Turning 21 soon and looking into purchasing a handgun

[321sage]

I will be turning 21 very soon and I am looking into getting a handgun with the intent to get my concealed carry lincense soon after. I am looking for any suggestions on a good gun to carry. I am a very skinny guy and my hands are pretty small compared to most guys I know. I have been mainly looking at the smaller handguns. I would prefer to shoot a 9 mm as I am hopelessly inaccurate with .45. I first looked into the glock 26 but the grip is too thick to feel comfortable in my hand. I was also looking into both the Kahr cw9 and the Walther pps although I have not shot either yet. (I can't actually find a walther pps to rent in the OKC area :/)

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rebelracer79]

Don't think just cause your skinny you can't hide a full size gun, I'm 5'6 and 165 and I've been carrying a 5" 1911. When I first got my license I carried my kel tec p11 but with a little effort i can hide my full size 1911 and I've got a lot more gun that's easier to shoot

 

[Jefpainthorse]

"Hoplessly innacurate" is curable. Get thee to USSA or Oklahoma Shooting skills or on of the many other fine handgun instructors in Oklahoma. ANY BODY can shoot a .45 or whatever caliber they chose with results... but it takes instruction.

If your learning to shoot a handgun from your buddy who learned it from Youtube you won't ever learn the basics that apply to ALL handguns.

The practical portion of the SDA test only proves you did not shoot an instructor, fellow student or yourself at the class. SDA is a legal hurdle... and it sure wont make you a better or acceptable shooter.

 

[321sage]

It is not that I don't think I can't but it would be extremely difficult. I am about 5'8 and 125-130 lbs.

As far as shooting a .45, I know I can improve it but I am naturally a pretty good shot with every 9mm I have ever shot. So I would feel more comfortable carrying a 9mm over buying a .45 and trying to learn how to shoot it.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

It is not that I don't think I can't but it would be extremely difficult. I am about 5'8 and 125-130 lbs.

That makes you the aveage size of the men who whipped Tojo and Hitler... using 1911, .45 pistols and 30-06 rifles. And take a lot of pictures of that 130 pound waistline LOL... that will be gone soon enough.

 

[NikatKimber]

The Kahr CW9 is probably about the best compromise between carry, shootability, cost and small grip you will find.

Kahr makes a smaller gun, the CM9, but I wouldn't recommend it for a first handgun, nor for an only handgun.

 

[rebelracer79]

If you do decide to go with a full size, and you get on the ball for the CCW you could expect to get your liscense about the time it starts cooling off. That's the perfect time to Learn to hide a gun because you wear more clothes. You can get whatever you want. But if you learn to shoot and mAnage recoil on a bigger gun it will be alot easier to learn the fundamentals than on a sub compact

 

[321sage]

My dad owns a colt 1911 so I might try getting better at that but as my first personal handgun I would prefer to stay in the smaller 9mm area. As I can already shoot them pretty good and they won't take as much effort to conceal. I will prolly get a higher caliber full size gun for concealed carry later in life but I think right now it would make me very uncomfortable carrying one.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

It is not that I don't think I can't but it would be extremely difficult. I am about 5'8 and 125-130 lbs.

As far as shooting a .45, I know I can improve it but I am naturally a pretty good shot with every 9mm I have ever shot. So I would feel more comfortable carrying a 9mm over buying a .45 and trying to learn how to shoot it.

Take this for what its worth.
Every new shooter I've ever heard that talks about bad grip angles, gun feels to thick, to thin or I "shoot good" with this that or the other usually comes in two classes.
Those who don't know
And those who have enough training or experience to have an opinion about preferences

A correct grip (your hands ...not the handle on the gun) will feel stupid at first. If your thumbs are locked your doing it wrong. Most modern handguns have a grip angle and thickness that's designed to be gripped in a two handed hold... thumbs up and forward... fingers locked under the trigger guard and the index finger contacting the tigger on that finger's tip.
The average handgun will accomodate that when held (correctly) in average hands. Gun pundits expound on grip angles... the PO8 Luger is supposed to have the perfect angle- and it probably does if you were trained to shoot one-handed as everyone was before the 70's.

Invest the time in learning correctly... it won't matter so much what you pick up to shoot if you KNOW HOW TO SHOOT. I have has this proven time after time... I shot with some people years ago who offered a standing bet when I was learning... shoot this match with my gun... and I will trade with you. A shooter with the fundementals can pick up a strange gun and make it hum. I can do that now myself...but I had to open my mind up and learn instead of blaming the gun instead my lack of practiced fundementals.

 

[rebelracer79]

I will prolly get a higher caliber full size gun for concealed carry later in life but I think right now it would make me very uncomfortable carrying one.

Suit your self I feel much more comfortable with the weight of the iron on my hip. You'll learn to hide what you got