Looking at buying a pistol for sport shooting (and ultimately home defense). Having trouble deciding between Sig P365 and Glock 19. Seems like both are good range guns and good accuracy. The Sig has a manual safety where the Glock has "safe action".
I'm fairly new to shooting, so I plan on taking private lessons. I've fired both but am having trouble "pulling the trigger" on which one to buy.
Also, what's the best secure storage case to use? I was leaning finger-print access but dealer told me that in high adrenaline situations, sweat on hands can prevent the finger print from opening.
In terms of pistol, take the NRA Basic Pistol course. I did and fired so many different models of revolver and semi-auto. I found I didn't like the hand feel of Glock, nor did I like how light it felt in my hand. I went with a Sig P226 in .40.
It's all about personal preference. Just spend a lot of time at the range with it. A lot.
I like the way that Sigs feel in my hand - they just set correctly when I aim. I have a Sig Mosquito that is the .22 version(scaled down) of the P226 IIRC.
Have you tried the Springfield XD? For fun, if your range offers rentals and they have the Springfield try it.
Tactical Sport Orange - ( New Window )
Glocks are very light - like a Glock 17 (IMO).
I have several but my favorite is a Sig Sauer P226 and it's heavier and I like the additional weight.
If you have access to one, go to a shop that also has a range and that will let you shoot the gun (or a similar one) before buying. There is one near me and it helped.
Glocks are very light - like a Glock 17 (IMO).
I have several but my favorite is a Sig Sauer P226 and it's heavier and I like the additional weight.
If you have access to one, go to a shop that also has a range and that will let you shoot the gun (or a similar one) before buying. There is one near me and it helped.
P226 is rather expensive...$1000+/-
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go to a good gun shop with a solid variety and hold the firearm in your hands and see what feels good.
Glocks are very light - like a Glock 17 (IMO).
I have several but my favorite is a Sig Sauer P226 and it's heavier and I like the additional weight.
If you have access to one, go to a shop that also has a range and that will let you shoot the gun (or a similar one) before buying. There is one near me and it helped.
P226 is rather expensive...$1000+/-
I have had it a while, but I paid $850 with 5 magazines.
2) I'd say it's best to define what you will need your pistol for. Is it strictly home-defense? Will you be carrying/concealed carrying? Are you looking for competition shooting? Prioritize those answers and that'll help you narrow down your search.
I mainly ask because the two guns you mentioned are decent first gun choices but best served for different purposes. The P365 is an outstanding choice for concealed carry. It's micro-compact that holds 10 rounds of 9mm in a flush fit magazine and is only an inch wide. Though it's a bit small if you don't ever intend to conceal carry. The G19 is a compact but still larger than the Sig. You can definitely conceal carry a G19 but Glocks have their own quirks(unique grip angle, trigger safety, etc.). Btw, the base P365 does not have a manual safety. You CAN get a model with a thumb safety, though. But make sure it has the manual safety before you buy just in case you want one with it.
Sport shooting usually implies competition shooting. Stuff like 3-gun or IDPA which has limitations depending on which divisions you might intend to compete in. There you can find a lot of tricked out intended-for-competition guns like the aforementioned CZ Shadow's and the like. Impressive guns that aren't cheap by any means but they are purpose built to be fast, smooth, and have lighter trigger pulls than most every stock self-defense carry pistol.
3) Watch some videos on youtube that discuss what you need to look out for in your first handgun. Things like weight, grip size, trigger pull weight, trigger pull length, what action the gun uses(is it a striker-fire? double-action/single-action? single-action only?), type of sights, etc. There's a huge amount of options in the self-defense handgun market and it could be overwhelming if you don't put in the time to do your homework.
4) If you have a friend who has several pistols, go to the range with them. Offer to purchase a few boxes of ammo and try out what guns he/she has to get a feel for them. Barring that, definitely see if you can go to a range that rents out pistols. Try a variety and get a feel for they shoot. What might feel great for one might not feel good for another.
A cheap gun that you can handle/shoot well will always beat an expensive gun that you can't. It's like cars in that regard. No point in buying a Ferrari(The CZ Shadow) if you are most comfortable/confident driving a Honda(A Glock G19).
Lastly, I understand that you're new to shooting and the first gun purchase won't necessarily make or break your interest in this hobby. But I did a lot of the same things you did and asked around and got a lot of anecdotal opinions. Ended up buying a Springfield XD9 as my first gun. Years later after learning more, I had regrets. Not because the gun didn't shoot well or that it failed on me in a stress induced situation. But rather when my interest grew and I sought out more of a variety of guns to suit my needs, I found myself bringing the XD to the range less and less until I just didn't shoot it at all. Ended up trading it in years later and used what I got for it towards a P365.
Do your homework. Learn as much as you can. There's a wealth of information available online from shooting blogs to well-known youtube channels. And even then, you don't buy a car without test driving it, right? Best of luck to you.
My favorite to either carry or to range shoot because accuracy is what's needed is a S&W 44 mag 6" K frame.
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In comment 16026305 pjcas18 said:
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go to a good gun shop with a solid variety and hold the firearm in your hands and see what feels good.
Glocks are very light - like a Glock 17 (IMO).
I have several but my favorite is a Sig Sauer P226 and it's heavier and I like the additional weight.
If you have access to one, go to a shop that also has a range and that will let you shoot the gun (or a similar one) before buying. There is one near me and it helped.
P226 is rather expensive...$1000+/-
I have had it a while, but I paid $850 with 5 magazines.
I just looked it up..prices have gotten nutso, but Glock has kept the number down. I have wanted a 1911, but even they are nutso prices.
Regarding storage there are several on the market. Check out Gun Safe, Inc. They have combo and finger print locks for quick opening. Another note when storing loaded magazines you might want to rotate them as maintaining pressure on the springs can eventully lead to a malfunction. Personally my home protection gun is a revolver so I don't worry about the spring issue.
this is so true. When I bought my first gun the guy who owned the gun shop said guns are like tattoos for some people, once you get one, you want a lot more.
It was spot on.
I started with a 9mm pistol, then a different 9mm pistol, then a 10mm maybe a 40 cal, then start getting into rifles, then shot guns, and it's a lot of fun and very expensive.
training and safety courses are the right first step and make sure (I cannot emphasize this enough) you fully know and understand your state and local laws.
Gun laws vary widely by state and how you are legally required to carry it and ammo and even some times what you can buy (you can't buy a new Glock in Massachusetts for example - or a revolver as another example) and so many people get tripped up by their state gun laws.
As far as pistol goes, I agree with everyone. Find what feels best for you and meets your purpose. My first pistol was a Springfield XD-9 almost 20 years ago (got one with nickel top and black bottom). Then a few years later, I splurged and got myself a Kimber Tactical Pro II 1911. While the XD-9 is much easier to shoot, the Kimber is just such a great gun. I haven't had many opportunities to shoot since my kids were born; however, I bought a dry-fire system that is integrated with a smartphone at to keep your shooting fundamentals sharp. Highly recommend it.
It's been said time and again that we're living in the golden age of striker fired 9mm pistols and I'm a believer.
As far as the P365 goes, and they've since launched a myriad of iterations, it has a very narrow grip which lends itself to being a terrific conceal carry pistol. If you however have a medium to large hand you'll likely find it uncomfortable.
As some have suggested a Glock might be the way to go in that it's very reasonably priced (comparatively) and as many Glock owners will tell you it's very versatile in that it's modular and accessories are easy to find. The Glock 19 is a versatile sized pistol and may be the most popular pistol on the market. The G43x is a terrific value in the subcompact category and has a wider grip that you may find more suitable than the P365.
If you want to bump things up a bit I would highly recommend almost anything in the H&K line or the Walther line. The H&K VP9 or VP9sk (sub kompact) and Walther Q4 or Q5 as well as the more recent PDP are beautifully designed. The PDP is easily one of my fav's and is reasonably priced. The Q4 and Q5 are on the more expensive side.
As others have also suggested, go online and do your due diligence. There are a bunch of great people out there who will tell you everything you need to know in a short video.
A couple of online reviewers that I might recommend are the Honest Outlaw and Sootch00 They cover everything you would want to know and they do it in a clear and concise manner.
Best of luck and enjoy the process.
That said I too am leaning Glock 19 gen5.
You can play with sports pistols at various price points to see what is the most fun. When you're picking a self-defense weapon, make absolutely, get something reliable, be sure you are 100% familiar with all of the functions and practice diligently.
You can play with sports pistols at various price points to see what is the most fun. When you're picking a self-defense weapon, make absolutely, get something reliable, be sure you are 100% familiar with all of the functions and practice diligently.
Great point on the different natures of sports and self defense pistols. Even training for sports shooting and self defense shooting are different. Case in example, I had never shot from the hip with my pistols prior to taking a concealed carry training from a former Marine Force Recon Gunny. I had always focused on good fundamentals of marksmanship throughout my Marine Corps training, which is more in line with sports shooting. Of course you should be sound fundamentally, but stress firing, firing from the hip, etc. should also be practiced if you want a pistol for self defense.
Most likely the best self-defense is not the best range gun. You should buy one for the pocket (summer use), one for winter (a bit larger easier to conceal), one for the range, and one left close by the bed at home.
Try shooting a Glock, then an H&K after. Kimbers are cool, but are particular. Springfields are good....Most major manufacturers are good.
Take a couple of courses and go to the range a lot at first, get good habits.
Good luck!
If you want to bump things up a bit I would highly recommend almost anything in the H&K line or the Walther line. The H&K VP9 or VP9sk (sub kompact)
Both are great!
My youngest daughter, probably 18, had already been shooting either .22 or 9mm with me. But in the live fire I was surprised she said she liked the .45 (Glock 21) best. She's about 5'3" 120ish. Her explanation was that the 9mm and .40 have a sharp recoil, but the .45 was more like a thud, more of a push back. She was right - I had never looked at it that way before. I like the 9mm, but not happy with the .40 as it does have a snappy recoil. The .45 was more of a pushback/thud recoil.
I guess my point is, that trying different calibers without preconceived notions is a good idea.
The 20-guage with #3 buck is as effective as anything else you can use, will not have as much wall penetration danger, and is eminently controllable.
The 20-guage with #3 buck is as effective as anything else you can use, will not have as much wall penetration danger, and is eminently controllable.
You don't want to shoot buckshot in your home. It WILL ricochet off hard objects and penetrate soft walls. Dangerous for anyone in close quarters. Best to use a larger grain (#3 or #4 Shot) and have a choke on the shotgun to limit the spread... Also, don't get a pump action shotgun if you're not strong enough to lock and load.
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...and go with a .22 LR for range shooting and a 20-guage shotgun for home defense. You can shoot thousands of rounds of .22 for a fraction of the cost of heavier calibers. In addition, you shoot someone with a .22 LR hollow-point, they're either going to die or run away. You aren't looking to disable them; you want to scare them off. Plus, the .22 is much more accurate and controllable.
The 20-guage with #3 buck is as effective as anything else you can use, will not have as much wall penetration danger, and is eminently controllable.
You don't want to shoot buckshot in your home. It WILL ricochet off hard objects and penetrate soft walls. Dangerous for anyone in close quarters. Best to use a larger grain (#3 or #4 Shot) and have a choke on the shotgun to limit the spread... Also, don't get a pump action shotgun if you're not strong enough to lock and load.
I'll buy that, but penetration is still far less than a heavier handgun. I use a 20 over-and-under, one full choke, one modified. Hell, even if you use a field load, no one in their right mind is going to stick around for a second barrel.
You can hardly go wrong with a Sig or an H&K handgun. VP9 is a very friendly and reliable gun, I own it and I love it. When I am tactical shooting I have a tendency to hit a standard mag release under stress. With the H&K trigger guard mag release, that problem goes away. It's very different than the P226. The 226 is a tank and is a solid metal frame and most often a DA/SA with the decocker; I have the MK25 version and it's probably my favorite 9mm handgun. The VP9 has a polymer frame and is striker fired. The variable grip panels and finger grooves allow you to adjust it to fit your hand. You can't go wrong with either one, but they're really very different pistols... I've just given you good reasons to get one of each.
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get a premise permit, I went into LI Outdoorsman determined to get either a Glock 19 or a Sig P226. I held both and then the salesman handed me a H&K VP9 and it was over. Everyone's mileage varies, but the H&K felt like it was built for my hands.
You can hardly go wrong with a Sig or an H&K handgun. VP9 is a very friendly and reliable gun, I own it and I love it. When I am tactical shooting I have a tendency to hit a standard mag release under stress. With the H&K trigger guard mag release, that problem goes away. It's very different than the P226. The 226 is a tank and is a solid metal frame and most often a DA/SA with the decocker; I have the MK25 version and it's probably my favorite 9mm handgun. The VP9 has a polymer frame and is striker fired. The variable grip panels and finger grooves allow you to adjust it to fit your hand. You can't go wrong with either one, but they're really very different pistols... I've just given you good reasons to get one of each.
+1 on the VP9. The range in Bridgeport, CT has a rental program so I went through all of their 9mm offerings over the course of a few sessions and the choice was very clear for me...felt good in my hand and I was more accurate with it than the other popular mfg/frames I sampled. I also inherited a stainless Walther PPK .380 from my late Father in Law that wasn't even broken in. Cool pistol for it's size and caliber.
My safety course instructor (I take occasional private lessons with him as I am still a beginner) carries a P226 as his daily CC. It's a classic.