Instructors get this question a lot. Unfortunately, is not a simple question to answer. The pistol that works for me may not work for another person and vice versa. I pretty much use and swear by Glock handguns, a fellow instructor that works with me intently dislikes Glock and exclusively uses Sig Sauer. I find most Sig Sauer handguns too big for my hand. There are a few things to consider when choosing a pistol.
- What are you planning on using it for? Is it for self-defense that you plan on carrying every day? You might want to look at some smaller pistols that conceal easily and have a good choice of holster options. Are you using it for hunting or defense against wildlife like bears on a hiking trip? In this case I would recommend a full-size gun, maybe in a larger caliber that has a good stopping power. I would not recommend a .380 or 9mm in that instance. Is it going to be used entirely on the shooting range just for recreation? Then I might recommend something chambered in .22 caliber. it’s easy to control and uses less expensive ammunition, but because of the size of the round, it is generally not sufficient for hunting or self-defense. No matter what you are using, make sure it is a reliable pistol. There is plenty of gun reviews out there that a mostly accurate. A gun is no good if it does not go bang when you want or need it to.
- What Caliber should I get. This is the size (diameter) of the bullet. This goes along with intended use. Use a caliber that is sufficient for the task that you plan on using the gun for. I would not recommend a .22 caliber gun to hunt for buffalo. it’s just too small and might only make him angry. I wouldn’t recommend a .44 magnum for a long day target shooting on the range. It just too powerful for most people to have a fun day. I’ve seen grown men refuse to shoot more than 2 rounds from a .50 BMG because it is such a large and aggressive round to shoot. Another thing to consider is the availability of ammunition. Non-standard calibers, or a caliber that is losing popularity might be hard to find at a reasonable price and might be unavailable when you need it. 9MM ammunition is available in just about every State and Country. .22 caliber is one of the most popular calibers in the gun world. That is one reason that it becomes hard to find when people panic buy ammunition like they did during covid. Defensive ammunition has come a long way over the last several years. There are several quality brands that you can use for defensively and not break the budget. Whichever caliber you choose, take a look at cost before making a decision.
- What is your budget? Most of us have to factor this into our decision. There are some very high-end guns out there right now that will set you back $4000. They are extremely well-built firearms, but for most of us have to take this into account when making the decision. There some extremely good guns for $500-$600. They are also quality well-built firearms. A gun is a tool, I usually recommend getting the right tool for the job without breaking the budget. You also need to take into account how much accessories will cost. Magazines for a high-end gun also have a high-end price and could cost nearly $100 each. A good quality Glock magazine for instance averages $25. Don’t be afraid to let the person at the gun store know your price range.
- What size gun should I get? This is also related to the guns intended use. Micro guns (extremely small) are very easy to conceal but might be difficult to shoot accurately because of their size in relation to your hands. They may only come in smaller calibers like .380 or less. A full-size frame gun might be easier to shoot, but difficult to conceal, or the weight might be too heavy to use comfortably during a range session. Handle as many guns as you possibly can to get an idea how heavy they are. A full size, all steel gun will be heavier that a polymer (plastic) frame gun. Keep in mind that they will all be heavier when fully loaded with ammunition.
- Will I be adding aftermarket accessories? Things like Red dot optics (sometimes call a holographic sight) and a pistol mounted light should not be an afterthought. Red Dot optics have become very popular over the last several years and are becoming common place. They are extremely well built and reliable now, which was not always the case. Mounted lights are another popular accessory. They are making them smaller than ever; most are 500-1000 lumens, and some use a rechargeable battery. The gun needs to have the ability to accept those things without needing to alter the firearm or purchase new slides or mounting devices that might fail when you need the gun to work. Most major manufacturers are offering their guns with or without the ability to add these items. It might add a few extra dollars to the price, but if you decide you want these things later and the gun is not able to mount them, you might have regrets.
- Should I buy a new or used gun. This could be a good way to extend your budget. I have purchased used guns over the years but being in this business and as a trained armorer, I know what to look for to tell if a gun has been used and abused or just sat in someone’s safe. Buying a used gun is somewhat like buying a used car. You might get a great deal on one that was only driven on the weekend by a little old lady, or you could get one that was a Taxicab in a pothole filled city and has a million miles on the odometer. Ask if it has been inspected by a qualified armorer or gunsmith. Ask if they have any type of in-house warrantee or return policy if the gun is found to be defective. Most shops will not take a gun back as a return due to insurance reasons. People sell guns back to gun stores and secondhand stores for a lot of reasons. Sometimes it is because they chose the wrong gun, sometimes it is because the gun is at the end of its life cycle, and they no longer want it. Another good fact to know, is that most major manufacturers offer a lifetime warrantee on their guns. This warrantee is on the gun, not the owner so it is usually transferable to a new owner.
- Once you figure out all of the other things, you need to see how the gun feels. I usually tell people, is that guns are like shoes, they have to fit you, or you are not going to want to use them. How does the gun feel in your hand? Is it too blocky to hold comfortably, or too small to get an adequate grip on the gun? Can you properly reach the trigger with your trigger finger? can you manipulate all of the controls such as the safety, the magazine release button and the slide stop lever without having the drastically change your grip on the frame. A good salesman should let you hold and handle as many guns that you want to. Don’t let them tell you which gun is right for you. I have seen salespeople tell a woman that she should buy a certain revolver because that is “the only gun she would be able to shoot”. A good instructor will teach you how to use and shoot the gun that fits your hand.
- Go to a range that has a good selection of rental guns. If you have the opportunity to shoot the guns before you make the final choice, it might help you make that decision. It may involve a little bit of extra cost, but it’s better to spend $20 to rent a gun and figure out that it does not fit you than spend $800 on a gun that you end up hating (and then end up selling for a fraction of what you spent). If you tell the range that you are looking to buy a gun and want to try some out, they might even let you try them for free to help with the sale if you purchase from them.
Make informed decisions, there are a lot of professional shooters out there that do good, accurate reviews either in print or video. Be careful of gun reviews in shooting magazines. They are almost always a paid review. This means that the manufacturer paid the publication or provided free guns for a good review. A good review should always give the positive and negative attributes of a gun. There are a lot of different guns out there, don’t get overwhelmed.
Good luck, See you on the range!