It's Been 40-Years...

[Ura-Ki]

I think if you were to run a poll here, you would find a pretty even spilt between the S&W and Glock! I have a lot of experience with most, and can say it comes down to the fit and feel between the two. I am a bit biased to the S&W .40s, they fit me better, and are a bit easier on concealed carry, not quite so harsh, and they come with better sights right from the get go! I' Not really a fan of the .40, but if fills a nich between high capasity 9 MM, with the increased power of .40 and while not a .45, it's a reasonable trade off! I also find the ergos better and my wife is more inclined to carry it vs her Shield, it's self a sweet pistol. Ask around here for a show of hands how many carry a shield to give an idea how good they are! The .40 is just that much better is a very similar platform, enough that you can transition between them with zero issues. As good as the modern 9 MM ammo has become, the .40 is really a better size and power! Good luck, let us know which way you decide to go!

 

[anonEmouse]

I think if you were to run a poll here, you would find a pretty even spilt between the S&W and Glock! I have a lot of experience with most, and can say it comes down to the fit and feel between the two. I am a bit biased to the S&W .40s, they fit me better, and are a bit easier on concealed carry, not quite so harsh, and they come with better sights right from the get go! I' Not really a fan of the .40, but if fills a nich between high capasity 9 MM, with the increased power of .40 and while not a .45, it's a reasonable trade off! I also find the ergos better and my wife is more inclined to carry it vs her Shield, it's self a sweet pistol. Ask around here for a show of hands how many carry a shield to give an idea how good they are! The .40 is just that much better is a very similar platform, enough that you can transition between them with zero issues. As good as the modern 9 MM ammo has become, the .40 is really a better size and power! Good luck, let us know which way you decide to go!

Thanks for the usable information. I'm partial to a 9mm due to the affordability and supply of ammunition. Nothing wrong with a .40, just more costly to shoot.

If the Glocks warrant such high regard, the S&W comparison would seem to be high praise then. Given the price difference, the S&W seems to offer a lot of value for the money. I think the Ruger Security 9 is fairly new on the market. They made a good product 40-years ago and seem to today as well. I just don't see those comparisons being made. The S&W is looking better.

 

[ItsLunchBOX]

I don't think Glock has anything on the S&W M&P line.

 

[DB is Here]

For polymer guns both the Glock & S&W are good options. Glock uses the Luger grip angle and S&W uses the Browning. Try to hold & shoot both, one will likely feel more at home to you. Good luck to you.

 

[Legs]

WTS OR - Glock 19 gen 2

 

[Tully Mars]

I understand that when it comes to opinions on guns (like many other things), opinions abound. I must admit I was hoping to see most of the responses, alright, at least a few, directly related to the questions asked. Nevertheless, I'll try to give a bit more information hoping it might help.

The budget is about $300. Both the Security 9 and the SD9VE are within budget and seem to be well thought of in this price range. I like the confidence of buying a name I'm familiar with, rather than a product I'm not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion on. Both the Ruger and the S&W tick that box as well. I would like the opinions (with reasonable explanations) from those who have actually fired these guns to offer their thoughts on why they would choose one over the other. If you have another gun you think I should seriously consider for about $300, fine. Just don't expect me to wait until a Glock 19 comes up for sale for $300. That would be a long wait for a sweetheart deal. Don't mean to be unappreciative.

I would look for a good used M&P in either 9mm or 40 short&wishful. Personally with regards to your wife Stay with the 9mm. Shot placement is most important in any situation and the 9mm is easier to master.
My

 

[Geardo]

Better to buy a good used gun than a cheap new gun. To be frank, if you can't afford the extra $150 for a better gun, you won't be able to afford to shoot it have you looked at ammo prices?

About $200/1000rds online for 9mm, which is about 5 range trips for me, so $40 a trip, plus $20-$30 in range fees if you go indoors, $10-$15 in gas if you drive to the woods .

The Smith and Wessons start out below $400, and you can find them cheaper used. I second everyone here on buying a used glock.

The common advice is to go rent a bunch of guns, but that is also expensive, and lots of people don't know how to hold a gun correctly anyway.

So my advice is buy a used g19 or g17, and then save up for a defensive handgun class, dry fire a lot, and buy ammo by the case online.

 

[Mikej]

...since I've owned a gun. That means I haven't kept up on things at all. I've been shooting several times with friends, and am ready to purchase one so I'm not always using theirs.

The main use will be range, plinking, and home defense. From what I've read, a good all-around caliber is 9mm as it's large enough to be useful and common enough to be relatively cheap to shoot. I don't have a lot to spend, so Glocks, Sig Sauer's, and the like are not realistic purchases for me. My wife has never shot anything before, so the plan is to start her on a friend's .22. If she takes to it at all, she'll move to the 9mm quickly. Still, recoil should be kept to a minimum in whatever I choose. Another consideration will be grip size. Her hands are smaller than mine. For reference, the Bersa Thunder .380ACP fir her hand perfectly, while it felt too small for mine.

I had initially settled on the Ruger Security 9. Stretched the budget a bit, but seems to be well made from what I read. Grip was more to my liking but seemed small enough that it might work for my wife as well. (She won't go gun shopping with me.) Then I started reading about the S&W SD9VE. Not only is it available for less money, but seems to be well thought of in this price range. Now, I can't make up my mind. Any advice, information, caveats, etc.?

I read your post!

If you want you're wife sharing this gun eventually stay with 9mm. Those advocating .40 or .45 have been shooting a long time and, apparently, have no clue anymore of the recoil difference. My CZ SP01 in .40, at 40 ounces, has quite the recoil. It's the all steel frame and good size rubber grips the keep the recoil tolerable for a couple hundred rounds.

I'm not a Glock guy, probably never own one, just because everyone else think they're so great I suppose. It would be a good choice though IMO. I would suggest not getting a pocket gun, LCP, and others of the size/weight. Even the larger S&W shield might be a little light for the wife. Wifey's first gun was little Keltek, and then an LCP9. They bite pretty good for a new shooter, even in 9mm. Target shooting with such a short barrel isn't very rewarding either. If you're wanting to target shoot out to 30' plus it could be hard for a newbie. A gun weighing in at 28-32 ozs is going to help with felt recoil and accuracy. For us, the carry guns are the only ones that are plastic. Range and home guns are steel, or alloy.

Being limited to $300.00 is kinda tough. Quite a few little hand biters for that money, but like I said....Maybe look at some other makes? Canik for one.
Canik TP9 Pistols : Cabela's

Reviews are pretty good. It should shoot well weighing in at 28 oz too.

I don't know how your local guy works as far as ordering goes. Here in PDX when I see a gun I want, I go to Kieth's, out in Gresham. They look it up. I pay my $50.00. They order it and that's all she wrote. Kieth's normally has better prices than most shops too.

That's my 5 cents. Good luck!

 

[anonEmouse]

I read your post!

If you want you're wife sharing this gun eventually stay with 9mm. Those advocating .40 or .45 have been shooting a long time and, apparently, have no clue anymore of the recoil difference. My CZ SP01 in .40, at 40 ounces, has quite the recoil. It's the all steel frame and good size rubber grips the keep the recoil tolerable for a couple hundred rounds.

I'm not a Glock guy, probably never own one, just because everyone else think they're so great I suppose. It would be a good choice though IMO. I would suggest not getting a pocket gun, LCP, and others of the size/weight. Even the larger S&W shield might be a little light for the wife. Wifey's first gun was little Keltek, and then an LCP9. They bite pretty good for a new shooter, even in 9mm. Target shooting with such a short barrel isn't very rewarding either. If you're wanting to target shoot out to 30' plus it could be hard for a newbie. A gun weighing in at 28-32 ozs is going to help with felt recoil and accuracy. For us, the carry guns are the only ones that are plastic. Range and home guns are steel, or alloy.

Being limited to $300.00 is kinda tough. Quite a few little hand biters for that money, but like I said....Maybe look at some other makes? Canik for one.
Canik TP9 Pistols : Cabela's

Reviews are pretty good. It should shoot well weighing in at 28 oz too.

I don't know how your local guy works as far as ordering goes. Here in PDX when I see a gun I want, I go to Kieth's, out in Gresham. They look it up. I pay my $50.00. They order it and that's all she wrote. Kieth's normally has better prices than most shops too.

That's my 5 cents. Good luck!

Thanks for the well reasoned response. I had already decided against a pocket gun for the reasons you mention, and because the intended usage is primarily range. Neither my wife or I want to be dealing with a small, snappy gun. Finding a handgun in my price range severely limits my options. I have reservations about brand names I'm not familiar with, and am apprehensive about the used market as I don't yet have the knowledge/experience to trust myself. I don't think that's unreasonable.

The Security 9 and SD9VE are both larger handguns, even if lighter than an all steel gun. I understand physics well enough to see the advantage of a higher mass gun, but that comes at a price I'm not ready to pay. The two I mention seem to offer a reasonable set of compromises - the main one being mass. My hope is that the larger size (combined with proper grip & shooting mechanics), will help mitigate that. First gun vs. forever gun for $300. Compromises abound.

If the wife doesn't take to range shooting, that leaves me with a gun that will likely only be used when I go with a friend. If not for that, the gun will remain at home reserved for the person crawling through a window in the middle of the night. Things will not go well for them. I'm not going to obsess over things like .10 second lost to a thumb safety or my having more rounds in the clip than they do. If I actually find myself in a position where I need to fire my weapon at another human being, it seems better to me to be able to hit what I'm shooting at. I am planning on shooting for enjoyment, not preparing for the Apocalypse.

 

[bbbass]

Sorry, got nothin for ya friend. Best wishes to you tho.

I do have to say that you would benefit from at least holding, if not shooting, both pistols. Otherwise, the differences in feel may not be readily apparent. IMO handgun fit is almost as important to shooting as is shotgun fit. Ie, the handgun should naturally point where you want to hit. For recoil management and accuracy, choose the one that fits well in the saddle/web of your thumb. Internal mechanics are important also.

I own a Ruger SR9c, which is based on Glock internals, and has a more narrow profile. I had to put a Hogue wrap on it because it turned out I didn't shoot it well, as I was used to Glock profile double-stack grips. The action is reliable. The Security 9 is a new internal design. Risky? IDK, I tend to trust Ruger.

Is the SD9VE similar to the M&P? I personally didn't like the trigger when I shot a friend's, same thing with Shield. You can pull the trigger on most of today's pistols in the gun store w/o concern for damage... see what you like the feel of. (Bad grammar, hee hee.)

 

[Vaultman]

Clearly there's a love affair with Glock. Perhaps it's warranted, but I wouldn't know. I've seen the term "Police turn-in" in the classifieds, but know nothing about what that means. Sorry, too green to have that knowledge yet. I wanted to keep my first purchase simple, not expecting to find my perfect forever handgun. Perhaps I just need to go buy something and start there. $300 isn't much to work with I know. I can get the S&W SD9VE for $240, which leaves room in my budget for ammo and a cleaning kit. The warranty is a nice thing to have too.

My dad has the SD40VE, and I have shot it. It shoots good for what it is. I was a Springfield XD fan, for years, then I bought a S&W (it was the M&P 2.0). I like the S&W much better. It has a much lower barrel profile, and is easier to handle the recoil.

The SD40VE is similar to the M&P. I would usually recommend the M&P 2.0, BUT I wouldn't suggest someone stretch their budget that is getting their first gun (save that for when you have more experience and know what you like). Therefore I would defiantly second the SD9VE.

I cannot comment on the Security 9. I have no experience with it. Sorry, I can't compare them for you, but hey my response was free.

 

[ItsLunchBOX]

I realize it's ~$100 more than you want to spend but I did find this:

Smith and Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Compact Black 9mm 4-inch 15rd Fixed Sights

Don't let the "compact" name fool you, it's about the size of the Glock 19.

 

[Joe13]

Ok, so I'll admit to skimming a few posts but I didn't see this anywhere....


You will not find a:
Good plinker
Good home defense
Low recoil
Carry comfortably

Gun anywhere. So I would make some priority's.

If you get a plinker then it might work for HD but probably not carry.

You can get a HD and Carry but probably will be a challenge at the range (recoil heavy and not bullseye accurate).


This is just my opinion.

A fullsize glock in 9mm (don't let the caliber debate get to you - no one wants to stand in front of a .22lr much less a 9mm so I personally stay away from .40 cuz it's snappy) like a glock 17 or 19 can be found used for just a little more then you have.

If home defense is a priority, look at a $200 shotgun and save for a decent pistol.

You didn't mention if you have kids in the house - shotguns can be hard to secure with kids over 3-4 without spending some cash.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Look here:
WTS OR - Beretta 92S $320

 

[ItsLunchBOX]

...am apprehensive about the used market as I don't yet have the knowledge/experience to trust myself. I don't think that's unreasonable.

Look here:
WTS OR - Beretta 92S $320

It doesn't look like he is interested in used at this time.

 

[Boboclown]

If you want you're wife sharing this gun eventually stay with 9mm. Those advocating .40 or .45 have been shooting a long time and, apparently, have no clue anymore of the recoil difference. My CZ SP01 in .40, at 40 ounces, has quite the recoil. It's the all steel frame and good size rubber grips the keep the recoil tolerable for a couple hundred rounds

Oh I know the recoil if side by side... I just consider the .45 to be easy to manage due to the way the recoil acts... Now .40 S&W? Never a fan of it. I always suggest 9mm or .45 ACP, more towards 9mm for first time shooters, but rarely suggest .40. Nothing against it, was just never a fan.

am apprehensive about the used market as I don't yet have the knowledge/experience to trust myself.

This depends on the gun to be honest. Some guns are easy to buy used, some really depends on you knowing what you're doing.

 

[Member 34319]

Although I drink the Glock coolaid, I will put in a recommendation for Canik line of pistols. They are great pistols for their price tag. However, you can never go wrong with a Glock in 9mm.

 

[Mikej]

Look here:
WTS OR - Beretta 92S $320

Though I'm just not into Beretta's (went CZ instead), if I were just beginning I'd go for this. I should say WHEN I was beginning I WOULD have been smart to go the Beretta route, instead of #####. You know the history, parts are available, long time dependable firearms. Nothing to lose here. Even if you don't like it, it would be good trade fodder, or sell outright with minimal loss, if any.

 

[anonEmouse]

I realize it's ~$100 more than you want to spend but I did find this:

Smith and Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Compact Black 9mm 4-inch 15rd Fixed Sights

Don't let the "compact" name fool you, it's about the size of the Glock 19.

Interesting, just more than I want to spend.

I started off looking at a Bersa Thunder .380ACP for about $220. I moved to a 9mm due to ammo availability & cost, and because the Bersa is small enough to be snappy in our hands. Having shot a friends S&W Bodygard .380 & Glock 42 .380, I found both to be small for my hand and a bit snappy, which means the wife won't like them.

My dad has the SD40VE, and I have shot it. It shoots good for what it is. I was a Springfield XD fan, for years, then I bought a S&W (it was the M&P 2.0). I like the S&W much better. It has a much lower barrel profile, and is easier to handle the recoil.

The SD40VE is similar to the M&P. I would usually recommend the M&P 2.0, BUT I wouldn't suggest someone stretch their budget that is getting their first gun (save that for when you have more experience and know what you like). Therefore I would defiantly second the SD9VE.

I cannot comment on the Security 9. I have no experience with it. Sorry, I can't compare them for you, but hey my response was free.

This makes sense to me. I get the lower barrel profile observation. Thank you for understanding there's a budget for a first gun, and if things progress from there, an upgrade based on at least some knowledge and experience may well be supported by a larger budget. I'm just not there yet.

I'm starting to favor the SD9VE over the Security 9 at this point due to about $100 difference in price.

 

[Member 34319]

Interesting, just more than I want to spend.

I started off looking at a Bersa Thunder .380ACP for about $220. I moved to a 9mm due to ammo availability & cost, and because the Bersa is small enough to be snappy in our hands. Having shot a friends S&W Bodygard .380 & Glock 42 .380, I found both to be small for my hand and a bit snappy, which means the wife won't like them.



This makes sense to me. I get the lower barrel profile observation. Thank you for understanding there's a budget for a first gun, and if things progress from there, an upgrade based on at least some knowledge and experience may well be supported by a larger budget. I'm just not there yet.

I'm starting to favor the SD9VE over the Security 9 at this point due to about $100 difference in price.

The SD9VE goes on sale often too. Usually at or around 300. Sometimes they show up here in the classified area for less too. Definitely a good start. I started my younger brother with this very pistol.