9mm vs. .45 ACP

[amplify]

NoPo, you would recommend a pistol grip 12 gauge to a guy who has perhaps never even shot a gun?

[NicksDad1970]

[ QUOTE ]
Well there are a couple of things to consider here. If the gun is strictly for home defense then my recommendation would be a mossburg pistol grip 12 gauge shotgun, as it is what I have next to my bed. Very easy to shoot, just point and pull the trigger. However if your looking for outside the home protection go with the glock 9mm like people have previously mentioned for ease of use and low cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's actually a pretty good point. I'm not sure I'd go with the pistol grip though.

One thing people bring up when talking about guns is saying "X" gun kicks too much.

One thing I feel very confident about is if you ever had to use it for fear of your life you wouldn't even feel the kick.

[kipin]

I have this gun (Walther P99 QA model) and I gotta say its a pretty sweet gun.

Very simple to break down, holds 15 rounds of 9mm, and has some cool features not found on a lot of other guns. (Striker fired (walther) vs. hammer fired (almost all other guns)).

It is also very reliable, and has never jammed on me.

[NicksDad1970]

"I have this gun (Walther P99 QA model) and I gotta say its a pretty sweet gun.

Very simple to break down, holds 15 rounds of 9mm, and has some cool features not found on a lot of other guns. (Striker fired (walther) vs. hammer fired (almost all other guns)).

It is also very reliable, and has never jammed on me."

It also has 3 diff rear straps to fit your hand best. Pretty sweet gun IMHO

[Ray Zee]

id get a glock 19. 9mm never jams and you can leave it in your drawer and it will be fine. just remember it doesnt have a safety other than the little one on the trigger. all guns you buy must be practiced with or you might do more harm to yourself than any intruder.
other choice is a 357 revolver. shoots both 357 and 38 special. easist to use and very safe with simple care.
both these guns are easy to carry and safe if handled properly.

the bigger the caliber the less likely you will hit what you are shooting at. and hitting is much more important than the extra energy from a bigger bullet.

[NoPoHustler]

[ QUOTE ]
NoPo, you would recommend a pistol grip 12 gauge to a guy who has perhaps never even shot a gun?

[/ QUOTE ]

I would because when you make the decision to purchase a gun, the very first thing you need to do is familiarize yourself with this gun. You do this by immediately making time to go and shoot this gun, clean the gun, practice getting it ready to shoot with your eyes closed (this will seriously help you if say your house happens to get broken into at night because it is dark). If you are not willing to take all of these steps to familiarize yourself with your guns then honestly you should not own them. Gun ownership is as much of a set of responsibilities as it is a constitutional right. Oh, and the gun does not kick that bad. My wife shoots it with no problems and she is a little 5'6" 130lber.

[J.A.Sucker]

I have a glock 23 (40 cal) and it's a great weapon.

However, for home defense, a revolver (S & W .357) is best. You pull the trigger, it goes bang. That's what I want by my bed at night.

Also, glocks have pretty light triggers, and many people don't like that around the house, and probably with good reason.

Load hollow points no matter what caliber you get.

[jbrent33]

I prefer wheel guns but the one auto that I own is a Glock 27 (.40S&W). With the extended magazine it holds 11+1 and is very comfortable in your hand.

I have had 9mm's and .45's in the past and prefer the .40 as nice mix of ballistic performance and shootability

[econophile]

you guys with shotguns next to your beds - where do you put them? propped up in the corner?

[guids]

I'm not an experinced shooter, and I don't plan on spending a huge amount of time practicing.




Do yourself a favor and dont get a gun then, this is like saying "Im going to try and fly a plane tommorow, but I dont need to learn how or practice".




For the house, I have a Remington pistol grip shotgun, that I got from a guy that owns a pawnshop, I shoot it regularily, it also has a flashlight. I have a hook behind my "headboard" of my bed, where I keep the shot gun, and a clip of shells.


I dont carry, but if I did Id go with a smith and wesson 640, with no external hammer. revolvers are the best for newbs becuase they are so easy to use, and its just easier to tell if you have bullets in the gun, plus no hammer means you wont get it caught on anything pulling it out.