Looks like a lot of guns til you remove all of the clips from the picture.

 

HAHA.

I was thinking that same thing. I have 8 guns on me right now

 

I don't have any experience with Charles Daly. I have a Glock 26 and a S&W 915. They're both 9mm handguns. The Glock 26 is a sub-compact though.

You haven't said the purpose of the handgun yet. What do you want to use it for? Target shooting like IDPA or steel plate? Home-Defense? Cab gun for your truck? Concealed Carry Weapon?

You will also want to go out and see about trying the handgun out. Call your local ranges and see what firearms they have to rent? One indoor range around here has a cabinet full of handguns you can rent. They also have a rack of machineguns if you want to have some fun

I'd personally go with a 9mm, .40, or .45 for self-defense. I'd lean more toward the .40. It has similar ballistics to the .45 without as much recoil. It's the reason a lot of police agencies use it. Jefferson outside of New Orleans still uses the 9mm and the military has been using a 9mm for awhile now as their standard handgun (before someone says it, yes, I know they still have .45s in service like the HK Mk23).

For a brand name, any of the major brands are good. I'd still want to put a lot of rounds through a gun though to make sure it's reliable. I'd go with Sig, Glock, HK, Beretta, Spingfield, Kimber, or Wilson. The 1911 designs are good but the cheap ones and compact ones are a little more unreliable.

I've had a little experience with the Springfield XDs. A friend has an XD.40 that he loves. He carries it in his truck all the time and I've gotten to mess with it. I may actually get an XD40 in then next week or two.

Sure I posted this before, but here are mine. The handguns, in clockwise starting from upper left is a Ruger 22/45, Ruger SP101, S&W 915, and Glock 26. Rifles from left to right, M1 Garand, Mini-14, 10/22, .30-30, Carcano rifle (Full-sized of what Oswald used), lever action .22LR, and a .410 (my first gun when I was a kid).


A $1 a bullet and massive recoil is so tempting.

How is it a copy of the glock? Because it has no manual safety? If you're calling it a copy for that simple reason, then you need to look into the differences between the two handguns more.

 

I think the Springfield XDs are probably the best kept secret in semi auto pistols today, aside from the CZ75. Glocks have a weird grip angle and some people aren't comfortable with the lack of manual safety; try before you buy. The trigger also takes some acclimating to. I carry a Glock 19, which is their subcompact (smaller than the full size 17, bigger than the compact 26) 9mm. It has a 15 round magazine, and I carry it in a Sidearmor Kydex holster. I think it gives me a good combination of firepower and capacity, and I shoot it better than I did my other pistols.

I've heard mixed results from Charles Daly pistols. If you're dead set on a 1911 pattern pistol, consider a Springfield "Loaded" model or a NRM (New Roll Mark) Colt 1991A1. If you're willing to pay more for a 1911, STI makes some very nice pistols, I think my next 1911 will be an STI. I had a Colt NRM 1991A1 stainless Commander in .45 auto for a while, and a Springfield "Loaded" full size model. It's worth considering too that Springfields have a lifetime warranty. The Springfield had a few problems out the box that I fixed myself (didn't feel like sending it in to them) with an Ed Brown Hardcore extractor and the right magazines. The Colt ran like a champ out the box.

Sigs are a love/hate kinda pistol too, they're very reliable, but they're also on the expensive side, and on some the finish is kinda fragile. They also have a high bore axis which may exaggerate muzzle flip in recoil, but it's nothing you can't get accustomed to given enough practice. My first carry gun was a Sig P239 in .40. The P239 is a medium/small frame single stack pistol. I only sold it because I was in a financial bind at the time. That and I kinda regretted getting it in .40, I would have liked it a lot more in 9mm. Oh, and with some Glocks (depending on when the frame was manufactured) and Sigs in .40 or 357 SIG, you can swap barrels and magazines out (don't even have to swap magazines with Sigs, except for the P239) and shoot either caliber, since the bolt face diameter is the same with .40 S&W and 357 SIG, so you get two guns in one.

As far as calibers go, I'd recommend 9mm or .45. .45 auto recoil isn't that bad, it's a big, slow bullet fired at relatively low pressures. I personally think the .40s recoils harder than a .45 auto, since the .40 shoots at a higher velocity with higher pressures. It's recoil feels more like a sharp "snap," instead of a big gradual "push" as in the .45. Of course that goes out the window when you start talking 180ish grain +P ammo out of the .45, but that's another animal.

 

Well this is what I decided to go with,



springfield xd .40

I plan on taking it out tomorrow for a test drive.

 

Congratulations on the new pistol. I have the same gun and think it does its job adequately. That job being making me feel like I have an option for self defense if my house were to be broken into or feeling safer about travelling alone through deserted areas. You never know who is out there and they never know what the guy in the F150 is carrying.

Check out www.xdtalk.com - it is a forum like this dedicated to Springfield XD pistols. It has recommendations on products such as holsters, etc.

 

Congrats on the XD!

I might actually be picking up an XD40 today

 

Kewl. I could suffer with an XD9. I got to play with the XD back when it was the HS2000, and I liked the hell out of 'em.

 

Did you get to shoot your XD yet?

I picked mine up today and took it out to the range. Also took the Glock 26 and the Ruger 22/45 out. I also got a gun ammo purchasing lecture from the guy at academy sports... He didn't believe I owned 3 pistols and was buying ammo for underage people... I should call the manager tomorrow.

I put 100 rounds through it b/c the .40 ammo was a lot more expensive than the 9mm at this place. I hope wal-mart here starts selling ammo again soon.

I still shoot the G26 a little better but I'll need to practice with the XD a bit more before I decide. I really like it though. Everything operates so smooth. The slide, trigger, the magazines when you're loading/unloading them into the gun.

 

I took it out today and shoot three boxes through it. (Ammo purchased at wal-mart). I was pleased with its performance. Everything things operated smoothly. It fits my hand well and feels good also. If you are considering this gun, I would recommend it so far.

 

I've grown rather fond of a Sig the last 11 years.

 

Awesome!

I can't wait to get mine out to the range again. Maybe this weekend if I can afford it.