From: stx@msus1.msus.edu
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Which Semi-Auto should I buy?
Date: 25 Jul 92 00:29:28 GMT
Organization: Minnesota State University System

Well this is another request for information, opinions and ideas.
I am considering the purchase of a semi-automatic pistol.  I was once active in
guns and reloading but I went to college and now find myself in world that has
changed.  ( I was never really heavy into pistols.  I reloaded for my
7x57 Ruger and my 12Gauge Charles Daly)

There are a lot of different variables in selecting the right handgun.  I have
been reading a lot of magazines and reading this newsgroup for the last week.
(I had no idea there was this much information/interest about guns on the net!)
I guess first of all I should state what I want the handgun for then I will
state the ideas and reservations I have and you can either support or denounce
them with your own experiances.

My needs are simple.  I want a semi-auto that is accurate (plinking of course
but I plan to target shoot a lot when working up reloads.)  I also want a gun
that I can rely on for home defense if necessary. I would also like it to have
a fairly decent magazine capicity. 11+.  I am a large person with big hands.  I
would want adjustable sights but I realize these can be added after the
purchase of the gun.  I would like the gun to be reliable (read very few Jams).
#From the reloading point of view I would like a lot of choices.  I am
interested in learning to cast my own bullets as well.  I almost forgot.  I
shoot left handed so having a safety that was ambidextrous would be a good
thing on guns equipped with manual safeties.  I want a gun that has a double
action first shot single action afterwards.  

In my reading I have come to a few conclusions.  The quality of handguns today
is excellent.  Sigs seem to be the popular best choice, but closely followed by
Glocks, Beretta's and Tuarus's (correct me if this is an incorrect
interpretation of what I have read. Feel free to add to the list if you have a
personal favorite) I would prefer a stainless steel version but that isn't
essential.  I have held and dry fired the glock. My own personal bias is
towards a gun that is all metal. The Glock feels unbalanced in my hand (mind?).

The largest choice and most difficult I face is caliber.  I don't want to start
a flame war I just want facts on the different callibers.  This is what I
understand to be the case for the following calibers.

9mm:  	Pleasant gun to shoot.  Ample reloading choices.  Models offered by 
	all major pistol makers. Marginal on power.  High Velocity.

10mm:	Really big case.  Kicks (how much?)  Don't know much about this round.
	Powerful.  Who makes guns for these?  What's the Mag cap?

40S&W:	Developed as a compromise between the 9 and 10mm for law-enforcement
	use.  avail? reloads? Mag cap? recoil?

45ACP:	All the gunwriters and target shooters darling.  Lots of reloading
	choices.  Big bullets at a low velocity.  Low mag cap because of size
	of bullet.  Recoil?  Availability is excellent.

Those are the major calibers for auto pistols as I see them.  Again feel free
to correct me if I am wrong.  I don't mind marginal recoil but I do want a gun
that is pleasant to shoot.  

Ok there it is.  I guess I would prefer responses being sent to me directly
becuase I realize the flamability of this post.  I will post a summary and from
that maybe we could have an interesting discussion. 

Thanks for reading what has turned into a rather long post and thanks for your
help in advance.

Kevin@msus1.msus.edu