Best handgun for around $500?

R

ryskey

100+ Posts
I know that's a lot like asking what the best car or truck is. Everyone has their own favorite. So I guess what I'm asking for are some reviews.

I looked at AuctionArms for a while. Some pretty good deals on there. But I have no idea what the difference is between a Walther and a Sig, other than one's British and the other's German. I'm not exactly an expert on handguns.

My roommate has a Beretta 92, so of course he's insisting that I get one too. Great gun, although I don't have much to gauge that against since I haven't shot too many non-revolver handguns. Another friend has a Glock 17. Ugly, ucomfortable little **** and it takes expensive rounds for some reason. Blah.

For me, concealability isn't an issue at all. It won't leave my house much. Maybe that will narrow down the options.

Gracias.
 
you can't buy a new sig for $500. get a glock 23.

I used to have a glock 26 that jammed up on me frequently. sold it and got the 23 and haven't had a problem with it.

if you are in a hurry, buy the glock 23. but if you can wait, save up and get a sig p226.
 
I'm not a big fan of Glocks either. I don't like the way they feel and I don't like their safety mechanism. For 500 you can get a Springfield 1911 or a Smith and Wesson revolver. I've never owned a Sig, but have heard that the Sauer is their best model by a long shot. Whatever you do I would not get a caliber smaller than .40.
 
problem with glocks is that they are too light from the material they are made (it's called tennifer, I believe) from. you have to shoot them a lot to get used to the recoil, especially if you go with a smaller or compact version. a friend bought the compensated version of the 23, glock 23c, and it recoils a lot less.

save your money and get a sig p226, you won't regret it.
 
Buy a cz75 in .40. Go do a gun shop and pick a few up different manufacturers. Everyone's hand is different, but I really think the cz fits and points well. It just feels more natural.
 
I'll second the recommendation to handle several different brands before buying. I bought a SIG P228 in 9mm 3 years ago for around $425 (I was living in Georgia then - can't speak to Texa prices). I have had absolutely no trouble with it - I probably run about 500 rounds a year through it at the range and have never had a jam.

It came down to the Beretta 92, a Glock, and the SIG when I was purchasing and the SIG felt better in my hand. If you decide to go with the Beretta, look at the Taurus line also. They make a pistol built on the Beretta 92 frame that compares well and is about 80% of the price of the Beretta.

With all that said, if it absolutely came down to one pistol that I had to depend on day in and day out when I was in fear for my life, I would pick my stainless S&W Model 66 in 357 magnum.
 
I'm not a gun control freak at all and don't have any problem at all with people owning guns, but I just wonder why do you think you need a handgun? Interested in hearing viewpoints
 
I look at handgun ownership as a recreational choice. I really believe it is in the same vein as buying a Porsche or an old GTO, etc. You do it because it is something you enjoy although, if used recklessly, it can be extremely dangerous to others.

Some people tend to think that just because you own a handgun means you will carry it or even pull it. I really don't believe having a potentially dangerous hobby means you will inevitably endanger others.
 
I enjoy going to the range and shooting targets is the primary reason I own handguns. The S&W 357 is the home defense weapon, as it is simple to use and la esposa is comfortable with it. It gives her a feeling of comfort to have, as I travel a lot in my job.

The only thing I have shot with a handgun other than targets is a big-*** chicken snake. I don't feel the desire or have the need to have a CCW permit or carry a handgun around.
 
Ryskey: Don't mean to jump off topic here, but if handgun is for home defense.....you might want to look at an inexpensive shotgun. There is not much harder than hitting an intruder with a handgun in your house when you have been startled awake at 3 a.m.. Besides the devastatiing effects of a shotgun blast on a human body are particularly satisfiying on those same intruders. Sides of faces dissappear and limds almost torn from the rest of the body. Also the chilling effect of hearing a shotgun being racked will make many burgulars **** their pants.
 
As said Sig Sauer is as good as it gets. Had 3 and sold my P229 in favor of my two P239s, one in .40, one in 9mm. I sold my P229 to a buddy for $400 w/ less than 150 rounds through it (and he was the one who shot most of those rounds
biggrin.gif
) I bought both of my P239s for $430 and $440, respectfully. You can have a Sig for less than $500 and they are very well worth it. try these guys sigforum.com for more info. They even have a classified section where you can get some great deals.
 
Ditto on the S&W recommendation. Better action, more reliable, no tricks, and are more accurate (with a long barrell and a heavy frame).

I had a Berretta for years and I could shoot the **** out of it, but anything beyond 30 yards was tough. I have a .40 S&W with a 6 inch barrell that I can shoot as well as some people shoot a .22 rifle.

Sig makes a fine gun. HK also makes a fine gun. I think 9 mm is probably too light.
 
I have a springfield 1911- and love it.

I have shot about 5,000 rounds through it and it has a slight tendancy after firing about 150-200 rounds continuously to jam- due to some build up.

My brother has a sig229 and has both the .357 & .40 barrel and loves that gun.

I plan on getting the Beretta Brigadier 92 model in .40 S&W later this year. Only suggestion I would offer for the Berretta is try and find an italian made gun instead of the U.S. made version.

I have shot the Beretta 92 w/ 9mm and I swear that I feel like I am not shooting anything - its almost like the 9mm is begging you to keep pulling the trigger.

I liked it- but the 9mm bullett is just too fast and too small to take someone down (it goes through them- part of the reason a lot of police departments moved back to the .4 and .45 calibers)

give me a caliber anyday over a mm.
 
How about a 10mm? Does anyone still make 'em?

Are the FN 57's legal in the US? Seems like one of their attractive qualities (to the military anyway) was its armor penetrating ability. Would the local PDs stand for that?
 
FN 57s are legal; if interested get the IOM model. Some of the ammo is illegal, but in talking to the guys at Rays a few months ago, supposedly, even the legal ammo has some piercing qualities. The mag is limited to 10 rounds. Reason for not buying - cost and scarcity of ammo.
 
The best gun for the money is a CZ75. Very well made and accurate. The Link

another gun you might look at the the Springfield XD.
The Link

I would either buy a .40 SW or 9mm. 10mm is rather expensive to shoot and not very popular now.
 
go to a range and test drive a few. Keep in mind, though, that these guns have thousands of rounds shot through them already, so a new gun will shoot differently. Pick one that fits your hand, shoots well and you'll do fine.

I own both a Beretta 92 (9mm) and a Glock 27 (40 cal). Frankly, I haven't put enough rounds through the Glock to give you an accurate assessment. I like the Beretta, though. I did have a Walther PPK (380), but that was a horrible gun. About all it had going for it was cheap ammunition.
 
Para-Ordnance makes some neat, small frame .45's. My carry weapon (not that I ever really do) is called a Para-Carry Light Double Action (LDA). Very small and concealable but packs .45 caliber power.
 
A .380 is really only good if you want to shoot someone 5 feet away just to piss them off. My mother-in-law has that .380 Beretta, and I couldn't hit a beer bottle 15 feet away if my life depended on it. I think the barrell is about 2.5 inches long.
 
Shoot all of these guns recommended here and then shoot a Glock. Dollars to doughnuts you'll buy the Glock. You'll throw the others in the trash.
 
Ransom, I'm glad you like your Glock, but I'll keep my Sig P226 in 9mm thank you. I'm not going to bag on your gun, but your statement is just plain silly. I and every gun guy I know would choose a Sig Sauer over a Glock everytime in any caliber you can think of.
 
Not sure why my statement is "silly". I've shot your gun and my opinion is the Glock is faster and more accurate. Like beauty, "best" is likely in the eye of the beholder.
 
Ok, I can not stay silent any longer. I own two Glocks and I think they are excellent pistols. To say they are not is ignoring the obvious. I see more Glocks in police holsters than anytning else. They are selected by police department over and over. They are practically industructible.

I am not saying the Sig is bad either. I like the Baretta 92. I just wanted to defend the Glock which I have used in tournaments to win money because it shot so well.

Pick whatever you want but don't leave here thinking Glock is a bad choice cause if you do, you don't know what you are talking about.
 
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