First handgun: .40 or .45?

Question

I can't decide between purchasing a Glock 23 vs 30. This is my first handgun and ideally I should try them out but practically this won't be possible due to time constraints on my purchase permit and state laws.

I realize that placement is everything and plan on practicing at least once a week. That said, which would you recommend? **I want what will serve me best for self-defense** and will not be able to afford another gun for many years, however I don't mind paying a bit more for the cost of .40 ammo.

Also, I'm a guitar player and don't want to ruin my wrists shooting, if this would even be an issue. If it is not I'm slightly leaning toward the .45, but would appreciate some input.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Bound's hubby here:

While I am a .45 fan, I will be the first to admit that the .45 can be difficult to control. Since the .40 is typically available only in semi-auto it, too, can be hard to control. Typically, I suggest a .22 for a first time shooter. .22s, in the scheme of things, are inexpensive and allow for practice. You could get an M1911 with a conversion kit (I believe the only combination available). If hurting your hands is a concern, I would shy away from a semi-auto and look at a lower powered pistol like a .32 or a .38.

Good luck.

Answer 2

If your new to shooting handguns I'd really recommend a single action .22Lr. Once you can hit everything you shot at with that, buy either a .40 or a .45 . Which ever one fits your hand the best. Really. Close your eyes and ask the counter man to put them each in your hand without telling you which is which. The comfortable one is the one you will shoot more, so you'll shot it best.
The .22Lr single action is for the cheap ammo and the long hammer fall. Fire 50 rounds a day for 6 months, then get your center fire and practice with it.
Remember safety is first and foremost with guns. A mistake by you can make a real mess out of the 4 year old next door.
I have a browning HP in 40, and I own several .45 ACP guns. I love the .45 ACP. I'm getting my first Glock next week, it's a .40 cal. Hope I like it.

Answer 3

Your first handgun should be a .22 LR Revolver. An S&W M-617 would be perfect.

After you learn the basics of sight picture, trigger control, and breath control, you can decide if you want a semi-automatic or revolver for your first centerfire pistol.

An advantage for revolvers it that you don't have to use full-power ammo just so they will function. With an automatic, you must use full-power ammo for reliable cycling. In a .357 Magnum revolver, you can use everything from CCI .38 SPL Snake Shot or 148 gr. Mid-Range Target Wadcutters all the way to Corbon 180 grain or 200 grain heavy hunting ammo with perfect reliability.

Of the two calibers you listed, neither will be a threat to your wrists. I would say the .45 ACP is the better choice because it has a larger diameter, and more bullet weights and designs available than the .40 S&W.

Even better would be to get the S&W M-617, and in a few months, add an S&W M-66 or M-686 in ,357 Magnum.

FWIW, I've never known a good handgun shot who started his shooting with anything other than a .22 LR.

Doc

Answer 4

man this is a good question. I have had handguns all my life and I just recently got my CC class and am waiting for my license. With that said I have a Glock g36 in 45 that was going to be my carrier choice but am leaning towards trading it for a G27 in .40 for all the reasons everyone is saying the 40 is good. but am also torn as for all the reasons everyone says the 45 is good. BUT the 45 was not my first pistol THe 357 was it and i shot 38 spl. My second was a 9mm then another 38 spl then a 22. I finally decided to get the 45 and yes it is a lot to handle in a carrier size. If the 40 is almost as cheap to shoot and ballistics are close then it all comes down to manageable recoil. Get a .40 i am 99 % sure i am too

Answer 5

Usually the best first handgun is a 22, because you can shoot a lot more due to the inexpensive ammo. This helps a lot more with a handgun than a rifle because it's more difficult to learn to shoot a handgun accurately.
That being said though, neither the 40 nor the 45 will hurt your wrists. I play guitar too and own both a 40 and a 45. I'd stay away from the 'plastic' guns though as they will punish you more than an all metal gun.

Answer 6

Well, let me state up front that I'm not a Glock fan. However, that is just because there is no manual safety on the gun.

I have carried a .45 as a full sized duty weapon and a concealed carry gun. I presently have a Taurus 745 Millennium semi auto.

The little gun recoils pretty good with 230 gr. loads. I used to load 200 gr. hollow point Blazer ammo in the gun. But Blazer seems to have stopped making this round. I like 200 gr. bullets in the small .45; plenty of power and the recoil is noticeably less. You will not damage your wrists shooting the .45 ACP round. You can get down to the 185 gr. hollow points for even less recoil, if you wish.

A few of my cop friends carry Glock's in the .40 caliber. They all seem to like the 180 gr. round. That, I believe, is on the heavy end of the bullet weights for this gun. My wife likes the .40 and loads 155 gr. rounds. Not much recoil at all with that load.

In my humble opinion, the biggest advantage the .40 cal gun has over the .45 ACP gun is capacity.

Hope that helps.

Answer 7

Have you shot one of each? You may find that since you are getting your first handgun, the .45 may be too much at first and will take some getting used to. You want to choose a gun that you can really practice a lot with and get on target with. The .40 still packs a good kick but may be easier to practice with because you won't be expecting such a big kick to where if you were shooting the .45, you may pull the gun to the side to try to overcorrect the kickback. Another thing you may want to do is get an even smaller gun for practicing and getting used to shooting (providing you have the money). I would recommend the Walther P22. It is an excellent handgun and really got me on target before moving up to other handguns.

Answer 8

I would consider something in the 9mm caliber. Many of the semi-autos have .22 conversion kits available which I would also get at the time of purchase. A big company named J.R. Cier or something close to it makes these conversions for almost everything.

The 9mm is an old, reliable round that is quite controllable & has a lot of stopping power. It is a NATO standard. I believe that is one of the reasons the U.S. military converted to it. I personnally shoot a Browing Hi-Power.

Ruger makes a revolver that is a .357 with an additional cyclinder for 9mm if you want a revolver. I believe you can also shoot .38 in it. The model I believe is the blackhawk.

That much practice is going to get expensive unless you reload yourself. The .22 is affordable for the amount of shooting you are considering.

Answer 9

I prefer a .40 SW handgun to a .45 ACP handgun simply because I find I don't have to 'hold down' on a .40 quite like I do on a .45. You might consider this, especially if you really plan to shoot frequently and sustain full-magazine target shooting.

Don't worry about your wrists - if they're weak enough to be ruined by handgun shooting, the difference between .40 SW and .45 ACP isn't going to save your guitar playing.

Thanks for the deuce.

Answer 10

I have both a .40 cal and a .45 cal. Both are automatics. The .40 cal is my carry weapon and it is a Beretta 96D. My .45 cal is a home machined M1911 version. It is the weapon I use for competition. In my experience the 40 cal ammo is slightly cheaper, by about $2.00 to $3.00 per box of fifty.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to recoil besides just caliber and bullet weight. Frame to slide weight ratio, recoil spring strength, etc, etc.
However, you are considering either a Glock # 23 or #30. These two weapons are almost identical. The biggest difference is the #30 is about 3oz heavier when empty. The mags full weight is the same for both, the extra 3 rounds in the .40 cal make up for the bigger heavier .45 cal bullets.
Lets clear up a myth. There is no such thing as "KNOCK DOWN POWER" That is something that Hollywood came up with to sell movie tickets. What there is is "PENETRATION" The FBI has done some extensive research in this area. The .45 is a slower and heavier bullet and it does not penetrate as deep as the faster lighter .40 cal and it does this without the recoil the heavier .45 cal does.