Hello from Apple Valley

[Harmsie]

Hey everyone. Decided a few weeks ago to get into shooting. Been lurking here reading through the posts. Just got my permit to purchase in the mail today so I'm officially looking for a handgun now. Right now I'm looking at the following:
Ruger SR40
Springfield XD 45
S&W M&P

Might head up to Bill's to try them out and see which I like best but price is going to be a deciding factor and the Ruger SR40 looks like the best deal.

Anyway, hello from Apple Valley.

[plblark]

If price is your deciding factor, be sure to consider price and availability of ammo. 9 is much cheaper than .40 and .45

[rugersol]

If price is your deciding factor, be sure to consider price and availability of ammo. 9 is much cheaper than .40 and .45

+1

... each of them guns is available in 9mm ... and handles 9mm+P, easily

some trash-talkers'll say 9mm+P ain't no .45 ... but then, I can't seem to get any of 'em to take one 'er two to the chest, to prove theyselves right

... and

[brado]

+1 9mm

[Thunderjohn]

Welcome from Savage.

[Harmsie]

I guess I was swayed from all the talk that the 9mm was not a good round for self defense. I can't see myself ever needing it for self defense but you never know. I did briefly look at the price difference between the 9mm and 40 S&W and it was about $10 per box of 100. I did see Fleet Farm has the 40 on sale for the same price as the 9mm so I figured if I picked the ammo up on sale, it wouldn't be a big deal?

[rugersol]

I did see Fleet Farm has the 40 on sale for the same price as the 9mm so I figured if I picked the ammo up on sale, it wouldn't be a big deal?

It's somewhat rare to see a bigger store like Fleet Farm put .40 on sale, and not 9mm, also ... maintaining the typical price difference.

Regardless, 9mm does go on sale ... even if not at the same time.

[Pezhead]

Welcome from Shakopee. Just saw 9mm at Walmart for less $20.00 for 100 rounds.

[rtk]

[samginko]

My 2cents,
I think you would be happier with 9mm. Recoil management alone, makes it better in my opinion. Current trend seems to favor 9mm over 40. My cousin who is a street cop for Minneapolis carries 9mm, so does lot of his buddies. Cheaper ammo, and so on. Besides the best caliber for defense is repetition. Buy lots of ammo and practice.

Welcome, and if you are near lake elmo on Thursdays you can try my 45s and 9s.

[ex-LT]

Welcome aboard.

I'll echo what everyone else said. Nothing against the .40 Short & Wimpy, but 9mm is cheaper. At a difference of $10/100, that means you can buy roughly 150 rounds of 9mm for what it would cost you for 100 rounds of .40.

As for 9mm not being a good SD round, I have one bit of advice. Go to Streichers and buy a box of Federal HSTs.

[monschman]

Hello from Apple Valley

[Harmsie]

Thanks to everyone and I took all of you advice. I went to Bill's today and shot the M&P 9, Glock 19 and XDm 9. I'm amazed at how fast you can go through the ammo. Of the three the M&P felt the best and had the best results. Now to find a good deal on a used one...

[1911fan]

Stop, back up, and look at a good .22 like a ruger or a buckmark. there its 20 bucks for 500 rounds, and that means a lot more shooting. sure, its not a cool or macho as a big gun, but it will teach you more about shooting faster than any other option.

[rugersol]

Stop, back up, and look at a good .22 like a ruger or a buckmark. there its 20 bucks for 500 rounds, and that means a lot more shooting. sure, its not a cool or macho as a big gun, but it will teach you more about shooting faster than any other option.

After ALL that work to get him to 9mm, and now ya wanna scrap it fer a kiddie pistol?!