Pistol Recommendations

[Cain]

I am looking for recommendations from people for a pistol to use on-duty, and just to have. I am looking for something that is bigger then a 9mm but smaller then a 50 caliber rifle shot lol. Here are my preferences:

Cost: Not a issue if it's under 2-3 thousand
Caliber: Anything about a 9mm
Magazine: 15+ shots
Size: Any size
Brand: Don't care

Why do I want it? Mainly for practice, and fun. Secondly, from my understanding once I get the job I am shooting for (Air Force Security Forces) sometimes you can carry your own side-arm, or just have two, and I'd love to have my own.

I was wanting my dad's (was my grandpa's) .357 S&W but he won't sell it to me so eh.

 

[Big Black Dog]

If you are in the military, they will furnish you with whatever firearm they want you to have. I would be very surprised if they let you use your own. It doesn't work that way in the real world son.

 

[Madeline]

This is just me, Cain, but if I bought a gun to carry I would never get anything but a .38. I do not like the slide mechanism you need to pull to fire the others, and a .38, if kept in good working order, will (almost) never fail.

It has only 8 shots (or is it 6?) but I dun plan to attend any gun battles a la the Valentine's Day Massacre.

One last thing: if you decide to carry, get training from a law enforcement officer. Listen to him or her about WHEN to brandish a weapon....and give it some thought. If you dun know for sure that you will shoot to kill, all you do is contribute the gun to your assailant.

That is why I don't carry.

 

[Mr. H.]

Get a .357 S&W that you can someday give to your grandkid.

 

[Cain]

If you are in the military, they will furnish you with whatever firearm they want you to have. I would be very surprised if they let you use your own. It doesn't work that way in the real world son.

Well, I have had a few guys in the military tell me they where able to pack their own weapon, dad.

I'd be willing to pull the trigger in self-defense, that is the whole point of having one. I usually have one on my when I'm outside working just because I've had so many run ins with animals lol. That is usually as 12 gauge though.

 

[whitehall]

The greatest handgun ever invented is 100 years old. John Moses Browning pistol is still in use and relatively unchanged. It's ironic that the Military chose to convert from the M-1911 .45 Cal pistol to a relatively anemic 9mm to conform with NATO specs when many of the elite law-enforcement agencies like the FBI are going to the more potent .45 round. My guess is that the influx of weak wristed girls forced the Military to go to the lighter and less recoil 9MM. "Weak wrist" is a real term used in the shooting fraternity to denote the failure to chamber the next round when the wrist is held too losely and the slide doesn't pick up a round from the clip.

 

[hjmick]

I wouldn't trade my Colt 1911 for anything... Well maybe a Wilson Combat 1911...

 

[westwall]

The best thing you can do is go down to the local gun shop and handle as many differnet handguns as possible. Find one that you just love to have in your hand. For me it's the 1911 and the Colt SAA, I just love the way they feel in my hand. If they feel good you'll shoot them well.

 

[Mini 14]

If you're allowed to select your own weapon, I agree with those who are offering the .45. The advantage of the 9 is more rounds. After training, you're not going to need a lot of rounds to hit what you're intending to hit, so knock-down power is going to become a more important issue than number of tries you'll get to hit your target.

whitehall has been around a firearm or two in his/her life Good insight in those few lines. Westwall's also (it probably isn't a coincidence that most of us "gun nuts" migrate to the 1911 frame. For me, that's almost all there is anymore, and the Hi Power is truly a classic).

Springfield XD 45 will hold 13 rounds. When I'm not carrying a 1911, that's the one on my side. In the military, your sidearm is really only used to allow you time to get to your primary weapon. I assume you'll be carrying/issued an M4 as well? If that is true, mag capacity isn't as big an issue.

For the money, I think Springfield is hard to beat (ESPECIALLY their 1911's). If money isn't an object, find an old Colt Commander, Hi Power, or have Bill Wilson build one for you (or build one yourself). Bill's work is excellent, if you allow him to fit you properly and don't have a "I want THIS no matter what" attitude going in.

Best of luck, and thanks for your service!

 

[Mad Scientist]

If you are in the military, they will furnish you with whatever firearm they want you to have. I would be very surprised if they let you use your own. It doesn't work that way in the real world son.

Well, I have had a few guys in the military tell me they where able to pack their own weapon, dad.

I'd be willing to pull the trigger in self-defense, that is the whole point of having one. I usually have one on my when I'm outside working just because I've had so many run ins with animals lol. That is usually as 12 gauge though.

The Military is full of "story tellers". The only personal weapon you can use on duty and during deployments is a knife. And there are restrictions on that as well.

AF Military lesson #1: When an Airman tells you something, confirm it with an NCO before doing it.

 

[Skull Pilot]

I'm partial to the Springfield Armory .45s

 

[whitehall]

If you're allowed to select your own weapon, I agree with those who are offering the .45. The advantage of the 9 is more rounds. After training, you're not going to need a lot of rounds to hit what you're intending to hit, so knock-down power is going to become a more important issue than number of tries you'll get to hit your target.

whitehall has been around a firearm or two in his/her life Good insight in those few lines. Westwall's also (it probably isn't a coincidence that most of us "gun nuts" migrate to the 1911 frame. For me, that's almost all there is anymore, and the Hi Power is truly a classic).

Springfield XD 45 will hold 13 rounds. When I'm not carrying a 1911, that's the one on my side. In the military, your sidearm is really only used to allow you time to get to your primary weapon. I assume you'll be carrying/issued an M4 as well? If that is true, mag capacity isn't as big an issue.

For the money, I think Springfield is hard to beat (ESPECIALLY their 1911's). If money isn't an object, find an old Colt Commander, Hi Power, or have Bill Wilson build one for you (or build one yourself). Bill's work is excellent, if you allow him to fit you properly and don't have a "I want THIS no matter what" attitude going in.

Best of luck, and thanks for your service!

This isn't the venue to discuss this but it's interesting that American men have been so browbeaten in the last 30 years that they are afraid to refer to someone by the male gender. When the name doesn't designate the gender it's OK to say him or his, the gender cops aren't going to come down on you, yet. Whitehall is definitely male. I carried the .45 in the Marines as a radio operator but I went to the wheelgun when I went on the Police Force. I managed to shoot expert in NRA combat matches even though the revolver opens the wrong way for us left handers.

 

[Cain]

If you are in the military, they will furnish you with whatever firearm they want you to have. I would be very surprised if they let you use your own. It doesn't work that way in the real world son.

Well, I have had a few guys in the military tell me they where able to pack their own weapon, dad.

I'd be willing to pull the trigger in self-defense, that is the whole point of having one. I usually have one on my when I'm outside working just because I've had so many run ins with animals lol. That is usually as 12 gauge though.

The Military is full of "story tellers". The only personal weapon you can use on duty and during deployments is a knife. And there are restrictions on that as well.

AF Military lesson #1: When an Airman tells you something, confirm it with an NCO before doing it.

Hmm, granted lol.

Also, do you know where I cold check on this from a official website? It's not addressed in any Air Force website I can find so far?

 

[ColdWarVeteran]

After having a 9mm jam on me during range, I switched to an old-fashioned .357 during my law enforcement career. Everyone carried Glocks, SIGs and all manner of .40 and nines. If your willing to forgo ammunition displacement, I would suggest a revolver.

 

[whitehall]

Relax and get the job before you try to pack the gear. It don't look like you have the slightest idea of what you are talkin about. As a matter of fact the post looks like a fishin expedition by the dumbest federal agency to come down the pike, the ATF. I recommend not responding.

 

[Missourian]

As has been mentioned, the military supplies your firearm.

When I was in the service, the Army was just starting to switch to the M9 9mm from the M1911 .45cal.

I trained on the M1911, and I still own one...but it is 7 rounds +1...not 15 +1.

I would suggest the Glock 22 .40cal...a reliable firearm with more knock down power than a 9mm but still 15 + 1.