First Gun advice

[FX1]

I have shot many pigs with both 9mm and 45. The 45 wins every time. Real life 7-8 rounds will do the trick. Most times It's all over after 3 rounds. I have also run out of ammo with 30 rds but that was a epic flurry of 20-30 piglets.  In Alabama your going after smaller game white tail included. Anything 7mm and under will work great.

In Texas some of the South texas ranches have a 30 caliber rule. They don't want to go looking for game in the thick brush.

Basically it come down to 9 or 45. I would first own a 9mm because of cost and shoot the snot out of it. Then buy a quality 45 after 25000 rounds of practice then practice more.

Skill doesn't come easy with a pistol.

[eagl]

Go to a gun range and try a few different handguns.  I like the S&W .40 round, nice and short so the grip isn't huge, but it packs a lot more punch than 9mm without busting your wrist like the .45.

For a rifle, I STRONGLY suggest getting a simple traditional bolt action that isn't super heavy.  Consider a synthetic stock and chambered for a traditional round (30.06, .270, whatever).  Light enough to walk around with all day and quick to point.  You're not going to be doing much 500 yard hunting so get something that's accurate enough out to 300 yards and learn to actually hunt.

Save you thousands doing it that way.  Traditional rifles are cheaper, easier to maintain, and the ammo is cheaper.  Plus reloading is easier and cheaper for popular ammunition.

Aiming for a "best" niche with a first hunting rifle is a great way to end up with an expensive toy you never use.

My favorite handgun is my beretta in .40.  Same frame as the military 9mm I spent a lot of time training with, but with .40 impact.  The heavy frame makes shooting the .40 extremely easy, and the gun is accurate, pretty durable, reliable, super easy to field strip and clean, and it's heavy enough to use a bludgeon if you run out of ammo in close quarters.  Some people hate the single/double action of the beretta but once you train with it, it's second nature just like any other weapon.

That said... If cost was no object, I'd get whatever is in style with SOF nowadays.  They've spent a lot of time thinking about it and I've found that I could trust my ex-SEAL instructors opinions more than the opinions of my ex-SWAT instructors.  Too many swat guys are just "enthusiasts" who have a job that lets them play at their hobby at work.  The SEALs... they lived it in hellish conditions day in day out and they value operational utility far more than trendy cool gadgets.

My last weapons training was with a SEAL instructor and he taught me the best way to survive a firefight armed with a USAF issue M-4 and M-9.  He showed me the M-9's quirks and how to keep it reliable in battle, and that was good enough for me to be more confident with my .40 beretta too.  I never did ask him his pistol of preference because regardless of his answer, I'd be taking the M-9 to war so it just never came up.

The point being, don't get enamoured with the "best" for a first weapon purchase.  Half the opinions out there are from fanboys who wanna-be a bada$z and think getting all technical with the latest gadgets somehow makes them look as if they are just like the real bada$z folks out there.  They'll talk hours/pages about the latest glock or expensive this or that, when what really matters is getting something that YOU shoot comfortably and can practice with enough to become truly competent with it.  I've never done a quickdraw competition in my life, but put me and my crappy beretta up against most armchair enthusiasts carrying their latest and greatest SOCOM-branded plastic whatever, and I'm confident that even if I "lose" the other guy is gonna take home at least one .40 cal hole, center of mass, because I've trained to do that consistently with that weapon, with the first shot from a holster draw, every time.  Not because the beretta is awesome, but because I've trained with it over and over and over, to the point where I"m very comfortable with my first shot placement even when I'm in a hurry.  That doesn't take an expensive "great" gun, it takes range time, a whole lotta practice ammo, and a willingness to sort through the BS to learn what works for you and keep doing that.

Oh yea, having an olympic bronze medalist as my first shooting instructor didn't hurt, but there are great instructors almost everywhere.  They're usually the most humble ones who don't brag about their gadgets.

[MickDono]

Go to a gun range and try a few different handguns.  I like the S&W .40 round, nice and short so the grip isn't huge, but it packs a lot more punch than 9mm without busting your wrist like the .45.

For a rifle, I STRONGLY suggest getting a simple traditional bolt action that isn't super heavy.  Consider a synthetic stock and chambered for a traditional round (30.06, .270, whatever).  Light enough to walk around with all day and quick to point.  You're not going to be doing much 500 yard hunting so get something that's accurate enough out to 300 yards and learn to actually hunt.

Save you thousands doing it that way.  Traditional rifles are cheaper, easier to maintain, and the ammo is cheaper.  Plus reloading is easier and cheaper for popular ammunition.

Aiming for a "best" niche with a first hunting rifle is a great way to end up with an expensive toy you never use.

My favorite handgun is my beretta in .40.  Same frame as the military 9mm I spent a lot of time training with, but with .40 impact.  The heavy frame makes shooting the .40 extremely easy, and the gun is accurate, pretty durable, reliable, super easy to field strip and clean, and it's heavy enough to use a bludgeon if you run out of ammo in close quarters.  Some people hate the single/double action of the beretta but once you train with it, it's second nature just like any other weapon.

That said... If cost was no object, I'd get whatever is in style with SOF nowadays.  They've spent a lot of time thinking about it and I've found that I could trust my ex-SEAL instructors opinions more than the opinions of my ex-SWAT instructors.  Too many swat guys are just "enthusiasts" who have a job that lets them play at their hobby at work.  The SEALs... they lived it in hellish conditions day in day out and they value operational utility far more than trendy cool gadgets.

My last weapons training was with a SEAL instructor and he taught me the best way to survive a firefight armed with a USAF issue M-4 and M-9.  He showed me the M-9's quirks and how to keep it reliable in battle, and that was good enough for me to be more confident with my .40 beretta too.  I never did ask him his pistol of preference because regardless of his answer, I'd be taking the M-9 to war so it just never came up.

The point being, don't get enamoured with the "best" for a first weapon purchase.  Half the opinions out there are from fanboys who wanna-be a bada$z and think getting all technical with the latest gadgets somehow makes them look as if they are just like the real bada$z folks out there.  They'll talk hours/pages about the latest glock or expensive this or that, when what really matters is getting something that YOU shoot comfortably and can practice with enough to become truly competent with it.  I've never done a quickdraw competition in my life, but put me and my crappy beretta up against most armchair enthusiasts carrying their latest and greatest SOCOM-branded plastic whatever, and I'm confident that even if I "lose" the other guy is gonna take home at least one .40 cal hole, center of mass, because I've trained to do that consistently with that weapon, with the first shot from a holster draw, every time.  Not because the beretta is awesome, but because I've trained with it over and over and over, to the point where I"m very comfortable with my first shot placement even when I'm in a hurry.  That doesn't take an expensive "great" gun, it takes range time, a whole lotta practice ammo, and a willingness to sort through the BS to learn what works for you and keep doing that.

Oh yea, having an olympic bronze medalist as my first shooting instructor didn't hurt, but there are great instructors almost everywhere.  They're usually the most humble ones who don't brag about their gadgets.

Nice post.
Thanks. 
 

[Gman]

If you're serious about having firearms for home defense, don't just stop at the firearms.  Ensure you have a well thought out defensive plan, as well as other gear - body armor is very cheap, even buy surplus if you have to, and store it near/with your firearms.  Keep at least one good flashlight with your kit (most encounters in home defense will be in low light), and train how to use it with your weapons.  Also keep a backup cell phone with this gear, even a phone not on a plan will connect to 911, so throw an old cell phone or 2 that are charged into that kit bag as backup emergency comms.  Lastly, but most importantly, have a first aid kit designed for gunshot and edged weapon trauma, and take some training on how to employ it - 2 tourniquets, quick clot/bandages, suture kit, relief valve/needle, gloves, scissors, etc etc.  Should you be involved in a shooting even in your own home or on your property, L/E will often want to secure it before letting EMS in frequently, and if you or any friendlies are wounded, it could be down to you to treat wounds until they have access, and some simple gear can make a huge difference in life expectancy.

Consider how you're going to store your firearms in your home, if you are going to leave them loaded for self defense, I highly recommend getting a fast-action safe to store them in, something with either biometric or electronic combination locks.  This is for not just safety reasons, but liability ones as well.  Lots of cheap, fast, solid options here, you can mount small units to your bedframe for handguns, or bolt them pretty much anywhere, and standing/rifle vaults are easy to find as well.

Sounds like you want a double stack 9mm, so I'd go with your instinct and gut and move in that direction.  There is a phone book of options in that department, just try a bunch out to see what fits your hand and has the ergonomics and features you want.  The Legion you mentioned or any of that line is something that will last you a long time, and fit the bill, but will be heavier for future carry due to the metal frame.  I'm biased having worked for Sig Sauer for a long time, and there are other good options out there as well.

Regarding training, since you're just starting out, get yourself some good fundamental training from a solid instructor, there are lots of options in your area, just do some background research into them so you don't get some yahoo.  There are many solid schools out there, when I first instructed at mine (Sig Sauer Academy), there were really only a dozen or two circa the early 2000s, now there are hundreds of professional instructors and schools.  Again, you should focus on learning the fundamentals of safe and accurate pistol shooting (and rifle if you're getting one for hunting), before getting to worried about getting spun up on more advanced handgun/CQB skills. 

[saggs]

Anybody got any advice for a first time buyer?

If it's possible, try out as many guns as you can.  Buy whichever one you like, fits the purpose, and fits you, then learn to shoot it well.

Don't get caught up in caliber arguments or brand loyalty wars.  Most firearms made in the last decade or so have all been pretty good.  In fact the only real lemon I can think of in recent memory was the Remington R51. There have been a couple recent safety recalls by both Sig (P320) and Springfield (XDs) but they got them fixed, the R51 is the only real stinker I can remember recently in the pistol world.

For a handgun (assuming your talking non-revolvers since you mentioned 9mm or .45acp) anything by CZ, Glock, Sig, Springfield, FN, Kahr, Walther, Colt, and countless other makers are all good (even Hi-Points are super reliable, if not the prettiest things)  You just need to decide... Do you want a striker or hammer? external safety? full size, compact or sub-compact? Polymer or metal? DA only or SA/DA?   etc...  then try everything you can that fits the bill.  There are no wrong answers, just personnel preference.

Same goes for a rifle, except you caliber options are much greater with rifles.

I wouldn't worry too much about a "first" purchase, since it will likely just be the "first" of many.

[saggs]

Go to a gun range and try a few different handguns.  I like the S&W .40 round, nice and short so the grip isn't huge, but it packs a lot more punch than 9mm without busting your wrist like the .45.

Funny you should say that...

Having shot .40 and .45 in the same gun a couple times (in full size XDm and M&P) I much prefer the recoil of the .45, I think the higher speed of the .40 makes it more "snappy" whereas the .45 is like a slower push. My choices in semi-auto centerfire handguns are all 9mm, .45acp or 10mm.

Besides, the gun has as much to do with felt recoil as the cartridge. (slide weight, spring weight, browning action vs fixed barrel, etc)  For an extreme example a .45acp big ported/compensated race gun will shoot like a dream with minimal recoil all day with no pain, while a Ruger LCP shooting a tiny little .380 kicks bad enough I'm done after 5 rounds and my wrist hurts.

I would have told the OP that the .40 is silly (insert .40 Short and Wimpy FBI joke here) and stick with 9mm or .45.  Just goes to show how much it's a personal  preference, we can tell him what WE like, but we have no way of knowing what HE will like, different strokes for different folks and all that.

To the OP, if you find a handgun gun you like and it's available in different calibers you should definitely shoot a few mags of each before picking a caliber.

[Randy1]

If it is the first gun in the house, then makes sure gun safety for all household members, and secured storage is in your plans. 

Two of the last three years, at the gun show, people have shot themselves.

[SilverZ06]

For a hunting rifle I just picked up a Thompson Center Compass with a scope in .30-06 caliber for $225 new after rebate. I've fired it a few times and it seems to shoot well. For a handgun I suggest going to a gun shop and feeling different makes and models. I have 7 different pistols and my Glock 27 is by far my favorite shooter. You can't go wrong with a Glock.

[lunatic1]

lmao  a Brit with a southern accent 

[Maverick]

As others have already stated, go to a gun shop with a range that lets you test fire multiple handguns. As to 9mm vs 45 I prefer the 9 more because of economy than anything else. The ammo is cheaper and more readily available which equates to more practice, better skill in use and accuracy. If you already are more accurate with the 9 then you already have your answer. The latest 9mm defense ammo will rival the performance of the latest 45 defense ammo. I would use neither one for hunting, instead relying on a rifle for more accuracy and far better ammo for the job.

As to the rifle, what you are hunting has a lot to do with what you get. Forget the AR platform for hunting as the caliber issue will limit your options for game. Many states still outlaw a 22 caliber for big game hunting. I would agree that a decent bolt action is the best option. Any of the big manufacturers have multiple styles of bolt actions available. Stay with a "hunting" weight style, no bull barrels. Plan on spending a medium amount of money. Buying the bargain basement rifle can work but the mid level is often the better buy.

Scopes are a what you pay is what you get kind of thing up to a point. Most folks can hunt with a basic good quality 4 power scope for their entire life and be very very productive hunters. Stay away from the walmart tasco options and figure on spending at least a couple hundred for a mid level hunting scope. Keep in mind you do NOT need extra large turrets, mil spec ranging dots or windage aim points for typical hunting. Almost all hunters go to the range, sight in the rifle for their range, say 200 yards and know that they can hit the vital zone of a deer from 50 yards to about 250 with the same point of hold, depending on caliber / cartridge. That will work for the 30-06 / 308 / 270 / 243 but not something like the 45-70. If you can fit your shot inside a paper plate at all those ranges you have a "minute of deer" rifle capable fop taking your game.

Varmint hunting is a whole other critter and I suggest you wait until you have some range time and hunting experience before going that route.

Savage has a well deserved reputation for accuracy. Not the most pleasing to the eye for aesthetics but damn good shooters. Remington has a good rep for accuracy and a long history. I have little experience with Winchester as they were usually higher cost and they suffered from the post 67 change in design for many years. They are now producing good stuff but may be pricier.
Caliber depends on what you are hunting. The bargain basement guns usually have a 30-06 and that will handle anything in the lower 48. A 308 will be a shorter action and also handle lower 48 game but have more ammo availability and be cheaper. Nothing wrong with a .270 or .243 if you are staying at deer sized game.

[MickDono]

Some great info in this thread. I appreciate it!

 

[Wiley]

My personal opinion, for a one rifle hunter in North America, I'd look hard at a .308.  Very manageable recoil and report, and viable for everything from coyotes to moose.  That coupled with widely varying and available ammo makes it extremely attractive.

I'll also second Maverick's Savage comment.  My family's owned several, and they're all good to great shooters.

Wiley.

[zack1234]

Micky the thin end is where the bullet comes out

[kilo2]

I appreciate the great advice there.

I'm now living in Alabama so i plan to hunt deer next season.
Regarding caliber, i have found that i am more accurate with 9mm - for some reason with the 1911's I've shot, I can't hit a thing! 
I plan on trying some different .45 caliber handguns this coming weekend.

The pistol will be for home defense and target shooting.  I don't plan on carrying yet.

COYS! You aren't an Alabama football fan now right?

[JOACH1M]

COYS! You aren't an Alabama football fan now right?

We can only hope not....