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.
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Especially at 0300h, in the dark and your heart is pumping like a rabbit's.
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."
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.
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.
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... :)
.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.
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
Ah, a small mod on the classic Tuco advice: "If you're gonna shoot, shoot; don't [make noises]."
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.
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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.;
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I wonder if there is the same concept on steroids?
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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.
"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.
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...
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