Looking for a Good Hand Gun Any Suggestions?

[moreluck]

The one time I went to a firing range, it pretty much was what I expected......long concrete sections with targets hanging way down there. There was a countertop to set your stuff on and earplugs for the loud noise.

What wasn't told to me was that from some ricochet shots, sometimes you'll get hot stuff on you.....I got a couple "pings" on my neck and they smart a bit. That surprised me.

 

[soberups]

I understand what you are saying - Even if I have the gun locked up in the trunk, I will feel safer - if you know what I mean..... I can lock it up in the trunk right?

California has some pretty idiotic gun laws, particularly when it comes to high-capacity semi automatic handguns. Your pistol is not legal to posess in CA. Any detachable magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds is a no-no.

If I had to make a road trip to California, I would go and spend $75 on a used, single-barrel 12 gauge shotgun. I would then cut the barrel down to 19" (legal limit is 18) and spend 5 bucks on an elastic sleeve to carry extra shells on the stock. In any state, that is a perfectly legal weapon to have in the trunk of your car, and its low cost makes it semi-disposable. Properly loaded with slugs or buckshot, it is also a highly effective weapon for close range personal defense.

A better choice would be to avoid California altogether. I love living in Oregon, I just wish we could be further away from our neighbor to the south.

 

[soberups]

The one time I went to a firing range, it pretty much was what I expected......long concrete sections with targets hanging way down there. There was a countertop to set your stuff on and earplugs for the loud noise.

What wasn't told to me was that from some ricochet shots, sometimes you'll get hot stuff on you.....I got a couple "pings" on my neck and they smart a bit. That surprised me.

That may have been from your own gun. Were you firing a revolver? Older revolvers whose timing is a bit off can wind up "shaving lead" when the cylinder is not in perfect alignment with the barrel. Upon firing, the bullet exits the cylinder and on its way into the barrel microscopic bits of lead get shaved off of it and ejected out and back through the side of the frame.

 

[moreluck]

Yes, it was a revolver and your explanation sounds plausible to me.

 

[Jones]

I've been looking for a home defense weapon that I can talk my wife into learning how to handle. I think I may have found it.

Only a 20 gauge though, might have to keep looking.

 

[soberups]

Nothing wrong with a 20-gauge for home defense, the reduced muzzle blast and recoil make it a much better choice for smaller people and with buckshot or slugs it hits plenty hard enough to ruin a bad guy's day. I wouldnt hesitate to rely on one to protect my home with. I would, however, stay away from pistol grips on a shotgun; I tried one on my Remington 870 and it damn near broke my wrist and it was impossible for me to aim or hit anything with.

 

[705red]

Lifer I have wanted to but a gun for years for protection at home. The wife has been against it until last night... she rented the movie the strangers which she said is a true story. Now she thinks its a great idea to have a gun for security.


I will be looking into all of the great ideas that have been posted.

 

[Jones]

Nothing wrong with a 20-gauge for home defense, the reduced muzzle blast and recoil make it a much better choice for smaller people and with buckshot or slugs it hits plenty hard enough to ruin a bad guy's day. I wouldnt hesitate to rely on one to protect my home with. I would, however, stay away from pistol grips on a shotgun; I tried one on my Remington 870 and it damn near broke my wrist and it was impossible for me to aim or hit anything with.

Not coincidentally, that is a Remington 870 pictured. I've never fired one with a pistol grip, but I figured the forward grip on the slide would take some of the recoil off your wrist and also make it easier to point and shoot in the dark. It sounds like I might be wrong about that though. I've always liked the 870, but I hear a lot of good things about Mossberg as well. I'm going back and forth in my mind trying to decide between a handgun and a 12 gauge pump for the home defense role, and I'm really leaning toward the long gun. It's simple, intimidating (gotta love the sound it makes when you rack a round, everyone knows what's coming next), and you don't have to be as accurate which I think is important when it's dark and I'm half asleep. The biggest plus for a handgun is it would be easier (I think) for my wife to use.

 

[soberups]

If there is any realistic part of your home defense scenario that would require you to move about within your house, I wouldn't want to have to do that with a shotgun. Its too easy for a bad guy to grab that barrel from behind a blind corner. I think the shotgun best serves as a "barricade" weapon to be weilded while kneeling behind a bed or other covered, stationary position while calling 911 and waiting for the pros to arrive. If you have to leave the bedroom to investigate a noise, check on the kids etc....especially while holding a flashlight...a good .357 revolver would probably be the safest and most reliable choice.

 

[soberups]

...you don't have to be as accurate which I think is important when it's dark and I'm half asleep. The biggest plus for a handgun is it would be easier (I think) for my wife to use.

My Remington 870 with an 18" barrel and 00 buckshot makes a pattern about the size of my closed fist at a range of 10 feet, which is a realistic in-the-home distance. Open up the range to 20 or 30 yards and you start having a much wider dispersion of pellets, which means greater hit probability but less stopping power as the pellets lose velocity quite rapidly. At close range you still have to aim properly.

As far as your wife goes, if she is unfamiliar with guns the revolver is hands down the best choice, but anyone who is willing to practice can become reasonably proficient with either a handgun or a shotgun.

Dont overlook the single-barrel break open shotgun either. Granted its a single shot, but is also foolproof and easy for anyone to learn to handle.

 

[cachsux]

We have the 870 Express 18 which comes with the short barrel right from the factory. Sober is correct though,the pistol grip on a shotgun is almost universally panned as inaccurate. If you want to look cool in a movie ok,but if you want to hit what you aim at get one with a full stock on it.

 

[satellitedriver]

My Remington 870 with an 18" barrel and 00 buckshot makes a pattern about the size of my closed fist at a range of 10 feet, which is a realistic in-the-home distance. Open up the range to 20 or 30 yards and you start having a much wider dispersion of pellets, which means greater hit probability but less stopping power as the pellets lose velocity quite rapidly. At close range you still have to aim properly.

As far as your wife goes, if she is unfamiliar with guns the revolver is hands down the best choice, but anyone who is willing to practice can become reasonably proficient with either a handgun or a shotgun.

Dont overlook the single-barrel break open shotgun either. Granted its a single shot, but is also foolproof and easy for anyone to learn to handle.

Sober you are correct about the shot gun, if it it is an 18inch barrel. That length barrel is the legal limit to carry outside of the home. Inside the home there is not legal limit (here in Texas) to the length. A 10inch barrel will put a 3ft pattern at 10ft. The plus of a short barrel shot gun is that the pellets will lose their power when they hit a home wall and not penetrate thru.
If one chooses to use a hand gun, I suggest a prefraged SWAT round. The ammo is expensive, but it will not go thru walls and hurt an innocent by stander.

 

[soberups]

Sober you are correct about the shot gun, if it it is an 18inch barrel. That length barrel is the legal limit to carry outside of the home. Inside the home there is not legal limit (here in Texas) to the length. .

A shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18" is considered an AOW (Any Other Weapon) and requires an NFA permit to posess. I believe it is a federal felony to have one without the necessary paperwork.

 

[satellitedriver]

A shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18" is considered an AOW (Any Other Weapon) and requires an NFA permit to posess. I believe it is a federal felony to have one without the necessary paperwork.

Nope, not it is never off home property.
As I said, In Texas.

 

[rod]

I keep my wife around for protection---she's meaner than any old gun

 

[UPS Lifer]

I keep my wife around for protection---she's meaner than any old gun

LOL!
I think I would take MoreLuck for protection. She holds her own with everybody! LOL!

 

[dilligaf]

Just bought a Sig Sauer Hamerli Trailside. This is a 22LR handgun used for target and competion shooting. Can't wait to go try it out. Nice handgun, well balanced. 3-4 lb pull on the trigger.

Anyone shot one before?

 

[705red]

Lifer I have wanted to but a gun for years for protection at home. The wife has been against it until last night... she rented the movie the strangers which she said is a true story. Now she thinks its a great idea to have a gun for security.


I will be looking into all of the great ideas that have been posted.

Sorry for digging up an old thread. But my wife was totally against me getting a gun within 2 days after watching this movie.

She still is not sold on having a gun in the house, but after Friday night I refuse to leave without one.

We were in bed about midnight watching a movie and it was storming pretty good, lightning thunder the works. We do have an alarm system with doors that chime if they are opened. Well the chime alarms, so I jump out of bed thinking maybe we forgot the front door and the weather blew it open.

I was down the stairs in a matter of seconds and the front door was locked and closed. I look towards the back of the house and in a lightning blast I saw shadows.

i was not sure if they were in the kitchen or outside because our kitchen is walled off. The vacuum was sitting by the front door, thats all I had, no bat nothing. So I grabbed the vacuum lifted it up and yelled get the friend* out of my house as I ran towards the kitchen.

I get to the kitchen and nothing, no one is there. I go to the back door and it is unlocked (probably because of my kids in and out all day and night). The door is closed and it is a sliding heavy glass door, i open it to look out on the porch and into the yard and it chimed again.

My wife insists that it was the wind! BS IMO. If the wind did blow open a heavy door how did the same wind blow it closed? I don't want to scare her and fight with her over who's right, but its obvious to me that I am right.

So Saturday morning I was at Gander mountain applying for a FOID card and within a month I will be able to purchase a hand gun for home protection.

I have already purchased a key pad safe to protect the kids from getting their hands on it.

I was just wondering if there was anything special I should look into. I'm 6ft tall and 230 lbs. I looked at the selection they had and it is mind blowing on just how many choices are out there.

Thanks for any new input.

 

[ol'browneye]

So Saturday morning I was at Gander mountain applying for a FOID card and within a month I will be able to purchase a hand gun for home protection.

If you lived in Missouri you could have gone to Gander Mountain and come home with that gun within an hour! I guess you'll have to keep that loaded vacuum close to the bed for the next 30 days!

One newer gun is "The Judge" made my Taurus. It is a revolver in .45 caliber but also shoots .410 shotgun shells. This makes an excellent home defense weapon as the shot from the .410 will not penetrate walls if you miss and hit unintended targets (kids, neighbors) as easily as a .45 caliber slug. I personally don't have one but am considering making it my next handgun purchase.

I have 2 Springfield Armory XDM's. One in 9mm and one in .40 caliber. They are both great shooting handguns with a trigger safety and also a safety mechanism in the rear of the grip. You actually have to be gripping this gun in the shooting position to fire it. No firings involving accidentally pulling the trigger.

Of course there is always the good old standby-12 guage pump shotgun. The sound of a shell being jacked into the chamber is usually all it takes to make any intruder flee the scene.

Do your homework on-line to get your choice narrowed down then go to the gun store and get the feel of different guns in your hand.

One more thing to think about is price of ammo. If you plan to do any amount of shooting, (and you never know, you might really like it!) ammo can get expensive. Usually 9mm is cheapest, then .40 cal. then .45 cal.

Happy Hunting!

(If you read post #56, I had a Smith and Wesson .40 back in November 2008 but I traded it this spring for my 2 XDM's.)

 

[cachsux]

I`m not the gun expert in the house but this is what we have at present. Two 9mm,a 92fs Beretta and a Glock 19c. We also have a Remington 870 12 gauge with a short barrel. There is also a .45 and a .22lr but they are put away and would never come into use in a home defense situation. The shotgun is in a custom locker over the door in the bedroom closet. Theres a 9mm in a lock box in the bedroom and one in my wifes office. My wife has shot everything under the sun since the age of six and these are what she likes. She is 5'9" 115lbs and has never had a problem with recoil,etc,so take that for what its worth. While it`s been mentioned in this thread about higher calibers than 9mm,she feels hitting what you aim at is whats important. Unless someones coming in with body armor,2 in the sternum and 1 in the head will usually make them reconsider their life of crime.

Red, this is still the lineup in our house. The 92fs are as reliable as a hammer,so`s the Remington 870. That being said the wife says be extremely specific with the dealer about your intended use when it comes time to make a decision . Makes sure he knows there`s kids in the house. After that for you and your wife-gun class! Your wife might say she`ll never touch it but god forbid in a moment of panic decide to and not know how to use it properly.
Her first words of advice were to get a big dog instead.