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Discussion: Favorite handguns, and why?

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pdonettes	Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 4:33 AM EDT So, I have limited experience with handguns, and I am considering purchasing one, and my wife is considering letting me (with PTSD, people get ancy at the thought of me with a gun, sheesh). Anyway, I mainly have fired m9's. I have heard good and bad about a lot of weapons, and I have 2 kids, so safety is something of a concern. My favorite handgun that I have personally used was a Taurus .357, but reloading a revolver with Zeds bearing down on me would not be fun. So... What is light, accurate, safe and reloads well (not just quickly, without jamming or causing misfires)? Post reply Do you find this valuable? Keyword tags: Ammunition Firearms Guns Safety Skills Training
EdOfTheDead2	1. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 3:49 PM EDT Colt 1911. 45 ACP catridge, 7 rounds in the mag, two safetys, (one on the gun, the other on the grip) and pretty reliable from what I've heard. Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
John_234	2. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 3:57 PM EDT Actually, you know what, this question comes up so often, I'm just going to write a page on it. I'll link it in a couple hours. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
182crazyking	3. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 4:24 PM EDT Smith and Wesson semi-automatic S&W 40 handgun. Tarus .38 SP revolver .357 magnum revolver, mall ninjas may think this very "technicool" but it is actually a .38 with a slightly bigger kick and a bigger bullet caliber. I was shooting with friends once and they brought a .357, I squezed off an entire chamber/magazine in ~3 seconds. Hah! Post reply Do you find this valuable?
zachy_vengeance	4. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 5:37 PM EDT I was actually thinking of recomending a page on this. If you want light weight, reliable, and easy to reload, go Glock. The polymer they're made of is very lightweight, they're uber reliable, and the high mag capasity is not only easy to reload but you reload less. My pet peeve is the no external safety, but they're pretty drop proof and the hammer shouldn't drop without the trigger being pulled. I'm getting one shortly as my first handgun. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
LJ126	5. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 8:40 PM EDT \| Post edited: Jun 21 2010, 8:42 PM EDT I have way too many favorites to name just one. Hell, I can't even decide which of the "Wonder 9's" is my favorite.... Before you can pick which handgun you want, you need to decide what caliber you want - this will dictate whether you're getting a semi-auto or revolver. That cuts the size of the pool into a much more manageable size. Once you've chosen caliber, you need to decide whether you want a metal or synthetic frame material. This will cut you choices down even further. Then you need to consider budget - if you can pay $1000 and want an expensive handgun, get the expensive handgun, a few spare mags and a good holster. If you're limited to $500, get a $400 handgun, a few spare mags and a good holster. It's really that simple. To make it any more complicated than that is folly. Just because a gun is cheap doesn't make it junk - just make sure to research the handgun you're considering buying. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
pdonettes	6. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 8:44 PM EDT First, I know this topic comes up a lot. I was asking for a specific weapon for my circumstance, which is why I started a whole new thread. no offense to anyone. when I was in the army a friend of mine had some kind of handgun that had a safety on the grip, plus one on the slide ( I believe). and accuracy is more important to me that say, basic punch. .45 acp will take an arm off, am I right? I'm also just worried it would put a hole through the wall of my house. lol. I also have heard some guns jam no matter how they are taken care of, and I really don't want that. @edof thedead2 You mean the 1911 from like ww2? Or is there a new version? I know something about rifles, but not much about handguns. All we had in the army were the 9mm berettas, which I hate. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
LJ126	7. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 8:45 PM EDT "First, I know this topic comes up a lot. I was asking for a specific weapon for my circumstance, which is why I started a whole new thread. no offense to anyone. when I was in the army a friend of mine had some kind of handgun that had a safety on the grip, plus one on the slide ( I believe). and accuracy is more important to me that say, basic punch. .45 acp will take an arm off, am I right? I'm also just worried it would put a hole through the wall of my house. lol. I also have heard some guns jam no matter how they are taken care of, and I really don't want that. @edof thedead2 You mean the 1911 from like ww2? Or is there a new version? I know something about rifles, but not much about handguns. All we had in the army were the 9mm berettas, which I hate." A .45 will not take an arm off. It's not that potent. It will stop an intruder in his or her tracks with several well aimed shots to the chest, but so will a .380 or 9mm. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
zachy_vengeance	8. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 10:18 PM EDT "First, I know this topic comes up a lot. I was asking for a specific weapon for my circumstance, which is why I started a whole new thread. no offense to anyone. when I was in the army a friend of mine had some kind of handgun that had a safety on the grip, plus one on the slide ( I believe). and accuracy is more important to me that say, basic punch. .45 acp will take an arm off, am I right? I'm also just worried it would put a hole through the wall of my house. lol. I also have heard some guns jam no matter how they are taken care of, and I really don't want that. @edof thedead2 You mean the 1911 from like ww2? Or is there a new version? I know something about rifles, but not much about handguns. All we had in the army were the 9mm berettas, which I hate." Yeah, the 1911 from like WWII. Safety isn't an issue for most guns. Most handguns, have 3 safetys. They usually have a safety switch/button on the outside of the gun, usually underneith the slide or on the grip, and many have a safety feature where the barrell and slide can be pushed back slightly engaging the safety, to prevent misfires while in a holster, and there is usually one on the grip below the hammer that is disengaged when the gun is gripped, to prevent misfires when the gun isn't being held. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
John_234	9. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 21 2010, 11:43 PM EDT Zach, only a couple designs have a grip safety. It isn't all that common. You also left out the automatic firing pin safety, which keeps the gun from going off it dropped. pdonette, if you're thinking home defense, the best option is probably some type of shotgun, loaded with something like No. 4 buckshot. Shotgun is always superior to a pistol, and at home, there's no reason to pack the smaller gun. I recommend No. 4 buckshot because it's a good balance between stopping powder and low penetration. Why low penetration? You don't want that sucker blasting through your walls and killing your wife / kid / neighbor. An interesting fact is that pistol bullets will penetrate interior walls better than some rifles. A FMJ will not stop in two, three, or even four walls. The heavy bullet keeps trundling through. Even a JHP, which is designed to slow down and not over-penetrate, has serious issues with over penetration if the drywall or sheetrock fills the hollow tip, turning it into a ball round. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
AlexHigginbotham	10. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 11:29 AM EDT \| Post edited: Jun 22 2010, 11:32 AM EDT I prefer a pistol for home defense simply because I can clear a corner quicker. In any event, a 12ga pump is ideal because just the sound of you racking a round would chase the person off. I on the other hand, don't really want them to leave under their own terms. .45 ACP is a good home defense round mainly because it is subsonic which will help with penetration. Glasser also makes 2 models of "home defense" ammo that use low penetration, high fragmentation rounds. The Glasser Silver does about 10 inches of penetration and the Glasser Blue does about 5 inches. http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/product_info.php/pName/6rds-45-acp-glaser-blue-safety-slug-145gr-p-ammo/cName/45-acp-frangible-ammo Edit: If you do go with a shotgun, make sure you are using the correct loads. Slugs will penetrate nearly as good as a bullet. 00-buck is slightly less dangerous, and bird loads are safest. This are also a nice choice. http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/product_info.php/pName/9rds-12-gauge-rhodesian-jungle-ammo/cName/12-gauge-specialtyexotic Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Unassigned	11. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 12:32 PM EDT "First, I know this topic comes up a lot. I was asking for a specific weapon for my circumstance, which is why I started a whole new thread. no offense to anyone. when I was in the army a friend of mine had some kind of handgun that had a safety on the grip, plus one on the slide ( I believe). and accuracy is more important to me that say, basic punch. .45 acp will take an arm off, am I right? I'm also just worried it would put a hole through the wall of my house. lol. I also have heard some guns jam no matter how they are taken care of, and I really don't want that. @edof thedead2 You mean the 1911 from like ww2? Or is there a new version? I know something about rifles, but not much about handguns. All we had in the army were the 9mm berettas, which I hate." As LJ said, a single .45 ACP round will likely NOT take an arm off. If you are looking for that kind of power, you'll likely have to look into .50 BMG rifles, and that's really with a well placed shot. Either way you look at it, it is severely impractical. If you want a handgun built like a tank, go for one of the various Glock pistols. High mag capacity, extremely reliable, and simple to field strip and clean. As it's been stated, they do not come with a safety. However, I would recommend a gun lock (which comes with every factory model, or go to your local police department for a free lock) or a small safe anyways, which negates this downfall IMHO. Another great option are the Springfield XD/XDm series. Again, high mag capacity and reliable. It also has a 1911 style grip safety and a thumb safety. It's weight takes a little getting used to as it seems (to me at least) to be slightly unbalanced like the Taurus Millenium Pro series (which is also an option if you want to check them out, very cheap and reliable) All in all, it comes down to what caliber you want, then simply go from there. Hope this helps. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
herrteufelhund	12. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 12:50 PM EDT How about any tested combat handgun with nights sights and a light. If you're missing and of 3 items then I'm sure that gun is fun to shoot and all but it is not a combat handgun. Glocks, Springfield XDs, Sigs, HK, FN, and most 1911 clones will fit the bill nicley for 99% of what I want the gun to do. Each have they're own quirks that make it suited for heavy use and abuse. The real question is what role do you want the weapon to fill? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
zachy_vengeance	13. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 1:47 PM EDT If you want a shotgun for home defence, try what a friend of mine is doing.(If you don't mind fixing all of the little holes from the shot) He has a Remington 870 super mag shooting 3 1/2" loads. He keeps it loaded by his bed with a turkey load, and has his choke set to give him the maximum spread, so if someone breaks in he's gonna send ALOT of lead their way. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
182crazyking	14. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 2:29 PM EDT We keep 2 .38 revovlers (total of 11 bullets) in the house... some poor sucker breaks in and they will die of lead poisioning. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
John_234	15. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 3:07 PM EDT \| Post edited: Jun 22 2010, 8:18 PM EDT "I prefer a pistol for home defense simply because I can clear a corner quicker. In any event, a 12ga pump is ideal because just the sound of you racking a round would chase the person off. I on the other hand, don't really want them to leave under their own terms. .45 ACP is a good home defense round mainly because it is subsonic which will help with penetration. Glasser also makes 2 models of "home defense" ammo that use low penetration, high fragmentation rounds. The Glasser Silver does about 10 inches of penetration and the Glasser Blue does about 5 inches. http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/product_info.php/pName/6rds-45-acp-glaser-blue-safety-slug-145gr-p-ammo/cName/45-acp-frangible-ammo Edit: If you do go with a shotgun, make sure you are using the correct loads. Slugs will penetrate nearly as good as a bullet. 00-buck is slightly less dangerous, and bird loads are safest. This are also a nice choice. http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/product_info.php/pName/9rds-12-gauge-rhodesian-jungle-ammo/cName/12-gauge-specialtyexotic" The tradeoff is that frangible ammo has been known to be severely ineffective against attackers. I recall a gunfight I read about where a guy with a .38 loaded with frangible ammo hit the attacker ten times, including twice directly over the heart. The other guy had enough in him to fire all six shots in his own gun, wrap it in his jacket and toss it into the bushes, and run several miles before passing out in front of a liqour store, to be recovered by the police, very much alive. EDIT: Five, not ten. Ten is a bit ridiculous. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
pdonettes	16. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 7:54 PM EDT well, I am definitely looking for a home defense weapon. I like the thoughts you all had about shotguns and pistols. I think the shotgun would be harder to clear the house with because of limited space. I might get one for the bedroom though. I can aim, not sure if the wife can. lol I may have been slightly exaggerating with the arm blown off comment. I just meant I didn't want overkill. I worry about the safeties only because I hacked/picked /cracked anything my dad ever had with security just because it was an obstacle,and she is kinda smart (though only 4 right now). Ikinda worry about the triggerlocks, because I don't like the thought of trying to unlock one with some dude coming up the stairs, you know? what are the issues with that? That is why I like the triple safety idea. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
OutlawJames	17. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 8:22 PM EDT " .357 magnum revolver, mall ninjas may think this very "technicool" but it is actually a .38 with a slightly bigger kick and a bigger bullet <NOBR>caliber</NOBR>. I was shooting with friends once and they brought a .357, I squezed off an entire chamber/magazine in ~3 seconds. Hah!" Can't hold my tongue on this 182 The..38 Special was developed in 1902 by S&W, for their Military and Police line of revolvers. In 1935 about they developed the .357 magnum from the .38 special by stretching the case about 1/10 of an inch, this was in response to a demand for more stopping power. The .357 and .38 Special are indeed the SAME calibre ( both use a .357 dia. bullet) and in many factory loads have the same type and weight of bullet. The extra case capacity in the .357 accounts for on the average 400 fps more velocity and near double the muzzle energy. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
John_234	18. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 22 2010, 8:56 PM EDT pdonette, the safest thing to do with youngsters and guns, IMHO, is to teach them. Take your home defense guns, let your kids touch them so they don't get curious about them later on, and show them exactly how much damage they can do. Go out and shoot some watermelons or soda - it's the same thing as touching a hot stove. As for security, I'd personally stick them in a drawer with the magazine loaded but not in the gun, and any safeties applied. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
pdonettes	19. RE: Favorite handguns, and why? Jun 23 2010, 10:02 AM EDT I do agree that knowledge is better than any other lock or key. things can always be found. Make sure they know not to point them ot others that kind of thing. taking them out and firing them would probably work too, since it would probably scare the bejebbers out of them. lol So from what I"m reading, I will try and talk the wife into a shotgun AND a pistol (wish me luck) I think I'm getting slightly overwhelmed. lol. I guess I should have realized there would be a lot of opinions about this. So, to oversimplify, which handgun (non revolver) is considered the most reliable and accurate? I liked what herrteufelhund said about the light and stuff. If I can't see in the dark, it is pretty much useless. there can't be a whole lot that are able to mount surefires and have grip safeties, right? Post reply Do you find this valuable?

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Discussion: Favorite handguns, and why?

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