Im looking for my first handgun and I would just like some advice. It will be used mainly as a range gun, but also in the future it could be a bedside gun. I would like the gun to have an external safety, i know that its not needed but I would just feel better having one. I know that it will take more training to learn to use the safety. I have been reading for quite a while and I have pretty much narrowed it down to 2 pistols. The fist being a Beretta 92FS, and the second being a FNH FNX 9. I am leaning more towards the Beretta due to the aftermarket support and that it has been tested and proven more than the FNX. I would just like some advice on what you think of the Beretta as a first handgun. And also if the FNX would be a better choice than the Beretta and why. Thank you.
Out of those two I would pick th berreta but if you want a recommendation I would pick a smith & wesson m&p. They have ones with a thumb safety.
The 92FS/M9 isn’t my first choice for a pistol. It is comparatively large and heavy. Sight options are limited. Though I know shooters who can fire DA/SA autos quickly and accurately, I find striker fire pistols much easier to learn to shoot well, especially for beginners. I don’t find the slide mounted safety particularly easy to manipulate either (and you appear to want to actually use it as a safety vice a decocker). Most guys I know that shoot the M9 shoot it because it is issued to them, not because they would select it given a choice.
I’d give the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm with a frame mounted safety a serious look. It would meet your safety requirement, but would be an easier to shoot pistol than the Beretta. I have no experience with the FN, but it is not a very common pistol (perhaps a clue) and I think there are better choices out there.
ETA: The H&K P30 has also developed a following and is available with a safety. The P30 may merit consideration.
Here’s what I recommend:
Hit the range with friends who might have different pistols/revolvers you can try out…or…
go to a range and rent a few guns and try them. Don’t buy anything too quick.
make it a smart decision.
This exactly.
But if you want a handgun to save your life, see if you like the 1911 in .45 or the Browning Hi-Power in 9mm.
When the sun goes down in the Big City, and the thugs come out to play, them’s the one to have at hand.
I hope that was a joke…
I have an FNX 9, it’s a great gun imo. There is also someone here who did a bit of a torture test with one and it has faired well.
Ergos are excellent, safety is easy to manipulate, SA trigger is great, get 3 mags, full ambi, really good checkering on the frame.
All that being said, I’d still recommend a striker fired gun for a first and only. The trigger is much easier to learn and there are a lot of great options, though the problems the MP and Glock 9mms are having makes things bit more murky.
Please elaborate.
That’s the second time in a week I’ve seen that exact quote from you. :rolleyes:
The best weapon YOU can have is the one that YOU are accurate/competent with. Don’t let caliber be the only issue that YOU consider here.
I like the beretta but to me the safety is ass-backwards if you actually want to use it. If I actually owned one I would always have the safety off, hammer down on a loaded chamber. This is how I always carry DA/SA autos if I can.
I much prefer the safety setup on the FNX with the option of cocked-and-locked carry.
The M&P with the optional and removable 1911-esque thumb safety is also a very good choice, probably the best bet.
Since you dont know anything about handguns its pointless to try to “narrow it down” youd get the same result flipping a coin.
You first need to at least learn the basics of shooting a pistol before you can have any type of real idea of what you will want/need. I would recommend learning to shoot a pistol, then trying a few of the major ones.
Most people pretty much agree a striker fired design is easier to learn than a da/sa.
XD, Glock, or M&P. Just take it out to the range and get used to whatever you buy. External safeties like you’re referring to are relatively few and far between. The XD has an abundance of useful safety features you’ll like. I’ll say what I said in a previous thread, go get them in your hand (preferably shoot them if possible) and THEN make a decision.
WTF dude? Either that’s a joke or you just went full retard.
OP - I’ll be honest, I have no experience with the fnx. As far as beretta goes, im not a big fan, especially for a beginning shooter. But despite any of that, you are going down the wrong path. As others have suggested, try out various guns before making any decisions. Honestly a basic pistol class with a good instructor (and a pistol rental) will give you a ton of information with which you will be able to make a much more informed decision. Seriously, slow down. I know it’s tough to do when you’ve got your heart set on punching the buy button but it will benefit you in the long run. Good luck.
That’s my preferred method of beretta carry and also what i taught. This is what I was referring to as why I don’t consider berettas beginner friendly. I’ve seen more beginners do strange things with berettas than any other pistol (my experience only). And when carried as such, may as well make it a sig :).
For the record, I’m personally a glock guy but was started on a Sig P228.
My first gun was a Smith & Wesson 5906 police trade in with ambi thumb safetys was a great gun. I agree get something with a safty on the frame or slide till you know how to use a firearm properly.
Disagree completely. That’s some old school thinking. At best, a manual safety adds complexity and requires additional training and at worst, particularily for a new shooter, a safety can aid in ingraining a mindset with a lack of trigger dicipline or muzzle control since the gun is on “safe.”
Honestly, I would prefer a new shooter to start on a gun with a da/sa (long da) trigger pull. About as safe as it gets while minimizing complexity - still have to decock post engagement but it is a good trade off IMHO since I consider long dao pulls highly inefficient.
Not saying a new shooter can’t start with a glock. But if there is any concern in his head, I think a da/sa (long da pull) such as a sig is an ideal compromise.
Look into a Glock 19 (Gen 2 or 3) or a S&W M&P9.
You will thank yourself later.
Why do you want an external safety? To protect yourself from a ND?
What handguns have you tried, up to this point? What aftermarket support are you looking for? The Glock and 1911 have quite a bit of “aftermarket support”. Outside of night sights and extra magazines, I keep my guns stock.
The 92FS that I had (Inox) had fixed sights and they were not good. The double action pull is heavy and long, and I doubt that you’d shoot it in that mode. The safety is opposite of most guns aside from the PX4, made by them. I don’t trust a decocker, not to fire, so that is not exactly a safety feature that I’d trust. The gun is heavy and will tame recoil. It’s easy to maintain and field strip. Cost of magazines is higher than average but availability is good. 9mm is abundant and easy to find. I used to have a 92FS but that was 20 years ago.
No experience with the FN.
Striker fire pistols are excellent for those with less training. Short trigger pull that still requires some deliberate movement, and you’re less likely to fire off two shots accidentally, unlike a single action pistol. The XD has a loaded chamber indicator on the top, a cocked trigger indicator on the back and a grip safety that must be depressed by a regular grip to fire. The M&P has an external safety option and the backstrap can be adjusted to different sizes. The Glock has no external safety. All three have some variant of a “split trigger”. I have 4 Glocks and one XDM. The Glock requires a trigger pull to field strip. The XDM has a lever and doesn’t require a trigger pull.
For range shooting, nothing really beats a Single Action Government 1911. That’s what I prefer. Ammo can be more expensive, though.
I have always recommended a revolver for a first time gun owner to learn the basics of double action trigger control. It doesn’t typically fail but there are some nuisances of failures that occur such as with speedloaders and the process of emptying the cylinders. As a pinker you can shoot single action but once you master a double action revolver, then you can shoot just about anything.
If its not a home defense gun, then another choice is a 22LR pistol. Alternatively, some guns like a Glock or 1911 have 22 LR conversion kits that allow you to change out the slide and shoot 22 for a fraction of the cost. Those kits retail for $350 but you can find them on the secondary market for much less and there’s no need for an FFL for the conversion kit. Shooting a 22 is nothing like the Service pistols (9mm, 40SW, 45, 10mm) but you can learn the basics.
However, only you know your commitment to training, your budget for a gun, your budget for ammo, your time and money for training and practice. Determine a budget of how much you will spend on a gun AND accessories such as a holster, lock, magazines, sights, whatever. Try renting different 9mm pistols at a range. Go shoot with some friends and see why they like their particular gun or why they hate it. Some guns have magazines that cost more than others. Don’t fall into the trap of capacity when it comes to magazines.
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