|
Okay.
First, caliber. There's no empirical data that says a .40 S&W caliber round is any more effective than a 9mm round for stopping BGs (bad guys). The .40 S&W, being heavier will tend to penetrate more deeply than any 9mm or go through materials that a 9mm might not. Also, heavier bullets come with more recoil, that's just physics. A heavier gun might mitigate some of that felt recoil energy, but it might not, depending on a variety of factors.
So, bottom line, for most people you're just better off getting a 9mm pistol unless you just have to have a .40 S&W. 9mms are cheaper to buy, and so is the ammo. All other things being equal, a 9mm pistol will hold more rounds as well, which we call firepower.
Glocks are fine weapons, and I'm assuming here, but it sounds like you're looking at primarily either a Glock 17 or Glock 19. Brand new Glocks are currently in their 5th generation, or gen 5. But from an operational standpoint, all Glocks regardless of generation are the same. Gens 4 and 5 have finger grooves and interchangeable backstraps that can allow some customization of the size and shape of the grip.
The Glock 19 is slightly smaller than the duty-size (police or military) Glock 17. The 17 is slight longer than the 19, and the grip is also slightly longer, but otherwise they are identical guns. Most average size men can comfortably conceal aGlock 19, but would have some trouble concealing a 17.
The 17 holds 17 rounds, while the 19 just 15 in their respective magazines.
Glocks brand new generally sell for about $600, so inside your budget. Both the 17 and the 19 will be around that price. A used Glock will be around $400 or less.
Holsters will costs anywhere from $50 up to several hundred bucks. This is where some dork will tell you "I bought an Uncle Mike's nylon holster for $20 just the other day." Don't buy nylon holsters. They suck. Buy Kydex, leather, or a hybrid. Remember, nylon sucks.
There are many choices besides Glock, such as the S&W M&P line, which is my go-to brand/model choice, but to each their own. The M&Ps are functionally and performance-wise the closest to the Glock, IMHO. And the M&Ps are generally slightly cheaper. I can get a brand new S&W M&P9C 2.0 (Glock 19 competitor) for about $450.
Beretta APX is another good pistol, for example.
You need to test drive as many pistols that are similar to the Glock as possible to make an educated choice. Or just buy the Glock. They are excellent weapons for your stated purpose.
Hope some of that helps.
|