Top 10 must buys to go with your new handgun.

[MJClark]

Besides your gun, what are the top 10 "must buy" items that one should get when they purchase their first handgun for carry? I am sure that I have some of the items since I have owned and used long guns for the past 20 years.

I am sure there are still things that I should buy though.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[KBSR]

High quality gun belt, best holster for your carry preference, spare magazines, spare magazine carrier(s), eye and ear protection for the range a good cleaning kit.

Not a lot else to buy, other than ammo, lots of it.

[palmcoaster]

a super comfy IWB holster

[Rcher]

1. Holster
2. Extra mags
3. Ammo
4-10 I already have.

[pgrass101]

Whenever I buy a new handgun I include money for a new holster plus extra mags

[retsupt99]

High quality gun belt, best holster for your carry preference, spare magazines, spare magazine carrier(s), eye and ear protection for the range a good cleaning kit.

Not a lot else to buy, other than ammo, lots of it.

I like this answer, plus a good SD pistol 1-2 day course...squeezed in there somewhere.

[Mike1956]

1) A reliable, proven pistol. I like Glock and M&P compact or full-sized 9mm.
2) A great belt. I prefer the Wilderness Instructor
3) A comfortable, concealable, easily-accessed holster with a design providing its own retention. I prefer the IWB Brommeland Max-Con V and the Midworld Gunleather custom which Mark made for my particular gun.
4) Effective concealment clothing. I generally go with inch-longer pants and size-larger shirts which drape amply enough to eliminate printing. I also always an a-shirt between my skin and the rig.
5) 1000 rounds of target ammunition to become completely comfortable with the characteristics and performance of the pistol.
6) A decent set of night sights installed on the pistol.
7) As much tactical training as your circumstances, wallet and imagination will allow.
I guess I only came up with seven.

[Smilinswordsman]

1. A good concealed carry holster
2. A good range holster
3. Good belt
4. Range/break in ammo
5. Premium self defense ammo
6. Desired accessories: laser, flashlight, night sights, new grips. All depend on you specific needs.
7. Training
8. Eye/ear protection
9. Safe or lock box
10. Targets

[SamRudolph]

Holster(S).

At least one IWB, at least one OWB, and matching mag carriers.

Enough of your preferred defensive ammunition to fire at least one full magazine through every magazine you intend to carry with your new gun.

A solid belt if you don't already have one.

Your preferred sights for your new gun.

[Taurahe]

most has been covered.......only thing I do is any weapon that comes with plastic sights, replace them with steel sights. nothing worse than taking your weapon from the holster and your plastic front sight is gone.

[dben002]

1. Good leather OWB holster
2. Good leather IWB holster
3. Good leather belt mag pouch(s)
4. Lots of ammo
5. good gun belt
6. gun cleaning kit
7. Extra mags
8. gun locker for vehicle
9. Digital camera for taking pictures of you wearing it.
10. Good frames for pictures to put in office and home

[JasonJ]

im going to echo a lot of what KBSR said..

2-3 additional spare mags (minimum)
Good quality gun belt
good IWB holster
good OWB holster
at LEAST 250-500 rounds of ammo
Premium cleaning kit
travel/carrying case (if not sold with gun)
fiber optic sights
attachable flashlight/laser (if for home/self defense purpose)
rotating steel target for plinking/interactive target for defensive range training

And Im going to add a few extra to the top 10:

Professional firearms training (appropriate to your current skill level and needs of course)
a Concealed Pistol license (or whatever your state calls it)

[Bardo]

Surprised no one has mentioned it:

A range bag! To carry all your junk to and from the range for practicing regularly... which you're going to do... right?

[smousefam5]

Good belt, good holster, 8 boxes of ammo

[ccw9mm]

Assuming it passes muster with the "stress" testing and makes it to the rotation as one of my carry guns ...

Any carry gun requires top-flight ammo that works flawlessly in the gun. Without that, a carry gun's just a scary-looking brick in the hand you cannot really rely upon to save your life if needed. Snap caps, so you can invest a good amount of time in dry-firing exercises, to complement the times you hit the range. A decent carry pistol needs several spare magazines, and ideally some spare followers/springs. Any decent handgun needs a good IWB/OWB holster, mag holster and "gun" belt to go with it, to properly hold the gun snugly to the body. And if one's clothing wasn't purchased with concealment of a holstered firearm in mind to the point it cannot do it well, then reconsidering one's carry clothes is important.

Ideally, it would be nice to have a "blue" gun for training on your draw/concealment technique, retaining drills with another seeking to take your (training) "gun" from you, gun-vs-knife drills, etc.

Good training, with your carry gear and clothing. As much as you can afford. Mix it up with class/range and force-on-force style training.

Beyond that, IMO, it's gravy. Sight changes; adding finger extension floor plates to the magazines; finding a decent gunsmith.