How to choose a gun to buy

[mblake]

I wanted to share a couple of posts that I wrote in my blog. These discuss pistol selection. There will be a couple of parts.


Pistol sizing
When most people go to buy a gun, they just hold it, and if it feels good in the hand, that's the best.
Really though, there are several issues to contemplate. I will slice it up into parts starting with size. When you are picking out a pistol, the most important size issue is the length of pull, meaning the distance between the back strap and the trigger. To aid in accuracy and trigger control, you want to have your finger contact and break the trigger between 45 degrees and 90 degrees.

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This will give you the best chance of controlling the trigger without disrupting the sights while firing. The next important size is grip. Feel the gun in your hand and make sure you can hold it well. This will help with recoil control and confidence. Grip length is will help with a good grip of course and some manufacturers will add to the grip length by utilizing an extended molded magazine. Be aware though, that this design makes it easy to pinch your hand during reloads. Some pistols have a different grip angle. Point it and see if it feels natural.
Now lets talk about trigger. Personal preference rules here. Some like a short crisp trigger with no take up, little stacking and a short reset. Well what does all that mean and what is your preference? Just dry fire it and compare it to some others and see what feels good to you. I will go into trigger issues in another blog since it is such an in depth subject. Besides, they say always leave them wanting more right?
Bottom line, the best gun is the gun you are carrying.

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[mblake]

Pistol Sizing (choosing a gun) part 2
I previously talked about sizing and how to check the length of pull in part one. I wanted to expand on this topic to include other issues. When you are deciding on a pistol, first determine what you are going to use it for. Let's focus on defensive use.
There is a dizzying variety of sizes and styles of pistols available, but for each change there is always a trade off. If you are going to carry a firearm concealed, then a large pistol is heavy, uncomfortable, and harder to conceal. Micro pistols are easy to conceal, light, and the most comfortable, but have small capacity, a very short sight radius, and often a short length of pull (discussed in part 1).
When you choose a gun, caliber will help drive the rest of the purchase. You want to choose a round that has enough power and penetration to get the job done, while still being able to control the recoil for good follow up shots during rapid fire. Balance that with the number of rounds the firearm carries and how much you can afford in long term costs of practice ammo. You may go with a 5.7 or a .357 sig for performance, and then not be able to afford to shoot it.
9mm has become the most popular choice of carry caliber by far. I have seen this trend change over the years, so don't get hung up on what is the popular choice of the day. Determine WHY and then decide if that is what should drive your choice.
Capacity will also drive some of the decision as various designs determine how many rounds that particular handgun will hold. You may decide that a revolver with 5 rounds is fine for you, or even a derringer with 2. You may also be on the other side of the scales and demand 17 rounds or more.
After thinking about a variety of potential problems, accuracy rates, multiple attackers, and terminal performance, lets say your minimum comfort level rides around 10 or more rounds of 9mm or better caliber. That means that you need to stay away from micro guns, and look at mid to large frame semi-autos.
Now decide what you want for weight, and that will split the steel frames and the polymers. So will how you carry it and if the firearm will be subject to weather, body sweat and salts, humidity, and temperature.
Sight Radius. The distance between the front and rear sights. The longer the slide, the longer you can make the sight radius and the easier it will be to line up the sights and keep them that way. We call this point-ability. This also adds to weight and is harder to conceal.
Are you going to add a light and other accessories? (red dot sight "RDS", laser, etc. If so, you will want a rail for the light and/or laser. If you are going to add a RDS, then you can either have the slide milled, or look at RDS ready models with interchangeable plates for different models. This will also drive your holster options. Always make sure the holster is available before you buy a gun or "upgraded accessories".
Having a hammer on your pistol allows you to cock the hammer for a lighter single action trigger, or maybe even carry it cocked and locked. (side note, I just realized I need to just have a glossary of terms rather than defining as I go. Look for that in the future. It also means that you will have a different trigger weight between your first and subsequent shots if not cocked into single action first. Hammers can catch on clothing and other items as well as (again) making it harder to conceal. Without it though, you won't be able to make that cool cocking sound letting the bad guys know that you really mean it this time.
So lets say you have great eyes and have decided on a mid frame, 9mm, polymer, striker fired pistol with a mounted light and standard iron night sights. You are almost there. Now you have to decide on grip length, if you want an external manual safety, do you care where it is manufactured, quality and finally, the price.
Feel the trigger (discussed in another blog), can you change the magazine without pinching your hand. Can you rack the slide?
In this hypothetical purchase, you find that the length of pull is correct, it fits your hand, you can reach and manipulate the controls, change magazines, the sights are clear and easy to see, the light is bright and the holster fits the gun and your draw style. The pistol is a quality brand with good customer service and aftermarket support. Now you can make the purchase confident that you have only one hurdle left. Explaining it to your other half…

 

[Alexx1401]

The hands down most important thing when someone is looking to buy a gun is to shoot it first if at all possible. The first thing I tell anyone who asks me is "do you have a range with rentals near you?" No matter how many people tell them how great XYZ gun is, or how "nice it feels" it will mean nothing if they do not like it comes time to shoot it. If there is just no way to rent some to try then it is of course important to at least be able to handle one first.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

The hands down most important thing when someone is looking to buy a gun is to shoot it first if at all possible. The first thing I tell anyone who asks me is "do you have a range with rentals near you?" No matter how many people tell them how great XYZ gun is, or how "nice it feels" it will mean nothing if they do not like it comes time to shoot it. If there is just no way to rent some to try then it is of course important to at least be able to handle one first.

Very true....
Back in the good old days before BGC's for private sales....
At the gun club I was in , a fella brought in a shotgun for sale...two other guys really liked how the gun looked and felt to them....but neither could hit squat with it....
Third guy...sees the gun....likes the gun ...and couldn't miss with it....so he ended up with it
That was a fun "sale" to watch....
Andy

 

[Certaindeaf]

drtwt but

1: It's not the gun.
2: it's the Indian.





lol

 

[Tony617]

When I pick a new pistol I always go to the gun range and rent the gun first to my see if I like it or not. The only pistol that I could not try was my HK VP9. I took a chance and bought it and was a good pistol for me.

 

[The Heretic]

 

[Alexx1401]

Very true....
Back in the good old days before BGC's for private sales....
At the gun club I was in , a fella brought in a shotgun for sale...two other guys really liked how the gun looked and felt to them....but neither could hit squat with it....
Third guy...sees the gun....likes the gun ...and couldn't miss with it....so he ended up with it
That was a fun "sale" to watch....
Andy

Yep I tend to be a LOT more careful now. I all my life would often buy some gun just to try it. If I did not like it or tired of it would just sell it. Could always get all or almost all of my money back. Well those days are over now. So try to be much more careful about what I buy.

 

[bbbass]

Despite pre-screening as noted by da blog, the gun may suck when you shoot it. @Alex1401 has the right idea!!!

I look forward to the next blog on "What is the best calibre for deer/elk/hog/coyote/diggers/goat/bear/Yeti!!! And the one on what round is the best for "one shot stops". Hey, how bout one on how to choose a hunting partner, a shooting buddy, or how to find a firearms friendly mate???

Thanx for sharing!!!

 

[oremike]

I have gone through this distillation process to find what appears to the "just right for my needs gun" only to find that after owning it for awhile it just sat in the safe and didn't "grow" on me. Other guns I've bought on a whim and find I really like them. I guess for me the correct answer is "just one more".

 

[Certaindeaf]

When I pick a new pistol I always go to the gun range and rent the gun first to my see if I like it or not. The only pistol that I could not try was my HK VP9. I took a chance and bought it and was a good pistol for me.

Back before they made guns, when I was 16, I did my research and bought a new Hi-Power with adjustable sights.. without having shot or handled one. Things were simpler back then.
Guess what.? I somehow got by.

 

[deadeye]

1. Buy the gun.
2. shoot the gun.
3. like the gun? shoot it some more.
4. don't like it? put it in the way back nether regions of one of the safes. Find it years later and wonder when you got that, think to self HUH? OH WELL order more mags before ya forget and take it out shooting again.
5. Still don't like it? Stupid laws nowadays! OH! the kids Birthday is coming up soon......Happy Birthday son.

 

[Kruel J]

Buy a Glock 17. Fixes all the problems and looks good too.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I put it under my twenty mattresses and if I can't feel that pea shooter, it's alll good.

 

[User 1234]

The correct answer is; one of each.

 

[Unicykle]

Pick the most tacticool one duhhh

 

[HA556]

Glockeymon, I choose you!!

 

[OldTengu]

Step 1: Find a gun
Step 2: Buy the gun

 

[Ura-Ki]

Step 1: Find a gun
Step 2: Buy the gun

Rinse and repeat until safe is filled to overflowing, then buy new safe, and start over!