Handguns

I’ve decided to take up guns and target shooting as a hobby. I bought my first handgun, a Taurus TX22 - just a simple .22 LR pistol. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready for the next thing. Choosing between a 1911 9mm or a S&W 357 revolver. Both are awesome guns. Thoughts?

9mm. Cool pew pew.

Clint likes the .357 Magnum. 

Punks? Not so much…

Glock 9mm is an easy and accurate pew pew.

The difference between a 1911 style gun (Single Action until the first shot) and modern 9mm (Double Action) are quite different.  If you are going to carry a 1911 you should train for it, same as a 9mm DA.   

I shot 1911 style for many years, so, I do have experience with carrying cocked and locked (safety on)....but now, I carry a 9 mm that I just pull the trigger (Double Action only).

I don't mean to make these sound simple, because I don't think either is, I just know that I have to train with what I'm carrying.

SO MANY choices today.  

I am able to shoot right out in my back yard.  Easter Saturday we had our family get-together and 7 of us adults shot our guns.  My son in law brought four guns and the rest of us had one or two.  I think I shot one other gun but I really only want to shoot the one I carry now.  That's just me.  I carry every day and I only really want to shoot DA.  So, I have a SA 1911 but I haven't shot it in a long time......Muscle memory is one of those things that I know I have to train for to count on.

Just curious, those members that carry and shoot handguns, do you train with one eye open or both?

Both open, I find closing an eye throws off my depth perception.

L8T wrote:

Just curious, those members that carry and shoot handguns, do you train with one eye open or both?

Personally I prefer to train with both eyes closed.

It'll help in readying myself for that Border Czar job.

MagnusPrime wrote:

L8T wrote:

Just curious, those members that carry and shoot handguns, do you train with one eye open or both?

Personally I prefer to train with both eyes closed.

Steven Seagal style.

Black Rider wrote:Both open, I find closing an eye throws off my depth perception.

Same here...and I can use the practice with a handgun.  I'm much more proficient with a rifle.

Follower of Jesus wrote:I’ve decided to take up guns and target shooting as a hobby. I bought my first handgun, a Taurus TX22 - just a simple .22 LR pistol. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready for the next thing. Choosing between a 1911 9mm or a S&W 357 revolver. Both are awesome guns. Thoughts?

Fun!  A couple questions: what's the intended purpose(s) and what's your budget?  I love 1911s, though in my experience the 9mm versions are not so reliable.  I'd definitely steer you towards a 9mm though, as they're great for both target practice and defense.

Glocks are the most common and well made, though I don't find them very ergonomic or particularly enjoyable to shoot.  CZ makes some really great guns that are incredibly ergonomic and great to shoot.  I have a CZ 75 SP01 which is comparable to a 1911 though it's double and single action.  (More on that below, but basically you can de-cock the hammer to make for a longer/stiffer first trigger pull instead of a manual safety, but after the first short it'll be a nice light and crisp trigger pull.)  CZ also makes polymer single-action pistols to compete with Glock.  Their P10 is probably going to be my next buy...  

I'd suggest going to a range where you can rent different options and test 'em out for yourself.  Each gun is going to fit and feel differently in your hands.  I personally don't like Glock's steeply angled grips, but others love that, etc.

TZ75 wrote:


Clint likes the .357 Magnum. 

Punks? Not so much…

Ackshually... Dirty Harry had a .44 magnum.     Punks like those even less-so!

L8T wrote:The difference between a 1911 style gun (Single Action until the first shot) and modern 9mm (Double Action) are quite different.  If you are going to carry a 1911 you should train for it, same as a 9mm DA.   

I shot 1911 style for many years, so, I do have experience with carrying cocked and locked (safety on)....but now, I carry a 9 mm that I just pull the trigger (Double Action only).

Ackshually... single vs double action refers to what happens internally when pulling a trigger.  Single action only releases the hammer/striker/whatever (1911s, Glocks, etc.), whereas double action pulls the hammer back and releases it (most revolvers).  Most revolvers have external hammers you can pull back with your thumb for a nice single action trigger pull too.

Kerrick wrote:

Follower of Jesus wrote:I’ve decided to take up guns and target shooting as a hobby. I bought my first handgun, a Taurus TX22 - just a simple .22 LR pistol. I’ve enjoyed it, but I’m ready for the next thing. Choosing between a 1911 9mm or a S&W 357 revolver. Both are awesome guns. Thoughts?

Fun!  A couple questions: what's the intended purpose(s) and what's your budget?

Target shooting mainly. It may develop into home defense someday but I have a lot of range work to do before I’m ready for that. 

Budget? Probably no more than $1200 or so. 

I’m still very new to all this. Are all 1911s single action? I didn’t know that.

Cool!  $1200 will get you a very good gun.  I'd say get something nice and comfortable to shoot, and if/when you're ready for something to carry for defense, get something specifically for that purpose (like a Sig P365).

Yup all 1911s are single action.  I'm sure someone, somewhere makes a DA/SA 1911-style pistol, but a true 1911 will always be single action.  For someone who's relatively new to shooting, I'd suggest getting a single action pistol.  Getting something DA/SA just adds extra complexity and you gotta train for two different trigger pulls and whatnot.

I'd suggest checking these out to see how they feel.
https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-p-10-f/
https://us.glock.com/en/pistols/g17

Well I asked cause I have been trying to shoot both eyes open for the  past three years.  But, it's an ego thing to me, I know....   I'm not as accurate with both eyes open....But, I'm trying to force myself to Only shoot that way.

I don't agree with you Kerrick on what you have said above.  I think a modern DA is Far-Simpler, and less-complex than a 1911.  Most modern DA have no external safety.  I trained for many years of releasing the safety, then shooting (cocked and locked).  After three years of pull and shoot, it makes me laugh.  Under stress I know I pull and shoot.  That is why my wife carries a Taurus 85.  She says "If something happens with a round, I just pull the trigger again".  So, if you are saying a revolver is the simplest way to start, well, I agree.   .....I am guessing that many of us started out that way...

Again, as I said in my first post SO MANY options today.  

The best firearm is the one that you carry, and, that you have trained with.

BTW, $1,200 is a Ton of money in this economy!!  Just my opinion.

Oh yeah, a double action only revolver is definitely the simplest/easiest, and great for purse-guns and defensive pistols - particularly for someone who doesn't have much training.  But at least the ones I've shot are not very enjoyable for target practice use.  I meant specifically for auto-loading handguns when I suggested single-action only - sorry for the confusion there.  A Glock or CZ like the ones I suggested above don't have manual safeties either, so as far as auto-loaders go, I think they'd be a great place to start - and much more fun to shoot than a double action only revolver.