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New House ~ New Handgun ... any advice?
February 27, 2007 | Vanity

Posted on 02/27/2007 4:29:26 AM PST by Elle Bee

I'm 90 miles from Cuba and I'm going to purchase a new handgun for a new house.

I'm thinking .45 ... Kimber

I'm open to all opinion and option.

I'm still holding out the thought of a revolver over an automatic for ease of maintenance in the subtropics

These threads are always informative and I would appreaciate your input before I make a final decision.

.


TOPICS: US: Florida; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: 45; banglist; chat; cuba; handgun; homeprotection
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To: Jim Noble
Clearing the house is a job for professionals.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Especially at 0300h, in the dark and your heart is pumping like a rabbit's.

201 posted on 02/28/2007 5:02:12 AM PST by wtc911 (You can't get there from here)
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To: angkor

RE:Post 195. Very succinct. That's why I briefly touched on use of AK for "home defense." In many locales, juries would be intimidated by it's mere presence in the courtroom. In a rural area such as where I reside, no problem. But urban environs many would drop a dime on you simply because you had "such a weapon."


202 posted on 02/28/2007 5:08:44 AM PST by donozark (Restraining orders are just another way of saying I love you...)
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To: wtc911
Especially at 0300h, in the dark and your heart is pumping like a rabbit's.

Good point.

There's a reason you are upstairs in bed with a good woman and he's downstairs kicking in your door.

The reason is that he's a predator, and you're not.

In this situation, the predator has a lot of advantages, so you have to do your best to take advantage of the few that you have - the most important one of which is surprise.

203 posted on 02/28/2007 5:11:49 AM PST by Jim Noble
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To: Elle Bee

Unfamiliar with that model. Normally best to avoid new or relatively untested weapons. Stick with something that goes bang every time and has a documented record of such performance.


204 posted on 02/28/2007 5:12:08 AM PST by donozark (Restraining orders are just another way of saying I love you...)
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To: Elle Bee

Hey now. I'm relatively stable. The voices in my head keep me calm...

But really, the S&W .357 is my wife's. The Ruger .45 is mine. It all evens out... :)


205 posted on 02/28/2007 5:15:38 AM PST by Doohickey (I am not unappeasable. YOU are just too easily appeased.)
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To: Elle Bee

.410 is a tiny little shot shell, and there are better pistol options. I'd just go .357 or 12ga.

Your confidence in your tool is the key. Try a short barrelled shotgun, try some handguns, revolver & semi-auto(some ranges will rent handguns,) & see which you feel more comfortable with. When it's time to use it, you wouldn't want to feel uneasy or apprehensive about it.


206 posted on 02/28/2007 5:22:28 AM PST by Sax
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To: Jim Noble

If you are in defensive posture, letting the intruder know that you are well armed and aware of their presence is not always a bad idea.

Unless you have crossed the mob, most intruders are looking for easy marks. They want what they can grab and get away quietly. They absolutely do not want to get into a gunfight. They are much more afraid of armed householders than of law enforcement. Given the proper encouragement to leave and an exit route, they will be happy to make a timely exit.

I agree no warning shots


207 posted on 02/28/2007 5:34:21 AM PST by dangerdoc (dangerdoc (not actually dangerous any more))
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To: Smokin' Joe

Ah, a small mod on the classic Tuco advice: "If you're gonna shoot, shoot; don't [make noises]."


208 posted on 02/28/2007 5:36:32 AM PST by NonValueAdded (Prevent Glo-Ball Warming ... turn out the sun when not in use)
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To: dangerdoc
A warning shot is something I don't think would realistically occur to me, but getting a positive ID is something I'd be scared not to get.

I had a young nephew who was away from his home, but closer to mine, figure he had too much and decided he'd be better off trying to crash at our house without warning. We hardly ever get unannounced visitors, especially late at night.

There was a weapon in my hand and I was circling around where he was trying to get in before I recognized him. Coulda, shoulda, woulda, wouldn't have made me feel a damn bit better if I had killed him. If you're going to ambush someone, be sure of what you're shooting is more identifiable than just a silhouette. If you shoot some clumsy neighbor on some sleep aid, or some drunk who may have confused your house, legality aside, now you have to wrestle with killing some innocent person who just made some stupid, BS mistake. Some folks could shrug that off, I don't count myself among them.
209 posted on 02/28/2007 5:43:33 AM PST by Sax
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To: Elle Bee

No. Stay away from combo guns, as they do neither function well. With guns, best to get something that does ONE thing simply and well.

Go get your hands on a Glock 19. Hold it, work the action, then unless it's "wrong" for some reason, get it.


210 posted on 02/28/2007 5:46:26 AM PST by ctdonath2 (The color blue tastes like the square root of 0?)
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To: angkor
that's no endorsement for sure

.

211 posted on 02/28/2007 5:55:27 AM PST by Elle Bee
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To: ctdonath2
and I'm guessing shot will foul the gun quickly

.

212 posted on 02/28/2007 5:56:22 AM PST by Elle Bee
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To: Elle Bee

For overall home defense, one of the 12 ga. pump "riot" shotguns is a pretty good choice. All the major manufacturers make one. I have a Winchester stainless one. I load with 5 rounds of # 4 buck. Makes a nice hand-held claymore mine.

I tell most "laypeople" who do not shoot regularly or who have no military or law enforcement experience to go with a stainless revolver, either .357 or .38. Keep the barrel to 2 1/2- to 4 inches. You won't be making long shots for home defense. Shoot "hollow points" and, in the .38, load plus p's. Take some kind of shooting lessons if you have no experience, preferably from a law enforcement approved range.

No warning shots. Aim for the center of the mass and train yourself to fire two rounds as if they were one. I don't mean shoot fast; I mean think of 2 rounds as one shot.

Semi-autos are great. I carry a 1911A and keep it cocked and locked by the bed. But, a lot of people don't have enough experience, in my opinion, to use a semi-auto, especially 1911, safely. Good luck. There has been a lot of good advice given on this thread.;


213 posted on 02/28/2007 5:57:36 AM PST by gobus1
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To: Doohickey
LOL ...

.

214 posted on 02/28/2007 5:58:00 AM PST by Elle Bee
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To: Sax
I had no idea that the shot was so small

I wonder if there is the same concept on steroids?

.

215 posted on 02/28/2007 6:01:33 AM PST by Elle Bee
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To: Elle Bee

That will be my next moderm pistol purchase. Most of my pistols are around 100 years old; Mauser Broomhandle, Webley .455 Mark III, Roth-Steyr 1907, etc...

I've had the 226 9mm for several years and maybe 1500 to 2000 rounds with no FTF or FTE or a failure of any kind. Mine was purchased as a police trade in. Even the night sites still work.

When I first got the Sig 226 I loaded a 15 round mag with six different kinds of ammo from wad cutter to hollow point and +P+ loads. Burned through the mag rapid fire without a hick-up.

Unless your going custom and high dollar I will always think Sigs are the best out of the box pistol you can buy under a grand. The factory refurbs and police trade ins can be real values.

One test I read the results of was the Ohio State Troopers Side Arms Trials. Ten Sig 226s ran 12,000 rounds each with no failures that were not ammo related (bad primers, squibs, etc.). That is 120,000 rounds with no pistol failures.


216 posted on 02/28/2007 6:08:13 AM PST by El Laton Caliente (NRA Member & www.Gunsnet.net Moderator)
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To: ABG(anybody but Gore)

"I'm left-handed, so bear with me. I prefer Rugers in .40 cal. They're easy to handle and are ambidextrous(sp?), and they pack a wallup of firepower..."

Lots of lefties shoot Glocks, the triggers don't care which hand they are in, and they don't have a bunch of levers on the side to mess with.

Point and shoot, either hand.


217 posted on 02/28/2007 6:13:19 AM PST by ChuteTheMall (Tagline: If you're reading this, I'm influencing your mind.)
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To: Elle Bee
In a pistol sized weapon, the full powder load of a larger caliber shot shell would be tough to handle. I remember many years ago hearing (second hand mind you) that local Sheriff deputies where 'experimenting' with confiscated sawed off shotgun. Originally a full wood stock with just the gently curved handle left, not a pistol grip. The first attempt had the gun's recoil smack the deputy in the face, I think the second one didn't even hold on to it, and on the third try the deputy was leaning the full weight of his other arm down on top to prohibit the recoil.
218 posted on 02/28/2007 6:16:07 AM PST by Sax
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To: donozark

Best of both worlds, I just bought the Norinco Hunter. Milled receiver AK without the pistol grip stock set. Change to 40 round mag back to a 5 round and it looks like a hunting rifle...


219 posted on 02/28/2007 6:18:03 AM PST by El Laton Caliente (NRA Member & www.Gunsnet.net Moderator)
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To: Elle Bee
I don't know if I would want to, but also note that a .410 shot shell is also the caliber .41 magnum which you could put through.

However, before I would do this, I would read up on the tech specs.
220 posted on 02/28/2007 6:20:21 AM PST by roaddog727 (BullS##t does not get bridges built)
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