Top 10 Best First Pistol Recommendations
Best first pistol recommendations to help you choose the right one. Have a look at the top 10 best pistols and choose the best fit for you. If you want to know more about what to look for in a gun and it’s best characteristics check out our previous articles: “LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT” THE BEST CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR FIRST GUN and A PRACTICAL GUIDE ON WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN PURCHASING A HANDGUN.
There are actually many handgun options to settle on from. While the sheer number of options can seem overwhelming, meaning the perfect weapon is out there expecting you. All you’ve got to try to is locate it.
- Smith & Wesson 380-EZ 2.0
- Glock 17
- Sig Sauer P320
- SIG Sauer P320 RX
- Taurus G2C
- Springfield XD Mod 2
- Walther PPQ
- CZ 75 B
- CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical
- Beretta 92FS
1. Smith & Wesson 380-EZ 2.0
Smith & Wesson’s 380-EZ 2.0 may be a great option for a first pistol. At about $400, it’s at an inexpensive price point that’s not getting to require a mortgage. The gun itself is comparatively lightweight and is chambered for the 380 ACP cartridge. It’s easy to rack too. So, meaning frustration-free training at the range. This pistol is tiny enough for concealed carry with a 3.675″ barrel while still offering enough frame to make recoil manageable. With enough capacity to hold 9 rounds, this is often an awesome choice to get acclimated with pistols.
The biggest downside of the 380-EZ could also be the 380 ACP caliber. Some shooters don’t feel 380 ACP is powerful enough for home defense or concealed carry. The great news is, this pistol is additionally offered in 9mm.
2. Glock 17 as a Best First Pistol
The Glock 17 is one among the foremost iconic firearms of our generation. Known for its simple design and rugged reliability, there’s a reason Glock is so popular. The Glock 17 may be a full-sized frame pistol. This suggests you’ll get lots of help absorbing the recoil of the 9mm ammo it fires. With an almost 4.5-inch barrel, the G17 could also be a bit large for you to think about it a simple concealed carry option. The G17 is also an great option or home defense because it offers a capacity of 17 rounds. Typically, you’ll find a Glock 17 for about $525.
Check out our GLOCKS below:
3. Sig Sauer P320 as a Best First Pistol
Sig Sauer offers their P320 in a few dozen different sub-models. For beginning pistol shooters, we’re fans of the P320 Nitron Compact with s a 3.6-inch barrel. This makes it an honest option for concealed carry while still having enough meat on the bone to assist with recoil management. This Sig pistol will run you about an equivalent price as the Glock 17.
The P320 has several different calibers. For your first pistol, we’d highly recommend you accompany the 9mm. Odds are good you’ll be ready to put more shots on track fast with 9×19 and therefore the Sig P320 Compact offers you a magazine with 15-round capacity to assist you are doing it.
4. SIG Sauer P320 RX
The P320 RX has the same features as the regular P320, while also coming with a ROMEO1 Reflex Sight. Elevated steel front and rear night sights for co-witnessing are also included in the P320 RX.
The ROMEO1 red dot sight comes pre-mounted and has its battery located at the highest of the sight, meaning it is easy to exchange. Additional features of the ROMERO1 include:
- Adjustable for windage and elevation.
- Adjustable brightness settings.
- Motion activated for enhanced battery life.
- Very lightweight.
- Waterproof for immersion circa 1 meter (IPX-7 rated).
- Fog-proof
5. Taurus G2C as a Best First Pistol
You can do better than a Taurus for your first pistol, it’s true. But if money is tight, who are we to inform you that you simply got to remove a loan to shop for protection. The G2C may be a decent option at just $300 and may be a very fashionable pistol among American shooters.The Taurus’ 3.2-inch barrel and 12-round magazine capacity put it in “standard” territory a your other 9mm pistol options. We’d push most shooters toward the Smith & Wesson EZ models over the Taurus but if you’re during a financial spot where you’ve got a tough limit of under $300 to spend, you’ll do much worse worse than the G2C.
6. Springfield XD Mod 2
Springfield XD Mod 2 is another striker-fired reliable gun that was updated with more hostile texturing. A touch mushy but in a great way. The Service Model means it’s a compact barrel but full-size grip. Plus it’s an edge safety which suggests your hand must be firmly thereon to fireside. I’m comfortable with this type of safety since it’s more passive compared to an actual switch you would like to flip once you unholster. However, the lack of adjustable backstraps means you gotta like how it feels within the store since you won’t be changing it.
7. Walther PPQ as a Best First Pistol
I’d compare the 4″ barrel PPQ M2 to the Glock 19, in terms of being an honest middle-ground pistol for those of you not entirely sure what you are looking for. It’s similar in its size (see the comparison table below for exact dimensions), making it comfortable to shoot at the range, though approaching the upper limits of what most of the people could comfortably concealed carry. For home defense and recreational shooting, the PPQ M2 also can be found during a 5″ barrel version.
8. CZ 75 B
From CZ original design, a whole line of pistols was created with tons of unique variants. Something notable about the CZ 75 B compared to the striker fried pistols covered above is its all-steel frame. The load caused by this, combined with the dimensions of the pistol, makes it an unlikely choice for concealed carry. It does, however, make it tons easier to shoot, as heavier pistols reduce felt recoil. This combined with its 3-dot sights and crisp SA trigger makes it incredibly easy to place rounds down range accurately. It’s considered one among the first “Wonder Nines,” 9mm pistols with an outsized magazine capacity.
The CZ 75 B’s standard magazine holds 16 rounds. The CZ-75 is also a double/single action hammer fired pistol, this means you would like to carry it with the security off, instead of counting on the DA trigger pull as a security mechanism. That being said, it does accompany an excellent, easy-to-use thumb safety so you’ll carry it within the fashion of a 1911—cocked and locked.
9. CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical
The CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical is a better version of the CZ 75. because the “Tactical” within the names suggests, this 9mm pistol would be great for combat, as a “SHTF pistol,” or simply as an incredibly accurate, easy-to-shoot range toy, home defense gun, or car gun. It is equipped with an ambidextrous de-cocker, improved ergonomics, rubber grip panels, 1913 Picatinny accessory rail, cold-hammer-forged (CHF) barrel, fixed tritium night sights, and an extended beavertail—all improvements over the first CZ 75 B.
10. Beretta 92FS as a Best First Pistol
The Italian made Beretta 92FS is sweet enough for the U.S. Military, so it’s ok for you. The 92 FS 9mm pistol, designated because the M9, was employed by all branches of the U.S. Military since 1985. Only recently, the U.S. Army decided to adopt the SIG Sauer P320 as a replacement, but the 92FS remains quite capable of getting the work done. Like the CZ-75, this all-metal Beretta is heavy, however it may be a bit lighter than the CZ. Thereupon said, its size and weight still make it best for combat, range shooting, and residential defense. Its standard magazine holds 15 rounds, however extended magazines are available.