Need opinions on first handgun/home defense

For what you are wanting, it'd be best to get a gun-mounted light but you can get a good standalone light from Surefire for $100-$125. 200 lumens would probably be sufficient but the brighter the better.

You might check out the Armytek Predator Pass-Around thread also - those lights look to be incredible and are competitively priced. I signed up for the pass-around that member anethema put together. Should have a light to test out in a few weeks.

Armytek Pass-Around Info: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/of...-armytek-predator-flashlight-pass-around.html

Armytek's Site (check out the videos under the Gallery): http://www.armytek.com/



Fink

 

I don't necessarily think you are in the minority. My daily concealed carry is a ported Glock 26 with night sights, Clipdraw retention device, and extended controls. I have faith in a 9mm round, provided it is a defense round. I carry Hornady's Critical Defense rounds and have no doubt in their stopping power. I like the Glock 26 because of it's reliability, concealability, and the number of rounds I can carry (extended mags offer 10+1). I also have complete confidence in my ability to shoot a Glock with extreme accuracy.

Your thoughts on a good flashlight is right on. I also have a OLight M30 Triton that I keep readily available as well as a Surefire E2D Defender. Both are exceptional lights with high lumen count. The M30 has an instant strobe effect that, if used in dark environments, will completely blind a perp. It is amazing how much this light can disorient someone on the receiving end. I've had my son use it on me at night just to see the effects, and I was completely incapacitated for a couple minutes. I could not focus or see where someone was exactly at without shielding my eyes and squinting hard.

 

Those rounds are awesome - right now I have two mags full of the Federal Premium Hydra-Shok JHP (EFMJ) 147g. I went with these because the PD I was employed by at the time used them in the field and my local armory was out of the Hornady.

As far as lights go, I will either be going with the ArmyTek Predator light I linked to above, or the new Surefire 6PX Pro.

Fink

 

My new S&W Bodyguard 380 is also a great gun in a pinch, and a heck of a lot of fun to shoot. I carry this when I am wearing shorts or clothes where the "imprint" of a concealed weapon is a concern. The 380 is not necessarily a great round when stopping power is a primary issue, but the first rule of a gun fight is to have a gun. I would not necessarily rely on this weapon as my sole resource in a home invasion or similar event. But out and about, it gives me enough of an edge to put distance between me and the threat.

 

home protection. Lots you need to know.

If you notice something weird happening and your concern. Grab your family and get them somewhere safe. Grab your weapon. Grab the phone and immediately dial 911 and start reporting. Report as much as you can.

You cannot exert more force than what is exerted against you. He comes at you with a fist, you can't just shoot him. Unless you were in immediate danger and feared for your life. (ie: intruder is on drugs or breaking in kitchen where knives were)

If you present yourself to the intruder and he turns around to leave. You HAVE to let him go. If you shot him in the back. YOU'RE DONE. No shots in the back. PERIOD. it will definitely work against you. Also in CA, a well place shot can also work against you...

Any type of shooting involved anything will call for a investigation. You want to make sure everything is on your side of the playing field.

My steps: Get love ones and family somewhere as safe as possible. Grab my 45, grab the phone and dial 911. Report whatever I can. IF the situation gets worse and intruder is going to break in. Hold your ground and aim to kill. If intruder turns around to leave. My weapon would be lowered and all information passed over to LEOS.


edit: my weapon of choice for my home is my 12 shotgun with HD loads. 1911 45acp with anti personnel rounds. Last ditch weapon S&W .357 3.5"

texas has much better laws concerning these types of thing... where I live... its communist.



oh btw. If you do need to shoot someone... kill him

 

a 9mm with the correct ammunition will drop any person period. i like a .45 personally but, also take into account the fact that this man is also going to be learning to shoot this weapon. pick your weapon, caliber and ammunition carefully.

i personally like hornandy critical defense 185 grain for my g 30 seeing as it's a sub compact i go with a light for caliber bullet weight and i have found i'm more consistent with that weight ammo and i train with that ammo as well at times but, god is it pricey..

 

Good choices all around. I've had my E2D Defender for several years and my OLight I picked up a couple years ago. Very reliable. Just for fun, I've also thought about picking up a laser from Wicked Lasers--those are some incredible devices. (http://www.wickedlasers.com/index.php?route=common/home) Not necessarily for immediate defense purposes, but if you had to blind someone, wow, those would do the trick. But then again, I'm always looking for new toys to play with.

 

Oh, than if this is your first purchase and just starting out. Shoot as many different firearms as you can to get a feel for what you prefer to shoot.

I started out with the typical 22 and its still my favorite round. (I know of many people that have lost their lives to 22s"

Sold my 9mm not too long ago. All around I really like the 45acp.

 

Good thoughts. Yep, in Texas, you have no obligation to retreat and you may defend yourself, family, or even neighbor from THEFT or personal harm. If a person is trying to steal my TV, he can be walking out my door, turned away from me, and I can take him out to recover my property. Now, being a reasonable person, I would likely not do this but until I am placed in this circumstance (and I was a police officer for years and have been confronted with a shoot, no-shoot situation many times), I honestly won't know what I would do. Hopefully, my family will never be faced with this situation.

 

If given a choice on one weapon for survival, I would pick my modified Ruger 10/22. A great weapon for just about any application; lightweight, accurate, dependable, and ammo is cheap and readily available (1000 rds for ~$60-75). Many people have been killed with .22 rounds as they have enough penetrating power to enter the body and bounce around, causing a shitload of damage to internal organs. Hell, the mafia has used silenced .22 pistols for up-close hits for years with devastating effect.

 

i love texas..... :'(


When faced with the situation... It is very hard to comprehend... But when faced with your love ones lives, your own, or some dumb mofo... should have ZERO second thoughts.

Please listen/watch this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsvggjYRbL0

Just listen. and try to get a feel for it.

 

lol i'm a strong guy and very fit i would not want to take the chance of scraping with someone in the middle of the night though in a dark house fuck that noise dude!

it's my opinion that if you are in my home uninvited you die... lets be honest you don't know if they are there to steal your tv or kill everyone in the entire house after having their fun. so if i hear a noise i clear close corners and strobe the dark house with my .45 and if i see someone they are meeting their maker thats a for damn sure.

i have no desire to shoot anything other than steel or paper but enter my home and it's on that is the way is see it.

two blocks away from my father inlaws house in cheshire ct. a few years ago there was a home invasion that was absolutely horrific it made national news due to it's brutality and as far as i'm concerned cheshire ct. is one of the quietest nicest places ever lol. that place make where i live look like the wild west lol.

if that ever happens to me or my wife it won't be for my lack of strength preparedness willingness to protect what is mine or determination. thats what a gun is for other than going to the range its a paper weight right...

 

I have experience with the sigma and lcp. i've owned both. the sigma has a rock hard trigger which causes fatique and innacuracy. the lcp has a cramped trigger pull; once you reach the end of the trigger pull your hand is hurting from the awkward position it's in.

beretta and glock have good trigger pulls. you can find them within your price range, used. i'm selling a px4 storm for $450 shipped, as a matter of fact, but it has a hi cap magazine, which i think are illegal in your neck of the woods. excellent gun, though. maybe you can find a px4 storm subcompact with a 10 rd mag for a decent price.

 

check out springfield xd9 or xd45. They should have compacts available now.

 

strictly for home protection, I went with the S&W sigma 9mm. I wanted something that did not have a safety (switch), the harder trigger pull is the built in safety. It's a gun I could teach my wife to use quickly and easily, if in a hasty situation, the trigger pull is not going to be an issue. I did not want my wife, if in a panic situation, to have to worry about "is the safety on or off?" She can quickly get it out of our digital gun safe, and it's ready to go...she just needs to pull trigger.

For a range gun, it's not as good if you're competitive with buddies with accuracy...due to the long trigger pull. I go with friends and I always shoot their guns better because of their guns single action, and easier trigger pull. I'm looking for my 2nd gun, but my S&W Sigma will always be my first choice for a good home defense gun.

 

^ Yep. Horrible situation this lady never thought she would be in, and had every right to defend herself. No one buys a home, purchases gun with the intent to unnecessarily kill someone. You do what you have to protect yourself as she did. If this guy had minded his own damn business and was not a criminal, he'd still be alive. But this world is filled, unfortunately, with those who have no regard for human life and will harm others for their own greedy criminal purposes. On occasion, they must be weeded out and terminated--justifiably--as the situation warranted. I'm sure she still lives with the guilt of killing this man but I hope she as at peace to some degree knowing she had no choice. Him or her... and she made the right decision. +1 for the good guys, or gals in this instance.

 

whatever you get, make sure its a 45... it'll stop anybody dead in their tracks

 

i had the .40 version of that gun. if the guy's gonna go to the range and just have one gun then that means he'll have to practice with that thing. i experienced too many jams and too much shooter fatigue. a used glock is much better option, IMO. same no-safety design with a better trigger and better reliability.

 

Going back to the original purpose of this thread, OP, if you purchase only one weapon, make sure (no matter what caliber you decide to go with) that BOTH you and your wife can shoot and reload this weapon with confidence. No use in owning a gun if only one of you is capable or willing to use it.

 

i have to agree my g 30 is easy to shoot my 9mm jumps more than my .45 does and a .45 is a genuine big bore caliber. hold a 9mm bullet in one hand then hold a .45 lol it's qutie a difference lol. i have a giant container of brass from me and the wife going to the range and the 9mm shells fit inside and jingle around my .45 casings.

although i must say i see nothing wrong with a 9mm for self defense in your using the correct ammo. they in some ways have an advantage lets say you are using a premium self defense cartridge in your 9mm my wifes glock hold 16 round 15 in the mag one in the pipe then you just slip in your pocket one more mag done lol if you miss that many time you deserve whats coming to you because your a retard