New to forum & New shooter!! I need advice on my next gun......

UrbanMan · Jul 23, 2010

CCSweetheart,
I have alot of handguns,....wheelguns, single actions and semis,...... my favorites are not what I carry on a daily basis as I carry a Glock 19 as my primary plain clothes gun and a Kel-Tec .32 auto as a backup. Actually my favorite handguns are a S&W Model 627 8 shot .357 Mag and a S&W 686 6 shot .357 Mag.

Years ago I settled on several different Glocks, because I was teaching transition courses. They are reliable and easy to shoot. I own Glock 17's, 19's, 22's and 23's. If I started over, I would buy the excellent Smith & Wesson M&P semis.

I don't think I'll ever buy another semi-auto unless it has a picatinny (aka 1913) rail to mount a handgun light. Just find them much to handy not to be able to mount and use one. My house guns are a Glock 22 with an Surefire X200 pistol light and a Glock 23 with a Surefire X200 tactical light and I have a ITI M3X light sitting next to my Glock 17 in the gun safe.

I have a short video at my urbansurvivalskills site showing the illumination from a pistol light down a hallway. Urban Survival Skills: Urban Survival Firearms - Tactical Handgun Lights

So I guess you can tell I'm suggesting you check out a Glock or S&W M&P and include a tactical light. I'll think you'll be glad you did. Good luck, young lady.

Ballistic · Jul 25, 2010

You might consider taking a class from the Jacobe Group in Salem. They have a very good reputation.

They regularly offer shooting classes for women only. There is one coming up at the end of August. The nice thing about this class, other than the instruction, is that they bring out their whole arsenal and you can try everything they have. This is a great way to get the "perfect" gun before spending hundreds of dollars.

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CCSweetheart · Jul 25, 2010

They just shot the CZ in a challenge on Top Shot

That Jim Jacobe class sounds fantastic, I'm going to check it out for sure!

Thanks so much for the continued input! The Smith & Wesson M&P has come up several times in different arenas for me... I think I saw one at the gun show, and remember remarking to my dad that it looked like a good range gun to me.

The lights are interesting, I hadn't really considered them before, but the advantages are obvious. I have a laser on my LCP but just the other nite had a glitch with my garage door, and had to clear my house at 3 am ( I waited for 2 friends to show up ), the light may have been handy.

UrbanMan · Jul 25, 2010

CCSweatheart, I don't know Ballistic but he gives good advice. Always good to be able to shoot guns before you buy.

Training from professionals is highly advised as well. Clint Smith's Thunder Ranch is up in your neck of the woods and is well known and respected.

It pays to learn how to use a hand held flashlight with your weak hand sans a mounted tactical light. I'll be posting something to that effect on my site, http://www.urbansurvivalskills.com for a reader who asked me about lights on guns who do not have rails.

One of the things I have seen down here is a Woman's Weekend at the Range, where there are three 2.5 hour classes per day that attending ladies rotate to. More classes than you can take, but you have your pick. Classes like: Defensive Handnguns, Women's Self Defense, Building Survival Shelter and Firebuilding, Map Reading and Land Navigation, Blackpowder Firearms, Archery, Riding ATV's, and a host of others. I think the NRA has something to do with it. Sounds like something that should be nationwide.

Good luck to you. All of you up there in the Pacific Northwest stay safe.

UrbanMan

franign · Mar 10, 2011

Hello CCS,

just stumbled onto this post...

I am a new shooter also and my first gun was a Sig 239 SAS. It feels great in my hand (I wear a size 6.5 glove) since it uses a single stack magazine. It's a DA/SA with a super short trigger reset....and you can't get better sights on a gun! I keep it in my nightstand drawer safe (open at night) and can see the sites glowing in the dark at all times. I then bought a Sig 238 for carry but I think it's too small (.380). My latest purchase is a Gen 4 Glock 19 and am starting to love it! Definitely take some classes at PSTC it you are in the Portland Metro area.. I have taken a few there and a few at OFA and have enjoyed learning personal & home defense as well as some tactics. Not to mention it seems you can never learn enough about handling a firearm safely. Hope you find the "piece" that fits you!