help me pick the right handgun - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

blarf · 06-13-2007, 10:44 AM

Hi,
I'm beginner and just took the HSC (as requiered in california) in order to purchase a handgun. i don't have much experience at all with handgun. i went to the range couple times and shot 9mm. i really like the way the XD 4" feels.
anyways, i've been reading pages and pages on the forum trying to decide if i should go 9, .40 or .45.
the handgun would be primarely for self-defense at home and shooting at the range. i would also like the lady to be able to use it, in case of emergency if i'm not home.

what would be your advice? price wise, they are all about the same price where i live (high $500). it seems that california is pretty pricey when it comes to those handguns.

sincerely,

blarf

SpringfieldXD.40 · 06-13-2007, 10:48 AM

It is all about personal preference. I'm not sure if you have the option to shoot ALL of the calibers available, but if so, I would do it. Some people think the .40's recoil is a bit "snappy"(something to take in to consideration for "the lady"). The .40's snap doesn't bother me a bit. Others prefer the 9mm or .40 over the .45 because the .45 is slightly larger. Some prefer the .45....well....beause its a .45. Being as you are a new shooter, the 9mm would make a lot of sense. Ammo prices are cheaper which means you should be able to afford to shoot it more.

Hope this helps!
Good luck and welcome to the forum!

mpak87 · 06-13-2007, 10:55 AM

Personally, I would advise either the 9 or the .45. I have the nine, and the ammo is a great deal more affordable than most other calibers (you can almost shoot 2 9mm for the price of one .45). I'm not really a fan of the .40, my thoughts on it are, if you're going to spend the extra money to shoot anything else besides 9mm, just go all the way and do it right with a .45. Also, given your magazine limitations, I think I'd rather be stuck with 10 rounds of .45 than 10 rounds of 9mm. But anyway, you can't really go wrong with either. As far as women shooting it, the 9mm has a slightly smaller frame than the .45 (but same as the .40), so that's a point in its favor. On the other hand, many shooters report the recoil on the .45 to be less sharp then the 9mm, a push instead of a snap. You will need to weigh everything out, most of my friends who bought XD's after me went for the 9mm, but that's mainly because we're poor college students. A lot of people will knock the 9mm, but with proper ammunition (hydrashock, golden saber, god dot, etc.) the caliber's effectiveness is close enough to that of the .45 that it really is not a significant difference. If money is an issue, and you want to go plink at the range a lot, get 9mm. The best possible way though, is to stop listening to this increasingly rambling post and just try them both out for yourself, if you can find a range that rents them.

FF/Medic · 06-13-2007, 11:00 AM

I have the 9 and the 45 xd and the 9 is cheaper to shoot plus my wife is a small lady and she loves to shoot the 9, she has shot both but prefers the 9

blarf · 06-13-2007, 11:04 AM

Thanks for the quick answers/help. I'm a college student myself so money is a big issue. i think i will go the 9mm route but not sure. i guess i'll have to go to the range and see if i can shoot the .45. are ammo really that much more expensive?
i guess i will have to go with the miss and also have her try out the guns and see which one she can use.

if you have any other inputs, feel free to post. i'm open to all suggestions/advice. thanks again

jtkratzer · 06-13-2007, 11:17 AM

I have the XD45 compact, it's a 4" model, with a shorter grip. My wife enjoys shooting it.

9mm is going to be quite a bit cheaper in the ammo department. Here in PA, a box of 100 Winchester ball ammo in 9mm is about 15 dollars and .45 ACP is about $27. Add tax to both of those prices.

Either will work well; as stated, I'd prefer 10 rounds of .45 ACP over 9mm. If it's in the budget, along with the XD get a .22lr semi auto and work on shooting skills with that. 550 rounds of .22 is cheaper than 50 rounds of .45.

thejoe · 06-13-2007, 11:57 AM

My opinion is much like everyone else's. 1. It doesn't matter that much because the only real way to tell what you'll like is to shoot all of them (that are available to you). and 2. 9mm is a good round if you've got some hollow point ammo to use for SD and it will most likely be easier on the hands but 10 rounds of .45 auto gives you a better chance at knocking down a threat.

I personally went with the .40 because it is a great mix of the two. You can get 180 gr. hollow points which, in my mind, is absolutely the best of both worlds. But my wife doesn't shoot my .40. Only I do. She has a 9mm and a .22 that she prefers to stick with.

joe

Ishpeck · 06-13-2007, 12:05 PM

I got the perfect handgun for you, man!
http://airbornecombatengineer.typepa...under_50_.html

Cactus Jack Garner · 06-13-2007, 12:08 PM

Find a range where you and your wife can both try them out.

Niner4Tango · 06-13-2007, 12:14 PM

Start with the 9mm. If you start with a larger caliber and you or your lady have issues with recoil, shot placement, etc. you'll always wonder if you should have gotten the 9mm.

The 9mm Service pistol with hollowpoints, like Gold Dot, is more than adequate for defense. Especially with 16 rounds on tap

You can always expand your collection later if you want to (and you probably will, if you're like the rest of us)

06-13-2007, 10:44 AM	#1
blarf XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 22	help me pick the right handgun Hi, I'm beginner and just took the HSC (as requiered in california) in order to purchase a handgun. i don't have much experience at all with handgun. i went to the range couple times and shot 9mm. i really like the way the XD 4" feels. anyways, i've been reading pages and pages on the forum trying to decide if i should go 9, .40 or .45. the handgun would be primarely for self-defense at home and shooting at the range. i would also like the lady to be able to use it, in case of emergency if i'm not home. what would be your advice? price wise, they are all about the same price where i live (high $500). it seems that california is pretty pricey when it comes to those handguns. sincerely, blarf

06-13-2007, 10:48 AM	#2
SpringfieldXD.40 XDTalk 5K Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Woodstock, VA Posts: 5,972	It is all about personal preference. I'm not sure if you have the option to shoot ALL of the calibers available, but if so, I would do it. Some people think the .40's recoil is a bit "snappy"(something to take in to consideration for "the lady"). The .40's snap doesn't bother me a bit. Others prefer the 9mm or .40 over the .45 because the .45 is slightly larger. Some prefer the .45....well....beause its a .45. Being as you are a new shooter, the 9mm would make a lot of sense. Ammo prices are cheaper which means you should be able to afford to shoot it more. Hope this helps! Good luck and welcome to the forum! __________________ We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm. — George Orwell ------------------------------------------------ Kermee in 2008 ------------------------------------------------ www.nationalgunforum.com www.pitbullforum.com

06-13-2007, 10:55 AM	#3
mpak87 XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: From Anchorage AK, but going to school in Klamath Falls, Oregon Posts: 291	Personally, I would advise either the 9 or the .45. I have the nine, and the ammo is a great deal more affordable than most other calibers (you can almost shoot 2 9mm for the price of one .45). I'm not really a fan of the .40, my thoughts on it are, if you're going to spend the extra money to shoot anything else besides 9mm, just go all the way and do it right with a .45. Also, given your magazine limitations, I think I'd rather be stuck with 10 rounds of .45 than 10 rounds of 9mm. But anyway, you can't really go wrong with either. As far as women shooting it, the 9mm has a slightly smaller frame than the .45 (but same as the .40), so that's a point in its favor. On the other hand, many shooters report the recoil on the .45 to be less sharp then the 9mm, a push instead of a snap. You will need to weigh everything out, most of my friends who bought XD's after me went for the 9mm, but that's mainly because we're poor college students. A lot of people will knock the 9mm, but with proper ammunition (hydrashock, golden saber, god dot, etc.) the caliber's effectiveness is close enough to that of the .45 that it really is not a significant difference. If money is an issue, and you want to go plink at the range a lot, get 9mm. The best possible way though, is to stop listening to this increasingly rambling post and just try them both out for yourself, if you can find a range that rents them. __________________ XD-9 Service Stag Arms Mod. 2L Lefty M-4gery (KB!'d ) A couple others

06-13-2007, 11:57 AM	#7
thejoe XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Moscow, ID. Posts: 666	My opinion is much like everyone else's. 1. It doesn't matter that much because the only real way to tell what you'll like is to shoot all of them (that are available to you). and 2. 9mm is a good round if you've got some hollow point ammo to use for SD and it will most likely be easier on the hands but 10 rounds of .45 auto gives you a better chance at knocking down a threat. I personally went with the .40 because it is a great mix of the two. You can get 180 gr. hollow points which, in my mind, is absolutely the best of both worlds. But my wife doesn't shoot my .40. Only I do. She has a 9mm and a .22 that she prefers to stick with. joe __________________ SA XD-40 Service S&W SW9VE Kel-Tec P3AT Walther P22 Norinco SKS

06-13-2007, 12:05 PM	#8
Ishpeck XDTalk 3K Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Earth Posts: 3,569	I got the perfect handgun for you, man! http://airbornecombatengineer.typepa...under_50_.html __________________ Because Godwin's law hasn't been beaten hard enough today: I don't think it's any coincidence that one of the forms of "witholdings" in my paycheck is labeled "SS." http://me.ishpeck.net/index.php?P=2020_vision

06-13-2007, 11:00 AM	#4
FF/Medic XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 16	I have the 9 and the 45 xd and the 9 is cheaper to shoot plus my wife is a small lady and she loves to shoot the 9, she has shot both but prefers the 9

06-13-2007, 11:04 AM	#5
blarf XDTalk Newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 22	Thanks for the quick answers/help. I'm a college student myself so money is a big issue. i think i will go the 9mm route but not sure. i guess i'll have to go to the range and see if i can shoot the .45. are ammo really that much more expensive? i guess i will have to go with the miss and also have her try out the guns and see which one she can use. if you have any other inputs, feel free to post. i'm open to all suggestions/advice. thanks again

06-13-2007, 11:17 AM	#6
jtkratzer XDTalk 10K Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lancaster Co., PA Posts: 13,710	I have the XD45 compact, it's a 4" model, with a shorter grip. My wife enjoys shooting it. 9mm is going to be quite a bit cheaper in the ammo department. Here in PA, a box of 100 Winchester ball ammo in 9mm is about 15 dollars and .45 ACP is about $27. Add tax to both of those prices. Either will work well; as stated, I'd prefer 10 rounds of .45 ACP over 9mm. If it's in the budget, along with the XD get a .22lr semi auto and work on shooting skills with that. 550 rounds of .22 is cheaper than 50 rounds of .45.

06-13-2007, 12:08 PM	#9
Cactus Jack Garner XDTalk Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 68	Find a range where you and your wife can both try them out. __________________ www.survivalmonkey.com XD Tactical Mod. .45, XD Service Mod. 45, XD Service Mod. 9mm + a few others....

06-13-2007, 12:14 PM	#10
Niner4Tango XDTalk 100 Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SW Washington Posts: 446	Start with the 9mm. If you start with a larger caliber and you or your lady have issues with recoil, shot placement, etc. you'll always wonder if you should have gotten the 9mm. The 9mm Service pistol with hollowpoints, like Gold Dot, is more than adequate for defense. Especially with 16 rounds on tap You can always expand your collection later if you want to (and you probably will, if you're like the rest of us)

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