Type Of Pistol

[Rose Commander]

Hi, everybody. I got a question. I am in the market for a new pistol. I was recommended a Hi-Point .45 ACP pistol for a home defense weapon. I am curious as what do you all recommend. Please state a pistol that is at least a .40 or larger and it is $400 or less.

Thank you.

[Jeff Head]

Well, I use a S&W.44 mag 6” Model 629 (you will not find it for under $400) and a Ruger 9mm P95DC (you can find these for under $400).

[mylife]

I can out shoot my friends Kimber with the rock island commander.

Of course thats the shooters not the guns.

[fish hawk]

I don’t put a $400 limit on my life.

[Still Thinking]

Didn’t we just do this thread a couple weeks ago?

[Michigan Bowhunter]

Home defense only.......try the 12 GA 870
The 12 Guage makes one hell of a noise that cannot be mistaken for anything else but trouble......probably right up there with the noise of a rattlesnake.

If you need a handgun.....how about a light caliber revolver with a short barrel. They are ready to go out of the box and all you have to do is pull the trigger and they are ready to rock with no extra messing around.

[omega4179]

Don’t ever ever consider hipoint except as duck decoy anchors.

[VeniVidiVici]

A S&W Sigma VE series can usually be picked up for around $300 and change. Trigger's a little heavy but that can be a good thing for a novice and home use. Very, very accurate though. I can shoot a gnat off a fly's ass at 15m with my Sigma 9VE.

[WKeller]

If the purpose of the weapon is truly home defense, find a youth 20ga pump shotgun. Load it up with bird shot. That will stop anyone interested it breaking into your home.

An automatic is much more difficult as a personal defense weapon unless you have had considerable training in their use. That said, a Glock 9MM would be a good choice. Lite weight, will shoot no matter how poorly you have taken care if the weapon and has a large capacity.

The secret to this, regardless of final choice, is range time, range time, range time . . . .

[Liberty Valance]

Bump. Gotta get me one of those. ;o)

[Frantzie]

$350!? You serious?

I like April’s suggestion of ventilizing them not vaporizing them. LOL!

I always am stunned when I read the NRA mag (now the only mag I subscribe to - used to get Forbes). The section with home defense stories.

Always the same story. Bad guy breaks in and granny or gramps has a .22 pistol. Tells intruder to stop, intruder keeps coming, senior fires, bad guy dies.

This contrasts with most gun owners that say “oh you have to have a .40 or .45 or .357 magnum or .44 (or a freaking Barrett BMG.50 ;-)) for stopping power.”

[garykfd]

I have a S&W sigma .40 $350 and special deal right now either $50 off or 2 extra clips.. I went with the extra 13 round clips

[behzinlea]

My home defense shotgun is a 75-year old Winchester Model 97 in perfect condition that I inherited. It's heavier and has more moving parts (including an exposed trigger that you have to watch out for) than a Remington 870, but it too makes a formidable and oh-so-satisfying sound when cycled. John Browning designed some fine machines.

I've resisted revolvers. No good reason. Just have. A good friend my mine conceal-carries a Taurus snubby revolver in .38 special for the reasons you outlined. He may persuade me yet.

[Frantzie]

Ruger’s new 9 mm carry gun is very nice and probably around $400. That is very good accuracy at 15 m. Nice to know. Sounds like Beretta FS 92, SIG or CZ 85 accuracy.

I do not think most Glock’s are that accurate. I tried a few but the trigger may have been a little odd for me.

[Vendome]

Sorry but you are going to have to let loose a few more Benjamins to get a reliable weapon.

For close to your price I like the XD by Springfield.

My latest acquisition, a year ago, is a Kimber. A Policeman talked me into it. He showed me one filthy gun, with 4,000 rounds through it and never cleaned.

I was shocked anyone would do that with a gun but he assured me that he was testing the gun and using surplus ammo to make a really filthy gun.

He had it a year, no cleaning, 4,000 rounds and ZERO misfires.

I was impressed, purchase the same one he showed me and somehow talked myself into replicating his experiment. I have other guns so if, during the experiment, the gun failed, no big deal.

It was difficult to not clean the gun but it was an experiment.

after 1 year, 3,000 rounds, no cleaning and no misfires I cold not be happier with my gun. I maintained 3” @ 25yrds and I felt bad about treating my new friend that way.

So I soaked it over night in some Hoppes spent 45 minutes making it perfectly clean and I will never do that again.

Oh, and the Kimber was worth every penny of $1,600 and I am absolutely confident it will fire at all times and I even shot during the rain, so I am very sure of it’s reliability.

[Semper Mark]

Nice weapon.
I've been on the lookout for a 1911.

[Vendome]

Good catch. LOL

[Trajan88]

This will take out the trash real quick like: Taurus Judge

[Vendome]

Mossberg 500? costs less and very reliable.

Nothing wrong with your choice though.

[Matchett-PI]

“..a 22 works just fine. Buy something you can handle with ease. You don”t have to vaporize them, just ventilate them a bit.” ~ April Lexington

Check it out ($365.)

http://www.gunblast.com/KelTec-PLR22.htm

[Kirkwood]

“Respectfully... if you know what you are doing, a 22 works just fine. “

Respectfully... you are clueless.