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I went to take the Firearm Safety Test today, scored 30/30, and got my certificate.

Took all of 15min. That was easier than I expected here in CA.

Ironman says

BayArea says

and got my certificate.

So, when is the new addition coming home?

I'm still deciding on the hardware. Each time I read and do followup research, I find myself changing what I want.

Front runner now is Glock19 as a first handgun. And what gun enthusiast can go without a Remington 870?

Open to more suggestions and reasoning too

Will probably be making the purchase in the next month or two.

Glock 19 is a great starting point.

Ironman says

BayArea says

Front runner now is Glock19 as a first handgun.

Just make sure you are really happy with that (lack of) mechanical safety. That's the reason I've stayed away from Glocks. Not for me, but for people I take with me to the range who aren't as educated.

BayArea says

Remington 870?

For a shotgun, great choice.

I would also consider a carbine in either 9mm or 40 as an alternate. I actually like my .40 carbine better than my 223 AR's.

Thanks for the input.

I shot a Mini-14 (223) last weekend which is technically a carbine. Also got to shoot an AR15. Both were great, i shot much better with the AR15.

Everyone is telling me that the G19 is a great start for a handgun. Still like the Sig P229 however.

BayArea says

Thanks for the input.

I shot a Mini-14 (223) last weekend which is technically a carbine. Also got to shoot an AR15. Both were great, i shot much better with the AR15.

I own a few Ruger products but I will never own a Mini-14. The earlier model's rifling rates were too slow to properly stabilize the heavier grain .223 Remington rounds. The Mini-14 was designed for the lighter loads in the 45 grain size. Keep in mind too that some older guns chambered in the .223 are not designed to safely handle the 5.56x45 loads. The 5.56x45 produces higher pressures and can damage older .223 firearms. I doubt you will see that problem today because everything new that I see in the .223/5.56x45 caliber are designed to use either round.

I agree with you on the AR-15. The modular design opens up so many options. The AR-15 is the gun world's open source standard. I also like that the standard iron sights are optimized for having a "good" zero from 25 yards to 300 yards without making any elevation adjustments. You can also put different sized uppers on the receivers to fire many different calibers. I have seen 9mm, .45 ACP, 300 blackout, .22 LR, .50 Beowulf, and .450 Bushmaster all fired from the same gun just by swapping the uppers. As an added bonus, you can use a standard 5.56x45 magazine to hold the 300 Blackout, .450 Bushmaster and .50 Beowulf calibers. I have seen a .50 BMG bolt action upper that will fit any standard AR-15 lower. Good luck coming up with the money to feed it. The guy said .

I am "old school" when it comes to handguns. My preferred handgun is the 1911.

Thanks for the input, open source lingo for the AR, I like that!

thenuttyneutron says

My preferred handgun is the 1911.

Why is this?

BayArea says

Thanks for the input, open source lingo for the AR, I like that!

thenuttyneutron says

My preferred handgun is the 1911.

Why is this?

The 1911 is a semi-auto pistol designed by John Browning and was used by the US military from 1911 until 1986. My grandfather flew the A-20 in WW2 and this was his sidearm. He always spoke fondly of it. It is chambered in .45 ACP, which is a caliber with a proven track record. I have also seen .380 versions.

The reason I use it is simple.... it works. It has been out for over a century and there are many parts available for it. I love the single action operation, the ease of trigger pull and how well it is balanced to allow for fast follow up shots. There are many manufactures of it as well. You can get the cheap Rock Island version for about $450 used or go with the Kimber for a lot more. Like the AR-15, this gun is also "open source".