Interested in picking up my first firearm

[KodiakAttack]

Sorry its taken me a few days to get back to this and read everyone's posts. Thanks so much for the input.
I was reading that EAA Witness' seem to often be defective in the 10mm models. Does anyone have input regarding their 9mm?

I guess the bottom line is I need to get out there and try a bunch. I don't want anything with too much kick because SWMBO needs to be able to use it effectively too, she has dainty wrists

 

[KodiakAttack]

On the subject of EAA Witness, they seem to be a CZ clone. By looks alone, I like the CZ75B. Does anyone have any experience with this gun?

 

[Obiwan]

I have a Colt 1911 and a Glock 19. The Colt is by far packed more often for trips to the range than the Glock, but the Glock is what I have beside my bed for home defense.

 

[Mick]

The only CZ I currently own is the CZ83 which is a high capacity double stack 380 DA semi-auto. Sweet little automatic. Well made and fits either hand (ambidextrous safety and mag release) http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-83/

 

[PugslyCat]

if eight rounds of .45 ACP from my 1911 won't stop a threat I'll have extra time to run while somebody else finishes sending more of their smaller bullets at the problem.

That's classic and needs to be framed and hung somewhere.

I thought my wording was a bit awkward. Maybe I should hold a contest to see who can rephrase it in the most elegant manner. The winner would get it embroidered on a sampler suitable for decorating their man cave.

 

[Jimmyinkedup]

Id suggest a .357. Loaded with 357's for defense but shoot inexpensive relatively mild 38 carts at range. Plus I think a revolver is a good first handgun..and shooting 38's is a good fairly mild round in the the right frame gun. Just my thoughts ....

 

[cb91710]

I don't want anything with too much kick because SWMBO needs to be able to use it effectively too, she has dainty wrists

In that case, a lightweight revolver is out of the question.
I made this mistake buying my wife an LCR. It was WAY too snappy.
A heavier .38 like an SP101 with a longer barrel, or GP100 would work better for her, but to really tame the recoil, something in a full-sized 9mm would be better.
My G26 is pretty snappy, and my wife can handle it well, but she does better with the XD9 Service, and MUCH better with the much heavier Beretta 92FS.

Make sure she can operate the action. My wife can rack the slide on the 92FS and the 1911, but she has a difficult time with the Glock, and can not operate the XD.

 

[KodiakAttack]

Make sure she can operate the action. My wife can rack the slide on the 92FS and the 1911, but she has a difficult time with the Glock, and can not operate the XD.

Valid point. Thanks Rich.

 

[PugslyCat]

In that case, a lightweight revolver is out of the question.
I made this mistake buying my wife an LCR. It was WAY too snappy.
A heavier .38 like an SP101 with a longer barrel, or GP100 would work better for her, but to really tame the recoil, something in a full-sized 9mm would be better.

Rich has a valid point. My sister was dating a former army ranger who had a compact .380 for EDC. She's a little bit of a thing and couldn't hit a thing with it at the range. He finally bought her a .357 magnum with a 6" barrel as a nightstand gun. With all that weight and loaded with .38 special she does quite well with it.

 

[xjrob85]

On the subject of EAA Witness, they seem to be a CZ clone. By looks alone, I like the CZ75B. Does anyone have any experience with this gun?

Both of my brothers own the CZ 75B, and I'll probably pick one up eventually. They are incredible! Truly a classic. It feels incredibly comfortable and natural in the hand, and is very reliable and easy to control. It's double action pull is quite heavy, but it is designed to be carried cocked and locked like a 1911, so that isn't much of an issue. The single action is nice and crisp. I absolutely love the CZ 75B, and I think that anyone who is considering an EAA Witness would do well to look at the CZ.

 

[KodiakAttack]

Both of my brothers own the CZ 75B, and I'll probably pick one up eventually. They are incredible! Truly a classic. It feels incredibly comfortable and natural in the hand, and is very reliable and easy to control. It's double action pull is quite heavy, but it is designed to be carried cocked and locked like a 1911, so that isn't much of an issue. The single action is nice and crisp. I absolutely love the CZ 75B, and I think that anyone who is considering an EAA Witness would do well to look at the CZ.

Sounds like a winner, because I'm in love with the Colt 1911 but am a bit weary of the price tag for my first firearm.

 

[cb91710]

Sounds like a winner, because I'm in love with the Colt 1911 but am a bit weary of the price tag for my first firearm.

Roughly $500 for a Rock Island Armory 1911 Tactical.
Keep in mind this one is not 100% stock, but it's close.

As with any 1911, it can be picky on magazines.

 

[Grumpy_Bottom]

I am surprised that the beretta 92 family didn't get more love. It outshoots my browning hi powers for half the price. I still carry and enjoy my 1911 more, but for what the op is asking and within a budget, its hard to beat the beretta. I am at about 450 rounds out of the box without a single ftf or fte, it is easy to break down and clean, cheap 9mm to spend time at the range, plus 15 or 17 round clips. I really dig mine and plan on adding an a1 with a rail to my fs so one can be my dresser gun with a rail light

 

[rithunder916]

On the subject of EAA Witness, they seem to be a CZ clone. By looks alone, I like the CZ75B. Does anyone have any experience with this gun?

I do, lol. It is a clone of the cz75b.

 

[xjrob85]

I am surprised that the beretta 92 family didn't get more love. It outshoots my browning hi powers for half the price. I still carry and enjoy my 1911 more, but for what the op is asking and within a budget, its hard to beat the beretta. I am at about 450 rounds out of the box without a single ftf or fte, it is easy to break down and clean, cheap 9mm to spend time at the range, plus 15 or 17 round clips. I really dig mine and plan on adding an a1 with a rail to my fs so one can be my dresser gun with a rail light

This is a very good comment. This whole discussion reminds me of when I purchased my first firearm. I knew I wanted a 9mm, so I handled every one I could get my hands on to get a feel for the controls, the sights, the trigger feel, etc. Eventually I was trying to decide between the CZ-75B, and the Beretta 92FS. I settled on the Beretta. The reason why is that I could reach the controls of the Beretta better, and it was easier to take-down. The Beretta disassembles by releasing a disassembly lever, and removing the slide. The CZ requires you to push out the slide release, similar to a 1911, but without a barrel bushing to mess with.

Now that I have more experience with both pistols, here are some thoughts.
I love everything about the Beretta...except for the slide mounted safety/decocker. I shoot IDPA, and several times when I have vigorously racked my slide, I have accidentally flipped down the safety. Because of this, for competition I moved to a Glock 34. No safeties to mess with.

The CZ is a great pistol! As mentioned above, the take-down is a little more difficult, and the controls are more difficult for me to reach with my short thumbs. Those two things are the only reason I went with the Beretta over the CZ. However, the fact that it is a double/single action and doesn't have a decocker is kind of a problem. You would have to carry it cocked and locked, like a 1911, whereas for a normal DA pistol, I would prefer to carry it decocked, safety off. The good thing about CZ is that they make just about every configuration of pistol imaginable, so there is the CZ 75BD, which has a decocker instead of a safety. That's something to consider.

Ok, here are some thoughts on the 1911...in my opinion, you have to be very careful in selecting a good quality 1911, and you have to learn a lot about them before you will know what to look for, and which brands are worth buying. The 1911 is iconic and super cool, so everybody makes one, but not all are good. In the IDPA matches that I do, I see more malfunctions with 1911s than with any other pistol. There are some great 1911s that will run flawlessly all of the time, but most don't seem to fit that category.

One interesting thing I learned is that the 1911 was designed in a time when pistols were hand-fit, and because of that, the design doesn't translate well to modern machining processes. Today, the very best 1911s are the ones that are still hand-fit. The issue though is that most of these run in excess of $1000.
So my opinion of the 1911 is that they are great...as long as you spend the money to get a good one. Because of that, I feel they are a better second or third gun, but not ideal for someone looking to purchase their first firearm.
If you don't ever intend to carry your gun, or rely on it for defense, then a cheap 1911 would make for a pretty fun range gun...but I prefer all of my guns to be "defense ready".

Those are just a few of my opinions. Take them for what they are worth.

 

[tmcentire]

My wife has an EAA Witness Match. It was one of the few 9 mm she liked. Here dad has one as well. It is a nice pistol. It is made by the Tangfolio Corp in Italy. It comes with one magazine. I bought it for her birthday. She has fired a few hundred rounds through it. Hollow point and lead round nose. It cycles well it did have trouble with the hollow point on the last round. If you do decided this route I do recomend getting a few extra magazines when you order. The gun is not common and it is sometimes difficult to acquire. Things I do not like about it no white dots or night sites on her's making a little more difficult to get a good sight picture and next to impossible to get a good target sight in low light environments. I like the match sights and the accesory rail on the gun. It is a good gun expecialy at the price point. My favorite guns are 1911's style guns, I also like the XDM pistols and it is hard to go wrong with the new S&W shields. Blade tech makes a holster for it as well. I know it can be difficult to select a new gun. My best advise is to go to a local gun shop and put several in you hands. Pick a few to rent and rent a lane and try them out. F

 

[tinashubby]

I fired a CZ a bit at the range and found the curvature of the trigger became very uncomfortable after only a short session of firing. I am sure it is a YMMV type thing. FWIW I really like my XDM9, and I never liked the idea of polymer handguns, but they do make for a narrow grip with a double stack mag.

 

[jdgilbert]

Another contestant to look out for if you go the used route is a Ruger P89/90 in 9mm.

Pros:
Much easier to rack the slide than a Glock/XD/M&P; Good factory sights; As accurate as the shooter; Less felt recoil (due to the heavier weight of the pistol in general and slide specifically); "Traditional" DA/SA design with an external safety and decocker

Cons:
Weight; Capacity (not applicable in CA, NY, etc.); External safety (for some people)

 

[KodiakAttack]

LOTH was not happy that I was shopping around for a firearm when we have a wedding to plan... so this might have to be a back burner fantasy for now.

 

[PugslyCat]

LOTH was not happy that I was shopping around for a firearm when we have a wedding to plan...

LOTH unhappy and a brand new gun? I'm thinking there's no question of putting this on the back burner. Your very survival may be at stake!