thinking seriously about buying a handgun

[MustOfBeenDrunk]

Guns ,, I love them and own many ,, I would not ever own one or not have it loaded at all times.

 

That said though ,, for home / personal protection nothing beats a large dog.

You see if you let the lead fly you have no way of calling it back.

Also that handgun in your night stand is not going to wake you azz up from a sound sleep in time yo use it in some cases.

Now myself I have both but if I only had the choice between a large nasty well trained dog or a gun ?

I would choose the dog hands down every time.

 

I can not say enough how important it is if you choose the dog over the gun to spend the money and time to have the proper training.

I guess that could also be said of owning a gun.

[matt770]

First you have to apply for a Firearsm Owners Identification Card (FOID) You can download the applictaion online. Then you can go to a gun store if you have something specific n mind, or you can go to Gander Mountain or Outdoor world. Both have decent selections for what you are looking for brent . . .

Doesn't it vary by state? I bought mine in GA years ago, showed my ID, waited 20 minutes for them to run a background check and had my piece. It was right when they were phasing out the 15-round magazines but my Taurus came with one so I was allowed to buy it. I think at some point they were banned outright.

 

I also have this little number that I bought because it looks like James Bond's PPK. It's actually a Bersa .380. Fun little thing to shoot.

[Furd]

Can't have a handgun thread without appearances by dogs and shotguns.

[bpwallace49]

Doesn't it vary by state? I bought mine in GA years ago, showed my ID, waited 20 minutes for them to run a background check and had my piece. It was right when they were phasing out the 15-round magazines but my Taurus came with one so I was allowed to buy it. I think at some point they were banned outright.

 

I also have this little number that I bought because it looks like James Bond's PPK. It's actually a Bersa .380. Fun little thing to shoot.

 

Brent and I live in the same state . . so I am letting him know the rules for IL. You are correct that it varies by state.

[Azazello1313]

Guns ,, I love them and own many ,, I would not ever own one or not have it loaded at all times.

 

That said though ,, for home / personal protection nothing beats a large dog.

You see if you let the lead fly you have no way of calling it back.

Also that handgun in your night stand is not going to wake you azz up from a sound sleep in time yo use it in some cases.

Now myself I have both but if I only had the choice between a large nasty well trained dog or a gun ?

I would choose the dog hands down every time.

 

I can not say enough how important it is if you choose the dog over the gun to spend the money and time to have the proper training.

I guess that could also be said of owning a gun.

 

Can't have a handgun thread without appearances by dogs and shotguns.

 

yeah I've already got a dog, too. dog and shotgun, got those covered, yessiree. at 25 pounds he's not going to be kicking any bad guy's ass by himself, but I can count on him to bark.

 

now I guess I could get a bigger, meaner dog, but a pistol doesn't leave me 50 pounds of chit to clean up every month.

[rbmcdonald]

For home protection get a shotgun. If you think you're going to plink an intruder in the dark while sh*tting your pants with a 9mm, unless your Teddy Bruschi, it's not realistic. Plus, if the dude's wired out on crack he probably won't feel the 9mm anyway. A shotgun really is the best solution for protecting your home imo.

 

+1 In addition a shotgun is much less likely to travel through a wall and do damage to someone on the other side. If you are going to start popping of 9mm rounds in a house, you better know what is on the other side of the wall you are shooting at.

However I do have several handguns, I am a big fan of H K.

[fingfootball]

I have a few handguns, but I use my Walther P22 the most. Great for practice shooting, 550 shells for 20 bucks. Great for conceal and carry if you so choose. And 10 well placed bullets will do just about as much damage as is necessary. If you are a DEA agent you probably need a gun with alot of stopping power. But if you want to practice shoot alot and want to run off unwelcomes a .22 can do it just as effectively and cheaper than any other gun.

If you want to go with a little more power I would suggest a single action .38 Smith & Wesson. Love this gun but at about 25 cents a shot I still go with my .22.

[Clubfoothead]

I had a P226. Best gun I ever owned. Got rid of it before the kids were born - it has no manual safety and I never mentally grasped the "internal safety" concept.

 

I purchased a 12 gauge after selling the Sig. Our bedroom is between my two kids and given the pattern, I now regret swaping out the Sig for teh shotgun. I may have a better chance at hitting the bad guy with the 12 gauge but I also have a better shot at hitting the girls too. Too busy to jack with selling the shotgun and finding a good used P226 right now. Maybe over the x-mas break though.

[Big Country]

Here's a stupid question - where is the best place to buy a gun? I'm really a newbie at all of this so the more info the better.

 

 

Here in the Los Angeles area, I could send you to a few select alleys and get you set up pretty easily. However, it may end up linking you to past crimes. A clean gun will cost a little more.

[Avernus]

If you get past my dogs and my wife, you'll have this waiting for you: http://www.gundirectory.com/more.asp?gid=2...amp;gun=shotgun

 

this made me laugh.....most likely they won't get past the dogs and if they do...the wife will have them running for the hills..

[rajncajn]

As I've been told by someone who is REALLY into home protection (not in a bad way). If you want to be smart about it and you're not just buying one because you think it would be cool, your best bet is to purchase a revolver so that both you and your wife are capable of firing it if the need arises.

[Caveman_Nick]

Good point Rajn, although if said wife is never going to handle the firearm or practice with it, it might be a better idea to get her a smaller caliber revolver for herself.

[Rovers]

I want to buy an air gun to kill the forkin squirrels that are ravaging my newly renovated back yard lawn.

 

I need a scope, preferably with multple shot or semi auto action without having to pump the rifle back up. Range of the varmints is up to 100 feet, and I'd like to keep it around 100 bucks if possible.

 

Didn't mean to hijack... no, I did mean to hijack.

[CowboyGal2011]

Here's a stupid question - where is the best place to buy a gun? I'm really a newbie at all of this so the more info the better.

 

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/index.php

[Jimmy Neutron]

If you like the look and feel of the Sigs, start there. They are fine weapons, though spendy.

 

I'm not a fan of the 9mm, but it will do the job if you do your part. FWIW, few LE agencies still us the 9mm. Most have gone to the .40. I prefer to go one better up to the .45 ACP. "A 9mm may expand, but a .45 will never shrink." The standard 230 gr .45 bullet has twice the mass of many 9mm loads. The .45 doesn't push the bullet quite as fast as the 9mm or .40, but you can get them cooking pretty good with +P or +P+ loads. I've killed a cow elk and 2 mule deer with my .45.

 

Glocks are very good weapons, but I don't like them. Same with the Springfield XD, though it is not quite the weapon the Glock is.

 

I will always make a pitch for the 1911 A1. Once you shoot a 1911, you'll never be satisfied with a trigger on another gun.

FBI Hostage Rescue and many special forces use the 1911. It is a fighting weapon. It is also a hugh part of American history - something that also appeals to me. I've got almost 24,000 rounds through my Kimber .45 and have only replaced the recoil spring every 5k. It just gets better with use.

 

Revolvers are a viable option, but I don't recommend them to newbs, as they don't have safties - other than maybe a half cock position. I vastly prefer Ruger revolvers to Smith and Wesson. The Smiths are typically a little smoother, but Rugers are built much tougher. I've cracked or seen others crack numerous Smith and Wessons. I've never damaged a Ruger, despite shooting a boatload of this stuff tjhrough a Ruger Super Redhawk.

 

A word of caution regarding ammo. Practicing with cheap hard ball is fine, but consider that those loads are comparitively soft compared to quality self defense ammo and also likely has a different point of impact. Rip through a mag or two of your defense ammo every few months (more frequently is obviously better).

 

Check out Berettas too. They make a civilian model (Model 92 FS) than is the same thing as the standard issue M9. I put close to 15,000 rounds through one of these without a hiccup.

 

Good luck! Let us know if you have more questions.

 

I want to buy an air gun to kill the forkin squirrels that are ravaging my newly renovated back yard lawn.

 

I need a scope, preferably with multple shot or semi auto action without having to pump the rifle back up. Range of the varmints is up to 100 feet, and I'd like to keep it around 100 bucks if possible.

 

Didn't mean to hijack... no, I did mean to hijack.

 

I think you'll be had pressed to find a scoped air rifle in semi-auto with enough power to dispatch squirrels for less than 100 bucks. Any chance you can use a .22 in your backyard?

[Rovers]

If you like the look and feel of the Sigs, start there. They are fine weapons, though spendy.

 

I'm not a fan of the 9mm, but it will do the job if you do your part. FWIW, few LE agencies still us the 9mm. Most have gone to the .40. I prefer to go one better up to the .45 ACP. "A 9mm may expand, but a .45 will never shrink." The standard 230 gr .45 bullet has twice the mass of many 9mm loads. The .45 doesn't push the bullet quite as fast as the 9mm or .40, but you can get them cooking pretty good with +P or +P+ loads. I've killed a cow elk and 2 mule deer with my .45.

 

Glocks are very good weapons, but I don't like them. Same with the Springfield XD, though it is not quite the weapon the Glock is.

 

I will always make a pitch for the 1911 A1. Once you shoot a 1911, you'll never be satisfied with a trigger on another gun.

FBI Hostage Rescue and many special forces use the 1911. It is a fighting weapon. It is also a hugh part of American history - something that also appeals to me. I've got almost 24,000 rounds through my Kimber .45 and have only replaced the recoil spring every 5k. It just gets better with use.

 

Revolvers are a viable option, but I don't recommend them to newbs, as they don't have safties - other than maybe a half cock position. I vastly prefer Ruger revolvers to Smith and Wesson. The Smiths are typically a little smoother, but Rugers are built much tougher. I've cracked or seen others crack numerous Smith and Wessons. I've never damaged a Ruger, despite shooting a boatload of this stuff tjhrough a Ruger Super Redhawk.

 

A word of caution regarding ammo. Practicing with cheap hard ball is fine, but consider that those loads are comparitively soft compared to quality self defense ammo and also likely has a different point of impact. Rip through a mag or two of your defense ammo every few months (more frequently is obviously better).

 

Check out Berettas too. They make a civilian model (Model 92 FS) than is the same thing as the standard issue M9. I put close to 15,000 rounds through one of these without a hiccup.

 

Good luck! Let us know if you have more questions.

 

 

 

I think you'll be had pressed to find a scoped air rifle in semi-auto with enough power to dispatch squirrels for less than 100 bucks. Any chance you can use a .22 in your backyard?

 

It's not a big yard, and my fire would be directed at the ground, but it is suburban.... talkin 100x90 foot plots. The noise might freak out the neighbors for sure, and I doubt discharging a 22 would be legal here, although I don't know for sure. I know an air rifle is legal.

 

If semi-auto isn't an option, a scoped one shot action would suffice. About ten years ago I had another squirrel invasion, and I dispatched them over several weeks with a .44 look alike air pistol with an 8 shot cartridge thingy CO2 powered. It could kill for maybe the first 4 shots and I'd have to replace the CO2 cannister. .... but it doesn't work anymore. Developed leaks, whatever.

 

I am patient. If it takes me two weeks to pick off 8 or 9 of the offending rodents (out of an estimated 15 or so) that's fine. I'll just have to make every first shot count.

 

So then, if a one shot is my option.... which one?

[Seattle LawDawg]

 

I will always make a pitch for the 1911 A1. Once you shoot a 1911, you'll never be satisfied with a trigger on another gun.

FBI Hostage Rescue and many special forces use the 1911. It is a fighting weapon. It is also a hugh part of American history - something that also appeals to me. I've got almost 24,000 rounds through my Kimber .45 and have only replaced the recoil spring every 5k. It just gets better with use.

 

There are 1911s and then there is tupperware. Get a gun that isn't better off left in the kitchen. We can debate the usefulness of having a handgun for home defense, but for any kind of self defense, the bigger, the better. The average gun conflict happens at 11 feet. At that distance the only thing you care about is stopping someone in one shot. Much easier to do that with 230 grains of .45acp than a BB.

[Caveman_Nick]

There are 1911s and then there is tupperware. Get a gun that isn't better off left in the kitchen. We can debate the usefulness of having a handgun for home defense, but for any kind of self defense, the bigger, the better. The average gun conflict happens at 11 feet. At that distance the only thing you care about is stopping someone in one shot. Much easier to do that with 230 grains of .45acp than a BB.

 

The downside to the 1911 design being that they can be finicky re: ammo. I have owned 1911s that are much more reliable with ball ammo than with JHP, and JHP is really want you want for defense.

 

Not saying this is a universal rule, just something to be cognisant of.

 

EDIT: An issue I have had more with Colts than with my S&W. The Smith behaves like a champ.

Edited November 10, 2011 by Caveman_Nick

[Caveman_Nick]

I want to buy an air gun to kill the forkin squirrels that are ravaging my newly renovated back yard lawn.

 

I need a scope, preferably with multple shot or semi auto action without having to pump the rifle back up. Range of the varmints is up to 100 feet, and I'd like to keep it around 100 bucks if possible.

 

Didn't mean to hijack... no, I did mean to hijack.

 

Rov's, some of the newer air gun designs have 'silencers' on them to take some of the 'pop' sound away. This is a good thing IMO.

 

You can spend a pretty penny on an air rifle and IMO the more expensive models are worth it as they will come with the built on muffler, a scope, a nice stock, and a more powerful mechanism. I'd buy the one with the highest FPS rating that came with a scope and the muffler.

[Yukon Cornelius]

"the judge" is excellent at 5-15 feet, especially loaded with some of those Winchester PDX1 loads.

[Jimmy Neutron]

It's not a big yard, and my fire would be directed at the ground, but it is suburban.... talkin 100x90 foot plots. The noise might freak out the neighbors for sure, and I doubt discharging a 22 would be legal here, although I don't know for sure. I know an air rifle is legal.

 

If semi-auto isn't an option, a scoped one shot action would suffice. About ten years ago I had another squirrel invasion, and I dispatched them over several weeks with a .44 look alike air pistol with an 8 shot cartridge thingy CO2 powered. It could kill for maybe the first 4 shots and I'd have to replace the CO2 cannister. .... but it doesn't work anymore. Developed leaks, whatever.

 

I am patient. If it takes me two weeks to pick off 8 or 9 of the offending rodents (out of an estimated 15 or so) that's fine. I'll just have to make every first shot count.

 

So then, if a one shot is my option.... which one?

 

If you are OK with single shot/pump cycle, your needs are easily met. Most sporting good stores sell pump rifle/scope combos. Look for Daisy or Crossman with a high FPS rating. 800+ should work well for squirrels with hunting style pellets.

 

This is a screaming deal on a quality referb... for the price point you are looking at.

[Thunder Chicken]

Ever thought of something like this This?

 

I've fired a couple versions of it, The S&W Governor is a good one too.

 

a box of 10 rds each of 410ga/45LC will run about $25/30

[Furd]

Ever thought of something like this This?

 

I've fired a couple versions of it, The S&W Governor is a good one too.

 

a box of 10 rds each of 410ga/45LC will run about $25/30

 

I think that you meant to post this in the "I'm looking for a gun that is not much fun at the range and uses expensive ammuntion" thread.

[polksalet]

Buy a Taurus Judge. It never Jams and can stop an enraged James Harrison before he takes two steps. If you strictly want home protection buy a 12 gauge shotgun.

[Jimmy Neutron]

The downside to the 1911 design being that they can be finicky re: ammo. I have owned 1911s that are much more reliable with ball ammo than with JHP, and JHP is really want you want for defense.

 

I don't think that's an issue with any quality 1911 made today once they are properly broken in. The modern polished feed ramp designs are pretty good. I have blown through 300-450 rounds of SWCs in a match without cleaning and had zero problems. If you can shoot those flying ashtrays without feeding problems, ball or JHPs will never be a problem.

 

There are a number of quality 1911s that do require some break-in period, The first few hundred rounds can smooth our any rough machining that needs smoothing. I had several hangups with my current carry/match gun, but have had zero malfunctions in tens of thousands of rounds since. Most 1911 malfunctions are from bad mags. I use Wilson Combat mags (mostly the 47D model) exclusively and have no problems. These mags are regularly dropped onto rocks, and into mud and dirt in matches and never have a problem - hugh fan.

 

If someone really likes the 1911 and doesn't like the idea of qualifying a weapon with a break in period, Les Baer, Wilson Combat, Nighthawk Custom and Ed Brown all make very nice, highly machined, quality 1911s. Just be prepared to spend north of $2k for one. I will have a stable of Baers, a Nighthawk or two and some Browns when the budget allows. Google these names and prepare to be stimulated by some quality gun pron. :pantstight: