Getting my first handgun

[kyrin88]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the advice and support. I have done some research

and think that 9mm will be the best way to go for me as a beginner. What do you

guys think of the Sig Saur P228 9mm, it is a relatively good price and I believe

that some special forces use them(not why I am interested). As for self defense

goes, I can buy 9m in hollow point to get more knockdown power. what do you

guys think about this, what other alternative in terms of reliability, accuracy, and

durability should I be looking at..thanks in advance

[decodeddiesel]

P228s are good solid pistols, though there have been some adverse reports of Sig's QA/QC lately and there may be some issues. Just be sure you fire at least 1000 trouble free rounds from the weapon (with at least a couple hundred being your carry ammo) before you trust your life to it.

Just a heads up, knock-down power is a pure myth. We have a terminal ballistics forum here which will help guide you in the right direction when it comes time to pick defensive ammo.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887

Personally I use the Speer 147gr Gold Dot, and the Winchester PDX1 147gr Bonded JHP for my CCW piece.

Good luck and enjoy your pistol when you get it!

[ra2bach]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the advice and support. I have done some research

and think that 9mm will be the best way to go for me as a beginner. What do you

guys think of the Sig Saur P228 9mm, it is a relatively good price and I believe

that some special forces use them(not why I am interested). As for self defense

goes, I can buy 9m in hollow point to get more knockdown power. what do you

guys think about this, what other alternative in terms of reliability, accuracy, and

durability should I be looking at..thanks in advance

I personally am a fan of the DA/SA for a "first" pistol and SIG makes a nice one. I also like your choice of 9MM.

I just picked up a P226, as I've always wanted one, but the P228 is a great choice as well. I might have chosen it instead of the P226 except I already have the similar in size P229.

one thing to keep in mind is every pistol and every action is different - there is no "best" one, only better ones for a purpose. generally the shooter is the weak link in the chain.

as soon as is practical, begin to acquire spare mags, a holster, and maybe a mag pouch. and lots of ammo...

[Beat Trash]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the advice and support. I have done some research

and think that 9mm will be the best way to go for me as a beginner. What do you

guys think of the Sig Saur P228 9mm, it is a relatively good price and I believe

that some special forces use them(not why I am interested). As for self defense

goes, I can buy 9m in hollow point to get more knockdown power. what do you

guys think about this, what other alternative in terms of reliability, accuracy, and

durability should I be looking at..thanks in advance

Good choice in going with a 9mm. The Sig 228 is a great choice if going with a DA/SA design.

[DragonDoc]

You definitely need to take a concealed handgun course for FL if you want to carry concealed. Here is the link for concealed carry rules and regs in Florida.

http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/index.html

Thanks, I will definitely seek some handgun instruction before making a definate

purchase. I have owned quite a few guns, mainly AR-15's, and I have also shot a

few handguns, Glock 19, sig in 9mm( not sure what model), S&W glock look alike

in 9mm, and well thats about it. I will be using my handgun mainly for self

defense, so I want something to put someone down if it comes to that. I live in

heart of Miami and there is a lot of degenerates that will try to get you for a buck,

so some handgun courses will be suffice. I mean does going in the back yard and

practicing with bb guns count as handgun training to an extent?

[MiggyE]

P228s are good solid pistols, though there have been some adverse reports of Sig's QA/QC lately and there may be some issues. Just be sure you fire at least 1000 trouble free rounds from the weapon (with at least a couple hundred being your carry ammo) before you trust your life to it.

Just a heads up, knock-down power is a pure myth. We have a terminal ballistics forum here which will help guide you in the right direction when it comes time to pick defensive ammo.

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887

Personally I use the Speer 147gr Gold Dot, and the Winchester PDX1 147gr Bonded JHP for my CCW piece.

Good luck and enjoy your pistol when you get it!

great advice, decodediesel! your right. my cousin has a SIG as his carry and he was saying he had had issues, but we wouldn't elaborate. kyrin, its good advice to take your gun to the range and use up several hundred rounds just to break in the gun. i did that, and you get the hang of any nuances your gun may have.
BTW, even with said issues, my cousin is still sticking to his SIG. its still a great gun.

[28_days]

Do you live under a bridge? I just checked Minnesota laws and no permit is required.

M_P

He's correct. Unless you have a carry permit (MN is a carry state, not necessarily a concealed and carry) a permit to purchase must be obtained first.

[vigilant2]

Whatever handgun you decide to go with, get the ball rolling as soon
as possible on the concealed carry permit. Take the class as soon as
you can. Currently florida is backlogged with permit applications since
the "Obamanation" took office. Permits are taking as much as 12 months
to be received. Renewals are taking priority over new applications.
Back in 2006 I received my permit in 2weeks.
You may want to take the CCW class with a rental gun that you're familiar
with just to get the class under your belt and the paperwork moving,
Then continue to seek out your carry gun.


Edited: I just found out this afternoon that the permit process has picked up,its now
averaging 4-5 months.

My .02 cents

[John_Wayne777]

Hey guys, thanks for all of the advice and support. I have done some research

and think that 9mm will be the best way to go for me as a beginner. What do you

guys think of the Sig Saur P228 9mm, it is a relatively good price and I believe

that some special forces use them(not why I am interested). As for self defense

goes, I can buy 9m in hollow point to get more knockdown power. what do you

guys think about this, what other alternative in terms of reliability, accuracy, and

durability should I be looking at..thanks in advance

The P228 is a pretty good handgun.

A Glock 19 conceals a bit easier, however....

[NC12215]

Glock 17/ 19 or 1911 .45.

Glock is the ""go bang every time, beat it up gun" that is as special for it's reliability as it is un-special for it's unfeeling, drab appearance. Very easy to learn and shoot effectively.

1911 is a classic.
It is time proven and requires a higher level of owner knowledge. Very easy to shoot accurately. Not as many bullets but very concealable and fits most peoples hands. Lots of aftermarket parts to customize. The 1911 also get's points for the CDI factor.

Enjoy your first no matter what you get.

Dave