Think I am getting my pistol tomorrow.....maybe......

[RHZig]

I looked at a lot today. It is hard to make up my mind,

The Beretta .32, the Bersa .380, the Kel-Tec 9mm........




I am thinking of the KelTec 9mm.
It is for $299.
Do you think that is a fair price?
I want to go to a gun show but I think I found what I like in Texas City, at the place by the bowling alley.

Anyone know anything about them?

[LedJedi]

neither...

24/7 Pro .45

see signature line :)

[fadlan12]

or a M&P compact 9
or a Taurus or S&W snubbie
or a Kimber UC
all good guns and easy to conceal.

[nuparadigm]

....
I am thinking of the KelTec 9mm. ...

Which Kel-Tec 9mm? The P11 or the PF9?

[RHZig]

....
I am thinking of the KelTec 9mm. ...

Which Kel-Tec 9mm? The P11 or the PF9?

See, I don't know my pistols too good. I am a shotgun type of guy.

I don't know....is there any significant difference?

[Crossfire]

After lots of frustration, I traded my Keltec for a really nice set of electronic ear muffs. And I think I got the better end of the deal.

I have both the Beretta Tomcat (.32) and the Bersa Thunder (.380) Both are good and reliable, but I like the Bersa better. The Beretta is just a little bit to small for my hands. Get the one that fits you best.

[Fosforos]

I would vote for the Bersa also. It's small enough, and if you can find a 9 round magazine it has a very nice grip even for a big hand. The Tomcat is a neat little gun, but takes some getting used to.

[seamusTX]

I want to go to a gun show but I think I found what I like in Texas City, at the place by the bowling alley.

Is that T's Guns and Ammo, Shooter's Corner, or Elite? I guess Elite is closest to the bowling alley.

My only advice is not to buy the first thing you see that you can afford.

You can window-shop for free at http://www.auctionarms.com/. If you buy a pistol there, expect shipping to cost around $50 (unless the seller happens to be in the area). The auction bids are discounted accordingly.

- Jim

[SigM4]

If you're looking for a reliable CC weapon, the Bersa actually is a good gun. And this is coming from a guy who swore he'd never shoot anything besides a Sig or Kimber. Now, I won't go so far as to say its a great range gun, because its not. But if you're looking for something that is easily concealable, light on the pocketbook, and will definitly go "bang" every time, you can't go wrong with the Bersa.

[PhilR.]

Judging from your possible choices, it looks like you want something for daily carry that doesn't cost a lot, instead of a range gun. Of the three, it seems like the most reliable (based on a combination of personal experience and reading a lot of experiences of others) will most likely be the Bersa. Just in case you didn't know, Bersa makes two different .380's, one slightly more suitable for concealed carry. The only downside to the Bersas is that ammo is a lot more expensive than 9mm.

I've read quite a few negative comments on the Beretta .32. I would consider the Kel-Tec .32, which is cheaper, thinner, and often quite reliable, seemingly much more so than the Beretta. I'm not trying to knock Beretta -- we have a .22lr 21A that works quite well.

I've read lots of + and - comments on the P-series, but of those three pistols you mention, I would most likely go with a 9mm, knowing that it's a slight possibility that you might have to expend some effort to make a P11 or PF9 work correctly.

Not a lot of other choices in your price range, but if you can spend about 25% more, you might look into the Kahr CW9. A good snubbie as previously suggested would also be a great choice, especially if you don't have much shooting experience. A hammerless Charter Arms Off-Duty will cost just slightly more than a P11, but will also be a lot more reliable for serious social situations. A bit more $ will get you an S&W 442. Also, for about $50 more, you can get a new Stoeger 9mm, the one based on the Beretta Cougar design. If $350 was my max, I would most likely go that route.

Something else to consider, albeit for a bit more money, would be a used Glock 26. Small enough to carry, large enough to use as an occasional range gun, and powerful enough for civilian defense purposes. A great "all-rounder", if you will.

hth,
PhilR.

[MrsFosforos]

I have a bersa and tomcat too. I like them both and depending on what you want, could recommend either.

I like the tomcat because it is smaller (and cuter) and easiest to conceal; But, it has a very short grip and a VERY HARD trigger pull that took some adjustment to get used to. The bersa is much easier to shoot, and more reliably on target (for me). The grip fits more naturally in my hand and the trigger pull is like sliding a warm knife through butter compared to the tomcat!

[Wildscar]

One thing you will want to keep in mind though. If this is your first firearm you have to asked yourself. Do you want to trust your life to a $300 hundred dollor gun or a $500 dollor gun. Its something to think about.

Just my .02

[LedJedi]

One thing you will want to keep in mind though. If this is your first firearm you have to asked yourself. Do you want to trust your life to a $300 hundred dollor gun or a $500 dollor gun. Its something to think about.

Just my .02

beg to differ,

i will put a $400 Taurus against those kimbers or sigs any day of the week. The key is to make sure the gun is reliable. That doesn't always equate to $$ though. Certainly you're going to pay more than 50 cents though.

[chewy555]

One thing you will want to keep in mind though. If this is your first firearm you have to asked yourself. Do you want to trust your life to a $300 hundred dollor gun or a $500 dollor gun. Its something to think about.

Just my .02

What is wrong with a $300 to $500 gun? I have a Taurus 357 that was $400, and I would trust my life to that gun.
You have to look at what gun it is that you are paying $300 to $500 for, are there some out there in that range that I would not want to trust, yes. But there are a lot that I would. I went the other day and looked at a Glock and it is in that price range. We all know about Glocks, alot of police officer trust their life and the lives of the people in their city to that gun.

[seamusTX]

Please remember that cosmetic damage can take hundreds of dollars off the price without affecting performance (as with cars).

- Jim