Posted on 08/30/2015 2:01:04 PM PDT by PinkChampagneonIce
XDS 9mm 3.3 even better with Buffalo bore 115 grain +p+ ammo. The .45 recoil will hurt your hands. Don’t entertain .45 in that model.
It’s not a bad choice, especially if you are inexperienced with firearms. Revolvers are pretty well foolproof.
This weapon is on recall!
Hey, great decision on a carry gun for self and family protection! As a former professional firearms “user”, now jut concerned about self/family protection...
Here is my advice- do not take any advice on a website at face value- mine included!
Go to a reputable firearms trainer ( no, not a gun seller!). Get training and understanding about what you are about to embark on, then you can make an informed choice.
Too many folks buy on advice and not experience- I say it is worth maybe $400 spent on an NRA certified Pers Protec in/out the home as well as basic firearm safety, then spend money wisely on the specific tools- firearm, holsters, spare mags/carriers etc.
When you became of age to drive, you just didn’t go buy a car and then learn how, right? even more so with a firearm.
You can go to the NRA website ( nrahq.org) and look up NRA certified instructors in your area.
You also could check out professional training organizations, but they usually require travel and lodging and rather costly tuition, maybe later for you.
Some will say get a revolver vice an auto or vice versa, but both require effort and skill, and many find one or the other more comfortable and more accurate that the other- so get training, then decide after having the opportunity to handle several types etc.
Disclaimer- yes I am a former military/civilian firearms/tactics trainer and later an NRA certified Instruction-but no longer in the business.
Best
Non-intuitively, it is the very light weight of some small guns which makes the recoil so noticeable.
A heavier gun will recoil less.
Similarly, the small "blow-back" guns require a heavier spring than a gun with a locked breech. This makes some of the smallest guns very difficult to operate.
I'm average size for a male, so I have many choices, but I carry the Ruger LCP in my front pants pocket all the time. I hardly notice it is there.
Agree. Or a Taurus titanium 38. Load with high velocity MagSafe pre-fragmented ammo, add a Crimson Trace, aim for center body mass, and it blows large holes.
Ballistics data and ammo info: http://www.magsafeonline.com/
My go-to is a Sig automatic in .40 S&W, but I’m a lifelong shooter and have been paid to carry weapons, as have many other Freepers.
I am a big fan of wheelguns (revolvers) as opposed to automatics for one reason. ‘Oh s**t’ ready-to-panic situations suddenly happen sometimes, no matter who you are or what your resume has on it. A good wheelgun is simple and very reliable. They don’t jam. (Cheap crap guns may have other reliability issues, when you’re betting your life do your homework and spend the money). A good revolver is reliable and simple. The disadvantage is that they’re slower to reload than an automatic. You solidly thump an intruder six times with .357 magnum, you probably won’t need a reload though.
Second, TRAIN. get to where you’re utterly familiar with the operation and maintenance of your weapon and you’re a competent marksman.
I once had a loud and startling incident occur in my bedroom (pass on the jokes, thanks) in the middle of the night. I had been under horrific stress and had a few drinks to get to sleep. I came out of my sleep *already on my feet, armed, and sight alignment acquired* scanning for a target. It turned out to be an almost-comical thing, no deadly threat, but it proved an excellent practice final-exam.
Go reliable, simple, hard hitting and train. And train some more.
Actually not a bad choice. :-)
I think you are describing the Ruger LCR and not the LCP, which is the .380 caliber semi-auto pistol.
True, but it can be reliably fired from inside a pocket or purse, unlike an autoloader. The absence of time needed to draw and the element of surprise could be crucial, especially at very close range.
Every firearm mentioned thus far is just that—a “firearm” used for recreational purposes.
It doesn’t become a “weapon” until you are using it for self defense or defense of others.
In that sense a gun is like a hammer, chef’s knife, ladder jack or plumb bob.
If you give it some thought, this isn’t quibbling. Who wants to hear, “Hey, they’re comparing weapons over on FR.”
Consider the Ruger LCR in .357 Magnum. It’s a lightweight 5-shot revolver, and the .357 model is slightly heavier than the .38 model, so you can carry .38s and have less felt recoil due to the extra weight (which is about 2.5 oz.).
Bersa guns are excellent,but consider a 9mm
I think that is what I’m going to get.
No, not the G2 (generation 2) which has a drop safe feature. Some people hate Taurus, so be it. Don’t get one. There is a recall on the .38 as well...they didn’t engrave the caliber on the barrel.
I’m a huge Smith fan, but not of their J-frames. I’d take a serious look at the Ruger LCR in .38 Special. Their trigger seems to be a bit smoother than most J-frames. Also, no need to get one in .357 Magnum. I know several very experienced and recoil insensitive shooters than say it’s an absolutely miserable thing to shoot in so light a gun. Good .38 Special defense ammo will do the trick.
Just my personal experience...I'm not an arms expert.
The 642 is one of the most popular concealed carry guns for good reason — it’s light, easy to carry, has adequate stopping power, it’s simpler to use than an autoloader and it’s reliable.
All handguns are compromises however and the downside is that it’s light weight results in sharp recoil, especially when using full power .38+P loadings. The trigger is long and heavy (and usually gritty when new), the sight radius is short and the sights themselves are small and not as easy to use as on a full size gun.
These guns are difficult to shoot well and not particularly fun at the range. At a minimum, you’ll want to make sure you get rubber grips that fit your hand well and start off with low-power loads.
This is one gun you definitely want to shoot before you buy. You might also want to try out the Smith & Wesson model 640 (essentially a steel framed version of the 642) or the Ruger SP 101. These guns are much easier to practice with if you don’t mind the extra weight.
S&W makes great revolvers and their semis are excellent too.
If you have shot it and like it go for it. Light to carry and foolproof.
An Uncle Mikes pocket holster is a handy way to carry.
The MagSafe ammo is fascinating use of safe technology and high velocity loads. Focus is on impact, take down and limited blow-by (as in collateral damage in say, an apartment). These are used by pro SWAT for just that reason, am told by SWAT pals, and SEALs.
Controversy will ensue on this, but they do deadly work, can testify.
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