Handgun Advice

Originally Posted by formerkywrestler

So I woudn't necessarily have to have a pre-existing relationship with the FFL to do a transaction? Just contact them and let them know it's going to happen?

Exactly, they have to call down to state, not 100% sure but I think KSP pulls up your info they run it thru their data base to make sure you're able to actually purchase a gun. I would say let them no ahead of time just in case they say it doesn't come back imediately approved, but as long as you don't have much of a record it shouldn't be a problem. You'll have to obviously fill out some paper work but its nothing too bad. My first gun I bought a few years back I drove to the store, picked out what I wanted and walked out with it all in about 45 minutes or so and that included them calling for my info.

Originally Posted by NHS BIG DADDY

I would go with the Springfield XD but thats just my opinion based on what I have. It was about $100 cheaper than the Glock and felt much better in my hand.

What caliber? I would kind of like to get a Springfield 9mm just to get something different. I love my Glock 27 though just because its subcompact and I feel like it shoots better than any other gun I've shot thus far. I really just want to get a 9mm because I don't have one yet and I do really like the Springfields.

Mine is a 9mm. I love it. I like the look of the XDM's better and the adjustable backstraps on the XDM, but I don't think the price difference between the XD and the XDM is worth it.

Also I believe you are in NKY, one of the best places price wise around here, IMO, is Quick Cash pawn shop out in Florence. They have hands down the best prices on new pistols, and usually carry alot of new XD's.

Make sure you read up on carry laws.

Originally Posted by 00Rocket28

Make sure you read up on carry laws.

Oh don't worry Rocket we're all on the up and up on that here. The only places I tend to like to carry mine is church's, places that primarily serve alcohol, court houses, and of course under my pillow at night. Being the upstanding citizen that I am I always tell my friends if they have a hand gun in their car they should keep it under their seat instead of in their glove compartments because thieves never think to look there.

Originally Posted by NHS BIG DADDY

Also I believe you are in NKY, one of the best places price wise around here, IMO, is Quick Cash pawn shop out in Florence. They have hands down the best prices on new pistols, and usually carry alot of new XD's.

Yup that's wear I bought my G27 back in the Spring. They do have great prices and move a lot of guns there. I really haven't found a store within 100 miles that's had better prices.

Love my Beretta 9MM. All a man needs.

Originally Posted by NHS BIG DADDY

Also I believe you are in NKY, one of the best places price wise around here, IMO, is Quick Cash pawn shop out in Florence. They have hands down the best prices on new pistols, and usually carry alot of new XD's.

What are they going for there?

Originally Posted by formerkywrestler

What are they going for by there?

Just go check it out, didn't realize you were in NKY myself. Great prices, if you want to meet up or go to the range and shoot some different stuff first I've got the Smith and Wesson sigma that was mentioned early on and the glock I talked about earlier just shoot me a pm and we can figure something out if you'd like to shoot first. Shooters off 17 in nky will also let you rent guns to shoot so if you want to try something else we can look into that too.

Originally Posted by sportsfan41

Just go check it out, didn't realize you were in NKY myself. Great prices, if you want to meet up or go to the range and shoot some different stuff first I've got the Smith and Wesson sigma that was mentioned early on and the glock I talked about earlier just shoot me a pm and we can figure something out if you'd like to shoot first. Shooters off 17 in nky will also let you rent guns to shoot so if you want to try something else we can look into that too.

He's not, he lives in Louisville.

Originally Posted by woodsrider

He's not, he lives in Louisville.

Well in that case FKW if you ever want to make a road trip..... No but let me know what you end up deciding on and I will stop in and check their prices on that particular gun and let you know. Its only 5 minutes from my work so no bother for me if it would help you out any.

Originally Posted by sportsfan41

Well in that case FKW if you ever want to make a road trip..... No but let me know what you end up deciding on and I will stop in and check their prices on that particular gun and let you know. Its only 5 minutes from my work so no bother for me if it would help you out any.

Thanks man. I just figured if it was a really good deal I could drive up to get it. Right now I'm heavily leaning towards the Springfield XD. I go out of town this weekend but next week I hope to run over to the Bass Pro and check it out better.

Originally Posted by formerkywrestler

Thanks man. I just figured if it was a really good deal I could drive up to get it. Right now I'm heavily leaning towards the Springfield XD. I go out of town this weekend but next week I hope to run over to the Bass Pro and check it out better.

While your over there you may try running by Kiesler's on Industrial Park (just off of Lewis and Clark). I've heard some good things about them. Not sure how much hand gun inventory they carry but a guy in our Louisville office usually goes there for what he needs. If you don't know where it is when you leave Bass Pro go the back way to Lewis and Clark, turn right, go under 65, turn right at light. It will be down about 1/2 mile on the left.

I Own 2 Springfield XD's and love them both. One is a XD Subcompact in .40S&W, 3" barrel for conceal carry. The other is a XD Tactical in .45ACP, 5" barrel. The XD Tactical shoots really well and I like the way it fits the hand. Barrel length is a consideration. Typically longer barrels are more accurate.

Also, if you go with a 9mm. Shop online, there's lots of military surplus ammo out there pretty cheap.

Originally Posted by formerkywrestler

I'm looking to purchase a handgun. The main use would be to go to the range with friends and my Dad. I used to shoot all the time but haven't in quite some time. I'm not that concerned with stopping power, defense, etc. as I don't see myself carrying it. But, I most likely don't want a .22, "just in case". Being that my primary purpose for the gun is to shoot I think ammo price is one of my biggest concerns. Because of this I'm all but decided on a 9mm unless I hear compelling reasons for another caliber. I want something that is safe, easy to take care of, and that shoots well. I also don't want to break the bank, but don't want the cheapest thing I can find either. What are some specific makes and models that might fit my criteria? So far I've been hearing a lot about Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Glock. Not much on specific models but my friend recently bought a Ruger SR9 that I liked the feel of (haven't had the chance to shoot yet). Finally, what should I look for when trying to find the right gun for me at the store?

Also, would you buy a used gun? Having never purchased a used gun myself I was wondering if this is a good idea. Thanks guys.

Wrestler, also consider Bud's Guns in Lexington. You can purchase from them online, but unless you are already certain which gun you want, I'd recommend going to the store in person to get a feel for the weapon and discuss with them the exact features of the gun. There are many variances between semi-auto handguns - single action only, double action only, DA/SA, trigger pull, external safety, magazine disconnect, decock lever (to safely drop hammer from from single action), all-steel or polymer-based (lighter) gun, hammer fired or striker pin fired, gun finish, style of sight, and on and on and on. The point is that many of these features are personal shooter (or agency) preference and you need physically see and feel - and hopefully test fire - the ones you in which you are truly interested in order to make an informed decision.

I've been a federal agent for 25 years, a firearms instructor for 23 yrs, shot competitively for many years (no longer), have Sig, S&W, and Remington armorer certifications, own several handguns, and plink around quite a bit. Certainly no expert, but not exactly a novice either. I've carried S&W revolvers (late 80's/early 90's), Sig 9mm and .357 semi-autos (1992-2011), and now the S&W M&P .40 for duty. In fact, me and 19 other instructors from my agency just spent this past week with S&W to get our armorer certification and ramp up to start the M&P .40 transition training for the field agents. I own or have owned numerous revolvers, a Glock 19, Sig .380, Bersa .380, Colt .45, and a Beretta .32.

You've been given some nice options already - Glock is a super gun, no question, but you have to carefully train with it (or with any gun, for that matter) since it has a very light trigger pull that will surprise you if you're used to DAO guns. Nothing wrong with that, by any means, but just one of those feaures that you need to understand before purchasing. I know guys that simply wanted nothing to do with it because of this light trigger pull (BTW, you can put on a different trigger with a heavier pull) or believed (incorrectly) it did not have sufficient safety features. Springfield is a very nice gun also. I've only shot this weapon a couple times, but was impressed. Keep in mind that both Glock and Springfield are pricier guns.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the feeling you're looking for a nice, relatively inexpensive gun. In that regard, the S&W Sigma is kind of a poor man's Glock. In fact, so similar to the Glock's design was it that S&W was sued by Glock and had to make a couple design changes, primarily to the trigger pull. Sigma has a much heavier pull than Glock (about 10-11 pounds). I like the gun overall, but don't especially care for the trigger pull, probably because I'm used to carrying $750 Sig DA/SA guns for duty. Then again, some people even prefer the heavier pull on the Sigma as compared to the Glock, feeling that they are less likely to have an accidental discharge. All in all, Sigma is a nicely-priced option. I would also suggest you check out the Bersa Thunder Pro. Again, a very competitively-priced gun that shoots quite nicely and also comes in a compact version. It's not a Glock, or Springfield, Sig, or higher-end S&W, but a very nice "cheaper" alternative. Even with this gun though, you have to decide if you like the DA/SA configuration and use of decocking/safety lever.

Best of luck. And check out Bud's Guns.

Glock 22 .40 cal is the way to go.


Love mine. Even if you choose to go with another caliber I still can't go against Glock for what you want to use it for. Easy to clean, easy to maintain, good steady shooting gun. Glock 22 is going to give you everything you want and more. Feels good and shoots even better.

Some have alluded to the safety issues but I will drive the point on home, if you end up with the Glock be sure to take care and be responsible. No safety and like Cooperstown said, light trigger pull. Basically your only safety is to have your finger off the trigger. Once you rachet back your live and can empty a whole clip without having any way to stop it other than not pulling the trigger. If your a casual shooter you may not like this as no safety equals safety concerns but I'm not really much more than your casual shooter and it has never been a problem with me you just have to watch what you are doing and be responsible. I keep mine with me in my glove box but do not keep the clip in it, I do however keep the clip close enough to grab and stab if the situation calls. Lastly, like any gun always check when shooting to make sure it is empty but for a Glock this is super important due to no safety. If it is still racheted back it can and will shoot if there is a bullet still in the chamber so even when you think it is out you have to pay extra attention to make sure it is not since there is no safety.

Originally Posted by cooperstown

Wrestler, also consider Bud's Guns in Lexington. You can purchase from them online, but unless you are already certain which gun you want, I'd recommend going to the store in person to get a feel for the weapon and discuss with them the exact features of the gun. There are many variances between semi-auto handguns - single action only, double action only, DA/SA, trigger pull, external safety, magazine disconnect, decock lever (to safely drop hammer from from single action), all-steel or polymer-based (lighter) gun, hammer fired or striker pin fired, gun finish, style of sight, and on and on and on. The point is that many of these features are personal shooter (or agency) preference and you need physically see and feel - and hopefully test fire - the ones you in which you are truly interested in order to make an informed decision.

I've been a federal agent for 25 years, a firearms instructor for 23 yrs, shot competitively for many years (no longer), have Sig, S&W, and Remington armorer certifications, own several handguns, and plink around quite a bit. Certainly no expert, but not exactly a novice either. I've carried S&W revolvers (late 80's/early 90's), Sig 9mm and .357 semi-autos (1992-2011), and now the S&W M&P .40 for duty. In fact, me and 19 other instructors from my agency just spent this past week with S&W to get our armorer certification and ramp up to start the M&P .40 transition training for the field agents. I own or have owned numerous revolvers, a Glock 19, Sig .380, Bersa .380, Colt .45, and a Beretta .32.

You've been given some nice options already - Glock is a super gun, no question, but you have to carefully train with it (or with any gun, for that matter) since it has a very light trigger pull that will surprise you if you're used to DAO guns. Nothing wrong with that, by any means, but just one of those feaures that you need to understand before purchasing. I know guys that simply wanted nothing to do with it because of this light trigger pull (BTW, you can put on a different trigger with a heavier pull) or believed (incorrectly) it did not have sufficient safety features. Springfield is a very nice gun also. I've only shot this weapon a couple times, but was impressed. Keep in mind that both Glock and Springfield are pricier guns.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I get the feeling you're looking for a nice, relatively inexpensive gun. In that regard, the S&W Sigma is kind of a poor man's Glock. In fact, so similar to the Glock's design was it that S&W was sued by Glock and had to make a couple design changes, primarily to the trigger pull. Sigma has a much heavier pull than Glock (about 10-11 pounds). I like the gun overall, but don't especially care for the trigger pull, probably because I'm used to carrying $750 Sig DA/SA guns for duty. Then again, some people even prefer the heavier pull on the Sigma as compared to the Glock, feeling that they are less likely to have an accidental discharge. All in all, Sigma is a nicely-priced option. I would also suggest you check out the Bersa Thunder Pro. Again, a very competitively-priced gun that shoots quite nicely and also comes in a compact version. It's not a Glock, or Springfield, Sig, or higher-end S&W, but a very nice "cheaper" alternative. Even with this gun though, you have to decide if you like the DA/SA configuration and use of decocking/safety lever.

Best of luck. And check out Bud's Guns.

Like Cooperstown said the S&W Sigma is a much cheaper version of a glock. It was the first gun that I purchased and my only complaint would be the heavy trigger pull but like he said you can change that. Now that I'm out of school I fully intend to go back and make some modifications to some of my guns.

Also you may consider a used firearm. There are a lot of firearms out there that have seen very little use. I picked up my Sringfield XD used for just over $400.00. It shows very little wear and shoots just fine.