Posted on 11/23/2010 4:41:59 PM PST by pepsi_junkie
I've never posted a vanity before so I'm ready for the scolding I'll get for doing it, but I need help. My wife and I are considering buying a handgun and while I've fired a variety of guns previously at a range with friends, I've never bought or owned one. I know FR is full of 2nd amendment advocates and was hoping I could get some help as to what to buy.
It would be for both my wife and I for occasional use at a range and, in the unlikely event of a home invasion, self defense.
I don't want something too powerful for my wife to easily handle but at the same time I don't want something that would be ineffective in a self defense situation. Any suggestions?
If you plan to visit the range quite a bit, eh....maybe not so much. Good, personal firearms training might be more in order. This pistol has no safety; a bit heavier trigger pull (without hammer cocked) and the slide is somewhat resistant. In other words, you will notice none of that in the "heat of the moment". You will notice all of it in a controlled environment.
All I can do is suggest, as experience varies from person to person. My personal home defense choice would normally be a 12-gauge, BUT:
My present floor plan is not open enough; there is too much of a risk of having my shotgun or rifle taken away, or at least having a struggle over it. A pistol affords the opportunity for more control.
Buy the highest caliber you can be accurate with and will want to keep shooting. My pistol - a Springfield XD-40 subcompact - is a joy to shoot. It doesn’t lay neglected in a drawer somewhere because I hate shooting it.
For a simple gun that simply goes bang - think about a revolver.
Never miss an excuse to buy another gun. yeah honey this gun will have less recoil, honest!
This is what I have as my duty home defense pistol in this configuration:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/glock%2021%20sf%20lasermax/longbough1/G2101a.jpg
The magazine capacity is 13 rounds and I use CorBon 200 grain .45 +P ACP rounds which give you 1,100 fps muzzle velocity and 500 ft/lbs of muzzle energy. A nasty reception for intruders.
I ask because my Mom rolled into town last night. My brother and I were showing her our wares and she absolutely couldn’t wind up the Kimber and could barely make the H&K 9mm. She actually had to cock the hammer to get there.
Heck, she was even having trouble with the Ruger Mark III. Weird, it felt weak and worn in my hands.
We are going shopping, this week, so she can find something more suitable for her weak little hands.
Get a bigger wife and then you can get the .45 and the 12 ga.
I’m thinking about something with an adjustable trigger and revolver since it goes every time.
I live at 8,500 ft elevation in the Colorado Rockies right next to the Roosevelt National Forest. Mountain Lions and black bears can also be an issue. Especially in spring and fall for the bears. I have had a bear smash out a window trying to get inside. It busted the window frame out of the wall with the force it was hit with. The dogs ended up chasing it away, but I keep a Mossberg 500 12ga with slugs most of the time. I have also kept a 375 H&H magnum and a 444 Marlin lever action for HD. Closest neighbors are a long way away with forest in between. It is difficult to clear a house with a rifle.
Another issue is that many women can’t pull back the slide on a semi-auto. I know my wife can’t operate the slide on any of my semi’s. She has a Taurus light weight 357 loaded with 38’s
try to reload the page. It should work. I just checked on three different computers and a cell phone.
If not, go here:
http://www.motifake.com/image/demotivational-poster/1005/straight-shooting-twin-gunners-of-different-mothers-demotivational-poster-1273012232.jpg
I have a glock m30, sig 220, keltec .32 and a ruger sp101 .357
I prefer the glock for shooting although the sig is a close second.
the keltec sucks to shoot but is easy to carry concealed in shorts and a tshirt.
The ruger was on sale and not sure if I like it or not. Its the first revolver I’ve purchased so I’m still getting used to it. Also have a really old .22 9 shot revolver with a 9” barrel. My uncle used to carry it on horseback to shoot snakes out west.
...Given all the requirements you're looking for this is probably a nice happy medium. You and your wife can start training with it firing .32 S&W cartridge which is a mild cartridge and one that will allow you both lots of range time without excessive recoil and discomfort. For home defense usage, and as your comfort level increases you can work your way up to full power .327 federal magnum cartridges in the same firearm, which is quite a hot cartridge, and while perhaps not the ideal home defense round is certainly better than anything smaller, and ballistically going to rival conventional loadings in .38 Special or 9mm.
So will magnums.
Made the mistake of trying my buddy's brand new Taurus .41 magnum, and we forgot ear pro.
Thank goodness we had some paper napkins to wet and stuff in our ears.
For when you don't want to wake the baby or scare the neighbors.
I keep one in the chamber so my wife just has to pull the trigger. :) no worries about the slide.
His and Hers
See, you have some real good variety there. While my Kimber Eclipse II is my favorite for the range and definitely my go to gun, I can see myself carrying one my 3” .38’s or the Kimber TAC II for their shorter barrels.
I want a kimber :(
I have a vault full of Kimbers, but the only one that impresses me is the 10mm that I had customized with the usual geegaws from the parts bin. I also have a Limited Edition Colt Gold Cup 10mm with several thousand $$ in customizations done to it and the relatively stock Kimber shoots just as nicely for obviously a fraction of the price. Kimbers chambered for the centimeter are sort of hard to find now.
The most surprising firearm of the Theophilus collection is the Taurus 24/7 OSS. With the right home-made .45ACP ammo, I was cloverleafing the 'X' at 25yrds free standing. NEVER have been able to do that with anything else.
You always need one more than you already have.
;-)
My weapon of choice is the S&W M&P 45 ACP. My wife is petite and less experienced so I got a really pretty H&R model 942 22 Cal revolver. I had her train with the 45, so I know that, in a pinch, she can still fire off a shot or two with it.
If you’re inexperienced, call around to your local sellers and find one that will let you try out a few.
You should consider a revolver. The 357 can also fire 38 so you can save money while you train. Also consider the Taurus Judge, just because!
Happy shooting!
My ex-wife (about 5' 95 pounds) could fire this pistol very effectively, with some training. But then all pistols require training, and then lots of practice from the shooter.
Its my goal to get a kimber or maybe a H&K. Been sticking with the .45 though as it is just a good all around caliber. Plus it keeps me from having to stock other stuff.
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