TexasCHLforum.com

Hey everyone. I just joined and I need some help. I took my CHL course yesterday and I have not yet bought a handgun. I have decided to buy either a .38 special or a 9mm. I am a college student so my resources are somewhat limited. What is a reasonable priced handgun that would fit my needs?

Sorry I guess I should have worded that better. I need a .38 special or a 9mm. I don't know a whole lot about handgun brands...etc. I'm looking for a weapon I can carry but also put multiple rounds through. I have a few shotguns and a deer rifle so I do plenty of recreational shooting. I'm new to handguns so thats what I need help with.

For someone with limited funds and looking for a reliable inexpensive handgun I would look for a used Smith & Wesson K frame (Model 10 etc)revolver with a 4" barrel. There are hundreds of them out there and many can be found for $200 up. A 4" revlover is no harder to conceal than a semi auto is if you have the right carry gear.

You can buy a brand new Glock 9mm for about $400 if you join the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation. You should shoot the guns you're interested in before purchasing one. Especially since you have limited funds, it would be a real disappointment to buy a gun only to find you didn't like shooting it.

Taurus 24/7 in 9MM is only $297 at Bud's.

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S&W Sigma 9mm $279 at Academy this week
Taurus 609B COMPACT $329 this week at Academy
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Depending on your location, you may find good used here from someone here:
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I prefer 9mm to revolvers, I like capacity, and the variety of 9mm types is amazing, although I carry Hornady Critical Defense and second choice is stock #23614 Gold Dots for daily defensive carry....in a Glock 26


Hold a couple see what fits your hand, THEN Check some ranges because:

baldeagle wrote:You can buy a brand new Glock 9mm for about $400 if you join the Glock Sport Shooting Foundation. You should shoot the guns you're interested in before purchasing one. Especially since you have limited funds, it would be a real disappointment to buy a gun only to find you didn't like shooting it.

Welcome to the forum ...

Finding the 'right' handgun to carry has been, in my case quite, an adventure. I suggest that you begin by going to a pistol range where they rent handguns. There is nothing like shooting before you buy (just like buying a car). I have three handguns: a 38 special 2" barrel (snubbie), a 9mm full size beretta, and a Kimber 45 1911. As someone suggested in an earlier post, having the right rig to carry makes the 1911 as easy to carry as the 38 special. I don't carry the 9mm but I'm glad I have it for "fun on the range". Good luck and keep posting on the forum.

TTU Bass Angler wrote:Hey everyone. I just joined and I need some help. I took my CHL course yesterday and I have not yet bought a handgun. I have decided to buy either a .38 special or a 9mm. I am a college student so my resources are somewhat limited. What is a reasonable priced handgun that would fit my needs?

What did you qualify with, as that will play a part in determining the answer. If you qualified with a revolver, then that is all you can carry. Just a thought...

Ditto what others said about buying used. For one thing, you'll get a fair deal. For another, you won't pay sales taxes if you buy face-to-face. And guns tend to last forever if they've been well taken care of, so don't let a little honest holster wear put you off if you're looking a good running used gun from a quality manufacturer. Also, if you haven't already, scan the "for sale" threads here. You'll sometimes find affordable deals, and you'll be buying from a fellow CHL.

The Annoyed Man wrote:

TTU Bass Angler wrote:Hey everyone. I just joined and I need some help. I took my CHL course yesterday and I have not yet bought a handgun. I have decided to buy either a .38 special or a 9mm. I am a college student so my resources are somewhat limited. What is a reasonable priced handgun that would fit my needs?

What did you qualify with, as that will play a part in determining the answer. If you qualified with a revolver, then that is all you can carry. Just a thought...

Ditto what others said about buying used. For one thing, you'll get a fair deal. For another, you won't pay sales taxes if you buy face-to-face. And guns tend to last forever if they've been well taken care of, so don't let a little honest holster wear put you off if you're looking a good running used gun from a quality manufacturer. Also, if you haven't already, scan the "for sale" threads here. You'll sometimes find affordable deals, and you'll be buying from a fellow CHL.

I used a 9mm i think it was a glock 19. What is the "right" way to buy FTF? Are there any type of forms and such to fill out?

If the TTU means you live in Lubbock, Patriot Firearms on 49th street rents guns http://www.patriotfirearms.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
College students with a valid ID can shoot for $10 per day. You must be 21 to rent a gun or buy ammo.

FTF means Face to Face meeting someone selling a used gun and handing over cash getting your gun and shake hands and say nice meeting you goodbye .... that's the "paperwork" No forms, the selling party may wish to see that you have a CHL, When I do it we "flash" each other, then I know he/she has had background checks and as far as I can tell isn't in a street gang but I personally don't write anything down. If anyone wants receipts or whatever they "should" say it ahead of time. ( I can't see any reason for it .... if your gun is stolen and the ATF contacts me 20 years later even if I found who I sold it to on some dried up piece of paper somewhere they'd probably have moved ..not my gun anymore, if yours is stolen and you report it stolen, they'll call you instead of me if it's found, not my problem 20 years later keeping up with a car or anything I "used to own")

Yes I do live in Lubbock. I just used this screen name because I'm on the Texas Fishing Forum and its the same one. I don't know a whole lot about buying/selling firearms privately so thats why I asked.

RPB wrote:If the TTU means you live in Lubbock, Patriot Firearms on 49th street rents guns http://www.patriotfirearms.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
College students with a valid ID can shoot for $10 per day. You must be 21 to rent a gun or buy ammo.

FTF means Face to Face meeting someone selling a used gun and handing over cash getting your gun and shake hands and say nice meeting you goodbye .... that's the "paperwork" No forms, the selling party may wish to see that you have a CHL, When I do it we "flash" each other, but I personally don't write anything down. If anyone wants receipts or whatever they "should" say it ahead of time. ( I can't see any reason for it .... if your gun is stolen and the ATF contacts me 20 years later even if I found who I sold it to on some dried up piece of paper somewhere they'd probably have moved ..not my gun anymore, if yours is stolen and you report it stolen, they'll call you instead of me if it's found, not my problem 20 years later keeping up with a car or anything I "used to own")

The only concern if your FTF transaction is for buying hot street firearm. That is it has been used in violent crime. Showing a CHL makes it clear the seller has good clean record. Better if there is a paper trail since firearms can change hand so fast. I only bought once a pistol from the forum and I had have to a bill of sale (name and address of the seller on piece of paper)

TTU Bass Angler wrote:Yes I do live in Lubbock. I just used this screen name because I'm on the Texas Fishing Forum and its the same one. I don't know a whole lot about buying/selling firearms privately so thats why I asked.

I'm RPB on the Texas Fishing Forum too, I don't post there as much as I used to, and the kayak fishing forums got tired of me yakking about not being able to carry on US Army Corps of Engineers property so I'm giving them a break and just spending time promoting Campus Carry lately

Anyone I bought/Sold/Traded with through here I didn't think I needed to keep papers, I used to keep original receipt with serial number and which Police Officers I sold "used" guns to back in the 1980s ... I still have those .... maybe, never did need them again, actualy one officer's gun was stolen, I had the serial number, no one ever asked... no ATF contacting me nothing, I gave him the info, it never turned up though ... but I also have my tax returns back to 1969 and a lot will be shredded soon.

I am not keeping records I don't need to keep anymore ... My dad passed away and It took years sorting and shredding old stuff he kept so I'm not going to make anyone do that when it's my turn to go.

If anything ever does occur with a gun I sold, my answer is "I dunno where it is I sold it to a guy, he was between 5 and 6 foot tall, average build average length hair I forget the color, and he had blue jeans on and a red shirt when I sold it to him 5 years ago..said he lived in Texas somewhere but he wasn't wearing boots so I'm not sure." (Not my problem, I don't keep up with who gets the stuff I donate to Goodwill either)