The begginers' handgun.......??

[IamJEEP]

Gander Mountain is selling a S & W .40 w/laser for $399..........Is this a good deal? I did a little research on this gun and have gotten mixed reviews. I know that the earlier versions had issues jamming, ect. but, all the reviews I've read about the current model are praising this gun. Is a .40 cal better than a 9mm as far as accuracy and power?

[LWM]

Gander Mountain is selling a S & W .40 w/laser for $399..........Is this a good deal? I did a little research on this gun and have gotten mixed reviews. I know that the earlier versions had issues jamming, ect. but, all the reviews I've read about the current model are praising this gun. Is a .40 cal better than a 9mm as far as accuracy and power?

I do not know anything about the gun so I cannot tell you if it is a good or bad weapon...

Your second question: Is a .40 cal better than a 9mm as far as accuracy and power? accuracy is solely dependent upon the shooter, a 9mm & 40 mm are exactly the same accuracy as each other, the question is can the shooter be accurate with both guns? to answer that she will have to shoot the guns. The 9mm will have far less recoil and therefore be faster to regain target and be more accurate for someone with little strength or experience.

As to power, the 40 is a much more powerful gun than the 9mm but compensation can be made by adjusting the type of ammo you leave in the gun. must people practice with cheap ammo and then carry with a different type depending on it's purpose. I carry with hollow-points but I do not waste money by shooting that for practice.

[Adondo]

I'll have to look those up and do some research. I definitely want her to have a light "pocket" sized gun that she can conciel easily. Thanks brendon

You really want a gun that hides away? How about an American Arms .22 magnum?


It's a little mule to fire, but you'll get a 6 foot diameter fireball out the front when it does. The 'pop' is pretty massive too. A few cops I know pack these for secondary backups, as the .22 magnum does damage. It's a ''belly gun'' though, forget about aiming for accuracy. My mom has one of these little stainless steel gems. One cop I know did have to use one in a bad situation years ago, and the perp got tore up pretty bad.

I also have one, a short barrel, it makes a great boot gun. The recovery is a bit slow after firing, because it kicks bad, and there's not much grip to hang onto. I also have a Freedom Arms version, but the quality is not as high, and the grip's even smaller and black bakelight. It's even harder to recover after a shot. (It ends up pointing straight up)

[IamJEEP]

Sounds like a fun surprise for someone coming at you but, my lady wouldn't be able to handle such a kick back.

The flash alone will probably scare the crap out of them. Lol..

You really want a gun that hides away? How about an American Arms .22 magnum?


It's a little mule to fire, but you'll get a 6 foot diameter fireball out the front when it does. The 'pop' is pretty massive too. A few cops I know pack these for secondary backups, as the .22 magnum does damage. It's a ''belly gun'' though, forget about aiming for accuracy. My mom has one of these little stainless steel gems. One cop I know did have to use one in a bad situation years ago, and the perp got tore up pretty bad.

I also have one, a short barrel, it makes a great boot gun. The recovery is a bit slow after firing, because it kicks bad, and there's not much grip to hang onto. I also have a Freedom Arms version, but the quality is not as high, and the grip's even smaller and black bakelight. It's even harder to recover after a shot. (It ends up pointing straight up)

[wrenchin hobo]

My wife has a Bernerdelli 60 which is a European 9mm short...or a 380 if you're State side. It's the perfect fit for her hand, but being 30 or so years old and being an import means it's not easy to get parts for and it jams due to a loose lower plate on the magazine. A $35 fix, but it wasn't easy to find companies that make the part.

I found lots of information here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/index.php

I recommend like the other guys, go to a range that rents guns and spend the time sorting through what she wants versus needs and what will ultimately work for her.

There are lots of places that offer beginner training/safety training that's helpful for even those of us who have years of experience can benefit from. I hope to get the wife into one soon.

I too will be trying out some firearms soon as I'd like to have something to use to get my CHL.

Let us know what decision you make. I wouldn't recommend a Bernerdelli for anyone, unless you'd just like to have a good looking Italian pistol that's easy to handle and fires well.

J

[IamJEEP]

I will keep reporting back on this thread as we go along. I'm mostly in the research stage right now so, please excuse all the "noob" questions. Lol.

I like anything that's older, ie: cars, bikes, planes, ect. My only worry is that I might start collecting older and unique guns and such. Lol. So, send over that Italian Bernerdelli! Lol.

My wife has a Bernerdelli 60 which is a European 9mm short...or a 380 if you're State side. It's the perfect fit for her hand, but being 30 or so years old and being an import means it's not easy to get parts for and it jams due to a loose lower plate on the magazine. A $35 fix, but it wasn't easy to find companies that make the part.

I found lots of information here:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/index.php

I recommend like the other guys, go to a range that rents guns and spend the time sorting through what she wants versus needs and what will ultimately work for her.

There are lots of places that offer beginner training/safety training that's helpful for even those of us who have years of experience can benefit from. I hope to get the wife into one soon.

I too will be trying out some firearms soon as I'd like to have something to use to get my CHL.

Let us know what decision you make. I wouldn't recommend a Bernerdelli for anyone, unless you'd just like to have a good looking Italian pistol that's easy to handle and fires well.

J

[wrenchin hobo]

http://www.shootpetoet.be/bernardelli60L.jpeg

This is what it looks like. Slightly different grip on the thumb side.

[brendon]

You mentioned she wants a pink gun. I got my wife's Taurus PT138 at Gander Mountain because the pink model was exclusive to them. I bought both the pink handgun and a pink Davey Crickett .22 rifle (for my oldest daughter) the same day. There was something empowering about leaving the store with two pink guns!

I'll get pictures up in a little bit for you.

As for older guns and cost of repair, don't get me started. I have a couple OLD Walthers in my care that need some lovin' - it's not going to be cheap.

ETA: I go to the range once or twice a month and mostly shoot the cheap Winchester White Box (WWB) but every third month or so, I cycle through my defensive ammo as well.

[brendon]

Here are some pics. The top one is my carry piece - a 1911 with 3" bbl and the lower is the wife's Taurus



and then just for some fun a Luger, a pair of Walthers - PPS and P38, and Ruger Super Redhawk .44mag - my bear gun:

[IamJEEP]

I do not know anything about the gun so I cannot tell you if it is a good or bad weapon...

Your second question: Is a .40 cal better than a 9mm as far as accuracy and power? accuracy is solely dependent upon the shooter, a 9mm & 40 mm are exactly the same accuracy as each other, the question is can the shooter be accurate with both guns? to answer that she will have to shoot the guns. The 9mm will have far less recoil and therefore be faster to regain target and be more accurate for someone with little strength or experience.

As to power, the 40 is a much more powerful gun than the 9mm but compensation can be made by adjusting the type of ammo you leave in the gun. must people practice with cheap ammo and then carry with a different type depending on it's purpose. I carry with hollow-points but I do not waste money by shooting that for practice.

I agree that accuracy is up to the shooter but, it also depends on the gun, right? Is a 9mm bullet more "user" friendly than a .40 apc?

Also, wouldn't you want to practice shooting with the bullets you intend to use? I understand the $$$ side of using cheaper ammo to practice but, does the weapon react differently with different ammo?