How Do You Prioritize The Qualities That Are Important When Buying A Handgun?

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Depends on what i am looking for (CCW pistil, home defense pistol or a range gun)

But reliability is always first and after market support is always a good. I burn threw mags and mag springs pretty good.
 
Two questions:

1. Is it reliable, i.e., would I trust my life to it?
2. Will it fill a role better than my current inventory can for that role?

If yes, then it is a candidate for purchase.

YMMV,

Harry
 
...

I'm not sure exactly how to ask this question but let's assume you own no handguns at all and you want to buy one for self-defense.

How do you decide which attribute is most important?

As an example when I'm looking at a handgun these qualities (in no particular order) have to be there.

Reliability
Concealablity
Capacity
Weight
Aftermarket support
Commonly available

There are other things than those that I look for that I could list but after those six things everything else becomes pretty irrelevant. ......

Reliability
Commonly available
Capacity
Weight
Concealablity
Aftermarket support.

It's probably unfair to expect someone with no current (or lengthy previous) experience in owning and using handguns to be able to judge such things for themselves. That type of potential buyer is probably going to have to rely upon opinions of others, which always introduces the potential for bias and subjective opinions not based on objective evaluation. That said ...

Once I made the change from average gun owner and shooting enthusiast over to being trained as a LE firearms instructor, and then as an armorer for different makes/models of firearms, my ideas changed regarding what constituted the practical and critical factors influencing my choice in buying different firearms.

Intended role
Reliability
Durability
Manufacturer support


I look at:
- The intended role and use I envisioned for a particular gun. This affected consideration of the size, weight and anticipated method of carry. If these factors didn't suit my planned needs, then the rest of the factors didn't really matter to me. Once this "need" was considered to be reasonably satisfied, then I went down the rest of my list:

- Reliability.
- Durability.
Now, these 2 factors were important to me in hoping to estimate whether a choice might be worth the effort. ;) When it came to the reliability & durability criteria, I learned I preferred for those to have been tested and then demonstrated by LE/Gov users over a reasonably course of time and service. Not just 1 or 2 years. Being a Beta tester isn't my favorite thing. ;)

My next personal factors involved the availability of practical support of the actual manufacturer. This is important to me. The ease with which a customer might be able to obtain warranty service and repair can make or break the owner experience (in my opinion).

Now, I also have a secondary personal consideration that's more of a subset of the manufacturer support factor, which is whether I'd been able (or would be able) to attend an armorer class. Naturally, both reliability & durability may be affected and determined by being able to know manufacturer recommended service/inspection intervals and any replacement schedule of wearable parts. Being able to not only listen to company armorer instructors and sales reps provide info and insight into the products, but being able to meet and listen to groups of other LE instructors and armorers, and their experiences with the products, could be pretty helpful. Listening to the "brochure" descriptions from reps or sales people is one thing, but listening to the folks who watched the guns being used by the average range of non-owners/users could be insightful. Obviously this is only something that might be possible if it involves guns that are in common use by LE/Gov, whether for "duty" or approved secondary/off-duty use.

"Aftermarket support" can be a dicey subject. Aside from aftermarket vendors being able to provide access to simple wear items like OEM magazine and recoil springs, and OEM magazines, I prefer the parts I acquire for service, maintenance and repair to typically be those used and provided by the actual gun maker. Or at least approved by them for use in their guns. (This might mean parts made by vendors for the gun company, or made by the gun companies, themselves.) Gun companies test their products according to the parts they use (and/or approve), and aftermarket parts makers may not be privy to the manufacturing tolerances and specs intended and allowed by the original engineers.

I realize that some aspects making up my criteria and choices aren't those of the "average" gun owner who is looking to buy his/her first handgun, but they're how I've come to look at my own purchases and make decisions.

Now, when it comes to handguns which aren't exactly in modern use for LE/Gov, like SA revolvers, then I still like to try and get answers to the questions from the same list of criteria, but now it's more word-of-mouth and public info that may be found among groups of owners.
 
I’m on a buying kick right now since I got a little unexpected disposable cash. I originally was thinking about 2 different options... a 10mm or a rifle, but then something caused my fingers to go to Gunbroker and look for various old neglected and unloved revolvers. I’m gonna bring a few of them home. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
 
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