Hey Jow Forums, first time poster. I've got a year before I'm legally allowed to buy a handgun in my state (fucking Ohio laws) and I'm trying to decide whether I want a Beretta 92FS or an HK P30L as my first handgun. I like recoil on my handguns but I'd much rather have a 9mm over a .45
>inb4 .40S&W elitists come in here
I'm only really interested in them for range shooting because I've already got a rifle for home defense.
What are you guys' thoughts? 92FS or P30L?
only boomers unironically use .45
P30L
Not gonna disagree with you there
the 92 is far better, but a CZ 75 is better than either
hk45ct lem
First handgun is always kind of a tough decision, especially for people who wait until they're 21, meaning your parents aren't supportive or knowledgeable enough to help you.
My first handgun was a Browning Buck Mark, which my dad gave me for Christmas when I was 14 or so... I can't remember exactly how old I was. Of course, it wasn't legally or technically "my gun" at the time (all of the guns I received for Christmas/birthday presents when I was a kid were kept in my dad's safe) but the understanding was that when I was legally old enough to own guns, it would officially be mine to do with what I liked. At that age, I mostly just thought guns were cool. I used them to shoot targets at the range and to shoot at cans and other junk on my grandfather's farm. Not much else crossed my mind. During and after college, I went through various living situations (living outside of the country for a while) and didn't bring my guns with me. When I finally settled back into life as an adult, my first handgun purchase for myself was a Sig P238, which I bought to protect myself and to exercise my freedom to carry a gun concealed. I practiced with it quite a bit, but never used it for "plinking" at tin cans.
If you're 21 and looking for your first handgun, then you really should take half a minute to reflect on why you want it, what you plan to do with it now and what you might do with it later, which will help you decide which one to get. The 92fs and P30L, in whatever caliber, are both full size handguns. They're both good designs, but you'll be pretty limited if you ever decide you want to carry a gun. Likewise, if you plan to practice 6 times a month, every weekend and every other Tuesday or whatever regular schedule you draw up for yourself, .45 is the most expensive, followed by .40, followed by 9mm. All of these are factors. The cost of the gun itself might be a factor if you don't plan to practice at all, but I think you're in the right ballpark with the 92fs and P30L.
The first time I ever shot a handgun, I shot was my friend's FN 5/7. I like the ergonomics of it. He also had me try his Glocks and 1911s. I found I like more recoil but at the same time I want a gun that's much more affordable to shoot regularly.
If I'm being honest though I much prefer aesthetics, hence why I was interested in the 92 for years. It wasn't until I recently found the P30L that I started thinking about functionality over looks. The P30L has both of those covered. If I do get the HK, I'm definitely going to throw a match weight on it to live out my John Wick fantasies lol
HK OBV
Both good guns, try to find a range to rent them and try them out. Different guns fit different people. Take the example of my two normie friends who recently bought guns: buddy 1 dead set on a Glock, bought a VP9 instead. Buddy 2 went in for a 1911 walked out with an M9A3.
You'll really want to shoot both if you can, if only to see how the grips fit you and which DA pull you prefer.
If you're going to ever shoot Production with either long boi, 92 mags are cheaper. Front sight is not swappable on a 92FS/M9A1. A 92 is a good half pound heavier than the p30l.
Swapping a 92 to decocker only and putting in a D spring isn't too bad, but maybe look at some youtube vids to see if that's something you'll want to do yourself. I've never tried to crack open my p30 and replace the hammer spring, so maybe look that up as well to see how hard it looks.
I have both a p30l and a 92fs. If it HAS to be one of them, get the 92fs. The p30l is cool, but the trigger is some horrid dogshit and it recoils more than you'd expect from a 9mm. Mags are also expensive and only 15 rounds where similar guns have 17. It's baller in aesthetic and a good training tool, but a bad first handgun. Don't let HK fanboy screeching lead you astray.
If you're open to other suggestions then I'd go either Glock 19 or S&W M2.0 compact. Boring but they will work forever.
I bought a $550 VP9 tactical last year as part of the HK SUMMER MAGAZINEPALOOZA, eventually I'll probably sell it but keep the extra mags and get a P30L when the right deal comes along
I've shot a Glock 19 and a S&W M&P40. I'm not a fan of striker fire pistols.
Shit OP, I'm in the same boat as you except I've got just over a month and a half before I can buy a handgun. Does anyone here know if there are ever sales for handguns for Memorial Day?
Is there any way to improve the trigger on the P30? I handled both the P30 and 92fs and while the P30 fit my hand better, the 92fs had a better trigger. Also, where can I find the best deal on both and my LGS is a bit pricey. Looking to spend under $550.
*as my LGS is a bit pricey
>inb4 .40S&W elitists come in here
Literally who? Niggers?
Incidentally I do own a P30 in .40 and it is snappier than my other .40s for some reason. The trigger, even after lighter springs has a terribly long reset and has some nasty flex to it. The takedown method also feels a bit archaic but besides that it's a fun and reliable
>Is there any way to improve the trigger on the P30
You can get lighter factory springs and I think someone started producing parts for a short reset. The trigger is a bitch to put back together though, be warned
>likes recoil
>likes 9mm
Get a PPQ, it feels like shooting a 40
When I got my first "grown up" job, a relative died and I simultaneously got a small inheritance. Stupidly, I used much of this money to buy lots of guns, mostly handguns, justifying the spending to myself in various unwise ways. I didn't ever have more than a dozen at a time, always selling one to buy another, but if I were to do it again, I would just go to all the ranges in the city that rent guns and shoot the rentals repeatedly until I was sure. Here's a snapshot of the centerfire pistols I owned from back in 2016, but over the past 7 or 8 years, I owned probably around 100 different handguns. FYI, I no longer own a single pistol pictured here, that's how committed I was to cycling through guns until I found what I liked.
Beretta makes guns that tend to work well, but none of them appeal to me very much. They all have some aspect that puts me off, like slide-mounted controls, ergonomics, point of aim peculiarities, an oddly wide trigger, etc. I do like HK's more than I like Berettas, but no longer own any because they are just not the best for my needs and preferences, which are almost exclusively geared toward concealed-carry and getting the most rounds into the most reliable, most shootable gun for the least weight. That's why, aside from .22lr target pistols, I currently only own handguns made by Glock and North American Arms. Glocks meet all the criteria I mentioned above, and while NAA, both for their revolvers and pistols, is several tiers down the quality scale. NAA makes the best tiny guns -- understanding that "best" involves lots of compromises in the case of tiny guns, but these are the least shit compromises of all the tiny guns, IMO.
If you want to know what I'd pick for my first and only handgun if I did it again, it would be a G26 or a G19, but again, that's just me.
P30 sucks, I'd choose something else.
do you plan on carrying or just a nightstand gun?
Save yourself the trouble and get a Sig DA/SA P226 with night sights. Drop the short reset trigger kit (like $40-$50) in there and enjoy one of the best feeling triggers and smoothest shooting 9mm out there.
Upgrade to hogue g10 grips (like $100) for the best palm feel/grip too. Stock is still killer though.
Last note, no one beats the ergo on HK pistols. They fit better than your dick in your hand. If I had to choose between the Beretta and HK, I'd go HK - or whatever feels best in your hand. That and what trigger feels better to you. These are the two biggest factors in how much you will enjoy shooting your pistol at the range.
Like I said in the first post, it's just for range shooting because I already have a rifle for home defense.
92fs is a classic, very fun range toy but somewhat limited in how you rice it out. I highly recommend the 92fs
This is the correct answer, P226 is better than either option.
There’s literally nothing wrong with being an HK P30(year old) boomer
Be a man and get a .40 you stupid faggot
My dad swears by 45 ACP but says his arthritis is too bad to shoot it, so he carries a 9mm. Chances are he's your typical pigheaded boomer and just refuses to admit something is better than what he had growing up
That p30L man, I like it more than the 92fs. The recoil out of 9mm is negligible in either of them but the grip is better on the HK and the decocker is easier to use. I like the V3 DA pull on it more too. It's a little stiffer than the 92 but not enough to matter for me, it breaks cleanly. I don't really understand all the complaining about the P30 triggers. If you can use a revolver with a 20lb DA trigger then nothing really bothers you except slop. The paddle release is nice but not a big deal.
FUCK YOU FAGGOT REEEEEE
bruh just pop for a 92a1 then, FS doesnt have a rail and a1 has mags w 17 capacity.
>not buying both
Both are great. You literally can’t make the wrong decision
t. Owner of both.
I bought a VP9 over a P30 even though they were almost the same price. I liked the VP9 trigger more.
That being said, I think the P30L should be back in stock in a year. I think HK is busy fulfilling military contracts, so a lot of their pistols are on the back burner. Personally, I'm waiting for a USP Expert 9mm to come back into stock.
>40 is manly
>P30L
VP9
Great first gun, easy to get the hang of, much better than p30L trigger.
For the P30V3 you can get the gray guns short reset system