by gunnnie » 25 Apr 2021, 10:06 am
Fairly sage advice among most posts.
One big take is personal like. If you really, really like a gun, you're mentally & emotionally invested in it. Ergo, you'll enjoy shooting that gun, want to shoot that gun etc.
I've coached many new shooters over the years and often asked to help/mentor new shooters struggling.
New shooters without any prior handgun or shooting experience, are better served with a 22 as their first pistol. Why, several reasons; cost of gun & ammo, shootability, comparative ease of recoil control, fear factor. Sometimes stepping straight into a centrefire isn't a good idea. Without proper/thorough continuous tuition, bad habits are formed. Which invariably leads to a longer period of relearning & developing the correct habits.
Brands, well there's plenty to choose from, but it'll boil down to personal choice based on how the gun fits your hand and your liking of it. Me, I like the 22 cal Rugers. Good design, good ergonomics (for most folks), very good accuracy potential, good upgrade options & importantly, prices (both new & 2nd hand).
Centrefires, no fixed preferences. I'm not a brand snob in this regard. Personally, I run Rugers, S&W, Tanfoglio, Glock, Taurus & Springfield.
As for Glocks, I'm a fan, also a Glock armourer. I run a modified Gen3 Mod34 in a couple of comps. Would I recommend it for a new handgun shooter, probably not! It's not a real easy gun to learn how to control & shoot accurately. I've seen this belief founded on too many occasions with new handgun owners & their Glocks.
Ultimately, I always advise any new shooter looking to decide on their first gun, try to handle/ shoot as many different guns as possible. Most shooters won't mind allowing a beginner to fire a few rounds through their gun.