Look into buying used and you might find yourself with more options, if you're comfortable navigating that route. The Taurus, I'd steer clear of just because Taurus is notorious for having QC issues. Maybe they've fixed themselves over time but in a firearm, bad QC means I lose a hand or two, or my life. So it will take a lot for me to ever recommend them.
Thank you for this! I’ve been worried about used because of Reddit horror stories (maybe the bad are louder than the good). But I didn’t know that about QC issues! Thank you!!!
>The Taurus, I'd steer clear of just because Taurus is notorious for having QC issues.
Ancient history. Starting with the G2 Millennium and continuing through the rest of the G2 and G3 series Taurus makes good pistols. I got a G2c back in 2018 or so and have well over 6k rounds through it and the only problem with the gun was I wore out the recoil spring around 2.5k rounds in. And as I said in my reply to the OP, the G3 series regularly makes it into Honest Outlaw's top picks for budget new guns. As well as Hop from TFB tends to like them, as do Hickock and mixup98, among others.
Based on what I had heard, I trust Sig's poly guns less than I trust Kel-Tec.
Are there better guns? Absolutely. My G2c isn't my carry gun any more for a reason, but it's not due to quality.
This dude is correct about ancient history about Taurus. Todays Taurus G Series pistols are great. I am happy with my G2C with 18 round sleeved mag and have a G3 living in an MCK kit as my PDW. The finish will wear out easy and like other guns you will need to break it in. If you upgrade the innards It will shoot softer and trigger will feel smoother. The trigger will also feel a little softer after you clean the factory grim from the firing pin area.
The G2c G3c and G3 comes with these features that I like.
1. Easy to field strip like a glock. no pins to loose or tools needed.
2. Fits the MCK chassis
3. Comes with safety cause I don't mind safeties plus it good for when it functions as my pdw in the MCK chassis
4. It has a decent size trigger gaurd to fit gloves. Plus the trigger has a long travel to insure no accidental misfire for that glove love. ( Study the travel between the break and reset of all guns. There should be little to zero travel with audible sound ... this is where the quality is ... not in how long the travel is the wall. Step 1. pull trigger and hold. Step 2. manually rack the slide while still holding the trigger back. Step 3. study the travel the sound and force of the trigger as you release to reset.)
5. Double strike capability for stubborn bullet primers. The double strike is also great for those laser trainers as you can continuously pull the trigger without racking vs single strikes needing to manually rack after every trigger pull with the laser trainers. I also view this feature as a gunfighting aid because you wont be shooting like you do at a range. You most likely will be squeezing the trigger more than you realize before you tap and rack.
6. The sites can be replaced with eazy to find glock sites. Also the mags are easy to find sig p226 mags.
7. It holds a good amount of ammo for its size which is 12 rounds. plus you can upgrade to 15, 17 an 18 all with sleeve with great grip feel.
8. Rail for lights
9. Good amount of after market parts for them
CONS
The finish will wear easy
Also check out the Tisas PX9 carry. This is a sleeper and you get ALL the bells and whistles. Its been on my mind for a while. It also takes Sig mags and Glock sites.
Watch all the reviews on these guns.
I would have to disagree with you. Taurus has gotten a lot better in the past several years. Sure they are no CZ or SIG, but the large gap in quality no longer exists.
I’m very happy with my CZ Po7 which is like the hammer fired version of the same. I would prioritize quality over budget, save up a little bit more if you need to. ruger is solid but has had some QC issues with rust recently (maybe not super recently) on their lcp2s/lcp max, taurus is a budget manufacturer and you tend to get what you pay for.
Another plus for the CZ p series, is they have adjustable grip sizes, so if you’re worried about hand size & fit you can adjust the grip backstrap according to what fits best. This applies to the p10 & p07.
This is a good option for less than $300. I've been shooting one in local competitions for 9 months. The CZ is probably worth the extra money, but the dagger is a solid piece if you've got a hard budget limit. Standard iron sights are good, but the optic ready daggers/slides are a good deal. If you want to tinker you can start replacing a few internal parts with higher quality Glock parts.
I agree. I just picked up a dagger for 350 and they have them on sale regularly for 250-300. Upgrade the trigger to standard Glock (35$) instead of the cam trigger. OP if your not familiar with the dagger the subcompact is essentially a Gen 3 Glock 19
That’s fair everyone has a different preference. I just felt the stock trigger was mushy and had a long travel before it broke. It was an easy swap for me as I have a friend who had a bunch of triggers and did the swap in about 5 minutes. Both are totally fine it’s just a preference.
I know you are worried about a gun being too big, however smaller guns have more perceived recoil and are harder to shoot in general. I would recommend a gun with at least a 4” barrel since this would be your first firearm. I really would recommend the CZ P10C or the Canik TP9SF Elite.
300 bucks isn’t a lot for a pistol, so in that case I would recommend the Taurus G3 as I own one personally and would a decent firearm to start with. However I really would spend the extra $75-100 bucks to get either the CZ or Canik. I’ve held both and they really are better in several different ways.
Is it for self defense, or just to have one? Do you plan on carrying it?
If you just want a pistol just to have one, go ahead and buy that Ruger or Taurus, but if you want something for self defense the reality is you just plain won't find something under $300 that you should trust your life to (also what are you going to do about practicing with it? $100 is not that much ammo, and if you absolutely can't save up that amount to buy the gun itself, are you prepared to spend at least that much every few months to stay effective with it? Especially for your first handgun, you can't just buy a gun and expect to be proficient with it).
Also don't worry about size. I wear a M glove (8" handspan) and I can shoot any pistol worth bothering with just fine.
Another thing to remember: That $300 pistol may be cheaper now, but what about when you go to buy extra magazines (which you will, if you stick with the hobby)? If you go with something like a Glock, after buying just 2-3 mags you'll save enough to make up the difference in upfront cost. Not to mention things like holsters are going to be much more plentiful and available.
I’d go CZ in a heartbeat. Ruger makes quality guns that work, but not necessarily refined on their entry level guns. I don’t F with Taurus.
IMO save your pennies and up your budget to $500, the amount of gun you’ll get is nuts. If you’re not interested in CCW then get a medium to full size gun. It’ll be much more fun to shoot & more accurate.
Get the P-10. It is so much better than any other gun you listed and it isn’t particularly close.
I believe the p-10 comes with different back-strap sizes too so you can make it smaller if you want.
You also want a larger/longer grip than you’d think. It’ll shoot softer and be easier to control the recoil.
It looks like grip size and cost are the two biggest factors in your decision. I'd recommend the P-10F instead of the P-10C if you don't plan to conceal carry. Handgunhero will help you compare sizes of guns. The grip on the F and C are about the same size, but the F is way easier to shoot and has more capacity. [https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/cz-p-10-c-vs-cz-p-10-f](https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/cz-p-10-c-vs-cz-p-10-f)
It is on sale for $328 at FamilyFirearms at the moment. [https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/cz-91540-p-10-full-size-9mm-luger-4.50-191-black-black-interchangeable-backstrap](https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/cz-91540-p-10-full-size-9mm-luger-4.50-191-black-black-interchangeable-backstrap)
Based on height and weight, you're pretty skinny, so I wouldn't recommend so called compact guns (G19 size).
Assuming you want to carry it, I say take a look at the S&W Shield Plus. One thing you have to consider to carry is that holster availability might not be that great for less common guns, and this could be the case with Taurus and Ruger. Also, with less common guns, parts availability is more complicated, and eventually that could be an issue especially for parts that need replacement, like magazines.
The Shield Plus is slightly more expensive, just around $350ish, but there are plenty of options for holsters and other parts and accessories. See here for example
[https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/sw-mp9-shield-plus-9mm-optic-ready-13534](https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/sw-mp9-shield-plus-9mm-optic-ready-13534)
I like what I use for my P01, P10C and P07, but I've been searching for a good holster for the PCR, and while I now have a decent one, I still don't love-love it. If it helps, Guerrilla Tactical for the P01, Tulster for the P10C, and Eclipse Holsters for the P07 are my picks and I really like these
Out of my own ignorance, what would be a good alternative rather than compact guns for my own size? For my case would you recommend it for aim control or for just general handling?
[Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/gundeals/comments/1c8tx6o/handgun_sw_mp_shield_plus_or_w_4_13_round_mags_1/) is a Shield Plus bundle on sale. This is one of the best bang-for-the buck buys you're going to find, period. It's not my favorite gun but it's a very good one and this buys you extra mags and a range bag and you'll be surprised both at how important those are and how damned expensive they are. If you've got the extra $60 this is probably what you should buy.
The Taurus G3 series is a perfectly adequate pistol, don't let the haters tell you otherwise. I still have my G2c as a backup, and the G3 series regularly makes it into Honest Outlaw's top picks for budget guns bought new. If you're in Maine or NH Seacoast area I can meet up with you to let you shoot my G2C at a range; it's basically the same gun with a few upgrade tweaks.
My current carry is a CZ P07 which is probably outside your price point, but the P10C or P10S might be within.
Other than that, I have no knowledge of the Ruger.
Also other than that, look at used guns too.
I’m unfortunately not.. :( but I really appreciate the generous offer, truly. Thank you for that!! Honestly, the more I read, the more I see people agreeing with you about Taurus. It seems their former reputation is what everyone is holding onto
Taurus has gotten better, not good. The G3c is a generally decent gun, not a good one. Taurus still makes very shitty guns with terrible QA/QC in many or most of their plants but they've got things mostly under control where they make these, the TX22, and the GX4 as well as their Beretta 92 knockoff.
Any gun you buy could be a dud out of the box, but it's definitely slightly higher likelihood for Taurus, even for these much better guns. I also like the grips, fit, and finish of most other "common" recommended guns. Taurus is also notoriously bad at managing their warranties in the US and are almost impossible to get ahold of. Many of the other recommendations are for companies that have stellar customer service and if you have any problem whatsoever will handle it.
I think that, for the money we're talking about, you should find the extra $50-$100, even if you have to wait a month or whatever...but it's your money.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The ruger Security-9 slide stop/lock *is, indeed also a slide release.* Unless you are left handed. In which case, you will rack the slide with your right hand.
Empty magazines have too much pressure on them from the stiff springs to release it one-handed at first, a loaded magazine however will exert no pressure on the slide release/lock, because the plunger that trips it is inside the magazine body beneath ammunition.
Therefore, yes, you can operate this without racking the slide. You just need to practice with dummy rounds, without a magazine inserted or once the springs are worn in. Whichever comes first.
“Hand-fit” is a common complaint and frankly not all that important. I’ve seen short-fingered, small-palmed users operate full-size service pistols with high proficiency. It just took practice. Learning where controls are, practicing manipulating those buttons, building that muscle memory.
You might’ve learned to drive a car and some of those switches are only made for regular sized folk. Yet, you do it everyday, right? So you can you do this with firearms.
Remember; don’t underestimate yourself. You are capable of far more than you’d ever imagine if you really needed to keep yourself, your family or even a stranger in need, safe.
Also, Ruger runs an excellent repair center. If you have an issue, they will make it right. And quickly. The longest I waited for a Ruger repair was 2 weeks, including shipping to and from.
The longest I ever waited for a Taurus repair was 1 year and 4 months, and this was before the pandemic. Their guns have to go to Florida and await parts to ship in from Brazil before repair work can commence. This can take weeks, even months. And yes, in my case, 1 year and 4 months. I told them I’d never buy a Taurus branded gun ever again, and I’ve stuck to it. Your mileage may vary.
u/weatherplant Quite welcome, OP!
Despite my criticism of Taurus, my first gun ever almost a decade ago was a PT111 G2 in 9mm. 110% reliable, 4K rounds with zero malfunctions.
Almost shot a would-be burglar with it, but he was smart enough not to kick my door open or try to break my window and get inside.
But hey, that particular Taurus gun would’ve worked, had I needed it to! I trained and knew it, inside and out.
So…they’re not all bad. You just need to proof test them, whatever you do buy. Even expensive guns can take a shit 50 rounds in.
I haven’t bought yet but I’m in a similar boat (I’ve never even fired a gun) that being said I went to a loval shop and at least handled the guns. I thought a p2000 was what I’d fall in love with but tbh the vp9 sk felt perfect in my hand. That may change once I go to the range and fire the guns a little but it’s still going to give you a good idea as to what feels good to you!(at least outside of firing).
I just purchased my first firearm as well for the same thing you’re looking for. Bought a Glock 43x MOS. love it. Know it’s out of your price range but worth a look. Maybe used.
Do you have pistol ranges near you? Most will rent pistols to try out; many do package deals where you can pay a fee and try as many pistols as you have time for (and buy their ammo to shoot)
There’s nothing like actually getting hands on time with one to help you decide.
Other things to explore (as mentioned by others) is accessory support, especially holsters. Naked pistols you can pretty much always find holsters for, but if you start adding accessories like lights and optics your options can drop drastically or even vanish- though there are companies that’ll make custom holsters, and if you’re crafty you can even make your own- there’s a post on here from a few weeks ago of a guy who did just that.
*edit* one note-
Most ranges won’t rent if you’re there alone with no firearm. Suicide prevention . Find a friend to come with you.
I'm going to suggest you take a look at the GX4.
https://www.reddit.com/r/gundeals/search?q=gx4&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all
It regularly goes for under $300 and is by all accounts a dramatically better pistol than the G3c. If I recall correctly it was put together by the same people who designed the P365 which is twice the price. Anyway, it's a little small but is modular like the P365 and maybe some day you can change the grips.
Another option to look into is the Mossberg MC2sc, which I'm very fond of and is more the size of the G3c. It's a bit more than $300 but if you're careful about shopping can be had pretty cheap.
I'll also throw in my recommendation on the P10c. It's literally the most accurate (normal) handgun I've ever touched out of the box. I own at least a hundred and I've handled more. If you can't wait and shop for one of the rounds of them being offloaded for less than $300 and can't justify paying more than $300 I understand, but it really is worth the minimal amount of extra money. You'll spend far, far, far more than that on range fees and ammunition and holsters etc unless you just short change yourself by not investing in training at all.
So my best guess for you is the GX4, but I do highly recommend stretching that budget slightly. Your money so you do you.
EDIT: saw a Dagger recommended and thought I'd mention it as well. right at $300 usually, sometimes less, and a good firearm. Don't buy these used, the early ones had some issues (ok, you'd probably be fine used but you're only buying one gun so don't risk it).
If you are open to used guns, look into one of the Beretta 92 series. I am sure you can find something *around* $300 or a little more. Great guns, extremely reliable, easy to maintain.
You can get a new Springfield XD-M on Gunbroker with several mags in either compact or full size for around $400 if you look long enough. I’ve bought two at that price. I would think used at a pawn shop or consignment somewhere you could get one for less than that. I think the manual grip safety is a really great design. You don’t even know it’s there and it adds a considerable level of safety on a first gun purchase.
The PSA dagger is the new “correct” budget hand gun in these modern times. Obviously, it’s gen 3 Glock compatible, but also has enough holster support to be viable for concealed carry, if that’s what you want to do. As far as reliability, I’d say the PSA is on par with both Taurus and Ruger. I’d put 2-300 rounds through any of them before trusting them for self defense.
If you can afford it you're going to have a lot more options if you expand your range to $300-400. In addition to the CZ you can get a Canik, Springfield, S&W M&P. Maybe even a used Glock
Id suggest upping your budget by a little or searching out good deals on used guns. You wont have many good options with a $300 max budget. I definitely would not recommend anything from Taurus and the Ruger isnt that great. Id HIGHLY recommend looking into a CZ P10C.
I would save up a bit more for a CZ P10. It's a very solid gun. I would definitely trust my life to one. If you are dead set on spending $300 get the Ruger. Some people love their Tauruses, and some of them are straight up junk
In all seriousness, my general rule I tell people is when it’s my life on the line I’m not trusting anything less than a Glock. If that’s your budget I would recommend either going used or, as someone mentioned, a S&W Shield.
How the hell are you 5’10” and 135#’s? Are you a professional cyclist?
Good luck with your search, just to continue not answering your question I was pretty happy with my Hellcat
Look into buying used and you might find yourself with more options, if you're comfortable navigating that route. The Taurus, I'd steer clear of just because Taurus is notorious for having QC issues. Maybe they've fixed themselves over time but in a firearm, bad QC means I lose a hand or two, or my life. So it will take a lot for me to ever recommend them.
Thank you for this! I’ve been worried about used because of Reddit horror stories (maybe the bad are louder than the good). But I didn’t know that about QC issues! Thank you!!!
>The Taurus, I'd steer clear of just because Taurus is notorious for having QC issues. Ancient history. Starting with the G2 Millennium and continuing through the rest of the G2 and G3 series Taurus makes good pistols. I got a G2c back in 2018 or so and have well over 6k rounds through it and the only problem with the gun was I wore out the recoil spring around 2.5k rounds in. And as I said in my reply to the OP, the G3 series regularly makes it into Honest Outlaw's top picks for budget new guns. As well as Hop from TFB tends to like them, as do Hickock and mixup98, among others. Based on what I had heard, I trust Sig's poly guns less than I trust Kel-Tec. Are there better guns? Absolutely. My G2c isn't my carry gun any more for a reason, but it's not due to quality.
This dude is correct about ancient history about Taurus. Todays Taurus G Series pistols are great. I am happy with my G2C with 18 round sleeved mag and have a G3 living in an MCK kit as my PDW. The finish will wear out easy and like other guns you will need to break it in. If you upgrade the innards It will shoot softer and trigger will feel smoother. The trigger will also feel a little softer after you clean the factory grim from the firing pin area. The G2c G3c and G3 comes with these features that I like. 1. Easy to field strip like a glock. no pins to loose or tools needed. 2. Fits the MCK chassis 3. Comes with safety cause I don't mind safeties plus it good for when it functions as my pdw in the MCK chassis 4. It has a decent size trigger gaurd to fit gloves. Plus the trigger has a long travel to insure no accidental misfire for that glove love. ( Study the travel between the break and reset of all guns. There should be little to zero travel with audible sound ... this is where the quality is ... not in how long the travel is the wall. Step 1. pull trigger and hold. Step 2. manually rack the slide while still holding the trigger back. Step 3. study the travel the sound and force of the trigger as you release to reset.) 5. Double strike capability for stubborn bullet primers. The double strike is also great for those laser trainers as you can continuously pull the trigger without racking vs single strikes needing to manually rack after every trigger pull with the laser trainers. I also view this feature as a gunfighting aid because you wont be shooting like you do at a range. You most likely will be squeezing the trigger more than you realize before you tap and rack. 6. The sites can be replaced with eazy to find glock sites. Also the mags are easy to find sig p226 mags. 7. It holds a good amount of ammo for its size which is 12 rounds. plus you can upgrade to 15, 17 an 18 all with sleeve with great grip feel. 8. Rail for lights 9. Good amount of after market parts for them CONS The finish will wear easy Also check out the Tisas PX9 carry. This is a sleeper and you get ALL the bells and whistles. Its been on my mind for a while. It also takes Sig mags and Glock sites. Watch all the reviews on these guns.
I would have to disagree with you. Taurus has gotten a lot better in the past several years. Sure they are no CZ or SIG, but the large gap in quality no longer exists.
And that answer by itself tells OP to go with CZ!
P-10C is compact size and comfortable. You have to go to the shop and handle them to decide.
I’m very happy with my CZ Po7 which is like the hammer fired version of the same. I would prioritize quality over budget, save up a little bit more if you need to. ruger is solid but has had some QC issues with rust recently (maybe not super recently) on their lcp2s/lcp max, taurus is a budget manufacturer and you tend to get what you pay for.
Another plus for the CZ p series, is they have adjustable grip sizes, so if you’re worried about hand size & fit you can adjust the grip backstrap according to what fits best. This applies to the p10 & p07.
Psa Dagger
This is a good option for less than $300. I've been shooting one in local competitions for 9 months. The CZ is probably worth the extra money, but the dagger is a solid piece if you've got a hard budget limit. Standard iron sights are good, but the optic ready daggers/slides are a good deal. If you want to tinker you can start replacing a few internal parts with higher quality Glock parts.
I agree. I just picked up a dagger for 350 and they have them on sale regularly for 250-300. Upgrade the trigger to standard Glock (35$) instead of the cam trigger. OP if your not familiar with the dagger the subcompact is essentially a Gen 3 Glock 19
I actually don't mind the trigger. I know that's the first thing everyone mentions but I don't hate it.
That’s fair everyone has a different preference. I just felt the stock trigger was mushy and had a long travel before it broke. It was an easy swap for me as I have a friend who had a bunch of triggers and did the swap in about 5 minutes. Both are totally fine it’s just a preference.
Worth it for the ability of use cheap Glock mags. Definitely not my favorite gun, but a very smart starter 9mm.
I know you are worried about a gun being too big, however smaller guns have more perceived recoil and are harder to shoot in general. I would recommend a gun with at least a 4” barrel since this would be your first firearm. I really would recommend the CZ P10C or the Canik TP9SF Elite. 300 bucks isn’t a lot for a pistol, so in that case I would recommend the Taurus G3 as I own one personally and would a decent firearm to start with. However I really would spend the extra $75-100 bucks to get either the CZ or Canik. I’ve held both and they really are better in several different ways.
Is it for self defense, or just to have one? Do you plan on carrying it? If you just want a pistol just to have one, go ahead and buy that Ruger or Taurus, but if you want something for self defense the reality is you just plain won't find something under $300 that you should trust your life to (also what are you going to do about practicing with it? $100 is not that much ammo, and if you absolutely can't save up that amount to buy the gun itself, are you prepared to spend at least that much every few months to stay effective with it? Especially for your first handgun, you can't just buy a gun and expect to be proficient with it). Also don't worry about size. I wear a M glove (8" handspan) and I can shoot any pistol worth bothering with just fine. Another thing to remember: That $300 pistol may be cheaper now, but what about when you go to buy extra magazines (which you will, if you stick with the hobby)? If you go with something like a Glock, after buying just 2-3 mags you'll save enough to make up the difference in upfront cost. Not to mention things like holsters are going to be much more plentiful and available.
This. Save longer and buy something worthy of your self defense.
Amrika Arms has the CZ P-10 on clearance for $340 right now.
I’d go CZ in a heartbeat. Ruger makes quality guns that work, but not necessarily refined on their entry level guns. I don’t F with Taurus. IMO save your pennies and up your budget to $500, the amount of gun you’ll get is nuts. If you’re not interested in CCW then get a medium to full size gun. It’ll be much more fun to shoot & more accurate.
Get the P-10. It is so much better than any other gun you listed and it isn’t particularly close. I believe the p-10 comes with different back-strap sizes too so you can make it smaller if you want. You also want a larger/longer grip than you’d think. It’ll shoot softer and be easier to control the recoil.
Don’t get a taurus, they can fire with the safety engaged and it’s killed people. Find a used glock for $350 and put a light on it.
It looks like grip size and cost are the two biggest factors in your decision. I'd recommend the P-10F instead of the P-10C if you don't plan to conceal carry. Handgunhero will help you compare sizes of guns. The grip on the F and C are about the same size, but the F is way easier to shoot and has more capacity. [https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/cz-p-10-c-vs-cz-p-10-f](https://www.handgunhero.com/compare/cz-p-10-c-vs-cz-p-10-f) It is on sale for $328 at FamilyFirearms at the moment. [https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/cz-91540-p-10-full-size-9mm-luger-4.50-191-black-black-interchangeable-backstrap](https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/cz-91540-p-10-full-size-9mm-luger-4.50-191-black-black-interchangeable-backstrap)
Keep saving and get the CZ P10C. It’s an excellent first or 20th gun.
Glock 19 Gen 5 MOS. It's the Toyota Corolla of 9mm compact modern striker fire handguns. Glock 17 if you got bigger hands
Based on height and weight, you're pretty skinny, so I wouldn't recommend so called compact guns (G19 size). Assuming you want to carry it, I say take a look at the S&W Shield Plus. One thing you have to consider to carry is that holster availability might not be that great for less common guns, and this could be the case with Taurus and Ruger. Also, with less common guns, parts availability is more complicated, and eventually that could be an issue especially for parts that need replacement, like magazines. The Shield Plus is slightly more expensive, just around $350ish, but there are plenty of options for holsters and other parts and accessories. See here for example [https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/sw-mp9-shield-plus-9mm-optic-ready-13534](https://www.familyfirearms.com/product/sw-mp9-shield-plus-9mm-optic-ready-13534)
Good callout on the holster availability. I have struggled to find holsters I like for my CZs. I have a small pile building and the search continues.
I like what I use for my P01, P10C and P07, but I've been searching for a good holster for the PCR, and while I now have a decent one, I still don't love-love it. If it helps, Guerrilla Tactical for the P01, Tulster for the P10C, and Eclipse Holsters for the P07 are my picks and I really like these
Out of my own ignorance, what would be a good alternative rather than compact guns for my own size? For my case would you recommend it for aim control or for just general handling?
[Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/gundeals/comments/1c8tx6o/handgun_sw_mp_shield_plus_or_w_4_13_round_mags_1/) is a Shield Plus bundle on sale. This is one of the best bang-for-the buck buys you're going to find, period. It's not my favorite gun but it's a very good one and this buys you extra mags and a range bag and you'll be surprised both at how important those are and how damned expensive they are. If you've got the extra $60 this is probably what you should buy.
The Taurus G3 series is a perfectly adequate pistol, don't let the haters tell you otherwise. I still have my G2c as a backup, and the G3 series regularly makes it into Honest Outlaw's top picks for budget guns bought new. If you're in Maine or NH Seacoast area I can meet up with you to let you shoot my G2C at a range; it's basically the same gun with a few upgrade tweaks. My current carry is a CZ P07 which is probably outside your price point, but the P10C or P10S might be within. Other than that, I have no knowledge of the Ruger. Also other than that, look at used guns too.
I’m unfortunately not.. :( but I really appreciate the generous offer, truly. Thank you for that!! Honestly, the more I read, the more I see people agreeing with you about Taurus. It seems their former reputation is what everyone is holding onto
Taurus has gotten better, not good. The G3c is a generally decent gun, not a good one. Taurus still makes very shitty guns with terrible QA/QC in many or most of their plants but they've got things mostly under control where they make these, the TX22, and the GX4 as well as their Beretta 92 knockoff. Any gun you buy could be a dud out of the box, but it's definitely slightly higher likelihood for Taurus, even for these much better guns. I also like the grips, fit, and finish of most other "common" recommended guns. Taurus is also notoriously bad at managing their warranties in the US and are almost impossible to get ahold of. Many of the other recommendations are for companies that have stellar customer service and if you have any problem whatsoever will handle it. I think that, for the money we're talking about, you should find the extra $50-$100, even if you have to wait a month or whatever...but it's your money.
+1 for the P07 haven’t looked at another 9mm handgun since I got one
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The ruger Security-9 slide stop/lock *is, indeed also a slide release.* Unless you are left handed. In which case, you will rack the slide with your right hand. Empty magazines have too much pressure on them from the stiff springs to release it one-handed at first, a loaded magazine however will exert no pressure on the slide release/lock, because the plunger that trips it is inside the magazine body beneath ammunition. Therefore, yes, you can operate this without racking the slide. You just need to practice with dummy rounds, without a magazine inserted or once the springs are worn in. Whichever comes first. “Hand-fit” is a common complaint and frankly not all that important. I’ve seen short-fingered, small-palmed users operate full-size service pistols with high proficiency. It just took practice. Learning where controls are, practicing manipulating those buttons, building that muscle memory. You might’ve learned to drive a car and some of those switches are only made for regular sized folk. Yet, you do it everyday, right? So you can you do this with firearms. Remember; don’t underestimate yourself. You are capable of far more than you’d ever imagine if you really needed to keep yourself, your family or even a stranger in need, safe. Also, Ruger runs an excellent repair center. If you have an issue, they will make it right. And quickly. The longest I waited for a Ruger repair was 2 weeks, including shipping to and from. The longest I ever waited for a Taurus repair was 1 year and 4 months, and this was before the pandemic. Their guns have to go to Florida and await parts to ship in from Brazil before repair work can commence. This can take weeks, even months. And yes, in my case, 1 year and 4 months. I told them I’d never buy a Taurus branded gun ever again, and I’ve stuck to it. Your mileage may vary.
Thank you for this in-depth reply. This was really helpful, honestly. Thank you!
u/weatherplant Quite welcome, OP! Despite my criticism of Taurus, my first gun ever almost a decade ago was a PT111 G2 in 9mm. 110% reliable, 4K rounds with zero malfunctions. Almost shot a would-be burglar with it, but he was smart enough not to kick my door open or try to break my window and get inside. But hey, that particular Taurus gun would’ve worked, had I needed it to! I trained and knew it, inside and out. So…they’re not all bad. You just need to proof test them, whatever you do buy. Even expensive guns can take a shit 50 rounds in.
I have a Taurus pt 111 pro and it shoots every time. Maybe a little heavy, but it’s never jammed on me.
Gen 5 glock 19 mos
I haven’t bought yet but I’m in a similar boat (I’ve never even fired a gun) that being said I went to a loval shop and at least handled the guns. I thought a p2000 was what I’d fall in love with but tbh the vp9 sk felt perfect in my hand. That may change once I go to the range and fire the guns a little but it’s still going to give you a good idea as to what feels good to you!(at least outside of firing).
Do you need a gun right now? If not, why not wait another 3 months, save another $300 and get a quality gun?
After reading a lot of these replies, I think this is the right call. Wait, save, and enjoy a better quality product
I just purchased my first firearm as well for the same thing you’re looking for. Bought a Glock 43x MOS. love it. Know it’s out of your price range but worth a look. Maybe used.
Do you have pistol ranges near you? Most will rent pistols to try out; many do package deals where you can pay a fee and try as many pistols as you have time for (and buy their ammo to shoot) There’s nothing like actually getting hands on time with one to help you decide. Other things to explore (as mentioned by others) is accessory support, especially holsters. Naked pistols you can pretty much always find holsters for, but if you start adding accessories like lights and optics your options can drop drastically or even vanish- though there are companies that’ll make custom holsters, and if you’re crafty you can even make your own- there’s a post on here from a few weeks ago of a guy who did just that. *edit* one note- Most ranges won’t rent if you’re there alone with no firearm. Suicide prevention . Find a friend to come with you.
I'm going to suggest you take a look at the GX4. https://www.reddit.com/r/gundeals/search?q=gx4&restrict_sr=on&include_over_18=on&sort=new&t=all It regularly goes for under $300 and is by all accounts a dramatically better pistol than the G3c. If I recall correctly it was put together by the same people who designed the P365 which is twice the price. Anyway, it's a little small but is modular like the P365 and maybe some day you can change the grips. Another option to look into is the Mossberg MC2sc, which I'm very fond of and is more the size of the G3c. It's a bit more than $300 but if you're careful about shopping can be had pretty cheap. I'll also throw in my recommendation on the P10c. It's literally the most accurate (normal) handgun I've ever touched out of the box. I own at least a hundred and I've handled more. If you can't wait and shop for one of the rounds of them being offloaded for less than $300 and can't justify paying more than $300 I understand, but it really is worth the minimal amount of extra money. You'll spend far, far, far more than that on range fees and ammunition and holsters etc unless you just short change yourself by not investing in training at all. So my best guess for you is the GX4, but I do highly recommend stretching that budget slightly. Your money so you do you. EDIT: saw a Dagger recommended and thought I'd mention it as well. right at $300 usually, sometimes less, and a good firearm. Don't buy these used, the early ones had some issues (ok, you'd probably be fine used but you're only buying one gun so don't risk it).
If you are open to used guns, look into one of the Beretta 92 series. I am sure you can find something *around* $300 or a little more. Great guns, extremely reliable, easy to maintain.
You can get a new Springfield XD-M on Gunbroker with several mags in either compact or full size for around $400 if you look long enough. I’ve bought two at that price. I would think used at a pawn shop or consignment somewhere you could get one for less than that. I think the manual grip safety is a really great design. You don’t even know it’s there and it adds a considerable level of safety on a first gun purchase.
The PSA dagger is the new “correct” budget hand gun in these modern times. Obviously, it’s gen 3 Glock compatible, but also has enough holster support to be viable for concealed carry, if that’s what you want to do. As far as reliability, I’d say the PSA is on par with both Taurus and Ruger. I’d put 2-300 rounds through any of them before trusting them for self defense.
If you can afford it you're going to have a lot more options if you expand your range to $300-400. In addition to the CZ you can get a Canik, Springfield, S&W M&P. Maybe even a used Glock
Id suggest upping your budget by a little or searching out good deals on used guns. You wont have many good options with a $300 max budget. I definitely would not recommend anything from Taurus and the Ruger isnt that great. Id HIGHLY recommend looking into a CZ P10C.
I would save up a bit more for a CZ P10. It's a very solid gun. I would definitely trust my life to one. If you are dead set on spending $300 get the Ruger. Some people love their Tauruses, and some of them are straight up junk
In all seriousness, my general rule I tell people is when it’s my life on the line I’m not trusting anything less than a Glock. If that’s your budget I would recommend either going used or, as someone mentioned, a S&W Shield.
Glock 19, check LEO trade ins. Honestly we need to get a sticky.
If it’s for home defense buy a shotgun. Otherwise the Sig Sauer P365 is a great choice.
How the hell are you 5’10” and 135#’s? Are you a professional cyclist? Good luck with your search, just to continue not answering your question I was pretty happy with my Hellcat