Sidearms & Scatterguns looking for a .40 cal

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Minuteman
Jul 17, 2010
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san jose ca
My dad is looking for a new hand gun. A .40 is what he's looking to get. What is a good gun for 7-800. He has BIG hands 6'-3" tall and can use a firearm. What would you guys suggest for home defence gun and field use.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

For $700-$800 he should be able to find something he really likes! Go to a gun store and see what fits/points well in his hand. Having a bunch of people on here boast there open opinion doesn't really help dad much. Find 2-3-4 guns he likes then ask what has worked well for people here. That way he has something in mind at the beginning he likes.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Kill a few birds with one stone. Browning won't be doing any more Hi-Powers in .40 after this year. It's a classic single-action that's going to appreciate in value and is fine for his purposes.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

put your hands on a bunch then decide if it were me i wouldnt buy a ruger if it was 2 for 1.

ruger revolvers and rifles are good but their autos just dont cut it
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

H&K USP40 for me. I like it much better than the USP45 that my last department issued. Never had a stoppage with either one, but the .40 fits my hand better (and I have small hands).
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

For a full size 40, either the M&P or the Glock 22 or 23. Sig is also a good choice. I would agree with Rez and avoid the Ruger. Have found over the years that the only thing their semi-auto pistols are good for is as a boat anchor. Ruger's 22 pistols being the exception.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ghogs Nightmare</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Glock 35 </div></div>
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Excellent choice </div></div>

Yes, but he might want to consider a G-24 also. 1" longer barrel an sight radius. Not as plentiful as 35's but their around. Finding a used one can be a long hunt, I had to go new.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I carry a Sig 229 in .40 cal, and like it a lot. Thick grip (I'm 6'3" also) but still easily concealable.

Really though, he needs to get his hands on them to see what he likes. A lot of it has to do with grip angles and it's hard to go between 1911 and Glock if you're shooting for time. Stick with one.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Another consideration is magazine availability, Glock 17/34 22/35 mags are cheap n easy to find, HK mags are way too exspensive, and almost always need to be mail ordered, Sig mags are not as hard to find and are priced OK, HS2000 mags were 10 bucks, now SA has almost tripled there price for XD mags, and I don't have any idea what M&P mags cost or the availibity.

Another note on Glocks, IMHO I would avoid the Gen 4 models until Glock pulls there head out, Gen 3 run like a sewing machine and can be had at a decent price.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I have a P229 and a USP40, and love them both. Having said that, I love my Beretta 92 (9mm) and I have always thought about picking up a 96 (.40SW).
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I really enjoy my xd. I have a 40 and a 45, both have the 5 inch barrel. Never had a problem with them, each about 2000 rounds deep. Very natural point and shoot, but I can punch fist sized groups all the way out to 40 yards. Love both. Can be found for fairly cheap as well.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

The S&W M&P 40FS is hard to beat for the money. Great Ergos, good accuracy and with a little tune up using Apex Tactical upgrade parts (like the FSS) it is IMO the best of the poly guns with a 1911 like trigger. I just got done installing a FSS in a 5" 40 Pro model and using their competition spring kit I have a 2 lb 2 oz short and crisp trigger. Hard to beat for me as I've spent my life with 1911s.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Jericho 941 (currently sold through Magnum Research aka Desert Eagle). Shot my buddies Baby Eagle in .40 many times. Great weight, great trigger very accurate. Choked a bit on WWB but many guns seem to.

Have shot TWO different XDM 40 and hated both of them. Grip angle was nice but the grip texture wasn't comfortable, didn't point naturally for me but worst of all was the trigger. I have shot/owned/sold many glocks and the all had much better triggers than XDM. It was mushy, very little feel when disengaged and worst of all could not be felt when attempting to re-engage the sear. It was awful. Again YYMV. Just my opinion.

Glock 22 is a great gun but I owned a 23 with my medium sized hands. Shot high for me but practice made perfect. Baby Eagle in 40 was the best 40 I've shot do date though. Check one out.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Having owned many different handguns over the years, in .40 caliber I feel the Sig 229 is one of, if not, the best there is. The 226 is great, but the 229 feels like it is custom made for me. I have settled on the following:

HK USP-C for my .45
Sig 229 for my .40
Glock 17 and 19 for my 9mm

I shoot my 229 better than the others.

77
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

So many 40cals to little time. Ha! My personal experience is work related.

Sig, Hk, Glock, Beretta. All are good. All have there good points. All have bad points. All relative to opinion. All were reliable.

Bottom line try and get your dad to at least hold them in his hand. If possible let him shoot them.

Most of the time I did not have a choice. I took what was issued and made it work. So if you have the choice, do your best to get hands on with the weapon. It will make a world of difference.

My personal favorite if had to pick one is the Glock. Many choices in models and able to personalize. Good all around no frills pistol.

Again not an expert but just enough knowledge to get me in trouble
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Your Dad can see and shoot just about anything at Reeds Indoor Range, just North of the SJ Airport in Santa Clara, on Duane Ave.

If he goes the Glock route, I'd suggest finding a Gen 3 until they get the bugs worked out of the Gen 4's.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I like the Glock 22, if you go with a Gen 4 he would have the option to change out the back strap to make it larger for his hands. I also own & like the S&W M&P, again they offer 3 different palm grips. Either one would make a fine home defense weapon and both are affordable.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 0481</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My dad is looking for a new hand gun. A .40 is what he's looking to get. What is a good gun for 7-800. He has BIG hands 6'-3" tall and can use a firearm. What would you guys suggest for home defence gun and field use. </div></div>Well, if he does not want to CC it, I would go with either a G22 or a 96F. If he is looking to CC the gun sometimes, I would go with the G23.
wink.gif
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I have an excellent condition Glock22 with Night Sights and high capacity magazines that I will sell to him. I will be getting "MY" Christmas present back here in the next few weeks.

This is a G22 that I bought to have something to shoot while waiting for mine to come home. I have put exactly 40 rounds through it. I paid $425 plus shipping and FFL fees. I will sell it for $400 plus shipping.

DK
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Glock 35 </div></div>
X1000000000000000000

anyone who says otherwise has no knowledge of large framed .40's.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stormshadow</div><div class="ubbcode-body">For a full size 40, either the M&P or the Glock 22 or 23. Sig is also a good choice. I would agree with Rez and avoid the Ruger. Have found over the years that the only thing their semi-auto pistols are good for is as a boat anchor. Ruger's 22 pistols being the exception. </div></div>
the 23 is a fullsize handgun now?
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gunfighter14e2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ghogs Nightmare</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 427Cobra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Glock 35 </div></div>
.
Excellent choice </div></div>

Yes, but he might want to consider a G-24 also. 1" longer barrel an sight radius. Not as plentiful as 35's but their around. Finding a used one can be a long hunt, I had to go new. </div></div>
the 34 is great too....but its a 9mm
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Recently picked up a FS M&P 40L from Buds, 3 mags & night sights for $499. Had a local smith do his trigger job magic; this is my first M&P but I sure do like it. Same grip angle as my 1911s & bore axis is nice and low. Works for me.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I agree with that whole statement. For that price range just go in and hold everything. It'll make you feel all warm inside.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

Update. Dad found a gun he liked. I tried to get him to go with the xd40. We shot it and he liked it alot. Only problem was the trigger guard was to small for his finger. So he went with a baretta 96. It's a used gun but in great shape. About 20 rds down the tube. All for 500.0 out the door.
 
Re: looking for a .40 cal

I'd also toss my support behind the Glock 35. I don't care for the ergonomics of Glocks much, but the 35 shoots really well for me. Its also the most flexible gaming pistol out there.

Its hard to get me excited about polymer framed pistols... XD's have too high a bore axis for my tastes but you can definitely learn to shoot them just as well. And the grip of an M&P feels too slippery to me and I struggle to get a good purchase on it with my weak hand. The Glock 35 is something I can easily recommend though.