[jeremiah84]

hello everybody, im new to handguns not new to shooting and im in the market for a pistol for home defense and to carry in the woods for some extra protection (as if 12ga isnt enough) possibly concealed carry i plan on getting my ccw but concealment is not that important as i will not be carrying that often i mainly want something good for the bedside.

i want something easy to care for, reliable and affordable(between $400-$600) im thinking 9mm maybe a glock 19 or s&w sigma. what do you guys think? thanks in advanced for any advice.

 

[uglydog]

The Sigma is a piece of junk, I had one for a brief time and was surprised I only lost 20% of my purchase price upon trading it in. Thank Goodness I found one on the used rack or it would have been a bloodbath.
The Glock is a good choice though they do not like me. I find their grip angle to be all wrong for me but they are very good guns. The M&P from S&W would be another good choice as would the Springfield XD line. Beretta, Ruger, CZ, Browning, Walther, and a whole list of other brands produce reliable handguns.
As for the chambering, 9mm is a good choice as it is still the least expensive centerfire ammunition to buy and one can find it easier than most others.
Maybe the best choice would be to pick up the Glock and then get the 22 LR conversion kit for it. This would allow you to practice regularly with your pistol as 22 LR ammo is cheap and recoil is virtually non-existant. This would be a very good idea as a handgun requires a lot more shooting to develop even basic ability and one has to practice regularly to maintain a given skill level. The low recoil of the 22 LR would allowone to concentrate on their shooting technique and follow through with less interference from the recoil of a centerfire cartridge, even a rather mild one like the 9mm.

 

[Captn66]

Another vote for the Glock. I really like my Glock, but Glocks are something either you love them or hate them.

UD gives good advice about others to consider.

9mm and not worrying about concealment gives you lots of opportunities to snag a police trade in at a usually very good price.

 

[Fred_G]

Another vote for the Glock. But I do agree with Uglydog, get one that feels right to you. I recently bought a rifle, one brand I just did not like the feel, the one I bought felt perfect, so handle a lot of guns, even ones out of your price range to see what you like.

Some gun ranges let you rent guns, and a lot of times people will let you shoot a few rounds through their guns if you ask.

As far as the Glock, I prefer the Glock 23, in the .40 cal flavor. Ammo is not too expensive, and I like having a little more power, without the kick of the .45. But, there is nothing wrong with the 9mm, is up to you.

I have no experience with the Sigma, but the S&W guns I have are good quality.