I’m new to the handgun world, deciding which gun to purchase. Ill be receiving a Glock 19 down the road. Im looking for a carry, and and a home defense - fun gun. Which spot would the Glock 19 fill? And what is your suggestion for the other? I’m 63, have hunted with long guns my whole life, and recently retired (at least for awhile). Not huge hands. I’m interested in your suggestions thanks!
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Hi Mike! Welcome to the community! A Glock 19 is a great option for both concealed carry and for home defense as well. I would recommend going to a local range that has a variety of options that you can rent and shoot so that you can see what fits your hand that best, what you shoot the best, and what you personally like the most. I will say that a Glock 19 is definitely one of the main firearms that I recommend for folks to look at and try because it is a great option. If you like that but want something a little smaller a Glock 43x is also a great option to check out. There are also comparable options from Smith and Wesson and Sig that have a great reputation as well. Ultimately it comes down to what works best for you!
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I can’t answer for Glock, but recommend if possible renting a few different guns at a range to understand how they feel to you.
I have found trying before buying can help avoid buyers remorse later.
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All-around good choice. However, we cannot tell you which firearm you should buy as we are not you. You should go to a range where you can rent at least several to try first. Get to know what you like and don’t about various handguns.
I prefer hammer-fired over striker-fired. I also prefer a grip that fits my hand well - which typically means double-stack over slim single-stack. That is fine, unless a wider firearm you find more difficult to conceal carry. If CC is not in your plans, then just find one that is comfortable/fun to shoot and you can shoot well and is reliable.
Another consideration is how easy it is to breakdown and clean. My current favorite is Beretta PX4 in .45ACP. I CC in an OWB holster with no issues. It has no external safeties (another preference of mine), though it does have a decocker.
[Edit] Another important consideration is availability of accessories, including holsters. Finding holsters for my Berettas is far more difficult.
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This is where it’s helpful to rent first.
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Mike,as for my self i dont care for the Glock,and don’t have any but I do have 2 XD 45’s with thumb safeties, and my carry weapons are a Taurus,PT 745 PRO ,and the main carry weapon and the 2nd is a Taurus 9mm G2c and carry in a ankle holster and all my pistols have a thumb safeties on them,just like the thumb safeties,also
have a Bersa 380 and a Bursa 22and a rugar 380,as advised above,go with the one that is the most comfortable to you
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**welcome Mike, I own the Glock 19 and 17,Brandon just offered the best advice you could get, I recently found a lot of gun owner don’t like Glocks, It’s a very personal thing, God, Guns and Glory, stay blessed.
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A Glock 19 is likely the best do-it-all handgun there is. It’s compact enough to generally be concealable (possibly a little effort in hot weather), large enough to pretty much perform like a full size (4" barrel is the same length as some larger full size guns), solid capacity at 15+1 standard, easily accepts larger magazines from other pistols like the 17 rounder from the Glock 17 and well as even higher capacities from both Glock and Magpul, simple to operate, simple to take apart, reliable, durable, inexpensive reliable magazines, HUGE aftermarket support for holsters, sights, etc.
Call it the Goldilocks or jack of all trades, if you will. It might even be master of concealed carry depending on what you are after, exactly
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The Glock 19 will certainly cover all those tasks. Some folks, like myself, prefer to carry a somewhat smaller pistol for added comfort and somewhat easier concealability. There are lots of nice smaller options with good capacity out there these days. Look at Glock, Sig, Shadow Systems, etc, etc.
As others have suggested, the best bet is to try different options if you can. Or you could live with the 19 for a bit and see what you like and don’t like about it. It could be a perfect fit for all you need to do. If so just buy a second one as spare:)
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Mike,
Congrats on your decision. I will echo the advice above to go rent and try a variety of guns before you buy your first. Find a large gun store with range and a variety of options to try.
Allow me to add some details to this advice:
- Take a new shooter class like NRA Basic Pistol or USCCA CCHD Basic Pistol before starting your search. Alternately many good schools have their own first shooter class. Tell them you need to use their guns.
- Test shoot at least ten rounds in both single stack and double stack pistols. The difference in stock width may make a big difference in how comfortable to grip for you.
- At a minimum, test at least one Glock, one Springfield, and one Smith & Wesson. If you have the time and cash, try a couple of each.
3.a. To be sure of a reliable gun, try to stick with those three brands, even if you see an apparent “really good price” on another brand. - Find a qualified, certified instructor (NRA, USCCA, or RangeMaster) and pay for a personal lesson for them to go with you and guide you on grip, presentation, sight use, and trigger press on each pistol you test.
- Listen politely to the gun counter clerk advice, but understand the motivation there is to sell something, not necessarily to help you get the best for you.
- Evaluate the guns based on what is comfortable enough to shoot regularly, not how small or light they are for easy carry. Stick with full size or compact models, and leave sub-compacts for later when you have more training and experience. Subs are super to carry, but much more difficult and less comfortable to shoot well, so you are less likely to practice regularly with a sub.
- Understand that in general you will not go wrong with a Glock, but they are not for everyone. Glocks are the most widely sold, best supported handguns in the world. There is a great aftermarket of accessories, parts ,upgrades, holsters, etc. for Glocks. However, some Glock-Happy shooters assume they the only right gun for everyone. Not true. The angle of grip to slide on a Glock is slightly different from that on S&W and Springfield Armory pistols. It is enough different that for me the S&W is preferable. Try both for your own comfort.
Enjoy the journey, and good luck!
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Best 9mm Pistols in 2022 (For Concealed Carry, Home-Defense, and More) (gunpros.com)
Go to a range and rent each one, the right one will talk to you, and you will know!
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I prefer Kimber I like the quality & reliability, I also like Springfield. I carry a compact/sub compact just because I like the ease of concealment.
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Here is an article you might enjoy: 5 Worst Guns for Beginners (And Some Good Ones) - Pew Pew Tactical
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Hello Sir. I have small hands compared to most. As such, for a carry gun, I am a big fan of the P365 Sig series of pistols. They have the base model P365, which is the smallest and most basic. The P365 XL has a longer barrel and grip and also features a flat trigger. Despite it’s slightly larger size, it is still quite concealable.
They also have an upscaled model called the P365 Macro. It is larger in all dimensions but still slightly smaller than the Glock 19, but not by much.
I like the advice to go to a gun store/range and actually fire multiple pistols. It is really the best way to find what you will like and shoot the best. Good luck and enjoy the ride!
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There is also a P365X. It would be an XL (for the most part) but the barrel is 1/2" shorter. It does have the XL grip module, however.
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Welcome to the Community, @Mike_In_Fort_Worth
Congrats on G19… and good luck in finding the best handgun for yourself. 
I think the best you can do, as mentioned already, rent as many as you can and test them.
You will be surprised how many compact size handguns work great in small hands… and how many subcompacts and micros sucks. 
I hope you understand what you wish for?
this means you get dozens suggestions from dozens people. And suggestion mostly means - this works for the person who suggests.
If you go with reputable manufacturer and drop cheap tools - you will be good. Just be sure it feels good and shoot well. Not single shot, but 5 - 6 accurate shots in 3 inch circle from 10 - 12 feet in 5 seconds. 
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@Craig_AR hit the nail on the head with his whole reply, but I especially agree with this
The only thing I can add is the vertical Point Of Aim (POA) vs. Point Of Impact (POI) is different brand to brand based on how they set their sights up. So if your POI is higher or lower gun to gun, that is to be expected.
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Adding some clarification:
- Quality instructors actually LOVE it to hear, “I want to learn about them before I try to buy one.” Also some insist on starting students with a gun they supply so they know that the gun is proper and safe.
- While there are some qualified instructors and truly knowledgeable gun users behind the counter at gun shops and big box stores, most are simply retail clerks, who want to sell what they like, or what might be getting a corporate push.
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@Mike_In_Fort_Worth,
Welcome to the family. The Glock 19 fills both rolls and it is an excellent firearm. For home defense you could always add a light to it and there are a lot of after market accessories. As for your carry gun there are so many options so do your research. I carry the M&P Shield Plus Performance Center. But I am an M&P type of guy. There are a lot of excellent conceal carry guns on the market. My advice is that you purchase one that you feel comfortable with and that you will eventually carry. And most of all train, train, train.
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