First 9 mm Don’t Let “Cleaning Anxiety” Pick the Gun for You

Last week I fell down the same rabbit-hole every new shooter faces: I wanted a striker-fired 9 mm that would forgive rookie mistakes, so I asked a simple question on a forum—“How much should cleaning difficulty influence my first purchase?” Forty-eight hours and twenty-three replies later, the conversation looked like a bar fight between Glock guys, 1911 die-hards, and the .22 LR mafia. I distilled the wisdom (and the bruises) into the guide I wish I’d had on Day 1.

1. Cleaning is a tie-breaker, not a filter

Almost every veteran echoed the same line: “Buy the gun that fits your hand and budget, then learn to clean it.” Modern service pistols—Glock, M&P, Sig P365, Springfield XD, Ruger Security-9—field-strip in under thirty seconds once you’ve done it twice. The only outlier still cursed is the original Ruger Mk I/II/III .22; every center-fire 9 mm on your short list is mechanically simple. If you can change a phone-case, you can field-strip a Glock.

2. Hidden pain points are over-blown

Yes, Glock requires a dry-fire before the slide comes off, and the tiny slide-lock spring can launch across the room—once. Yes, 1911 owners need a paper-clip for the firing-pin stop. Detail-stripping either design is a gun-smith level task you won’t touch for years. Daily maintenance is still: barrel, breech-face, frame rails, two drops of oil, done.

3. Rust happens to the lazy, not the busy

Blued carbon steel is gorgeous—and needy. Tenifer, Melonite, nDLC, or stainless slides laugh at weekly wipe-downs. If you can spare five minutes after range day, any finish will survive; if you plan to store the pistol in a boat, buy nitride or stainless. Weekly cleaning is already more than enough; modern coatings buy you margin, not miracles.

4. Start with a full-size or compact, not a micro

Tiny carry guns kick harder, hold less ammo, and amplify every rookie flinch. A Glock 19, M&P 9C, or Sig P320 X-Carry balances range fun with holster-ability. Master the fundamentals on something you enjoy shooting; buy the deep-conceal pocket-rocket later.

5. Triggers teach more than YouTube

Half the posters admitted they sold their first striker gun because they hated the trigger—then discovered another brand’s hinge or blade felt “right.” Rent or borrow before you marry. Most polymer 9 mm triggers sit between 5–6 lb; the curve, take-up, and reset vary wildly. Your groups will improve faster on the trigger you like, not the one the internet crowns.

6. The .22 LR chorus is (mostly) correct—but optional

Old-school shooters swear you should learn on a .22. Ammo costs 8 ¢ a round instead of 28 ¢, and recoil disappears. If budget is tight, grab a Ruger Wrangler or Mk IV first, then add the 9 mm. If you’re disciplined enough to dry-fire and can afford 200 rounds of 9 mm a month, skip straight to the center-fire; just promise you’ll practice.

7. Build the habit, not the shrine

One competitive shooter wrote: “I clean when the carbon starts shaving my knuckles.” Another scrubs every range night. Both have flawless records. Pick a cadence you can keep—every trip, every month, every 500 rounds—and stick to it. Light lube beats white-glove spotlessness every time.

Short-list three polymer striker 9 mms that point naturally, cycle hollow-points, and fit your price range. Field-strip each at the counter; the one that feels “obvious” is your trainer. Buy 500 rounds, a bore-snake, and a ½-oz bottle of oil. Shoot, wipe, repeat. Your second pistol will be chosen with experience, not anxiety.

Welcome to the club—now go make some carbon.