Posted on 05/18/2011 1:23:42 PM PDT by jda
I'm looking for advice concerning buying a handgun.
They make no-hammer versions of these revolvers.
I like shooting semi-autos.....yet I like to shoot the .357. It has a much longer range than a 9mm or a .40 S&W or a .45 auto. Plus, a .357 with a longish barrel (4 inch or longer) is a good deer pistol if you use soft points.....which I always have in my .357
Plus, again, I like to load my own .357 with my handy-dandy Hand Lee Loader for .357
<< How are they supposed to tell the difference between a limp-wristed shooter and a lousy pistol? >>
A “lousy pistol” is what a person calls the gun they are shooting when they aren’t hitting the target.
Since a firearm should always be ready for use, I give you COL Cooper's rules.
1. A firearm is always loaded. No exceptions.
2. Never point a firearm at something you do not want to destroy. (Remember, bullets come with lawyers attached)
3. Keep you bugger hook off the bang switch until you want to shoot.
4. Be aware of your target and what is behind it. (Bullets will keep moving until they hit something, like the day care center or your neighbors house.)
Most engagements I've known occur within less than 2 inches.....
I don’t own one, but I’ve shot one. Quite sturdy, IMHO. I’m a semi-auto 9mm guy on account of my job. I don’t have a choice!
Really depends on the revolver. My wife rented a Feather-Weight Lady Smith once. I am 6'1", all of 208 lbs., and an experienced shooter, and even I had difficulty controlling the recoil. Follow-up shots would be very difficult with this type of gun..
However, the all-metal versions may be more manageable. Someday I hope to try one of those nifty Ruger SP101's.
It sounds like you don’t want a battle field gun, you want a light, small, easy to carry pistol for self defense, try this one.
Try the Diamondback DB9, A 9mm pistol that only weighs 11 ounces.
•Capacity: 6+1 Rounds
•Weight: 11 Ounces
•Length: 5.60”
•Height: 4.00” with mag
•Width: 0.80”
•Barrel Length: 3.00”
•Firing Mechanism: Striker Fire
•Trigger Pull: DAO 5 lbs
Buy the biggest baddest fire breathing dragon that you can, that also happens to be comfortable to carry all day, and that you can use effectively when and if you need it. Consider how and when you will carry it, what you will generally be wearing to conceal it, and scenarios you will use it.
I use a Kahr CW 9mm that is easy to conceal and has a magazine with 7 (plus one), but it could as easily have been a compact .45 or any one of a number of other very fine varieties. I am a short person and cannot conceal anything larger. Get to the range and try out several.
Comfort in carrying, and ease of use when it is needed are the two starting points.
If you only own one gun and you use it to carry However if you own two or more load only the ones used for carry. The NRA used "Cooper rules"
They proved to be unsafe.
then load it.
Take a friend that can ID a straight bore and undamaged piece and find a .38 Taurus at a pawn shop/gun show/gun store. Cheap, 6 shots, controllable, and deadly with hollow points.
Another good thing about the High Point is that they come with a near match grade trigger and are a unique blowback design. The .45 ACP will happily cycle target and +P rounds.
Nines (particularly +P HPs) really don't get the respect they deserve, in my opinion. They are very controllable with a large ammo capacity, allowing many follow up shots that will put a lot of lead on a target quickly.
Nines (particularly +P HPs) really don't get the respect they deserve, in my opinion. They are very controllable with a large ammo capacity, allowing many follow up shots that will put a lot of lead on a target quickly.
If it feels good in your hand, it is.
Get something you will shoot a lot. Magnums may be cool, but if you do not shoot it on a regular basis, you won't be any good with it. Smaller firearms can deliver recoil like a magnum and this will reduce your desire to shoot them.
Everyone will recommend what they carry. Glock’s, 1911’s, H&K's, S&W's, SIG, and etc. Automatics or wheel guns. What works for you is the best.
Since you are looking for a car gun, get something that the caliber starts in “4” or bigger than 10mm. Experience shows that this works best at threat reduction.
In the end, you will own more than one. Unlike a wife or girlfriend, guns do not care if you have more than one of them.
Until you have put at least 500 malfunction free rounds through a pistol, do not bet your life on it's reliability.
And finally. Remember that with advice, you get what you pay for it.
Take handgun safety training at your local area gun shop or specialty store. It will also teach you about the variety of handgun make and styles and help you make the best purchase.
This will be the first time I’ve given any advice on one of these great threads...FWIW.
J frame S&W Airweight. 38 spl+P. Speer GDHP ammo.
CT grip.
Crossbreed Supertuck or Kramer pocket holster. Pretty comfortable.
Practiced a lot.
There is one other gun that I shoot better than the Glock, and that is the CZ-75BD in 9mm. It's larger, heavier (all steel), but the trigger is like butter and it is just easier to hit with fast. The "D" Model has a decocker, so I consider it superior to the regular CZ-75.
For later read...:)
I think you mean the .500 S&W Magnum. A little bit much for a newbie, don't you think? I have a 8 3/8" .460 S&W Magnum (same frame, faster boolits) and it's not any more of a handful than most .44 Magnums. The sheer mass and shock absorbing grip really eats up a lot of the recoil. The noise, however, is another issue. I wouldn't want to be at the indoor range that allowed this round to be fired with plugs and muffs.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.