*NEW GUY QUESTION* Used vs New AND Southpaw Pistol Advice

[TheRealSOB]

I posted in the introduction section about this, but I am about to purchase my first handgun sometime over the next week to a month and am considering my options. I am a lefty and I'd like to have ambi slide release/mag release/safety or whatever combination of those features. I know this limits my options quite a bit but that's what I want.

This pistol is going to be used for shooting at the range, home defense, and I'm likely going to get my ptc, however I don't know how much I'd carry other than taking the dog for a walk, transporting the weapon to and from the range, cabin, etc. I just think it makes sense to have if I'm going to have a pistol.

I've been shooting handguns with my Grandpa and others since adolescence and am very comfortable with semi-auto handguns. I've just never had the itch to buy my own until recently.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[EAJuggalo]

Buying used is fine if it's a brand with a good quality control history and the price difference is worth it. For what most shops are charging for used guns you can buy a new one from Thunderjohn or one of the other FFLs here for about 5% more. Some of the smaller guns like the Bersas, Kel-Tecs and the like can be a little more hit and miss than Glock, S&W or Sig when comes to working like it's supposed to right out of the box. Usually there is a reason someone is getting rid of a gun.

[Iasca]

I did a ton of research while looking for my first handgun. I settled on a Smith and Wesson M&P 40c. Small enough to carry, big enough to shoot comfortably at the range. Ambidextrous slide release and flippable mag release.

[grousemaster]

Buying used is fine if it's a brand with a good quality control history and the price difference is worth it. For what most shops are charging for used guns you can buy a new one from Thunderjohn or one of the other FFLs here for about 5% more. Some of the smaller guns like the Bersas, Kel-Tecs and the like can be a little more hit and miss than Glock, S&W or Sig when comes to working like it's supposed to right out of the box. Usually there is a reason someone is getting rid of a gun.

People just get sick of their guns or want something else, etc. If something is wrong with a firearm it can be found upon inspection for the most part. Buy used guns with confidence if the price is right (assuming they pass the "once over" ), because when it comes down to it, most quality firearms manufacturers have a policy of making things right.

[fishdude]

One of the "C" guns would be a good choice. I'm talking about M&P9c/M&P40c, SR9c/SR40c, XDMc, etc. These all come with a shorter, lower round magazine that's good for carry, and a fullsize magazine with a grip extension for home defense and the range. I have the SR9c and it's a great gun and pretty reasonably priced.

[Ironbear]

As a mainly lefty (somewhat ambidextrous).... I don't find a right handed magazine release a problem at all. In fact it seems set up better for a lefty as you can press it with your index finger without releasing your grip. The slide release can be similarly handled with the left index finger. The safety however, is a problem. You either need a lefty safety or something safety-less .

[gyrfalcon]

One of the "C" guns would be a good choice. I'm talking about M&P9c/M&P40c, SR9c/SR40c, XDMc, etc. These all come with a shorter, lower round magazine that's good for carry, and a fullsize magazine with a grip extension for home defense and the range. I have the SR9c and it's a great gun and pretty reasonably priced.

Hi-Point C9?

[Drizzle]

Go to a range that rents, try some, see what others are shooting, look humble, you may be asked to try theirs when you say what you're doing, find one that fits your hand, regardless of whether it's lefty friendly or not. I'm lefty, and it's not like its a handicap; most modern semi autos work fine, whichever hand you shoot with, and revolvers are the same way. Or get something without a manual safety and don't worry about it.

Just don't fall into the 'it looks cool, ok I'll buy it' impulse sort of thing. Then you'll be posting your purchase on here saying things like 'only a box fired', and 'like new' while trying to get for a used pistol what you paid for it new.

Or be really smart and buy someone else's mistake on here for cheap-that's nice, too.

Just don't buy something cheap like a Hi Point, like a certain local seller will have a table full of tomorrow at the show. For a hundred bucks more than that, you can find a quality used semi auto, or even one of those Model 10 .38s Bill's has had out lately.

[Countryfried Frank]

Go to a range that rents, try some...

This

I've even seen people offer a newb a mag/speedloader or two of their own as long a they are practicing good muzzle control.

[plblark]

Look up Thunder John at his booth at the fun show. South West Arms.

[justaguy]

Go to a range that rents, try some

I tell this to a lot of people. A lot of people dont listen. Sometimes I get calls asking if I want to buy an almost new in box handgun because they bought something without trying it and they dont like it.

There is a moral to the story.

[backin15]

A few great ambi choices would be the FNX, the Beretta PX4 (only the compact version is fully ambidextrious) or the Taurus 809.

[PHATSPEED7x]

Walther PPQ is another gun that people forget about. I've heard good things about it.

[Guerrilla1979]

I'm a lefty and I have a full size Springfield XDm 9mm. The mag release is ambi, the entire gun works excellent for me. I love it.

[FirearmFan]

I know this post is a little old but I'm a lefty and my first pistol was an HK P2000. I chose it because it is completely ambidextrous. It's a great gun, is easy to carry, and is fun to shoot. That being said all my other pistols are very easy to shoot and the manual safety (if the gun has one) is really the only feature that needs to be ambi.