alter
Member
It's a dnr regulation and they stated from the start that they will enforce it so be careful. I don't agree either.
It's a dnr regulation and they stated from the start that they will enforce it so be careful. I don't agree either.
Cooter
Active Member
Missed this one great advice.
From the number of replies already, obviously there are a lot of choices and there is not one gun that is going to be right for everyone. The size of your hands, recoil tolerance and a variety of other things are going to determine what gun is right for you.
I own a gun store & help people find the gun that is right for them all of the time.
My personal recomendation is to first determine what caliber you want. Lots of choices there and there are pros & cons to each. My personal recommendation to most people who are actually going to carry concealed is a 9mm. Reasons being- LOTS of choices of guns in a wide variety of price ranges, sizes, etc; not to get into a 'caliber pi$$ing match' here, but 9mm with quality self defense ammo has plenty of knockdown power; ammo is readily available & is the most inexpensive of the standard carrying calibers; very managable recoil= more enjoyable shooting & quicker/easier target acquisition for follow-up shots. For most people the last 2 mean that they will actually shoot the gun more, which is what you need to do if you're going to be proficient with your gun.
When looking at & handling guns a few other things to keep in mind is whether you want a single or double stack. More rounds with the double stack, but you're going to have more bulk. Also make sure to consider whether you want a gun with a manual safety or not. Some have them, some don't and it's a personal decision as to whether you want your gun to have it or not.
For what it's worth, by far the best selling handgun we have is the Taurus PT111 G2 Millennium. It's a double stack (12 round mag) but it's nearly as bulky as most other double stacks, it has great grips, a manual safety that can easily be disengaged with a swipe of your thumb when drawing as well as a trigger safety, chamber loaded indicator and it is very affordable (we sell it for $269.99). The all black one also has a $50 mail-in rebate through the end of the year. It is an absolutely AWESOME gun, especially for the money.
Other popular models that also make good carry guns would be the S&W Shield, Ruger LC9s, Ruger SR9c (compact- also comes in a .40) and Springfield XDs. We don't sell SCCY, but I've heard decent things about those as well.
It's a big decision, so don't rush into it. Handle and possibly actually shoot as many different ones as you can before purchasing something.
I own a gun store & help people find the gun that is right for them all of the time.
My personal recomendation is to first determine what caliber you want. Lots of choices there and there are pros & cons to each. My personal recommendation to most people who are actually going to carry concealed is a 9mm. Reasons being- LOTS of choices of guns in a wide variety of price ranges, sizes, etc; not to get into a 'caliber pi$$ing match' here, but 9mm with quality self defense ammo has plenty of knockdown power; ammo is readily available & is the most inexpensive of the standard carrying calibers; very managable recoil= more enjoyable shooting & quicker/easier target acquisition for follow-up shots. For most people the last 2 mean that they will actually shoot the gun more, which is what you need to do if you're going to be proficient with your gun.
When looking at & handling guns a few other things to keep in mind is whether you want a single or double stack. More rounds with the double stack, but you're going to have more bulk. Also make sure to consider whether you want a gun with a manual safety or not. Some have them, some don't and it's a personal decision as to whether you want your gun to have it or not.
For what it's worth, by far the best selling handgun we have is the Taurus PT111 G2 Millennium. It's a double stack (12 round mag) but it's nearly as bulky as most other double stacks, it has great grips, a manual safety that can easily be disengaged with a swipe of your thumb when drawing as well as a trigger safety, chamber loaded indicator and it is very affordable (we sell it for $269.99). The all black one also has a $50 mail-in rebate through the end of the year. It is an absolutely AWESOME gun, especially for the money.
Other popular models that also make good carry guns would be the S&W Shield, Ruger LC9s, Ruger SR9c (compact- also comes in a .40) and Springfield XDs. We don't sell SCCY, but I've heard decent things about those as well.
It's a big decision, so don't rush into it. Handle and possibly actually shoot as many different ones as you can before purchasing something.
iowavf
Well-Known Member
Some sound advice to consider, good post. I like the 9mm for the reasons listed above and compact 9's are pretty easy to conceal and big enough they're easy to hold and shoot. I have the Ruger SR9c and really liked the feel of the pistol in my hand. I like the sight system and having it adjustable is nice for target shooting because we get into a few friendly competitions while shooting and they're nice for accuracy. I might be biased because I also have the SR40 ans SR22.
I
IowaBuckSlayer2013
Guest
The ruger lc9 laser max is a nice gun as well.
gersdorf
Life Member
If you are in the Des Moines area hit up Crossroads shooting range in Johnston. They have a huge collection you can rent and see which one fits you the best. Like others have stated there are a lot of options to choose from. Just make sure you do your research and get the one that fits you the best.