First Gun (maybe dumb question)...

[derrickonline]

All:

I'm new to both this forum and gun ownership. I've been to the range a few times but that's about it. I'm a bit of a security freak as I have a town house with fence, front and rear camera, flat screen LCD mounted in bedroom to monitor. I have a daughter and wife, not real reason to be a security freak other than I watch WAY too much forensic files, and the killers are always your neighbors and repairmen.

Ok, I've done a bit of research on my first gun purchase. It looks like I'm going to be going with a 380 for cost reasons. I was wondering what the difference between a 380ACP and 9MM is? Is one more powerful than the other?

Here are my gun choices any input would be greatly appreciated.

First Choice (BERSA 380 Nickel Finish):
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/178/products_id/25377


Second Choice (BERSA 380 Dual Tone Finish):
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/178/products_id/25381

Third Choice (Smith & Wesson SW9VE Stainless Steel):
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/678/products_id/13283

Dream Gun Beretta PX4 Storm (not like I'll never get it dream gun, but my I don't have the money at this moment gun).
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/18154


Here's the cheap gun that got pretty good reviews. People dogged it because of the price, but owners and even gun reviewers have been impressed. People also call it ugly, I don't think it looks bad. Not sexy but not ugly either. But given the price I decided to pass and step it up a notch with the Bersa, I guess I'm being like those folks that dogged it just because of price but if I can spend a TAD more to get something better I might as well right? If I get paid and can't spend the Bersa money I might cop this. At least it will get me going until I'm ready to get the gun I want.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/48302
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/48330

 

[joppaj]

Welcome to the board! I'll skip the long answer and give this opinion. DON'T GET A .380 FOR HOME DEFENSE!!!! The .380 is a bare minimum for stopping power. It is popular because the guns that chamber it tend to be very small and easy to carry and conceal. In your own home, carry weight and concealment are irrelevant. You really need to go to a good range and pur some rounds down range in a variety of calibres before dropping the cash.

 

[kohburn]

hi-point pistols have a reputation for low build quality but people love their carbines.

you may also want to concider the ruger p89 or p95 - just a little higher price (couple boxes of ammo) but universally known reliability.

or look at some of the used deals.

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411535688

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411535684

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/654_774/products_id/411535649

 

[AKbythebay]

I agree with joppaj. if you want to have a gun with good power and not a lot of recoil, just get a 9mm. 380 is only good for pocket-carry ccw simply because of it's size. For the home go 9mm or larger. The PX4 Store .40 cal is a good choice (out of the group you mentioned)

 

[kohburn]

Welcome to the board! I'll skip the long answer and give this opinion. DON'T GET A .380 FOR HOME DEFENSE!!!! The .380 is a bare minimum for stopping power. It is popular because the guns that chamber it tend to be very small and easy to carry and conceal. In your own home, carry weight and concealment are irrelevant. You really need to go to a good range and pur some rounds down range in a variety of calibres before dropping the cash.

agreed - if you can hold out long enough come to the range day Oct 19th and you should be able to touch a lot of different guns.

 

[Jaybeez]

The slight extra cost of a 9mm handgun, will be saved by the cheaper cost of 9mm ammo. Besides, guns are like rabbits, they tend to multiply, and you're gunna buy a 9mm someday anyways, so make that day today.

 

[slayr15]

i have a s&w . 40 ve and would recomend it highly. very dependable and accurite and has a very good(heavy double action) trigger for self defence in the home .the same gun in .9mm with good bullets should do you fine.

 

[Houndkeeper]

Obviously, a .380 to protect your home is better than a "hey buddy, your trespassing". However, if you can afford to get the 9mm or even better, a .40 or .45 do it.

As far as the Bersa goes, it is a good little gun thats reliable especially for the price.

Welcome to the board!

 

[Qbeam]

Derrick,

Welcome to the board, and don't worry, better to ask a question about firearms, than make a decision you may regret.

Looking at your choices, and your apparent budget ($250-$300), would you consider a shotgun? There are a variety of reliable options in that price range.

As for your choices, get the best you can afford.

 

[Simon Yu]

The slight extra cost of a 9mm handgun, will be saved by the cheaper cost of 9mm ammo.

This is important. If cost is a consideration, make sure you look at ammo prices since that will be where the bulk of the money goes over a gun's life. And as a first gun, you'll be shooting it even more than normal as a learning experience. 9 mm Parabellum/Luger is cheaper than .380 since it's a much more popular round.

 

[Splitter]

LOL, I am a HiPoint fan and will defend the big, ugly pistol. They are inexpensive, do not require extensive cleaning, are as reliable as any other pistol from reports, have little to go wrong, and are warranteed for LIFE. Ours is also very accurate....more so than me .

Something breaks, you send it back. The gun needs a good cleaning and you don't know how? Send it back. Something wears out after several thousand round? Send it back. They even send an extra magazine back for your trouble and shipping expense.

Having said all of that, we bought a .380. Buy the 9mm. If your wife can handle the .380, she can handle the 9mm and you wil get all the advantages mentioned in other posts. The .380 and the 9mm are basically the same gun in the HiPoint. I wish I had bought my fiance' the 9mm.

All HiPoints are a "blowback" design and have very little to go wrong. Simple operation and easy to learn. The main complaint from new owners is the need in SOME cases to adjust the feed lips on the top of the magazine slightly. It's an easy adjustment and well explained on a website I will give you. Most HiPoints do not require the adjustment to the magazine but you will want to load a magazine when you take it home and let the magazine sit loaded for a couple weeks.

Every pistol has its' quirks (from the boards I frequent) and the magazine seems to be the HiPoint's possible quirk. We have run the .380 straight out of the box through 500 rounds without a failure of any kind and have never made an adjustment. I have run several types of ammo with no problems, but our gun's favorite is MagTech. The factory says that you shouldn't use WWB but I know of several people who have with no problem.

Check out http://hipointfirearmsforums.com/Forum/index.php

I think the myths about HiPoints are because of the price. Many people think you need to spend $350 or better to get something of quality. However, most people that down HiPoints have never owned one and most of the rest have never even shot one.

The main drawback, to me, is the limited capacity of the HiPoints. You can get 10 round mags, but nothing higher. For a home defense weapon in 9mm, you can get a much higher capacity for two or three hundred more.

I have handled the Bersa and it feels niiiice to me even though it is small for my hands.

Splitter

 

[Fordracer2082]

Welcome ! as for your question I would go with a 9mm the 380 is considered to be underpowered for your needs

 

[Redneck]

In your case I would say anything is better than nothing. If your problem is your budget, which it seems to be, I agree that the shotgun would be your best choice, but if you have your heart set on a handgun, then by all means get one. If somebody breaks into your home and you shoot them with any caliber gun, I'll bet my ass they aren't gonna hang around for some more. Obviously the bigger the round the more effective, but I just don't see somebody keep coming at you after you have emptied a mag into them.

Why not go to the range and rent a few. If its comfortable and you shoot it well then buy it. Be it a 380, 9mm, 40 or whatever shot placement will make up for caliber IMO.

As for me my HD guns are my Beretta PX4 Storms (9mm & 40) and my CX4 Storm 40 as well as the Mossberg 500. My immediate go to is the 40 Storm bc it has the light/laser, hollow points, and is under the bed. The other 3 are right close and ready to go. My gf at that point can grab what she wants, stay in the room, and call 911.

Just my $.02

And by the way welcome to the site.

 

[Norton]

I love my Bersa .380, but I will concur that the minimum cartridge for personal defense is 9mm. I wouldn't want to get shot with a .380, but I also wouldn't want to depend on it if I had the choice to use something else.

Please, come to the shoot on October 19. You'll get to try more firearms in one day than you could in several days of going from range to range and renting them.

There's an awful lot of 9mm handguns out there that are very affordable.

 

[fivepointstar]

If you really like the Bersa, go with the Bersa Thunder 9 or Thunder 9 Ultra (compact). You can get them @ $350. I don't have a Bersa 380 but I have both the 9mm and they are both reliable and great pistols. Save some extra $$ you would spend on the Bersa 380 or HiPoint and look into the T-9 if you you like the Bersa.

WECOME TO THE FORUM!!!

 

[wilcam47]

I would go for a 870 express 12ga shotgun....no matter if its loaded or not when you cock a shotgun its universal language for get the F*ck out or you will die...usually base model goes for around 300 bucks at walmart..00buck for the rounds...

 

[Lostfantum]

I would go with a 9mm or 40s&w

 

[K31]

+1 for the shotgun. 12 gauge.

 

[fivepointstar]

If your heart is set on a pistol then stick to it. Go to the range and practice practice practice. If you want a firearms simply for home defense and something simple and easy go with the shotgun.

you're choices you listed are clearly a pistol but if you're investing $300+ you want to be happy with it.

 

[alucard0822]

Welcome to MD shooters

There are some good arguments for a shotgun, carbine, or perhaps a revolver, strictly for HD, a basic Remington 870 or Mossberg 500/590 loaded with 00 buck is of the best choices for under $300, it is far more powerful than most hanguns, and is fairly easy to aim and fire with little practice, however round for round ammo is expensive, and the recoil is tough to get used to, both factors make it hard to practice a lot. You asked about autoloading pistols, so here you go:

The first consideration is caliber, where 9mm is about the least expensive centerfire avilable, and represents the bottom end of what would be considered a "service caliber", or caliber deemed worthy as a main sidearm for most police/military units. More or less, it is a relatively effective round, and can sufficiently penetrate a threat with most expanding or hollow point ammo, and can definitely penetrate sufficiently with all FMJ ammo. The caliber also gives you perhaps the greatest selection of pistols and ammunition.

In looking for a defensive pistol, there are few things more important than comfort and reliability, the pistol must feel good in the hand, point naturally, and not have too much recoil. It is best to rent one from a range to try it out before you buy one if at all possible to see if there are any problems (jamming, uncomfortable, bad trigger, hard to reach controls). Reliability is a little harder to determine, even pistols that are well known as reliable produce lemons every now and then, the only way to tell for sure is to practice with yours for at least a few hundred rounds. This will help you get better with it, and help determine if there are any problems. Most modern designs from major manufacturers are plenty reliable for self defense, but the extra cost of a Glock, XD or M&P over a S&W sigma, bersa thunder 9 or Kel-tec PF-9 tends to get you a little more R&D, more comfort, and in many cases a better design. It takes perhaps somewhere above 50,000 rounds to wear out a good pistol, so a lot of times you can find a good used pistol with all the quality and features a new one would have with tens of thousands of rounds worth of life left in it, but at a price on par with a low end new pistol.

All that being said, I would suggest a used Glock 17/19, Beretta 92, storm9, Springfield XD9, Smith & Wesson M&P9, Sig Sauer P225 or P226, Ruger SR-9 or p89/p95. All are quality mid priced 9mm pistols, easy to use, and are widely available, keep an eye out for them, and see how they feel in your hand, and fire a couple if possible, they all cover a fairly wide spectrum of sizes and controls, and in the case of some, are available as police trade ins from a few dealers. Most if not all of these will also be available at the October shoot.