing Glock triggers (instead of pulling them).

Funny, I tried a flat trigger to fix that and I shot just as bad with the flat trigger as I did with a standard trigger.

Regarding the OP's question I would say know your audience. Different tools for different people.

Ruger MK series pistols shoot pretty well. My mother just got her LTC and I had her get a Ruger SR22 to learn on. It shoots pretty good.

[Todd.K]

Actually a .22 got me thinking about this subject. The last few years when I have had time to shoot I spend most of it teaching my kids on a .22 rifle. I have owned a Glock conversion for a long time, but it never ran quite good enough and I have not had both the time and motivation (at the same time) to work on it until recently. Thinking about getting a frame for it is what got me here, if I decide say to go to an M&P then getting the M&P .22 would make more sense.

I'm not trying to overthink this, just make sure I'm not handicapping them with my Glock perspective.