lil hunter Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 My dad and I have both applied for our personal protection permits, and now I'm trying to decide what to buy for my first handgun. I was mainly looking into the Springfield XD because I've heard so much about it, but then my dad reccomended a 1911 instead. Which one would you buy, as a first gun? I don't really have a specific price range, I orginally planned to keep it around $500 but i work enough and have practically no bills so it would be very easy to convince me to spend twice that, or more. I've heard Kimber's are some of the better ones. Any objections to that? The gun will be used mostly just for target shooting, but may be concealed, or carried in the truck fairly often as well. I don't know a whole lot about pistols, so I'm just looking for advice on what to get. If I bought a cheaper model, I'd probably buy more than 1 during the next year or so. But if I go with a 1911 It'll probably be the only pistol I buy for awhile, due to cost. So what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoosierDaddy28 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I don't believe the xd is a 1911 is it? I have a springfield Operator TRP and it is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) I love my SA XD tactical in .45acp. I shoots very well and packs a punch with 13+1, or at least till Obama takes office. It may be a bit big to conceal but the XDs are securing a solid reputation as well built and reliable. I guess concealment depends on how you intend to carry it. Edited January 15, 2009 by PotashRLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shorty785 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 i believe any 1911 45 is a good gun as potash said that sa xd tacticals are nice as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 1911's are tested and true...Colt, Kimber are both great 1911 guns and would own one in a heart beat. With that said, the only 1911 guns I own are Para Ordanaces. I like the high cap. mags with .45 acp. Sig also makes a great gun, just gotta go check out different guns and what feels good in your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csualumni21000 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Springfield armory loaded for a production gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 For a 1st handgun, the 1911 is a little advanced for CC. It is single action. In order for it to be a PP gun it has to be in condition 1(cocked and locked). That requires skill and practice with the ole slabside. The .45 is a formidable man stopper, excellent choice in caliber. But maybe something in double action or a trigger like a Glock or Springfield. Those are striker fired guns that have no safety to disengage when drawing for use. Just my 2cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I carried a Colt Compact then switched to a Beretta Storm. Both in 45 ACP. The Beretta is a DA for the first shot and doesn't need the safety to be manipulated. Just draw and shoot. It's a mistake proof setup. It takes a conscious effort to sweep the trigger and you won't shoot someone or yourself mistakenly. I like the wider grip and the egronomic grip inserts too. I got to put it to use last night. Some idiot was going from apartment to apartment checking the mailboxes. I heard him on our porch and went out. He ran away. I didn't have to fiddle with the weapon taking the safety off then back on. It's safe especially under pressure. Since things have gone south with the economy the 55 plus neighborhood I live in has seen a big increase in thefts. I guess they think we're easy pickings because we're old. He doesn't realize lots of us are Vets. Hope he tells his friends. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Country Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 If you are determined to carry a .45 ACP (and I carry a Colt Combat Commander with 185 grain Golden Saber +P loads), my advice for a first time handgunner is to check out the Glock 30...ultra-compact for CC with a 10 round mag. Load the magazine, insert the magazine, rack the slide...that is it...pull the trigger and the gun goes off...simple (no safety to worry about, no decocking lever, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil hunter Posted January 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Jus to clear things up some, I probably won't be carrying the gun much. I want to be able to if I ever feel the need, but it will more or less be for target shooting. I figure I may as well buy the best one I can while I can afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted January 21, 2009 Report Share Posted January 21, 2009 If you aren't going to get intimately aquainted with your pistol you prabably shouldn't carry it. Carry Mace instead. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy-Travis Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 If I get you, it sounds like you are more interested in a fun, accurate, reliable handgun, and concelment is secondary, not that you don't intend to get well versed with it. In that case, I like the idea of a 1911. Not only are they great guns, but also a great piece of history in design, etc. As with most of us, I am sure it will be your first of many handguns, and as you gain experience or have need for more conc. carry, you will also own guns specifically for that. I recently purchased my first 1911, Springfield MC Operator, and only regret not owning one sooner. I too carry it mostly in vehicle and for home defense. I can and have carried it on body, but it is far from easy to conceal. I have small revolvers when CC is called for, and think of the 1911 as semi-concealed carry, folks can usually see your packing something, and sometimes that isn't a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widowmaker Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I have a Kimber Pro Carry in stainless with night sights and love it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksunshine Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 as for the 1911's go, all depends on how much money you want to spend and what you want more, a good 1911 or more money.... Colt, Kimber and Wilson Combat would rank up at the top Personally, I was looking at a 1911a1 but was not willing to spend the coin on a good one...I opted for the Springfield .45ACP 5" Tactical...the one with the short grip....and man, I am already looking around for a cheap used one to keep it company....I love that thing....it's my little piggy sidearm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elnor Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 I am a big XD fan and strongly recommend them to others. I carry an XD-40 subcompact daily; it has plenty of stopping power IMO and it is smaller and therefore easier to carry and conceal than just about any 45ACP 1911 you'll find. That said, ParaUSA makes some very nice 1911s for carry. Worth checking out if you're set on a 1911. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Here's what I shoot lately. A Walther P22 for fun. A Beretta Storm in 45 ACP for IDPA and to carry openly. A Kimber Compact in 45 ACP to carry concealed to correct social disorders. I shot lots when I was younger. Enough that I could hit hand thrown targets. Showed lots of young men how to shoot too. Now I'm old and arthritic and shoot enough to do what needs to be done. I'm still very fast and accurate or so I was told last weekend. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil hunter Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Thanks for the help everyone. i've been looking around/reading a lot and I think I'm gonna go with a Kimber. Still not sure which model yet. I really like the black/stainless with rosewood grips they have on the crimson carry. But i'm not sure if I want the laser sights or not since it will mainly be used for just target shooting and stuff. I may have overlooked it but I didn't see any other Kimbers of that style. What do you guys think? I still haven't got the permit. Went through the second part of it today, now I just have to mail it in to get it approved by the state, which could take up to 60 days:rolleyes:. But at least by then I'll have plenty of money saved up to buy whatever I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doubleA Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Cant go wrong with a Kimber. I have a Grand Raptor, while not a carry gun it's a wonderful plinking/target gun. It's accuracy is amazing and with the .22 conversion it makes for some inexpensive practice. Grand Raptor Same frame with a .22 slide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adjam5 Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 That Kimber factory is about 25 miles from my home:) Made in Yonkers, NY! Westchester county, on the NYC border. Get well acquainted with the .45 if that is what your heart is set on. Like I have said, for CC the gun has to be in condition 1, cocked and locked with a round in the chamber. You will need to practice with your draw and make one fluid motion of drawing and flipping the safety off as you are in the process of raising the gun and aiming. It is a single action trigger, so you need to be careful when you are doing that. With that type of trigger, you will tend not to jerk the gun when you squeeze the trigger and 1st shot placement would be right on with PRACTICE. Great choice in caliber. While I definitely would promote a product from NY like a Kimber, the Taurus 1911 has gotten some great write ups and has many features that come only on custom guns. Give it a look. Good Luck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I've found that when I carry the 1911 type pistol in my favored holster which is a Yaqui Slide type, that the safety is not covered and sometimes I'd find that it had been flipped off during the day. I had some training from a fellow that worked with the early Israeli teams and since then I've carried in condition 3, which is magazine loaded chamber empty. You rack the slide as you draw. It's pretty effective, as the Israelis demonstrate on occasion. The DA/SA pistols are safe to carry hot. Just something to think about when getting a holster. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasDeerHunter Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 Get a Les Baer or STI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotashRLS Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I've found that when I carry the 1911 type pistol in my favored holster which is a Yaqui Slide type, that the safety is not covered and sometimes I'd find that it had been flipped off during the day. I had some training from a fellow that worked with the early Israeli teams and since then I've carried in condition 3, which is magazine loaded chamber empty. You rack the slide as you draw. It's pretty effective, as the Israelis demonstrate on occasion. The DA/SA pistols are safe to carry hot. Just something to think about when getting a holster. Mark Just Racking the slide on a trusty 45 should be enough to defuse just about any situation. If not, I know where I would put my money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heavy Metal Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 POOR LITTLE FELLA! Didn't know what hit him!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grady269 Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Get the Glock 1911's are great but when you say carry gun, I say GLOCK. In a hurry, in the dark, in a crisis, I can make my GLOCK go bang 15 times if nessecary, no exceptions. The reason is there are no extra buttons, decocking levers, hammers, or anything else to screw up with when you need it, and the trigger pull is the same everytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m gardner Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 The mentality that will win a gunfight is being as quick as possible but not so quick you don't hit with your first shot. Fifteen quick shots may get you killed. You can't miss fast enough to win. At the public range you can't shoot any closer than 15 yards because many people try to shoot fast and hit the metal bases of the target stands and bounce bullets back to the firing line. The metal bases are 30 inches below the scoring rings on the target! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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