Taurus-Judge 45/410 Revolver
Posted on 12/16/2009 10:08:01 AM PST by bonillamktg
I am ashamed to say that I am 30 years old and do not own a gun. I grew up in a house without guns and never really thought about it until recently (as I started a drastic shift from being politically agnostic to a staunch conservative Constitutionalist) and now I am a new homeowner and new father and every day I think about needing to get multiple firearms. I need to start somewhere but, other than getting recommendations from a few friends I respect, I am a bit lost, having never fired a handgun before (I've shot several rifles and shotguns before).
My question is: What recommendation would you give me as the first gun I should own? I want this first gun to be easily carried concealed (I plan on getting my concealed carry permit ASAP), a good weapon for protection of my home, easily usable by my wife (who has never shot a gun in her life), and ideally, I'd like to get armed for $300-400.
Good points!
I would never recommend a handgun as the first firearm for someone who has never used any firearm before.
First, get a decent .22 rifle to use. Ruger 10/22 comes to mind immediately. Start with open sights, no scope. Get comfortable with it, take a NRA Safety Course, take it plinking, take it small pest hunting (gopher, prairie dog, rabbit, etc.) Burn at least 1000 rds through it. Get comfortable with the sight picture, sound, care and feeding of the rifle. $299.00
Second, get a pump-action shotgun in either 12 or 20 Ga, preferably 12 Ga. Remington 870 or Mossburg 500 family. I have a Mossy 590 personally. Start with bird shot, take it trap and skeet shooting or shoot melons. More recoil, louder bang. Work up to 00 buck and slug loads. Keep it simple, say no to “tacticool” upgrades until you know it inside and out. This should be your home defense weapon of choice, load it with OO Buck at home. I keep mine with the tube full and the slide at release with nothing in the chamber. This weapon is the equivalent of a tactical nuke within 15-20 ft. $250-450.00
Now when you have these down. Get a pistol. Again start with .22, either revolver of semi-auto. I think comfort of the grip and natural sight pattern are the most important things to consider here. You dont want to have to fight the pistol. Shoot it a lot. Burn another 500-1000 rds. Take a course, ask questions, get help, get comfortable with it.
Now, get a centerfire pistol. 9MM, .40, .45, .357/.38. I dont have a bias against any of them and there are tons of good manufacturers. For a beginner, try a 9MM semi-auto. Load it with jacketed hollow-points (JHP) and it is a damn fine defense pistol. Ruger, Taurus, XD, Sig-Sauer, Baretta whatever feels right.
Remember, shooting is supposed to be fun. Dont feel intimidated by anyone. Hell, I take my air-rifle to the range, along with my other toys.
Does it have a “compass in the handle and this thing that tells time”?
Taurus-Judge 45/410 Revolver
You’re the man, but your late wife had it right.
Any gun will be fine except for the new “Union Gun”.
It doesn’t work and you can’t fire it.
1. Go to County Sheriff’s Office and find out what local laws are for HandGun Purchase.
2. Go to local Range and talk to the guys behind the counter about what type/brand would be good for you
3. Rent a few weapons and fire them to get familier with operations/handling
3. Buy weapon.
4. ENJOY!
6. Get back to the range!
7. PRACTICE PRACIVE PRACTICE!
8. Take CCW class!
Consider the 20-gauge shotgun
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob120.html
Home defense is of prime importance and no permits needed and it is light enough that women or older children can use it I would go for a pump because the unmistakable noise alone will likely cause a home invader to be in a hurry to get out of dodge if only to change his undies. Rifles or pistols are great but they all take time and practice to learn how to shoot well. A shotgun is a point and shoot even if you totally miss it makes enough noise to rouse the deepest sleeper. For easy learning find a shooting club with a laser shotgun simulator. My 12 yr old daughter hit 19 of 25 on her first round and thats simulated clays not a man sized target. No noise or recoil but the simulator builds the confidence. Then move on to some range shooting to get the noise and recoil part down.
I TOTALLY disagree with that. Depending on which study you look at, somewhere between 2/3rds and 3/4ths of all successful self-defense uses of a gun don't involve firing it. The vast majority of perps will turn and run when they see a real gun pointed at them. You don't even have to have it loaded. And I'm sure there's another *big* percentage who will run for it if a warning shot is fired into the ground/floor in their general direction.
Get a gun, give serious thought to what you're really willing to do with it, and then plan accordingly.
But honestly, I think there are very people who couldn't bring themselves to kill another human being, when that human being is obviously about to kill or seriously harm one of your loved ones. You don't know in advance what specific situation you might find yourself in that could call for using your gun, either as a scare-away tool or to really take down the perp.
And of course there are situations where shooting at an object can save someone -- if some guy breaks into your house in the middle of the night, grabs your 6 year old daughter and you get outside the front door just as he's driving away with her, what kind of parent really wouldn't be able to bring themselves to try to shoot the tires out of his car? Even if you miss, it would have the effect of alerting neighbors, who would call 911 while you're still trying to note the description and tag number of the vehicle.
If you are going to own one gun then your only choice is a 12 ga shotgun with a deer slug barrel. Remington 870s are inexpensive and tough as nails. Don’t fall for any of the crap about handguns. For home defense nothing beats a shotgun. Period.
And one of these for burglers:
And one of these for the people who want to take your guns:
Love your choices......though I would probably go with a .50 BMG for #3.
For example - here in Texas, if you qualify with a revolver, then that is what you have to carry. If you qualify with a semi-auto, you can carry either one. In some states, you might have to qualify with each type of gun that you plan to carry.
You are not there as yet but keep working on it if that is your goal. Good luck.
The link you posted to backwoods is stored in my favorites.
Massad has many excellent articles on firearms and the second amendment in general.
I re-read them from time to time, definitely a favorite is about the Israelis, and what they have done to fight terrorism.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/ayoob81.html
You need to pick a caliber, and then...
The Brand-name purists are going to pound me over this, BUT...
For a first gun, that is reliable and economical - when you are not sure what you want and want to try it out... try Hi-Point.
They make 380 ACP, 9mm, 40 S&W and 45 ACP.
I like the 9mm and the 40 S&W. BUT the 45 is a classic caliber, of course.
I have ended up owning three - all but the 45. They have worked reliably, AND they have a life-time - no questions asked - guarantee.
My son also bought one of the 40 S&W and has had NO problems with it.
The only issue I have heard, is that on some magazines, one edge where the rounds feed into the chamber sometimes need to be tweeked just a little. THIS is not the gun per se but the magazine. I have not had this problem but I have read about some that have had a bit of a problem with this, and after bending the tab inward just a tiny bit the problem went away.
You can find them at dealers / gunshops, but they usually do not push them because they don’t make much profit on them.
They are made in the USA in Ohio.
AND this does not mean that the higher-priced name-brand pistols are NOT worth their price.
Just that if you are on a budget, this is one way to go until you decide to spend more.
You can find them on gunbroker.com as well. They also have a list of local FFL license holders in each state that will receive them for you, if you order by mail. Some will do it for just a few bucks (or free if you buy ammo or other items from them). I see a 9mm on gunbroker for $140 + $25 shipping, and a 45 ACP for $150 + $35 shipping.
Good value for the money... I like Hi-Point...
Flame away, experts... ;^)
http://www.hi-pointfirearms.com/
You can get one for $343 plus shipping to a local FFL dealer.
Taurus PT145: A Subcompact .45 ACP Carry Gun with Surprisingly Good Features - Test Report
I carry it in my front pocket in a pocket holster.
Springfield XDM 3.5 9mm
Better, safer, keeps on target with less kick than glock. Made for concealment. Easy to use.
Most importantis that gun feels comfortable in your and your wifes hand.
by far better than any other posts 1911 is not concealable. revolvers are fine but bulgy and not good for concealment either. Glocks are good. Clocks are for keeping time.
GO TO THE RANGE. RENT GUNS.
I can’t stress enough, you need to send some bullets downrange to see what works for you.
I agree with many others that a used S&W revolver is a great choice. Low price, easy to handle with .38s, kick ass with .357 magnums. Plus, easy to swap out the grips to find one that fits your hand.
The smaller S&W 5 shot snubbies are called J-frames and are easy to conceal. You can also find larger 6 shot K-frames.
Here in NC, you can still find decent, barely used of both flavors for $250-$350. Stainless is easier to maintain, blued is easier to conceal.
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