Hypothetical handgun recommendation
 

This is completely hypothetical as I dont have any spare hundreds laying around to spend on this. But I would like to have an idea for what would be good when the zombie apocalypse gets here.

Would like something thats easy to use, and has common, easy to find, cheap ammo. Ive never shot anything more dangerous then a paintball gun, and I know very little about firearms.

Let the firing squad begin.:giggle:

The gun you can sight in on gangrenous foreheads the easiest, in the largest dead flesh removing caliber for that frame.

Wanna give us a rough idea of something you're looking for? Something Big that'll take a zombie's head off, something small that you can CC, something in between?

uh... yeah. I guess in between.

Glock 19. 9mm, 15+1 capacity.

Don't get a Glock. Handguns should not be plastic.

http://www.kimberamerica.com/product...ls/ultracarry/

^ My sentiments exactly - you won't feel bad when you drop, scratch, or ding or otherwise abuse a Glock. Mine is absolutely reliable (all CC's should have a couple hundred rounds through it before carry to establish performance/break-in) plus they are cheap. Avoid the super cheaps like "Bersa", etc. On the other hand, scratching or dinging a Kimber/LesBaer/WilsonCombat would make cats cry although .45 ACP has quite the stopping power...

Vag gun, 9mm is for pussies, bounces off of windshields. Get at LEAST a .40. Glock 22.

Baddies soak up .40 and .45 all day long...shot placement is king.

9mm is cheap, plentiful, easy to shoot, and plenty powerful when you use the right load.

cheap, plentiful, easy... vag reasons.

Shot placement? Yeah OK, but you usually don't have time to shoot between heartbeats in a handgun fight, you shoot for center of mass and hope for the best. .45ACP is my number one choice, big slow moving hunk of lead. Is it more expensive to shoot? Yes, so what?

.45 - Ammo is common enough. It will stop anything it hits, but recommend using hollowpoint ammo when available. A flesh-impacting hollowpoint from a .45 will:

A. Stop whatever it hits in its tracks. Anything smaller than a silverback gorilla will be knocked backwards
B. Create a conical shaped wound, whereas the entry wound in a normal human sized body would be approximately the size of the bullet, and the exit wound approximately the size of a large grapefruit.
C. The affected area will be much larger than the actual 'wounded' area. A Shockwave will rip through the surrounding tissue, crushing nervous system and vital organ components.

Fill 3 coffee cans with water. From near range, with proper safety equipment, shoot the 3 cans with:

9mm
.38
.45

When the 9mm puts a small hole in the coffee can, and the .45 splits the coffee can into nearly unidentifable parts, then decide if you prefer 'exact shot placement' or 'significant area of effect'.

If you've got money to blow, get a .50 - But good luck finding ammo during the apocalypse.

Please don't listen to the misinformation in this thread.

There is no major difference in "stopping power" (stupid term) of major service caliber rounds, they all suck.

Go somewhere that rents handguns, try a few out and buy what you like.

Get something that is vetted and has a proven track record. Glock, S&W M&P, etc...

Whatever you say bro, I'm just a ex-military FFL and competitive shooter, I don't know shit. :)

So what? That's what the OP asked for, that's what. He specifically mentioned cheap ammo.

Seriously, every handgun caliber sucks balls in stopping power. None of them do enough damage to physically stop someone unless you get very lucky and blow up their brain or their heart. So, unless you're confident you can do that, pick the caliber that lets you punch as many holes in their major organs as possible.

He's a first time shooter and you are recommending a .40? I know experienced shooters that don't like shooting .40's -- I'd rather shoot a .45 than a .40, personally.

None of that means that you have an extensive knowledge about terminal ballistics.

EDIT - To the OP, if you want to learn more about ballistics, take a gander at - http://www.m4carbine.net/forumdisplay.php?f=91

DocGKR, who posted the stickied threads, is Dr. Gary Roberts.

"Dr. Roberts is currently on staff at Stanford University Medical Center, a large teaching hospital and Level I Trauma Center were he performs hospital dentistry and surgery. After completing his residency at Navy Hospital Oakland in 1989, Roberts studied at the Army Wound Ballistic Research Laboratory: Letterman Army Institute of Research while on active military duty, and became one of the first members of the International Wound Ballistic Association.

Currently Roberts has been tasked with performing military, law enforcement, and privately funded independent wound ballistic testing and analysis. Roberts remains a Navy Reserve Officer and has recently served on the Joint Service Wound Ballistic IPT, as well as being a consultant to the Joint FBI-USMC munitions testing program and the TSWG MURG program. Roberts is frequently asked to provide wound ballistic technical assistance to numerous U.S. and allied SOF units and organizations.

Roberts is also a technical advisor to the Association of Firearms and Toolmark Examiners, as well as to a variety of federal, state and municipal law enforcement agencies. He has been a sworn Reserve Police Officer in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he now he serves in an LE training role."

That said, if the OP decides he does want a .45, I happen to have one for sale....a mere $1100.

If you're going to CCW it, i'd recommend a 1911 bodied gun.

i'm not good with recoil and have smaller hands, so i went with the Springfield EMP, but even the big guy instructing my CCW class had a Springfield EMP in 9mm like mine, it's definitely one of the best CCW firearms.

If it's the zombie apocalypse you are preparing for as you originally stated, you might want to look shotgun/rifle before a handgun.

+1 googol.

I can't comment on any other gun that what I own, but what i do have is a little .38 special colt knockoff (armscor is the brand I believe) it was dirt cheap, works extremely well, and is fun to shoot. The only downside is obviously the unload/reload times, and .38 ammo is pretty expensive.