Tips for first handgun purchase

[gyrfalcon]

...I have taken the PTC class but do not have the permit yet due to lack of cash flow...

I procrastinate sometimes, so I thought I would warn you that you have 1 year from the class date to file your application with the county if I remember correctly. After that you'll have to come up with the cash to take another class and file for a permit.

[Tickledpink]

Good to know about the PTC and the expiration, I took the class from PLBlark early this summer. I was unemployed for a bit so food was slightly more important then the permit. You know Strad and his bacon.....

I do have a permit to purchase so I am all clear there.

[1911fan]

I guess I look at this a little different. When I go shopping either with my wife or daughter or one of the women I have taught to shoot, I generally say I have veto power based on three areas. General quality, General condition, track record.

General quality. this is just the "no junk" rule, I don't care how "pretty" or how well it fits the hand, if its junk its junk, and there is no reason to go further. HOWEVER, There are several platforms which have been copied or are derivatives of other designs which are not junk, and steering them toward that "same but better" model is my job. Here is where the "shopping" gene in women can get in the way. Two very similar looking guns, one knockoff is $175, the original other is $625. Now if its just gonna be a range toy, well, maybe that $450 dollar difference is something to consider. IF its going to be a carry gun, then I will argue how much is your life worth? Put the good one on hold, Go home and think about it, and give your self time to buy that gun. This does not mean that you have to spend huge money to get a reliable protection gun. I have bought several mid sized S&W's (K frames,) for $200 or so. They are not pretty, but very sound gun.

General condition. The term Bubba-ized relates to good guns "fixed" by previous owners or people the previous owner took the gun to. A bubba ized gun is generally not a candidate for someone who is not into the skills needed to repair what was once fixed. Sometimes they can be bought with the agreement that the shop will fix something that is not right before selling. Sometimes there has been so much damage to the basic components that nothing can be done, or nothing can be done that will ever return the gun to trustable condition.

The last veto point for me is Track Record. Even some good brands have had some lemons (Colt 2000 for example) It would be possible to find a gun from a name brand that just is not reliable.

[Belgiboy]

I guess I look at this a little different. When I go shopping either with my wife or daughter or one of the women I have taught to shoot, I generally say I have veto power based on three areas. General quality, General condition, track record.

General quality. this is just the "no junk" rule, I don't care how "pretty" or how well it fits the hand, if its junk its junk, and there is no reason to go further. HOWEVER, There are several platforms which have been copied or are derivatives of other designs which are not junk, and steering them toward that "same but better" model is my job. Here is where the "shopping" gene in women can get in the way. Two very similar looking guns, one knockoff is $175, the original other is $625. Now if its just gonna be a range toy, well, maybe that $450 dollar difference is something to consider. IF its going to be a carry gun, then I will argue how much is your life worth? Put the good one on hold, Go home and think about it, and give your self time to buy that gun. This does not mean that you have to spend huge money to get a reliable protection gun. I have bought several mid sized S&W's (K frames,) for $200 or so. They are not pretty, but very sound gun.

General condition. The term Bubba-ized relates to good guns "fixed" by previous owners or people the previous owner took the gun to. A bubba ized gun is generally not a candidate for someone who is not into the skills needed to repair what was once fixed. Sometimes they can be bought with the agreement that the shop will fix something that is not right before selling. Sometimes there has been so much damage to the basic components that nothing can be done, or nothing can be done that will ever return the gun to trustable condition.

The last veto point for me is Track Record. Even some good brands have had some lemons (Colt 2000 for example) It would be possible to find a gun from a name brand that just is not reliable.

I don't disagree with this at all but plenty of handguns will meet these 3 requirements. There is no problem picking one that is visually attractive to you. Life's too short to carry an ugly gun.

[Tickledpink]

Don't get me wrong, I am not looking for something god awful and sparkly. I just want something classy looking and I know what I like. I am sort of picky that way, being a girl and all

Function comes before beauty. If it's really pretty but won't stop a bad guy when I need it to then I don't want it.
I need it to go bang before anything else.

[1911fan]

When I was posting that last post, i left out the idea that outside of those parameters, I tried my hardest to stay out of the loop. I might offer some suggestions, but I know enough to step back when the time comes to make a decision on whether this "acceptable" gun is the one she wants.

[45Badger]

Check out thefiringline.com or thehighroad.org for pretty extensive postings on handguns. You can borrow any of my handguns if you want to try them on for size. Tell Strad that I found a 4" 625 (no lock) for $575. I might have to get a new wheelgun for next year's steel shoots

[1911fan]

Check out thefiringline.com or thehighroad.org for pretty extensive postings on handguns. You can borrow any of my handguns if you want to try them on for size. Tell Strad that I found a 4" 625 (no lock) for $575. I might have to get a new wheelgun for next year's steel shoots

and the sickness spreads.........is there a RA for all these guys who have fallen off the 1911 wagon?



Oh, and TP, the same offer exists, anything of mine you want to try, its your's to try.

[Lady T]

Hi Tickledpink!
Teresa from Bill's here.
Sorry I haven't been around, but I'd like to make a suggestion.
What do you think of getting together at Bill's (either location) and we can go through the rental and sales guns that are in stock? You'll be able to handle quite a few different makes & models and I can go through what questions to ask about any of the guns. I don't know what you schedule is, but mine is pretty flexible. Weekday or evenings would work the best seeing as the ranges & stores are a bit busy on the weekends.
In fact, if you like, once we set a date & time, we can post it here and see if there are any other Ladies that would like to join us! I would look at this more as an education outing not so much as a sales outing.
Once you pick out a few you want to try, you can rent them or I know if you listed them here, many of the guys would let you try their's!

This way you won't have to worry about the "little Lady" treatment, the "I must be invisable" treatment or the "man-up" treatment
In fact, one of my favorite things to do when I'm approached (if I'm approached) WITH AN ATTITUDE: Tell the salesman that I had just been shooting with a friend and I really loved it and wanted to buy a gun just like his. When they ask what kind it is, I simply reply " I don't know but it was black" and watch their reaction Don't get me wrong, there are many great salesman out there that have treated me with great respect

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please PM me some dates and times!

Lady T
Teresa Reiter

[Pezhead]

Hi Tickledpink!
Teresa from Bill's here.
Sorry I haven't been around, but I'd like to make a suggestion.
What do you think of getting together at Bill's (either location) and we can go through the rental and sales guns that are in stock? You'll be able to handle quite a few different makes & models and I can go through what questions to ask about any of the guns. I don't know what you schedule is, but mine is pretty flexible. Weekday or evenings would work the best seeing as the ranges & stores are a bit busy on the weekends.
In fact, if you like, once we set a date & time, we can post it here and see if there are any other Ladies that would like to join us! I would look at this more as an education outing not so much as a sales outing.
Once you pick out a few you want to try, you can rent them or I know if you listed them here, many of the guys would let you try their's!

This way you won't have to worry about the "little Lady" treatment, the "I must be invisable" treatment or the "man-up" treatment
In fact, one of my favorite things to do when I'm approached (if I'm approached) WITH AN ATTITUDE: Tell the salesman that I had just been shooting with a friend and I really loved it and wanted to buy a gun just like his. When they ask what kind it is, I simply reply " I don't know but it was black" and watch their reaction Don't get me wrong, there are many great salesman out there that have treated me with great respect

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please PM me some dates and times!

Lady T
Teresa Reiter

Teresa spot on. I like the line "I don't know but it was black"

[Seismic Sam]

The old Tanfoglio that Strad got you is a good gun, and the Hogue grips ARE designed for those old small frame Tanfoglios. The finger groove grips give you added positive positioning of your hand, and the pebbled rubber surface is VERY non-skid.

NOTE to everybody else: You CAN make those Hogue grips fit the large frame (10mm and 45 ACP) Tanfoglios if you stretch them enough, but there is a gap at the front of the grip that shows some of the magazine well. If you get cute and carefully cut away some of the inside of the grip just right, you can actually make it fit nearly perfectly, but I'm not going to the trouble of explaining how it's done unless somebody really wants to know.

At any rate, the ergonomics of the Tanfoglio are incredibly good, and the ability to carry the gun with the hammer down and a round in the chamber is a nice option. If you want to caryy cocked and locked you can also do this, and the safety is big enough and in the right position to be able to take it off quickly.

The other thing about Tanfoglios is that they do come in compact polymer frame versions that weigh in at about 25 ounces, which is a lot less than the all steel 40 ounce guns. And with Tanfoglio, you get a large choice of calibers: 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10mm, and 45 ACP. In addition, there are slide conversions so you can change calibers by putting a new slide on the existing frame. All in all, you get a good, solid gun (and incredibly strong!! in any of the popular calibers with either a steel or lightweight polymer frame in full size or compact. Prices are well under $500, and used ones can be had on gunbroker for $300 and change. Also, if you regularly haunt the CDNN website, they will have some sales that offload guns like this at over $200 below list, so it's a real deal.

Here's the link to my bicycle and chainsaw gun (meaning it's gonna get sweated on big time) and I got it for $335 from CDNN. Despite the Israeli brand, it was made by Tanfoglio, and holds 18 rounds of 9mm ammo.

http://www.mnguntalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15967

[Tickledpink]

Hi Tickledpink!
Teresa from Bill's here.
Sorry I haven't been around, but I'd like to make a suggestion.
What do you think of getting together at Bill's (either location) and we can go through the rental and sales guns that are in stock? You'll be able to handle quite a few different makes & models and I can go through what questions to ask about any of the guns. I don't know what you schedule is, but mine is pretty flexible. Weekday or evenings would work the best seeing as the ranges & stores are a bit busy on the weekends.
In fact, if you like, once we set a date & time, we can post it here and see if there are any other Ladies that would like to join us! I would look at this more as an education outing not so much as a sales outing.
Once you pick out a few you want to try, you can rent them or I know if you listed them here, many of the guys would let you try their's!

This way you won't have to worry about the "little Lady" treatment, the "I must be invisable" treatment or the "man-up" treatment
In fact, one of my favorite things to do when I'm approached (if I'm approached) WITH AN ATTITUDE: Tell the salesman that I had just been shooting with a friend and I really loved it and wanted to buy a gun just like his. When they ask what kind it is, I simply reply " I don't know but it was black" and watch their reaction Don't get me wrong, there are many great salesman out there that have treated me with great respect

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, please PM me some dates and times!

Lady T
Teresa Reiter

This sounds like are a really good idea. I would enjoy this a lot, just so I can get the feel of what I am doing. If anyone else would want to join us that would be great also. I will talk to Strad and see what day is good for him to be on monster duty. PM incoming