first gun
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Get a Glock. Any model will do. I like the 22 and the 27. Glocks are simply the best made, most reliable handgun on the market today. They are extremely simple and easy to take down and reassemble.
They are probably the safest gun I've ever owned. There is no hammer, it's got an inertial firing pin and you have to have your finger on the trigger to shoot. Yet there's no manual safety to slow you down in a time of need.
They are remarkably accurate right out of the box.
Parts and accessories are readily available.
They're virtually indestructible.
They are probably the safest gun I've ever owned. There is no hammer, it's got an inertial firing pin and you have to have your finger on the trigger to shoot. Yet there's no manual safety to slow you down in a time of need.
They are remarkably accurate right out of the box.
Parts and accessories are readily available.
They're virtually indestructible.
You won't regret either choice.
SIG:
+ Insanely accurate for a service auto
+ Great ergonomics
+ Unbelievable reliability
+ Mature platform (Since 1975...the kinks have been worked out, and lots of people know its personality quirks)
+ Lots of holsters
+ Interchangeable grips
- Single-stack magazine (more of an issue outside California)
- DA/SA trigger, albeit a good one
XD:
+ Insane reliability and durability
+ A few hundred cheaper
+ Good accuracy
+ Double-stack
+ Good ergonomics
+ One trigger pull
+ Pretty good holster selection
- Less aftermarket stuff
I said SIG, but then I'm wearing a P226 right now, so I'm biased.
SIG:
+ Insanely accurate for a service auto
+ Great ergonomics
+ Unbelievable reliability
+ Mature platform (Since 1975...the kinks have been worked out, and lots of people know its personality quirks)
+ Lots of holsters
+ Interchangeable grips
- Single-stack magazine (more of an issue outside California)
- DA/SA trigger, albeit a good one
XD:
+ Insane reliability and durability
+ A few hundred cheaper
+ Good accuracy
+ Double-stack
+ Good ergonomics
+ One trigger pull
+ Pretty good holster selection
- Less aftermarket stuff
I said SIG, but then I'm wearing a P226 right now, so I'm biased.
I have one of both, the Service model XD-45 and a Browning labeled SIG 220. They are both great guns and it is a difficult choice between them. If forced to choose for someone else I would probably go with the XD as it is less expensive, the finish requires less care, and the SIG offeres no benefits worth the extra couple of hundred dollars in my eyes.
I have had the 220 for a couple of decades with no problems while I have had the XD-45 only since it came out. I trust the XD enough that either the 45 or an XD-40 before that has been my duty gun for the past few years. My only real objections with this gun is that the grips are not easily changed to fit one's hand though they are pretty doggone close for me. They are also a little slick which is easily fixed with a little bicycle grip tape on the grips. The biggest so called problem is the size of the grip; those 13 rounds of 45 ACP make the grip pretty big and its length makes it a bit harder to conceal in many cases. For concealed use I use the XD-40 Service which is about an inch and a half shorter.
The 220 would probably be my carry gun except it has the European style magazine release which is not approved by my boss. I carry it on occasion for off duty but it is a blued gun and that use causes a fair bit of holster wear. The close contact is also hard on the finish as it exposes the gun to sweat more often which again is not good for the finish. The stocks are easily removed and one can find different ones to better fit one's hand.
I am not a Glock fan as the grip angle is very uncomfortable for me to use and my scores are much less. I also am not happy with the trigger; on the 4 Glocks I have owned or been issued they have been heavier, grittier, and not as smooth as the XDs I have owned. Glocks are rugged and dependable guns which are a good fit for many people but I am just not one of them.
My personal recommendation for a first handgun is a 22 LR. The guns are typically inexpensive for good ones, the ammo is very cheap, and one can better learn proper technique due to the minimal recoil and cost to shoot. The Glock may have the gretest advantage in this area as one can get a used, police trade in Glock with a 22 LR conversion kit for about the price of the "economic incentive" check. I have not seen such a kit for any of the XDs (though rumors of such have abounded over the years) nor do I think there is one for the SIG. That is the biggest down fall of your two choices and the greatest advantage to the Glock.
I have had the 220 for a couple of decades with no problems while I have had the XD-45 only since it came out. I trust the XD enough that either the 45 or an XD-40 before that has been my duty gun for the past few years. My only real objections with this gun is that the grips are not easily changed to fit one's hand though they are pretty doggone close for me. They are also a little slick which is easily fixed with a little bicycle grip tape on the grips. The biggest so called problem is the size of the grip; those 13 rounds of 45 ACP make the grip pretty big and its length makes it a bit harder to conceal in many cases. For concealed use I use the XD-40 Service which is about an inch and a half shorter.
The 220 would probably be my carry gun except it has the European style magazine release which is not approved by my boss. I carry it on occasion for off duty but it is a blued gun and that use causes a fair bit of holster wear. The close contact is also hard on the finish as it exposes the gun to sweat more often which again is not good for the finish. The stocks are easily removed and one can find different ones to better fit one's hand.
I am not a Glock fan as the grip angle is very uncomfortable for me to use and my scores are much less. I also am not happy with the trigger; on the 4 Glocks I have owned or been issued they have been heavier, grittier, and not as smooth as the XDs I have owned. Glocks are rugged and dependable guns which are a good fit for many people but I am just not one of them.
My personal recommendation for a first handgun is a 22 LR. The guns are typically inexpensive for good ones, the ammo is very cheap, and one can better learn proper technique due to the minimal recoil and cost to shoot. The Glock may have the gretest advantage in this area as one can get a used, police trade in Glock with a 22 LR conversion kit for about the price of the "economic incentive" check. I have not seen such a kit for any of the XDs (though rumors of such have abounded over the years) nor do I think there is one for the SIG. That is the biggest down fall of your two choices and the greatest advantage to the Glock.
If you have your heart set upon getting and learning to shoot a pistol by buying a large caliber semi auto, then I'll go with the Glock votes. The warmest feelings that I have for big autos, though, still lie with the 1911. The Glock that I have comes in third; a Browning Hi-Power is second. Guess that I'm old fashioned.
Pete
Pete
Joined
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AzCrazy,AzCrazy said:
Like your question asks, Which one out of these TWO guns to choose from.
I would go with the XD. First off it is less expensive, and it is very simple to use. The sig is a great gun, but very high priced.
I have had the glock 22 which others suggest. They are to big and not user friendly in my hand, such as the slide stop release and magazine release. But Again, you did not ask for suggestions on this gun.
The XD fits like a glove. The ergonomics of the xd are outstanding, and have less of a FELT recoil due to the ergonomics of the XD.
Besides, you did not ASK about the glock, obviously you have gone to a gun store and held some guns to know which one's to choose from. So again, I would personally pick the XD. You will be Very Satisfied with it.
Here are a few links for the XD.
http://springfield-armory.primediaoutdo ... tory11.php
http://www.shootingtimes.com/handgun_re ... ringfield/
http://www.gunsandammomag.com/video/tor ... index.html
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/XD-9_Tactical.htm
http://www.pistolgear.com/
Hope this helps in your quest for a Great Pistol.
G
Guest
·stick with the xd. better gun and cheaper than the sig.
G
Guest
·Don't limit yourself to only a couple choices. Take the time and fondle (at the least) as many as you can, I would stick with the top 3 vendors. Even handle some that you don't care for at the moment, you just may be surprised at your own personal conclusions and perceptions.
Choose the one that looks and feels best to YOU. Also consider the Customer Service from the various manufactures and ask lots questions.
Ammo availability and cost should also be considered.
Find the one thats right to you. If need be, pay a little more, spend what you can afford.
Check out the auction sites and get an idea of the resale value. You never know, you may decide to sell one of these days.
And lastly, remember.... you not only get what you pay for, but guns are like tools, get the right one for the right job.
Good Luck
Choose the one that looks and feels best to YOU. Also consider the Customer Service from the various manufactures and ask lots questions.
Ammo availability and cost should also be considered.
Find the one thats right to you. If need be, pay a little more, spend what you can afford.
Check out the auction sites and get an idea of the resale value. You never know, you may decide to sell one of these days.
And lastly, remember.... you not only get what you pay for, but guns are like tools, get the right one for the right job.
Good Luck
One thing to keep in mind: the more you shoot, the smaller an expense the actual gun is. If you're getting a .45, let's say you're averaging $20 a box (50rds). If you shoot 1000 rounds, that's $400. If you shoot 10,000 rounds (over the life of the gun), that's $4000. If you spend, say, $600 on a used SIG, the gun is 15% of the cost of shooting, vs. 8% for a $350 XD (these numbers are all ballpark). The percentage naturally decreases as you shoot more.
I'm not advocating one way or the other, but it's worth noting that if you do high-volume shooting, the gun is a fairly insignficant cost in the long run. However, a one-time $600 hit is sticker shock compared to $20 compounded 200 times.
Now in the case of a .22, I spent $500 on a Trailside and about $200 for 7000+ rounds of ammo (and still going strong), so...
I'm not advocating one way or the other, but it's worth noting that if you do high-volume shooting, the gun is a fairly insignficant cost in the long run. However, a one-time $600 hit is sticker shock compared to $20 compounded 200 times.
Now in the case of a .22, I spent $500 on a Trailside and about $200 for 7000+ rounds of ammo (and still going strong), so...
AzCrazy;
Great suggestions by all and IMHO especially those of BBoomer. No need to repeat, but think of this as well.
See if you can find a local range that has a rental program and if so spend some time there to "TRY" before you buy.
It will save you a lot of griefe in the future and you will feel much better about your final decision.
I own a range and have been providing this service for the past 20 years and even my fellow dealers around the area send their customers over to rent and try different guns, calibers etc. see us at www.caswells.com
I am not the brightest bulb in the socket but I have been around long enough to tell a tv from a dishwasher and I can tell you the difference between sig and Glock or sig and XD (any of the three an excellent choice) is nearly the same by comparison.
You mentioned you had/have small hands. I would be more than a little surprised if given the choice, you would therefore choose a sig over either of the other two.
In fact a person with smaller hands is not likely to pick any of the double-single action guns in my experience and that covers about an average of sales of 9 guns per day of all ages, builds/sizes and genders.
At least in the beginning and then depending upon how much, how often and which caliber you choose, your accuracy will definatly not be what you would prefer. You will shoot more accuratly out of the box with the single/"safe" action of either the glock or the xd without a doubt.
So my point is to try a bunch before you put your money down. I am convinced you will be a much happier buyer in the end. (also, you may want to ask for an hour of time with a good instructor to go over proper grip, stance and sight picture). It will be money well spent.
Good luck and enjoy whatever your choice.
Remember also if you have a choice before you buy your first gun, you may want to buy drugs instead. I think over the years you will save a lot of money and you can always quit drugs, just look at all the movie stars who do it several times a year. But once you begin buying guns and the goodies that accompany them, you are hooked forever, you cannot quit.
I wish someone had told me that before I bought my first gun back before the middle of the last century.
UF
Great suggestions by all and IMHO especially those of BBoomer. No need to repeat, but think of this as well.
See if you can find a local range that has a rental program and if so spend some time there to "TRY" before you buy.
It will save you a lot of griefe in the future and you will feel much better about your final decision.
I own a range and have been providing this service for the past 20 years and even my fellow dealers around the area send their customers over to rent and try different guns, calibers etc. see us at www.caswells.com
I am not the brightest bulb in the socket but I have been around long enough to tell a tv from a dishwasher and I can tell you the difference between sig and Glock or sig and XD (any of the three an excellent choice) is nearly the same by comparison.
You mentioned you had/have small hands. I would be more than a little surprised if given the choice, you would therefore choose a sig over either of the other two.
In fact a person with smaller hands is not likely to pick any of the double-single action guns in my experience and that covers about an average of sales of 9 guns per day of all ages, builds/sizes and genders.
At least in the beginning and then depending upon how much, how often and which caliber you choose, your accuracy will definatly not be what you would prefer. You will shoot more accuratly out of the box with the single/"safe" action of either the glock or the xd without a doubt.
So my point is to try a bunch before you put your money down. I am convinced you will be a much happier buyer in the end. (also, you may want to ask for an hour of time with a good instructor to go over proper grip, stance and sight picture). It will be money well spent.
Good luck and enjoy whatever your choice.
Remember also if you have a choice before you buy your first gun, you may want to buy drugs instead. I think over the years you will save a lot of money and you can always quit drugs, just look at all the movie stars who do it several times a year. But once you begin buying guns and the goodies that accompany them, you are hooked forever, you cannot quit.
I wish someone had told me that before I bought my first gun back before the middle of the last century.
UF
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