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Post by L Driggers (fallen) on Feb 9, 2016 5:24:05 GMT
Yes I do most people knowing they only have 5 or 6 rounds try to do a better job of hitting what they are aiming at. The high miss rate for police depts. wasn't there with we carried revolvers. In a house there won't be as much movement in less you have a open area living.
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Post by Uncle Mack on Feb 9, 2016 19:34:10 GMT
Lots of great info in this thread with plenty to consider...
I forget who said it, but it rings true to me: Choosing your firearm is personal. People are quick to say a specific make/model, and they probably have a good reason... They are kind of like trucks, snowmobiles, swords, etc: People have their favorites.
Before you pick one, fire as many as you can... Go to the range and have some fun. Ask around and you'll be surprised how many people will offer to take you shooting. Try different calibers, makes, models and styles. Then pick the one you feel most comfortable with... I own a few pistols, but I have my hands-down favorite. I'm accurate with it, and it just "fits me".
Shooting is one thing, but also plan for when things go wrong. As much as we want our weapons/ammo to be infallible, they are not. Once you pick a weapon, then the work starts. Practice. Practice your loading, unloading, and clearing a jam. Before I could carry a weapon in the field, I needed to be able to break it down wearing a blindfold (it was my dad's rule). Having that level of comfort with my firearms has served me well...
And lock 'em up. Put as much thought into keeping little hands off your gun as you are putting into your purchase...
Good luck!
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runswithscissors
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Post by runswithscissors on Feb 11, 2016 18:03:12 GMT
As stated above and in earlier replies ... try as many different types as you can. What works for me may not be the best for you. With whatever you use , be sure to practice with it. Also if you are planning to use your gun for self-defense , it is not enough to know how to use it , but you need to have the willingness to use it . Know your laws as well. As for recommendations : For carry a 4 inch barrel or less and for home use 5-6 inch barrels Smith & Wesson models 10 and 15 . Both are in .38 special the model 10 has fixed sights and the 15 has adjustable. Smith & Wesson Models 19 and 28. Both are .357 magnum ( which can also shoot . 38 special ) Ruger Security Six Ruger Sp 101 Colt Government model in .45 acp . ( My favorite ) In shotguns i like .20 gauge , but there might be more choices in .12 gauge. Remington's Wingmaster is my favorite. If you can find one , a lever action carbine in a revolver cartridge , this makes a fine choice as well. Note these are my choices and I have shot or owned these firearms. There are many other options out there Andy
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seth
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Post by seth on Feb 15, 2016 16:56:04 GMT
Ask a dozen gun people "what kind of gun?" and you will get three dozen different answers. Heh.
My .02:
For something to be used only at home: a pump action 20 gauge with buckshot. Others have already posted the advantages of a shotgun. My wife really enjoys shooting hers. Recoil is less than a 12 gauge, and she can shoot clay pigeons all day long. Since you have daughter, you may want to get a skinny closet safe to lock it up).
If you need something more compact, then a revolver in Ruger SP101, Ruger GP101, Smith and Wesson 686, or Smith and Wesson Model 66 (my favorite). You may want to consider a handgun if you have children, and want to keep it in a nightstand safe. Or you may want to take it in the mountains camping. The handgun is more convenient for traveling (assuming the laws where you live allow it). My recommendations shoot both the lighter .38 special which is a good defensive round (just be sure to buy actual defensive ammunition) or the .357 magnum which is a great defensive round.
Semi-autos are also a good choice. I mention them last because in my personal experience, my wife and other women who want to learn basic shooting skills with a handgun for defensive purposes prefer the revolver over a semi-auto. Semi-autos aren't harder to learn to shoot than revolvers, but they are a bit more complex being magazine fed, some have external safeties, and you need to learn how to disassemble them for cleaning. 9 mm is a great caliber. Check out the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 or Glock 19 (gen 4). Both have interchangeable backstraps to adjust the grip to your hand. There is no substitute for holding them (and shooting them if possible) to determine which you like best. Both would be good choices, and they are as easy to operate as a semi-auto can be.
If you want something to use for home defense and concealed carry, then that is whole different discussion.
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seth
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Post by seth on Feb 15, 2016 16:58:23 GMT
"Personally I would use a spear over a handgun for close range personal defense. I have that little faith in them." Lets just hope the intruder feels the same way. I'd rather have a spear against a drug-fueled berserker who feels no pain and wants to tear my face off. I'd rather have a pistol against a rational, skittish thief. Too bad we don't get to plan those things. Edit: the solution just came to me. Mosin with a bayonet. Or a boar spear with the wings so the berserker cannot simply run up the shaft and attack you.
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Post by Adventurer'sBlade on Feb 16, 2016 6:53:05 GMT
Or a boar spear with the wings so the berserker cannot simply run up the shaft and attack you.[/quote][/quote]
Lol. Yep. I always think of that scene in the Fellowship of the Ring where Aragorn runs the orc through. Dude still could've killed or maimed Aragorn.
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Post by 1776 on Feb 20, 2016 3:36:13 GMT
Some pretty good advice here. The best advice I've heard so far is; Try out and shoot as many guns as you can get your hands on, and it is SUPER hard to do anything in a stressful situation. Aiming included. That is why you practice. I think everything has been covered pretty well here. I couldn't add much more.
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Post by Delmustator on Oct 22, 2016 20:10:38 GMT
My rules for first timers.
1) Only purchase a firearm, specifically pistols, that fits. This may mean that you spend hours at the gun store (e.g. Bass Pro, Cabela's, Gander Mtn., etc) palming every pistol that you are interested in to see which is the most comfortable for YOU. If it's not comfortable, you won't want to shoot it. Never purchase a pistol for a family member assuming it will fit them unless they are with you to palm it. If so, transfer it with the proper paperwork.
2) Never purchase a specific caliber based on someone's opinion. Do your own research considering penetration, fragmentation, and cost-per-round. That Dirty Harry hand cannon sure looks great until you shoot it and experience that brutal recoil at $1.50 per shot.
3) Home defense means a shotgun. Consider close quarters and wall penetration. Plus with a shotgun, you can change the pellet loads from bird-shot to buckshot or even slugs. I personally use a mixed combo of buckshot and slugs; 8+1(SBSBSBSBS) in my 590 bullpup. I have no issues with someone using an AR or AK for home defense. Penetration becomes an issue with high velocity rounds going from one house into another. When in doubt, purchase some sheets of sheet-rock and head out to the range. See for yourself how many layers it takes to stop any given caliber or shot shell you want to use.
4) Practice makes proficiency. This is self-explanatory. Train, Train, Train..
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Oct 22, 2016 23:48:05 GMT
my wife has an 870 riot gun and a S&W model 13 3 inch, as she prefers revolvers to auto's.
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Post by howler on Oct 23, 2016 2:22:21 GMT
My rules for first timers. 1) Only purchase a firearm, specifically pistols, that fits. This may mean that you spend hours at the gun store (e.g. Bass Pro, Cabela's, Gander Mtn., etc) palming every pistol that you are interested in to see which is the most comfortable for YOU. If it's not comfortable, you won't want to shoot it. Never purchase a pistol for a family member assuming it will fit them unless they are with you to palm it. If so, transfer it with the proper paperwork. 2) Never purchase a specific caliber based on someone's opinion. Do your own research considering penetration, fragmentation, and cost-per-round. That Dirty Harry hand cannon sure looks great until you shoot it and experience that brutal recoil at $1.50 per shot. 3) Home defense means a shotgun. Consider close quarters and wall penetration. Plus with a shotgun, you can change the pellet loads from bird-shot to buckshot or even slugs. I personally use a mixed combo of buckshot and slugs; 8+1(SBSBSBSBS) in my 590 bullpup. I have no issues with someone using an AR or AK for home defense. Penetration becomes an issue with high velocity rounds going from one house into another. When in doubt, purchase some sheets of sheet-rock and head out to the range. See for yourself how many layers it takes to stop any given caliber or shot shell you want to use. 4) Practice makes proficiency. This is self-explanatory. Train, Train, Train.. Lots of sound advise. AR platform really is the best (simply too many advantages). Just pick a round that does not penetrate so much, like hollow point ammo, varmint rounds, etc...
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Post by Delmustator on Oct 23, 2016 22:50:11 GMT
Yeah, I would consider a AR/M4 SBR variant. That would reduce the round velocity some. Almost all of my stuff is in bullpup configurations (e.g. FS2000, RFB, CQB-AK47) with the barrels 16" or more (non-NFA). So the rounds are exiting at full velocity. I moved away from the AR platform some time ago. Nothing wrong with it. I took a 10-point white-tail with a Colt AR-15 back in high school; it was one of my first rifles. But since then, I've ate, crapped, and slept with either an M16 or M4 for years while on active duty.
I've been eyeballing the new PTR 51P & K3P PDW .308 pistols. Add $200 tax stamp and 6 months of waiting and you have a .308 SBR that's somewhat lower velocity but still carries a heck of a punch.
I'm also looking at the Desert Tech MDR, CZ-USA Scorpion EVO carbine, and UNG-12 bullpup shotgun. So many toys...
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Post by solaris on Jun 18, 2018 20:36:30 GMT
Recently went through this exercise. Went with the Ruger SP101 4". It is loaded with Hornady 38+P, less kick, almost as much punch.
Sent it to Gemini Customs for a trigger job and it is just about perfect now.
If I had it to do all over again, I would make the same choice.
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Post by wlewisiii on Jun 18, 2018 22:05:44 GMT
Don't buy one _for_ her.
Take her to a gun shop with decent clerks, preferably a woman clerk, and an indoor range.
Step away and let _her_ decide on it. Answer any direct questions but otherwise keep your mouth shut.
Let her try it in the range. If need be, try lots of firearms.
But do not just choose one for her - you are not her. No matter how you think you know her, you probably will get it wrong and she won't use/carry/want it. Most of us are not trainers like the gentleman up thread.
I would suggest a nice S&W K-frame with a 4" barrel for anyone's first gun but that may or may not be appropriate for her.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Jun 18, 2018 23:00:15 GMT
I would go for a Barrett M82A1. It has nice stopping power, and will fit readily into a clutch.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Jun 19, 2018 2:43:29 GMT
My wife's answer is a Smith model 13 and an 870 shotgun.
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Post by William Swiger on Jun 19, 2018 10:44:30 GMT
My wife's answer is a Smith model 13 and an 870 shotgun.
Have a S&W 13. Nice revolver. The S&W 19 is pretty much the same revolver with adjustable sights.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Jun 19, 2018 12:53:37 GMT
Yup, I really like the 19 and 66 snubs and 3 inch barrel models myself.
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Post by reynolds on Oct 29, 2018 3:12:51 GMT
my wife uses the Kahr CM9 pocket 9mm. Got it used for $200 on gunbroker.she's petite, altho her hands are good sized for a woman, with long fingers. I taught her a lot with the 9mm 1911 .22 unit, also with airsoft, also the Taurus PT22 pocket auto, and then 380 level 9mm ammo in the Kahr for quite a while, before moving her up to plus P 9mm ammo in it. That 15 oz gun jumps around a lot with Corbon's 100 gr, 1370 fps, 370 ft lb jhp load. That's mean hit for such a small, lw gun to adminster and at 10 ft, she can get 5 hits per second, .25 second each shot, with the first shot not being part of the timed event. So she can get 3 hits into him before he can turn to flee, or collapse from the first hit. Wouldn't do to send him to prison with a wound, and have him get out one day, or sue her. Because she's so small and relatively weak, the law lets her use lethal force against any unarmed, but big, able-bodied male that offers her violence. Normally, of course, just the sight of that 9mm, in her very stalwart-appearing firing stance, is going to send the pos's running.
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Post by reynolds on Oct 29, 2018 3:15:15 GMT
if you dont always ccw your defensive gun, around your house, even, you are most unlikely to have it when you need it. If you've got the 10 seconds needed to run and get a shotgun, you probably dont need the gun at all. Just charge him and rip out his eyes! :-) The odds are you'll have 2 seconds or less, before the attacker is all over you. what makes you "think" that the attackers will give you lots of time to go get any sort of weapon, hmm? The odds are at least 4x as likely that you'll be attacked while away from your home than when you're ensconced in your "castle". What good is a longarm that you aint got when you're attacked? When you wear the gun concealed, you need not worry that it's being stolen or mis-used by kids, drunks, suicidal, or Dementia-afflicted persons, etc. While you sleep, it can be under your mattress, under your head, or in a vault that opens only to your fingerprints. ($130)
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