Vanity - What Type of Hangun Would You/Do You Own For Personal Protection?

Vanity Question | January 31, 2004 | GreatOne

[GreatOne]

I am a prosecutor in a small, rural area. My state has a conceal and carry law. I recently convicted a person who has subsequently made veiled threats against me. Nothing specific enough to charge him with assault or terroristic threats, but enough to take note. He has a drug (meth) background, and is in the process of being civilly committed for his overdosing and engagin in violent behavior after the conviction (misdemeanor charge, requiring him to do 90 days in jail starting in February).

So, I am now seriously thinking about obtaining a handgun. What type of handgun would anyone out there recommend? I have a family with small kids, so would obviously keep this unloaded and up high when at home.

Your suggestions are appreciated.

[Space Wrangler]

I carry either a Glock 23 or Uzi Baby Eagle both chambered in .40 S&W as my primary carry gun. In the summer, I usually carry a SigSauer P232 .380 because it's small and lightweight and much easier to carry. Your mileage may vary, but for me, the .40 is an excellent self-defense round.

[harpseal]

Okay, I do not know anything about you but presuming you are an adult with no physical limitations and not a great deal of experience with firearms my suggestion is a relatively large cliber revolver. If cost is a major factor then I would go with a Charter Arms Bulldog pug, a conceaqlable .44 spl revolver. I would also recommend getting a.33 cal pistol of similar configuration for practice to improve accuracy.

Taking someone's advice in place of gaining sufficient knowledge yourself is of course dangerous so I can not over stress the advantage of learning more yourself. In general a person is well served by any handgun of 38spl power or above. Any handgun is better than no handgun. Revolvers are easier to learn than semi-automatics. Revolvers are easier to use in very high stress momments as all one has to do is point and click (no safeties etc.)

Good luck if I can be of any further assistance let me know

[freedomlover]

Duly noted. You have had better experiences than I with semiautos then. Of course a lot of the semiautos I shot weren't as nice as Sigs.

I asked, you gave me the reply. Thanks. However I hope you will understand that when my Kimber 1911 stovepiped on me twice in 10 rounds (after at least 300 rounds break-in), that made me think twice about having it as my constant companion. However when the range guy showed me how I should be holding it, the "right" way just didn't feel natural and I realized right then I wouldn't hold it right under stress. So I sold it while it was still that year's model.

I realize my 357 only has 5 rounds and that has a downside. However I have an extra gun everywhere I spend any time (work, home, car) so that's some consolation. Some are wheelguns, some semiautos. Thanks for the reply.

[LibTeeth]

One benefit to a double action revolver (by that I mean that the trigger movement cocks the hammer) is that one can dry fire it with no additional steps. Dry firing many semi-autos requires cocking between firings which trains you to cock the gun after each shot. That's bad, as what you do in practice you will wind up doing under stress.

Dry firing is time and cost effective way to develop muscle memory and trigger control. Dry firing should only be done in a safe area(bullet proof backstop) with no one else around and ammo else where. When you load the gun or unload it, always announce loudly to yourself what the state of the gun is. Always treat the gun as loaded, even when dry firing it. Set aside a time and place for dry firing so you don't stop, reload, and then pick up a loaded gun and inadvertantly start "dry" firing a loaded gun into your safe backstop. Focus on the front sight clearly superimposed over a blurry target image and learn a smooth squeeze that doesn't disturb the sight picture. This doesn't simulate recoil and muzzle blast, but early on those are a detriment to learning control, as once a flinch develops it can be hard to un-learn it. The revolver can also be loaded down with light loads early on so that one can develop good habits with light recoil loads before shooting full power self-defense loads.

I recommend a hammerless, double action only mechanism on a revolver for self defense. Too many people have been conditioned by TV to cock a revolver which yields a very light trigger pull and an unsafe condition when adrenalin is flowing. If you don't plan to carry then a longer barrel is better, as you'll have a longer sight radius, and get more velocity for a given ammo. If you anticipate carrying often or someone trying to grab the gun away from you, then a shorter barrel works well.

[ibbryn]

Probably echoing others comments, but, -
Take all the training you can, not just intro course usually required for CCW but actual "Gunfighting" courses that will teach you tactics and give you more realistic training.
Get a Simplex type lockbox and keep the gun fully chambered and loaded in the locked box.
Teach your kids, as soon as they are mature enough, the four rules of gun safety.
Get the mid-size Glock .40 cal -sorry, don't remember the model number.

For reference, I have 2 Glock 9mms. My next purchase will be a compact Glock .40 (you want the mid-size).

[Donaeus]

Since so many excellent suggestions have already been made about arms choices I'll give advice in another direction. You need to avail yourself of Jeff Cooper (retired Marine Arms Instructor) and Massad Ayoob's (Police Weapons Instructor, and frequent expert witness/consultant for firearms and shooting trials)knowledge. Cooper's excellent writing, much of which is compiled in To Ride, To Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth, will do a great deal to sharpen your mindset and awareness for self defense situations--as much as can be gotten from a book. In The Gravest Extreme, Massad Ayoob details in legal terms what it really means own and use a firearm and what you will face in the aftermath. He also addresses your question about what type of arm(s) to choose.

Prayers for you and your family. Thank you for what you are doing to make others in your community safe.

[Blue Collar Christian]

I think the flying ashtray at 900 fps would just make a bear mad, but give a gansta an opportunity to meet the devil!

[m1-lightning]

If you are in a jurisdiction that infringes on your RKBA, then mum's the word (5th Amendment and all that, you know).

Living in Illinois, It's sad that our elected leaders treat our gun owners with less rights than sodomites. "Don't ask don't tell" is fine until you get busted like the guy in Wilmette, Illinois. In the terms of regaining our gun rights in Illinois: "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail"

[Frohickey]

Are you sure you want to carry a lethal weapon?

Didn't you know that owning a handgun could lead to it being taken away from you and used against you?
You are supposed to use pepper spray instead, that can't be taken away from you.
How about a cellphone and 9-1-1 speeddial? Thats better. All the police chiefs in the country say that you should just give the perpetrator what they want. Be passive, be submissive. All of those (dead) victims can't be wrong. ;)

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

You're joking right? The .50 AE Desert Eagle is not a practical weapon at all for self defense. Purely a recreational gun.

[Jaysun]

What do you think my friend? Stevens Pocket Rifle circa 1890. Single shot .22 or .25 caliber. 15" inch barrel (mine is octagonal) with hooded fore-sight and rear peep sight. Blued and nickel-plated finish. Varnished walnut grips.

[ought-six]

"In the terms of regaining our gun rights in Illinois: 'We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail'."

Amen to that, brother.

[MonroeDNA]

"His probation officer, after getting yelled at by him said the same thing. So, while this guy was blathering on about his friends in Hell's Angels, Crips, Bloods, Vice Lords, etc., which says "all talk no action", the fact that he scared them and asked the cops if I wore a bulletproof vest (like he has) makes me think that it's no time to be a macho s---head about things. ..."

Sorry, but your story does not ring true.

Probation officers can, and would, put him back behind bars based on your statement alone.

Hell's angels do not talk about Crips. Crips do not talk about Bloods. Bloods do not talk about Crips. Neither talks about Hell's Angels.

Gang members only talk about themselves, as in, "I am a Crip, and will f-you up." Any dufus speaking more than one gang would not scare a cop at all.

The cop would laugh at anyone who mentioned those words, as I am now.

And you say the cop was scared, and recommended a bullet proof vest? He would laugh.

Nice try, but your cover is blown. Go back to grad school.

[MonroeDNA]

Your instincts are correct.

[SoDak]

Yeah, I was, more or less. Truth is, I have little or no need for self defense where I live. I'm fairly isolated. And, I don't have to reach far for either a 12 gauge pump with a full magazine, or a 1-wood, or even a '73 Winchester should I choose. The DE is a lot of fun to shoot, and I think I could put it to use for self-defense if I wanted to, but I was being a smart-aleck.