Looking for a .25 ACP starter pistol.? - General discussion Forums

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Forums / Public / General discussion / Looking for a .25 ACP starter pistol.?

Author	Message
DarkThinkeR Members 107 posts Location: Guadeloupe Occupation: Geophysicist Age:	#10220 2007-10-28 10:57 GMT
	I know Taurus has .25 ACP pistols but i want something that's either full size or compact size. My friend's son has never shot a pistol before and i want to got him a .25 ACP as his first. Who makes a good one?


SkateRForeveR Members 108 posts Location: South Georgia Occupation: Columnist Age:	#10221 2007-10-28 11:12 GMT
	Forget the .25 ACP - it is worthless and the ammo is expensive. Get a 22 (browning buckmarks are real good autos). The .22 ammo is a heck of a lot cheaper and the individual will be able to afford to practice a lot. If you are looking for a defense pistol, the smallest cal. you should consider is the .380, but 9mm is the "standard". Taurus makes great autos, I love my PT92 in 9mm, but it is a little large to carry. I carry a Sig P232 in .380, it is nice and compact but still fits great in a larger hand. Go with the .22 for a first pistol. The hours of enjoyment for a few bucks in ammo is well worth it. 500 rounds of .22 costs about what 25 rounds of .25 acp cost.

BetterYou Members 113 posts Location: Norway Occupation: Technologist Age:	#10222 2007-10-28 11:48 GMT
	As a Gunsmith and a Dealer, I can't help but agree with the other answerer that 25 ACP is NOT the way to go. It is a poorly weak cartridge/caliber and simply lacks the muzzle energy to have any practical use. It is not an accurate round and the firearms that shoot this caliber are very small and somewhat awkward to shoot accurately.Not an effective handgun for an experienced shooter, let alone a beginner for a first handgun..... Beretta makes several 25 automatics but they are again small and impractical handguns and expensive to shoot. You would be much better off to start your friends son on the right track with a pistol that will not only be an effective beginning firearm to learn with, but is affordable to shoot, plink or just have fun shooting tin cans with. There are many 22 caliber Revolvers as well as Semi-Automatic Pistols available out there that would fit your/his needs perfectly. Look at Smith & Wesson for Revolvers, and Browning for semi-automatic pistols. There are several models available from both these manufactures.Again please consider a change from the 25ACP as it is just not a practical firearm for you to buy in this case or circumstance.......

OutOfSpace Members 115 posts Location: Singapore Occupation: Ironmonger Age:	#10223 2007-10-28 12:14 GMT
	Get your self something worthwhile, the .25's are a pipsqueak round. My brother has a Taurus PT-22 in .22 caliber, and the goun is strictly no good. The PT-25 I assume isn't any better.

JustMe Members 103 posts Location: Cook Islands Occupation: Grammarian Age:	#10224 2007-10-28 13:30 GMT
	Don't listen to these idiots. The .25 acp is an excellent gun to START with. You can always go to something bigger down the road. I recommend a .22 or .25acp for a first gun. Taurus is the one maker of .25acp guns. The only other is Beretta. The Beretta Bobcat pistol is calibered in .25ACP. Below is the link for it: http://www.berettausa.com/product/product_pistols_main.htm I still haven't found any volunteers to stand in front of a .25acp bullet.

IntoTheTrees Members 113 posts Location: South Georgia Occupation: Flight attendant Age:	#10225 2007-10-28 13:56 GMT
	Certainly, the .25 acp has its place in the scheme of things. I just can't really figure out what it is! In the early James Bond novels & films 007 was armed with a Beretta .25 acp. Beretta still makes a .25 acp as does Taurus, but I can't figure out why anyone would want one? Even James Bond moved up to a Walther PPK in .32 acp, and he was ... Indestructible!!! Seriously, a better beginner's pistol is a .22. The ammo is so much cheaper and in a pinch, it has superior stopping power. A .22 is still not recommended as a defensive caliber except as a last resort, weapon of opportunity. I guess the same can be said of the .25 acp: A LAST RESORT WEAPON OF OPPORTUNITY. This one isn't even a good target shooter or plinker since the ammo is so expensive! Good luck. H

BlueButterFly Members 105 posts Location: Iran Occupation: Costermonger Age:	#10226 2007-10-28 15:44 GMT
	Don't do it .25 ACP is useless and the ammo is expensive get a .22 LR instead the Walther P 22 is really nice for a beginner.

Arachnid Members 115 posts Location: Northern Mariana Islands Occupation: Industrial designer Age:	#10227 2007-10-28 20:00 GMT
	NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!! The .25 ACP is a tool for experts, not a starter gun for beginners!!!!!! If you want to start the kid right, get a good .22 LR revolver, and S&W M-617 would be the very best choice, most any other adjustable sighted revolver in .22 LR would be acceptable. In over 40 years of messing around with guns and shooting, I've yet to see a .25 ACP that was not a vest pocket sized pistol, or a to fat pocket pistol. All had tiny sights, and most of them were highly unreliable. Doc

YellowCall Members 118 posts Location: Macau Occupation: Stock broker Age:	#10228 2007-10-28 21:24 GMT
	Your best bet is to check out the Ruger line of 22 cal. pistols, down the road when you decide to get a larger caliber you will still end up keeping the Ruger. I know people that have owned them for over 10 or 20 years and they just love them, they are durable and they just keep on working.

AllSeeing Members 120 posts Location: Mozambique Occupation: FBI Agent Age:	#10229 2007-10-28 23:43 GMT
	I really can't recommend a .25, but if your heart is set on one, the only manufacturers currently offering a good quality firearm are Beretta and Taurus. Both are in the vest pocket category. Colt and Browning have both made .25 ACP pistols; but companies like Raven, Jennings, Bryco, Jimenez, etc. have produced firearms of questionable quality, reliability and safety. .25 ACP ammunition is very expensive compared to .22 LR. Taurus and Beretta both produce .22 LR pistols on the same frame as their .25ACP offerings. Another consideration would be the wide variety of quality .22LR pistols, both new and used, currently available.