Ok guys or gals here is the back story.

My Dad is looking for a handgun to have in his home for home defense and also to have a little shooting fun with me.  He has shot my S&W M&P 40 a couple of times.  He has only owned a couple of handguns in the past but nothing that would be considered a good home defense handgun.  He doesnt mind my M&P but I just want him to have something that "fits" him.  When he and I spoke about it yesterday he gave me some suggestions as to what he was looking and they were:

semi automatic
would like it to have a longer barrel
Hes thinking 9mm calber.

The only semi automatic guns that I really know of with "longer" barrels are something like a M&P Pro or a 1911 variant of some kind.

I'm just looking for some suggestions so I can research them a little more for him.  Just to be clear I am not picking out the gun for him, and we do plan on trying to get to a range that rents handguns to try out sometime in the future.  We just dont have one nearby.

I appreciate all suggestions.

Thanks

92FS?

I was also thinking Glock 34.



Basically he needs to go shoot a Glock and see if its feels "right" or not in his hands.



 

Don't you have a 10rnd mag cap in IL?  If that's the case, they why not just get a full sized pistol  in .45?  CZ 97 or HK USP Tactical comes to mind.  One of the big advantages of going 9mm over a larger caliber is the increased capacity; without the capacity, staying with 9mm becomes harder to justify.

Glock 34, S&W M&P9L, XD9 Tactical

Be sure to check out an HK P30 L when you're shopping OP.

It's a very fine handgun.

G 17 or 34

CZ 75B

G34, M&P9L, HK P30L

Only certain counties have a 10rd mag cap like Cook. Its a problem with many online sellers that think the entire state is banned from having anything over 10rds yet its only a very small amount of counties and not even all the towns in the counties are restricted because of home rule. Midwest Sporting Goods is in Cook yet because they are in Lyons with a home rule they have no mag capacity restrictions in that town.

Where in Illinois are you OP? Best bet would be to take your dad to a place that rents guns like Midwest Sporting Goods, Megasports or GAT. Suggestings for a bigger barreled 9mm would be Glock 17, XD Tactical, Beretta 92FS, Browning High Power, CZ75 and many more. If you want what fits him best then renting is the next step. I know Midwest for sure lets you rent a gun, shoot it and then pick out another gun to try out over and over no matter how many guns you want to try out at no extra cost.

Were in central Illinois.  I thought about making the drive up to mega some time.  I think you can rent guns there to try out.  I appreciate all he suggestions so far.  Oh, and no I don't have any magazine restrictions where I live.

Midwest Sporting Goods is in Lyons on 1st Ave. a little past Ogden going south. They have a link to mapquest where they're located.

Here is their website: Midwest Sporting Goods

Megasports is nice but their prices are kinda high. I would suggest GAT or Midwest as the first places to visit. If you want,once your dad chooses what he likes you can buy online and have the gun transferred to a really great guy who's name is John at Online Auctions by John for $22. Here is his info and location: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/GunSmiths/GunSmithDetails.aspx?sid=113998

If you've never done an online transfer, he will go through it with you step by step. I've given him all of my business when it comes to transfers and if your wondering how well known he is, he does about 300-600 transfers a month. I buy some guns online since most of the time its way cheaper than any place local even with S&H and transfer fee.

If he likes oldschool steel and wood, a Hipower P/35, might fit the bill. There pretty hicapacity, and battle proven, not to mention fun at the range.

Not really any better, or worse, than anything else mentioned. Just something different. Just another idea for him to consider.  BD

Get him a Smith 5906.   9mm, super reliable, parts everywhere.

There are some very nazi-esque restrictions in Chicago (specifically Cook County) but as soon as you leave that commit shithole, Illinois is pretty normal except for the ban on NFA and the total lack of any form of CCW.





So IL is the 10th ring of hell for gun owners, but as long as you aren't in Chicago, you can own pretty much any non NFA firearm.





I have a large stack of 30rd AR mags just in case another ban happens though....with RE now being in office, god only knows what may happen.