I am looking to buy a handgun but I don't really know where to start. I have quite a bit of experience shooting shotguns, but I have only shot a pistol (a revolver) once. I want something cheap, and went to my local sporting goods store and saw this (Taurus Millennium Pro .40 S&W) and it looked fine to me, but they all do to tell the truth.

What should I look for, and maybe more importantly, where should I look (are gun shows all they are cracked up to be? It seems like there are tons in the Oklahoma City area)?

I plan on getting my concealed carry and keeping it in my car when I am on climbing trips.

 

I suggest going to a local range that offer rentals and trying out what they have to offer. Different makes point and grip differently. Seems to me your climbing purpose would be best served with an short revolver or possibly a Kahr auto. I'm sure others will chime in with their favs but I'd spend a little more on something like a S&W airweight.

 

agree with penforhire: go to a local range and try out various pistols until you find one you like (caliber, handle, balance, etc.)

i made the mistake long ago on buying the beretta cougar .40SW (saw it on the original mission impossible and read about on magazines and thought it was cool) - the piece not only handled poorly the balance was off as well.

my favorites are still the german stuff (SIG/HK) if you want quality. there are a lot more offerings now with composites and plastics but i like the solid feel of older SIGs and HK pistols.

 

I made a similar mistake buying a Walther P99 thinking it was I hated it the 1st, & 2nd (last time) I shot it before trading it in on something else. Try before you buy - if you plan on carrying it - you obviously want to be comfortable with your choice...

 

what is the main purpose ofthe weapon?

Concealed carry
home defense
target shooter

all three of these IMHO would denote three extremely different weapons if someone were to ask me about which is best for which application.

When buying weapons I am not concerned with price as much as quality, balance, materials, caliber etc etc

 

I like Sig. The P226 is a work of art. But Sig is NOT cheap! Might as well recommend Colt or HK...

 

I have carried a sig .40 P229 at work for almost 5 years, good guns and never had any problems with it. Prior to that I carried a Beretta M9 9mm, good gun too but just felt a little under powered.

If you are just going cheap for starters then I am sure you could pick up a good used hand gun up at any gun shop. Like mentioned before, see if you can find a range that will let you rent and try out a few. I think if you do not have a lot of hand gun experience you will be able to adapt to just about any quality gun you buy, because you have not established any habits.

If you plan to keeping it for a while you should spend the money and get a Sig, H&K, Springfield Armory etc...

 

Thanks guys. I found out there is a huge (and apparently very well respected) place in OKC that has a range with rental guns to shoot. I will try that out.

 

I carry a Steyr s9. What I would recommend for conceal carry is a Smith 340pd. You can run 357 or 38 and the gun is very small and light. Make sure it's easy to shoot in stressful conditions, light and easy to carry, otherwise you'll get out of the habit of packing and what's the point of having a ccw if you don't use it?

 

Don't buy more gun then you need, since your inexperienced with a handgun I would recommend a used 380 auto or a 9 mm, maybe a 38 revolver for ease of use as a starter gun. You didn't state your intended use, so when you check out guns check a variety of revolvers and auto's. Don't get hung up on the caliber, become a decent shot first and foremost.
Seek out advice from a recognized gun dealer, he will help you make a wise choice on your first handgun.