Handgun recs?
Posted by Cephalonio@reddit | Firearms | View on Reddit | 18 comments
Hey all, so I'm a first time gun buyer looking into getting a handgun for personal protection, preferably something chambered in .45 acp that isn't too difficult to conceal with a holster, been looking at various makes and models and am getting a touch overwhelmed with all the options. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
rafri@reddit
Budget?
Cephalonio@reddit (OP)
I'm thinking no more than like 800
rafri@reddit
Awesome, any features you are looking for? Red dot cut, night sights, comp, threaded barrel?
Cephalonio@reddit (OP)
That I'm still looking at, a red dot cut at least would be appreciated
rafri@reddit
Any issues with looking at a gun chambered in 9mm? Ammo capacity is usually a little higher and you are a new shooter.
Cephalonio@reddit (OP)
Not a new shooter just new to actually buying guns, been shooting various calibers and firearms since I was about 10 ish, .45 is what I've found to be the most comfortable for me, 9mm doesn't feel as smooth for me to use and the stopping power isn't there. Had a freak accident couple years ago that landed my dad in the hospital with a knife wound, someone broke into our house and he grabbed his 9mm and shot the guy like 6-7 times and he just kept walking and my dad got shanked. Luckily my dad survived as did the assailant but now my trust in 9mm is shattered
Astral_Botanist@reddit
Proper 9mm defense loads like Federal 147gr HST will perform roughly similar to 45ACP defense rounds, so if I had to guess I suspect the person was shot with basic 115gr FMJ, which can certainly be lethal, but it can also just ice pick and do far less damage than proper defense ammo. That's a rough story and I'm glad your dad survived, but it's worth looking into it more before completely ruling it out. Lucky Gunner has a bunch of gel tests that show penetration, expansion, fragmenting, etc. details. My home defense pistols are 9mm suppressed and \~20 rounds of 147 HST, and I'm very confident that it'll do what I need it to if I ever need to.
rafri@reddit
Glock 30 maybe I mean most glocks work fine.
Game_Gremlin@reddit
You could look into something like a Grand Power P45, Global Ordinance has some for about $700, and the P45L for around $800. They don't have the slides cut for a red dot, but they do have a 10+1 capacity. The rotating barrel locking action also helps smooth out the recoil impulse compared to traditional tilting barrel locking actions. Or just find a Sig 220 in 45. But if you want a slide with a red dot cut you're probably better off looking at the various Glock models chambered in .45 acp.
Night_Raptor_22@reddit
I would like to throw my opinion in for consideration, but I feel I need to share a link to a story first, since OP has their mind set on .45ACP over 9mm.
https://www.police1.com/officer-shootings/articles/why-one-cop-carries-145-rounds-of-ammo-on-the-job-clGBbLYpnqqHxwMq/
When I first started carrying a gun back in the day, I carried a full sized 1911 in .45ACP with one extra magazine. Why? I could shoot it well and I liked how it felt. Both the gun and the recoil impulse. Plus, I thought “more hole=less bad guy”.
But, I had a conversation that changed my mind. I came across the story I linked above, heard about it from my FFL friend, since it had just happened.
Now I carry many more rounds, magazines, and a gun with double the ‘standard’ capacity of a 1911, plus, I can actually use defensive hollow points that I have actually put through the gun to verify function.
From my experience, most 1911s that aren’t specifically designed with cycling hollow points in mind, do not like hollow points, since the gun predates the hollow point technology. That doesn’t mean all .45ACP guns, but just a cautionary bit of advice to take the ammo you plan to carry (probably a few brands just to be safe) and go to the range.
My step son bought his first handgun after turning 21, and was carrying it with hollow points in the magazine in the gun, and when he was showing it off to me, he mentioned that the gun didn’t like to cycle. We diagnosed the issue as the hollow point he was carrying. The gun is 9mm, so please do your due diligence and make sure whatever you get likes the ammo you feed it, lest you become a chalk outline.
Also, hollow point technology has come a long way in the last 10-20 years.
Competitive-Key7940@reddit
Id say a Glock. Cheap ish. Lots of options to mod later on. I got a 1911 for my first (other than a my 22) because I wanted a 45 over 9 in a not free state. So bigger holes seems better if I had a max cap at 10. Now I'm in a free state I do a g19.
ScarecrowMagic410a@reddit
Sounds like a tisas 1911 is the move for you. Or Rock Island Armory. Either one.
cowboy3gunisfun@reddit
Glock 30
Woodpusherpro@reddit
I would recommend a Sig Sauer P365 or P365XL(Out of stock here). It is 9mm, away from your preferred 45 ACP, but modern defensive 9mm cartridges can be very effective.
Acrobatic-Base-8780@reddit
What specifically interests you about .45? There’s a lot of trade offs with .45 that don’t make it worth it to me unless you want a 1911
Cephalonio@reddit (OP)
I'm more familiar with .45, growing up my dad and uncles all had .45 handguns and they taught me to shoot with em, I've tried 9mm aswell and it's not as comfortable with me
RAD_Sr@reddit
Get to a range and try a bunch out either rentals or borrow from a buddy if you can.
Budget for the gun and training / range time.
Have fun!
Diligent-Parfait-236@reddit
New, .45, and small, is not a winning combination.
It is not easy to learn when you're fighting against the gun.