Best starter handguns?

[Knivesinedc]

So I finally convinced my Dad to get started in the gun world ( :D ), and after going shooting with someone from our church (who also cc's) my dad said he wants to start with handguns. He says the 9mm Glock feels like a "hand cannon" and that the recoil is too much so he wants a revolver more than anything. I on the other hand am perfectly fine with 9mm even .45 in Semi-auto. He fell in love with our friends .357 Mag long weighted barrel revolver. I know very little about revolvers and a decent amount about semi-autos. I was looking around at some of the gun threads and it seems that a few of you like revolvers and are quite knowledgeable about them. Any input on what a good starter revolver would be? I was thinking for me that I would go for a Glock 19 because I like the Glock platform (and they fit the holsters I own for G series airsoft guns in Milsim :D ). Any input is greatly appreciated -Jake-

[bdblue]

Glock 9mm is one of the softest shooting centerfire handguns you will find, except for possibly a revolver shooting very light .38 special loads. Glock 17 or Glock 19 would be a good place to start, or the similar models by S&W, Ruger or Springfield. SIG, Taurus, Beretta, HK, Colt, Kimber all make quality products that mostly will be more expensive.

All of the major manufacturers make or have made quality revolvers- Ruger, S&W, Colt. Even Taurus isn't too bad. You didn't state your price range but a medium frame S&W revolver is hard to beat, something with at least 3" barrel. For a little less money you could look at Ruger, either the single action blackhawk or the double action GP100. There should be lots of revolvers available on the used market for less than new prices.

Revolvers are fairly easy- pick the size you want, stainless steel or blued steel, and the brand that feels good. Autos are much more complicated because they have so many different types of actions. Some are single action, some double action, some have safeties, some don't, some have decocker levers, etc. The Glock and similar action models by other companies are easy to use since they don't have a lot of levers and so forth, basically point and pull the trigger.

[bearfacedkiller]

I am a Ruger fanboy so my suggestions will mostly be Ruger. My opinion as a revolver lover is that you should mainly be looking at Ruger or S&W.

First is a suggestion for a CCW. If he wants something easy to shoot because he is recoil sensitive then he wants a steel revolver for the weight which reduces recoil and he will want to shoot .38's. The .38 is an affordable low recoil round with plenty of stopping power and it is very manageable out of a steel revolver. I am a Ruger fan myself so I would suggest an SP101. I almost always recommend getting a .357 and shooting .38 or .38+P out of it so you still have the option to put full power rounds in it if you need to or want to. As you get used to it you may also be more comfortable with full power .357 rounds so a revolver chambered in .357 is something you can grow into over time. Also, .38s cost way less than .357 so you have access to cheap practice ammo and full power SD ammo. It is just such a versatile setup. If it doesn't have to be as heavy as the SP101, which is a fairly heavy gun for it's class, there is also the LCR which I do not own but have fired and it is very manageable as well. S&W has a plethora of revolvers chambered in both .38 and .357 from airweight like the model 360 to full steel like the model 60. They are all very nice as well. Basically any .38 or .357 from either company is nice so you are just deciding on what chambering, how heavy and whether or not you want a hammer.

If it is just a range gun, woods bumming gun or truck/nightstand gun then there are plenty of options but I would still suggest a .357 for the ability to shoot cheap low recoil .38s. I have a GP100 which is a terrific gun that is easy to shoot with even the most powerful rounds and is built like a tank. Smith and wesson also makes some great L frame .357s that certainly compete well with the GP100. I would also suggest that if this is for the range or woods bumming and not SD then look at the Ruger Blackhawk. Ruger makes some awesome single action revolvers chambered in .357 that shoot very well and are fun due to their cowboy styling.

Here is my much loved gp100.

[RanCoWeAla]

You can't beat the Glock 9mm and I have owned everything out there. They are the safest most accurate most dependable pistols made. I started with the model 19 then the 26 and finally the model 17.

[Monocrom]

A Smith & Wesson K-frame or L-frame in .38 Special, or .357 Magnum is a good start. So is the Ruger GP100. The SP101 is good too, though a bit heavy for its intended role. Folks tend to love or hate Taurus. But the newer model 82 in .38 Special is a good choice since it can handle +P loads. Just look for an ejector rod shroud to distinguish the newer model 82 from the older ones since the older model is only rated for standard pressure .38 Special loads.

Those are good places to start. There are less expensive brands than Taurus (such as Rossi). But those other brands tend to be hit or miss in terms of quality.

[Doc Dan]

If the 9mm is too much the .38 Special will be also.

I used to be involved in instruction and worked in the industry. I would start him with a .22 Long Rifle revolver. It is so useful for target practice, hunting, plinking, and, more importantly, learning to shoot. He will not develop a flinch and will learn good technique before moving up to something more powerful.

If he should eschew a .22 then the .327 is a good option for he can shoot 32 shorts in it and work his way up in power. Ruger makes the SP101 in this caliber. Still, the .22 is best and the same Ruger SP101 comes in this caliber, too.

[bearfacedkiller]

Taurus has made Rossi's revolvers for almost 20 years now.

Taurus was owned by Smith and Wesson years ago and they shared a lot of information during that time so many of the Taurus revolvers are clones of S&W revolvers.

They are all made in Brazil.

Like he said, people either love them or hate them. The gun community is very supportive of American made goods in general so that I believe that is part of it. I have not owned any Taurus firearms because I have heard that their customer service is inferior to Smith or Ruger due to them being outside the county. I'm not bashing Taurus and the ones I have handled have been solid enough.

[bearfacedkiller]

If the 9mm is too much the .38 Special will be also.

This has not been my experience. Revolvers come in so many different weights that recoil can be anywhere from punishing to pleasant. Same goes for the 9mm, a browning high power is gonna have pleasant recoil and a LC9 is gonna smack your hand hard. The 9mm is a very high pressure round and actually has quite a bit of snap and the .38 is a fairly low pressure round. The weight of the gun makes a huge difference and in equal weight guns the 9mm has a little more pop in my experience. No, it's not a huge difference. Anyhow, 38s out of a full frame revolver in my experience offer significantly less recoil than any polymer 9mm. This is why I suggested a steel revolver as a first choice. Of course it would hard to say for sure without knowing what 9mm the OP was using.

I cannot argue with the suggestion to buy a .22 for practice or with the point made about the danger of developing a flinch. Both great points. There are some nice 22 revolvers out there. I have a Ruger Single Six and it is a blast. Also, most frames that are used for the .38/.357 are also offered in .22lr making it a great way to practice. You can start with the .22 and as you get more comfortable buy the same gun in .357 and shoot .38s in it and then as you continue to get more comfortable try .357s if you desire.

[Ankerson]

I would say a nice .22 revolver would be a great start to learn.

.357 Magnum loaded with .38 Special full wad cutters will feel like shooting a .22 so it makes a great practice gun/round combo.

Those examples are what I used to recommend to people when I was in that world back in the day and training people how to shoot.

[bh49]

I am a Ruger fanboy so my suggestions will mostly be Ruger. My opinion as a revolver lover is that you should mainly be looking at Ruger or S&W.
Here is my much loved gp100.

I think that this thread needs more pictures :)

[remnar]

.22 autos can be very pleasurable to shoot and a great gateway gun. I prefer Brownings.

[bearfacedkiller]

The Brownings certainly are good .22 autos. Here is my .22/.22mag Single Six.

[Knivesinedc]

Thanks for all the info guys. My Dad says Thanks a whole bunch :D You guys are all truly helpful.

[PayneTrain]

I recently got my first gun, and it's a .380 Walther PPK/S. It's heavy, low power, and pretty easy to shoot I think. Though I have to admit I have very little to compare it to. I've shot a .22 High Standard in my pistol permit class, and I'd say my gun doesn't have much more kick than that .22. I've also shot a 9mm Ruger SR9 (which I didn't like, sorry BFK ), and a .45 1911 made by Springfield if memory serves me. The difference is definitely there, but going from memory I think it's small enough to ignore once you get comfortable with a particular gun after some practice. Is this a fair assessment of how it goes?

Edit: added specifics

[OldHoosier62]

Have taught shooters how to shoot for 30+ years. New shooters start with K-frame Smiths or their Taurus equivalent in either .22 or .38spl. Until safety and proficiency are achieved, then we discuss what they want to do....concealed carry, hunt, compete AND THEN we pick a firearm that fits their body and their needs.

If you have to start with an auto...a Ruger Mark II or Mark III is hard to beat for an inexpensive training pistol.

[Doc Dan]

Have taught shooters how to shoot for 30+ years. New shooters start with K-frame Smiths or their Taurus equivalent in either .22 or .38spl. Until safety and proficiency are achieved, then we discuss what they want to do....concealed carry, hunt, compete AND THEN we pick a firearm that fits their body and their needs.

If you have to start with an auto...a Ruger Mark II or Mark III is hard to beat for an inexpensive training pistol.

Yeah, the .22 is king and is the best with which to learn. The reason I recommended the .327 over the .38 or .357 is that the new .327 can be fired with ammo not much more powerful than a .22 but then he can move up to ammo as powerful as a 357. The recoil and blast would be nearly in the .22 range with the .32 Shorts. In the same gun he can fire .32 S&W (short. very mild), .32 S&W Long (slightly more powerful), .32 H&R Magnum (good rabbit cartridge), and .327 Federal Magnum (serious defense). So, with the same gun he can go from learning the basics to serious defense.

[bearfacedkiller]

Unfortunately the .32 family isn't always super accessible and certainly not as affordable as the .38 special. Plus, I feel as though the .327 just hasn't caught on and may be going the way of the Dodo.

[wrdwrght]

For you, a Glock 19 will give you one of the most boringly reliable, yet versatile pistols on the market. For your dad, try a Ruger GP100 with at least a 4" barrel. He'll find .38 Special quite comfortable to shoot and can graduate to .357 Magnum if he's looking for more serious protection.

Of course, the problem with getting into guns is what happens when you need to send your gun in for service? And, so arises the addage "two is one, one is none". I'd now panic if I could not put my hand on a gun. It's part of the disease...

[HorserloverFat]

I concur with Mr. Henrichs of Valor Ridge that a Glock 17 or 19 would be a good choice : https://youtu.be/XsW9QkCTBlE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bdblue]

He says the 9mm Glock feels like a "hand cannon" and that the recoil is too much

I've been thinking about this and trying to understand it. I don't own a Glock 17 but I have shot them and they are easy to shoot and have very mild recoil. But they can be very loud and this is a big part of a person's perception. If he was shooting without ear protection that might explain why he thought the gun was a cannon. Even shooting a .22LR handgun you should use ear protection and it will make the shooting more enjoyable. It is true that the Ruger GP100 is mild shooting with .38 special wadcutters but the gun is very heavy and loaded wadcutters will be hard in stores and likely will be expensive. The recoil with standard 158 grain .38 specials isn't bad either. The standard GP100 weighs 40-45 ounces, the Glock 17 weighs 25 ounces. I don't want to argue against buying the GP100 because a .357 revolver is also easy to shoot and very versatile. Either gun would serve him very well.

A .22 LR handgun is good for learning too, and certainly useful beyond that. I was going to say that it is cheaper to shoot than .38 special but in some areas of the country I don't think you can buy .22LR ammo. I have not seriously looked to buy any but I have not seen any in normal discount stores in over 2 years.