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Had the chance to shoot a Rossi wheelgun for first time recently. Another forum member let me shoot his chrome/nickel Rossi 6-shot .357 Magnum with 2-inch barrel. I was highly impressed. If I hadn't seen "Rossi" on the side, I would've thought it was a S&W. Well made, accurate, good trigger feel. I think he paid $300 or less for it. And I know Academy sells a similar blued Rossi .357 for about $300 new.

So that got me to thinking, what are other quality inexpensive guns that you recommend for new shooters on a tight budget who want a defensive and/or concealed carry handgun?

For semi auto, I always recommend the $279 + tax Bersa Thunder .380 at Academy. I owned one of these myself briefly, before selling it to fund my Walther PPS purchase. It's a well-made gun, very accurate and easy to shoot. Good sights, hammer-fired with safety/decocker. Points well, rubber grips are very nice. Fit and finish are good but not great (I took the Dremel to mine to smooth out a few rough edges around the trigger guard that were biting me a bit). And it's thin and concealable. Sure .380 ammo has been hard to come by, but it's definitely getting more plentiful lately.

For wheel guns, as I mentioned the Rossi .357 really impressed me. Also like older Charter Arms revolvers.

A Rossi .357 as a home and/or truck gun and/or a Bersa .380 as a concealed carry piece would be great starter guns for about $300 each new - and they're available at Academy, so hopefully no pushy gun-store salespeople trying to convince them to buy a Smith & Wesson or a Walther instead because "they're much better guns".

Sure, I'd recommend a Glock or a 1911 or a S&W wheelgun or any number of other stellar sidearms to someone who is living comfortably. But you could buy both the Rossi and the Bersa for the price of a Glock with decent nightsights. And for a beginner on a budget, it can be a huge help to steer them toward a low-cost firearm that will actually work reliably and well (and steer them away from the junk).

So what do y'all recommend when asked this question by someone with a tight budget? Say $300-$400 range for a brand-new self-defense handgun. Any good 9mm recommendations (better cartridge and cheaper than .380)?

NOTE: Edited to clarify "self-defense" handgun after a few replies with good suggestions to start any new shooter with a .22 (I agree), but meant for someone who wants their first self-defense caliber handgun.

My opinion, for a 1st time piece for a new shooter I think a .22LR is the way to go. Seriously.
When you set the criteria as a budget pistol for some one new to the scene the goal should be to prove something fun and as learning tool/stepping stone.
Buckmark or Ruger.
both under $300.
you can shoot all day for $16
you can really avoid developing bad habits such as flinching with the light shooting .22
when you move up to something bigger you can always take the little .22 along

Academy usually has the Taurus Millenium line of pistols for
about $329.99.

IIRC for this price you can get a
PT111 - 9MM, 12 + 1 capacity.
PT140 - .40. 10 + 1 capacity.
PT145 - .45. 10 + 1 capacity.

The availability of ammo for these 3 is better than for .380,
plus you get the added power of larger rounds.

Myself and others can vouch that they go bang every
time, and they fit the dollars you just specified for a
new shooter on a budget.

SIA

y5e06 wrote:My opinion, for a 1st time piece for a new shooter I think a .22LR is the way to go. Seriously.
When you set the criteria as a budget pistol for some one new to the scene the goal should be to prove something fun and as learning tool/stepping stone.
Buckmark or Ruger.
both under $300.
you can shoot all day for $16
you can really avoid developing bad habits such as flinching with the light shooting .22
when you move up to something bigger you can always take the little .22 along

a .22 is a great starter gun that you never outgrow. After thousands of rounds, they're still fun and inexpensive.

If they want a larger caliber target gun (9mm), I've heard good things about the Taurus PT92. I've never owned one but read up on them when I was considering it. Some like them as well as the Beretta twin. Some Academy stores were running them on sale with the PT101(40cal) for $299 a couple of months ago. My Academy didn't have them on sale or I would have jumped on it. I think the regular price is still under $400.

Tregs:
You bring up a good point. The Taurus PT-101 for $299.99
has been a great deal at Academy. The last time I looked in
the Lewisville Academy they appeared to be out.

But a month or so ago, the Lewisville store alone sold 50 of
these during the sale week.

It's not too often that you can get a full size .40 for $299.

SIA

y5e06 wrote:My opinion, for a 1st time piece for a new shooter I think a .22LR is the way to go. Seriously.
When you set the criteria as a budget pistol for some one new to the scene the goal should be to prove something fun and as learning tool/stepping stone.
Buckmark or Ruger.
both under $300.
you can shoot all day for $16
you can really avoid developing bad habits such as flinching with the light shooting .22
when you move up to something bigger you can always take the little .22 along

Sorry, should've been more clear in my OP (have now corrected it) that I was specifically looking for recommendations for self-defense caliber handguns. This is not even necessarily for someone new to shooting. One of my friends (not the reason for this post, but his situation fits) is a regular bird hunter and owns a nice 12 gauge waterfowl shotgun. He had asked me about a good handgun to keep at home for defense (instead of using his 28-inch barreled shotgun). I mentioned Glock, but he ruled it out quickly with "too expensive and no safety mechanism"

i conceal carry a hi-point 9mm every day. $150 out the door (you may find them even cheaper). Lifetime warranty and all that good stuff. The gun snobs will talk down to you, but mine goes bang every time!!!

Check out the Stoeger Cougar. Stoeger Industries is a subsidiary of Beretta. The Stoeger Cougars are made in Turkey using the same machinery that Beretta used to make the original Cougars. It is every bit the quality of the Beretta. The Stoeger 8000 in 9mm is identical to the Beretta Cougar L Type P (Cougar L slide, lighter barrel and beveled slide, but with a full-length magazine).

a.r., I've had a Rossi Mod. 68 .38 Spcl. for year....since about 1984. Never shot it, and I bout it NIb. Blued w/ 3" barrell. Good workmanship and well made IMO. I would have shot it in a heartbeat, had I any ammo for it.

I traded it even steven for a Colt Govt.Mod. .380 last October, that I bought for my FIL about a year before.

IMO I think Rossi made as good a second level gun as you could get. That and the old Llama guns from Spain.

As I'm not up on all the new guns that have recently come out I can't comment on those's.

I'd also add the Ruger P series. I haven't priced one out recently, they've always been affordable when I have. I have a P95 with countless rounds down the pipe, and it goes bang every time.

Got a buddy with a high point, and he loves it. Bang everytime, like you want, and affordable like the dickens. It ain't real easy on the eyes, though.

Used glock? I've seen many for sub $300.

joe817 wrote:I traded it even steven for a Colt Govt.Mod. .380 last October, that I bought for my FIL about a year before.

I have a Govt .380 and love it, sounds like you got a heck of a trade. I guess since you bought the Colt in the first place, your FIL made out a little better though.
On the original topic, S&W Sigmas go for sub $300 brand new at Academy, they are offering a $50 rebate right now as well. They have no external safety, so might not be the best for your friend since he doesn't like Glocks.

gigag04 wrote:Used glock? I've seen many for sub $300.

where? I've been looking for an old beater Glock for a while (want to try some soldering iron grip "stipling" on a beater first). I've found some at GT Distributors for about $325 and will probably pick up one of those, but where do you find em for less than $300?

You don't have to be a new shooter on a budget - we're all on a budget one way or another!
My list of quality handguns for $300 or less would include:

Ruger P97 - identical to P95 but in 45 ACP - not the most concealable but plenty accurrate, durable and reliable. It is my house gun.
Polish P64 - 9x18 MAK, accurate and reliable; nice carry piece after I put a spring kit in it. Great value for $150. This is what I carry when I wear shorts or otherwise can't easily carry my 1911.
Bersa 380- obviously already mentioned - I really like this little pistol- it is my wifes gun. I have yet to hear of anyone haing a problem with the bersa.

I have no personal experience with the various Makarovs or P63 but I know they are well liked by others.

Honestly, I think it would be difficult to find even a used pistol from a quality maker in caliber 9mm or greater for under $300. That said, how much money one is willing to spend for a pistol is analogous to how much money one would be willing to spend for a motorcycle helmet... ...the operative question being, "how much is your head worth?" I realize that it isn't always because people are cheapskates that they won't spend money. We often live under very real financial pressures too, and simply don't have the money to spend. And, it is also true that one can't generally find a used Glock 19 for under $300. But unless the need for a self-defense pistol is immediate due to currently unfolding circumstances, wouldn't it be better for your friend to hold off on making a purchase for a couple of weeks longer until he/she has saved the extra $25-$50 that will afford the purchase of a used pistol from a quality manufacturer?

My wife owns a Glock 19, and the "lack of a safety" (which is not true, btw) doesn't bother her in the least. Her Basic Handgun Safety Course teacher was Marty, Crossfire's husband. He taught her that the most important safety on the gun is the one between her ears, and she's never forgotten the lesson. Such a class might not be a bad suggestion for your friend. That said, I understand the objection. It took me a while to be comfortable with the Glock too, for much the same reasons, although my objections were deeply rooted in being a long time 1911 guy and, consequently, what I thought a "proper" handgun should have on it. I make friendly jokes and kid people about "Glock leg" and such, but it is exactly that — kidding and joking. I would feel perfectly comfortable carrying one for personal defense. But the truth is that a Glock is no more unsafe than a revolver and probably less so, and no amount of mechanical safeties on a pistol are going to render it safe if the person handling it has poor safety habits. So, my opinion is that your friend should rethink the Glock as an option and then get themselves some formal introduction into firearms safety and gun handling. Barring that, look for a used .357 revolver.