What would your 1st hand gun be?

[CTsupra]

Frankly, if I have to use a weapon for self defense, I think I would WANT people to know. Wouldn't have to make the call to the morgue myself.

Ever fire an M4 inside closed quarters without ear protection? Now, I have tinnitus.

 

[te72]

Not lately, but all things considered, is hearing protection really on your list of concerns in a situation like that?

 

[Poodles]

Nope Hell, even a .22 makes enough sound to damage your ears.

 

[CTsupra]

Of course not, that's why it was done. In the civilian world, yes.

 

[MDCmotorsports]

To the OP...the hand gun YOU are comfortable with and can hit with.
A fucking howitzer isn't worth dick of you can't hit the boat you're aiming at.
That said I trust my life every day to my self and a G19 & G26.

 

[Elie_Kaze]

"Drop that nickle plated sissy pistol and get yourself a Glock."

Glock 23 Here.

You want something lightweight, compact and carries alot of rounds. Start with a 9mm for a first handgun. Get some hollowpoints like Winchester Ranger T's, Federal HST, Speer Gold Dot, Hornady TAP and call it a day. I would put a flashlight on it if used in a home defense role such as a Surefire X300.

Put a micro vault on your dresser and your set. The bad guy wouldn't know what hit him.

 

[Nick M]

Not lately, but all things considered, is hearing protection really on your list of concerns in a situation like that?

Actually, yes. As for the several months old OP, go shoot a few things first.

 

[themadhatter]

Well for C&C i'm fond of my Walther PK380 with self defense hollow points, for home defense 12g pump action with buck shot

 

[ClutchRR]

My first handgun was a Taurus pt22 it was very small but good for just shooting around and cheap ammo. My next gun was the S&W SK9V this gun is awsome fired about 300 rounds with out a single problem. I will go semi auto over revolver any day.

 

[ThunderZTA]

Ever fire an M4 inside closed quarters without ear protection? Now, I have tinnitus.

Yeah permanent ear damage to left ear, was worth it though since im still here

 

[leezymk3]

9mm glock,for got which one,I still got it,love that gun,deadly with in
35 to 45 yard

 

[iruyle]

"I also don't like revolvers for many reasons. There isn't any advantage to them and there's a hell of a lot of disadvantages to them..."

There are any number of advantages to a revolver if you are talking about personal or home defense. There is no advantage I can think of for a semi auto in either instance. As any proper carry weapon can state, a revolver has no safety and it cannot jam. The worst possible case scenario in a defense situation is ammunition failure. With a revolver, there is a simple remedy: pull the trigger again and fire the next round. With a semi auto, you are required to eject the round and chamber another. As for ammo capacity, more bullets is not an advantage unless you are at the range. Statistically, the total number of shots fired in the average gunfight is 5 total between both sides and takes place at a distance of 5 feet. If you need more than 5 or 6 bullets, you're screwed anyway. That said, I'm not a fan of how revolvers look in general but there is no arguing their tactical benefits over semis.

I have:
FM 9mm browning copy
Pietro Beretta 92 fs in stainless pre Brady with 2 15rd mags
Taurus titanium .44 special (in purple)
Desert Eagle .50 in stainless
Taurus judge .45 long colt/410 shot
Beretta Cougar .40


The next two I buy will be the 4th gen Glock 20 and a Rhino .357... Dunno in which order yet.

 

[Poodles]

"I also don't like revolvers for many reasons. There isn't any advantage to them and there's a hell of a lot of disadvantages to them..."

There are any number of advantages to a revolver if you are talking about personal or home defense. There is no advantage I can think of for a semi auto in either instance. As any proper carry weapon can state, a revolver has no safety and it cannot jam. The worst possible case scenario in a defense situation is ammunition failure. With a revolver, there is a simple remedyull the trigger again and fire the next round. With a semi auto, you are required to eject the round and chamber another. As for ammo capacity, more bullets is not an advantage unless you are at the range. Statistically, the total number of shots fired in the average gunfight is 5 total between both sides and takes place at a distance of 5 feet. If you need more than 5 or 6 bullets, you're screwed anyway. That said, I'm not a fan of how revolvers look in general but there is no arguing their tactical benefits over semis.

Revolver can jam.

If you think revolvers are more reliable, go look at the torture tests back in 1911...

 

[te72]

Revolver can jam.

Basically anything that stops the spinning of the drum or prevents the hammer from making contact disables them, correct?

As a note, it doesn't hurt to be good with a knife either, just in case things get close enough that a gun might not be the best choice. Don't know about the rest of you, but I probably have WAY more knives in the house. Granted they're not exactly spread about the place, but they could be if I were concerned about home invasions.

 

[iruyle]

Revolver can jam.

If you think revolvers are more reliable, go look at the torture tests back in 1911...

I don't place any faith in torture tests.
It used to be that if you didn't know how to care for a gun, you were told not to get one. Now, if you don't know how to take care of a gun, you're told to buy a Glock. Basic operation of a revolver is less likely to result in a fault than a semi auto. It's not arguable. Running it over with a flaming steamroller after six months in a bucket full of Fresca doesn't really say much. Leaving a semi auto loaded in storage can reduce tension in mag springs and create a jam. Holding your off hand on the bottom of the mag can produce a jam. Firing a perfectly good round thru a perfectly immaculately cleaned and lubed walther can produce a jam (those things have some really terrible ejectors, don't they? Phew.). It's not a competition and I'm not interested in a pissing contest. I've already said I'm not a fan of revolvers in general (really dig that rhino 357 though). Just expressing to the OP some basic info. He asked about a first gun and IMO, a revolver is the air cooled vw of handguns. It's the easiest and most natural place to start, not where you end up. If you never get into guns enough to learn breakdown and cleaning processes, you're still fine with a wheel gun.

 

[Scot]

I like learning from this guy.... always very informative. and geez can he shoot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HKKLbxT8VQ

He has a ton of youtube videos.....

 

[Poodles]

I don't place any faith in torture tests.

Because... you know...people's lives depend on it.

It used to be that if you didn't know how to care for a gun, you were told not to get one. Now, if you don't know how to take care of a gun, you're told to buy a Glock.

Yes, because we all have perfect clean guns when we have to defend ourselves. Certainly the gun couldn't accidently be dropped in the dirt or anything...

Basic operation of a revolver is less likely to result in a fault than a semi auto. It's not arguable.

Except you know, massive burns if you're holding the gun wrong.

Running it over with a flaming steamroller after six months in a bucket full of Fresca doesn't really say much.

Nice strawman, but no, that's not how the military tests guns.

Leaving a semi auto loaded in storage can reduce tension in mag springs and create a jam.

Yeah, if the spring happens to rust badly. Otherwise, no, not happening (this is why magazines have travel stops).

Holding your off hand on the bottom of the mag can produce a jam.

Nope. Well, maybe on some idiot gun like a Desert Eagle which has a floating magazine.

Firing a perfectly good round thru a perfectly immaculately cleaned and lubed walther can produce a jam (those things have some really terrible ejectors, don't they? Phew.).

Which Walther? That's like saying "Colt."

It's not a competition and I'm not interested in a pissing contest. I've already said I'm not a fan of revolvers in general (really dig that rhino 357 though). Just expressing to the OP some basic info. He asked about a first gun and IMO, a revolver is the air cooled vw of handguns. It's the easiest and most natural place to start, not where you end up. If you never get into guns enough to learn breakdown and cleaning processes, you're still fine with a wheel gun.

Wheel guns have a more delicate and fragile operation. If the cylinder isn't lined up correctly, boom. If you don't clean them properly, boom. If you do like all the movies show and spin the cylinder and flip it into the gun, you damage the gun.

The only real advantages revolvers have is being able to shoot different rounds out of the same gun (i.e. same caliber, different length), and that they scale up to crazy sizes that nobody would use for a defensive firearm.

 

[hotrod11212]

Sig saucer would be my preference.

 

[jetjock]

^ My P229 takes offense at that...

 

[hotrod11212]

The p229 is a good firearm.