I have never owned a gun, but have shot occasionally here and there on a shooting range. I understand the basics of gun safety and can get around the day-to-day of gun ownership. My wife and I are thinking about doing a full on safety training + CC so that both can use this gun we are purchasing in case anything happens.
I have been eyeing a few guns here and there, but wanted to get your thoughts on what would you recommend in my situation:
- At least 12 bullets per mag as stock mag
- Lowest recoil possible
- Compact enough without it being an issue on accuracy (need something that is big enough to be accurate but small enough that I can CC from time to time, very occasionally)
- Easy enough for my wife to handle. She’s not into guns, but probably something that would throw her off is a lot of recoil
- Comfortable grip
The guns that I have tested up until now:
- Glock 19 Gen 5
- S&W M&P M2.0
Guns I am still considering:
- Sig Sauer P320
- Sig Sauer P365 XL
Any thoughts?
For all of your requirements except for bullet capacity the Shield M&P 9mm, single stack is the way to go. If you want 12+ bullets then you need a double stack. As someone who has CC’ed a double stack for a few years, I’d advise against it. They’re clunky and you end up just not carrying it because it’s too bulky and heavy, especially during the summer when wearing shorts and a T-shirt. If you insist on a double stack then the Springfield Armory XD sub-compact 3" is a great pistol. It has a standard 10 rd mag, but you can get a 16 rd mag for it no problem. I can hit a target center mass, with about a 6" grouping, at 25 yards, which is pretty darned good for a 3" barrel. Of course the overall accuracy within the physical capabilities of the firearm comes down to practice. Just because a gun is capable of something doesn’t mean the shooter is, so practice with it at least every couple of months, more at the beginning.
The Glock is also a good choice. Glock is a very popular gun, so accessories and magazines are very easy to find. You’ll have no problems getting magazines. That said, there’s a bit of a stigma associated with Glock ownership, so you’ll need to decide for yourself if you care about that.
TBH the most important aspects for me are reliability, low recoil, capacity (in that order). then, if I can carry from time to time, it’s good enough, but it’s a good point you make about the double stack.
Do you happen to have many guns (one for EDC, one double stack at home for protection?) or just one? Reason I ask is that I don’t foresee having many guns (probably will stop at one, but you never know), so the one I’m looking for has to have kind of a bit of everything lol. Small enough to carry from time to time, big enough so that recoil/accuracy is not a problem.
No, I just have the one pistol. If recoil is your 2nd most important attribute, then you want something larger than a 3". The longer the barrel, the heavier the pistol, the lower the recoil. But 9’s don’t kick very hard, so it’s probably not an issue. Once you get used to it it’s a non issue. My wife is a tiny little thing and she shoots my 9.
Springfield makes a very reliable handgun. Mine shoots perfectly every time. Supposedly Glock does too. I don’t have much experience with the S&W. Have you considered Beretta, or the Walther PPK? Those are very very reliable and time tested. They’re more expensive too though. Just about any major handgun manufacturer is going to be reliable though, as long as you keep it clean and oiled.
yeah, what I’ve been realizing is that people just choose and sort of “marry” to a brand or a few brands overall and move within that scope TBH.
I think my budget is in the 550 - 750 range just cause don’t want to spend too much if possible and I think its an acceptable range in the sense that I was able to find a few guns within that range that I like if that makes sense. I guess I’ll have to do a full on side-by-side testing day at the range to make sure I choose the right one for me/wife.