Thread: Best place for handguns

Where in New Zealand has the best stock of pistols. So I can at least go and see how the different types feel on the hand!

Buy a return ticket and go to Hawaii for a weekend! Sai Auck? What are you after?

Try Sportways in Mt Eden, they have quite a selection and if I recall they are the agents for Sig

Originally Posted by Burb122

Where in New Zealand has the best stock of pistols. So I can at least go and see how the different types feel on the hand!

Your pistol club could be a good start
Ask real nice might get to shoot them too?
That way you get a REAL idea
The feel, recoil, controls etc etc

Using TT2 on my mobele

Serious shooters in Auckland also has a good selection of Pistols and I believe they are right next door to SAI.

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by 40bung

Your pistol club could be a good start
Ask real nice might get to shoot them too?
That way you get a REAL idea
The feel, recoil, controls etc etc

Using TT2 on my mobele

Best Idea yet, most of us pistolero's are more than happy to let others try out our stuff on the range.
Better to know what you actually want or even if pistol shooting is your things rather than guess or find out its not really what you thought after spending heaps.

I've shot a sig sauer 226, shadow, glock and berretta 92. I like the sig the best. What ya reckon?

Shoot them some more
Nah really
Shoot more
And talk to the owners about the features and benefits of each pistol

It's really difficult to run a few mags through each pistol and really have much idea about any of them, unless you have ALOT of pistol shooting experience
Shoot some more, even if you have already shot them once.

Using TT2 on my mobele

Originally Posted by Burb122

I've shot a sig sauer 226, shadow, glock and berretta 92. I like the sig the best. What ya reckon?

I started with a borrowed Glock.45 then a G17 in 9mm. First pistol I brought was a s/h .40 cal Para P16-heavily customised. Sold that for a brand new STI 2011 Edge also in .40 S&W (gave up 3 rounds capacity ). Shot std calls for a while then sold it in a fit of silliness and brought a full house / custom built STI 2011 in .38 Super Comp, match triggers , barrels, comps etc etc. cost more than a decent s/h car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. Now have gone back to a 1911 in .45ACP. Gave up 22 rounds in mag capacity but thoroughly enjoying going back to a simple gun.
STI 40 Std gun cost me $5500 in 2002 and the .38 STI Open gun was about $6500 in 2008. My Current .45 is a Tanfoglio 1911 Witness,

For me I have found I prefer Steel, 1911 style blues pistols, I don't like the plastic or shiny ones much. Just personal preference

try as many as you can before committing

I'm also a fan of full-frame pistols (CZ 75, Beretta 92, M1911, HP Browning etc) because I have big hands and find that the sub-compact offerings can be a bit fiddly and don't feel as good in the hand. I used to own a Beretta 92 and really liked it, super easy to take down and with a Hogue tactical grip was really comfortable to shoot.

Aluminium frame and steel slide made it quite controllable during rapid fire. The open top slide means that the spent casings can and do go everywhere (e.g. down shirts) but it was very rare that I'd have a stoppage. Completely agree with Mike's advice to try lots buy before you buy. What feels right? Can you reach and actuate the safety and magazine release comfortably etc?

Assuming you're set on 9mm Para as calibre?

+1 for club trying out before deciding, plus what discipline do you primarily want to shoot ? APC folks have been very obliging, it's a great club.

Serious Shooters have a large physical range of pistols in their pistol room, once you can get past their arrogant sales attitude of them telling you what you will be buying off them Reloaders have a couple, including the uber cheap Baikal for $700.

Shot a Kimba 9mm 2 weks ago. Very nice, fantastic grip and light trigger. Glock 17 last week easier mag release for me but some other shooters had to use their left hand to release the mag as their left thumb could get around naturally, although I did notice I had to twist my wrist over a touch more for it to feel better for finger on trigger. Best trigger I've come across so far was the CZ, and a Hammerlie .22 for ISSF. Saving mah pennies for the CZ probably, $1350 seems to be an appropriate price.