First Handgun

[gigag04]

...they have a safety which is one thing that I believe is a must for someone new to handguns...

Do you mean a manual safety? Just curios, but what led you to this train of thought?

You beat me to it.


Anyway,
My answer is split, but weighted.

80% Glock 20% M&P.

The more and more work with guns and people, the Glock is at the forerunner of my list for recommendations. It will always work, regardless of what you feed it, how you hold it, or *IF* you clean it. They are some of the easiest guns to disassemble/reassemble/function check. They have a clear, crisp, clean and defined trigger reset, which helps new shooters develop touch. There are a bazillion sight options where they can find what sights they like. The have BY FAR the widest selection of concealment holsters. This = more options. Glock set the standard for more rounds in a pistol, so capacity will not be an issue. Oh yeah, and they always work. We all know that LE agencies are not comprised of avid, high round count shooters. IMO the above reasons are why the Glock is so widely used in LE. I think the Glock should be everyone's first gun.

The M&P is nice because of the interchangeable backstrap. And the trigger can be tweaked a little easier than the Glock IMO. However, for a new shooter, I recommend learning box stock on either platform.

All this said, I'm a "1911 guy" but the Glock offers so many "ease of" advantages over so many of its competitors.

Regarding the corvette/basic car anology earlier, I think adding safety lever manipulation further complicates the manual of arms. It's sort of why 1911 shooters are so good at malfunction drills they are running a much more complex platform. It took me a considerable amount of time until manipulating the selector switch on my patrol rifle was second nature when moving on/off target through a course of fire (shoot house or otherwise). It is an advanced skill taught to experienced shooters, or people that "work" with a rifle. IMHO it is the same with training it for a pistol. I don't like safeties on pistols. Keep it simple. I wouldn't teach a new shooter how cross a lane of fire in the sul position either...they are too busy working on not flinching from the recoil (I still do work in that area as well...). Shoot/No Shoot is also something to be honed later. Lets get all the holes in the 10 ring before we send the guy off to Swat School.

[CombatWombat]

That's a pretty good point giga04, I'm still gonna hold on to my original opinion but recognize the amount of thought that went into your reply. I'm new to posting and reading stuff on forums but not new to guns and I really like the ability to get so many awesome suggestions and excellent opinions on the different subjects. I think that anyone who reads through this whole topic will have a really good set of thoughts to make a very educated decision on a first handgun.

[Bulldog1911]

It may not be a popular choice, but i second the Ruger SR9 vote. or the sr9c if you want compact.
Once I have plastic in hand, it will be my carry weapon. (untill I save up enough for the Srigfield loaded champion )

I've put hundreds of rounds through mine and it has run flawlessly. From HST 124gr +P to tula steel cased :puke: mainly WWB though.
I love the "1911 type" thumb safety, which is ambi btw. Makes me personally feel better about carrying in condition 1 (or whatever it's called, cocked and locked).
Fully adjustable sights (although you probably wont have to adjust them).
Feels great, and pretty light for full size.

Not that the test is hard, but it Did score me a perfect 250/250

[Toadstone]

My auto-response to this question is "Glock 19".

However, I would say my hands are in the medium-size range, and the G19 feels like it was custom-made for me. Therefor, the grip might be to small for you. You definitely need to go to a gun show and handle a whole bunch of guns one after another to see how they feel, since that may be the deciding factor in what you get.

Your profile thing doesn't mention what city you're in, but The High Caliber Gun Show is at the Pasadena Convention Center this weekend. It is not as hectic to deal with as the downtown gun show, and parking is free.

http://www.texasgunshows.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gindack]

So I just got home from the firing range with my purchase, went with a Springfield XDm 9mm 3.8" 18+1. Fired through 100 rounds without any failure to feed, eject. ect ect... In end I went with this one because it just felt really good in my hand when firing. Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. Pics below. :)

[Art S]

Good choise.

Later,
Art S.

[DFWTT]

Nice piece

[speedsix]

...sharp pistol!!! the XDs fit my mitt pretty well, too...never fired one...is it as snappy as other 9mms you've fired???

[E.Marquez]

Great choice... 900 more rounds in general, and 1 full box of the specific ammo you will carry daily, 1000 draws and re holster repetitions for each holster you plan on carry that gun with and you have your self a nice new carry gun. (note, thats just my personal formula for a new carry gun, it is just "a way")

[Bulldog1911]

Very Nice choice. I've never witnessed a failure on any spinger I've seen or shot. That's why my next purchase and future carry will be a Loaded Champion or Micro-Compact. Still debating the 3" vs 4".

[Gindack]

...sharp pistol!!! the XDs fit my mitt pretty well, too...never fired one...is it as snappy as other 9mms you've fired???

Honestly I can't really say either way, not that experienced when it comes to handguns so can't really give an accurate assessment. All I know is that this one felt good.

[kevin]

id get a glock 19 if your stuck on 9mm

[Skiprr]

Nice choice, Gindack.

Other than a few other manufacturers’ models, my safe contains 1911s, Glocks, and Springer XDs.

The XD took some bashing when Springfield first released it due to its somewhat suspect Croatian parentage. However, I was an early adopter and feel that Springfield has done a good quality-control job. This was raised even a notch higher with the XDm.

My personal preference for EDC is a 1911 variant, and that's the only reason I like the XD over the Glock. JMB's 1911 grip angle and that of the XD are very close, if not identical. There is at least a five-degree difference between JMB's grip angle and that preferred by Gaston Glock. From years of repetition, my natural pointing angle agrees with Browning.

That said, I own several Glocks and don't have a problem adjusting to the different grip angle. When I was a bit younger--before ammo prices went through the roof, and before the massive recession--I was pursuing a goal to train with a select but broad list of nationally-known instructors. I took advanced defensive/combat handgun classes two to three times per year, and for pounding 600+ rounds per day without cleaning, I prefer a Glock.

But in one of those classes, I loaned an early XD9 Tactical with only 100 rounds down the barrel (I’d brought it as a third backup) to another student when his gun failed early in the first day. The XD saw over 1,000 rounds during intense conditions (rain and mud) without a hiccup.

I have an XD9 Tactical customized by Canyon Creek. I haven’t shot IDPA in many months, but that was my ESP gun. My XDm is the only non-1911 I carry as a primary.

I agree with gigag04 that, if required to give a general recommendation, I’d say a G19. But for my individual, natural point-of-aim, JMB trumps Gaston. Presentation to sight-picture, I’m better with the 5-degree greater grip angle.

Seems you are, as well. So good choice!