need some help picking out a handgun.....
 

I am looking for a handgun with the least amount of recoil and the thinnest one.. no thick guns please.. no budget really on choosing this gun..

I have a few in mind already - would love to hear your opinions :)

so far I think I like the 1911 models..

- Kimber
- Springfield Armory
- Colt
- STI
- D+L Sports

thank you guys for all you help


:thumbsup

Pick one that works well in cold weather, like the frozen food section of your local market.

Actually pick one out that feels natural/comfortable in your hand. And the smaller the caliber the thinner and least amount of recoil. And the least effective as well.

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get one of those ones that you can wear on your forearm...then you just flick your wrists and they pop down into your hands...i suggest one for each arm.
buy a vest as well, gun fights could be dangerous, so some protection is better then none.

my cop buddies have springfield 1911, they love it

Don't know much about guns but this looks sweet :thumbsup

i mean if you are getting a gun..why not?

http://www.everydaynodaysoff.com/wp-...Sleeve-Gun.jpg

I particularly like the dual auto-safety on the Springfield XD series. Superb firearm, and you never have to worry about the safety... If your hand is in a proper shooting position, it is ready to fire. If you're not gripping the gun properly, it will not fire. Period.

Very handy feature -- especially in a tense, no-time-to-think situation.

They just released the XD-S, which is supposed to be very small, and trim. Have not seen it in person yet, but will probably buy a couple myself.

I've also read good things about Kimber pistols, though I've never owned one.

i just picked up a kel tec pf9 for my daily carry weapon. it's very thin and very small for a 9mm. it does have a bit of recoil to it, but it's such a small gun with a short barrel it's to be expected.

good luck!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FN_Five-seven

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...0px-FN5701.jpg

"A U.S. Army psychiatrist, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, reportedly opened fire on fellow soldiers with a Five-seven pistol, killing 13 people and wounding 29 in the worst shooting ever to take place on an American military base."

+1 for keltec pf9 for ccw, also ruger lc9 and lcp (.380) are good choices.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_j0qeBAJCW9...20/gun-fun.jpg



ADG

The only manufacturer I can vouch for is Kimber America. I bought custom II back in 2005 as a hunting sidearm. I put anywhere from 50 up to 200 rounds through it each month on the range and have never had a single issue. It is a full size 1911 so concealment is an issue. My next handgun will be the Ultra Carry II for carry.

I chose this handgun for the caliber and the fit. A .45 will stop a boar but isn't likely to travel through the neighbors houses if you ever find yourself in a home defense situation. The gun fit nicely in my hand. It felt like an extension and was very easy to quickly aim. My wife could put 6 rounds in 4" at 5 yards and 6 rounds in 6" at 10 yards, so the kick is not to bad.

I shot the XDs a month ago. Awesome little pistol. :thumbsup

Kimbers are bad ass. STI and Colt 1911's are nice but I'll take a Kimber over either any day of the week.

abyss_al, do you want it thin for carry or is that just a grip preference? If you're looking to carry it, check out the Kimber Ultra Carry. I'd say check out the XDs too but they have more recoil.

I've found that most people who think highly of Ruger and KelTec have never owned anything higher end than those brands. The LC9 was named handgun of the year by a couple of different gun industry parties. Although I'm sure it's dependable and whatnot, I'm not a fan of the way it handles.

If you want a good compact 9mm, wait for the Sig Sauer P224 or P938. The P938 looks like a small 1911.

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProdu...8-equinox.aspx

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProdu...4-extreme.aspx

Do you have any experience with this pistol?

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You're right, those are the more affordable brands, just a step up from Hi Point, Taurus, etc. No doubt that the high end guns are well worth their price. Sig, Kimber, Ed Brown, Les Baer, all are great guns for those that don't mind spending the extra cash.

You asking me?

I've shot it. Didn't care for it. There's a lot of hype behind them. Just not my thing.

The one I shot belonged to another GFYer. He apparently didn't like it all that much either because he sold it not long after buying it.

I'm not a fan of most of the newer FN products. They feel cheap to me. :2 cents:

Now you're insulting Taurus by putting in the same category as Hi Point. :1orglaugh

IMHO, Taurus is on par with Ruger & KelTec.

However, I still want a KSG. Probably the only KelTec I would consider buying.

Thanks. Looked interesting. I've used nothing but HK .45's for years and have the itch for something a little smaller.

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I had a Kel-Tec 9mm and for several years I ran the popular Kel-Tec Owners' Group at ktog.org. It's an excellent value. Possibly the best in that price range. With the strong community, it's also an excellent weapon for the hobbiest who likes to do stuff like the "fluff and buff" explained on the website.

The "fluff and buff" largely involves polishing the parts to have the same fit and finish as a weapon costing three times as much. One that costs three times as much will have had that done at the factory. If you want the best hardware money can buy, a factory Kel-Tec isn't that.


As far as thickness and weight - I have found that a good stiff horsehide holster molded to the kit through a simple do-it-yourself process makes much more of a difference in comfort and concealabilty than does the size of the weapon itself. I had a tiny .380 in a nylon holster. Next, I got a large Ruger and pressed a used horsehide holster to fit it well, holding it firmly above my hip. The full size gun was more comfortable and better concealed due to the much better holster.

Before making a final decision, you can try out various options at your local range. Have a professional double check your grip, which should be much higher than might come naturally, then choose something that points well in your hand when you use proper grip. This grip check may be part of a class you should take periodically if you carry.

A 1911 is a .45 ACP, which is not exactly low recoil and that's what you said you wanted.

If budget doesn't matter, the HK USP 9mm is a very soft shooting pistol. It has a rubber damper. I would say it's the best 9mm made.

The Berretta PX4 is also a soft shooting 9mm because of the rotating barrel.

I keep a Colt M1991A1 with Crimson Trace laser in my nightstand.
I keep a Kimber Ultra CDP II in my waistband.

Really cant go wrong with either one. They shoot identical to me. Makes one big hole no matter how many rounds I shoot at the target with either one.

I traded my FN57 for a HK P30 LEM. Go forwards, not backwards.

+1 for horse hide.

Crossbreed SuperTuck Deluxe

Btw by Newton's third law, recoil = power / weight. Barrel length has some effect, but basically however much force pushes the bullet forward will also push the gun back and up, resisted by the weignt of the gun. We want light weight and we want power, both of which increase recoil.

FELT recoil is reduced by proper high grip (so recoil is backwards, not up) and proper posture (so your your body resists recoil, not your wrists or elbows).

Weight is the biggest factor in recoil. I have a .357 Magnum revolver that weighs nearly 5 pounds and it shoots softer than a 9mm.

Any polymer gun you buy will have more recoil than a full metal gun like a 1911 or Berretta 92fs.

I made all of those comments about Kel-Tec, I guess I should mention two thirds of our staff has Glocks at their desks. Glocks are definitely worth a look and with so many LEOs switching from 9mm to .40, there are a lot of the 9mm, with less recoil, available.

(Glocks at our desks? Yes, we take security seriously. The datacenter staff for Clonebox is also armed.)

Gen 4 Glock 23 is my daily carry gun.

Click the pic to see the recoil I experienced with the Springfield XDs.

I have a Glock 27 for my CW, its a nice little gun, very accurate. Glocks are guaranteed to fire everytime.
I would not get anything smaller then a .40 cal tho.

for grip :)

Glock 22c for me :thumbsup

start off with a .25 and then maybe a .380 if your a sissy start with a .22

I've shot a decent number of handguns and the most comfortable and enjoyable to fire for me was the Walther PPK. It's very good for a daily carry I believe too because of size.

What do you guys think of the PPK?

yeah that's a .380/.32 range id say smaller to work on aim :2 cents:

The PPK is known to bite. In fact, I think I've seen the PPK hurt more people than any other pistol.

watch a lot of bond movies? :)

Gotcha. Then I'd say you're looking good with any of the single stack 1911's.

If cost is not a factor, Kimber, Colt Gold Cup or the Wiley Clapp Commander. I LOVE the grips on the Wiley Clapp.

http://www.coltsmfg.com/Catalog/Spec...Commander.aspx

Les Baer, Ed Brown

Something a little lower price but with great bang for the buck is the Springfield Range Officer.

http://www.springfield-armory.com/19...ngeOfficer.htm

The full size options will of course have less recoil. If you get a smaller 1911 and the recoil is an issue, you can experiment with different guide rod/spring combinations until you find what suits you best. :2 cents:

No. I shoot a lot of guns though. :)

Bought a PPK off another GFYer a couple years ago too.

The Sig Sauer 1911 Scorpion has gotten a lot of firearms magazine play recently. They've been selling like hotcakes.

Personally, I hate the flat trigger but that can be changed out fairly easily.

http://www.sigsauer.com/CatalogProdu...-scorpion.aspx

http://www.sigsauer.com/upFiles/cata...n-Detail-L.jpg

whats up aaron, long time no talk :)

bought a rifle a month or so ago to learn how to shoot through scope, just as a hobby...winchester 70 7mm

first shot had the scope hit me in the eye and i had no idea a rifle can hit back that hard, even when you hold it right lol