what gun should I buy?

Question

I am looking into buying a handgun. Does anyone have any advice on wich brand and cal I should get. I am mainly only going to use it for home defense and maybe a little target shooting.

Answer 1

Heh heh, all you get is everyones pet theories and favorites.

The shotgun may be the best answer when faced with an attacker, but not if you don't want it to be obvious or freak out the in-laws when they visit.

The Glocks are extremely reliable, a very good characteristic in a defensive pistol, but no safety so you might not want to leave one lying around. At my friends ranch, which has bear, puma, bobcats and drug growing neighbors, I carry a Glock 20, 16 rounds at 357 magnum levels, there's a reason it won the FBI tests even if some gun writer said it hurt his poor ickle hand. It's still softer to shoot that a 2" 357 magnum, so what's the problem? Ammo is easier to find for a 21 in 45 ACP, but it's way down on power.

At home, where there's almost no crime, if I feel the need I bring the Kimber 45 out of the safe. It has tritium night sights and a good solid safety, so I don't have to worry about grabbing it half asleep and punching a hole in the wall.

Who said a taser? It is certain that a taser will do you no good against an armed intruder, you think they are going to stand and wait for you to run over to them? Even against a knife it lets the bad guy get to contact range, if you miss you will look like an experiment in a butcher's shop.

Who said small caliber? Bad idea. A person shot through the heart can continue to fight for 20 seconds, how much more chance do you want to give them. You can't look at your potential adversary as a reasonable person who will back down when threatened. Chance favors the prepared mind, that's not a prepared attitude, that's a "well hopefully it won't happen and I'll cross that bridge when I come to it and anyway I wouldn't want to actually kill someone" attitude. If puch comes to shove I will shoot the biggest thing I have to hand until I don't think there is any more threat. You need to establish the line you will not allow to be crossed long before a gunfight starts, if you miss the start you won't be there for the end.

I see no advantage in revolvers, they are yesterdays news, very very few cops would rely on them. My Glock has choked on 2 bad reloads in 10 years. I don't use reloads when I'm carrying it.

Most of all choose something you will practice with and be confident using. It's much more important to have something you can use than the 'best' gun you can't shoot.

Answer 2

For home defense, usually the most effective weapon is a shotgun. It has plenty of power, the shot will seldom travel through multiple walls or bodies (so you won't end up killing your neighbors), and it can easily be handled by women and children. Check out the Mossberg 500 (inexpensive) or Remington 870 (choice of law enforcement agencies). Get the shorter barrel and either a collapsible, folding, or no stock. Ammunition is also more widely available than for any other weapon. A big part of the advantage of a pump shotgun is the sound. Your best bet in a home invasion confrontation is to never have to fire a single shot. The sound of a shotgun's action being cycled is unmistakable and will make any burglar instantly soil themselves.

Revolvers are very easy to shoot and to shoot well. The .357 magnum cartridge is powerful but if you're not a practiced shooter it doesn't make much sense. In a confrontation, your first three shots will count the most. Your first shot will not likely drop your target so you'll have to land successive shots on your bad guy. You want to be able to shoot tight groups quickly. One accurate shot is better than 6 shots that miss. If you opt for a revolver I highly recommend a lighter cartridge or extensive practice at your local range. If you are not able to double tap or empty the gun with reasonable accuracy with the magnum, seriously consider a different option. Also, revolvers do not have the kind of safety mechanisms that semi-automatic pistols have.

As for that different option... my personal preference is a .40 S&W semi-automatic pistol. Granted, they are more complicated devices, they are harder to clean, they are typically more expensive, and sometimes they are harder to shoot. But you can get more cartridges in a single reload, faster changes because you're using magazines, single-action trigger pulls, and more options for adding things like flashlights and laser sights. This would be a great option if you're only planning on one weapon and want to use it both at home and on the range. 9mm, .40S&W, and .45ACP are the most popular cartridges for these pistols. Any one of them would be a good choice. Try them out at your local range to see which is the most comfortable for you.

No matter which you choose, be responsible with your guns. Take a class, spend time at the range, and get yourself a good gunsafe and trigger lock.

Defend the 2nd. Support the NRA.

Answer 3

For home defense the best option is probably a Smith & Wessen .357 Magnum as these pack the most punch but can also take .38 Specials (less powerful); if you don't want to get a revolver then the Smith & Wessen .40 semi-automatic would be my second choice. The best thing for target practice would actually be a .22 target pistol but that would be for serious marksmanship activity. For fun my first two suggestions will do just fine as target guns. And shooting targets with whatever you get is a definite must as it is very important to be comfortable with you gun.

Answer 4

If you're doing only a little target shooting, forget the autoloaders. They're demanding of lots of practice to make them a useful choice for self-defense. You'll want a revolver that fits your hand and points naturally for you, and that's a very personal thing. S&W's, for instance, are great, but they don't generally feel good in my hand. Something like the Ruger GP 100 or the Smith 10 or 686 might tickle your fancy (and your pocketbook for this last). You really don't need more than a 38 Special, especially if you're not used to shooting handguns. My personal preferences are for "forty-somethings" with selected handloads, but you don't NEED them, and they're more difficult to shoot, though if anybody ever comes out with a commercial 41 Special, I'd recommend it to you (most unlikely, but we can dream).

Answer 5

Since you are also using it for home defense you should look at least at a .380acp or a .38 Special. Since the .380 ammo is costlier than the full-size .9mm ammo, consider a Glock Model 19 in .9mm. This is a fun gun to shoot at the target range and big enough to be a home defense weapon with pre-fragmented rounds or good personal defense ammo.

The .38 Special is a revolver and if you prefer revolvers consider instead the .357 Mag. which will also shoot .38s. Remember, bullets shoot through a lot of dry-wall so be sure of your target and what's beyond.

Best.

H

Answer 6

Springfield XD's are getting more and more popular. They're giving Glock a run for their money. I bought a XD-45 and I love it. If you've never shot a handgun before, you might start with a 9mm or .40 cal. My suggestion is go to an indoor shooting range where you can rent guns. Try multiple guns and pick the one that you feel most comfortable shooting.

Answer 7

A .22 is good because ammo is cheap, and in the case of home defense, all you have to do is shoot two rounds through the heart and one into the head to stop an attacker. Best to start off with a revolver because they are easier to use than a semi-auto. If you can, look for a revolver in .22 Magnum caliber because they have as much power as a .38 special. Hope this helps.

Answer 8

A good reliable semi-auto is a Ruger P89 or P95 model in 9mm. It will be cheap to target shoot. You can also go with a .40 or .45.

A revolver is another good option. Go with a .357 magnum for home defense, but you can also shoot .38 specials for target shooting (can't shoot vice versa as a .357 won't shoot out of a .38 special revolver).

Answer 9

Home defense requires a small caliber pistol. A rifle is too bulky to aim in a house, easy to defeat by knocking it out of the way or grabbing it.

Ever fire a rifle or shotgun in a house. You WILL have permanent hearing damage. You will not be able to hear for awhile ( i.e ringing in the ears). That is a liability.....especially if you cannot here someone else in the house.

In my opinion a .22 caliber LR revolver with a 6 + round capability is the best choice. But you need to use a high velocity .22 LR (long rifle)round and try and find a revolver with a 4-6 inch barrel. Remington vipers are very good rounds. They are hyper velocity rounds designed for penetration as opposed to expansion. The mushroom effect of a round in a target reduces the penetration too much in these .22 rounds. You may want to avoid .22 autoloaders because they have had reliabilty troubles in the past.

Use cheaper .22lr rounds for target practice.

Also, practice double tapping the revolver. Fire two rounds as quick as you can, if it is for personal protection fire them dead center of chest. IF this doesn't immediately stop your attacker fire a third round in the head, preferably the eye socket. You will have more time to aim for the third shot.


Avoid .25 caliber pistols, they are junk and the rounds have been know to bounce off of a skull.


Another great pistol is a .32 ACP autoloader with CCI Stingers, which are a very hyper velocity HP which weighs only 32 gr.

Also, usually the lower the caliber the less blood splatter in your house or yard. Less clean up.

Answer 10

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