i'm going to buy a handgun within a month, in either 45 acp or 40s&w. i would like some suggestions on which brand so i can do a little research. i am planing on spending between 500 and 700 dollars. thanks for the input.

Hopefully, your research will take you to a range that has not only a good selection, but rentals too. That way, you could try before you buy. You didn't really say exactly what the intended usage will be...target, plinkin', defense or collection? That price range should get you pretty much what you want. Do you like stainless? Single action? Large capacity? Compact size? Will you be the only user? (considering a wifey type) There are several good makes out there, just have to find the one that suits you the best. At least you are realistic on the price. A lot of people still want a "good gun" for $50!

A nice semi-auto in your price range is the Para Ordnance P14-45

The .45 has knock-down power to spare.

One positive is the high magazine capacity.

These are great for home defense!

You also have the advantage of a rugged frame and a proven 1911 design.

These are admittedly difficult to conceal, but this is a safe platform and easy to disassemble for cleaning.

One is never disappointed when one buys the best: H&K.

My carry gun is the USP Compact in 45acp. It has a polymer frame so rust or tarnishing is out of the question. It has an external safety, unlike Glock or Sig. It can be carried cocked-n-locked ala` the 1911.

The 40S&W has, IMO, seen it's heyday. It's pressures are a bit too high for prolonged comfortable shooting.

My .o2

Quoted: i'm going to buy a handgun within a month, in either 45 acp or 40s&w. i would like some suggestions on which brand so i can do a little research. i am planing on spending between 500 and 700 dollars. thanks for the input.

Come on.  More info.  What do you "like"?  Single/Double action?  Single stack/double stack (ie hi cap)?  What's the use?  Carry, target, home use?  

Of all the things that you should consider, the caliber is probably the least important. Any good round these days is just fine. This ain't your fathers 9mm.

Some things to consider.

If this will be a carry weapon, small or thin are better than big or fat.

Are you comfortable with having to remember a safety or would you feel better with one that does not use manual safeties?

If this will be for target use primarily, home defense or carry as a secondary use, longer barrels are generally more accurate than shorter barrels.

The two most important feature are that the gun must feel right from the minute that you first pick it up, and you must feel confident that it will work everytime and hit what you aim at.

Hold as many guns as you can before you buy. A good idea would be to haunt your local pawn shops. That's a great way to get to handle many different kinds of pistols. Once you find several that feel good, check local shooting ranges and gun clubs to find some that you can actually shoot.

i really don't care to much about concealability, and range shooting and home defense is what this gun will be used for. large frame is just fine. reliability is a great concern and i will be reloading for the weapon. i guess i should have said 9mm on up for caliber but i do want an auto. my range is in daytona beach and it is county run, there are no rentals. i used to have a smith and wesson .45acp years ago and still have all the dies and plenty of brass and bullets but i also have 9mm dies and brass and bullets. sorry for not giving more info in the begining.

I just ordered the Dan Wesson Pointman Major stainless match grade IDPA/IPSC model PM1-S for $700....it has a match fitted barrel, bushing, link, and McCormick match trigger....will let you know how it shoots when I get it..

O.K., narrowing it down a bit...I know there are gunshows in Fla. That would be a nice place to shop around...price comparisons, fondling and seeing all there is to be had. (There still a few hundred guns that fit your criteria) Ever do a gunshow? You may enjoy it. I do!

just some thoughts from a guy who has carried a .45acp pistol for 10 years.

colt .45 autos: i've had three that wouldn't shoot a full mag (7 rounds) out of the box.

Sig P220, best damn handgun in .45acp i've ever had, shot, carried.

Para(noid)ordnance, too wide of a grip to be completely comfortable, also,have heard of some reliability problems.

Kimber, never owned one, heard it was good.

Glock, owned several, like the light weight, the G-30 is a small .45acp, good shooter, don't like the fact that it only has a trigger safety.

Springfield Armory. don't know, but want one.

Smith and Wesson. Another proven design. Not heard anything bad about the Smiths.

Ruger "P" series. had two, don't waste your $$$

Also, there is no such thing as "knock down power" this is a trumped up hollywood movie scenerio.
"for every action, there is an equal and oposite reaction"
if there was a true thing as "knock down power" then the shooter too would be on the ground.
the true term is "stopping power" which is a  bullet, preferably a hollow point, spreading apart and tearing meat, that's stopping power.

Also, i don't mean to stomp on Packin-Heet's reply, but....
DO NOT RELY on a "high capacity" magazine to do your work for you.
you need to practice, practice, practice to be a good marksman. if a person relies on a lot of rounds to "stop" the bad guy instead of marksmanship, (controlled, placed, shot) then why not be a gang banger with a Tec-9?

Anyway, good luck on your quest. i hope you find a good, affordable, reliable handgun for yourself.
i do not mean to "rant" or "flame" anyone. this is just my two cents and it doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

colt, out.

Well, now with that info....

Sig P220-  Great gun.  Have one two in 38 Super.  I think having the Hogue grips on it makes it better.  It's w/ in your price range.  There are other 45 cal Sigs, forgot the name, but expect to pay 700 or more for them if you don't watch where you get it.

Personally, I don't mind the trigger, but it could need a job.  A slight lightening of the single action mode.... my personal observation.

1911- Have one in 38 Super.  Great gun, feeds all 9 rounds.  Trigger is a little long for my finger (might put a short one) About the "Colt's" problems.... I'm assuming it maybe a mag problem.  A lot of Colt 45's are "ball" guns.  Mags are 'ball mags' or 'wad cutter mags', so I'm told.  A 'wad cutter mag' will feed ball, but a ball mag won't feed wad cutter ammo...will jam and mis-feed.  A plane Jane Colt will run 600sih... and other manufactures will be around that too (500+ range).

Para- Haven't had this one long, but I like it.  It's a LDA (light double action).  Granted, if the grips are to wide, you could get the LDA that is single stack (uses normal mags).  Para's run about the same as other 1911... depending on options.  If you want a hi cap (P14, P13), right now is to get mags.  They're cheap.... cheaper then before.

Glock- great guns.  G21 mags are a tad high.  Have a few of them.

I agree w/ the practice thing.  You must practice to be good.  Got a buddy who can nock the X ring out with 50 rounds.  On a bad day he'll put 2 in the 9 ring..... he's been shooting for 45+ years....

I'm not sure of your 'hand size', but the fit of the gun to your hand is important.  You may want a double/high cap, but if you can't grip, what's the use????  When gripping it, can you hold it securly single handed?  Or will it fly out of your hand if you shoot it?

I like the 40SW round.  Bigger then the 9, but smaller then the 45.  Plus, you can shoot the 357 Sig by just swaping barrels (if you care to).  Some say that the 40 'barks' more then the 45....

Glocks have a slightly larger chamber.  Or seem to.  I reload and it seems to eat what ever I put in it.  I haven't loked at the Para closely yet, but it seems to feed fine (factory stuff).  Haven't had time to reload....

i was looking at the ruger p97d, it's fairly inexpensive and some friends tell me it is also accurate, i'll have to shoot it my self. what is wrong with this gun and why shouldn't i buy it?

There's nothing wrong with the Ruger and if it feels right and you shoot it well, then go for it.

Personal opinion to follow.

Get a Kimber, I have a Compact Stainless, and before I shot it the Sig P220 was the best shooting  .45 ACP I had shot.

I won't buy a Ruger P series pistol, I don't like the way they feel, don't like the trigger, don't even like their looks. Is it because they are Ruger's? No, I own both a 10/22 and a Single Six, and have owned more than one of the Blackhawk/SuperBlackhawk revolvers, Ruger MKII, Ruger #1 and a 77MKII. All of which were fine firearms, but their P series suck.

JMO

dave

Since you already have reloading equipment for 9mm and 45acp, I'd certainly limit my choices to those. My personal experience is that the 45acp is the most fun to shoot. Recoil is very controlable and even pleasant. But 9mm will still be les expensive to shoot.

Some possible choices would be:

In 9mm
A HiPower or one of the HiPower clones.
One of the CZs.
The HS2000 or Springfield Xd (a real world class pistol that is still underpriced)
The Star UltraStar (maybe the best compact 9mm out there)
One of the P-38's or P-1's that are being sold today. (a great pistol that simply screams HISTORY)
A SiG (probably the best shooters out-of-the-box)

In 45acp (although I think the 45acp is far too nice a round to waste on a semi-automaic. I just cries out for a nice revolver with about a 6" barrel)

The Sig 220
One of the S&W's
The Springfield XD in 45acp (but you'll have to wait a couple months for this one)
The Springfield Loaded.
A Kimber.
The PA's that are being sold at a super discount through CDNN right now.

Looks like everybody agreed on Kimber !

I have 2 .45s right now, a Glock 30 and a Kimber Ultra CDP II.  They are both excellent guns.  The Kimber is very, very nice.  It is my first 1911-style pistol, and I am very impressed.  The Kimbers are built to close tolerances, so it took me a few hundred rounds to get it properly broken-in, but it was well worth it!

Kimber, SIG 220 or 245, or my next purchase, the CZ97B:

www.cz-usa.com/_p/pdt.php?id=11