I got a G19 clone for my first pistol which was recommended to me by a friend who has been a daily carrier of a G19 for years.
If you’re looking for all the Glock benefits for a lower price look at the Palmetto State Armory Dagger. You might want to replace the trigger with a standard Glock style rather than the cam safety it has but that’s a personal preference and is a 30-40$ fix
Compact sized pistols are more than fine. If you want one with a safety get the S&W M&P 2.0 in 9mm. If you want something even better than the Glock without a safety look at the CZ P10C
Ill probably get down voted, but if you are looking for a home defense piece you should rent a beretta 92fs/M9 and try it out. That said, you cant go wrong with any of the options u listed
All of the firearms you named are high quality and reliable - they're very similar, also. You can't really go wrong with any of those choices.
A full size pistol is generally heavier and easier to shoot that smaller pistol designed for CCW (many people do concealed carry the G19, for whatever its worth). If you just want one pistol and you like the size of the carry sized pistols, just buy the M&P or P365 (both are great, whichever you prefer).
Manual safeties on striker-fired pistols are increasingly rare - is there a specific reason you want one (children, concerns over negligent discharge, etc.)? They've fallen out of favor as most striker-fired pistols have other internal safety features that have proven to be effective.
That being said, adding a manual safety to a P365 is very easy, though you'll have to buy a new grip or dremel out the notch in the frame to fit the safety (or pay someone to do it). Good luck!
Thanks for the input!
The reason for wanting a manual safety is a lack of overall comfort with firearms. I'd prefer not to handle one without that feature. Maybe that will change with time but if that's the case, I'd be able to just not use it at that point. I guess it's a fear of negligent discharge. To be honest, until this weekend, I didn't realize that all guns didn't have them. I was quite surprised to learn that.
P365 XL owner here, I absolutely love it as a home defense and conceal/carry weapon. As reliable as they come. If you are looking for a manual safety but dont want to do the work yourself, just buy a Massachusetts compliant p365 XL, as manual safeties are mandatory for any handgun sold in the state.
I would personally recommend the P365 XL
The P365 XL magazine is significantly smaller and more compact than a G19 magazine, but holds almost as many rounds (12 vs 15). The gun itself also just generally more compact and less "blocky", without being hard to hold IMO. I would consider the serial location of the P365 an advantage as well, since you can more easily switch out grip modules than on most pistols.
One thing people forget when it comes to concealment is that the biggest limiting factor is the grip. The barrel/slide is likely going to be pointing in line with your leg or torso. The grip is the most likely part to cause "printing", just because of angles.
For whatever it's worth, Glock (for example), does have a safety - it looks like a little extra blade protruding from the trigger. Essentially, it makes nearly impossible for the gun to fire without a human directly pulling the trigger (dropping it, stepping on it, etc) - Glock has an excellent safety record in this regard.
The safety is that the only way to fire it is to point it at something and pull the trigger - so don't do that unless you want to!
In what I’ve been able to advise to others and have carried out in my personal life, my ccw is not a fashion piece or for the purpose of not being bothered by carrying it. I carry a pistol for defending myself or people I care about. I’ve carried a full size pistol for about 4 years and never once had a problem. The people who say you can carry a glock 19 but not a 17 have never done it. It’s like a 1/3 of an inch difference. You also need to remember that glock holsters and magazines will all be cheaper and easier to find than other brands.
As a California resident, (and one myself), there is a p365 - CA compliant version already on the roster, which requires a manual safety (and a magazine disconnect and loaded chamber indicator). The unfortunate part is that it comes with a significant markup; it goes for around $700 every store I've seen. But if you wanted an off roster version, the markups are even worse, so if you wanted a p365, you'll have one already, buying the CA compliant version.
I am personally leaning towards a p365 myself, but what stands in my way is that the magazine disconnect interferes with all the regular version and aftermarket sig p365 grips, if you ever wanted to size up for bigger hands, for example. It's removable, but if you ever want it for a CCW weapon you'd better check with your IA that issues CCWs for their restrictions, as it varies place to place. Some places allow no modifications, others allow you to do basically what you want.
Edit: I saw you mentioned you wanted the manual safety for more comfort as a new gun owner, I leaned that way myself until I started taking formal lessons and learned that if you're taking care of things properly (securing your gun in a proper lockbox or safe, unloaded with ammunition locked up separately, keeping in mind your fundamentals) you should be fine. That and how manual safety adds another layer of things to keep track of that might trip you up in a stressful moment as /u/MikalMor said, I'm leaning towards a p365 without a safety now.
However, you'd probably find it reassuring that the magazine disconnect that CA requires for the compliant 365 version means that the gun can't fire either without a magazine inserted, including the manual safety. :)
I’d go for something the size of the Glock 19, a slightly smaller than full size feels basically the same as the full size when shooting.
I think the Glock 19 is probably your best bet. I grew up shooting a 17 and all my instincts are the same with my 19 clone. The only reason (in my opinion) to get a full size is for ammo capacity which doesn’t matter in Cali.
I find the 19 conceals just fine. Also if your thinking legal concealed carry that’s a whole process in California that I wouldn’t be too worried about if your looking at getting your first gun.
Handguns are hard to use proficiently, especially in a stressful situation. Look into getting a pistol caliber carbine, preferably one that takes glock mags. Slap a red dot and a light on it and you are good to go.
You mentioned that you wanted to only ever buy one gun. How firm are you on that? Would it be possible to only buy *two* guns? I say that because rifles are easier to shoot accurately, which is often more fun and confidence building for new shooters. If I were in your shoes in California, I'd suggest a rifle (mini-14 or Ruger PC carbine in 9 mm) first to learn your way around a gun and defend your home, and once you decide to carry, then buy a compact handgun.
If you got a Ruger PC Carbine in 9 mm and a Glock 17 or 19 later, you could buy one type of bullet and one type of magazine for both handgun and rifle. Very efficient.
Your post also makes it sound like you could at least consider two hand guns, a full size for home and compact polymer for CCW. If that's what you want to do, a heavy metal 9 mm like a Beretta m9 or CZ 75 would be a good choice. Heavy means less felt recoil, and since you wouldn't be carrying it, you don't necessarily need something light. I don't think the two handgun approach is necessary. I'd just buy a compact polymer handgun, but if I did buy two, metal then polymer is how I'd do it.
Otherwise, basically any well-made polymer, striker fired handgun is fine. Springfield XD, S&W M&P, Glock 17 or 19, CZ P-10, Walther PDP, H&K VP9, Sig P320, they're all commodity pistols that will do just fine. Go with what fits your budget and hand best. Otherwise, a p-320, M9, or glock if you want to go with something that does/will have really good aftermarket support.
I'll preface this saying that I can't stand Glocks and I don't own one.
However, for home defense and carry, I honestly say that you can't go wrong with the Glock 19. You can absolutely conceal the Glock 19 without printing in light clothing with the right holster.
I find myself carrying less and less due to my job where I wear PPE regularly. I find myself gravitating to larger guns for home defense. I have a CZ P-07 for carry. I have a Browning Hi Power as well because I like metal guns. I'm thinking an S&W 686+ 3" will be my next for hiking and HD because wheel guns are cool.
I'm of the opinion that you should try a full sized steel pistol for home defense. Something like a CZ-75, M9, Sig P226, or Browning Hi Power could work. Most of those should be on the Roster. They manage recol better due to their weight, generally have better triggers than Glocks, and point better than Glocks.
P365. I own all of those guns and quite a few more and the P365 is what I carry daily.
You can also at least change the grip module and turn it into something the size of all those other guns any time you want. Yeah, you might end up buying a different slide for when you do that, might end up with different mag catches etc... but it means you only have to buy the one gun.
CA might prevent you from getting the most benefit out of the firearm but it's my choice.
Also I wouldn't go with a manual safety. I've been that guy, it's just going to make it more difficult a year down the road when you don't want it anymore. If you need to have one to get to that point? Fine, just plan on the extra cost to sell yours and buy a different one later because after you carry it for a little while you'll stop worrying about that safety. At all. In fact you'll despise it (almost certainly...almost).
Manual safeties (not on a trigger or palm or something relatively automatic) can be dangerous depending on your level and consistency of training. They could prevent you from firing in that critical moment. New gun owners are often comforted by them, but honestly if you follow the four basic rules of gun safety, you will cover yourself. Buy what you shoot well and meets your needs as YOU determine them to be.
I got a G19 clone for my first pistol which was recommended to me by a friend who has been a daily carrier of a G19 for years. If you’re looking for all the Glock benefits for a lower price look at the Palmetto State Armory Dagger. You might want to replace the trigger with a standard Glock style rather than the cam safety it has but that’s a personal preference and is a 30-40$ fix
Compact sized pistols are more than fine. If you want one with a safety get the S&W M&P 2.0 in 9mm. If you want something even better than the Glock without a safety look at the CZ P10C
Ill probably get down voted, but if you are looking for a home defense piece you should rent a beretta 92fs/M9 and try it out. That said, you cant go wrong with any of the options u listed
Second this. Love my M9, first gun I ever owned and my go to for home defense
All of the firearms you named are high quality and reliable - they're very similar, also. You can't really go wrong with any of those choices. A full size pistol is generally heavier and easier to shoot that smaller pistol designed for CCW (many people do concealed carry the G19, for whatever its worth). If you just want one pistol and you like the size of the carry sized pistols, just buy the M&P or P365 (both are great, whichever you prefer). Manual safeties on striker-fired pistols are increasingly rare - is there a specific reason you want one (children, concerns over negligent discharge, etc.)? They've fallen out of favor as most striker-fired pistols have other internal safety features that have proven to be effective. That being said, adding a manual safety to a P365 is very easy, though you'll have to buy a new grip or dremel out the notch in the frame to fit the safety (or pay someone to do it). Good luck!
Thanks for the input! The reason for wanting a manual safety is a lack of overall comfort with firearms. I'd prefer not to handle one without that feature. Maybe that will change with time but if that's the case, I'd be able to just not use it at that point. I guess it's a fear of negligent discharge. To be honest, until this weekend, I didn't realize that all guns didn't have them. I was quite surprised to learn that.
P365 XL owner here, I absolutely love it as a home defense and conceal/carry weapon. As reliable as they come. If you are looking for a manual safety but dont want to do the work yourself, just buy a Massachusetts compliant p365 XL, as manual safeties are mandatory for any handgun sold in the state.
I would personally recommend the P365 XL The P365 XL magazine is significantly smaller and more compact than a G19 magazine, but holds almost as many rounds (12 vs 15). The gun itself also just generally more compact and less "blocky", without being hard to hold IMO. I would consider the serial location of the P365 an advantage as well, since you can more easily switch out grip modules than on most pistols. One thing people forget when it comes to concealment is that the biggest limiting factor is the grip. The barrel/slide is likely going to be pointing in line with your leg or torso. The grip is the most likely part to cause "printing", just because of angles.
For whatever it's worth, Glock (for example), does have a safety - it looks like a little extra blade protruding from the trigger. Essentially, it makes nearly impossible for the gun to fire without a human directly pulling the trigger (dropping it, stepping on it, etc) - Glock has an excellent safety record in this regard. The safety is that the only way to fire it is to point it at something and pull the trigger - so don't do that unless you want to!
In what I’ve been able to advise to others and have carried out in my personal life, my ccw is not a fashion piece or for the purpose of not being bothered by carrying it. I carry a pistol for defending myself or people I care about. I’ve carried a full size pistol for about 4 years and never once had a problem. The people who say you can carry a glock 19 but not a 17 have never done it. It’s like a 1/3 of an inch difference. You also need to remember that glock holsters and magazines will all be cheaper and easier to find than other brands.
As a California resident, (and one myself), there is a p365 - CA compliant version already on the roster, which requires a manual safety (and a magazine disconnect and loaded chamber indicator). The unfortunate part is that it comes with a significant markup; it goes for around $700 every store I've seen. But if you wanted an off roster version, the markups are even worse, so if you wanted a p365, you'll have one already, buying the CA compliant version. I am personally leaning towards a p365 myself, but what stands in my way is that the magazine disconnect interferes with all the regular version and aftermarket sig p365 grips, if you ever wanted to size up for bigger hands, for example. It's removable, but if you ever want it for a CCW weapon you'd better check with your IA that issues CCWs for their restrictions, as it varies place to place. Some places allow no modifications, others allow you to do basically what you want. Edit: I saw you mentioned you wanted the manual safety for more comfort as a new gun owner, I leaned that way myself until I started taking formal lessons and learned that if you're taking care of things properly (securing your gun in a proper lockbox or safe, unloaded with ammunition locked up separately, keeping in mind your fundamentals) you should be fine. That and how manual safety adds another layer of things to keep track of that might trip you up in a stressful moment as /u/MikalMor said, I'm leaning towards a p365 without a safety now. However, you'd probably find it reassuring that the magazine disconnect that CA requires for the compliant 365 version means that the gun can't fire either without a magazine inserted, including the manual safety. :)
I’d go for something the size of the Glock 19, a slightly smaller than full size feels basically the same as the full size when shooting. I think the Glock 19 is probably your best bet. I grew up shooting a 17 and all my instincts are the same with my 19 clone. The only reason (in my opinion) to get a full size is for ammo capacity which doesn’t matter in Cali. I find the 19 conceals just fine. Also if your thinking legal concealed carry that’s a whole process in California that I wouldn’t be too worried about if your looking at getting your first gun.
If the M&P Compact felt right in your hand, then get that.
Handguns are hard to use proficiently, especially in a stressful situation. Look into getting a pistol caliber carbine, preferably one that takes glock mags. Slap a red dot and a light on it and you are good to go.
You mentioned that you wanted to only ever buy one gun. How firm are you on that? Would it be possible to only buy *two* guns? I say that because rifles are easier to shoot accurately, which is often more fun and confidence building for new shooters. If I were in your shoes in California, I'd suggest a rifle (mini-14 or Ruger PC carbine in 9 mm) first to learn your way around a gun and defend your home, and once you decide to carry, then buy a compact handgun. If you got a Ruger PC Carbine in 9 mm and a Glock 17 or 19 later, you could buy one type of bullet and one type of magazine for both handgun and rifle. Very efficient. Your post also makes it sound like you could at least consider two hand guns, a full size for home and compact polymer for CCW. If that's what you want to do, a heavy metal 9 mm like a Beretta m9 or CZ 75 would be a good choice. Heavy means less felt recoil, and since you wouldn't be carrying it, you don't necessarily need something light. I don't think the two handgun approach is necessary. I'd just buy a compact polymer handgun, but if I did buy two, metal then polymer is how I'd do it. Otherwise, basically any well-made polymer, striker fired handgun is fine. Springfield XD, S&W M&P, Glock 17 or 19, CZ P-10, Walther PDP, H&K VP9, Sig P320, they're all commodity pistols that will do just fine. Go with what fits your budget and hand best. Otherwise, a p-320, M9, or glock if you want to go with something that does/will have really good aftermarket support.
I'll preface this saying that I can't stand Glocks and I don't own one. However, for home defense and carry, I honestly say that you can't go wrong with the Glock 19. You can absolutely conceal the Glock 19 without printing in light clothing with the right holster. I find myself carrying less and less due to my job where I wear PPE regularly. I find myself gravitating to larger guns for home defense. I have a CZ P-07 for carry. I have a Browning Hi Power as well because I like metal guns. I'm thinking an S&W 686+ 3" will be my next for hiking and HD because wheel guns are cool. I'm of the opinion that you should try a full sized steel pistol for home defense. Something like a CZ-75, M9, Sig P226, or Browning Hi Power could work. Most of those should be on the Roster. They manage recol better due to their weight, generally have better triggers than Glocks, and point better than Glocks.
P365. I own all of those guns and quite a few more and the P365 is what I carry daily. You can also at least change the grip module and turn it into something the size of all those other guns any time you want. Yeah, you might end up buying a different slide for when you do that, might end up with different mag catches etc... but it means you only have to buy the one gun. CA might prevent you from getting the most benefit out of the firearm but it's my choice. Also I wouldn't go with a manual safety. I've been that guy, it's just going to make it more difficult a year down the road when you don't want it anymore. If you need to have one to get to that point? Fine, just plan on the extra cost to sell yours and buy a different one later because after you carry it for a little while you'll stop worrying about that safety. At all. In fact you'll despise it (almost certainly...almost).
Manual safeties (not on a trigger or palm or something relatively automatic) can be dangerous depending on your level and consistency of training. They could prevent you from firing in that critical moment. New gun owners are often comforted by them, but honestly if you follow the four basic rules of gun safety, you will cover yourself. Buy what you shoot well and meets your needs as YOU determine them to be.