Picking a handgun

[s1mp13m4n]

Hello everyone. I do not own a handgun and some time in the future I would like one for myself and my wife. I want to handgun for personal/family safety and also for the fun of simply shooting it at a gun range. My cousin is a licensed gunsmith and does repairs for friends and people he may know. He is a huge fan of the 1911 45. His favorite brand of 1911 is Springfield Armory.
I have been shooting with him many times and I have shot several calibers and yet I keep coming back to the 45, mainly the 1911, I just like it. I also like the .38/.357 revolver. The ones I have shot are made by Taurus. I would like your thoughts and input here. My goal is concealed carry, personal protection, and fun. I want a jack of all trades sort of handgun. A snubnose .357 may be fine to carry but will not be that much fun at the gun range. My cousin also owns a Springfield XD .45 and likes it but still likes his 1911 better. Thanks for the advice. I am just window shopping, will not be buying tomorrow or anything.

 

[JoshD]

The Springfield 1911 is as close to handgun perfection as you can get. Get one. Sounds like you have your mind made up. Act on it.

The 1911 also comes in a short version. It is a little better for concealed carry.

Josh.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

What I liked about the Springfield is the value/bang for the buck. It seems to work well and not cost $1000 like a S&W or Kimber might. I am wondering about a Springfield in a compact as well. I tried a Prar and the grips are too fat for me. I prefer a short trigger pull as well, so I did not like the XD as much because of the long trigger pull. I like the mechanical feel of a revolver but the semi-auto holds more rounds and is fast to load should you ever need it.

 

[Jim B.]

Your wife may prefer something a little lighter and with less recoil than the .45 1911. Perhaps a 9mm?

 

[BCatl]

I don't see any problem with the Taurus .357. It will get the job done.

As far as short trigger pulls in a concealed carry, that can be good and bad (it leaves little room to change your mind....).

As long as you are getting along with your wife ok, and you don't think she'll shoot you, go ahead and flip a coin. You'll probably end up owning both one day anyway.

 

[s1mp13m4n]

LOL too funny. My wife wants a handgun as well some time in the future. She shot the 1911 and I think she likes the compact .45. It is not anything we would be doing too soon, but look now and save for it....you know the deal. Unless I could talk my cousin out of that Springfield 1911, LOL . It is not like he does not have a few to pick from.

 

[Clem]

To the OP-

It might be a wise decision to purchase a defense gun and then save up for that wonderful Springfield to have fun with. This can be done inexpensively enough considering the relative low cost of good defense guns made by Taurus and a few other companies.

If you are looking for a gun for home defense, make sure it is easily handled by both you and your wife. I agree with BCatl, short (or light) trigger pull on a defense gun is bad news.
I wouldn't worry too much about a reload either. Most encounters happen inside of your personal space. If someone is that close, reloading is going to be a moot point. So don't rule out a revolver. In extreme close quarters, a revolver is less likely to jam or go out of battery.
When you and your lady do finally make your choice, be sure that you are both intimately familiar with the sidearm. It is also a good idea to find something that has very few bells and whistles, and easily accessible controls. Ask yourself if if you'd be able to put the gun into action when you're bleary eyed and suddenly called to act. If either of you answer "no", find something simpler.

Just some things to consider. Choice of handguns is a very personal thing and is always subject to opinion. Best of luck.

 

[blary54]

I own a Springfield 1911 Operator. Love the gun but .45ACP is so expensive to shoot I never use it.

That being said I also own an Springfield XD 9mm.(and a Glock 35 .40cal) Love shooting this gun. Super easy to take down and clean(compared to the 1911 which can be a little bit of a pain). Also 9mm is alot cheaper and more fun for me to shoot than 45ACP or 40S&W.

If you do decide on getting a 1911 you cant go wrong with Springfield.

 

[brian1g]

I am planning on getting a taurus judge , its too cool. Not sure how much fun it would be at the range but for home protection it is ideal imo.

I'm sure most of you know about this revolver but for firearm nubs such as myself here is a link

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_Judge

Pretty sweet imo

 

[wuff]

Why not carry a Taser for personal protection, last thing you want is a murder beef. Just my opinion.

 

[Thebigspendur]

For home protection get a 12 gauge. Any handgun is very ify.

 

[bearbear]

don't overlook a 9mm for concealed carry. Easily handled, reliable, plenty of ammo.

Although i do agree, .45 1911 is very versatile, and just a beautiful specimen.

 

[badmammajamma]

My gun is determined by what my wife is comfortable shooting. After trying a number of ones, we settled on a .357 with .38 shells. We got the .357 because it has a little added weight cutting down on the recoil.

 

[ajkimmins]

My gun is determined by what my wife is comfortable shooting. After trying a number of ones, we settled on a .357 with .38 shells. We got the .357 because it has a little added weight cutting down on the recoil.

When you go shooting load .38's. When it's just sitting ready load .357's.

 

[warlandsboy]

Why not carry a Taser for personal protection, last thing you want is a murder beef. Just my opinion.

Glad a fellow Canadian chimed in on this issue. IMHO Americans really take their "personal safety" issue WAY too far, which is reflected in their murder rates. It's a shame all the handguns around Toronto are all being smuggled in from Detroit/NYC.

 

[ajkimmins]

Glad a fellow Canadian chimed in on this issue. IMHO Americans really take their "personal safety" issue WAY too far, which is reflected in their murder rates. It's a shame all the handguns around Toronto are all being smuggled in from Detroit/NYC.

It sure is a shame we don't just let people kill us!!

 

[Clem]

Glad a fellow Canadian chimed in on this issue. IMHO Americans really take their "personal safety" issue WAY too far, which is reflected in their murder rates. It's a shame all the handguns around Toronto are all being smuggled in from Detroit/NYC.

I do believe OP was looking for suggestions and information, not inflammatory and offensive statements.

 

[Gravy]

The catch w/ concealed carry is that it's a bit harder to try before you buy.
You can't just strap it on and decide on the spot. You have to carry it for an extended amount of time to determine if its a good fit.
Here in Michigan, if you have a Concealed Pistol License, you can carry someone elses pistol. I'm not sure what the law is by you but you might want to find a way to legally carry one of your cousins pistols for a day if he has a holster for it.
I bought 4 holsters and a diff. pistol before I settled on a carry system that works for me, and depending on your body shape and the way you dress, what works for me may not work for you.

 

[petr]

 

[Uncle Erik]

Glad a fellow Canadian chimed in on this issue. IMHO Americans really take their "personal safety" issue WAY too far, which is reflected in their murder rates. It's a shame all the handguns around Toronto are all being smuggled in from Detroit/NYC.

Have you ever visited Los Angeles? If you are ever in this part of the world, I'll take you on a tour of South Central. At night. I could also drop you off on the street for 20 or 30 minutes before circling back. You could try being kind and reasonable and see how well that works. That would probably be enough for you to decide for yourself whether a taser would be sufficient.

Not to derail the thread, but I own a SA 1911 I picked up about a year ago. Very nice firearm and I recommend it. However, I don't know how it would work as a carry weapon. We're not allowed to here. Though I might move to a more civilized state in the upcoming months, and I'd consider carrying it. Though I'd probably tend towards wanting to carry the Sig P6 (retired police version of the P225), which is a 9mm. Check your gun stores to see if they offer any P6 models - it was about half the price of a new Sig and it only shows minor holster wear. Great gun that I love to shoot. It's as accurate as anything I've shot and 9mm is a lot more affordable than .45. I don't want to ignite the caliber debate, but I feel safe with either.