Guns

[Darkness]

Okay, so I've decided its finally time to get something to carry around on me. I don't know a lot about guns. I'm looking for something affordable and something I can carry around on me for my safety and protection. If anyone can help me it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[dkn1997]

Okay, so I've decided its finally time to get something to carry around on me. I don't know a lot about guns.

Yes, not knowing a lot about guns makes you the ideal person to walk around with one.  Seriousely, what do you need a gun for?  Think about what you are about to do.  The possiblities of you getting it taken away and used on you are far more likely than you successfully defending yourself with one.  Even if you succeed in using it on someone, even in self defense, you will probably end up in jail or at least sued.

did you read about the kid in pennsylvania this week who got into an arguement with his 14 year old girlfriends parents?  I bet right now he wishes he did not have a gun on him.  he might still be in the can, but just for punching her father out.  now her parents are dead, and his life is over.  all because he needed to be a big man with a gun.

spend the money on karate or some other self defence course so you can beat the living crap out of someone instead of shooting them.  you will do less time in jail that way.

Don't go thinking I am some gun control nut, because I am not.  and I even have thought how cool it would be to have one.  but there is no need for me to have one, so I never pursued it.

Please Leave the guns to the cops. 

[Darkness]

You do have a point there. However, in this state we are allowed to shoot intruders that come into our house or apartment. I've had that happen a couple of times until they came in without permission. As for the gun I would only use if I had neccessarily had to. The police around here would absolutely do nothing to protect me. I've already had that happen on a couple of occassions. As for the karate course I would love to but, the only problem is I have a bad knee so I can't do that. I do know about M16s as I use to use one for my job. Luckily I never had to use except time to qualify.

[Chargen69]

Personally, I have a 7 thats right 7 shot 357 Taurus.  But, if I was to get one to carry concealed, I think I would go with a little .32 five shot...  fits right in the palm of my hand, and you can hide it anywhere.

[Darkness]

Wow dude that's a lot of heat you're packing. Also, thanks for the recommendation.

[Chargen69]

It is a great gun.  First new one I bought, amazing what a new gun does for your aim, I can hit a bottle from a long way away.  Should be no problem hitting a person at 10 feet.

[Darkness]

Thanks for the info. I know I had a lot of fun shooting an M16 a couple of times.

[Plumcrazy]

"Carry around with you".   Can you get a concealed carry permit where you live?
If not don't do it.

For a home defense weapon for someone who's not that familiar with guns, consider a good quality revolver.
If children are in the house you have to also think about how to keep it secure from them.

[kab69440]

Personally, I have a 7 thats right 7 shot 357 Taurus.   But, if I was to get one to carry concealed, I think I would go with a little .32 five shot...   fits right in the palm of my hand, and you can hide it anywhere.

Hey! I have a 607 too! I love that revolver. It just hits what it's pointed at, no effort whatsoever!  I did upgrade the grips, as my long fingers are too much for the factory rubber.

[Darkness]

As far as I know Plumcrazy I can get such a permit. As for the home I don't have any kids or any little ones around. It'd just be me with the gun. kab69440 that sounds pretty good as well. I assume you got a thicker set of grips?

[1970440RT]

Okay, so I've decided its finally time to get something to carry around on me. I don't know a lot about guns.

Yes, not knowing a lot about guns makes you the ideal person to walk around with one. Seriousely, what do you need a gun for? Think about what you are about to do. The possiblities of you getting it taken away and used on you are far more likely than you successfully defending yourself with one. Even if you succeed in using it on someone, even in self defense, you will probably end up in jail or at least sued.

did you read about the kid in pennsylvania this week who got into an arguement with his 14 year old girlfriends parents? I bet right now he wishes he did not have a gun on him. he might still be in the can, but just for punching her father out. now her parents are dead, and his life is over. all because he needed to be a big man with a gun.

spend the money on karate or some other self defence course so you can beat the living crap out of someone instead of shooting them. you will do less time in jail that way.

Don't go thinking I am some gun control nut, because I am not. and I even have thought how cool it would be to have one. but there is no need for me to have one, so I never pursued it.

Please Leave the guns to the cops.

holy crap!!          Papers please. ( German accent ).  dkn, you tell him not to get a gun but learn Karate to beat the living crap out of someone?!?!  Sage advice.  Chances are the criminal you come up against will have a gun and it doesn't matter how fast your fists of fury are, they're not going to stop a bullet.  Vert, it is your constitutional right to bear arms and protect yourself and your property.  If you have shot a M-16, then you are probably former or current military and have had extensive firearms training. ( Do not point your weapon at something you do not intend to shoot etc etc).  Do not feel guilty about owning or carrying a firearm, you just have to use your head.  I'm training my 65 yr old aunt how to properly carry and fire a handgun right now.  She has been against guns her whole life, until someone broke into her freinds house one night when she was home.  Cathartic, I guess. 

     I carry a .45 semi auto.  I recommend my aunt get a PPK because it is smaller.  If you are going to carry, get something that is comfortable.  Very important: If you are going to drink, leave it at home.

[kab69440]

As far as I know Plumcrazy I can get such a permit. As for the home I don't have any kids or any little ones around. It'd just be me with the gun. kab69440 that sounds pretty good as well. I assume you got a thicker set of grips?

Yeah. Pachmyr (sp?) American Classics. I love them!

[Darkness]

Thanks again for all the post guys. Keep the info rolling in.

[253862656971]

I like my ol' S&W 629  .44 mag.  Unless the guy you're facing has a .454 Casul or a S&W 500 the 629 has way more power.  For a concealed weapon it isn't that great because it's a little big.  If you wear a jacket it isn't noticeable but to carry it with say a T-shirt and jeans and keep it concealed is next to impossible.  For punch a S&W model 60 would suit well.  It's a .357 mag and it is fairly small.  If I were you I wouldn't get any weaker than a .38.  There are exceptions but as a rule it's .38 or better.  Whatever you do DON'T get a 9MM.  You'll have better luck shooting rubber bands.  You also have to decide if you want a semi-auto pistol or a revolver.  I prefer revolver because they stand less of a chance of jamming but that's me.  Get what you want but stick to reputable brands.  For semi-auto Sig is really good as well as Glock.  For revolvers Colt, S&W, and Ruger are very good. 

Don't think that someone will take your gun in an emergency.  They won't because they fear for their lives especially if your gun is big or if you cock the hammer.  They're just like any other animal, they don't want to be hurt.  If they do try to take it, squeeze the trigger.  Do not be afraid to kill the the guy in front of you because he damn sure is gonna kill you.  You won't go to jail for self defense.  Now what I've said here pertains to imminent danger.  You can't use this philosophy when you're in an argument.  It is for serious situations ONLY.  You will know the situation for deadly force when it arrives.

[Wakko]

This topic has been covered on this site before, please do a search.  Here's my take:

For home protection, look at how your home is set up, who is in it with you and where that bullet will go when you miss.  Using a .357 Magnum in a house with other people is a bad idea, since the round will penetrate the walls and kill your kid in his bed.  I personally have a .38 Special (with jacketed hollow points) Colt detective's special next to my bed. I have a roommate and would rather not kill him if I happen to shoot at his room.      Some people like shotguns since you simply can't miss, are seriously offensive when it's racked and don't have too much penetration.  Problem with that is where do you hide it within immediate reach, storing it while you're away from home and it takes effort to recharge it. 

For carry protection, a firearm is useless if you leave it at home.  Out of my 15 or so handguns I carry a KelTec .380 seven shot when I'm out and about.  Double action only, accurate and lightweight.  Fits in my back pocket with no holster and is invisible.  I used to carry a North American .22 Magnum, but it was single action and kinda uncomfortable.  Both guns are very inexpensive.  Yes, keep it chambered while you carry it.

Do yourself a favor.  READ READ READ about firearms before you get one.  Go to the range and try some out.  Don't get a Glock 9mm cause it's cool...get the weapon that feels like an extension of your hand.  Join the NRA (the information in the magazines is worth it) if you're so inclined.  They're too political for my taste, but I'm still a member and will be for life.   GET A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT!!!!  Find out what states will honor your state's permit, not all do. 

Also, consider pepper spray as an alternative.  If you kill someone, you're committed.  If you spray someone, you WALK AWAY. 

[moparguy01]

The ND concealed carry permit nowdays is a joke. Provided you have a clean background you are all but guaranteed to get it. If you give me a call one night i'll tell ya some more about it.

Russ

[Drache]

If you live in an apartment building, yeah then I might also go along with a small revolver. Something easy to use and something that won't jam under fire, especially if you don't know how to use it properly.

LISTEN TO WAKKO! He's a police officer and knows what he's talking about in terms of firearms. If you are in an apartment building or if you have children or other people in your building you do NOT want a firearm that will penetrate the walls. Don't go for 9mm or .40's or something large like that. A small .38 or sometimes even a .32 would be better because they don't have the penetration that the larger rounds do.

You're not really looking for overall hard hitting power because you shouldn't really need to worry about accuatlly killing the guy. All you need that intruder to know is that you're armed. He's not gonna care what size of gun you have because he doesn't want his ass shot, period. I have a Western Style .22 revolver as well as a 9 shot .22 style Luger.

All you need is a small handgun that you can pull out in time of trouble IF you need it and show that you are armed and he has one chance to vacate the building. If you are really unsure about handguns just pickup a .22 revolver, preferably a .22 Magnum. It doesn't matter what anyone tells you here, you can kill a man just as fast with a .22 as any other handgun and that .22 has no recoil whatsoever.

Just think on this alot before you go out and buy something. Like Wakko said, you don't want to put a round through the wall and accidently kill someone.

[Chargen69]

Thats true, if you it sombody in the head with a .22 a lot of times it doesnt have the power to get out the other side, causing a lot more damage.

[AKcharger]

I agree with WaKKo I'd go non lethal 1st...then if the threat is still high TAKE A CLASS. not so much about weapons as the law!

With that I carry (when I'm in AK) a 9mm Makarov - smalll, accurate, inexpensive and reasonable stopping power...It's basiclly a PPK

[Wakko]

AK is right, the 9mm Makarov is a good weapon and CHEAP.  Avoid the PA-63 though, I've had horrible luck with mine.  You can buy lots of various Eastern Bloc weapons for about 125 bucks in fine shape.  You can also buy a Ballester Molina .45 (looks nearly identical to a Colt 1911) for about $200.  .45 is a nice slow round that while heavy is defeated much easier than a 9mm or 40 cal. 

[Darkness]

alright again I just wanted to thank you all again for your input on this matter. Yes, I don't need something really big and bad. As for my place here I actually live on the bottom of a remodeled basement underground so if the gun was to go accidentally and pierce through the wall it would be piercing through the ground. Again thank you all and I will taking a class as well. I think it would be good to be trained.

[Telvis]

The "baby" Glocks are also a good choice if you can afford one. They are very reliable and simple. I also liked the Walther PPK. If you want a revolver the SW airweights are nice. I haven't had one in more than ten years but I always liked them. I'm not a huge gun guy but have owned a lot of guns over the years. I started carrying a Glock for my duty weapon when our department changed to them in about 1991. It's a rugged gun. Very simple too.

[dkn1997]

holy crap!!          Papers please. ( German accent ).  dkn, you tell him not to get a gun but learn Karate to beat the living crap out of someone?!?!  Sage advice.  Chances are the criminal you come up against will have a gun and it doesn't matter how fast your fists of fury are, they're not going to stop a bullet.  Vert, it is your constitutional right to bear arms and protect yourself and your property.  If you have shot a M-16, then you are probably former or current military and have had extensive firearms training. ( Do not point your weapon at something you do not intend to shoot etc etc).  Do not feel guilty about owning or carrying a firearm, you just have to use your head.  I'm training my 65 yr old aunt how to properly carry and fire a handgun right now.  She has been against guns her whole life, until someone broke into her freinds house one night when she was home.  Cathartic, I guess. 

     I carry a .45 semi auto.  I recommend my aunt get a PPK because it is smaller.  If you are going to carry, get something that is comfortable.  Very important: If you are going to drink, leave it at home.

No need to call me Nazi because I don't think most regular  people carrying guns around is not a good idea for most people.  I just wanted him to think about what he was doing.  the tone of his original post (before he said anything about  having handled guns before) made me think he was just doing it because he thought it might be cool.  sorry if I misinterpreted it.

I am not some tree hugging anti gun liberal, I love the death penalty, I love when I see a video of the cops knght sticking some douchbag, it makes me feel all fuzzy on the inside.  And I think that anyone who breaks into your house and threatens your family should be killed on the spot, no trial, not jury. BUt,  no matter what you think the law is, more often than not, if you do the shooting, you end up in some kind of trouble and look like the bad guy.

Maybe it's a good  idea where you guys are from.  but I live in very crowded suburbia about 45 miles from NY city.  Just judging by the way people drive on the roads, these are not the type of characters who need guns too.

and I did not say the guy should feel guilty about owning a gun.  Just think about it long and hard before you do it.  Get training to use it.  and when you think you have enough training, go get twice as much more. 

did not mean to offend anyone.

[Darkness]

Hey I didn't take any offense to your post. I can see what you're saying there. I just like to have it for protection and there when I can and could possibly use it.

[Drache]

If you really want something to stop that home intruder just do what I did. There has been a rash of home invasions and since I'm taking up duck hunting, I just purchased a really good pump action .12 gauge.

With a shotgun you don't need to be good at aiming, just point in the direction, squeeze the trigger, pump another shell into place, repeat twice lol. Of course though I live in a rural area and the noise of a shotgun or a rifle going off happens everyday.

The way I figure that a shotun is a little better for protection besides the fact you dont really need to aim it is the scare factor. Say it's late at night and someone breaks into your house. You can both barely see each other. You can't see if he has a gun, and he can't see if you have a gun. He might rush you and you'd be forced to shoot him.

Now take a pump action shotgun. It's larger. The hole of the barrel looks big enough for that invader to fit his manhood into and still have room. He knows that with a shotgun you can't possibly miss. Now all you have to do is pump that shotgun once sending a shell into place before the firing pin, especially in the dark when it's quick and that invader will piss his pants.