Purchasing a Handgun (Vanity)

[DeuceTraveler]

My wife and I are looking to purchase a handgun for both hobby shooting and home defense. We are only looking to purchase one. The local gun store has the following handguns that interested me and I wanted to see if anyone had any personal experiences with them. The review sites seemed bias towards one company versus others.

1.) Beretta 96 series 2.) Bersa Thunder and Thunder 380 3.) Ruger 9mm model SR 4.) Sig P226 5.) Glock M30 6.) Taurus PT-92

Thanks in advance!

[Nachoman]

I wouldn't recommend a .22lr pistol for self-defense, unless you are adept at making head shots. Even a man mortally wounded by a .22 can press the attack for another minute or two.

[50mm]

...S&W in .357. You can practise with .38 Special ammo.

I see this advice often. What is the difference in price between .38 and .357 ammo? Just curious.

[Shooter 2.5]

Go to an International Defensive Pistol Association shooting match.

Don’t buy a Glock.

Shoot before you buy.

[Kimmers]

The best handgun to carry if you could have only one gun, is the gun you would actually carry.....

A gun will do you no good if it is left at home or in the car, that is if you are serious about personal protection at all times......

[shekkian]

I have a Bersa. It’s very light on the recoil and is good for a newbie. I use it for heat wave carry, when it’s too hot for an extra layer of clothing. For home defense, though, like some of the other posters here say, you’d be better off with a shotgun.

[mylife]

Good advice

[ElKafir]

I will post your choices in order from the best to the poorest.

To consider:
1.) Glock M30 (although considering you are looking for a home defense and not a concealed carry handgun, I would go with the full size Glock 21-SF)
2.) Sig P226
3.) Beretta M96

Run away from:
Bersa Thunder and Thunder 380, Ruger 9mm model SR, Taurus PT-92

If your are trying to get your wife into hands-on shooting practice, I would recommend you to pick a 9mm Glock 17. The grip is slimmer and easier to grasp for a woman hand; the recoil is a lot more manageable with less muzzle flip than that of the 45ACP cartridge fired in the G30/G21 and a lot less “painful-snappy” than the 40S&W cartridge fired in the Beretta M96. When used with the right 9mm hollowpoint ammo, a Glock 17 just as deadly as a 45 or a 40, but is a lot more manageable and female friendly.

[ElKafir]

Glock marginal...? Bwhahahhahaha!

[Hard Way]

It's a bit presumptuous to offer any advice without more info about yourself and your wife. Many of these answers you are getting are based on assumptions of your skill or lack of.

Do you and your wife have experience with semi-auto pistols? Know how to clear a jam? Familiar with magazines, safeties, etc.? I don't mean whether or not you've shot them before. I mean have you shot several hundred (if not thousand) rounds out of auto pistols similar to what you intend to purchase. If not, do you intend to shoot several hundred/thousand rounds after the purchase, to familiarize yourself with the weapon?

If the answers to the above is “no”, then you need to reconsider. Shotguns are great for defense, assuming you and yours can handle the recoil. Contrary to popular belief, a short barrel will not allow you to just point at the target and count on “spread” to hit it. At 50 feet and closer, that spread will likely be less than 6 inches. You better aim. In addition, a standard pump shotgun has it's own operational requirements. If something goes bump in the night, and your adrenalin is max’d, will you remember if there is a round in the chamber... or if the safety is on or off?

Revolvers are an excellent choice for the average person. Load it and put it in your night stand (assuming no unauthorized access here). Bump in the night occurs, pick it up, line it up with the target, and squeeze the trigger. Repeat until there is no longer a threat. The .38/.357 mid sized revolvers are a good compromise between effectiveness and control.

Try to find a gun shop with a range. Rent a few different types of guns and you and your wife try them out. If you are not experienced with handguns, go get some professional training. If I'm being presumptuous with this long-winded advice, and you both are well-trained individuals, please forgive me, and consider this a reply that may have benefit to others that have with less experience, who are also considering a self-defense firearms purchase.

Best Regards, HW

[LasVegasMac]

Were I purchasing a gun for home defense, I would buy a shotgun.

I have read that, several places.

Of course, their choice was some high $$$ sawed of version.

My answer was to buy 03 buck for the 20 gauge, 20 pellets per shell. I'd like a 9 mm, but the wife completely freaked about a hand gun. Time will wear her down.

The ultimate solution is a good dog, and a gun for a backup.

Flame away to your hearts content (not directed soley at you, but the rabid haters that may read this post).

I had two Pitters. The female weighed about 45 lbs, slept on the bed with us, not the best thing to do with your dog for security purposes. And she was loud when she got riled.

The male was over 80 lbs., biggest boob I've ever seen for a dog. As much as he liked the water (we have a pool, keeping him out was a chore), he should been born a Lab.

He slept on the floor, on my side of the bed.

I came home late one night, figured I'd be real quiet going in the door....wrong. Someone was waiting for me, waiting to see who it was that was coming through their door at 1:30 in the morning....fortunately, I knew the magic password..."Lucky, it's me!"......

I've often thought about the plight of someone that did not know the magic password.......

In a "real" situation, I would have had more than enough warning, hearing the sounds of my trusty side-kick tearing someone a new a$$hole.

Guns, for home defense, are almost a must....

So is the need for a good dog.

[mylife]

I like it. I like the size, I like the accuracy, I like its punch.

Very dependable.

Of the 5 I own, I like the E German the best and the Polish with a new Walther trigger spring the best

[5Madman2]

The Taurus revolvers are pretty much good copies of S&W revolver.

Just less expensive

[SWUF2008]

The Bersa 380 is a great gun. Top quality for a small price. Personally, I own a Ruger P 95 DC (De-cock). The gun has no safety. It is a point and shoot gun. It has a lever that when pulled moves the firing pin forward so the hammer can drop without firing the round. Originally I was uncomfortable with the gun having no safety. I've gotten use to it and like it better. I only have to rack a round, point, and shoot. No wasted time trying to turn off the safety to fire the weapon. Also the Ruger costs a few hundred dollars less, and is just as accurate, durable, and reliable. Might I suggest a 410 pump shot gun for your wife to use at home. A 12 GA is too much power inside a dwelling for an inexperienced shooter and women are intimidated by the size of a 12 GA.

[Wilhelm Tell]

I like what sig226 posted. I would add that an important thing to consider is how well the gun fits in the hands of everyone who may use it. It might be the most well-built gun in the world, but if it is too big or too small for your hands, then consider a different gun. The gun should fit in your hands so you can hold it straight and comfortably reach the trigger. If you find that you unconsciously turn the gun slightly left to reach the trigger (assuming you are holding it in your right hand), that means the gun is too big for your hands. You will never be able to aim properly or handle the recoil well if the gun is too big or small for your hands. I found for example that the Beretta 92 is too big for my hands but the good old 1911 fits perfectly. I am not a fan of the Glock style trigger. I prefer the SIG myself.

[ElKafir]

My wife’s favorite Home(land) Security:

http://www.gunco.net/gallery/watermark.php?file=11019

Pair of Makarov pistols. One in the nightstand, one in a kitchen cabinet drawer. Plus my Glock 21 on my side of the bed.

[Lurker]

Mrs. L prefers revolvers to autos herself.

I didn't encourage her one way or the other, I just let her shoot a bunch of calibers, makes, models, and manufacturers products until she found something she can control and is comfortable with.

Imagine my shock when she settled on the Smith 629. I didn't even tell her what caliber she was shooting when she tried it. Recoil isn't a problem for her, although she was suprised when I informed her that she was shooting full power .44 Magnum rounds.

"I don't see what the big deal is." she said.

"Neither do I honey."

Now when she pulls it out at the range she becomes pretty popular.

L

[mylife]

One of my favorite handguns bar none. Generally, I dont recommend them for women as the recoil slide spring is a bit of a task for most women. Yer wife must have an attitude ☺

[Kirkwood]

“The others are marginal in quality.”

I disagree.

[Jackson57]

Not mentioned, but a Beretta still, the PX4 Storm. I just got a .40 S&W model and really like it. Smooth action. Decocking safety. Easy to disassemble/reassemble. And all models (.45, .40, and 9mm) come with three backstraps for different sized hands. Husband can shoot and then change to smaller backstrap for wife to shoot.

[Kirkwood]

The Bersa is probably THE favorite backup gun of a majority of police officers. It is a gun with a good reputation and relatively inexpensive. Probably out of all that were mentioned, it is the most dependable no matter what ammo you use. It has enough stopping power and the plus model will carry 16 rounds. It probably is not fair to include it in the group because it fits a different role than a house gun or a tactical gun. It is a good carry gun though because it is light and more comfortable to wear concealed in a variety of different conditions.