Yes, options are almost limitless and hardcore gun enthusiasts will have their own takes, but what are some of the simplest, most foolproof weapons for newbies looking to protect themselves and/or their family? Posted on 02/15/2021 6:12:34 AM PST by w1n1
Yes, options are almost limitless and hardcore gun enthusiasts will have their own takes, but what are some of the simplest, most foolproof weapons for newbies looking to protect themselves and/or their family?
In these troubled times, many people are buying guns for the first time in their life, but the needs of the casual gun owner are different from the experienced shooter. They need the simplest and most foolproof weapon, not the most advanced expert's weapon. Most first-time gun buyers are probably doing so to defend themselves and their family, and if they end up using it, they will be under extreme stress with all the attendant opportunities for the inexperienced to screw up. Of course, the answer to this is training and practice.
After all, there are only three ways to learn to shoot. Shooting, shooting and more shooting. Unfortunately, there is an ammo shortage at this time and most of these first-time buyers are not inclined to spend a lot of money on practice ammo anyway. That's just the reality of the situation and what we have to deal with. Still, becoming familiar with the new gun is crucial and keeping that as easy as possible is more important for the casual shooter than the dedicated shooter. Hence, we will look at the best possible choices in this light. e guns should be simple to use and easy to hit with, and should also have the least recoil possible so the new shooter does not get a flinch.
THE CLASSIC HOMEOWNER defense firearm is the handgun, and rightly so. For gunfighting inside a home or building, the pistol is king. It is fast and can be held near the side of the body when going through doorways or past furniture, where an assailant might spring out and grab the barrel of a shotgun or rifle and wrestle it out of your hands. Just don't hold it so close to your body that the gas escaping from the barrel/cylinder gap on a revolver burns you when you fire. People who advise a pump shotgun for this duty are showing their lack of personal experience in this sort of fighting. A pump shotgun does not have room for the buckshot to spread enough to matter indoors, so you are looking at a manually operated five- or eight-shot repeater that can malfunction if the pump action is not cycled properly under stress. Read the rest of guns for newbie.
Pistol is not that good of a choice! Shotgun!! With laser!
A 2inch 38 special or 357, a safety will get your butt shot in a confrontation without proper training.
The crazy Joe finger shotgun?
In the house...short 20 ga shotgun...for carry a 38 spcl revolver...
Bingo. My GF has a Glock 19 for home defense. I keep telling her a 12 ga. with #6 shot is better. Mostly because it will leave a nice hole, and won’t go through the wall into the neighbors house possibly wounding or killing someone there. 2nd even if you don’t get a direct hit, something will get them plus if you don’t choke it the spread will increase the impact zone.
For concealed carry I will gladly take the 9, but in the house give me the shotgun every time.
Finances allowing, I suggest a .22lr version for practice for the beginner. They are very mild and help keep the bad habit of flinching away. I taught my SO with a S&W mod 617 transitioning to a 686, both with 4" barrels.
I don't like the Ruger LCR isn't a good choice for the beginner because the .22 trigger is way too heavy when compared to the .38 version of the same.
Here is a 617 image. 
Rossi Circuit Judge (shoots both 410 shotgun and 45cal bullets)
Revolver, so no ‘semi auto’ to remember
Available in Stainless
“...where an assailant might spring out and grab the barrel of a shotgun or rifle and wrestle it out of your hands. “
~~~
If you have a home invasion you almost always know it. If you have time to reach a firearm, then you should also have time to find a (relatively safe distance) bottleneck. You definitely should not be searching around shadowy corners with a loaded firearm if you don’t know who or where anyone is.
Forget shotguns, AR-15s and revolvers. The best defensive weapon is the one you have on you. My personal choice is the Glock 23. It’s concealable, fires a .40 S&W round, is very reliable and holds 13 rounds plus one in the chamber. If I were buying today, I’d go with the Glock 19, which is the 23’s 9 mm brother, now that 9 mm ammo has significantly improved since I decided on .40 S&W as my primary caliber. I’d also consider the Glock 43X, which is smaller, has a single stack magazine and holds 10 + 1. While I am not a Glock fanatic, I do like them for their reliability, simplicity and their passive safeties. Pull the trigger and it’s going to go bang. And like the Jeep Wrangler, there are a million aftermarket accessories for them.
“...like the Jeep Wrangler, there are a million aftermarket accessories for them...” From springsteens off road store? LOL!
If you have a shotgun and need to go to the door to learn who it is, you are already in trouble. Just shoot the shotgun through the door - its what most do in that situation. You are using double ought buckshot, right?
smith n wesson hammerless 38 model 642 is my choice
it always goes bang when you want it to and it does not when you dont want it to ,,,,,,once I was two foot away from a huge rattle snake by my garbage cans, pulled out my 1911 and tried to shoot it, no bang,,took me 3 seconds to figure out the saftey is still on. Have carried this 38 ever since. If that rattler was armed and shooting back I would have been toast.
Im a good shot but under pressure you may forget the safety is on safe.
I had the same idea and I have both in 4” too. They are both great guns and great fun to shoot. Both are very accurate and even with full power .357 loads the 686 doesn’t kick much. I used those two guns to start my grandsons off on handguns.
For seniors with bad eye sight, a semi automatic shotgun should work well.
Was crewing with a guy in Prince William and on the way back to town we were doing 20-25 kts when the guy handed me his .22 stainless Ruger revolver. He had been plunking seals (it was legal then and the only good seal was a dead seal). I took aim at one basking on a bar about 30 years away and shot - seal jumped and moved no more.
Always wanted one after that.
Here we go again!
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That’s a crazy article if it is being meant for a first time gun owner. Certain to scare them off. Good grief.
In other words, about average for 'Am Shooting Journal'.
I got my Jeep long before that idiot was driving drunk and pitching Jeeps. For serious offoading, Jeep was pretty much the only game in town. And I bought my Jeep to do just that. Now the new Bronco will also be an option...while costing a small fortune for one properly equipped. But I have no plans on getting one. And it's going to take a long time until there are as many aftermarket accessories for it as there are for the Jeep.
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